Jean-Marc Sauboua and I set off for a flying visit to Spain. Apt really. Jean-Marc is a Chief Flying Winemaker after all. Not only does J-MS run our Laithwaites winemaking projects he now consults to four, or more probably, other wineries. Busy boy.
Through the pines of Les Landes, past Bayonne, into Basque country, up over the mountains, temperature dropping fast, past Pamplona, on across the Bardenas, a desert now covered again in hundreds of windmills. Huge modern ones, today. Quixote wouldn’t stand a chance.
Finally we reach a grand gateway, long drive, thousand year old olive trees and 140 hectares of fine new vineyard. Arrive as dark falls. It’s seven! Three hours mad driving. I need a drink!! Maitena (ex-flyer, daughter of my old mate Tony Barrero the Basque) is the winemaker here. J-MS the consultant. The owner is INAKI NUNEZ – film producer and one of the many driven men who are competing to create Spain's most wonderful new wineries and wines.
It is awesome what is happening now in Spanish wine. All these new wineries are sprouting up to bring state-of-the-art vinification to the world's greatest expanse of vineyard – most of it very old. (Spain has more vineyards than anywhere else but is only the 3rd or fourth wine producer –because of those wonderful, old shy-bearing vines.)
No such revolution is happening anywhere else. Well, except a few other countries – where, curiously, they also speak Spanish.
Maitena takes us round the cellar. Black wines, hugely rich Cabs, Merlots, Shiraz. Aussie beaters, wines from the desert, no mistake. The winery also has a hotel! Luxury! Heavy decor. Hollywood or Old Spain. The Dining room has a big window into the vast, eerily, dim-lit barrel hall. It’s all called 'Pago de Cirsus'. Look it up. Go there. It’s fantastic value. Go now before the place gets famous.
I stagger to bed at the top of the white tower. Jean-Marc cleverly decides to go get cash and petrol. Comes back the place is locked shut. And the night man is deaf to his cries! Has to sleep in car. Ho ho ho. Silly boy.
Breakfast looking out over the vast bright, barren landscape so vastly different to Bordeaux. And reviving a frozen French winemaker.
We set off to Rioja. Past loads more new architectural wine dreams of those driven men. To Jean Marc's own modest winery. Why has Bordeaux-born Jean Marc set himself up here rather than in Bordeaux?
Because here it is possible to set up on a shoestring. If you are smart. With the money he makes from his consulting he can buy good grapes and bring them to his rented Bodega. An industrial unit, basically, but in Laguardia; the St. Emilion of Rioja. And he's just done the essentials. Nice barrels and good kit. No 'Luxe'.
The first fruit was coming in … Spain harvesting later than Bordeaux? This is one crazy vintage!
Tasted the wines he inherited with the winery, which he’s buffed and polished. All good, but I’m looking forward to his own first vintage this year.
20 mins and on to one of his consultancies. To see what sort of winery eight million Euros can buy you.
A symphony of bright stainless steel, polished granite, marble, oak, glass and cool, dark green is what.
Again the wine is impressive. But will almost certainly be expensive when it goes on sale. This is Rioja Alavesa (the Basque bit.) And from a man who keeps a Bentley and a Learjet in his garage.
Then on to a Bodega I have bought from since the seventies; Labastida. To find they too are upgrading. They are creating a vast brand-new half-buried winery that will, when finished cascade down the hill, vineyards on its roofs.
JM-S consults here too. Mind you him nearly decapitating that telephone engineer – I'll never forget the poor man frantically trying to get back down his little hole as our car skidded towards him – may strain the relationship. The optical cable was a write-off …
So its still morning as we head back north for lunch with Maitena in one of my all time favourite places. This being Spain, a 2.30 lunch booking is fine. GUETARIA is a fishing village outside San Sebastian. Has bars and restaurants all with big black barbeques out front and fish so fresh its still flapping. The Spanish have such respect for fish. It has to be fresh and they just grill it. They never muck it about. We start with fresh clams grilled on the plancha then A BIG TURBOT
All this we wash down with Xacoli or Chacoli – a wine that has improved in the time I have known it, from real table-gripping green stuff to the uplifting, light frothy delight that is just perfect with the grilled turbot.
Maitena, who grew up around here says one day she plans to make some of this but meantime will take us to meet the guy who makes what we are drinking.
We climb up and up, round and round, to this place with a view to die for. Not just the wide bay, dotted with fishermen, but the vines, trained pergola-fashion, snaking round the contours dropping almost vertically to the sea. Busy guy - Basques are very hard workers - gives us a tour. I see how the wine's improved so; this is a very modern, clean winery, not like the old rustic places I remember from when Tony B first brought me here.
Back in the car we head back home through the night, me trying to keep J-Marc awake until I succumb myself. We made it back to La Clariere though. 29 hours! AND 1200 KMS … I'm too old for this.
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