We love a wine with a story, and Valdivieso’s Caballo Loco is definitely that. One of Chile’s top wines, the Caballo Loco is named after one of Valdivieso’s previous winemakers Jorge Coderch, who created the Cabollo Loco over 12 years ago, a winemaker who was long referred to as ‘the crazy horse’.

Essentially a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Carmenere and Merlot, the wine is created using a solera system, similar to that found in the production of Sherry. This simple but effective process produces a series of non-vintage wines, where at least 50% of the blend has come from the previous Caballo Loco.

Following the barrel maturation of the current vintage/edition, it’s then blended with the previous edition.  The new edition complete, 50% is then bottled and 50% goes back into the solera system for use in the next ‘crazy horse’.

This interesting process enables Valdivieso to create a complex wine with unique characteristics for each edition, characteristics only achievable from adding aged wine to the blend.

Currently on Edition No. 12 of the Caballo Loco, we asked Valdivieso’s winemaker Brett Jackson, his thoughts on Caballo Loco, which he has been making since Edition No. 6 -

Check out some previous posts on Valdivieso which have featured here on B Times -

Update on Chile’s 2011 vintage with Valdivieso’s Brett Jackson

Valdivieso vintage & Earthquake report 2010

Bibendum Times

However, the menus at DC6 Diner, an 1950s aircraft that has been transformed into a 40-seater restaurant at Coventry Airport, promise much more than the standard chicken or fish option served up at 30,000ft, writes the Daily Mail.

Going a la carte on aboard Air Atlantique; diners can scale new culinary heights at the DC6 Diner

The refurbished Douglas DC-6 plane, which hasn’t flown in three and a half years, offers aviation enthusiasts the chance to enjoy lunch or dinner in the cabin of a transatlantic prop-engine plane, with waiters summoned using the call buttons above seats.

The chef behind the project, Tony Caunce, has named dishes in the quirky diner after old military aircraft. Guests, or ‘passengers’, can tuck into such delights as a Bomber T-bone steak, Vampire gammon, 8oz Rapide steak or even a Meteor marinade fillet.

There's no trolley service but diners can call waiters using the button above their heads

Mr Caunce said of the diner, which welcomed its first paying guests two weeks ago: ‘Some people have come just because it is a plane and they want to experience something different.

‘It used to provide people with sheer luxury compared to what you get today. It was an incredibly well engineered plane, which is why it was still flying until recently.’

The restaurant forms part of the Airbase exhibition at Coventry Airport, where more than 30 Air Atlantique planes are on display.

Geoffrey Salter

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[via the Daily Mail]

Travel Snitch

Earlier this year Bibendum launched a new wine service concept for outside events. The idea is simple…great wines, served in practical but creative packaging at sporting, music, food and cultural events. With the birth of The Wondering Wine Company, the days of a cheap plastic glass of warm house white are a thing of the past.

Since its inception, The Wondering Wine team has been scouring Europe looking for the right vehicles which will achieve the Wondering Wine look, whilst being practical enough to serve hundreds of bottles of wine to thirsty punters as pop-up bars.

The first of the fleet recently arrived in the UK following its restoration. A classic Citroen H Van, originally built in 1974, which spent most of its life in Northern France, before arriving here for its Wondering Wine make over. The team are thrilled with the restoration and slick new paint job, and plan to get it on the road soon, serving wine this summer. They’ve done a brilliant job and The Wondering Wine Company will be rolling into events across the country with these unique mobile bars very, very soon.

The H Van below will hold up to 200 bottles at any time, ready to be served through the Wondering Wine Company’s recyclable decanters, alongside its brand new Govino glasses. The first confirmed events for the Wondering Wine Company will be at Blenheim Palace on the 29th April for a four day jousting event, then it’s off to the Royal Windsor Horse Show in May, with more events to be announced over the coming weeks.

Check out the photos of the H Van refit below  -

To find out more about the Wondering Wine Company, go to their facebook page, or follow them on Twitter @wonderingwine.

Bibendum Times

Yes, it’s been wet in the Barossa too!

The last big rain was on March 8th, but it didn’t cause anywhere near the berry splitting or disease that some people have been talking about. There was some Downy Mildew back in November and December, but this only caused minor crop loss in Grenache, and has since dried up and not become a problem.

It has been a remarkably cool growing season – akin to 2002 and 2005, which rank among some of the best. Yes, there is a bit of botrytis in Eden Valley Riesling now, but we have already started on some of the earlier Eden Valley Rieslings, and the handpicked batches in tank look great – ripe yet elegant.

The team at St Hallet – Shelley Cox, Jeremy Ottawa, Chris Rodgers & Darin Kinzie

St Hallett’s 2011 vintage started on February 11 with Barossa Valley Sauvignon Blanc.  Aside from the last four vintages, this is about normal timing. As of March 18 we have now finished all the Barossa Valley Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc.  Yields have been above estimate, and a little above long term average. The quality of the Sems and Savs for the Poacher’s Blend look fantastic – great aromatics, zesty acids, and real purity of fruit. The remaining Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc in Eden Valley is still in great condition.  Semillon is usually the first to split from rain, but this year it seems to be standing up really well.

We picked our first Shiraz on March 16, which now puts us about a week behind long term average.  If this block is a sign of whats to come, then Shiraz yields will be down on the long term average. Quality-wise it’s too early to call.  On the vine, colour and flavours look bright with soft yet mouthcoating tannins. The weather is continuing to be cool and cloudy at the moment, especially in the mornings, but the sun seems to poke through in the afternoons. It’s a bit of a “long sleeves in the morning and t-shirt in the afternoon” kind of vintage!

Shiraz is ripening quite slowly in these conditions, but we arent too concerned as everything seems to be +13.5 Baume already – even the Cabernet Sauvignon.  Grenache might be a long haul, but everyone has now accepted the fact that we won’t be getting this Easter off like we have with the last four.

If you missed the recent posts on Australia’s and New Zealand’s 2011 vintage, check them out below –

2011 Vintage begins at Wither Hills – The calm before the storm!

The 2011 vintage kicks of at d’Arenberg

Hand picking the Tannat at Glenguin Estate

Bibendum Times

Running up to the beginning of March there was average rainfall in both winter and spring, which has ensured adequate sub-soil moisture, with very healthy canopies. With this has also come very mild day time temperatures and cool nights during the summer months, which has ensured a very late start to the vintage.

The first fruit was picked on February 23 – only two days prior to the latest start on record at d’Arenberg. Riesling, Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc were the first varieties picked, and all showing excellent acidity and flavour development. The disease pressure has been high with more rain than would be considered ideal, but luckily little actual disease has resulted.

The turgidity of the berries is also very good this year, and yields are normal. If these stable conditions continue we expect the vintage to finish as late as May with Petit Verdot typically the last variety to ripen.

As of Friday 11th March -

A cool weekend was followed with some rain early in the week. Between 12 and 25mm (depending on exact location in McLaren Vale) fell in the space of just 24 hours on that Tuesday, fortunately there was no major damage to the vines and berries. Berry sizes did however increase as a result, but luckily the grape skins are thick, and the berries still have a lot of flavour.

The cool weather and cold night conditions continued for most of the week, yet most grapes still continued to slowly ripen. The first of the Viognier was picked this week, and we finally saw red grapes coming in, with the first parcels of Shiraz being crushed. On first inspection of the juice, the red grapes have lots of character and great acidity. Some Shiraz/Viognier ferments have begun, and we expect to pick a lot more Shiraz next week.

Keep a look out for more updates from the 2011 vintage at d’Arenberg over the coming weeks, as Chester and the team keep us posted on all that’s going on in the McLaren Vale. Follow all the news from d’Arenberg on facebook and twitter.

Bibendum Times