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Specialists in Organic and Biodynamic Wine, Spirits, Beers & Juices
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Vintage Roots June 2008
Vintage Roots June Newsletter 2008
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Hello Jon Davey,
Welcome to the June newsletter from Vintage Roots. This months see's our buying team hard at work re-trying the range as well looking at a whole host of new contenders for a coveted place on the Vintage Roots price list. May saw the London International Wine Fair being hosted at EXCEL, and this years focus was on Organic and Biodynamic wines. Vintage Roots was well represented in the prestigious top 100 tasting with a quarter of the wines selected from our list. There were many interesting styles, being shown, unfortunately a number of the non Vintage Roots wines, were not certified, Poorshow! Remember all Vintage Roots wines are independently certified organic/biodynamic and carbon offset too.
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 Spring sale still going strong
There are still four weeks left in the Vintage Roots sale, with loads of great savings on both pre-mixed cases and why miss out? Simply click on the link to see a full list of our promotions.
To take advantage of these great promotions you can buy online or simply ring 0800 980 4992.
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Pesticide residues contaminating conventional wines
A study by the European Pesticide Action Network (PAN) of forty bottles of wine from France, Germany, Austria, Italy, Portugal, South Africa, Australia and Chile found 100% of conventional wines contained pesticides, with one bottle containing ten different types, the average being four. In all, 24 different contaminants were found, including five classified as being carcinogenic, mutagenic, reprotoxic or endocrine disrupting by the European Union. See www.vintageroots.co.uk for a link to the full report or call our office for a copy on 0800 980 4992.
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Meet the winemaker...Tom Dean of La Raia
Vintage Roots' Sarah McCleery talks winewine (no surprises there!), pets and Pink Floyd with Biodynamic whizz kid, Tom Dean.
Tell us about your favourite job in the vineyard?
Sowing a seed mix of legumes, cereals and herbs in autumn in the vineyard rows. This grows into a beautiful multi-colour jungle in spring. We then mow and dig in all the organic matter and spray the biodynamic preps. It results in great smelling, soft soil that feels like a trampoline when you walk on it.
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| Proudest vineyard moment? |
Tom and his wife Caterina |
| We have been biodynamic for over five years now and seeing the changes in the quality of the grapes, the soil and fauna gives me quite a boost. In fact La Raia has also become quite a nature reserve now, with a myriad of birds and animals coming to eat organically. |
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What’s the best piece of wine advice that you were ever given?
Spray horn silica over the grapes if you get heavy rain just before the harvest. It made our 2007 vintage a great one and helped the grapes lose excess water; allowing us to harvest the grapes quickly before further rains.
Can you explain the squirrel on the Barbera label?
The grey squirrel has not arrived to us yet, so we value the original red (just like the original Barbera!).
Is there a La Raia vineyard pet?
Alvin is a German shepherd dog who is really bonded to one of our tractors – he lives under it and follows it wherever it goes.
What’s the best piece of wine advice that you were ever given?
Spray horn silica over the grapes if you get heavy rain just before the harvest. It made our 2007 vintage a great one and helped the grapes lose excess water; allowing us to harvest the grapes quickly before further rains.
Who is the winemaker you most admire and why?
Nicolos Joly is doing a great job making biodynamic wines and bringing them to a wider audience.
What was the last wine you drank and how was it?
Rosso Piceno from Aurora in Le Marche. I met him recently at a wine tasting
and we swapped bottles. It was a good swap. |
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The best meal you ever had with the La Raia Barbera?
Mushroom and tomato risotto. Yum!
If offered a job swap for a week,what would you most like to do?
A roadie on the next Pink Floyd tour.
What book is currently on your bedside table?
Emoto’s ‘The Hidden Message of Water’. It’s all about water and the information it carries, and as we are all made up mostly of water it’s a really eye-opening book.
Most played CD in your music collection?
Paul Simon’s ‘Graceland’. I love how he blends in the African element, and I never get bored of listening to it. The music also strikes a chord with me as I grew up in South Africa.
Best thing about being an Englishman living in Italy?
I can’t imagine having so much fun in farming as here in Italy. There is a lot you can do with the climate, and working with the locals is always a pleasure.
To see a full list of the wines made by Tom & Caterina please click here. For a link to there website with more information about their wines and the estate please click here. |
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This month, we've teamed up with Artisan Bread, who supply high quality Biodynamic and organic bread via their website www.artisanbread-abo.co.uk
"... the most interesting of the bunch, 3 stars!"
The great Organic Taste Test, The Observer, April 27
They're offering Vintage Roots customers £2.50 off the 6 loaf box or any other order placed in June 2008, either ring 01227 771 881 or visit their Website.
Simply enter the code 'spelt'. Orders from £10 plus carriage from £5.25
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