Tasting Feature: Co-operatives: Are there any (decent) reds under the bed?

March, 2009

For a long time co-operatives have been much maligned in the world of wine. At best considered producers of vast quantities of ordinary wine or, at worst, creators of millions of hecto-litres of overproduced plonk, much of it destined for distillation. 

Co-operatives were originally developed as a way for grape growers to band together and save themselves from the ravages of the market, so they could concentrate on growing grapes. Co-operatives are found all over the world and are also quite common with other agricultural crops. Often they have lead to the growing of large crops of grapes of dubious quality with the grower knowing the co-op was going to take them anyway. There was little or no incentive to strive for quality. 

There has been an emergence of individual, quality focussed grape growers and producers marketing their own wine in many of the wine regions where co-ops held sway for so long, such as the Languedoc-Roussillon in the south of France. Are wine co-operatives dinosaurs or remnants of communism that are on the way out? 

Over the years there have been some beacons of hope, co-operatives that have strived to produce high quality wines, often at a price that represents excellent value, such as the Pfaffenheim Co-op in Alsace. Now, other co-operatives, no doubt spurred on by these examples, are investing in better equipment, employing talented wine makers and consultants and liaising with their growers, who after all are the owners, to help them produce better quality grapes. 

Having enjoyed immensely the Pfaffenheim Co-op’s 2006 Gewürztraminer from Tanners Wine Merchants, which featured in the Spectator Wine Club’s January Wine Offer selected by Simon Hoggart, I decided that for our first Tasting Feature we might look at wines produced by co-operatives from our wine partners. 

Not all of our wine partners list wines from co-operatives, which is no reflection on any of them, but rather indicative of the diversity of what these independent wine merchants offer.   

Grande Cuvée 1531 de Aimery, Cremant de Limoux, VSA Limoux, France

Wheeler Cellars £8.79 

Limoux, in the eastern Pyrenees foothills, is cooler and higher than the rest of the Languedoc. Locals claim that sparkling wines were made using the local white variety Mauzac 50 years before Champagne, hence the date in this wine’s name. 

Made from Mauzac, with small portions of Chenin Blanc and Chardonnay, the Grand Cuvee has a medium bead and reasonable mousse with generous fruit and some attractive yeasty aromas. To taste it has distinctive and lively granny smith apple fruit, no doubt from the Mauzac, some yeastiness or autolysis and the Chenin and Chardonnay provide backbone and acidity. 

Overall a very appealing wine yet with a distinctive character. Perfect as an aperitif but generous enough to please most and good value at the price. 16.5/20  

Tanners Extra Reserve Brut Champagne, Selected by Tanners, France

Tanners Wines £17.50 

Produced for Tanners by Beaumont des Crayères, a co-operative of 200 small growers - a reference to their land holdings that they tend like gardens near Epernay not their height- this house Champagne is 65% Pіnоt Meunіer, 20% Chаrdonnay, 15% Pіnоt Nоіr. 

Fine bead and excellent mousse. Rich fruit with some yeast and autolysis aromas. The Pinot Meunier shines through on the nose and the palate providing a creamy richness and expressiveness followed by a classic brut finish. Better than many high profile non-vintage Champagnes and great value. 17/20  

2007 Pinot Grigio, Amanti del Vino, Delle Venezie, Vin International, Italy

Tanners Wines £5.80 

Englishman Robin Woodhouse is the man behind the Amanti del Vino wines and a long term Italian resident. He sources wines from selected co-operatives around Italy, specialising in Sicily and Puglia. 

This Pinot Grigio is from Northern Italy near Venice and is a good example of the variety and style. Pale, almost clear in colour, it has zesty, citrus aromas with hints of mandarin or satsuma and blossom. On the palate it has a clean fresh mouth feel, delicate flavours and nice acidity. Perfect with fresh sardines or creamy pastas. 16/20.  

2007 Pinot Gris Reserve ‘Fairtrade’, Santa Florentina, Famatina Valley, La Riojana Co-op, Argentina

Corney & Barrow £6.89 

The La Riojana Co-op was established in 1940 in the Famatina Valley, a region in the Andes settled by Italian immigrants. It is another great example of an organisation that has transformed itself from a basic rural co-operative into a very serious business with a modern approach to viticulture, winemaking, marketing and corporate responsibility, hence the involvement in Fairtrade accreditation. 

Quite unctuous aromas of lychees, white peach and melon are followed by lively, mildly drying lime and stone fruit flavours to taste. The clean acidity complements the slightly unctuous texture. All in all an attractive drink. Serve with roast chicken or even mildly spicy Asian or Thai food. 16/20  

2007 Fiano, MandraRossa, Sicilia, Cantine Settesoli, Italy

Wheeler Cellars £7.49 

Cantine Settesoli in Sicily is a great example of a co-operative that has focussed on quality and dragged itself into the 21st Century. As a result its wines are winning awards all over the world, including this wine. 

Fiano is gaining popularity as a grape variety especially amongst some who are bored by Pinot Grigio, and you can see why here.

Pale with green hues there are aromas of honeysuckle, blossom, lemon peel, tropical fruit and a hint of lees character giving some complexity. On the palate there are attractive pineapple, grapefruit and tropical fruit flavours, nice texture and crispness but a little short on the finish if you were being really picky. Well worth a go! 17/20  

2007 Viognier, Vin de Pays des Coteaux de l’Ardeche, Les Vignerons Ardéchois, France

Yapp Brothers £7.75 

The Vignerons Ardéchois Cave Co-opérative is one of the pioneering co-ops that emerged in the late 1960s as the result of 7 major Cave Co-operatives pursuing a unified policy of modernisation, re-planting and marketing to become one of the shining beacons. 

Now representing over 2,000 grape growers from 21 small co-operatives the Vignerons Ardéchois have been instrumental in restoring the profile of the region which dates back to the Roman times. 

Honey on toast leapt at me from this wine with marmalade and apricot. Very beguiling and the same on the palate, combined with good sensual texture and a long finish balanced by acidity. Definitely Viognier and very nice too! 16.5/20   

Non-Vintage La Brouette Rosé, Vin de Pays du Comté Tolosan, Producteurs Plaimont, France

Corney & Barrow £5.99 

The Corney and Barrow team made this Rosé with the Producteurs Plaimont of Southwest France from a gang of local grape varieties including Merlot, Tannat, and Pinenc. 

It has a delightful pale pink onion skin colour with candy and summer fruit notes on the nose, some gaminess and perhaps pot pourri. To taste it is clean, well made and has attractive fruit flavours. Good for the price. 14.5/20  

2007 Saumur Rouge, Appellation Saumur Contrôlée, Cave de Saumur, Loire Valley, France

Yapp Brothers £6.95 

From another consistently performing co-operative that is near Saint Cyr-en-Bourg, just to the south-east of Saumur, this light to medium bodied wine is simply just great fun and should be the wine for this Summer, regardless if it comes or not. 

Bright crimson and purple hues introduce lifted berry fruit, summer pudding and typical Cabernet Franc aromas with a slight but pleasant stalkiness or hint of forest floor. To drink, and you will want to, it is bright and lively, slurpable with nice chalky tannins and some length. Simple but delicious, not sickly. A bowl of freshly picked berries such as blackberries, blackcurrants and raspberries. Great with rich fish soup or marinated and barbequed chicken. 17.5/20    

2006 Salice Salentino DOC, San Marzano, Feudi di San Marzano, Italy

Tanners Wines £6.30 

The Feudi di San Marzano co-operative is in Puglia on the heel of Italy with modern equipment producing modern wines but mainly using local grape varieties such as Primitivo, Negroamaro and Malvasia Nera. Director, Mauro di Maggio picks out the best parcels of grapes from 1,000 members with 500ha between them to make the co-op’s best wines. 

Dark purpley red in colour there are luxurious aromas of ripe fruit, plums, raisins, spice, yeast, figs, black fruits and some earthiness. Made from Negroamaro, Malvasia Nera and Brindisi it is indulgent and quite complex. To taste it is a big, rich, long wine with fine tannins, attractive fruit- ripe but not sweet. It is great to see these native varieties continue to be made, providing interesting alternatives with great appeal. 16.5/20    

2007 Grenache-Syrah Terre de Lumiere, Vin de Pays d’Oc, Celliers Jean d'Alibert, France

Corney & Barrow £6.29 

The Celliers Jean d'Alibert are a group of small village co-operatives based near Carcassonne in the heart of the Languedoc region who have banded together to survive. Such has been the progress in quality and distribution that they now have a brand new central winery, making wine from the best domains and sites in the area. 

This wine, made from fruit grown in selected high-altitude vineyards in the Minervois area nearby, is crimson with purple colouring. There are spicy white pepper and ripe berry fruit aromas typical of Grenache which carry through on the palate. It has a smidge of earthiness and herbal flavours, fine tannins and a longish finish. Not overly complex but certainly pleasurable. Have with lamb chops or a rustic casserole. 15.5/20  

2005 Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh 'Saint Albert', Cotes de Saint-Mont, Gascony, Producteurs Plaimont, France

Corney & Barrow £14.79 

Here is another co-operative championing native varieties and ancient wine styles. This is a sweet wine made from the local and rare white Petit Courbu, Petit Manseng, Gros Manseng and Arrufiac grapes which are left out on the vine and picked in several passes, sometimes as late as New Year’s Eve, to raisin slowly and concentrate the sugar and flavour. The grapes are then handpicked and fermented in barrels. The key is the acidity which means it can be drunk as an aperitif, with foie gras, cheeses, fruit desserts or tarts. Just ask the locals.

A bright golden colour hints at what is to come. Rich lime marmalade, honey and straw aromas abound. This wine has a delightful unctuous mouth feel with honey and marmalade flavours balanced with acidity that makes it sweet but not cloying. A very interesting wine and something different to try. 17/20