Aristide
Spies
& Pascal Carré
traverse the vineyards of the world to select wines of
all horizons for your greater pleasure
Wedstrijd Beste Sommelier van België 2007
Trophée Ruinart
Zondag 14 October 2007 - Hotel Radisson – Brussel
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«Wedstrijd Eerste Sommelier
van België 2008 Club Prosper Montagné“
“Frank
Desmedt, Provost of the Sommeliers, giving the first price to Aristide
Spies”
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Trip To Bordeaux
Here in St
Julien at Château Beychevelle
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Travel To
Australia
Recently, they went to Australia to
discover last rising stars of the Australian vineyard there.
A human great adventure, they told us.
After famous Hunter
Valley and Mudgee (N.S.W.), direction Victoria and her vineyards with
the fresher climate
Here at the Yarra
Yering Estate (Yarra Valley)
in company of the winemaker Haisma Mark
In the north of
Melbourne with Heathcote,
the Jasper Hill Estate produces remarkable Shiraz
Ron Laughton (owner and winemaker) with his wife Elva
The vine is present
since 1840 in South Australia
Very old vines of Shiraz at Kaesler Wines
in Nuriootpa (Barossa Valley)
However more recent
structures
but quite as qualitative are born in Western Australia
  
Here in Margaret River at the Watershed Estate
with the manager of the Estate Geoff Barrett
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Greece - March 2008
Château Porto Carras’ vineyards, appellation Côtes de Meliton
in Central
Makedonia region, on the Sithonia Peninsula
French grapes varieties (Cabernet Sauvignon,
Syrah,...)
planted on the slopes of Mount Meliton
Alpha Estate is situated in the heart of the Amyndeon appellation
(Western Makedonia region)
Alpha Estate located in Ampelia
(whose name derives from the Greek
meaning “vines”)
Alpha Estate located on a unique terroir on a plateau at an altitude of
700 metres,
semi continental climate with influence from lakes and
mountains.
Result : very well balanced red wines, high quality
Katogi Strofilia Estate in Metsovo, Epirus region, in the north west of
Greece
Katogi Strofilia Estate whose Cabernet Sauvignon,
Cabernet Franc and
Merlot vineyards are planted at altitude 950 metres !
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Verona – Vinitaly - April 2008
After an intensive day of tasting, friendly moment in
Verona
with Ms and Mr Batzella, talented producers in Bolgheri D. O. C.
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Chile - May 2008
Chile, Montes
Estate (Colchagua Valley) on the unique terroir of Apalta
Our Belgian group and our
Chilean guide, the oenologist Claudia Gomez,
in front of the Apalta
vineyards
Chile, Altaïr Estate (Cachapoal Valley)
on the first
foothills of the Andes, altitude 600 m.
Cachapoal Valley, Altaïr vineyards
Chile, Amayna Estate (Garcès Silva family) in Leyda
Valley, next to the Pacific Ocean.
Climate is fresh and it
allows to produce high quality Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
Amayna Estate, a tasting
with the oenologist consultant Jean-Michel Novelle
(on the right on the
photograph)
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European Contest - Sofia -
May 2008
William Wouters, president
of the “Belgian Sommelier Guild”
et Aristide Spies in Sofia (Bulgaria)
The Ivan Vasov National
Theatre is located in the centre of Sofia
where the final of the Best
Sommelier of Europe 2008 was organised
The 10 semi-finalists
candidates of the European Competition
from left to right :
Belgian Ambassador in Bulgaria, Mr Ph Beke who came
for supporting his
country, Aristide Spies and Isa Bal,
winner of the competition of the
Best Sommelier of Europe 2008
Aristide wins the competition of Alsacian wines
from left to right : Pascal
Carré, William Wouters, Serge Dubs
(Best World Sommelier in 1989),
Aristide Spies, Thierry Fritsch
(oenologist of CIVA)
from left to right : Pascal Carré, Paul Brunet,
Aristide Spies, Serge Dubs, William Wouters
Pascal Carré, Kazuyoshi
Kogai
(president of the association of the international sommellerie),
Aristide Spies and William Wouters
 Sir
Isa Bal, Best European Sommelier 2008 and Aristide Spies
Festal atmosphere during the closing dinner of the European Competition
2008
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Brotherhood of the
Jurade
de Saint Emilion - June 2008
Chapter of the Jurade de
Saint Emilion (in June, « new wine judgment »).
Vinous brotherhood which origin went back to 1199.
Exit of the Jurats
from the monolith church.
Sacrament to the Jurade in
the monolith church in Saint Emilion.
Louis Havaux (First
Honour Jurat ) and Aristide in the Town Hall Gardens
in front of the
Room of the Dominicans.
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Yves
Radelet’s Restaurant
The Chef Yves Radelet, owner of the eponymous
restaurant offers
to his customers an original and modern cuisine.
Aristide matches dishes and advices wines from all over the world
for
the greatest delight of the guests.
(Restaurant Yves Radelet : 17/20 Gault-Millaut,
Young
Chef of the Year 2006 Gault-Millaut, Chef of the Year 2008
Gault-Millaut,
Membre Euro-Toques)
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Chile -
January 2009
Visit and tasting in Cono
Sur Estate in Chimbarongo
(Colchagua Valley) where the 2007 “Ocio” cuvée
based on Pinot noir
from Casablanca Valley is a great success.
Visit and tasting in Casa Lapostolle Estate situated on the magnificent
Apalta terroir
(Colchagua Valley)
Tasting in Casa
Lapostolle Estate where Clos Apalta 2006
and superb Cuvée
Alexandre
Syrah 2006 are
both outstanding wines.
Vineyards of
Errazuriz Ovalle Estate (Colchagua Valley)
Casablanca Valley, visit of
the vineyards of Quintay Estate
and Geo Wines with oenologist Alvarho
Espinoza and my travel companions :
Louis Havaux et Hervé Lalau
Casablanca Valley which
benefits from a fresh climate thanks to the proximity of the ocean.
This
superb land produces white wines and remarkable Pinot noir.
Visits and tastings in the
Santa Rita Estate
and the Carmen Estate (Maipo Valley)
Visits and tastings in the
Santa Rita Estate and the Carmen Estate (Maipo Valley)
Louis Havaux, Hervé Lalau and Aristide Spies in Maipo Valley
Visits and tastings in
Concha y Toro Estate (Maipo Valley)
Visit and tasting in the
Errazuriz Estate (Aconcagua Valley).
The vineyards are not without
pointing out the beautiful terroir of the Rhône Valley.
Vineyards of Errazuriz
Estate (Aconcagua Valley).
This
terroir is very favourable in Syrah,
Carmenère and the Cabernet
Sauvignon.
These late ripening grape varieties find here a soft
and late fall,
supporting their maturation.
Visit and tasting in Tamaya
Estate (Limari Valley)
Limari is the next to last
wine valley before the Atacama desert
in the north of the country. Here,
without irrigation, no vineyard could be planted.
Rainfall are about
80mm of water each year, which only falls in 2 days! However,
thanks to
the freshness of the nights due to the proximity of the Andes and the
ocean,
the wines aren’t uninteresting.
Central Market in Santiago
of Chile.
From these coloured stalls fly away tropical fruit perfumes,
spices,…
a treat for the amateur…
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Canada - June 2009
Québec – June 2009 – One of the jury during the “Sélections Mondiales
Canada”
From l. to r. : Lilyane Weston, journalist – Richard Bastien, winemaker
–
Joel Payne, journalist – Yann Juban, assistant general manager of OIV
–
Aristide Spies, sommelier
Members of the « Fédération Internationale des Journalistes et Ecrivains
du Vin »
(FIJEV). From l. to r. : Louis Havaux,
Honor President – Hervé Lalau,
Secretary-General –
Yves Paquier, treasurer – Aristide Spies, member
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Radio RTBF Vivacité – Summer
2009
« En cuisine » Culinary Broadcast on a main Belgian radio (RTBF)
with
Candice Kother the food and kitchen expert.
Benjamin Maréchal, the broadcaster
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