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.. 2 3 4 4Explore sparkling JuraCrémant du Jura is a relative new-comer to The Society’s List and a delightful addition to the range. Joanna Goodman tells us more

Riesling: a white for all seasonsSimon Mason of The Society’s tasting team is a fan of the riesling grape and believes its ability to partner food is not sufficiently appreciated

Scandi noirAs the nights get darker, Janet Wynne Evans finds comfort in the northern lights

Pointless pointsSebastian Payne MW is not in favour of using a point-scoring system when judging wines. Find out why in this month’s Last Word

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SOCIETY NEWSINTERNATIONAL WINE CHALLENGE WINE MERCHANT & WINE CLUB OF THE YEAR 2013 • DECANTER NATIONAL WINE MERCHANT OF THE YEAR 2013

VISIT THEWINESOCIETY.COM/WINEWORLD FOR MORE ARTICLES AND WINE GUIDES

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Wine Society receives top accolade in Decanter World Wine AwardsWhile it is members’ recognition which is most important for a mutual organisation such as ours, it is still gratifying to receive tributes from our peers in the trade. As members will have read on our website, The Society was named National Merchant of the Year in the Decanter World Wine Awards at a gala dinner in the Royal Opera House in London last month. This is the third successive year that we have won the award and this year the judges stated that the case for The Society ‘was compelling’ and that it was ‘the quality and depth of The Society’s wine list that finally secured victory once again.’

Following on from the record number or awards received in the International Wine Challenge, this has been a fantastic year for The Wine Society. Wine Society chief executive Robin McMillan

(pictured above right) said that it’s members’ loyalty and enthusiasm, the unique set-up of our organisation, and our dedicated staff that ensures the continued success of The Society.Big bottles, an award-

winning cheese, a pamper case Italian-style and a fresh take on The Society’s Wicker HamperAccompanying this News is our selection of specially packaged Christmas gifts for the festive season. Each year we try to ring the changes a little and introduce new gift ideas to complement traditional classics. This year we have introduced more wines in magnum, including members’ favourite white, The Society’s White Burgundy (ref N-XC1321, £24), The Society’s Cava Reserva Brut (ref N-XC1320, £23) and popular claret Château de Pitray 2010 (ref N-XC1319, £25) which are offered individually in a presentation box and also come in a Magnum Trio Case (ref N-XC1322, £58).

The Society’s Wicker Hamper has long been a popular feature of the Christmas selections and a change in packing and distribution arrangements this year means that we can now include more of the luxury fresh foods that so many of us enjoy indulging in at this time of year. So alongside the bottles, biscuits, cakes and sauces

are included smoked salmon, Vacherin, Cheddar and Stilton cheeses, saucisson sec, fresh pesto and mince pies. The hamper will be delivered directly from our suppliers to arrive in time for Christmas to ensure that the contents are fresh and ready to be enjoyed over the festive period (ref N-DX1345, £129).

Cheese lovers are well catered for in this year’s selections and one chosen by our food buyer Louisa Peskett has subsequently been voted ‘Supreme Champion’ at this year’s British Cheese Awards. Made by Hampshire Cheese, Tunworth is a wash-rind cheese in the Camembert style, with a thin white crust and soft pale yellow interior and enticing earthy aroma and is one of the four cheeses in The Cheeseboard Case (ref N-DX1317, £55).

Finally, following feedback from members for more gifts designed with women in mind, we include for the first time a Bella Italia Pamper Case (ref N-XC1318, £39) – a collection of body washes and balms with a bottle of sparkling Prosecco and a praline chocolate bar for some indulgent post-Christmas down time.

The prices of all Christmas Gift Cases include delivery to UK addresses. The full selection is available to view at thewinesociety.com/christmas

New members for ChristmasThe gift of good wine for a lifetime of enjoymentShare your love of wine with like-minded family, friends and colleagues by giving them membership of The Wine Society this Christmas. All new members proposed by 31st December, 2013 will have £20 credited to their account to place against their first order.

Apply online at thewinesociety.com/join, call Member Services on 01438 741177 or fill in the application form at the back of the List. Applications need to be placed by midnight, Tuesday 17th December, 2013 to be processed in time for Christmas.

Key dates for Christmas Orders

A (winning) night at the opera

Order early for Christmas for a chance to win claret worth £1,000

Early orders help The Society spread the load, manage and plan our distribution more efficiently and offer members a better service at this busy time of year. To encourage early orders, The Society will once again be offering members the chance to enter a prize draw with the possibility of winning a six-bottle case of three highly sought-after clarets from the excellent millennium vintage.

The wines, unearthed from our archive stocks, are all delicious now but from châteaux with such pedigree that they will continue to evolve for many years to come. The six-bottle case contains two bottles each of leading Pomerol Château L’Evangile, second-growth Saint-Julien Château Léoville Poyferré and Pauillac star Château Lynch Bages. The wines are no longer easy to find, but where available, a collection of this sort would cost in the region of £1,000.

Entry into the draw is automatic for all those ordering between 14th October and 6th December. The next 100 names drawn at random will each receive a bottle of The Society’s Champagne Brut. Please see the leaflet which accompanies this News for more information or refer to thewinesociety.com/prizedraw

New gift cases for Christmas

UK deliveries in time for Christmas – Midnight, Tuesday 17th December

Channel Islands – 9pm, Monday 28th October

Export – 9pm, Monday 18th November

Republic of Ireland – 9pm, Friday 29th November

Prize Draw deadline – Midnight, Friday 6th December

Pre-orders for collection from Montreuil – 5pm, Monday 9th December

Wines out of Reserves – Midnight, Tuesday 17th December

Applications for membership – Midnight, Tuesday 17th December

Peter Richards MW presenting Robin McMillan (right) with our award

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Manager of The Society’s Tastings & Events team Simon Mason is unashamedly biased when it comes to his favourite grape variety. Here he shares his passion for riesling and highlights its gastronomic potentialUnfairly tainted by the sea of poor quality exports from Germany in the 1980s and 1990s, the reputation of riesling still remains somewhat battered amongst the wine drinking public at large. The associations with sweetness and the tall flute bottle continue to resonate negatively for many. Certainly the distinctive bottles are a rare sight on restaurant tables. Ask those in the wine trade, however, and they will rate riesling

amongst their favourite varietals. Jancis Robinson MW no less, hails it as the greatest white grape in the world and many Society members have happily already come round to this way of thinking.

Wines with a pure sense of placeUnlike chardonnay which provides a neutral backdrop for the winemaker to build his structure upon, sometimes with all the sensitivity of a 1960s’ town planner, or sauvignon blanc which tours the world like an ageing rock star with endless remixes of its one-hit-wonder riff of gooseberry, grass and nettles, riesling is all about the place, the soil, the climate. Marvellously unruffled by cool climates yet tolerant of warmth, riesling can even turn moisture and humidity to its advantage, creating some of the finest botrytised sweet wines in the world. All the while conveying the precise identity and structure of the land on which it was grown. Of course I generalise wildly (and unfairly) but it is true that wise winemakers do little more than facilitate the smoothest possible transition of riesling from vine to

vessel, ensuring that along the way, they capture the essence of their particular patch of soil. By generally eschewing malolactic fermentation, new oak, or indeed, blending with other varietals, the best rieslings are pure expressions of their terroir.

Perhaps you can tell that I am an enthusiast?

Much more than an aperitif wineFrom its spiritual homeland in the Mosel, wines such as The Society’s Saar Riesling (ref N-GE4931, £9.50), produced for us by Reichsgraaf von Kesselstatt, offer just off-dry sweetness and delicate peach fruit as well as a refreshing core of acidity. A delicious wine for afternoon drinking and, indeed, this is how many rieslings are viewed: light, delicate and perhaps a little frivolous. Fine as an aperitif but once the food comes out, some think that it is time to move on to the more serious players.

This in my view is a mistake. Even a delicate German riesling pairs extremely well with food. The touch of sweetness present in the wine works with foods that often require a fruit sauce – gammon or roast pork for example. The natural high acidity of the riesling cuts through the slightly bland fattiness of the meat, the delicate fruit lifts the flavours and the hint of sweetness offsets the salt of the gammon. It may raise an eyebrow or two but you could do a lot worse than a glass of riesling at your next hog roast – perhaps the Trittenheimer Apotheke Riesling Kabinett 2012 from Josef Schmitt (ref N-GE7931, £9.50). Off-dry and currently youthful with a delicate floral bouquet, the moderately light 11% alcohol is also to be welcomed.

The same principles of balance and contrast apply when matching German riesling to spiced dishes. A medium Kabinett or Spätlese is a refreshing foil to a gently spiced fish curry wherein the delicate fruit of the wine will balance the delicate flavours of the fish. A dry wine might draw attention to the heat of the spice to the detriment of other flavours but riesling gets it right.

One grape; a myriad of stylesOf course, German riesling runs a wide range of styles from dry (trocken) through to wonderfully luscious. Even a wine as gloriously sweet as Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese 2007 from JJ Prüm (ref N-GE6521, £28) retains a balancing and refreshing acidity which makes apple pie or rhubarb crumble such pleasing matches. It is this acidity that makes riesling such a versatile wine to pair with food, allowing it to provide a refreshing balance to rich and heavy sauces but also to provide the tang and zip with Asian dishes.

Just over the border from Germany in Alsace, the wines prove that when in the mood for more hearty, rib-sticking fare, riesling can still provide the accompaniment. The Alsatian classic, choucroute garni, combining as it does the acidity of pickled cabbage, a slight sweetness of juniper and pork and a fair amount of salt is a perfect dish to show off the more structured, steely rieslings of Alsace. At this point I must confess what I suspect may be a mild addiction to choucroute garni so please indulge me if I dedicate a little too much time to this dish. A vibrant match would be the Trimbach’s Riesling 2011 (ref N-AL10031, £10.50) – all poise, elegance and finesse but lifting the humble pork dish to something extraordinary. Or, the gloriously full-flavoured and flinty Riesling Grand Cru Saering 2011 from Schlumberger (ref N-AL10581, £16.50). Perhaps almost too extravagant for pickled cabbage, this, along with many other dry Alsacian rieslings, would also work well with turbot, bass or indeed, dim sum.

Of course on occasion, Alsace riesling can also move from accompaniment to ingredient and again, its acidity and purity of flavour form a minerally backbone on which to hang the rich cream sauce for a filet de sandre or a decadent coq au riesling.

Riesling and spicy foodFor all this talk of European riesling, my awakening to the possibilities of serving riesling with food came about sitting in a Thai restaurant in Adelaide some years ago. Until then, I had never really come across the fresh, vibrant and quite strident flavours of lemongrass, kaffir lime, coriander and, of course, plenty of fresh chilli that many Thai dishes offer. Opting for a glass of punchy, limey Clare Valley riesling instead of the ubiquitous Coopers Sparkling Ale (itself excellent in its own way) I found a wine that not only complemented the bolder flavour intensity of Thai food but also added plenty of lemon and lime notes of its own.

Of course, an off-dry riesling (perhaps from Germany) would work with the palm sugar used in many savoury dishes, and indeed, the touch of sweetness would calm the chilli, but personally, I would take advantage of one of the finest vintages of Grosset Polish Hill Riesling, the 2012 from Clare Valley (ref N-AU15491, £24) and enjoy it with a bracing Thai salad or perhaps steamed whole seabass with lemongrass, fresh lime juice, Thai pickled garlic and crushed chillies. A combination I guarantee to awaken the most jaded of palates.

Unfashionable and misunderstood it may be, but riesling deserves a place on your dinner table. Fluted bottle and all.

100 Most Iconic Wine EstatesWine journalist, author and wine judge Matthew Jukes’ latest book is a beautifully presented lexicon of his pick of the world’s top wineries. Not only are many of those featured long-term suppliers to The Society but we were delighted to find so many of the names behind our Exhibition wines represented.

The following extract on Bodegas Catena Zapata gives a flavour of the book while providing members with some background information on the supplier of our Exhibition Mendoza Malbec 2010 (ref N-AR2801, £9.95).

Bodegas Catena Zapata, MendozaWith no other Argentine or Chilean estates in this book, Bodegas Catena Zapata is out on its own, largely because pioneering is what Nicolás Catena has done all of his life, putting world-class Argentine wine on the map. As well as being a pioneer, he is also a thinker and a doer. His family has helped him, too, as have well-chosen consultants but it is one man who has taken his bulk-wine producing estate to the edge of the stratosphere in just 40 years and this is his story.

Nicolás’ grandfather, Nicola, left Italy for Argentina in 1898. He planted his first vines in Mendoza in 1902, favouring the malbec grape which seemed to ripen well, but internationally was more familiar as a blending component, and certainly not a star performer in the wines of Bordeaux. He had faith that this stalwart and unglamorous grape would do well in the hot, dusty, virgin land. The estate flourished and his son Domingo developed it into one of the largest in the region, supplying bulk wine to a thirsty market.

By the 1960s Argentina’s economy had taken a turn for the worse and Domingo had to make heart-breaking and difficult decisions regarding his business. There was even the question, one year, of whether or not it was even worth picking the grapes such was the dismal outlook. His son, Nicolás, a gifted mathematician, had just received a PhD in economics, but he put his academic career on ice deciding to join the family firm after his grandfather and mother tragically died in a car crash. Nicolás decided to concentrate on growing their customer base in spite of a very difficult climate. This work, raising the profile of the estate, bottling their own blends and introducing the Catena brand to the market in the late ‘60s and ‘70s paid dividends.

Riesling: a white for all seasons (and dishes)

Read more about riesling in our online guide to grapes. Go to thewinesociety.com/riesling

Recipes to accompany Simon’s article can be found at thewinesociety.com/recipes

A labour of love; harvesting riesling on the steep banks of the Mosel

Alsace riesling and dim sum, a match made in heaven (or T’ien?)

The rich lime flavours of dry Aussie riesling work well with Thai cuisine

Nicolás Catena, a thinker and a doer

The touch of sweetness and naturally high acidity work well with roast pork

SOC I E T Y N E WS N OV E M B E R 2 013

VISIT THEWINESOCIETY.COM/WINEWORLD FOR MORE ARTICLES AND WINE GUIDES

At this time Catena was fortunate in being regularly invited to the Argentine Consulate to discuss export strategies and there he was poured Châteaux Lafite, Latour and Margaux – these flavours inspired him greatly. An academic at heart, Nicolás decided to take up an offer as Visiting Scholar in Economics at the University of California, Berkeley. It was at this time that Nicolás discovered new and exciting styles of wine while rambling around the Napa Valley with his wife Elena.

These tastings led to meetings with great winemakers, like Robert Mondavi, and he was convinced that his family operation in Mendoza could raise the bar from table wines to world class wines. Times were tough with the outbreak of the Falklands War, but he returned to Argentina and sold his table wine company, only keeping Bodegas Esmeralda to make his intended fine wines. Argentina had no record of making fine wine, and yet he was driven to plant cabernet, chardonnay and malbec at much higher altitudes than ever before. Despite the poor soils his persistence paid off, as the quality of the fruit harvested was sublime. With strict irrigation utilising Andean water,

he could minutely control the quality of this fruit and the harvest dates, drawing them out to engender more complexity in the bunches.

When Domingo died in 1989 Nicolás threw himself into proving that his father was right about his hunch that malbec could rival the great wines of Bordeaux. In 1994 he made his first Catena Malbec. I remember these wines being launched in the UK. I was mesmerised with the purity and layers of fruit which they had, but unusually for Argentinean malbec they didn’t have the coarseness and astringency so often associated with this swarthy variety. Cabernet sauvignon was performing well, too, and in 1994 he bottled a small batch from the oldest vines, calling it Catena Alta Cabernet.

It was slippery, deep, lusty and multi-layered – clearly inspired by his time in California. With French chardonnay clones giving him excellent results in his high altitude Tupungato vineyards he again amazed the critics, by producing silky smooth, classy wines not dissimilar to a fine Californian chardonnay and in 1995, Catena Alta Chardonnay was born. Catena Alta Malbec followed in 1996 showcasing the finest fruit from the harvest. The following year Nicolás Catena and José Galante, his winemaker since 1975, were rewarded with a stunning cabernet crop. Nicolás was inspired to create a top cuvée which he named 1997 Nicolás Catena Zapata (Zapata is his mother’s maiden name); a blend of 95% cabernet sauvignon and 5%

malbec. He toured the world hosting a series of comparative tastings with this wine, pitching it against first growth clarets and top Californian cabernets to rave reviews and this cemented the Catena reputation forever in the eyes of the world’s most discerning collectors.

Nicolás has continued to research and develop his wines aided by his son Ernesto and daughter Laura. A total of 145 different clones of malbec were planted in the La Pirámide vineyard; the five best used to determine the best soil and altitude combinations for success. Over the years they have sought advice from Paul Hobbs, the superb Californian winemaker, and also Jacques Lurton,

of Bordeaux fame. In 2004 a series of three spectacular new malbecs were created using the incredible fruit from the Nicasia and Adrianna Vineyards (between 1.2 and 1.5km above sea level). These are considered to be Argentina’s most profound wines and I still feel that Catena has even more success ahead of it with wines as memorable and profound as any on the planet.

We will be publishing an offer of wines under our Exhibition label, including our Exhibition Mendoza Malbec soon. Members can find more information on key suppliers on our website by clicking on a wine’s details or by selecting Grower Profiles in the Wine World & News pages. Visit thewinesociety.com/growers

100 Most Iconic Wine Estates Sparkling JuraA fizz with Alpine freshness from a beautiful part of FranceJura is one of France’s oldest vineyards. It lies half-way between Burgundy and Switzerland in the far east of the country, its vineyards facing south south-west, mirroring those of Burgundy 60 kilometres to the west. Like Burgundy, the climate is continental, though it’s more extreme here with much colder winters. Grapes are similar too, with chardonnay and pinot noir important varieties, taking their place alongside the more traditional local varieties, savagnin for whites, poulsard and trousseau for reds. Vineyards are found along the lower slopes of the Jura mountains on limestone and clay soils, again mirroring those of Burgundy on the opposite bank of the Saône. Though in the past there were some 20,000 hectares (ha) under vine, the region has had its fair share of crises and today the area under vine is more like 2,000ha.

Though the area has been in decline, there has been a recent resurgence of energy and interest in its wines. A new generation of young, passionate growers are working hard to elevate the quality of the wines with many embracing organic techniques in vineyard and cellar. The States, where fascination for chardonnay has not waned as much as elsewhere, has become an important market. Ironically, the region’s traditional vin jaune wines, which some assume are the only wines produced here, are not permitted by US law, being bottled in the ‘illegal’ 62cl clavelin.

In fact the distinctive vin jaune wines (made from savagnin grapes in an oxidative way in barrels that

are not topped up) account for less than one per cent of the total output of the region and chardonnay is by far the most widely grown grape. In this northerly continental climate, grapes will have naturally high acid levels, perfect for the production of sparkling wine and appellation d’origine Crémant du Jura wines, made by the traditional method of secondary fermentation in bottle, are produced throughout the region. The wines are usually delicate with an appley freshness and attractive almost floral nose and the best offer exceptional value for money.

Our Crémant du Jura comes from the family-run Domaine de Montbourgeau in the delightfully named village of l’Etoile (star). There are a number of theories as to how the commune (which has its own appellation for still wines) is said to have got its name. Some say it is because of the five hills that surround it which radiate out like the branches of a star, for others it is the profusion of tiny fossilised starfish that are found in the soils here which are responsible. Whichever is true, it’s a pretty and memorable name and explains the star on the label.

Unlike many more commercial crémants, Montbourgeau is made without any dosage (sweetening wine) and is bone-dry, crisp and perfect as an aperitif, especially when served with canapés using the local Comté cheese – spread some thick crème fraîche over rounds of good-quality white bread, place a thin slice or two of Comté cheese on top and bake in a hot oven until just melted.

Argentina had no record of making fine wine, and yet he was driven to plant cabernet, chardonnay and

malbec at much higher altitudes than ever before

See page 114 of the List for still Jura wines. For more information on the Jura, visit the Wine World & News section of the website and read buyer Marcel Orford Williams’ guide to the region and its wines. Go to thewinesociety.com/jura

Taylor’sProducers of The Society’s Exhibition Tawny Port, 10 Years Old (ref N-PN111, £16.50)

‘Taylors has been able to craft a spectacular range of wines utilising the exact aroma and flavour characteristics from each of its distinctly different geographical locations within the Douro Valley. An independent, family-owned and run business, the drive and determination seen at Taylor’s is directly reflected in their powerful age-worthy wines.’

La Rioja AltaProducers of The Society’s Exhibition Rioja Reserva 2006 (ref N-SP7121, £13.95)

‘These are traditional style Riojas with intense cherry, pipe smoke and cedarwood notes on the nose that age amazingly well. The wines of La Rioja Alta are to my mind, the essence of the historic Spanish wine trade.’

their powerful age-worthy wines.’

Joanna GoodmanNews editor

Book offerQuintessentially’s 100 Most Iconic Wine Estates by Matthew Jukes would make a thoughtful gift for wine enthusiasts and we have negotiated a special price for members of £29.75 instead of £35. Please order from the publisher directly at quintessentiallygifts.com or on0845 224 2617 using the code WSPROM03. This offer is open until 31st December 2013.

The dramatic hill-top village of Château Chalon, also an appellation for the region’s famous vins jaunes

Crémant du Jura Domaine Montbourgeau Brut NV is available at the special price of £10.50 instead of £12.50 until Sunday 17th November 2013. Ref N-SG1651. One bottle only per member at this price.

The dramatic Mayan temple-inspired winery

Catena’s impressive barrel hall

The many fossilized starfi sh (pentacines) give their name to the Etoile appellation and town

Also included...

Pointless PointsA kind friend passed on her ticket for the sold-out Leonardo exhibition at the National Gallery last February. It was the opening session and I arrived early, and although I had a ticket, there was already a queue. But I was in a good mood and enjoyed watching passers by on their way to and from Trafalgar Square. It was fun watching the hugely diverse mix of origins, ages, grouping, clothes, etc.

Having rather a one-track mind, I think of wines being diverse in the same sort of way, and it struck me with renewed force that, from my angle, it is as pointless to give wines points out of 100 or 20 as it would be to give points to people. Yet it has become a popular and completely accepted way of judging wines and, on the international scene, pretty important commercially too.

Making judgments about wines is my day job, but in my notebooks, a blank, or ‘nbg’ (no good), or a tick and, exceptionally, a double tick are all I need to do the job. The ticks are accompanied by a note and comments and background to help me explain what these wines taste like, how they come to be in the way they are and why I think you will like them. I have notes on the wines of the previous year and other growers to compare to. But a point given to a wine sometimes does not tell you why one wine smells and tastes different from another which, in my view, is the whole point.

Sebastian is not alone in his dislike for point-scoring, France’s leading wine critic Michel Bettane is equally adverse to this approach. Read his article, ‘The absurdity and flattery of scores’ in Wine World & News at thewinesociety.com/scores

SOC I E T Y N E WS N OV E M B E R 2 013

SebastianPayne MWSocietybuyer

The International Exhibition Co-operative Wine Society Limited. Registered Office: Gunnels Wood Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, SG1 2BT Register Number: 1824R (IP)Website thewinesociety.comEnquiries 01438 741177Orders 01438 740222

If you have any questions or comments about Societynews, or would like to see something included, please e-mail: societynews@thewinesociety.com or write to: Societynews, The Wine Society, Gunnels Wood Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, SG1 2BT

‘No sun – no moon! No morn – no noon – No dawn – no dusk – no proper time of day’ … Surely it can’t be No-vember again?Any born-again Thomas Hoods out there should get a grip and try saying ‘yes’ for a change. Not only to voluptuous whites and rich reds but to carbs, cream and salt with a clear conscience. Pace Dylan Thomas but there are times when it really is best to work with, rather than rage against, the dying of the light. As the owner of an impossibly gloomy kitchen, the windows of which face a brick wall, I have made the key decision not to try to lift things artificially with cruel lighting and white paint, but to embrace the Dark Side officially with blood-red units and Welsh slate flooring. Perhaps I should keep my powder dry until this particular exercise in abattoir chic has become reality, but I’m confident.

Meanwhile, let’s welcome in this dreich time of year by taking a leaf out of the Scandinavian book. In this matter, I am indebted to my colleague Louise Wisson of The Society’s marketing team. Her Swedish heritage comes in very handy, and thanks to

her, I now know what to do with reindeer, which is nothing short of delicious – more on this nearer Christmas, when my well-documented ambivalence towards the festering season and all its trappings will be bubbling up again like Old Faithful, or, indeed, an inviting dish of Jansson’s Temptation.

This riot of potato, cream and salted fish must be Swedens’ most epic contribution to the comfort food repertoire. I have been putting it together amateurishly for some time, but the recipe below comes, courtesy of Louise, from the authoritative pen of Tore Wretman, godfather of Swedish cooking. A jar or tin of anchovies will certainly work, but Louise says that it’s well worth looking online for ansjovisfileer, which are not anchovies at all, but sprats. If you’re in a hurry, as I invariably am to tuck into this, you can shorten the cooking time by softening the potato and onion in a little of the anchovy oil before layering them in the dish, but I wouldn’t upset Mr Wretman or, more importantly, a cherished colleague by calling it authentic. Either way, with baked salmon, lamb or beef or just as it is, I guarantee it will light up your evening and warm your cockles.

Janet WynneEvansSpecialist winemanager

Scandi Noir

Illustration by Jo

hn Richards

A Precious Inheritance: Nina Caplan, journalist and writer and daughter of the late Dr Harold Caplan who served on The Wine Society’s Committee, talks about the love of wine that her father gave her along with the belief that, ‘good things must be shared, even with those who may not fully appreciate them, and that nobody’s ever too young to hold a valid opinion.’ Both poignant and uplifting, the article appeared originally in The New Statesman and is reproduced with their permission.

thewinesociety.com/inheritance

...recent postings on The Society’s websiteOctober Flavour of the Month – Nuts about squash: ‘Pumpkins and squashes are a delight. They come with built-in life-affirming colour, a useful wallop of beta-carotene and velvety texture, and their non-assertive flavour makes them the perfect candidate for pepping up with lively spices and winter herbs…’, says Janet Wynne Evans. Read this month’s Flavour of the Month article and recipe for Butternut Squash and Coconut Soup with wines to match.

thewinesociety.com/fom

thewinesociety.com/christmasWe have set up a dedicated Christmas page for all your festive needs. View our complete range of Christmas gifts in one place.

at Christmas

Janssons Frestelse For 4 people Heat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF/Gas 6

(adjust the temperature if you have a fan oven). Peel the potatoes and cut them into julienne, or fine strips. Peel the onion and slice very thinly. Cut the anchovies into smaller bits. Butter a shallow ovenproof dish and layer in the potatoes, onions and anchovies, finishing with potatoes. Pour over the cream, milk and anchovy liquid. Spread the sifted breadcrumbs evenly across the surface. Cook in the oven for 50-60 minutes, by which time the potatoes should be tender.

6 potatoes (eg King Edward or similar firm potatoes)

2 yellow onions

14-16 anchovy fillets

1 tbsp butter for the ovenproof dish

1.5dl (ie 150ml) whipping cream

0.5dl (ie 50ml) milk

1tbsp anchovy liquid, or oil from the jar

1-2 tbsp finely sifted dry breadcrumbs

Wine MatchIf serving it on its own, or with baked salmon, a Saint-Péray or similar white Rhône is delicious but a buttery Cape white would work too – try Jordan’s Barrel-Fermented Chenin Blanc 2012 (ref N-SA8431, £8.95). For meatier dinners, I’d also move towards the Rhône, specifically the south and the triumvirate of grenache, mourvèdre and syrah which the rest of the world has taken to its heart too – witness Blind Spot Rutherglen Grenache-Shiraz-Mataro 2011 (ref N-AU15451, £7.50).

More of Janet’s recipes and musings on food and wine can be found in the Wine World & News pages of the website, including her regular Flavour of the Month column. Go to thewinesociety.com/fom

Easy payments & ordersCard details can be stored securely on the website so members don’t have to enter details each time.

Set up a direct debit to pay for your Wine Society purchases. Visit thewinesociety.com/direct or contact Member Services.

You can set up multiple gift addresses on the website and review orders placed last Christmas in My Account.

Food & wine matchingUse The Society’s Food and Wine Matcher to help find the ideal wine to go with a particular dish. Visit thewinesociety.com/foodmatch

Browse and order wherever you areBrowse the current range, view all the latest offers and buy your wine wherever you are by downloading The Wine Society’s free app available for both iPhone® and Android™. Visit thewinesociety.com/app

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...it is as pointless to give wines points out

of 100 or 20 as it would be to give points to people