tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89855742944048658732024-03-13T11:37:29.106+01:00Cabot and CoLiam Cabothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10509377180536941344noreply@blogger.comBlogger145125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8985574294404865873.post-73046504369672772442014-04-11T15:51:00.003+02:002014-04-11T15:51:56.568+02:00Spring has Sprung..After a relatively mild winter, Spring has sprung! In fact more of a leap, jump or catapult than a mere spring. At this point, growth is already advanced by about three weeks. Our Sipon vines would normally look like this in early May....<br />
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The shoots are so early that there's still of course a danger of frost. To counter this, many producers with lower-lying vineyards are holding off on tying down the canes so that the shoots are kept as high away from the ground as possible.<br />
<br />
Over in the new Blaufrankisch vineyard, the young vines have also - relatively speaking - raced ahead....<br />
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Only problem is all the other growth around the young vines.....!<br />
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<br />
Time to think about a bit of hoeing.....<br />
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<br />Liam Cabothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10509377180536941344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8985574294404865873.post-80757200339795442502014-03-21T11:47:00.003+01:002014-03-21T19:30:37.704+01:00It's Sale Time<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">It's Sale Time!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Why exactly it's Sale Time in the third week in
March, or what type of Sale this actually is - we're not really quite sure. All
we know is that there are some "known knowns" and "known unknowns".... so let's
find out...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong><u>The Known
Knowns:</u></strong></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Well, these are the discounts - and they're pretty
plain to see. The smallest discount is exactly 24.12%, ranging up to a whopping
66.10%! That's well over Half Price. The other big Known Known is that these are
<strong><u>all</u></strong> wines we'd happily drink ourselves.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong><u>The Known
Unknowns:</u></strong></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Well, these are a bit more difficult to be specific
about...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The Sale itself isn't really a Bin End Sale. Some
of the wines are Bin Ends, some aren't. We have just picked wines that we think
maybe need to find a good home in the near future, or wines that might be familiar to you but we know we'll get a bit of fun from by selling them at a
silly price, or wines that you might not ordinarily choose, but could be tempted
to do so at a silly price. What we do know is that the volumes indicated are
what we are selling. We may have more of some of the wines, but this is all
we're selling at these prices. If we don't sell them during the Sale, then
they'll go back to their normal public price (and we'll probably sell them off
secretly somewhere else!). Other that that, there are no rules - except for
the other rules at the end....</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">What about the Known Unknowns of the Wines
themselves...? Well, in there we have....</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">A good selection of drinking Bordeaux from
excellent vintages at great prices - there's the second wine of <strong>Ch.
Montrose</strong> that excelled in St. Estephe in 2003, the second wine of the
super-cult <strong>Valandraud</strong> from the wonderful 1998 vintage, there's
superstar <strong>Pontet Canet</strong> from 2001, the rare Lynch Bages Blanc
2009 and more..</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">There's John Wilson's "dream" wine that he wrote
about for Christmas Day Dinner - the <strong>Furst Pinot Noir 2010</strong> at a
knockdown €18.00, along with two other stunning and must-try German
wines.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">There's a white wine that one other National wine
journalist tasted last weekend at a big Gourmet dinner (along with many other
more prestigious wines) and proclaimed it as their top wine of the night - the
<strong>Miro Furmint 2009</strong> (a lovely crisp, fresh Sauvignon-like white)
at a crazy €11.00 a bottle! How low do we have to go to convince you to try this
stuff? Miro's mate, Samo <strong>Kolaric </strong>has his own lovely Sauvignon
Blanc 2011 in there - we bought a small parcel of it and it's nearing the end -
at €12.00.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">There's tons of stuff from the southern Rhone -
lot's of big, hearty reds, many of them developing lovely farmyardy
characteristics as they age gracefully - like an old age boxer, they have
sensitivity, charm and a knockout punch.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">There's a weird, but wonderful semi-dessert wine
from Puglia in Southern Italy - the <strong>San Donaci Pieta Caya @
€15.00</strong>. This is a slightly sweet red that is rich and smooth - amazing
with a dark chocolate-based dessert like strawberries dipped in chocolate -
or delicious chilled on it's own.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">There are some great Burgundian bargains as well...
lovely, aged Nuits St. Georges Veilles Vignes from the almost impossible to find
<strong>Mugneret</strong> sisters at just €25 a bottle (that really is mad), or
the frustrating 2010 Macon Cruzille Red from <strong>Emmanuel Guillot
Broux</strong> that we seem unable to sell despite it being great (and now at
€12.00) - think crunchy Beaujolais meets elegant Burgundy.....</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">There are various Magnums of some pretty fine
stuff, all ready to drink...!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">And more.....</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong><u>The Rules:</u></strong></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">So, a few rules....but no sneaky
ones....</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">i) First come, first served</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">ii) We have to hold you to our minimum spend of
€200 to qualify for free nationwide delivery. Sorry, but at these prices, we
just have to do it.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">iii) If you take a violent dislike to anything you
buy and threaten never to purchase from us again, we'll crumble and offer you
some replacement wine to the same value to keep you quiet.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">iv) The Sale ends March 31st.</span><br />
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Happy Hunting.</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Download the </span><a href="http://www.cabotandco.com/uploads/Pre-Arrival%20Offers/March%202014%20Sale.pdf" target="_blank">March 2014 Sale</a> here</span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
Liam Cabothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10509377180536941344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8985574294404865873.post-45577798400412056062014-02-12T12:16:00.000+01:002014-02-12T12:16:08.915+01:00Binge Drinking, Alcohol Prices and Alcohol TaxesThe respected American Association of Wine Economists recently published a very interesting Working Paper on the links, or otherwise, between binge drinking, alcohol prices and alcohol taxes.<br />
<br />
I am not for one second trying to take away from the issue of binge drinking itself. We have a huge problem with it here in Ireland and it continues to cause significant problems both socially and economically. It is, in my opinion, greatly exacerbated by the below cost selling of alcohol and the way that alcohol is often marketed and promoted.<br />
<br />
The irony is that the Government that permits the sale of alcohol in this way is also the same Government that tells us they are doing our national Health a favour by increasing the taxes on alcohol (and wine in particular) to protect us from harming ourselves. It's a ridiculous smokescreen.<br />
<br />
The full report is both very detailed and fascinating. For those who just want a brief overview, I quote the following Summary:<br />
<i>"A large body of evidence now indicates that binge drinkers are not highly-responsive to increased prices or taxes, and may not respond at all. Non-responsiveness holds generally for younger and older drinkers and for male and female binge drinkers alike. Increased alcohol prices or taxes are <u>unlikely</u> to be effective as a means to reduce binge drinking, regardless of gender or age group."</i><br />
<br />
The full Working Paper is <a href="http://www.wine-economics.org/aawe/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/AAWE_WP146.pdf">here</a>.<br />
<br />
American Association of Wine Economists: www.wine-economics.orgLiam Cabothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10509377180536941344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8985574294404865873.post-13737551675468404642014-02-12T11:31:00.001+01:002014-02-12T11:31:22.625+01:00Silly Wine Tasting ClipsThe old ones are the best... we don't seem to be able to take the mickey out of ourselves as much as we used to.....<br />
<br />
Richard E Grant - Posh Nosh:<br />
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<br />
Alan Partridge Wine Tasting<br />
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a><span id="goog_2117430644"></span><span id="goog_2117430645"></span><br />
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<br /></div>
<div>
Fry and Laurie</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
Absolutely Fabulous</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
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<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
And of course, Sasha Baron Cohen's Borat...toe curlingly cringy....</div>
<div>
(warning: some people may be offended by some of the content in this clip)</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
Liam Cabothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10509377180536941344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8985574294404865873.post-50689458960375160662014-02-12T11:07:00.003+01:002014-02-12T11:07:30.654+01:00Near Miss....I actually saw a still of this on RTE news a few weeks back, and didn't really notice that the boulder (although missing the house) continued on straight into a vineyard....<br />
<br />
Lucky escape for the house - not so lucky for the vines...<br />
<br />
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<br />Liam Cabothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10509377180536941344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8985574294404865873.post-23521426954413198432014-01-14T14:49:00.002+01:002014-01-14T14:49:45.144+01:00Burgundy 2012 Prequel - the 10 Best Unsung Burgundy ProducersAs we heard towards the release of our Burgundy 2012 Primeur Offer, a lot of the talk is of price increases by many of the producers to combat the third successive small crop. However, in this context, many of the increases are understandable as producers have effectively lost the equivalent of one whole vintage out of the last three.<br />
<br />
Reputation costs extra as well - and is of course well earned. But there are many unsung producers offering great wines at very reasonable prices. Respected wine writer and critic, Bill Nanson, recently published his "10 Best Unsung Burgundy Producers" in an article for Wine Searcher.<br />
<br />
At No. 1 is our friend from Gevrey Chambertin, Damien Livera. We have been working with him exclusively since the 2008 vintage and have been praising his wines. Bill writes:<br />
<br />
<i><b>Number 1. Domaine des Tilleuls is run by the Livera family of Gevrey-Chambertin. Damien
Livera took over from his father, Philippe, and is making dark, concentrated,
but brilliantly balanced <a href="http://www.wine-searcher.com/find/philip+livera+dom+tilleul+rsrv+vieilles+vigne+cote+de+nuit+village+burgundy+france">Côte
de Nuits Villages</a>, village Gevrey-Chambertins and even a little <a href="http://www.wine-searcher.com/find/philip+livera+dom+tilleul+grand+cru+chapelle+chambertin+gevrey+cote+de+nuit+burgundy">Chapelle-Chambertin
Grand Cru</a>. It's such a shame that there is so little of that latter wine.
Damien is quietly spoken, a little shy even, but his wines are packed full of
personality. <u>Factoring in cost, his 2010 Côte de Nuits Villages was one of the
best wines of the vintage</u>.</b></i><br />
<br />
We have a small amount of his 2010 Cotes de Nuits Villages left, along with his stunning 2010 Gevrey Chambertin "Clos Village"<br />
<br />
If you are looking for any other tips, the full article is here: <a href="http://www.wine-searcher.com/m/2014/01/nanson-alternative-list-top-10-burgundy-producers" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Wine Searcher - The 10 Best Unsung Burgundy Producers</span></a>Liam Cabothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10509377180536941344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8985574294404865873.post-15634896259622616112014-01-14T14:33:00.000+01:002014-01-14T14:33:37.815+01:00How to open a bottle of wine without a corkscrew...I came across this..... looks amazing.....not the way you might think...<br />
<br />
Not sure what happens the sediment though...!<br />
<br />
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<br />Liam Cabothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10509377180536941344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8985574294404865873.post-89984426654902629352013-12-02T20:11:00.002+01:002013-12-02T20:11:48.867+01:00My Grapefruit is corked!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhyphenhyphenuBPFFECrQFMkM67OpmgWs80qEeb5AIEl8jFJKyaHiZRZQhUTyKnaKTM7r7a9EqZJxbiE5G276dhRWXDGhgux2laANymmuqg-I9iumOXRLXV80acsM_9v4msPpF5ferZ3u81cfiY_scz/s1600/Corked+Grapefruit.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhyphenhyphenuBPFFECrQFMkM67OpmgWs80qEeb5AIEl8jFJKyaHiZRZQhUTyKnaKTM7r7a9EqZJxbiE5G276dhRWXDGhgux2laANymmuqg-I9iumOXRLXV80acsM_9v4msPpF5ferZ3u81cfiY_scz/s320/Corked+Grapefruit.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Yep, you read that right!<br />
<br />
I'm a sucker for red grapefruit and I noticed that our local supermarket has one of its regular "3 for €2" deals running that includes nets of red grapefruit. Each net has 4 or 5 grapefruit - so for €2 you can get 12-15 red grapefruit. Not bad...but if it seems to good to be true, then....<br />
<br />
Every single one I have tried has been "corked". <b><u>Exactly</u></b> the same smell and taste as a wine tainted with TCA. Even my fingers smell of cork taint after peeling one. So I Googled "corked fruit" and it turns out I'm not going loopy (well, not on this occasion anyway) and it's possible for fruit to be affected by TCA in the same way as wine - with fruit it's the wooden boxes it comes in or storage that can cause the problems.<br />
<br />
Maybe it's just our local shop, and just my bad luck, but my guess is that there's a reason you can buy 12-15 of them for €2....<br />
<br />
So if you've never had a corked wine and you also like red grapefruit (I suppose that narrows the numbers down a bit) nip out to your local supermarket and see what you're missing! You might be lucky.<br />
<br />
<br />Liam Cabothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10509377180536941344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8985574294404865873.post-21856197039463457302013-11-20T14:06:00.000+01:002013-11-20T14:06:24.593+01:00Budget 2014 - The Aftermath...<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">It’s the
middle of November – we have to move on and stop the whingeing….but just one
more lash…..!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">My
predictions for the budget turned out to be (predictably) way off the mark. It
was probably too much to think that the Government would reduce Excise Duty,
but the fact that they increased it really surprised me. Proof indeed that
Lobby Groups work – what was that? Oh yes, there is no independent wine
group/lobby in Ireland…..</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">T</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">he Government’s
promise, belatedly, to “look at” minimum pricing on alcohol means that their
excuse for raising Duty in the interests of protecting health is just a sham and
a smokescreen. The fact that they permit below-cost selling of alcohol whilst
claiming to protect our health by charging us more is laughable. The introduction
of minimum pricing is a step in the right direction – but how long will it take…..</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">In the
meantime, here are five things that I predict will happen…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">No. 5<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Cashflow will
become very tight for importers and distributors. Excise Duty is paid to the
Revenue at the end of every month irrespective of whether they have been paid
by their customers. The charge is based on the volume of wine taken out of the warehouse
during that month. A year ago, every 1,000 cases taken out would incur a Duty
cost of about €24,000. Now it’s just over a staggering €38,000. And the
importer or distributors might not get paid by their own customer for 60 / 90
days – or longer – or not at all. But the Revenue have their cash.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">No. 4</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Some smaller
(and possibly larger) companies will go bust. It’s simply not possible to
cashflow the purchase of wines (which generally must be paid to the producer
after 60 days), cashflow the Excise Duty after 30 days – and then not get paid
for more than 90 days…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">No. 3</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">As a
consequence, there will be a loss of diversity. Your choice of wines on the
shelf will contract as only the bigger importers or retailers can afford to outlast
all the rest. There are some amazing niche importers with wonderful wines who
don’t use warehouses – they are generally too small. But guess what? Instead of
paying the Excise after 30 days, they actually have to pay it in advance! Even
before it lands on Irish soil! Even before they physically sell a single bottle.
Now apply that 62% increase in Excise over the last 12 months to their scenario….<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">No. 2<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">You will get
a lower quality of wine. Some people just don’t want to pay any more than they
were paying before. This applies to restaurants and hotels as much as it does
to the punter looking for a bottle of wine to take home. So if you paid €8 for
a bottle of wine a year ago, there is now an extra €1.50 (at least) of tax and
mark-up in there. If you’re still getting a bottle at €8, there’s only one
thing that can have changed – the cost of the actual juice in the bottle. Be
prepared for some pretty gut-wrenching stuff coming your way. And I don’t mean
stuff that costs €1.50 from the producer (there can be a lot of very decent
stuff) – I mean stuff that costs 40 to 50 cents. At that level it’s not really
wine, it’s an industrial liquid manufactured like many other industrial
liquids. And that’s not snobbishness – it’s a fact.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">No. 1<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Smuggling.
Wine has suddenly become very attractive to smugglers. And I don’t mean going
to Newry and stocking up your van in the Buttercrane centre and selling a few
cases to your mates. Yes it happens, but you still have to pay the UK Excise.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">The Revenue’s
Annual report for 2012 has some interesting details on “Excisable Products
Seized in 2012” (Page 47). There were just over 8,000 seizures of cigarettes yielding
a not insignificant 95 million fags. Clearly this is an on-going challenge. I
wonder why? Oh yes, the tax is so high that it is therefore attractive to
smugglers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">There were a
significantly smaller number of alcohol seizures….. just 359 in total, bringing
just over 33,000 litres. Much of this was illegally produced spirits, or
blended spirits, or guys making poitin – and so on. But even if we assume it
was all wine, it would be just over 3,500 cases. Sounds a lot?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Well,
consider this. The average 40 foot truck can hold anywhere between 1,000 and
2,000 cases depending on how they are packed. Let’s just say you deliver to Europe
on a regular basis, but your truck normally comes back to Ireland empty. If you
stop and fill it with wine in e.g. France (where there is negligible tax), and
decide not to declare it on entry, you are saving just over €75,000 in Excise
Duty. That’s a pretty hefty pile of cash. And that’s just one truck.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Then consider
this. You’re a bar / restaurant / hotel that is under pressure on pricing. All
the regular companies are coming in with their wines, but they are all a bit
expensive because of the high Excise. You can suddenly get your wines much,
much cheaper from a local fella who drops them off once a week. Not all your
wines – maybe just the stuff you use for weddings / functions where you only
need a red and a white and price sensitivity is key. So you take 20 cases a
week. And there are another 20 like you in the locality. That’s 400 cases a
week – and the truckload of wine is gone in about 1 month. Somebody just made
€75,000. For the consumer, there is absolutely no way to identify if the wine
has had the Excise Duty paid.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Now consider
this. How many alcohol seizures (specifically wine) have been at Ports – you know,
the type of places that lots of trucks pass through? As far as I can see, none.
Zero. Zilch.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">I think wine
smuggling will become the new petrol smuggling. How sad.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Liam Cabothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10509377180536941344noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8985574294404865873.post-37377562119818674142013-10-13T23:57:00.000+02:002013-10-13T23:57:29.102+02:00Budget 2014 - the beforemath....<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It’s late Sunday evening and I’m about as far away from
Irish news as could be possible. In fact, I’m surrounded by millions of tiny
fruits flies, covered in bits of dried grape “gunk” and I look like someone
just split my head open with an axe – but thankfully it’s just fermenting grape
juice.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">But even here, the Budget looms large. Not so large that we’ll
all take a break on Tuesday afternoon and gather round the internet radio and listen
to Minister Noonan’s speech – but more that whatever happens in terms of any changes
to Excise Duty has a direct impact on the success, or otherwise, of the
endeavours of all those around me. It seems inconceivable that the Minister takes
more than the average winemaker gets for labouring all year – but I’m probably
a bit too close to it all at the moment……</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">However, I have been asked to write an “opinion” piece on
the Budget and what is announced by Minister Noonan on Tuesday. I just thought
I might give it a go now – get it out of the way, in advance of the budget – just in case I fall into
a vat of fermenting juice, or get abducted by aliens, or win the Lotto…</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So here’s my piece on what happened in Tuesday’s Budget,
before it happens…..</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Yesterday’s Budget brought a mixed bag of changes for the
Irish Wine trade. It has been apparent for a good while now that the lack of an
effective lobby group – or indeed <u>any</u> group at all that represents wine
importers and retailers exclusively – has meant that our little voices are
never really heard. The big boys looking after beer and spirits can make a lot
of noise – look what happened to wine at the last Budget.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">But at least there has been some relief – albeit possibly
temporarily – and for once there seems to be some joined-up thinking in relation
to the taxation of alcohol in Ireland.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">-</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The 50 cents per bottle (incl. Vat) reduction in
Excise Duty for Wine is most welcome. With falling sales and smaller
independent wine retailers feeling the pinch – actually more like getting whacked
over the head with a mallet – it would be nice to think the Minister took heed
of our plight. The reality is that it was more likely to be potential EU
pressure on the disproportionate taxation of wine that brought about this
reversal. And any budget is always a mix of give and take… the take will come
later.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">-</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The increase of 10 cents (including Vat) on a pint
of beer seems fair in relation to the way in which other alcohol, primarily
wine, has been taxed. It brings the relative taxation of the two much closer
together – something that should have been recognised sooner. This additional
revenue will more than make up for that lost by reducing the Excise on wine.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">-</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The commitment given by the Minister to introduce
legislation to ban below cost selling of alcohol is long overdue and very
welcome. The incongruity of raising taxes on alcohol with protecting “Health”
as the reason, whilst simultaneously allowing it to be sold by the choice of
the retailer at the same price of a large bag of crisps never seemed to bother
the Minister. But at least the message seems to have got through. Below cost
selling of alcohol is not only irresponsible, but it also costs the State as
the retailer can claim a Vat rebate on the difference between the cost price
vs. the (lower) sales price. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">-</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Calibri;">A reorganisation of the licencing charges is
also welcome. It undoubtedly favours the smaller, independent retailer –
but why shouldn’t it? We should be protecting diversity – and those who sell more,
should pay proportionally more. This also fits with the Health objectives. Holding
the current annual fee the same for wholesalers and retailers with turnover of
less than €750,000 from <u>all</u> alcohol sales, and increasing it by 0.5% of
turnover above this level makes sense. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">-</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The proposal to introduce a so-called “lid tax”
is potentially the most contentious issue. Thankfully the Minister has given
notice of his intention to legislate in this area in the future– rather than
introduce an ill-conceived scheme in this Budget without due consideration. The
potential legislation is complex – would it be a flat tax on all sales revenue,
or different rates based on alcoholic strength? And will all alcohol be taxed
fairly and proportionally? Furthermore, the idea for this tax grew from the
desire to find a replacement source of revenue for sporting organisations who
say they will lose out if alcohol-related sponsorship of sporting events is
banned. So would the revenue from this tax be ring-fenced for sporting bodies –
and what is the exact legislation proposed in relation to the sponsorship ban?
So there are many complex issues to consider –and if it is to be done successfully
and intelligently, it takes time - <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>but
it will most likely lead to some form of increases in the next Budget, but
thankfully not for now.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So overall, from a purely wine-related perspective it was a welcome
budget.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">But was it……?<o:p></o:p></span>Liam Cabothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10509377180536941344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8985574294404865873.post-58259338266896722802013-10-08T13:31:00.001+02:002013-10-10T20:18:50.192+02:00Ho Ho Ho - or - Hoe Hoe Hoe<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">The two sound the same, but the huge difference
in physical exertion is very dramatic! Neither are particularly photogenic
though!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6P78BA_H-f7OyerSoe2hyphenhyphenb2hdIcDrTkB_5WoHaNt3MDJcZo22bLnYjuq-GAiI3ynD6BUrWA0zXXZT2mVOYkSM2_HJOIY9FggbNbqdiOOmLzli81c0e10PAQdqJp8-tqHmiTCmfKyNZ3AG/s1600/IMG_1796.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6P78BA_H-f7OyerSoe2hyphenhyphenb2hdIcDrTkB_5WoHaNt3MDJcZo22bLnYjuq-GAiI3ynD6BUrWA0zXXZT2mVOYkSM2_HJOIY9FggbNbqdiOOmLzli81c0e10PAQdqJp8-tqHmiTCmfKyNZ3AG/s320/IMG_1796.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vines from the nursery</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-QnNi0xGy867sr7Cx-er5h8jTwR-PCroOVq3LrAgvIxPfe8XWk0pAwgYB0KWe9Bu_VmUBomFklrGR6P-brti4HILM1TNcbTLUJvc_ptx2wbAbSmHoqKHgEc04Xjxr9ZvOkfqlkEVhQHa7/s1600/IMG_1801.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-QnNi0xGy867sr7Cx-er5h8jTwR-PCroOVq3LrAgvIxPfe8XWk0pAwgYB0KWe9Bu_VmUBomFklrGR6P-brti4HILM1TNcbTLUJvc_ptx2wbAbSmHoqKHgEc04Xjxr9ZvOkfqlkEVhQHa7/s320/IMG_1801.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Preparing them for planting - the green wax covers the graft between rootstock and vine</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Surprisingly, the planting of a new vineyard
is rather unimpressive from an equipment point of view. Of course you can have
the vines planted by machine – even a satnav controlled machine to ensure exact
spacing between vines and rows, but we opted for the good old-fashioned planting
by hand. Well, more like planting with the special fork-like metal rod that
inserts the vine roots into the ground as you stamp heavily on it – but not too
hard that you actually break the young vine. Of course, all of this is after
everything has been measured by hand – or bits of wood and string in our case.
We decided to go for 65cm between the vines in each row (so we will have a
short shoot and low yield) and 2.2 metres between the rows, so we can fit a
tractor between them when necessary.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Planting was quick, fun and very
fulfilling….!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3SqoFYjVK7T43j9col0VLac1YuNVkM2JViJDMfRbai-ypfr9PaYhqlx1tQt1VQEj9ZPOPiJbebjxPSJNAlEdcMnhrxfq54dQe-QdSroiwB0V9PkFlIS8OYLpSjM41jZc96SmGOk5NuIOn/s1600/IMG_1804.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3SqoFYjVK7T43j9col0VLac1YuNVkM2JViJDMfRbai-ypfr9PaYhqlx1tQt1VQEj9ZPOPiJbebjxPSJNAlEdcMnhrxfq54dQe-QdSroiwB0V9PkFlIS8OYLpSjM41jZc96SmGOk5NuIOn/s320/IMG_1804.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge_oWUHqA9YiVIVVvCG7U8YYzbebABiqJgoO-2TLIMTH_iyxL0HDNOrETuoZ2CI-uuH6SWysHcyyDm1XslgMxM0XU9gJ6lVY_8xTNoZTu-a5q3idSNHXYfKe7cUo-mTPVFkUzgqvpUpO2c/s1600/IMG_1842.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge_oWUHqA9YiVIVVvCG7U8YYzbebABiqJgoO-2TLIMTH_iyxL0HDNOrETuoZ2CI-uuH6SWysHcyyDm1XslgMxM0XU9gJ6lVY_8xTNoZTu-a5q3idSNHXYfKe7cUo-mTPVFkUzgqvpUpO2c/s320/IMG_1842.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Oh, if only a new vineyard could just be that
easy….</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It all looked wonderful for the first few
weeks. Then the weeds started…. With a new vineyard you have a couple of
choices – or maybe “cheats”. Firstly you can decide to cover each new vine with
a white plastic “sheath”. This protects the vine to a certain extent from
hungry foragers such as rabbits and deer (unless you have your vineyard fenced
– we don’t) but it also allows you to spray the soil around the vines with
weedkiller as the vines are protected. However the downside is that if it gets
very hot during the summer, the vines can sweat and wilt in the plastic
coverings. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFuyOtfzAYVf8u35MtjQBxxWkqu6now3Yg6AOAJ7UvKbuWOpQIpBB1C6oZ1TvwXxKbiB2TpkvoYZLBiDw5S6r4E4voEA5XMKgzQgwRhQtiidWmm3aYOwD2v9hRkNO8HlAPMskvJElrfPTa/s1600/26082012740.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFuyOtfzAYVf8u35MtjQBxxWkqu6now3Yg6AOAJ7UvKbuWOpQIpBB1C6oZ1TvwXxKbiB2TpkvoYZLBiDw5S6r4E4voEA5XMKgzQgwRhQtiidWmm3aYOwD2v9hRkNO8HlAPMskvJElrfPTa/s320/26082012740.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Notice the areas that have been sprayed with weedkiller</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The other “cheat” is that you can opt not to use plastic sheaths, but apply a pretty heavy dose of weedkiller
onto the surrounding soil <u>immediately</u> after the vines are planted – before the
new shoots break the wax seal. Again, the vines are in theory protected – and
the weeds are zapped.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We opted to do neither – mainly because the old land has not had pesticides on it for about 15 years and we want to try and keep them to a minimum. But the trade-off is weeds – and plenty of them. Not just weeds that grow in the surrounding soil, but weeds that creep, crawl and attempt to smother your vines – hello convolvulus!</div>
<br />
The vines are too small to use any form of mechanisation, so the only way to deal with them is to take out a good old-fashioned hoe and start bashing away…<br />
<br />
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<br />
All 1,623 of them…<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In rows up a steep hill…..</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Clearing an 80cm wide path all the way up…..</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In 30 degrees Celsius heat…</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
At the rate of about 110 vines per 120 minutes…</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It’s funny how you can start to see the attraction of pesticides…</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjevXzI3KHyJo5OV_3Lo318-DFFa0cEWksn7hw2EPA7hfyLg8aDBlkCs2Xn_fyEu4u5Irhyphenhyphen54omJPqFI9fuYwOHesemWuNdsJN9Qb49KxfYFGB2nb2UIMxVEDAWdQPx1AGjSGxlFlu_fElM/s1600/IMG_1926.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjevXzI3KHyJo5OV_3Lo318-DFFa0cEWksn7hw2EPA7hfyLg8aDBlkCs2Xn_fyEu4u5Irhyphenhyphen54omJPqFI9fuYwOHesemWuNdsJN9Qb49KxfYFGB2nb2UIMxVEDAWdQPx1AGjSGxlFlu_fElM/s320/IMG_1926.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Job done - temporarily....</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Anyway, job done – and the vineyard looked like a perfectly trimmed front lawn! Until the weeds started again….!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghE9MdVzv97NzsZayJYBLwd87mDuiwzOMsAKG6RIEVmROy5mtmLx_5N03-rwO4fjrRkygqjLC98TTIp3PW26HqRYkV-eKx6ep7Ig9YsstV6Qw-aEWvNNgeaWGMlEDU9wMzlf6IWIu9xtVU/s1600/IMG_1968.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghE9MdVzv97NzsZayJYBLwd87mDuiwzOMsAKG6RIEVmROy5mtmLx_5N03-rwO4fjrRkygqjLC98TTIp3PW26HqRYkV-eKx6ep7Ig9YsstV6Qw-aEWvNNgeaWGMlEDU9wMzlf6IWIu9xtVU/s320/IMG_1968.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They're coming back....</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ8zAO23ZT1atXejwjyo-0V0NMBkyfZmoeqMDsKD71lQok19g17ej_m83vkaBl7xLa1a-oeIHxdswIimem7r-eTP5WlMl0e1JWzZtg0ReV0EtODKSi2EZ4T8P27H7cRaBjRnayUf2DDcmc/s1600/IMG_1970.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ8zAO23ZT1atXejwjyo-0V0NMBkyfZmoeqMDsKD71lQok19g17ej_m83vkaBl7xLa1a-oeIHxdswIimem7r-eTP5WlMl0e1JWzZtg0ReV0EtODKSi2EZ4T8P27H7cRaBjRnayUf2DDcmc/s320/IMG_1970.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">AARRGGGHHH...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But we kept at it – and now as Autumn
approaches we’ll get a break – until next Spring…</div>
Liam Cabothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10509377180536941344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8985574294404865873.post-14547100056748058912013-10-08T13:10:00.000+02:002013-10-08T13:10:18.137+02:00Off With Their Heads<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Ok, not another rant about Excise Duty –
but don’t worry, plenty more of those to come…</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For anyone who can follow the bizarre
timeline of this Blog, we’re now jumping back in time to May of this year.
Readers will know that we had been clearing and preparing a <span style="color: red;"><a href="http://www.cabotandco.blogspot.ie/2013/08/planning-ahead.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">a new vineyard</span></a> </span>for
Modra Frankinja (Blaufrankisch) with a view to planting some 1,600 vines that
will bear fruit in three years time – and for many more years to come…</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But there’s always a shortcut! The planting
of vines – and waiting – is all very much part of the natural rhythm of a
vineyard (although there’s plenty of work to be done – big whinge coming up..),
but experimentation is also fun!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Fritz Becker in Pflaz had mentioned
casually that they were getting some older vines “head” grafted to Pinot Noir –
there are various teams of specialist “grafters” who work their way through
Europe each Spring and field-graft a chosen new variety onto an existing
rootstock. The idea being that the new “vine” gets the benefit of older,
established roots (and potential complexity), along with the advantage that the
fruit-bearing part of the pant will produce fruit the following year – no
3-year minimum wait!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Apparently it became very popular in
California some years back following the success of the film Sideways – Merlot
fell out of fashion and growers needed Pinto Noir – and fast! Here are a few pretty enthusiastic converts..</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/xNP9OlGwwTo?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Technically it’s called T-Bud grafting –
and there are many varied opinions about how easy or difficult it is to perform
– and how indeed to actually perform it in the first place. I came across a
couple of videos and the odd document – but after that, there isn’t much other
than individual practical experience.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So I decided to give it a go! To say that locals
through I was a bit mad was an understatement! Firstly, I had to get some buds
for the grafting – and the only place was the nursery where we had just
purchased the young MF vines. Essentially I was asking them to give away their
product for free – they make their money by doing the grafting over the winter
onto young rootstock and here was me going, “can I have some of those buds and
I’ll take them away and do it myself please…” But surprisingly, they agreed.
Probably because they thought I was mad. </div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqCthjlSXaW0-pLH3-AEb-o1fFVh9ocj15-ZisDm9hPzR53Dq_ewwXLvKQM8qUhwtJJ8pYtCdXD8lIKTjzYA3Mb75QmysYLlZQgTVGldRFAzFjUiPe-FKAeOVA4Q_62ulL3DO8jXqw7R0B/s1600/IMG_1819.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqCthjlSXaW0-pLH3-AEb-o1fFVh9ocj15-ZisDm9hPzR53Dq_ewwXLvKQM8qUhwtJJ8pYtCdXD8lIKTjzYA3Mb75QmysYLlZQgTVGldRFAzFjUiPe-FKAeOVA4Q_62ulL3DO8jXqw7R0B/s320/IMG_1819.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTJBlaXnFhnR3b1i0BnNklcXZ5OHD7J_045OleFBY9Yf8Ypmrwtaj2ag0rchpdabpg6-OhsPUHXc3pWpyPbhcM1iAkPBFaXKHi8HY05GrSlFVevkxm0rRWaK1ly0W54DDxu8pkeuMukwgZ/s1600/IMG_1820.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTJBlaXnFhnR3b1i0BnNklcXZ5OHD7J_045OleFBY9Yf8Ypmrwtaj2ag0rchpdabpg6-OhsPUHXc3pWpyPbhcM1iAkPBFaXKHi8HY05GrSlFVevkxm0rRWaK1ly0W54DDxu8pkeuMukwgZ/s320/IMG_1820.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The next challenge came when wielding
a saw in the vineyard – quite simply, you have to cut the whole top off the
existing vine. No half measures. I have chosen to behead a row of old Sipon
vines. A few friends dropped by to see if I really would go through with it –
and shook their heads in disbelief. “It will never work….”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWsQ8jwzgWSjgx7gdXDq4V_ygS7r_1uOF_Wi-VY2LzUntU1tB11VxdpRFL-XqiOMMzMk8mVQgAR8xofWGkjuStUlsIe_wG8YUPspQ09-TaFZtxcrYcZ5-K7EVyyMYYQoh-kI2pKo4U5Nmt/s1600/IMG_1905a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWsQ8jwzgWSjgx7gdXDq4V_ygS7r_1uOF_Wi-VY2LzUntU1tB11VxdpRFL-XqiOMMzMk8mVQgAR8xofWGkjuStUlsIe_wG8YUPspQ09-TaFZtxcrYcZ5-K7EVyyMYYQoh-kI2pKo4U5Nmt/s320/IMG_1905a.jpg" width="284" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ooops - the top just fell off... honest..</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Chopping off the tops of the wines wasn’t the problem though. Everything I had read or watched was pretty clear about what to chop, where to chop, what incisions to make in the bark etc. – but all also mentioned “white tape” to bind the graft once completed. But what type of “white tape”? There are many, many options – and of course none seemed suitable!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkXWP8s26FWZ8gCnUkN5oRpcwtzGy_4r2EKc4-rj3qb2OIyMqhhyphenhyphenfh9qLt1K_v7kEAi45SS4FyGmT6xZVuCG6clt1s6CwSiqWDVwQHuPIUPKxmrf9_1SP9yu-qVSbu43-earyTpyzTCfso/s1600/IMG_1851.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkXWP8s26FWZ8gCnUkN5oRpcwtzGy_4r2EKc4-rj3qb2OIyMqhhyphenhyphenfh9qLt1K_v7kEAi45SS4FyGmT6xZVuCG6clt1s6CwSiqWDVwQHuPIUPKxmrf9_1SP9yu-qVSbu43-earyTpyzTCfso/s320/IMG_1851.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
So I started with sliver/back duct tape! Well, it was all I had to hand. Then I realised it might not hold the bind so well in the rain (as the seal needs to be closed to avoid contamination) and I went looking for an alternative option. I settled on masking tape – it has great grip, some elasticity (important as graft grows) and seemed to be pretty weather resistant.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWO0IIZXtYsoHmpfmTt_dya3mYAizCKkyJqpuqCG74O5Mc3LE6LO8DtoeoSoMTrF7-ZihIUpROhgeS1mthQSbqKsJjCovUr2iiAr73rJT11ibLW4I1oLqKxbcRQDI-KyWHfl7-WPHwF5bL/s1600/IMG_1850.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWO0IIZXtYsoHmpfmTt_dya3mYAizCKkyJqpuqCG74O5Mc3LE6LO8DtoeoSoMTrF7-ZihIUpROhgeS1mthQSbqKsJjCovUr2iiAr73rJT11ibLW4I1oLqKxbcRQDI-KyWHfl7-WPHwF5bL/s320/IMG_1850.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib5EPzkb0KS8Lo9cfYoBo1BbveZ-5kW1KNe2hC9LLF8gE0zAvuI3WKLnYRzgTcUcDGYwiLzU44NuZQVxXgXTO_AfLUC56H6PicauxAexuTJa7FunBehCbeLPw39vzE1kaEY_eoXsQd-VYY/s1600/IMG_1829.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib5EPzkb0KS8Lo9cfYoBo1BbveZ-5kW1KNe2hC9LLF8gE0zAvuI3WKLnYRzgTcUcDGYwiLzU44NuZQVxXgXTO_AfLUC56H6PicauxAexuTJa7FunBehCbeLPw39vzE1kaEY_eoXsQd-VYY/s320/IMG_1829.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">May - job done!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPovPH6BPFcKQLWkcUNigQWsylkyL2wdND4sm1hnV15Lr8H-2-qik8Tm8qLepL98xRiOis2bA4j1Lc49rR4HBmRkMDYQ-yMDBB9cUnxPqQVdPH8XE2MwOsg1FlKFWwmmQl6LO9UQ94k2XC/s1600/IMG_1833.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPovPH6BPFcKQLWkcUNigQWsylkyL2wdND4sm1hnV15Lr8H-2-qik8Tm8qLepL98xRiOis2bA4j1Lc49rR4HBmRkMDYQ-yMDBB9cUnxPqQVdPH8XE2MwOsg1FlKFWwmmQl6LO9UQ94k2XC/s320/IMG_1833.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waiting.....hoping....</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjkOoIsPjQJBdIcv3VN4AjD1SV15wBJoWXvqsQPdtt1RtWmORUb4Bkw0e72ByFmqjErnmJViGXzG99pi69wYF_Njyaj0LFJpnRrRuNENkIl_aaHpmledfxK7k2Ku4Z21JLPd7-Ehd5wnng/s1600/T+Bud+growing+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjkOoIsPjQJBdIcv3VN4AjD1SV15wBJoWXvqsQPdtt1RtWmORUb4Bkw0e72ByFmqjErnmJViGXzG99pi69wYF_Njyaj0LFJpnRrRuNENkIl_aaHpmledfxK7k2Ku4Z21JLPd7-Ehd5wnng/s1600/T+Bud+growing+2.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">June - early indications looked promising<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
But for any budding (ha – no pun intended!) grafters out there planning to behead your vines I can now exclusively reveal that plain old masking tape will kill the grafts! It must be something in the glue compound, but every single graft I did that was sealed with the masking tape failed. Most of the ones done with the ugly duct tape worked! Months later (jump forward to August) and some of the grafts are looking really healthy. Next year the will bear fruit. Success!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSS0Rt0z44oXfb3V0Nuj07XxoTPsoEVVoc8GsMmPuWL_M9Yr_9OjQoivIw0WfExU7PVazYmRbZJjNYK21sR_PafyVGSdHOmXKXwMPXBHdUZivUhIZQudFk37PpmJifNz1rAZZtzIN4CGfd/s1600/IMG_2026.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSS0Rt0z44oXfb3V0Nuj07XxoTPsoEVVoc8GsMmPuWL_M9Yr_9OjQoivIw0WfExU7PVazYmRbZJjNYK21sR_PafyVGSdHOmXKXwMPXBHdUZivUhIZQudFk37PpmJifNz1rAZZtzIN4CGfd/s320/IMG_2026.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">August - a successful graft - but notice silver duct tape!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Some of the older vines better watch out
next Spring – might give it another go with proper tape!</div>
Liam Cabothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10509377180536941344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8985574294404865873.post-39747700848390544932013-09-19T17:28:00.000+02:002013-09-19T17:28:08.264+02:00Exercise your frustration on Excise...<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Corbel;">Following some interest in a Blog I wrote
last May - </span><a href="http://www.cabotandco.blogspot.ie/2013_05_01_archive.html" style="font-family: Corbel;" target="_blank">Anyone Up for a Fight?</a><span style="font-family: Corbel;"> </span><span style="font-family: Corbel;">- and given the upcoming Budget, I decided I’d have a rummage
through the Department of Finance website to see if there was any more recent
information.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Corbel;">My contention in the original Blog is that the Excise rates applied to Wine are unfair in relation to those levied on beer. And it’s not just my own
personal opinion – the documents noted that <i>“The EU Commission challenged <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Ireland</st1:place></st1:country-region> some
years ago about what it considered an unacceptably favourable treatment of beer
(a largely domestic product) as opposed to wine (a largely imported product).”</i>
Indeed, the European Commission took a case to the ECJ against <st1:country-region w:st="on">Sweden</st1:country-region> for exactly that in 2008, which although
unsuccessful at the time, set a number of interesting precedents that I believe
are now relevant in the way <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Ireland</st1:place></st1:country-region>
taxes wine relative to beer and spirits. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Corbel;">Much of the original material had come from documents
produced internally by the Department’s own Tax Strategy Group (TSG). They
produce briefing documents on various revenue collecting subjects, including
Excise, and their reports are circulated in advance of each Budget.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Corbel;">However they are not released publicly until long after
each Budget. So I discovered all the TSG documents for 2012 had suddenly
appeared on their website just recently. And the one on Excise made very interesting reading…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Corbel;">Remember that all of these figures are <b>PRIOR</b> to last
year’s budget in which Minister Noonan raised Excise Duty on wine by €1 a
bottle including Vat, claiming that the increase, along with much smaller
increases on beer (10 cents on a pint) and spirits would generate an additional
€180 million.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Corbel;">So <b>BEFORE</b> he made those decisions in the Budget, he
was told by his own Tax Strategy Group that:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Corbel;">If he simply brought Irish Excise rates for all alcohol
products into line with those in Northern Ireland</span><span style="font-family: Corbel;">, there would be a total <b>GAIN</b> of
€209 million to the Irish State. In the case of Wine and Beer, it would have meant an extra 20
cents on a pint and 41 cents on a bottle of wine. Guess which one lost out…</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Corbel;">That the Excise rate for beer in </span><st1:country-region style="font-family: Corbel;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Ireland</st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: Corbel;"> was just
over 100% higher than the EU average, and that Excise on wine was already a staggering 400% higher than the EU average.</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Corbel;">Following his hikes, it’s now more like wine is 600%
higher than the EU average.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Corbel;">You can read the full TSG document here – <a href="http://taxpolicy.gov.ie/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/12-20-General-Excise-Duties.pdf" target="_blank">TSG General Excise Duties Budget 2012</a> - just remember
this was all prior to last December’s budget.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Corbel;">Surely there is a case to be made, particularly since the last Budget, that wine (a
largely imported product) is being taxed unfairly in relation to beer (a
largely domestic product)?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
Liam Cabothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10509377180536941344noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8985574294404865873.post-1378665011186285922013-08-30T13:26:00.001+02:002013-08-30T13:26:44.878+02:00Pruning Madness...<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Of course, there’s still an “old” vineyard
to look after as well. It’s easy to be seduced by the excitement of planting
new vines, but the annual cycle continues in the rest of the existing vineyard.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIgk6r581Ur0dTjEdRVtHlueuXrRK0q7H7V2gw4ZzlCQsASokbteqEXxbQ07_3ZnHNbt-izsBXIZQaozPgY_ucwQwcJJUId1O0V1ygJT4B86jTsyoLtBCJ6DKzP6TGr44SYVI3JvOmpe30/s1600/IMG_1660.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIgk6r581Ur0dTjEdRVtHlueuXrRK0q7H7V2gw4ZzlCQsASokbteqEXxbQ07_3ZnHNbt-izsBXIZQaozPgY_ucwQwcJJUId1O0V1ygJT4B86jTsyoLtBCJ6DKzP6TGr44SYVI3JvOmpe30/s320/IMG_1660.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking a bit snowy...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Pruning is one of the most important tasks
as it sets the “template” for the growth of the vine during the coming season.
Some producers prune prior to the Winter – November pruning is common in <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Burgundy</st1:place></st1:state>. Others prune
in the Spring, and that would be more common here.<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"></span><br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQhggtNicleo-tTrMnfl3NTZ5Rf0oDQu48DXInVp0k58gP_ykVD8_2kfsTND2QTKVqFo_tNxYY7pAUc0Cmk1LVxx43tYwSP6BWurhIF34AbUu7F2tVLA7v_IImS5uMFBLdG-pTfKa3aUlN/s1600/IMG_1664.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQhggtNicleo-tTrMnfl3NTZ5Rf0oDQu48DXInVp0k58gP_ykVD8_2kfsTND2QTKVqFo_tNxYY7pAUc0Cmk1LVxx43tYwSP6BWurhIF34AbUu7F2tVLA7v_IImS5uMFBLdG-pTfKa3aUlN/s320/IMG_1664.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Plenty of work to do</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The challenge for us is predicting when
“Spring” actually will be – driven by the desire to find inexpensive flights.
Let’s just say that pre-booking cheap flights and anticipating Nature don’t go
hand in hand! So back in February we landed in rather wintery, snowy conditions!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Let’s just say there were a few curious
glances from the locals (who of course had the luxury of waiting until the snow
melted) and no doubt a few comments about the “mad Irish” as we waded up and
down through the vineyard in the deep snow.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCxfvnGKTW4zaZKOEKRRn09B38wDmxIhpqXwBx3R5Rdh9FY33KGTcn6aYBjRs6KcuSF_YHgeH1gZ5EqsF1jQXlUAiG6EjquvjKYvNLhDOLNQFAao4cyZS8Lml6o-KKs-58U0SAZixlO-cd/s1600/IMG_1693.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCxfvnGKTW4zaZKOEKRRn09B38wDmxIhpqXwBx3R5Rdh9FY33KGTcn6aYBjRs6KcuSF_YHgeH1gZ5EqsF1jQXlUAiG6EjquvjKYvNLhDOLNQFAao4cyZS8Lml6o-KKs-58U0SAZixlO-cd/s320/IMG_1693.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Deep snow!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxDmLww418YSDyMloZ47DSAn3JA4VXmqN5SSH1qnYP10bqYhRruuD_UCM-Vx5-K5naaOcLLCnyabCAtWQ16q5g_TKrJCI8WFOHnz7DpVpRqUQ6_wX1WLXCjMfpBapuMm-r2AvEKH1aBt4N/s1600/IMG_1694.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxDmLww418YSDyMloZ47DSAn3JA4VXmqN5SSH1qnYP10bqYhRruuD_UCM-Vx5-K5naaOcLLCnyabCAtWQ16q5g_TKrJCI8WFOHnz7DpVpRqUQ6_wX1WLXCjMfpBapuMm-r2AvEKH1aBt4N/s320/IMG_1694.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Still going....</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">But it was great fun – snow is actually
very warm to work in – and we developed a theory that actually pruning in snowy
conditions is much better for the vines as the cold weather minimises any
chance of disease developing. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4VQExcihXeLF2vlKkSkvrD_TxFOQq38AgL3tRDFlJM5KXBdW4viJzQX1rtHA3kC7R7QsV5UKu1W0vnQtujLMQXdiC7JZI_EnAJoO1UStA446DmUa2D-totAYrgpGVrI37wjoVAytrRUy7/s1600/IMG_1695.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4VQExcihXeLF2vlKkSkvrD_TxFOQq38AgL3tRDFlJM5KXBdW4viJzQX1rtHA3kC7R7QsV5UKu1W0vnQtujLMQXdiC7JZI_EnAJoO1UStA446DmUa2D-totAYrgpGVrI37wjoVAytrRUy7/s320/IMG_1695.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Done!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"> </span>Sounds plausible……just....</div>
Liam Cabothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10509377180536941344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8985574294404865873.post-11580894392853026912013-08-27T21:08:00.001+02:002013-08-27T21:08:56.409+02:00KT3 and Clones<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">The title sounds like something straight
out of Star Wars or Total Recall!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Back in the mid 1800’s a disease spread
through <st1:place w:st="on">Europe</st1:place>’s vineyards, destroying almost
two thirds of the continent’s vineyards. Needless to say panic set in, and the
origin was eventually found to be a small insect that attacks the roots of the vitis
vinifera vines called Phylloxera. It quite literally wiped out most of <st1:place w:st="on">Europe</st1:place>’s vineyards within a couple of years. Frantic research
traced the origin of the louse back to <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">America</st1:country-region></st1:place>, but also uncovered the
critical discovery that American vines seemed resistant to it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Enter the amazing skill of grafting. By
taking an American rootstock, resistant to Phylloxera, and grafting a European
vine onto it, European wine growers could begin to re-plant their vineyards and
maintain the original vine’s character and quality. Those vineyards that hadn’t
already been destroyed were also ripped out and re-planted. An enormous task.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Today, virtually all of <st1:place w:st="on">Europe</st1:place>’s
vineyards are planted with grafted vines. There are a handful of
“pre-phylloxera” or deliberately planted ungrafted vineyards, but phylloxera is
still a very real threat and the producers coaxing these vines to produce fruit
every year acknowledge the scale of the challenge. Bernard Baudry’s amazing
“Franc de Pied” Cabernet Franc that we import is made from ungrafted vines, but
Matthieu recently acknowledged that Phylloxera is claiming more and more vines
and they are slowly losing the battle and the wine will most likely not feature
as a single bottling any more.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">So effectively every single vine planted today is
a grafted vine, involving two very different aspects: the vitis vinifera
variety (the vine itself – generally called the Clone) and the American
originated (phylloxera resistant)
Rootstock that it is grafted onto. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">This can offer a bewildering choice of
options for the producer. Take Pinot Noir for example: there are over 20
commonly/commercially available clones. Some offer high yield (the amount of
fruit the vine will produce), some promise low yield. Some flower early, some
late. Some are good for sparkling. Some originated from specific regions. All
have very sexy names such as Clone 777 or Clone 828 (classic Burgundian
clones). A quick look here will give you an idea of the some of the Pinot Noir
options available: <a href="http://www.winegrowers.info/varieties/Clones/Pinot%20noir%20French%20clones.htm" target="_blank">Some Pinot Noir Clones</a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Or you can choose a grape variety that
seems to have a very limited choice. We soon discovered that Blaufrankisch /
Modra Frankinja was one of those! The search for information is not helped by
the variety’s origins in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Hungary</st1:country-region></st1:place>
– a country whose language is completely impenetrable. Blaufrankisch
(Kekfrankos in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Hungary</st1:country-region></st1:place>)
is an “autochthonous” variety – one that is a result of natural cross breeding
or mutation in a particular region and generally has a unique association with
just that region. Although it is generally believed to be a cross between
Zweigelt and <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">St. Laurent</st1:place></st1:city>,
detailed information about different options for planting were very limited
given that it is unique to a relatively small region. Any commercially
available clone requires someone to have actually decided to produce that clone
– and know what characteristics that clone will offer. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">We hit the road on the search….. and
quickly realised how difficult the task was. Some of the encounters were
hilarious: a vine nursery proudly showing us pictures of the Blaufrankisch
vines they had available – vines laden down with high yielding, dilute grapes –
and when we pointed out that we wanted low yield, low vigour, we would told
“don’t worry, the photo is wrong (!), these are definitely low yield”!! Yeah,
and we’ll only discover the truth three years from now when the vines mature after
a lot of hard work….</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">We finally found a nursery that seemed to
at least have some options available. Many producers want a high yielding clone
(of any variety) – lots of volume, fruit and a higher income if you are selling
it e.g. to the local co-operative. Some people can look at you a bit strangely
when you tell them you want a plant that isn’t going to produce that much
fruit….. So we finally found a clone called KT3 which seemed to offer low
yields and open bunches. Out of 500,000 grafted vines produced annually by this
one nursery, just 10,000 were of KT3, so little is the demand for a low
yielding clone.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfu5Nja6c5FvzcmQ9vlDa7kZecrm29CK6BJ956fGjE8zUHv2Cdkx_mVj4vNBoyKS9v6LV_u0D_HYFdo6xleCY8LW9P6ggBAHJWXpHQLUPRpIwscbsMULf0Yv-S3sU4vilZldsyGf7Vk3Kh/s1600/IMG_1237.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfu5Nja6c5FvzcmQ9vlDa7kZecrm29CK6BJ956fGjE8zUHv2Cdkx_mVj4vNBoyKS9v6LV_u0D_HYFdo6xleCY8LW9P6ggBAHJWXpHQLUPRpIwscbsMULf0Yv-S3sU4vilZldsyGf7Vk3Kh/s320/IMG_1237.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">KT3 Clone in the nursery</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The second element is the rootstock. Again,
there are many choices available. Low vigour, high vigour, rootstock for clay
soil, sandy soil, limestone etc. etc. I have to say that Nigel Greening’s
opinion (owner of <st1:street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">Felton Road</st1:address></st1:street>)
makes the most sense to me: of course, pick a rootstock and clone close to your
requirements, but ultimately those vines will adapt to the unique soil that
they are planted in. The result is ultimately what one could call terroir: the
marriage between the planted vine and the soil. So we chose a relatively
standard rootstock called Binova – low vigour and a good all-rounder.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKjHlmpY6F2CmLUeBVFtud36V3Gll4L1G_5pLyjOOTHeDKKPsi-tgSKKFzlB-CUNAOtAGQAzsX176kDgDwcX5fCc8FDREkslKiMTO5LT3sPIDr5TOEUHCbMku6PiVagSHEY7ICMin_oKPO/s1600/IMG_1238.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKjHlmpY6F2CmLUeBVFtud36V3Gll4L1G_5pLyjOOTHeDKKPsi-tgSKKFzlB-CUNAOtAGQAzsX176kDgDwcX5fCc8FDREkslKiMTO5LT3sPIDr5TOEUHCbMku6PiVagSHEY7ICMin_oKPO/s320/IMG_1238.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Open bunches - typical of KT3 clone</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
All of this requires planning – and trust.
It’s October at this stage and the vines need to be booked for planting in May.
Generally by the end of October a nursery will have sold everything, they don’t
want to produce plants that won’t be sold. They will be grafted over the winter
and all we will receive boxes of long think sticks, with wax seals at the end
of each, concealing a tiny bud that will burst out in the Spring and bring with
it the hope and expectation of many years of wonderful Modra Frankinja. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But we
won’t fully know what we have got until long after they have been planted in the
soil. It’s a trust thing….</div>
Liam Cabothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10509377180536941344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8985574294404865873.post-56956579449850830932013-08-16T11:30:00.000+02:002013-08-16T11:30:23.528+02:00Planning aheadSometimes you have to go back to go forward....<br />
<br />
In this case, back to October last year - and the start of planning for a long term project. Since tasting Modra Frankinja / Blaufrankisch about 4 years ago, we have been continually impressed by the variety - and the potential for growing it here in this region.<br />
<br />
We were initially enthused - and hugely influenced - by our experiences with Roland Velich of Weingut Moric (<a href="http://cabotandco.blogspot.com/2012/01/wine-weekend-part-one.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Profile here....</span></a>) and whose wines we are lucky - and proud - to import into Ireland.<br />
<br />
This region here in Slovenia has traditionally been a white wine region, but red varieties are becoming more common. Of course, there are the "sexy" varieties like Pinot Noir, but we're not convinced about its potential here. Modra Frankinja (the Slovene name for Blaufrankisch) has one of the longest growing times - from flowering to harvest, and it produces a lovely, juicy fruit that even in high temperatures can retain a wonderful acidity and elegance. Of course a lot is also determined by what happens in the cellar, but to us, "MF" should be silk, elegant, juicy, long and characterful - not unlike a strange hybrid of Pinot Noir and Syrah.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv3e3ApEMRK3F8l2ENfj9wy9O9rJn-cmXh442cDvVYqgRR9vzWxt2Uwfp035W1rrClCCpNmF8-GOMYlWbO_lFI1JfsUTPX6LRezTyIczTMziT5uq4CsZ8qX9TpOI7NWfDi-7ZAO4v3OwZ-/s1600/IMG_1109.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv3e3ApEMRK3F8l2ENfj9wy9O9rJn-cmXh442cDvVYqgRR9vzWxt2Uwfp035W1rrClCCpNmF8-GOMYlWbO_lFI1JfsUTPX6LRezTyIczTMziT5uq4CsZ8qX9TpOI7NWfDi-7ZAO4v3OwZ-/s320/IMG_1109.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is what we started with!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So last year we decided we would clear an old vineyard and plan for planting young MF vines. The wine-growing year is never quiet (except perhaps in August) so we had to fit all the work in around harvest time. Working established vines is a true skill, but there's also something fascinating, and ultimately skillful about preparing land that will host the hopes and expectations of generations of winemakers in the years to come. What we do/did will set the groundwork for whatever wines we enjoy out of bottles in the years to come....<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGEzPBB1iqUGFnPiT1cs-FKXGHEDmAacTEeQFnzTt7FiOVe-1f8pvLRUXMyKOopJR_ijQKzzMG7sP_gwQSGbB7DRabx5iiMmJWH53DvpGBLfe3wZa7Rzahz4u0dAtq1M3I57ZxuGKTFS_s/s1600/IMG_1110.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGEzPBB1iqUGFnPiT1cs-FKXGHEDmAacTEeQFnzTt7FiOVe-1f8pvLRUXMyKOopJR_ijQKzzMG7sP_gwQSGbB7DRabx5iiMmJWH53DvpGBLfe3wZa7Rzahz4u0dAtq1M3I57ZxuGKTFS_s/s320/IMG_1110.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Still going..... thought this was supposed to be easy!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggteIaCypK3YucBTJwFsAg8DSQEiXMYbGlGQfTYkh-2xCGd7i4czbTZhjb1FbfMncdAOsQrokNexasemRva1oRvInRVhSsqKjnHKQHZ75OYnilWPZRDpIE982y0kOP24wpORpK_8zWtv67/s1600/IMG_1239.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggteIaCypK3YucBTJwFsAg8DSQEiXMYbGlGQfTYkh-2xCGd7i4czbTZhjb1FbfMncdAOsQrokNexasemRva1oRvInRVhSsqKjnHKQHZ75OYnilWPZRDpIE982y0kOP24wpORpK_8zWtv67/s320/IMG_1239.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting there..... great pleasure burning the scrub!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVKW0LULuy3vaZzRm_hEzwa9EtIkIzKZI3FCOOYbw78MPZP9etK6x7UvFBsRuR75j3ccxqb19l8vKpM48O0ia4aRXGkJAhyphenhyphenmlgvN3gwwTkppy2ufilO8gIvkA6ApJ0RmFG-7OCDvGiMGp2/s1600/IMG_1359.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVKW0LULuy3vaZzRm_hEzwa9EtIkIzKZI3FCOOYbw78MPZP9etK6x7UvFBsRuR75j3ccxqb19l8vKpM48O0ia4aRXGkJAhyphenhyphenmlgvN3gwwTkppy2ufilO8gIvkA6ApJ0RmFG-7OCDvGiMGp2/s320/IMG_1359.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's steeper than it looks.... plus more angled to the side!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj93-3suwnRi8_KP0M5c6E0FmRDUgwqcxOIFI5VJCWGSehq06tcTMYQD0spSacxwOvYJUO0YrAQGJOr60VSHrx0MZeORYLeURVv1ilQDRUzfoVdPQMDDDJpTuUR_QBRWZLNurdngYY-imCV/s1600/IMG_1355.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj93-3suwnRi8_KP0M5c6E0FmRDUgwqcxOIFI5VJCWGSehq06tcTMYQD0spSacxwOvYJUO0YrAQGJOr60VSHrx0MZeORYLeURVv1ilQDRUzfoVdPQMDDDJpTuUR_QBRWZLNurdngYY-imCV/s320/IMG_1355.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking a bit better now...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
One of the most fascinating aspects of the early preparatory work was seeing what soil - and rock - structure we had. The whole region is part of the old Pannonian sea bed, so although we are hours from the coast, we easily found old sandstone and fossils in the soil. We have heavy clay of anywhere between 1 metre and 3 metres depth over this seabed base. This gives us a perfect combination of water retention in the long, dry Summer and yet the complexity of minerality that will feature as the vines age and the roots burrow their way into the old seabed.<br />
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After all that, we had to go looking for the right clone and rootstock - something that proved a little more challenging than we expected.....Liam Cabothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10509377180536941344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8985574294404865873.post-76371141693481623782013-08-12T11:36:00.001+02:002013-08-12T11:37:11.570+02:00We Got Rain !<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Finally.</div>
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And Thunder. </div>
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And Lightning.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaD8GE4NbaF3oAbbCutkhyphenhyphenAeLfOlO2hhKJpie6lujigbiFOo_SnqWtqaIMy7PmAnqQ_YXTySg5u3lKC_-aV14yNVDFPQ_b-nbKjgAjRGL7oBRyWe2kFBl493wO4B5fO1Hodan3BvWOiq-K/s1600/IMGP9908a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaD8GE4NbaF3oAbbCutkhyphenhyphenAeLfOlO2hhKJpie6lujigbiFOo_SnqWtqaIMy7PmAnqQ_YXTySg5u3lKC_-aV14yNVDFPQ_b-nbKjgAjRGL7oBRyWe2kFBl493wO4B5fO1Hodan3BvWOiq-K/s320/IMGP9908a.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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And Wind.</div>
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But thankfully no hail...</div>
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Somewhere between 35 and 45 mm of rain over about 12 hours. Good enough to keep the vines - especially the young ones - going.<br />
<br />
Now it's sunny and warm. Most importantly we have a good breeze which will dry the fruit and reduce the chances of oidium.Liam Cabothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10509377180536941344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8985574294404865873.post-66977295171229996232013-08-08T16:12:00.000+02:002013-08-08T16:12:39.810+02:00It's Hot Out There...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrV-kQK4YPuDviqZVhw0mET8n2jv31Gl11mDbWqpL5RBq4qAbqtu4cVwL_Og9aPweAmbZtur_OCs2HdavbfsUmm2w_yd-OMAOMX33cNmeXt7PpprcFwZbRq5r_kMdFpGEcYpAXOu4mtBEM/s1600/Picture+014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" jsa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrV-kQK4YPuDviqZVhw0mET8n2jv31Gl11mDbWqpL5RBq4qAbqtu4cVwL_Og9aPweAmbZtur_OCs2HdavbfsUmm2w_yd-OMAOMX33cNmeXt7PpprcFwZbRq5r_kMdFpGEcYpAXOu4mtBEM/s320/Picture+014.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Bloody hot in fact. Somewhere just over 40 Celsius in the shade – and over 50 Celsius in the direct sun in the vineyard. I know many vineyard regions in France have been hit by devastating hail, but our challenge here in Slovenia right now is the heat.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijRhjzKGC4PydrPT0OpypNj9t2-LppM6-EVcZLPqBX3PdRHsU6rCm-uKV0FzJgv0mbGoqHVQOYugt2hLPEsscdlpLdRot8JxZjpFxpYp0dqtokk-hdnpN_yd5kBMxxgrgC5f4A5LbWtrks/s1600/History+_+Weather+Underground+Aug+20131+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijRhjzKGC4PydrPT0OpypNj9t2-LppM6-EVcZLPqBX3PdRHsU6rCm-uKV0FzJgv0mbGoqHVQOYugt2hLPEsscdlpLdRot8JxZjpFxpYp0dqtokk-hdnpN_yd5kBMxxgrgC5f4A5LbWtrks/s320/History+_+Weather+Underground+Aug+20131+copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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It hasn’t rained since June 24th and the total rainfall since the beginning of June has been a paltry 19mm. That’s not much to produce a couple of tons of juicy grapes per hectare.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyrI8TCCugYasP9eeJvr1nn8Xt9zqHDcaEkfMwxiQDl3soq3HQWZflk8W2qq2wMef6KpsFd1A2YlUZyqUDcMd7E6IuWh1IdqOnihCI-iB0GdHuC0AuXi_QAHRoMtA7nqIrD3IA0xiMzUSY/s1600/Picture+017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" jsa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyrI8TCCugYasP9eeJvr1nn8Xt9zqHDcaEkfMwxiQDl3soq3HQWZflk8W2qq2wMef6KpsFd1A2YlUZyqUDcMd7E6IuWh1IdqOnihCI-iB0GdHuC0AuXi_QAHRoMtA7nqIrD3IA0xiMzUSY/s320/Picture+017.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shoots still standing proud in 50 Celsius!</td></tr>
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But vines are pretty hardy things, and the shoots till stand tall and proud, even in the afternoon sunshine. We have our own storms forecast from tomorrow and Saturday and we are holding our breath in relation to hail.<br />
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In the meantime, we’re all hiding inside – and this is the first chance we have had to catch our breath and update the Blog for a while.<br />
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Lots to come in the next few days……..Liam Cabothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10509377180536941344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8985574294404865873.post-26153020070749929542013-06-17T12:30:00.000+02:002013-06-17T12:30:33.476+02:00Graham's 2011 Vintage Port Offer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgamN0zHGFEHRWGA6hZfen-cbOWTVCR2_bFpcvWFTtRvzCyv86Rzb4jIIHRIBe5h6ljhfIDqdemxbwiyLw9sVAv0jd9STKxNV61vxnXgLlMEZWGiYwg09qTHVBLdMGMTkswHeNJCtQs5ApV/s1600/Graham_2011_reviews.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" cya="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgamN0zHGFEHRWGA6hZfen-cbOWTVCR2_bFpcvWFTtRvzCyv86Rzb4jIIHRIBe5h6ljhfIDqdemxbwiyLw9sVAv0jd9STKxNV61vxnXgLlMEZWGiYwg09qTHVBLdMGMTkswHeNJCtQs5ApV/s320/Graham_2011_reviews.jpg" width="83" /></a></div>
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<em>“The best 2011 reds anywhere”</em> – Jancis Robinson, May 2013</div>
<br />
That’s a pretty bold claim to make – <strong>the best red wines made in the world in 2011</strong> – but the praise for 2011 Vintage Port has been unanimous. <br />
<br />
And when you consider the rather higher prices for most of Bordeaux, Burgundy, Barolo, California and iconic Australians, Port offers exceptional quality for the price. Admittedly it’s not a regular feature on most people’s shopping list, but when a vintage like 2011 comes along, it’s literally a chance in a lifetime to acquire something really special.<br />
<br />
A few weeks back we ordered some mixed cases of 2011 Vintage Ports for our own stocks – so impressed were we by the reports - but out of the UK. <br />
<br />
Now we have been able to put together an offer that brings one of the very top and most highly rated wines, Graham's Vintage Port 2011, directly to Ireland. And at less than what we paid from the UK! We are really excited about being able to offer it. Take a look at some of the amazing reviews:<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cabotandco.com/uploads/Pre-Arrival%20Offers/Graham_2011_reviews.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">Graham's Vintage Port 2011 Reviews</span></a></div>
<br />
There are just 5,000 cases of Grahams 2011 declared. This will be very, very special in the years to come. If there is one 2011 vintage wine you treat yourself to from anywhere in the world, this should be it. For a birth year, an anniversary, a treat, a gift…..<u>and</u> you have the option of half bottles.<br />
<br />
<strong>Grahams 2011 Vintage Port @ €285 ex. Vat per 6 x 75cl bottle wooden case</strong><br />
<strong>Grahams 2011 Vintage Port @ €295 ex. Vat per 12 x 37.5cl bottle wooden case</strong><br />
<br />
The price <strong><u>includes</u></strong> all Excise Duty, Shipping and delivery to you in October this year. Stocks are limited and all orders are subject to confirmation<br />
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<br />Liam Cabothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10509377180536941344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8985574294404865873.post-71656554534800475922013-05-05T20:45:00.000+02:002013-05-05T20:45:01.547+02:00Anyone up for a Fight...?<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">OK, I have to get this out of my
system….</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I have had a pile of paper
sitting on the ground by my desk for the past few months. Since December 2012
actually, dating back to a flurry of post-budget activity when the Irish wine
trade was walloped over the head by the huge increase in Excise Duty.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I’m wary of raising the whole “whining”
issue again and to be honest I couldn’t care less about the repetitive arguments as to whether
or not an affluent middle class person can or cannot afford to do without a bottle of wine
now. Nor is it about the vague excuse of tackling alcohol abuse that was given as justification for the rise –
that was a smokescreen, and our dangerous relationship with alcohol excesses of all
forms will not be solved by simple tax increases. Nor is it a rant about the continuing failure to
legislate to ban below cost selling of alcohol – alcohol abuse, hello? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">This is purely about the Excise
treatment of Wine,<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> <u>relative</u></b>
to other forms of alcohol. And it’s very interesting – and surprising. It’s
also long – but please persevere…..</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">We all know that Minister Noonan
stated that the Excise increases on alcohol in the last budget would bring in a
projected additional €180 million in tax revenues in 2013. But wine took the
biggest hit, so how much would it be expected to contribute to that €180
million target?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">There’s a Unit within the
Department of Finance called the Tax Policy Unit that produces, among other
things, a “briefing” document each year on General Excise Duties in advance of
the Budget. It may have been abolished, since I can’t find the document for
December 2012’s budget. But since Excise rates didn’t increase in December 2011, it can
be taken that the assumptions were the same for 2012. The document simulated a number
of possible Excise increases and the benefit in terms of additional taxation
revenue, including 10 cents on a Pint of Beer and €1.00 on a bottle of wine.
Fast forward a year and, hey presto, Minister Noonan acted on the scenarios and
we can see that his €180 million will come from:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">10 cents on beer brings €73 million</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">10 cents on cider brings €10.2 million</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">10 cents on spirits brings €38.2 million</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">€1.00 on a bottle of wine brings €65.48 million</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">We’ll come back to these figures and
their projected impact on the market later….I believe they will come back to haunt
Minister Noonan</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">You can read the whole document
here: </span><a href="http://www.cabotandco.com/uploads/Excise/11.22-General-Excise-Duties.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="color: red; font-family: inherit;">Tax Policy Unit</span></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">There are a couple of other really
interesting things in it. Firstly – and this really surprised me – on page 10,
there’s a section called “Cost of Alignment of Irish Excise with UK Rates”.
Bear in mind this was before either Irish or UK Excise changed, i.e.
pre-December 2012. The figures show that Minister Noonan would have achieved a <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">GAIN</b> of €92 million by bringing our
Excise into line with the North. That’s over 50% of what he was looking for. </span><br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikv5d9QfFO75Ttf2vVGYBbAoqik-fsCAWTJcU9aq1W7sxaZGfrmWyXOFyiy5LDbNm_ipPZxD6yFZ4HdFC6uBBiwVlEaQdl805CE-MLNu5WU4ibFrlThh_DukeTDBgLhPJHgeChHx2IdP5b/s1600/Tax+Excerpt+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikv5d9QfFO75Ttf2vVGYBbAoqik-fsCAWTJcU9aq1W7sxaZGfrmWyXOFyiy5LDbNm_ipPZxD6yFZ4HdFC6uBBiwVlEaQdl805CE-MLNu5WU4ibFrlThh_DukeTDBgLhPJHgeChHx2IdP5b/s400/Tax+Excerpt+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Why
did he not do this? Well, my guess is because it would have involved increasing
Excise on beer by a greater amount – and we all know that wine is just consumed
by middle-class yuppies who can take the hit. Oh yeah, and there’s a pretty
strong beer lobby, and one or two pub-owning politicians. Any TD’s that own
wine shops? Thought not.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">But away from gross generalisations
about class (not that our Minister would make such a mistake of course), there’s
an even more interesting nugget. Page 11 deals with the normally mind-numbing topic
of “Issues at EU Level”….</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">42: “The EU Commission challenged
Ireland some years ago about what it considered an unacceptably favourable
treatment of beer (a largely domestic product) as opposed to wine (a largely
imported product).”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">43: “The Commission has been
unsuccessful in an ECJ case against Sweden on this issue and the matter has not
been pursued with Ireland. Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">No, that’s not my keyboard going
wonky – that’s the bit that the Department of Finance don’t want any of us to
read about the why, how, what and when of the whole little nasty business of
some EU heavies putting pressure on Ireland about Excise rates on Wine. What
could be in there that is deemed unsuitable for us to see?</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmS9e1SKS3WvIOfygHM-gQ9HczWaYKw3PPwF1oLpv26DMAkLkdiQ8tyl-GwGcCF4Cu5Mq_c9MU8TYhGh-DJKSECNyx4Iu_APcdZesru930cWgI7k4S_U9K5lL14Fx3JpqHO2QFznM989Lu/s1600/Tax+Excerpt+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmS9e1SKS3WvIOfygHM-gQ9HczWaYKw3PPwF1oLpv26DMAkLkdiQ8tyl-GwGcCF4Cu5Mq_c9MU8TYhGh-DJKSECNyx4Iu_APcdZesru930cWgI7k4S_U9K5lL14Fx3JpqHO2QFznM989Lu/s400/Tax+Excerpt+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">So I went looking on the Internet…..</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Firstly, here’s the Summary
Judgement of April 8<span style="font-size: small;"><sup>th</sup> 2008 in relation to the case the European
Court of Justice took against Sweden for this alleged discrimination against
wine in favour of beer. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<a href="http://www.cabotandco.com/uploads/Excise/ECJ%20Swedish%20Case.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="color: red; font-family: inherit;">European Court of Justice Summary Judgement</span></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The ECJ lost. But why? And why
are the Irish officials so worried?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Here’s the full judgement:<span style="color: #351c75;"> </span></span><a href="http://www.cabotandco.com/uploads/Excise/ECJ%20Sweden%20Case%20Judgement%20details.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="color: red; font-family: inherit;">European Court of Justice Full Judgement</span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">As with everything that people
don’t want you to see – it could have some very interesting ramifications in
light of the recent increases in Ireland. But back to 2008 first – why were the
EJC unsuccessful in their action against Sweden? The court decided that:</span></div>
<div class="s02alineaalta" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 12pt 1cm;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><em>A national taxation system which taxes
wine, which is mainly imported from other Member States, more heavily than
beer, which is mainly a domestic product, and which is based on the taxation of
the percentage of alcohol by volume of the wine and the beer, does not appear
to have the effect of affording indirect protection to national beer and
therefore is not incompatible with the second paragraph of Article 95 of the
Treaty (now, after amendment, the second paragraph of Article 90 EC) since, on
the one hand, the difference between the price of strong beer and the price of
wine in the intermediate category, in competition with that beer, is such that
the difference in the tax treatment of those two products is not liable to
influence consumer behavior in the sector concerned and, on the other, it is
not shown by the statistical information regarding sales of the products in
question that there is an actual protective effect.</em> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I recommend you read the full
document – it’s fascinating – but at the end of the day, it seems to boil down
to two things:</span><br />
a) Increases in Excise on Wine didn’t seem to encourage people to switch to beer<br />
<div>
b) Sales of wine apparently didn’t suffer</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
But that’s a big simplification – <u>you need to read the document</u> as there are fascinating parts that are unique to the Swedish market that would/could be interpreted totally differently in the context of the Irish market.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
So before we all become middle-class wine drinking yuppies who are <u>also</u> amateur lawyers, let’s get a few facts regarding the Irish situation out of the way:</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
<strong><u>Historical Excise treatment – prior to December 2012:</u></strong> </div>
<ul>
<li>Excise on Beer remained the same from 1994 to 2010, when it decreased by about 20% </li>
<li>Excise Duty on Wine was increased by 50 cents a bottle in October 2008, but was then reduced by 20% in 2010. </li>
</ul>
<br />
<strong><u>Excise Receipts – from 2001 to 2010:</u></strong> <br />
<ul>
<li>Excise receipts to the Exchequer from beer fell by 27.4% </li>
<li>Excise receipts to the Exchequer from Wine increased by 95.2% over the same 10 year period </li>
</ul>
<div>
<strong><u></u></strong> </div>
<div>
<strong><u>Consumption – from 1994 to 2011:</u></strong> </div>
<ul>
<li>Consumption of beer is some 20,000,000 litres annually, much the same as it was in 1994 – but it rose and subsequently fell in the intervening period. </li>
<li>Consumption of Wine has increased from about 51,000,000 litres per annum in 1994 to 87,000,000 litres annually. </li>
</ul>
<div>
<strong><u></u></strong> </div>
<div>
<strong><u>Relative Taxation:</u></strong></div>
<div>
So much for “pure” headline figures. What about how the Government taxes the two alcohol products in a relative way – how much does the Government get per litre, per % of alcohol?</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
<strong>Pre-Budget December 2012</strong> </div>
<ul>
<li>Still Wine Excise brought in €0.2098 per litre, per % of alcohol (12.5%) </li>
<li>Beer Excise brought in €0.1571 per litre, per % of alcohol (4.2%) </li>
</ul>
So wine was proportionally considerably higher, with 5.27 cents difference between the two<br />
<div>
</div>
<div>
<strong></strong> </div>
<div>
<strong>Post-Budget December 2012</strong> </div>
<ul>
<li>Still Wine Excise now brings in €0.2965 per litre, per % of alcohol (12.5%) </li>
<li>Beer Excise now brings in €0.1913 per litre, per % of alcohol (4.2%) </li>
</ul>
<div>
So wine is again higher, and the gap has grown to 10.52 cents difference between the two since the Budget. That’s a 100% increase in the gap.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
<strong><u></u></strong> </div>
<div>
<strong><u>Evolution of Real Values - % of retail value:</u></strong></div>
<div>
This is the nub of the issue – it all comes down to what the consumer pays at the end of the day, and the tax treatment of that price.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
<strong></strong> </div>
<div>
<strong>Pre-Budget December 2012:</strong> </div>
<ul>
<li>The Excise on Beer accounted for 9.4% of the total price to the consumer </li>
<li>The Excise on Wine accounted for 21.3% of the total price to the consumer </li>
</ul>
<div>
<strong>Post-Budget December 2012:</strong> </div>
<ul>
<li>The Excise on Beer now accounts for 10.9% of the total price to the consumer </li>
<li>The Excise on Wine now accounts for 27.8% of the total price to the consumer – a proportionally much greater increase. </li>
</ul>
<div>
</div>
<div>
So the Department of Finance and Minister Noonan may have been comfortable running the risk of European Court of Justice ire in the past – and happily blanking out bits of interesting information from public documents, but the question is have they now distorted the relationship between the excise on Beer and Wine enough to warrant some interest from the ECJ?</div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">A couple of thoughts spring to
mind, that might be of interest to the ECJ:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">a)<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>The
Government had the opportunity to equalise Excise rates with the North and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">GAIN</b> €93 million, but it would have
involved raising Excise on beer. Instead they chose to favour/protect beer and
increase Excise on wine instead.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">b)<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>If
wine sales fall due to the Excise increase, and beer remains steady, it would
seem to me that it could be shown that the Government imposed an unfair
increase on Wine <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>relative</u></b> to
Beer.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">One final thought. You might
think that the Government are crazy thinking they are going to get that extra €65.8
million from the increase in Wine Excise – after all, all of us middle-class
wine drinking yuppies are pretty strapped at the moment. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Well, they know that already. In
2011 they got €230 million in Excise revenue from about 87 million litres of
wine sold.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">In 2013, to get their €298 million, they only
need us to sell 80 million litres of the stuff – that’s a 10% <strong><u>reduction</u></strong> in
sales planned for your, mine and everyone’s wines sales this year, courtesy of
the Government.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Market distortion? Unfair
discrimination? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">You decide…<o:p></o:p></span>Liam Cabothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10509377180536941344noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8985574294404865873.post-50988103681815180862013-04-12T12:41:00.001+02:002013-04-12T12:41:08.902+02:00April Bin End Sale<br />
Ok - it's Spring Sale time!<br />
<br />
A bit later than in previous years.... but an early Easter and a very busy period on the road with restaurant and hotel customers has kept us very busy. We have also been off tasting with Producers and finding some exciting new stuff that will appear in the coming weeks. But in the meantime we need to say goodbye to a few old friends.<br />
<br />
To me, a Sale should be an opportunity to try and few excellent things at a knockdown price. Maybe some wines that, for whatever reason, didn't get the attention they deserved at the time. Maybe there are some bottles we squirreled away thinking we'd get around to drinking them ourselves, and we never did. Maybe there are some that just need a little nudge and a few words of encouragement to get you to try them. But there are no duds - no wines that we wouldn't happily drink ourselves. We could have done an across-the-board discount on everything, but we prefer to offer a bigger discount on those wines that we think should be enjoyed. <br />
<br />
What did surprise me when I went to compile the List is that we still had the odd bottle from last year's Sale! Why? These wines are good!<br />
<br />
So what's worthy of particular attention - you can download the List here: <a href="http://www.cabotandco.com/uploads/Pre-Arrival%20Offers/April%202013%20Bnd%20End%20Sale.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">April 2013 Bin End Sale</span></a><br />
<br />
<strong><u>Bordeaux:</u></strong><br />
There are so many options for Bind Ends with Bordeaux. Cases open here and there as we are often asked to supply individual bottles.But you'll notice that we have stuck to outstanding vintages from highly regarded producers. With the exception of the VCC 2000, all are approachable now and are priced to be consumed and enjoyed.<br />
<br />
<strong><u>Burgundy:</u></strong><br />
Again, a toss-up between finding some big guns and some everyday drinking bargains. The Guillot-Broux Macon Cruzille at just €12.00 is a lovely crunchy Gamay from the Macon - perfect for a medium-bodied red on a warm day. There's some Mugneret Bourgogne at a knock-down price, and even a 2005 vintage 1er Cru from Jadot in there at €35.<br />
<br />
<strong><u>Rhone Valley:</u></strong><br />
Last time we had a good few Rhônes, many of which have now gone, but we found a few bottles of the Bressy Gourt de Mautens in the cellar - well worth a try.<br />
<br />
<strong><u>Loire Valley:</u></strong><br />
These surprised me - we still have some Baudry Chinons from the Sale last year. What do we need to do to convince people about the merits of mature Cabernet Franc from one of France's leading producers? Maybe line it up against a Bordeaux at 10 times the price and see which comes out favourite?<br />
<br />
<strong><u>Italy:</u></strong><br />
Italy is all about diversity, and no matter what we put into the Sale, there will always be something else that someone wanted us to include! North to South, there should hopefully be something of interest to you.<br />
<br />
<strong><u>Australia:</u></strong><br />
Again, slimmed down a bit, but if you want one of the most ethereal wines in the world, the Hill of Grace 1990 is your bottle. One of my epiphany wines.<br />
<br />
<strong><u>Austria:</u></strong><br />
Roland Velich of Moric (stunning Blaufrankisch) also makes a bit of white - well, probably one of the best Gruner Veltliners around (many compare it to a rich Chablis Grand Cru), but as we have discovered to our frustration, not many are willing to pay €49 for a Gruner Veltliner. Ok, we should have seen that coming, but maybe at €25 the temptation will be more difficult to resist.<br />
<br />
<strong><u>Germany:</u></strong><br />
We love Germany at the moment. So much so that we have all sorts of different cuvees from different producers in the warehouse. Classic kids in a sweet shop stuff. But we have to focus... and consequently there are some great bargains, but limited volumes. The Becker Pinot is the bigger brother/sister of the award-winning regular cuvee and the two Kunstler dry Rieslings really are stunning - and even more so at the Sale price.<br />
<br />
<strong><u>New Zealand:</u></strong><br />
I have a bit of a problem with NZ Sauvignon Blanc at the moment. A lot of it has gone all tropical and sweet. That's why I was really surprised the Greenhough didn't sell better - it's a classic dry, citrus Sauvignon - much closer to a lovely Loire Sauvignon with ripe acidity. Thirst-quenching would be an appropriate descriptor. At €12 it's one to buy in volume and stash away for a BBQ or picnic, or tomorrow night....!<br />
<br />
There are very few terms and conditions, but we'd better get them out of the way anyway:<br />
- Everything is offered subject to availability. When it's gone, it's gone.<br />
- All prices include Vat<br />
- The Sales ends on Friday 19th April<br />
- Orders over €200 will be delivered anywhere in Ireland for free. Under that value, delivery is €10.50 per case of 12 bottles<br />
- If you can reply with your requests by email if possible it would be great.<br />
<br />
That's it - Happy Hunting.Liam Cabothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10509377180536941344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8985574294404865873.post-54383372047913531952012-12-06T14:59:00.000+01:002012-12-06T15:01:20.894+01:00Smash and Grab......That yesterday’s increase in Excise Duty on wine is catastrophic for the Irish wine trade in Ireland is without doubt. Never has it been so clear that wine importers and independent wine retailers in Ireland need a lobby group.<br />
<br />
An increase of just 10 cents on a pint of beer (anyone else find it weird that the Government still operates on Imperial measures for beer?) and nothing on spirits is a credit to the lobbying power of the VFI - and presumably both NOFFLA and DIGI (whoever they claim to represent?) <br />
<br />
An almost 50% increase in Excise Duty on wine to a staggering €2.78 a bottle (and double for bubbly) says it all. A lonely letter published in the Irish Times on Tuesday (<a href="http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/letters/2012/1204/1224327437387.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">My Letter to the Irish Times</span></a>) isn’t going to change much….<br />
<br />
Who was that again who represents the interests of the Wine Trade here? Oh yeah, no-one. It was obviously just too easy a target for the Government.<br />
<br />
It’s an absolute certainty that jobs will be lost in importers, independent retailers and also in hotels and restaurants as all these groups struggle with falling sales and reduced margins as we desperately try to remain competitive (no chance) against the lure of the North and the larger supermarkets who can afford to continue to discount whilst taking profits in other areas of their retail offering. There are a couple of brave people talking about no price rises, but bravery should be confused with stupidity and there’s a fine line between the two. Sales will fall and prices will inevitably go up.<br />
<br />
And why did they not ban below-cost selling of all alcohol? That would have protected jobs. Because the Government makes the same amount of Excise Duty per bottle of wine irrespective of what price it is sold at. The Excise is levied as the wine leaves the warehouse, long before it hits the shop floor. So in a bizarre way, the Government benefits from the below cost selling of alcohol as they actually get more revenue from increased promotional sales. Just don’t tell that to the Health service or anyone who is a victim of alcohol abuse.<br />
<br />
But there may be a bigger conspiracy…. admittedly far fetched, but bear with me…Excise is levied as the wine leaves the warehouse, or more correctly as it’s taken off the computer system in the warehouse and it can then technically be put into a “Duty Paid” area. It is not levied on the sale of a bottle in a shop. At the end of each month, the Revenue take by direct debit the Excise bill an importer/wholesaler has run up. This is guaranteed money to the Revenue as we all also have to have Bank Guarantees in place to ensure Revenue get paid irrespective of what happens.<br />
<br />
Last night, prior to the midnight deadline, there were tens of millions of Euro worth of Excise charges (not wine, just Excise) incurred as importers shifted wine out of "Under Bond" status to avail of the old Excise Rate before it rose. (As an aside, it will be interesting to see what happens this – some importers may hold their prices at the old rates, or some may charge the new rates whilst having benefitted by being charged the old rates by Revenue – it’s a tempting option as every 100 cases sold nets them an extra €1,000.)<br />
<br />
But that’s just a diversion, albeit an interesting one. The real story is that up to €50M in Excise is <strong><u>guaranteed</u></strong> to flow to the Revenue at the end of January (when the December bills are paid) from importers who did this. On top of this is Vat @ 23% on the value of the wine taken out of Bond. That also goes to Revenue at the end of January.<br />
<br />
So there’s a pretty nice pot of maybe up to €100M coming the way of the Revenue within 60 days. In the meantime, the Government could get – and wholly deservedly so – an unprecedented attack on the unjust, unfair and discriminatory rise and realise the error of its ways – as jobs really are at stake. <br />
<br />
The Finance Bill (which in effect “legalises” many of the Budget decisions) is published every February and in this they could then decide to reverse the misguided Excise increase. Then we’re all back to normal – but the Government has just pocketed a quick €100M by pulling a stroke on us all.<br />
<br />
Smash and Grab……? Stranger things have happened….<br />
<br />Liam Cabothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10509377180536941344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8985574294404865873.post-43915009393998391122012-11-30T19:43:00.000+01:002012-11-30T19:43:01.639+01:00Picked - Finally....<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqZF1UkDUX4lhiKEMORMDsifJKyP2usBUCRjwB47ri91xEckNhoJVyFp8-j16Z9mmYh1XhYa9s0QwF06RjP2DI2aaIB4VUZsBiW5jqR8pKVO4pxbvV1GfrgApMpz0Ga6XnOQ-xUM7Eyglx/s1600/IMG_1146.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqZF1UkDUX4lhiKEMORMDsifJKyP2usBUCRjwB47ri91xEckNhoJVyFp8-j16Z9mmYh1XhYa9s0QwF06RjP2DI2aaIB4VUZsBiW5jqR8pKVO4pxbvV1GfrgApMpz0Ga6XnOQ-xUM7Eyglx/s320/IMG_1146.jpg" tea="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Picnic on the boat!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
A quick trip over to Slovenia by Sinead recently to check the wines reminded me that I hadn’t actually finished relating what happened all the way back at Harvest time. After Sinead’s frustration (see here <a href="http://cabotandco.blogspot.ie/2012/11/definitely-not-picking-time-fk-it_5.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Definitely Not Picking Time!</span></a>), I headed out full of expectation at the end of September.</div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
On arrival, there was a very mixed situation…</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi86BCXT3DFuqHqcNAy5iqIvjj3AgXky9idj50ZzVKv3Fo_kBggJ__ESW4MfFRHxUy1zI-U-gAhUjSGnEda-ZOLNVzM-ml53Y-NOU7p9T6d9U1RRsIJeJ5zbH0BYU_7nTbO8blpk440XqhN/s1600/IMG_1167.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi86BCXT3DFuqHqcNAy5iqIvjj3AgXky9idj50ZzVKv3Fo_kBggJ__ESW4MfFRHxUy1zI-U-gAhUjSGnEda-ZOLNVzM-ml53Y-NOU7p9T6d9U1RRsIJeJ5zbH0BYU_7nTbO8blpk440XqhN/s320/IMG_1167.jpg" tea="true" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sipon that ruptured and rotted following rain</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPSgoZZYPaLFLMG6LSQ7gfvf8u18GIhkt1_EykYf_Aju7JtmiQsB8bArwS7KDfRSqSpXQe5eQXlGcU84qFZGB8EzT28BbpbcPLeVmK3MWP2PJzRZO_0o6_CyYh2zAgdxVccBl4MXAxXbmC/s1600/IMG_1166.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPSgoZZYPaLFLMG6LSQ7gfvf8u18GIhkt1_EykYf_Aju7JtmiQsB8bArwS7KDfRSqSpXQe5eQXlGcU84qFZGB8EzT28BbpbcPLeVmK3MWP2PJzRZO_0o6_CyYh2zAgdxVccBl4MXAxXbmC/s320/IMG_1166.jpg" tea="true" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Deceptive - actually sunburnt with upripe acidity</td></tr>
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The Sipon, to use a great Irish phrase, was knackered – banjaxed and beyond saving. Possibly inspired by Sinead and her filthy language, another great phrase was born: in short, <em>“the Sipon was a complete catastrofuck.”</em></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh03VgmSF8-tODJfUNW4WPBYcnHu8_UotZ5R6ga6Z6JMH1AiSAm8CEBBvItPE6MFdzXPbK3eqgO0YqU-TUkX-KxeRDFK1gYWt5pmZMAgbpzPBUzsOHzpT0eGGC8rJrgTksXexmtczNKL2uI/s1600/IMG_1167.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh03VgmSF8-tODJfUNW4WPBYcnHu8_UotZ5R6ga6Z6JMH1AiSAm8CEBBvItPE6MFdzXPbK3eqgO0YqU-TUkX-KxeRDFK1gYWt5pmZMAgbpzPBUzsOHzpT0eGGC8rJrgTksXexmtczNKL2uI/s320/IMG_1167.jpg" tea="true" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More rot......</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU_qEVAgeX0UH9J0xqa3M9aKWL9JFPpangUdaEffPkABMrSkbS7uTB1Gz60jlqVzYiFEr8l5pUGfKdxj3P_uRitc0kS-p9FWYwPpGyfsEjvC6_5QrDafeV59_e1m_SWe861HQrsb6l5t8i/s1600/IMG_1171.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU_qEVAgeX0UH9J0xqa3M9aKWL9JFPpangUdaEffPkABMrSkbS7uTB1Gz60jlqVzYiFEr8l5pUGfKdxj3P_uRitc0kS-p9FWYwPpGyfsEjvC6_5QrDafeV59_e1m_SWe861HQrsb6l5t8i/s320/IMG_1171.jpg" tea="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thsi is what we managed to salvage</td></tr>
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The Modra Fankinja on the other hand, was a thing of beauty. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEXinZ-pkrEt7zo5qG-9YnHCh9m-rWt8ylm9OaCej1aMIeSBxwk479_nMIY2ewiYKF1StU-qALh5wGDvOn7HBQFHMWNqFd-8AJHBWlgdUc_X04miGY5lHzVM8a5IfV-7-zBvz1RFtCfKJv/s1600/IMG_1157.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEXinZ-pkrEt7zo5qG-9YnHCh9m-rWt8ylm9OaCej1aMIeSBxwk479_nMIY2ewiYKF1StU-qALh5wGDvOn7HBQFHMWNqFd-8AJHBWlgdUc_X04miGY5lHzVM8a5IfV-7-zBvz1RFtCfKJv/s320/IMG_1157.jpg" tea="true" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nice open bunches of ripe Modra Frankinja</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxu8oGUOUlHIq7jBaO0PEmwqS4w3WwFadCFZm6srph0jVdJ0yQnMhqc6LnfbPR2BWwQeXR6vdqthNU4tIejMyh6EJ3yGybSoRmt_xA8fHR9WYufxtRoVH_27_vwcB30Gpj3zqakPjKX6BW/s1600/IMG_1151a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxu8oGUOUlHIq7jBaO0PEmwqS4w3WwFadCFZm6srph0jVdJ0yQnMhqc6LnfbPR2BWwQeXR6vdqthNU4tIejMyh6EJ3yGybSoRmt_xA8fHR9WYufxtRoVH_27_vwcB30Gpj3zqakPjKX6BW/s320/IMG_1151a.jpg" tea="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mmmmmm</td></tr>
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Sugar levels were perfect, no sunburn, acidities tasted good, pips were ripe and just crunchy with no bitterness – and nothing was overripe – the grapes tasted fresh and ready to go. Picking was effortless and before we knew it we had everything in one of our new wood fermenters.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbvCX6nxwS9HSAevvdNUnvTploeSp6mdKUQGsQyFh0BNvYWDZH-ablmHiYPV1RCqCKfz1KrFd5QyATPvioJp5pak20Nqj4iRCiGsVN59zRyUUdYJtsB0Dix3J6gL37RAihMQglrac9dDl0/s1600/IMG_1176.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbvCX6nxwS9HSAevvdNUnvTploeSp6mdKUQGsQyFh0BNvYWDZH-ablmHiYPV1RCqCKfz1KrFd5QyATPvioJp5pak20Nqj4iRCiGsVN59zRyUUdYJtsB0Dix3J6gL37RAihMQglrac9dDl0/s320/IMG_1176.jpg" tea="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">De-stemming in the cool night air</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhoxHiuF3Y-7PclcICzMzLD6s6Y8C78qqOGvYOXsAZK-AnjNTgpkt0ju2rEbl84GbYDfoADLfCGoex4ZWoLGd18H5yIHs-mfFO-sQWgv9n2vk-3Oqypj5SKMJEE-S9A9f3oPY5Z9n0oImA/s1600/IMG_1181.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhoxHiuF3Y-7PclcICzMzLD6s6Y8C78qqOGvYOXsAZK-AnjNTgpkt0ju2rEbl84GbYDfoADLfCGoex4ZWoLGd18H5yIHs-mfFO-sQWgv9n2vk-3Oqypj5SKMJEE-S9A9f3oPY5Z9n0oImA/s320/IMG_1181.jpg" tea="true" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All ready for fermentation...</td></tr>
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The plan was to keep the must at a lowish temperature for a couple of days and then to allow a natural fermentation to start. Our low-tech approach involved re-filling plastic water containers and freezing them. But as any First Year Science student will tell you, ice floats (how did we manage to forget that), so actually getting the cold distributed throughout the vat was a little more difficult. Plus, we didn’t want to mix things up too much to “force” extraction. Anyway, they seemed to do the job and after two days we took out the ice and fermentation began naturally pretty quickly – I think it may even have begun down in the depths of the vat prior to that.</div>
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Over the coming days we kept any punchdowns to a minimum (where you break up the “cap” of skins and pulp that forms at the top and push it back down) and got used to just touching it regularly to check it was still damp and also taking a good sniff – although this was pretty much guaranteed to lead to a sharp intake of CO2 up the nose – try it – you won’t forget it quickly!</div>
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One mildly “controversial” idea we did go through with was to chaptalise the wine – adding sugar – to add the equivalent of a half degree of alcohol – bringing it up to an estimated 12.5%. There are plenty of things you can add to wine – and at various stages – but of them all, sugar is the least intrusive. It is entirely and very simply converted to alcohol by the yeasts, it adds no actual sweetness. Of course, unscrupulous winemakers add tonnes of it to unripe grapes to bring up the alcohol level, but we wanted to try for a totally different reason. Over the years we have come across numerous winemakers who deliberately add a SMALL bit every vintage as they believe it adds an extra “x-factor” to the flavour and mouthfeel of their red wines. Marie-Andrée Mugneret vividly describes remembering as a child the smell of the sugar being stirred into the already fermenting vats.</div>
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The interesting thing is that when I went to research what to do, it transpired there’s not very much written about it all! Of course, there’s plenty about chaptalisation in general – but on a high volume scale – and even then, very little guidance as to how the sugar is actually added: is it dissolved, or just poured in? And all at once, or over a few days? Away from how you actually do it, the boring bits are that approximately 17 grams if sugar per litre will increase the alcohol by 1% - and that you can dissolve 2kg of sugar in 1 litre of water. So it was out with the weighing scales and pots and pans.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd1vClid07OCIaFIkWBgRvWCLkgPPIuxxnPuECkNVU77PcYcC9yjbqdd4flNEwpHq8YetJEv7XKSRYGVzgiEYqWjirwYQVK-8FayKhbJWWB59H19BnWHSkynFHzI1ZJNpUm56zqFvSO7rZ/s1600/IMG_1232.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd1vClid07OCIaFIkWBgRvWCLkgPPIuxxnPuECkNVU77PcYcC9yjbqdd4flNEwpHq8YetJEv7XKSRYGVzgiEYqWjirwYQVK-8FayKhbJWWB59H19BnWHSkynFHzI1ZJNpUm56zqFvSO7rZ/s320/IMG_1232.jpg" tea="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just think.. if you're a huge winery with 1,000,000 litres a year and you want to bring everything up by 1% alcohol, you need 17 Tons of sugar!</td></tr>
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As I added the syrup into the open fermenter later that night, I managed to convince myself that I was totally mad, and almost chickened out – but in it went…!</div>
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Over the next few days as fermentation continued, we kept punchdowns to a minimum as we were happy with the extraction already achieved. In fact, over the whole fermentation period we only punched down three times. Total maceration time from harvest to press was 21 days.</div>
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And the result tastes fantastic! Meanwhile the poor old Sipon was limping along through fermentation, and beginning to smell of mushrooms. Trust me, that is not a good smell to have in your wine! There are of course all sorts of chemicals you can use to strip out these odours/tastes – but they tend to strip out most of everything else as well, so we’re destined for a rather unusual, but small volume, mushroomy Sipon…</div>
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But that Modra Frankinja – now that makes us happy!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj50L465LuKogoEVabRsfIM1nOu_gQbamSayI2-bM16MRknvDg24ZNe5Ojgas2GB_-Jmydq6ls6qQ7lyx0QBrnA_QhLO2J5pp7Ncgm-nFTn_xlKt4g_aGmFORakPN1hf2AJO2jZbWpREYKv/s1600/IMG_1255a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj50L465LuKogoEVabRsfIM1nOu_gQbamSayI2-bM16MRknvDg24ZNe5Ojgas2GB_-Jmydq6ls6qQ7lyx0QBrnA_QhLO2J5pp7Ncgm-nFTn_xlKt4g_aGmFORakPN1hf2AJO2jZbWpREYKv/s400/IMG_1255a.jpg" tea="true" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Still the most beautiful view from a Wine Press anywhere - sunrise from Miro's cellar</td></tr>
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Liam Cabothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10509377180536941344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8985574294404865873.post-29336275457306059552012-11-29T17:46:00.003+01:002012-11-29T17:46:57.431+01:00Lies, Damned Lies and Statistics...There’s plenty of chat around about what might happen in next week’s budget. In fact, most of us are pretty much fed up with hearing about it. Plenty of things have been well flagged, including a likely increase in Excise Duty. Much like our attitude to the whole austerity fog that we are all lost in, we seem to accept these impending changes with little more than a benign resignation. <br />
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So for example, instead of jumping up and down about key issues like below cost selling of alcohol (how difficult can that actually be to introduce?), we’re all expecting an increase in Excise Duty next week of around 50 cents per bottle with a <em>“well, it could be worse attitude”.</em> Sorry, but how much worse?<br />
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I’ve heard of politicians “kite flying” ideas by leaking crazy ideas to convenient contacts in the press, and then sitting back to see how a madcap scheme pans out. Well, whoever it was that flew the idea of an Excise increase <strong>“only for the retail trade”</strong> idea in the weekend papers, please stand up. If there was ever a more ridiculous idea, I have yet to have the pleasure of stumbling across it. This proposal was explained with the assured logic that by not increasing Excise on pub sales, we would project jobs. <br />
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Now, I’m not an economist or statistician – but I do know where we wholesale our wines. And let’s see… that would include both pubs <strong><u>and</u></strong> retailers. So along with re-printing all our price lists, incurring the wrath of all our customers, endless whinging about how we can’t take it any more and so on, we’re now also going to have two different invoice systems. And as for our Bond, I pity them trying to determine if Bould Betty’s is a pub, bistro or lap dancing club when they release the wine from Bond and allocate the Excise Duty.<br />
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Seriously – whoever thought of that idea should quietly slip out that back door of Government buildings and think of a new career…..<br />
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So what about the statistics? Well, rather conveniently, the boffins at the Wine Institute in California have been checking bottle banks all over the world and have just published the latest world rankings for wine consumption. And not just for 2010, but very interestingly for the past three years. So from our Celtic Tiger peak in 2007 to the rather more austere days of 2010, you’ll note that wine consumption in Ireland has dropped by 8.3% to 16.89 litres per annum per head. Not a catastrophic drop – but not exactly a growing market ripe for an increase in tax.<br />
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More interesting is the drop from 2007 to 2008 – a whopping 25% drop. I don’t have the burning passion to go back over previous Budgets, but I’d guess that those figures overlap with the catastrophic rise in Excise Duty some years back that coincided with us all rushing up North to buy all our drink. If sales fell here, you can be sure the tax take fell too – and funnily enough, that Excise hike was subsequently reversed.<br />
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So in a market of falling sales, what makes best sense – increase the price of the product (when it’s still going to be available for less close by), or decrease/hold the price?<br />
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Ummmm…….?<br />
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Aside from my rant, there are some great figures in the report. How about the fact that those in the Vatican City consume more wine per head than ANYWHERE in the world – a whopping 70 litres per head in 2009? That’s almost 5 times what we drink!<br />
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And Kuwait, where it looks (surprisingly) like the average is about a glass of wine per person, per year, managed to register an increase of 389%!<br />
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You can see the complete list here: <a href="http://www.wineinstitute.org/files/2010_Per_Capita_Wine_Consumption_by_Country.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Per Capita Wine Consumption by Country</span></a><br />
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Liam Cabothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10509377180536941344noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8985574294404865873.post-63318721997127420402012-11-05T21:29:00.001+01:002012-11-05T21:29:07.047+01:00Definitely Not Picking Time - F**k it<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Sinead here, making my annual appearance on the blog. I was close to giving it a miss this year since I didn't get to harvest our grapes or start the process of managing fermentation. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">After two weeks in Slovenia I boarded the plane back to Ireland feeling like an expectant mother who had been sent home from the delivery ward having presented with false labour. I had learnt much and had great fun being involved in the harvests of others but felt lonely for my ‘baby’. It seemed everyone else had a new arrival in the winery, someone to coo over and nurture. Even Liam’s gentle nudges to blog something, anything,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>of my thoughts while out there failed to move me towards the keyboard.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Luckily, writer's block took a jolt as the Aerlingus flight left the tarmac and I realised that my harvest blog should take the form of a poem. Inspired by Brian Millar's take on the John Cooper Clarke song 'Bloody Chickentown', (see previous blog). I had the masterpiece done and dusted by the time we landed in Dublin. Avert your eyes Granny...</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy-LE-K9zIEa4yAOZe53laLDaYL1YE7TY0GxiGtZpwcGiOw9E6jIsp3PFmsNIq1mlZwBtfMcbqTsYBCEJiZvIcbuKaIVTpj6tkt2JGRjlbnhKTKXlV-O2tGiivON_FeQxd-4rjAggTgJXg/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy-LE-K9zIEa4yAOZe53laLDaYL1YE7TY0GxiGtZpwcGiOw9E6jIsp3PFmsNIq1mlZwBtfMcbqTsYBCEJiZvIcbuKaIVTpj6tkt2JGRjlbnhKTKXlV-O2tGiivON_FeQxd-4rjAggTgJXg/s320/photo.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Am I in labour? Sugar levels are only half the story</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 20pt; line-height: 115%;">Definitely <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not </i>Picking Time<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">By Sinead Cabot<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The fucking dates were fucking wrong<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Miro is a fucking nong<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The fucking sugar’s fucking high<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The fucking ground was fucking dry<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The fucking pips won’t fucking brown<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The fucking rain’s now coming down<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The fucking Sipon’s fucking split<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The fucking Sipon’s fucking shit<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The fucking MF’s fucking slow<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Pick - fucking yes or fucking no?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Fucking vintage is passing me by<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Think I’m gonna fucking cry<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Samo fucking hurt his head<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I picked his sauvignon instead<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Lela was my picking mate<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Humming songs that were x-rate<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Fucking acid’s fucking low<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Acidify – yes? No, fucking NO!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“Fucking milk by fucking March”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">(Samo, that’s a little harsh)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Thank you to my Slovene friends<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Fun fucking vintage in the end!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%;"><em>With due respect to John Cooper Clarke and Brian Miller.</em> <em>"Evidently Chickentown" is a poem by the English performance poet John Cooper Clarke. The poem uses repeated profanity to convey a sense of futility and exasperation ... - Wikipedia.</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">MF in the poem is the black grape variety <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Modra Frankinja, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Austria's Blaufrankish and Hungary's Kekfrankos.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sipon is the Slovene name for the white grape variety, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Furmint.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Continuing my journey home I dropped in to Easons at Heuston Station and the first book I saw was “F**k it: The Ultimate Spiritual Way” by John C Parkin. Coincidence?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I bought it, of course,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>had it finished by the time the train pulled in at Westport. A great read and I felt so much f**king better. You should buy it. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Now F**k off!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Sinead Cabothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01008858189294742262noreply@blogger.com0