The Walls Vineyards
W.T. Vintners
Les Collines Vineyard Syrah 2010
Sweet onion from walls walla — 9 years ago
Cantillon Brewery
Zwanze Tripel 2013
Jean Van Roy's amazing story of Zwanze 2013. When we started renovation works in the cellars of the brewery two years ago, much to our surprise we came upon the remains of some very old walls. In agreement with the medievalists of the city of Brussels, the works were stopped in order to allow archaeological excavations to take place.
Shortly thereafter we were astonished to find out that Cantillon brewery had in fact been built on the ruins of the very ancient Abbey of Cureghem! According to the medievalists, this religious community was well-known during the middle ages for its fowl fed on draff and, more specifically, for its dish of stuffed Cureghem capon, which was served with a beer brewed at the abbey and apparently drew pilgrims from all over Europe.
Yet it was truly a heavenly surprise when the excavations uncovered the cell of the abbot, Father Faro. In the small room the archaeologists found quite a few old reference books, one of which contained the original recipes for the beers brewed at the abbey several hundred years ago. We didn’t hesitate for a second and decided on the spot to recreate one of these mythical beers.
This beer, which will be our Zwanze for 2013, therefore bears the name of its illustrious place of origin, Abbaye de Cureghem (Cureghem Abbey). Cureghem was formerly a village established many centuries ago on the banks of the Senne, the river running through present-day Brussels. The area was very heavily industrialised during the 19th century and, among other things, became home to many breweries. Today, it is part of the municipality of Anderlecht.
Since beers commonly referred to as “abbey beers” are not, or not any longer, products of spontaneous fermentation, we decided to brew a top fermentation beer, from a technical point of view in any case. The yeasts were selected in collaboration with Institut Meurice, a post-secondary college in Brussels specialising in biotechnology. Brewed in March 2012, our “Cureghem” beer fermented four weeks in stainless steel tanks before being blended with 10% lambic and pumped into 400-litre barrels of various origins. After maturing for six months, the beers were blended and put into casks or bottles to undergo re-fermentation and reach 7.2% ABV (Alcohol by Volume).
Inevitably, a top fermentation beer brewed in a spontaneous fermentation environment will be affected by the wild yeasts in the air, and this is certainly what happened in our case. For our Cureghem, the cultured yeasts were clearly the main factor behind primary fermentation and I think that the wild yeasts in the beer will instead play an increasingly important role as the product ages. However, despite the addition of the lambic to give it a little “extra something” in terms of character and ageing characteristics, this Zwanze cannot in any case be considered a spontaneous fermentation beer.
The long fermentation period coupled with the presence of wild yeasts lends this beer a solid character with a dry finish that lingers on the palate, while the combined use of fresh and aged hops yields both freshness and bitterness. Moreover, the different malts used give this year’s Zwanze a coppery colour along with a touch of caramel and candied fruit that provide body. Clearly, this is not your standard “abbey” beer but, perhaps, it is representative of what these beers were one or two hundred years ago — 11 years ago
Gantenbein
Pinot Noir 2012
Sommelier Post Ranch Inn, Wine Director Big Sur Food & Wine Festival, Sales Swirl Wine Brokers, Martine's Wines, Winewise
Had been seeing this producer all around Austria, on many trophy walls and was curious to try. Finally got my chance and was not disappointed. Supple and round, definitely a ripe vintage but really nuanced and long. Great soft texture and continues to open up. Hope I can find some in the states. — 9 years ago
White Rock Vineyards
Napa Valley Claret Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2010
One of the only wineries in Napa that bottle ages in the cave walls. Old-world technique for an awesome old-world styled wine. Bottles may have come down, but spirits still high and lucky stars counted. — 10 years ago
Leonetti Cellar
Walla Walla Valley Merlot 2011
The coldest vintage since1993 this is classic walls walls red plum and currant with fine herbs and loamy earth with hints of dark spice the walla walla appellation is 1/3 Oregon. A very classic merlot both excellent structure fine tannins and very fresh and bright with a long finish still very young with layers of spice se fresh earth and a nice touch of tobacco spice 100% varietal. Excellent + — 11 years ago
Philippe et Francoise Gourdon
Chateau Tour Grise Saumur Chenin Blanc 2002
Totally different from any white you're used to drink. This is like entering a cave in Loire valley and smelling the walls surround you ... It's completely enveloping you with stone and earthy minerality. A good level of acidity and well balanced alcohol level makes it the find of the month, if not the year! — 9 years ago
Domaine Gramenon
L'Élémentaire Côtes du Rhône Red Rhone Blend 2009
Balls to the walls — 10 years ago
E. Guigal
La Mouline Côte-Rôtie Syrah
la mouline amphitheatre with so many stone walls reflecting and releasiing the suns heat 89 syrah 11 viogner cote blonde extraordinary layers of concentration — 11 years ago
Smoking Loon
The Original California Pinot Noir 2011
A crisp easy drinking wine. At stone walls rest in banner elk, snowing again. — 11 years ago
Rush Manbert
This would have peeled the paint off the walls when new. Beautiful now with good fruit and nice spiciness still. Really good. — 8 years ago