By Joshua Hall

This summer was the hottest in 104 years in South Korea, which sent a lot of locals reaching for a cold one. Beer accounted for 60% of the alcohol market by volume last year, with some 1.95 billion liters consumed. Overheated Koreans have particular reason to rue the fact that their brews are so darn expensive.

The beer market is part of the broader real-world experiment with free trade. Seoul has embraced free-trade agreements with the U.S. and European Union as a strategy to open its long-protected domestic market. In some industries, the results are predictable as tariff reductions kick in and goods become cheaper. In others, such as the wine industry I described on this page in April, high public expectations are pushing bureaucrats to rethink trade barriers that were not reduced by the FTA texts.

But then there’s beer, a marketplace where the protectionist “empire” is trying to strike back. That makes this a case study (pardon the pun) in how signing and implementing FTAs is only part of the battle for freer, more consumer-friendly, trade.

A customer looks at Oriental Brewery Co.’s Cass beers displayed at an E-Mart store in Ilsan, South Korea, on Wednesday, May 6, 2009 (Bloomberg)

The Korean beer market is dominated by two brewers, Hite-Jinro and Oriental Breweries—the former a Korean-owned company, the latter is a Korean-founded firm that has since been bought and sold by various western drinks companies. Against these two local competitors, imported beers notched a market share by volume of only 3.28% in 2011, up from 2.05% in 2008.

But the import market is growing rapidly. Supermarket chain Emart increased its selection of beers to 200 this year from 70 in 2010. Japanese brews are the most popular imports, followed by Dutch and American beers. Consumers are eagerly trying new flavors from Germany, Belgium, Austria, the Czech Republic, America and elsewhere—and are willing to pay up to five times as much for exotic imports as they do for local beers.

Local brewers have responded to this competition in part by upping their own games—for the first time producing summer ales with hops from New Zealand, Germany and Britain, for instance. But in other key respects, it’s business as all-too-usual.

Taxes and duties remain the main reason imports are so much more expensive than local beers. First there’s the 30% beer tax, then a 75% liquor tax, a 30% education tax and the 10% value-added tax. These all compound on each other. The trade agreements progressively lower the beer tax over seven years. That means a tax reduction of just 4.3 percentage points in the first year, 8.6 points in the second year and so on until the 30% beer tax is reduced to 0%. The other taxes remain in place.

While many importers are rushing to bring in beer, taxes are shaping the market. Cheap lagers are the majority of imports as entrepreneurs wish to avoid massive tax bill that penalizes them for bringing in more expensive brews.

The protectionism is targeted equally at foreigners and potential local competitors. If a brewery or brewpub wants to distribute broadly, it must have the capacity to brew 150,000 liters onsite. In the U.S., a successful independent craft brewery such as Anderson valley has only 35,000 liters capacity. The tanks, pumps and building required for that scale require millions of dollars in investment.

Imported beer ingredients such as malt, barley, hops and yeast are subject to taxes ranging from 40% to 555%. Breweries can apply to have their tax bill reduced if they purchase a few tons of locally produced grain, but small brewers say the quality is not satisfactory.

Some of this is familiar from the wine industry. The FTAs reduced only the first round of compound taxation for wine, meaning consumers saw little of the price reductions they had been promised by politicians. Consumer pressure forced the government to consider other ways such as Internet sales and distribution laws to reduce prices.

But whereas there are effectively zero Korean wineries to object to greater openness, Korea has two large and politically powerful domestic breweries that are accustomed to protection. This may be one reason why although politicians hyped wine liberalization in political debates over the FTAs, they said nary a word about beer.

Some government bodies would like to see further change. A December 2010 Fair Trade Commission report on the beer market warned that that the industry would remain vulnerable to market power abuses should the duopoly continue. But any reform that would disrupt the current duopoly still seems a long ways off.

Despite the hurdles, this year marked the first time in 70 years that new beer brands were produced and distributed locally. Demand for draft beer has risen enough that 7Brau , Craftworks, Magpie breweries are now distributing kegs of IPA, weissbeir, stout and dunkel across the peninsula. Craftworks and Magpie are foreign-invested enterprises while 7Brau is Korean owned. Change will eventually come to the Korean market, whether incumbents want it to or not. The question is how long the government, bowing to pressure from entrenched interests, will resist.

“Reprinted from The Wall Street Journal Asia © 2012 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.  All rights reserved.”

I was in Rhone in September and October and tasted over 320 wines from the region. Here are the tasting notes from the Paul Jaboulet Aine tasting. They have expanded and have 32 cuvees from across the Rhone valley now and I was able to taste 9 of their wines. I was impressed with the improvment in quality. The wines have more focus and clarity than ten years ago. This may have something to do with the Frey family’s multi-million dollar investment in a centralized gravity feed cellar in Tain l’Hermitage. The 2011 white wines really impressed me with their racy acidity, freshness and ability to age.

2011Crozes Hermitage Domaine Mule Blanche

Clear floral notes of apricot blossom, apricot pulp, straw and white peaches. Swift entry with a rounded mid palate leading to a long finish a touch of vanilla and richness. Long persistent finish with plenty of ‘zing’. A blend of 50% roussanne, 50% marsanne from 40-60 year old vines. Drinking well now but can age 2-3 years.

2011 Crozes Hermitage Domaine de Roure

High pitched intense bouquet with brilliant citrus fruit and ginger. Focused, dry almost steely. Ginger, clover honey and lemon curd through the palate. Bold and chunky right now this wine needs time to integrate. Made from 100% marsanne vines that are 60-100 years old this wine has spent 9 months in oak on fine lees. Age for another 5-10 years.

2011 Condrieu Domaine des Grands Amandiers

Bouquet of intense layered citrus notes with a focused expression of honeysuckle, marmalade, pineapple, tart ginger and spice. Palate of jeju orange skin, grapefruit hung on a line of focused minerality and fine acids. Powerful finish with great lift and sharp acidity. Pair with japchae, jeonju bibimbab, grilled shellfish. 100% viognier made from 10-30 year old vines. Drink now or age 3-5 years.

2011 Hermitage Le Chevalier de Sterimberg

Bouquet is a little closed at first with racy acidity and vanilla overpowering but it opens up with steely lemon, brisk lime, white peach after 15min. The palate is quiet with chewy hazelnut oil and marmalade. The finish is slow to start then explosive with layered ginger, lemon, limes and minerality that just go on and on. An extremely long finish. An exciting wine from Hermitage. A blend of 70% marsanne, 30% roussane from 35 year old vines. Pair with scallops or lobster. Drink in 5-15 years.

2007 Crozes Hermitage Domaine de Thalbert

Bouquet of red berryfruit, five spice powder, oysters, thyme and pepper notes. Good fruit concentration on entry leading to more chunky meaty fruit through the mid palate. Well integrated and textural with fine cocoa powder tannins. Classic. Drink now.

2007 Crozes Hermitage Domaine de Roure

Deep ruby color with polished fruit, hints of dark wood and star anise on the bouquet. Masculine flavour profile with white pepper and rounded juicy fruit. Finish is somewhat short and lacking in focus with more juicy fruit. Reminds me of the older style of Paul Jaboulet wines from 10 years ago. 100% syrah from 40-60 year old vines that spend 12 months in oak, 20% new wood.

2007 Cornas Domaine de Saint Pierre

Milky nose with quite a lot of viscosity and chunky fruit. Animal fur, leather, black and white pepper bouquet. Broad and chunky fruit with tons of black pepper and hints of dusty dry clay earth. Finish is dry and quite tight. A masculine wine that will benefit from 5-10  years aging or pairing with steak or kalmaegisal. 100% syrah from 10-60 year old vines with 12 months in oak barrels, 20% new wood.

2007Hermitage La Petit Chapelle

Bouquet of bold rounded fruit with good concentration and medium density. Doris plums, blackberries, subtle mocha, cinnamon and star anise. Good fruit concentration and density with fine dusty tannins. Persistent chunky finish with black and white pepper and polished tannins. Made from 100% syrah vines 40-60 years old. Age for another 5-8 years.

2007 Hermitage La Chapelle

Lush bouquet of rich fruit, ripe plums, wild blackberries and dark cherries. Balanced bouquet. Broad ripe fruit with a solid backbone of acidity through the palate. Chocolate, malt and smoke layers. Young with good potential. Tannins are rich and silky. Age for another 8-12 years.

Tasted on September 24, 2012.

Paul Jaboulet Aine’s wine are imported by NaraCellar and available at most department stores and wine shops.

Buy a copy of November’s issue of Bar and Dining magazine for an exclusive interview with Paul Jaboulet’s winemaker, Caroline Frey.

Printed in Korea Times, september 5, 2012

By Joshua Hall
Contributing writer
SEOUL, Sept. 5 (Yonhap) — The neighborhood of Hongdae, home to Hongik University in western Seoul, isn’t quite the place one would normally think of for innovative cuisine or fine wine. Yet, there is a growing number of entrepreneurs changing the landscape of this university district, and businesswomen at that.

On the edge of Hongdae between Sangsu and Hapjeong subway stations lies Seogyo-dong, an area that was previously dominated by publishing company offices and traditional two-story homes for the upper middle class. Many of these houses and their gardens are rapidly being converted into restaurants, bistros, and cafes as more and more people flock to the area.

Much of the change is being driven women entrepreneurs with innovative concepts and unique products.

Mimi Jung was awarded the first patents in Korea and Japan for fried shrimp, one of the specialty menus at her restaurant Miminae. She also specializes in tteokbokki (chili rice cake tube soup).

She originally opened the restaurant in 2009 in the western port city of Incheon because she wanted to keep a low profile after leaving the world of public relations. “I started with just one person, me alone,” she said. She was determined to try something different.

The patented fried shrimp at Miminae, one of the restaurant’s specialty menus (Photos courtesy of Joshua Hall)

Later she moved to Hongdae because of its high-density population who mostly eat out. “Hongdae residents hate to go far. And Hongdae is representative of Seoul,” she said.

Flavor is central to Miminae’s concept. She said she used to hate the very kind of food she is selling now. “I thought it was dirty,” she recalled.

“I thought if I changed it, then it would be something people could enjoy,” she said. One discovery she made was that people have different preferences for the fast food style. “Korean, Chinese, and Japanese like sticky, thick tteokbokki. I don’t like it. Except for these three countries, most foreigners don’t like sticky tteokbokki,” she said.

Joe McPherson, a restaurant judge and Korean food blogger, sees something unique at Miminae. “Everyone does the same thing. She does something different. All the street food places are exactly the same. She’s doing something to innovate,” he said.
Miminae (www.미미네.com ) plans to expand and open franchises throughout South Korea and Asia.

Fox Wine Bistro was established in 2008 by a former public relations executive who wanted to exit the corporate world and follow her passion for wine. The bistro has 400 wines and a range of bistro food such as pasta, lobster, grilled meats and burgers. Monthly wine tastings and parties are held for wine connoisseurs.

What brought Lee Su-yeon to Hongdae for her business was lower rent. “Prices here are much cheaper because we don’t have the huge rent and utilities like other parts of the city. So I can offer wine at reasonable prices,” she said.

The area also attracts a different demographic with its trendy boutiques and cafes, she explained. “Some of my best customers are women, women with careers in their 30s,” she said.

She also likes the strong network of women business owners in the Hongdae area. “Being independent is tough. We all try and help each other,” she said.
(Fox Wine Bistro www.foxwinebistro.com)

Hongdae isn’t the area that most people would go to for single malt whiskey, which is precisely why in 2010 two businesswomen opened “The Factory,” a late night bar with 130 whiskeys and 170 cocktails on the list.

Owners Park Si-young and Han Kiu-seon are friends from elementary school who view Hongdae as somewhere special with a lot of potential. “A lot of people in their 30s remember Hongdae with fond memories,” said Han.

An emotional connection with the area was a major part of why they set up shop there. “Hongdae has a different mood. Whereas Cheongdam-dong, strewn with high-end bars, is too luxurious to enjoy easily, Hongdae is a freer area,” Han said.

Park is a self-taught mixologist who has been making cocktails for 20 years. She is passionate about whiskey and is keen to introduce new beverages to young Koreans. “I wanted to cultivate this wasteland so young people can learn about whiskey,” she said.

Mixologist Park Si-young at “The Factory” whiskey bar

Han also believes whiskey shouldn’t be an exclusively male beverage. “Whiskey is not just for men. Single malt whiskey is smooth and not for drinking quickly. It’s something to enjoy.”

(The Factory www.barfactory.co.kr )

Women entrepreneurs like the owners of The Factory see the Hongdae area as having potential to develop even more. As a sign, more people in their 30s and 40s are coming to the area to wine and dine.

Kim Eun-mi, a 27-year-old teacher and resident of the area, sees the changes as positive. “It’s like what happened with Garasu-gil three years ago,” she said, referring to the fashion street in southern Seoul. “There’s always a new cafe or restaurant opening. There’s always somewhere new to go.”

[END]

Disclaimer: Joshua Hall currently consults for the wine list at Fox Wine Bistro

There are plenty of great red wines that work well with meat on the barbecue. Here are five of my favorites this summer.

2008 Dinastia Vivianco Crianza (Rioja, Spain)

Fresh vibrant bouquet of violets, plums, vanilla cream, subtle cinnamon and and plump wild raspberries. Broad soft tannins and velvety texture with sweet fruit and good balance. Modern elegance and a long finish with plenty of lift. 55,000won at independent wine shops. (Importer: Bacchus). Pair with jamon, hard cheeses or bulgogi.

2010 Chateau Tanunda Grand Barossa Shiraz (Barossa, Australia)

Elegant cool blue fruit with focus and expressiveness opens up to layered spice complexity and aromas of blackberry, plum, cardamon and black pepper. Tannins and well integrated with dense spicy fruit, lively acidity and freshness throughout. Not jammy or bombastic, this wine could be mistaken for a Rhone, not just becuase of the French looking label but becuase of it’s more controlled and focused fruit. Young and good for another 3-4 years cellaring but drinking beautifully now. Let it breathe for an hour before serving. More expensive than most shiraz in Korea but worth it. 75-85,000 won at independent wine shops (Importer: KS Wine) Pair with sirlion steak, mushrooms or a good burger.

2006 Giovanni Almondo Roero Riserva (Roero DOCG, Italy)

Stunningly beautiful fruit with intensity and layered subtley. Aromas of licorice, tar and sweet menthol. A big wine with alot of oak, almost too much but the polished textures and gorgeous fruit make up for it. Minerals and smoke through the palate leading to a finish with refinement and beauty. Drinking well now but will be lovely 2014-2018. 110,000 won at VinoVino, Cep d’Or, Vin e Vin. (Importer: VinoVino) Pair with roast beef, wild boar and hard cheeses.

2005 Conterno Fantino Barolo, Sori Ginestra (Barolo DOCG, Italy)

Pretty aromas of rose, tobacco, licorice, cedar and sweet berries. Fresh and vibrant with lush fruit mid palate and silky fine-grained tannins. Polished finish with excellent length. Some of the muscle and power of other vintages is missing. Nonetheless this wine can be enjoyed younger than other vintages and is starting to show well now to 2018. 170,000 won at independent wine shops and VinoVino’s shop. (Importer: VinoVino) Pair with wild boar or hanwoo.

2009 Caruso & Minini Cutaja Nero D’avola (Sicily IGT, Italy)

Aromas of rosemary, chocolate, cinnamon and black pepper. Ripe blackberries, plum and black olive flavors with well integrated tannins. Medium bodied with ripe dark fruit and lively acidity. Bramble and anise spice on the finish. Good value. 55-60,000 at independent wine shops or direct from the importer. (Importer: Sureung) Pair with sausages, beef kebabs or barbecued lamb.

And remember to chill your reds for 10-15min  if serving outdoors.

See our list of recommended retailers

By Joshua Hall

The wine is a rich salmon color with fresh strawberry and melon notes, delicate minerality and good clarity through the palate. Tannat adds texture and body to this wine allowing it to perform well at a higher temperature than more delicate pinot noir based rosés. So, less stress about serving temperature on a picnic.

Great with gilled seafood, barbecued pork or baked salmon. Pair with almost anything; this is a versatile rose with good fruit and plenty of texture.

19,900 won at Enoteca in Apkujeong or about 22,000 at independent wine shops in Seoul.

I have yet to find a wine of such quality and expressiveness in the under 30,000 won price range. Brumont rosé sets the bar high in this price category.

By Joshua Hall

Today is the last day to enter the Decanter Asia Wine Awards, a new set of awards that give voice to the Asian wine trade and represent a further shift in the wine industry towards the far east.

The UK magazine Decanter has launched a new competition with more of an Asian focus. Wine producers from Asia can enter their wines as long as they are made from 100% grapes. It’s also open to wineries from elsewhere in the world who may wish to have their wines judged by the Asian wine trade.

The majority of the 45 judges are from Asian countries, Japan, China, Hong Kong, Korea, Singapore and Malaysia. The judging panels are presided over by co-chairs Jeannie Cho Lee MW, Steven Spurrier, Michael Hill-Smith, Andrew Jefford and Gerard Basset.

I’m delighted that there are two judges from Korea this year, Moonsong Bang, WSET wine educator at WineVision and KwangPyo Eun, CEO of wine bar Casa del Vino. With the focus on the Chinese market gold rush these days Korea is sometimes forgotten about despite having a more mature and sophisicated wine market. Not this time.

But do we expect to see any wines entered from Korean wine producers? I strongly doubt it. The majority of ‘wine’ produced here is made from black raspberries (bokbunja) or persimmons (kum). And then there’s makgeolli, a milky fermented rice beverage that is still erroneously called wine by some marketing people and government agencies. That leaves us with less than ten producers of grape wine in Korea, many of whom I spoke to were unaware of the Decanter awards.

We should expect plenty of wines from Chinese producers keen to win awards to elevate their prestige and prices.

The judging will take place in September in Hong Kong and the wines will be showcased across Asia in the following months.

Thanks to Decanter’s partnership with Enomatic, a company that produces wine by the glass machines, we can expect to see the wines in Korea later in the year.

The Spanish restaurant MiCasa in Seoul’s Itaewon district will host an event highlighting the winning wines in late December or early January. Other events in Seoul are also being considered.

By Joshua Hall

By Joshua Hall Contributing writer

SEOUL, July 18 (Yonhap) — Last month, the Fair Trade Commission appeared to have won over the National Tax Service (NTS). Just weeks later, both sides are back to the drawing board after months of wrangling — over Internet wine sales.

The commission has been arguing for months in favor of allowing online wine sales, an initiative to counter consumer dissatisfaction over continued high wine prices even with the implementation of free trade agreements with Chile and the European Union. The commission says the Internet path will spur competition in the market and in turn lower wine prices.

The commission may have a point. South Korea’s online economy is the second largest in the world by share of gross domestic product. It accounted for 7.3 percent, or US$75 billion, of the nation’s GDP in 2010, according to the Boston Consulting Group.

Many in the wine industry are not convinced prices can get lower. “Wine margins are at a historical low,” says Daniel Kangas, CFO of Asia Pacific Wines. They point out there is already plenty of competition with 150 importers actively distributing wine.

Taxation authorities argue that allowing wine to be sold online would open a Pandora’s box, causing beer and whiskey producers to line up to sell their products online as well. An NTS official who wished to remain anonymous said, “We can’t make an exception just for wine.”

Tax officials also worry that the Internet will easily become a conduit for unlicensed liquor traders to sell wine without paying due taxes and create a black market between sellers and entertainment establishments. Currently, wine shops and restaurants have to pay for wine with a special debit card issued by tax authorities that allows the government to monitor transactions.

Majestic Wine, a U.K. wine retailer, offers consumers its products via its Web site. In Korea, online wine sales are not yet allowed. (Photos courtesy of Joshua Hall)

Consumer groups are also opposed to the move. They believe Internet access to wines could create an underage drinking problem.
“Selling alcohol on the Internet is very dangerous for young people,” said Yoon Myoung, a policy director at Consumers Korea.

Heavy drinking among youth has been identified as a problem in Korea. In a survey of 4,061 university students by the Korean Alcohol Research Foundation in 2010, 71 percent said they drink more than five shots of soju in one sitting, which is defined as binge drinking by the World Health Organization. An official at the Ministry of Health and Welfare agreed with consumer groups that this is grounds for concern. “Selling wine via the Internet is not desirable,” he said, asking not to be named.

What these people don’t realize, online wine sale advocates say, is that some types of alcohol are already available over the Internet. Since June 2010, it has been possible to purchase traditional Korean wine and alcohol such as makgeolli directly from producers via their Web sites. Imported wine does not benefit from this advantage, and has to be sold through a complex distribution system.

As to encouraging underage and youth drinking, advocates highlight the relatively high price of wine compared to soju. A bottle of soju costs an average of 1,450 won ($1.20) at convenience stores, compared to a bottle of wine, which starts at 22,000 won.

The feared black market is ignorable, said Kang Soon-pil, CEO of the Gallery Wine. “There is no black market for wine. And the market is so small even if there is some fraud, the money involved with wine sales is tiny,” he added.

Not all wine importers, however, are embracing Internet sales. Contributing to their resistance are extra costs for purchasing a Web site domain and hiring programmers to build the necessary systems for age verification and secure online transactions.

“I will have to hire another person to manage the Web site and deal with delivery to customers. All of this costs money and has to be included in margins.” said Jasmin Choi, CEO of Chikovino.

Also, wine isn’t a simple product to sell. It is sensitive to temperature and light and can be damaged as it moves through the distribution chain. Choi worries about this liability. “If I use a third party to sell my wines, who will take responsibility for damaged wine?” Choi asked.

Customers shop for wine at VinoVino wine shop in southeastern Seoul.

Small independent retail wine shops, already in competition with department stores, may find it harder to compete when it comes to online sales. “I worry that it will benefit the big companies, especially Shinsegae and Lotte,” said Evan Kim, manager of wine shop Wine Square, which is considering establishing a Web site.

Shinsegae and Lotte import their own wine, and they both operate department stores and supermarkets across Korea.

Nonetheless, industry players believe the benefits outweigh the risks.

Vicky Jung, a wine blogger who runs the site Wineok.com, wants to utilize her database of wine labels.
“We see selling wine online as a great and obvious opportunity to grow the Korean wine market,” she said. “We are aware of wholesalers and some importers against it for their own reasons. However, we should recognize how beneficial it will be for consumers.”

Choi sees an added bonus of using the Internet to educate consumers. “I was initially opposed to the idea of Internet sales, but then I realized we can do education via the Internet. If they come to our Web site, they can learn how the wine is made and where it’s from.”

Simon Tam, a wine educator based in Hong Kong where online wine sales are allowed, agrees. “The Internet takes the fear factor away. It’s like carrying a book, but lighter,” he said.

Selling wine online is a global trend, industry experts argue. “In general, online wine sales are expected to increase around the world in the next decade, so implementing policies now to help facilitate the process is a useful move,” says Liz Thach, a master of wine and professor of management and business at Sonoma State University.

The debate found no conclusion in the government, which on May 23 held an hours-long meeting at the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae, only to delay the decision.

“The president’s position is that he wants wine prices to be lowered.” said Lee Mi-yeon, Cheong Wa Dae spokeswoman for foreign press. “There was an argument that to facilitate lowering wine prices, selling wine via the Internet would make that possible,” she said.

The NTS, however, has refused to budge. “We have no plans to allow Internet sales,” said Jeong Byeong-ho, a consumer tax officer at the NTS. “There is no timeline. There has been no decision.”

In the meantime, importers and retailers are in a limbo.
“It’s very confusing,” said Hong Eun-myung, CEO of Vino Vino. “We don’t know what’s going to happen.”

By Joshua Hall

The Korea Wine Challenge winners have been announced but what does it mean for Korea?

700 wines were blind tasted this year with five trophies and gold, silver, bronze medals awarded. So what does this say about the market and does it reflect the ‘Korean palate’?

There are at least 400 companies importing wine in Korea and 150 of these can be considered to be actively distributing wine rather than being Korean company chairman’s personal wine import company. (Exact numbers are hard to verify as Korean tax office issues one licence type for alcohol importers and does not issue data on which of these companies import wine each year.)

There are 10,000 wine labels in Korea and thanks to free trade agreements with the EU and more recently the US, new labels are arriving every day. This means less than 10% of the wines in Korea are entered into the competition.

So why do wine importers enter the competition? Competing for a consumers won is most fierce in the 20,000-50,000KRW retail price range ($17-43 USD). In the cluttered world of supermarket and department stores, award stickers and point-of-sale signage more often than not do make a difference in sales volumes. But given that department stores and supermarket contract with only the five largest importers the wines entered into competition vary little from year to year.

But isn’t this what wine competitions are all about? Providing some guidance on what’s good to drink and what to avoid? Certainly, but isn’t any wine contest that advertises itself as an international competition worth it’s salt?

In Korea we currently have wines availiable in wine shops from Moldova, Kazakhstan, India, Japan, and Lebanon. (I had a wonderful pinot noir from Moldova in a blind tasting last month in Seoul.) Yet none of these countries were represented.

For wine producers new to the market the competition can help launch a brand. I know of one New Zealand winery that had it’s inital order tripled after winning a trophy this year. And that is certainly good return on the competition entry fee.

Click here for a full list of awards.

By Joshua Hall

A couple of weeks ago I was invited to a Lapostolle wine dinner at the Ninth Gate, Chosun Hotel. They were showcasing the wines from Chilean producer Lapostolle.

While some of Lapostolle wines are certainly commercial driven, they do make wines of consistently good quality and stay way from the fruit bomb and oak driven style that all too many Chilean wines suffer from.

I was impressed by the 1999 Lapostolle Cuvee Alexandre Cabernet Sauvignon. It was complex with integrated tannins, good structure, clarity of fruit and a long finish. Even after two hours of decanting this wine is very lively and can age for another 5+ years. These were magnums which certainly helped show the wine well.

The 2007 Lapostolle Cuvee Alexandre merlot paired the best with the cuisine Ninth gate was serving. The pan fried foie-gras and grilled jeju black beef sirloin worked well with the merlot fruit.

I spoke with their brand ambassador and assistant winemaker Diego Urra about the winemaking at Lapostelle.

1. How would you define Lapostolle wines, French or Chilean?

“Chilean of course. Because it’s made in Chile. Chilean terrior but there’s a French team reflecting the place. From the French aspect we get the know-how. It’s very consistent over the years and expressed among the range. We really want to express the place.”

2. What are the major differences between your different cuvees?

“First the ‘casa’ range very fruit forward, less extraction, less oak content. If oak is used it’s second and third use oak.

For the ‘Cuvee Alexande’ range we only use our own grapes, biodynamic, organic, with more complexity and concentration. These can go through longer aging. For the ‘collector’ range there is much more elegance, complexity and aging potential.

Soon we will launch a new red blend, “canto” a blend of 20% syrah, 60% carmenere, 20% cabernet sauvignon. This will launch in Korea in October. It’s priced in between the casa and cuvee ranges. We are sourcing grapes for this.”

3. What differences are there between the Casablanca, Cachapoal and Colchagua Valleys in terms of climate, soil and regional expression?

“Chile is very narrow. The Andes on right side and the Pacific Ocean on left side. There are a lot of differences between the areas.

Casablanca is a cooler vineyard, for chardonnay and pinot noir. It’s near the coast with an old river.

Cachapoal is a warmer vineyard. There’s a cool wind in the afternoon. The Las Kuras vineyard is here.

The Alpalta vineyard is in the Colchagua valley. It’s right in the middle between each coast. It’s the Warmest place. The motherock is granite with sandy clay.”

4. How would you characterize the 2011 harvest in these appellations?

“The harvest was a bit late, at least two weeks late. Maturity came very slowly. There was good natural acidity. A great vintage for whites. The red wines tend to be more fruit forward right now.

The 2009 vintage stands out for reds. There is very good fruit and very good structure for reds. Very good integration.  Well integrated wines since the harvest.”

5. How has global warming affected your operations?

“It hasn’t made a difference to what we do and our operations.”

6. Bio-dynamic and sustainable are terms that can be problematic. How do you define these practices at Casa Lapostolle

“Bio-dynamic for us is to be self sustainable. Our aim in bio dynamic production is to be balanced and increase bio-diversity. Now we have a vegetable garden.  Horse and sheep, geese for composting and chickens and goats around the vineyard.  We follow the Rudolf steiner philosophy including the earth’s rhythms.

It’s a challenge for everyone in the company. There’s a philosophy behind how we do things; it’s a way of seeing life.

In 2006 we made the change to organic and bio-dynamic. For example we use grape skins and stems for compost. The whole vineyard is integrated.”

An example of a chart Lapostelle uses for managing its vineyard. Note how the lunar and solar cycles and elements of earth, wind, fire and water are incorporated. (courtesy Les vin de mael)

7. With more and more countries in South Amercia now producing fine wine, how can Chilean wine compete globally?

“The industry has been always having support from the government, from ‘Wines of Chile’ and ‘Pro Chile’. They have been improving our communication worldwide.  Keep educating to tell people where we are. All about the Andes range, the Pacific ocean, where we are, how we grow grapes.

What we doing now is telling people that we produce world class wines. That we also make premium wines in Chile.”

Lapostolle wines are widely availiable and worth trying. The Cuvee Alexandre series can often be found on special for 40-50,000 won in department stores which is a very good deal.

Thank you to importer Les vin de Maeil for organizing the interview and dinner event.

By Joshua Hall

It’s hot, really hot. Seoul is hitting 32 degrees daily and we have the driest summer on record for the last 103 years. The cure? Nothing beats the heat and refreshes the body like a good wine. Here are some of my favorites this summer.

2010 Ronco dei Tassi Collio Bianco Fosarin (Friuli-Venezia-Giulia DOC, Italy)

Seductive bouquet of grapefruit, citrus layers, richness and textural fruit. The palate is full or moorish rich fruit held together by a solid spine of acidity. A rich style of wine with excellent balance and good integration of the compontent varietals: 45% pinot bianco, 35% friulano, 20% malvasia. Long moorish finish. Gambero Rosso gives this wine three glasses. (Importer: VinoVino) Retail: 55,000 at VinoVino’s shop.

2004 Vinoptima Gwertztrammier Ormond Reserve (Gisborne, New Zealand)

Aromatic with guava, passionfruit, lychees, ripe citrus and honey notes. Rich mandarin skin texture. Lush with upfront sweetness, tropical fruit that leads to a dry spicy finish. A unique wine with great personality and expressiveness. (Importer: TiwiTrade) Retail 80,000won independent wine shops including Jell Wine.

2010 Edi Keber Collio Bianco (Friuli-Venezia-Giulia, Italy)

An architectual bouquet with citrus, limes and white pepper. There is superb balance through the palate with crisp fruit, subtle tangerines and passionfruit. A solid spine of acidity leads to a long finish with lift and enjoyable spice. A blend of 70% Friulano, 15% Malvasia Istriana, 15% Ribolla Gialla. (Importer: VinoVino) Retail: 71,000won at Vinovino’s shop

2010 Bruno Gaicosa Roero Arneis (Roero DOCG, Piedmonte, Italy)

Good depth and structure with white clay, slate and perfumed bouquet of lime, peach, acacia flowers. Elegant with a soft fruit core, good intensity and clarity on the finish. Wonderful with grilled fish or barbequed shellfish. (Importer: NaraCellar) Retail 60,000won at major department stores.

2010 Zanthos Muscat Ottenal (Burgenland, Austria)

Ginger, lemon grass and passionfruit on the bouquet. Good acidity and balanced fruit and spice thought the palate. This is a dry style of muscat with good acidity enabling it to work with a range of spicy Korean dishes or as an apertif. Very refeshing and good value for money. (Importer: Sumir) 45,000 at independent wine shops or from the importer.

2010 Dario Raccaro Collio Friulano, Vigne dell Rolat (Fruli-Venezia-Giulia, Italy)

This wine has a big bouquet with plenty going on. Minerality, white slate, orange blossoms and mandarin notes are expressed. The palate is textural with mandarin skin, rounded full-bodied fruit and a good acid backbone. There’s great freshness and good perry notes on the finish. (Importer: VinoVino) Retail: 105,000 at VinoVino’s shop

2008 Valorbieu La Cuvee Mythique White (Languedoc, France)

An intelligent blend of Roussanne, Viognier, Marsanne, and Grenache blanc. Instense aromatics with peaches, citrus fruit, blossoms and subtle honeycomb. Bright and lively throughout, there is elegance and a sustained finish. A full bodied white with lots of viscosity and richness. Good value. (Importer: LPlus Korea) 35,000 in Shinsaegae department stores.

2010 Jackson Estate Shelter Belt Chardonnay (Marlborough, New Zealand)

Plenty of richness here with grapefruit, limes and figs and lees. While there’s plenty of new world action here the richness is balanced and integrated. The finish is long with bright acidity and good fruit intensity. (Importer: DongwonF&B) Retail 55,000 at independent wine shops. Pair with ki-joe-gae (pen scallops) and grilled shellfish.

2011 Henri Bourgeois Sancerre ‘Les Baronnes’ (Loire, France)

Asparagus and white pepper along with subtle white citrus and capsicum notes on the bouquet. Excellent freshness, minerality and balance. A classic sauvignon with a long finish. Pair with goat cheese, tofu kimchi or green shell mussels. (Importer: NaraCellars) 59,000 at major department stores.

2009 Kistler Les Noisetiers Chardonnay (California, USA)

Layered citrus notes with pastry and macademia nuts on the bouquet. Honeysuckle, integrated vanilla oak and more macademia nuts through the palate. Oak is well integrated with acidity and fruit. Elegant with a focused finish with good length and lift. . (Importer: VinCSR) 195,000 won at major department stores. On sale at Enoteca wine shop (Akujeong) for 130,000.

Click here for a list of wine shops in Seoul.

By Joshua Hall