Berry Bros. Rudd Wine Blog

Time 2020-12-12 01:07:12

Web Name: Berry Bros. Rudd Wine Blog

WebSite: http://bbrblog.com

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A portrait of Charlie Mellor – one of the co-founders of Big Night – and his dog. Photo credit: Joe Woodhouse. Big Night is our partner delivery service, a London-based start-upon a missionto support thehospitality industry through collaborating with selected restaurants sharing the same community values. We speak to them to discuss their roots in the pandemic,the values they look out for in partner restaurants and their vision for the future.Visit Big Night’s website, and the first thingyou’llbe met with is abig, boldpromise to deliver“exceptional dining experiences straight to your doorstep”.The concept of“experience”is whatdistinguishesBig Nightfromother deliverycompanies, the likes ofDeliverooand JustEat.This is a start-updriven by a desire tosupport the hospitality industry – not just profit from it –bybringingrestaurant experiencesto people’s homes.Established and run byrestaurateurswithin the industry, their portfoliofeaturesadiversecurated selection of restaurantsand gastropubssuch asQuo Vadis, the CamberwellArmsand theClarence Tavern.Big Night’s three co-founders–CharlieMellor,PavelBaskakovand JamesMurray–are firmlyrooted in London’s gastronomic scene; their CVs featurerestaurants such as The Laughing Heart,LucaandThe Clove Club.When the pandemic broke out, they were forced to consider their options.“Charlie and I would spend a lot of time together in his restaurantThe Laughing Heart,” says Pavel, who oversees the company’s tech. “Whenlockdown started, everyone was forced into doing deliveries.Charlietried out the existing platforms, but the experience was very slow anddidn’tportray whatThe Laughing Heartwas all about–there were missed deliveriesorthings were poorly delivered.So, Charlie approachedme and asked if I could help him put up a web shop, so that we could do our own deliveries by bicycle or car.And that was the beginning of Big Night.”The Big Night experience stems from a sense of shared values between the company and the restaurants within their portfolio, fusing the worlds of home delivery and high-quality food without compromising on thehospitality that comes with in-person dining.“We’re collaborating withrestaurants who we believe are offering something exciting and of a high quality,” Charlie tells me.“It’s not about prestige. Our platform is starting to reflectLondon’s fascinatinggastronomic diversity– from premier establishments to the sort of humble neighbourhood restaurant where you’ll findevery great chef having dinner on their night off.”“The restaurants have got to have quality shining through everything,”James elaborates, “the quality of the produce they’re using, the quality of the service and how they lookafter their community:the suppliers, the guests, the team.That’swhy it’s such a personal thing when we choose who to work with,because there’s a sense of those shared valuesand the importance of community.”So, how did the partnership between Big Night and Berry Bros. Ruddcome into being?“JoeWoodhouseis one of our photographers andone of my closest friends,” explains Charlie. “He and I have worked together for years.I metGeordieWillis[Creative Director and Brand Experiences Directorat Berry Bros. Rudd]at Joe’s wedding,which wasat the Laughing Heart.Geordie waslooking for a solution tothe issue you have whenyou’vegotthis incredible kitchen team used to delivering hundreds of events per month– to support as many of them as they possibly could.The next thing, we werechattingandI said, ‘It sounds like what you’re after is something we’re super excited tohelp you deliver.’”Big Night is a company born from the pandemic and the world of lockdown.Hospitality will inevitably return to some semblance of normality, and when it does,where does that leaverestaurant delivery services?“The time between the two lockdowns gave us the chance to see what normality looks like,” says Pavel.“What we saw was that a lot of restaurants continued to use take-out and delivery services because it createdalmosta brand-within-a-brand.“Take Luca At Home, for example.The team are really interested in pursuing it further to reach customers at times when they might not want to come into the restaurant. It allows them to provide different experiences rather than just a normal meal –like their truffle breakfast box, which provides a celebration breakfast you can enjoy at home, or their deli box, which you can order for a picnic or a trip outside London.“You’ve got people living in places like Wembley and Harrow who might come into Central London every so often for a great meal, but would love to enjoysome of these restaurants more regularly without making the journey in. So,there are variousdirections our business could take after the pandemic.”It’sclear that the team at Big Night are driven by a sense of purpose,seeking to change perceptions aroundwhat takeaway food can represent. Techplays a crucial role here, providinga means tosupport the hospitality industry anddelivertrue restaurantexperiences to people’s homes.“London had a lot of catching up to do with other food capitals around the world when it comes to perceptions about the quality of takeaway,” says James. “That’swhy we started: because there weren’t really any services that catered for great independent restaurants. People here in London justdidn’thave the choice that, for instance, people in New Yorkhave when it comes to eating at home. So, if we can change people’s mindsetaround what takeaway represents – the idea of eating restaurant-quality food at home – then that’s a positive.”“There’s this broader positive vision of evolving the culture around hospitality,” says Charlie. “It’s about taking learnings from the restaurant – how to engage with your guests,developingthesort of conversation which comes from decades of tough times–and then translating those learnings onto a digital space. To me, applying these philosophies of hospitality through tech is a really pleasurable thing to explore.”We’redelighted to be partnering with Big Night, who share ourbelief that hospitalitylies at the heart of exceptional experiences and creates a sense of community. At Christmas, it has to be Claret says our Creative Director Geordie Willis. Here he shares his passion for those wines closest to his heart.“For most of the year, I like to be adventurous in the way I approach wine; I seek out new producers, styles and regions,” explains Geordie Willis, Berry Bros. Rudd’s Creative Director. “But, when Christmas comes around, I find the appeal of the traditional becomes impossible to resist. Old movies, family, friends, delicious food and, of course, Claret.”Geordie, an eighth-generation Berry, started his wine education at his grandfather’s knee. “My appreciation of wine was very much something I learned around the dining table,” he explains. “My grandfather, who was Chairman here, would allow me a small glass of wine, and would talk to me about it; I still think of wine – especially Bordeaux – being linked to him.”With appealing symmetry, many of the wines which Geordie recalls as favourites today have grown-up alongside him. “My relationship with a lot of these bottles is long-standing,” he says. “When I first started working here, I would have been responsible for putting them in the cellar or on the shelves; now, I am lucky enough to have the opportunity to drink some of them.”It was, Geordie explains, one of the occasions in the Directors’ Dining Room that afforded him the chance to taste his “epiphany” wine – a magnum of 1990 Ch. Montrose. “It was a lunch with the owner – hearing stories of the château, while enjoying this remarkable wine with the people who made it, was an incredible moment. It’s stayed close to my heart ever since.” For Geordie, this link between wine and winemaker is fundamental to the pleasure of enjoying what’s in his glass.“I’ve only ever bought wines from people I’ve met,” he explains. “For me, there is something incredibly special about revisiting those moments when you open a bottle. It connects the wine to the people, to the hard work it took to produce it and to the very human story behind it.” It is not just the romance of this idea that appeals, Geordie explains. “We all become fans of brands we feel we’re aligned to; that’s why I keep coming back to Ch. Montrose, and why I’ll be drinking it this year. It’s not just the wine itself, or the people who make it –it’s the philosophy behind it.“The family at Montrose has huge ambitions when it comes to sustainability. If you were to ever fly over the Left Bank, you’d see that the roof at Montrose is covered in solar panels. They’re committed to working in the right way, but also while remaining true to their heritage. All this great work is going on behind the scenes; it doesn’t get in the way of their traditions or heritage, but is integrated with it.”Geordie was able to see this progressive philosophy in action on a recent visit to photograph Bordeaux for Berry Bros. Rudd. “The château is about 5km north of Pauillac, and it has this most extraordinary position overlooking the Gironde,” he says. “When you’re there, in sight of the river, with the winemaker explaining terroir and aspect and so on, you can really see what makes the most extraordinary wines so special.“However much I explore the wine world, I do have a tendency to come back to Bordeaux. There is so much interest in its wines, especially as they develop; it’s a joy to try them at different stages of their evolution and as they grow up. Age brings complexity, finesse and interest, and there’s a taste of tradition – something you can’t put your finger on. In truth, I can’t imagine Christmas without Claret.”Geordie recently revisited Bordeaux to photograph the region with Jason Lowe. Here, he selects a handful of wines from his favourite properties which will be in their prime this Christmas.1989 Ch. Léoville Las Cases, St Julien, BordeauxComing from a late-release, ex-château parcel of 1989, this is deeply coloured with a velvety texture and good acidity levels. The fruit is super-ripe and has an almost roasted dimension to it. It is drinking beautifully at the moment but has plenty of years ahead of it.1989 Ch. Gruaud Larose, St Julien, BordeauxThis pitch-perfect Claret from Second Growth property Ch. Gruaud Larose comes from the lauded 1989 vintage. It’s an exquisite wine, which is now showing complex notes of sweet, dried fruit, leather and tobacco.1986 Ch. Ducru-Beaucaillou, St Julien, BordeauxThis has an enticing nose of bramble fruits and berries. It’s medium-bodied, with plenty of structure, savoury notes, a complex palate and a long-terroir-driven finish. This will be wonderful this Christmas or, indeed, any time in the decade to come.This Christmas, we collaborated with Sarah Matthews, a paper engineer and designer based in Sheffield. Sarah created the props for our Christmas brochure:sumptuous green and goldChristmas trees,paper stars and anoriginalBerry Bros. Rudddelivery van. We speak to her about her work, her inspirationsand her experience collaborating with us.From bold,sculptedpoppiesto delicately winged moths, Sarah Matthews’ papercraft worldis filled with intricacy and imagination.She speaks to meover Zoomfrom her “studio” – the spare room in her house in Sheffield, where she lives with herpartner.It’san ordered and minimalist environment,andher current projects lie neatlybehind heron a big worktop:a fitting environment for thedetail-oriented work that Sarah specialisesin andenjoys most.“I like to work with a variety of different scales and projects – they each bring different challenges, which keeps it interesting. But the projects I love are the ones where I can add a lot of detail,” she says. “I get most excited about creating things that are a smaller size – roughly about 30 centimetres in width. Although they tend to be more labour-intensive, they’re my favourite kind of projects because it means I get really creative.”So why paper, I ask her. “Paper is neat, it’s graphic. You can create textures, make it smooth and clean, or make it rough. It can be 2D or 3D, it can be anything you want it to be. It’s full of possibility – I love it.”Sarah s is a world of familiar images, rooted in the everyday.“I often find inspiration in nature: in animals and flowers; or from walking around and taking in influences from architecture, shapes and forms. When I lived in London, I used to visit the Natural History Museum and take a quick photo on my phone of something that sparks an idea in me.”Herobservationalsensibility and love of detaillentthemselvesperfectly to designing the props for our Christmas brochure. In our signature colours of dark green and gold, she createdabeautiful ensemble of pine trees, holly and ivy and crackers – and even a Berry Bros. Rudd delivery van to complete the scene.“The delivery van was one of my absolute favourite things to work on,” she tells me excitedly. “I was sent a photo of the original delivery van and asked to create a paper version of it. It’s my favourite size, and I loved being able to put all the detail into it. I’m so excited to share it.” Paper birds are a real labour of love, involving hand-gluing hundreds or even thousands of individual paper feathers, but there’s just something so satisfying about the tactile texture created by them, so it’s always worth the hard work in the end. They’re a true test of patience but always end up being some of my favourite pieces. What Sarah does so effectively is tap into our seasonal memories,creatingan air of enchantmentand storytelling–somethingthat, while not immediately obvious,becomes clearerthe closer you look.That blend of familiarity and enchantment is particularly pronounced in the figure of the Nutcracker. Quietly regal and exquisitely detailed, hisfigureevokesthe mystery of Christmas Eveandgifts waiting to be unwrapped.“I’ve always loved Christmas – it’s my favourite time of the year,”says Sarah,“It’susuallya creative time. It’swhen a lot of brands will spend money putting together a campaign, so I’llbe busy working on briefs for clients. But it’s also a time when I’ll do a lot of things for myself,like my annual Instagram challenge.”I ask her what she’ll be giving loved ones as gifts this year. “I usually give people handmade gifts – things I’ve made myself. Because I’m so immersed in my craft, it can sometimes seem quite mundane. But when you give someone something you’ve made yourself, it’s always much more special to them than you realise.”Perhaps what Sarah’s alluding to is the everyday enchantment of giving – and creating.We’re delighted that she’s helped us tell the story of a Berry Bros. Rudd Christmas so beautifully. I think this is one of my favourite designs. It was a self-initiated project I’d had in my mind that I wanted to make a Nutcracker for a couple of years and when I finally got round to it, I was so happy with how it came together. My favourite projects are ones where I can get carried away with the detail, just like this one. We speak to Chris Cottrell, of boutique Californian winery Bedrock, about their brilliantly exciting, lovingly made wines. Chris Cottrell, partner at Bedrock, fizzes with energy. Even before breakfast, over a dodgy Zoom connection, his excitement – zeal – for what he does is palpable. “It’s crazy to think of people in the UK – or Denmark or Korea – drinking our wine,” he says. “The winery Morgan and I started was in a converted chicken coop, you know?”Bedrock’s origins may have been humble, but its ambition and philosophical agenda is nothing short of mighty. Today, the boutique Californian winery has a doggedly loyal (and fast growing) fan base. These are wines to fall in love with – not just because of what’s in the bottle, but because of how, and why, they are made.“We didn’t want to create wines that were super expensive and unattainable. We wanted to create wines which our college selves could afford, like The Whole Shebang. We wanted to make wine that was serious and would age well, but that you could check-in on on a Tuesday night because you wanted to, not because it was your birthday or anniversary.“We wanted to do that because it felt better – it felt less precious and more like historic preservation. We wanted to make killer wines for the price; wines that could authentically tell the history of California.”And that is precisely what Bedrock is doing with The Whole Shebang. In terms of their range, this sits at the entry-level, but in terms of winemaking, it has parity with every other bottle they produce. “In California, just five or six large corporate wineries make 99.9% of wines at this price point; it’s from very commercially farmed vineyards and large production wineries where all the ‘dark arts’ of winemaking are used.“I m proud to say that, for The Whole Shebang, when the fruit comes into the winery, it’s not like, ‘Oh, this is fruit for Shebang and this is for Bedrock,’ – everything is treated the same. We don’t make any assumptions. We farm the fruit well; it s hand-harvested and from mostly old vines. It’s largely Zinfandel, but has literally everything else in it, too – including some whites for acid and aromatics. This is how we avoid the dark arts – by blending.“And it’s multi-vintage, too: we have an in-house solera; this means we always have this great base wine so that the quality stays at a really high level. It’s absolute proof that a wine doesn’t have to be pretentious to be well made.”It’s not just the way that the wines are made which speaks to Bedrock’s admirable commitment to quality. It’s how the team work in the vineyards too. “Farming is always the most exciting parts of what we do,” says Chris, “For Morgan and me, the greatest challenge we have is working with these 100-plus year old vines; vines which, for various reasons, weren’t given the love and support they needed. We work to bring them back to life, and to help them thrive.“And we’re developing new vineyards too – at the moment, we’re planting a block of Portuguese Port varieties; we’re experimenting with different root stock and clones and regenerative agriculture, and building up microbiome in the soil and really holistically farming. It takes a long time and we’re starting to see the rewards. It’s a tough balancing act.”The balancing act Chris refers to is a financial one – this kind of labour-intensive, time-intensive investment always pays. But not immediately. And it becomes tougher to stick to the philosophical convictions driving these farming and winemaking decisions when other factors – such as the devastating Californian wildfires, or the far longer-term impact of Covid – come into play.“Luckily, at Bedrock, unlike in 2017 when we were literally on the fire line, we were physically safe from the fire,” says Chris. “But the hottest topic at the moment in California, during the 2020 harvest, is smoke taint. We don’t yet know how that’s going to translate into the wine, and the science around smoke taint is in flux.“One thing’s for sure – we’re going to learn a lot from 2020: both from a humanity standpoint and from a wine standpoint, too.”

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