Passion for wine
Young Charly was founded in 1976 by Karl Mortelmans. Mortelmans was a bioengineer by training and worked at AGFA Gevaert analyzing wastewater. In a secondary occupation, he started selling wine, but eventually discovered his passion in the vineyards. His first supplier became Clos des Papes, one of the highly regarded producers in Chateauneuf-du-Pape, which you can still find in the wine merchant's offerings. In 2013, the second generation took over the helm. For the first thirty years the focus was only on French wine, but today that has broadened to include all of Europe. Managing director William Mortelmans was happy to answer a few questions about his products.
Can you explain the nuances between different types of sparkling wine?
"Methode Traditionnelle" or "Metodo Classico" is the most well-known production method for sparkling wines.. Champagne and Franciacorta are the highest quality examples of this. The wine undergoes a second fermentation in bottle, obtaining its fine pearlization. Method Charmat is used for the production of Prosecco. Here the second fermentation takes place on large inox cuves and there is no mandatory bottle aging of 18 or 24 months "sur lattes" in the cellar. So with Prosecco, we are often talking about much younger wines. Prosecco, by the way, is made from one grape variety, Glera, which is also often referred to simply as the 'prosecco grape.'"
What are recommendations for people not yet familiar with your offerings?
"Oreno 2019 from Tenuta Sette Ponti is a first favorite. This Super Tuscan earned a perfect 100/100 score in its two most recent vintages from international guides such as James Suckling and remains affordable. A second favorite is Chivite Coleccion 125 Chardonnay, a fantastic alternative to the hefty price increases in Burgundy. By the way, this wine from Chivite is served at the Spanish court. With fifteen generations, the Chivite family itself is the longest-serving winemaking family in Spain! For lovers of whiskey, we can recommend Lakes Whiskymakers Reserve no. 5. This English whiskey was named best Single Malt in the world just last year at the distinguished International Wine & Spirits Competition in San Francisco. Because it is about limited series and thus limited production, it is also a very popular collector's item. The Reserve n° 1, which came on the market five years ago, is already changing hands for more than 1,800 pounds."
Do you have any tips for matching your products with the right dishes?
"Look at the local gastronomy where the wine was produced. Often wines are made with an eye to go along with the local cuisine. For example, on the coast in Galicia, where there is an abundance of fish swimming in the sea, they make fresh aromatic white wines. In Ribera del Duero, far inland where there is still a lot of physically hard labor, they serve stews of lamb or oxtail. That's why they make more powerful red wines there, which go with such dishes. Also, the white wines here are often Crianzas, meaning twelve months raised in oak barrels."
Are there unexpected combinations that still prove successful?
"We are often asked what wines one should serve with a cheese table. In most cases I will recommend a white wine, although that will surprise many people. If we look at where Crotin de Chavignol is made, we are in the heart of the Sancerre region. White wine, in other words! Tannins of red wine do not go with soft cheeses. Only fungal cheeses such as Stilton can pair with more powerful red wines. The classic here, of course, is a Vintage Port."
What are the best novelties within the range?
"The Chablis wines of Domaine William Fèvre were brought in early this year to meet the high demand for white Bourgognes. Many gourmet restaurants have already followed our lead and are putting these wines back on their menus. Domaine William Fèvre has been working completely organically since 2006 and focuses on producing wines from its own vineyard. In addition, we also noticed more demand for wines from Portugal. So we shifted up a gear and managed to convince two wineries to partner with us. Herdade do Esporao is a leading winery in Alentejo and makes outstanding red wines. For delicious white wines, we managed to add Quinta do Ameal from Vinho Verde. Their Loureiro wines fit very well with our Belgian gourmet cuisine: 'Finesser-rich and with great depth."
In conclusion, with the holidays approaching, what is the perfect gift people can find from you?
"We like to give personal advice, but of course there are also trends. We see a very high demand for Ca del Bosco's Franciacortas from Italy. Their Cuvée Prestige is the bubble of choice for wine lovers! If you are looking for a local Belgian gift, I would recommend Belgian Owl Whisky! In Hoog-Haspengouw, they make fantastic whiskey from biodynamically grown grain. For the ultimate enthusiasts, they have created two different PX sherry finish editions. Only 1,200 bottles were made of each of these editions.
(Text: Eva Janssens)
