Indholdsfortegnelse for May 2021 i Decanter

SPONSORED GUIDE Furmint in focus Now is the time to discover the versatile wines of this top-quality white grape, which has already risen to find a place as a cult favourite among sommeliers and chefs. Caroline Gilby MW puts the spotlight on Furmint – and on the following pages introduces six of Hungary’s other key local varieties Furmint is building a reputation as the next big thing for thrilling dry white wines. It channels Riesling in having the ability to go from bone-dry to lusciously sweet in style (see ‘Tokaji: liquid gold’, p28), always underscored by a streak of refreshing acidity. Then it can also resemble Chardonnay, being capable of producing fine sparkling wine, steely linear whites (think mouthwatering, spicy Chablis) and complex, layered ones (think Burgundy on steroids). This…

SPONSORED GUIDE Hungarian ros As we move towards the warmer months, this is the perfect time to start seeking out delicious new rosé wines. Elizabeth Gabay MW chooses 12 of her favourites from around the regions Drunk chilled on its own or as fröccs (spritzer) with sparkling water, rosé is generally regarded in Hungary as easy-drinking wine for the summer – crisp, with fresh acidity and red fruit. Regional, varietal and stylistic variations are increasingly present, showing the great potential of Hungarian rosés in terms of quality and diversity. Colour is becoming paler, influenced by the Provençal style of southeast France, but the fruit and structure remain distinctively Hungarian. Most Hungarian wine is white, 30% red, and rosé, fast growing in volume, accounts for just under 10% of total production.…

SPONSORED GUIDE great buys: Hungary beyond Tokaj It’s an exciting time in Hungarian wine. Winemaking has advanced in leaps and bounds, helping to show off to best effect the country’s diverse grapes and styles. Caroline Gilby MW, Oz Clarke and Tamás Czinki MS select 10 wines each to represent the best of Hungarian quality and value in whites and reds Caroline Gilby MW Hungarian wine: did you know... • Hungarian Zsigmond Teleki helped save wine for the world in the 19th century by breeding the rootstock that enabled European grapevines to resist the destruction caused by the phylloxera bug • Two-thirds of Hungary’s vineyards grow on volcanic soils Welcome to Hungary – a country of volcanic hills and natural hot springs, vast plains where cowboys still roam and dense oak…

Champagne goes pop as star Jay-Z sells half to LVMH Champagne has made headlines after rap star and entrepreneur Shawn ‘Jay-Z’ Carter sold a 50% stake in his Armand de Brignac brand to Moët Hennessy, while Louis Roederer has announced new still wines from the region. Moët Hennessy, the wine and spirits arm of luxury group LVMH, will also handle global distribution of the brand, known as ‘Ace of Spades’. Financial details weren’t disclosed. Armand de Brignac’s ‘entry-level’ Gold Brut retails for about £250 (US$348) to £300 a bottle in the UK. The Cattier family, of Champagne Cattier, will continue to make Armand de Brignac Champagnes, said a Moët Hennessy spokesperson. Carter said he was proud to announce the Moët Hennessy deal, which ‘will give Armand de Brignac the commercial…

Price changes your enjoyment of wine, researchers find New research has found people enjoyed a wine more when given an inflated price. Three Italian wines retailing at about £8, £25 and £50 were given to 140 participants in groups at a University of Basel open evening. Some people were given false prices. ‘The cheapest wine was rated as more pleasant when presented as four times its actual price,’ said researchers, writing in the Food Quality and Preference journal. Professor Jens Gaab, a researcher at the university, told Decanter: ‘Context is important. The mind is a beautiful thing, able to bend the truth to the point where expectations fit the reality.’…

Andrew Jefford ‘The message was that tannins ooze like lava from Gimblett Gravels fruit’ Do we taste wines consistently? Not at all. Our own personal tasting capacities vary with mood, appetite, time of day and atmospheric pressure. Famously, too, individuals differ from one another in their appreciation of particular wines and their sensitivities to the aromas and flavours those wines offer. Beyond that, though, I’d suggest there is another level of inconsistency that the wine world as a whole, the entire global cohort of tasters, exhibits. We tailor our expectations to origin. A wine feature which would be accepted without demur from one region may raise eyebrows in another. Here’s an example. I had the chance recently to taste the mixed case of selected reds sent out annually by the…

Weekday wines Looking to try something different or adventurous, but don’t want to make an expensive mistake? The Decanter team has done the hard work for you, picking out 25 exciting wines available in the UK and priced at £20 or less – perfect for everday drinking, and ready to enjoy now Recommended by: James Button, Natalie Earl, Tina Gellie, Georgie Hindle, Julie Sheppard, Amy Wislocki and Sylvia Wu Harvey Nichols, Prosecco Rosé Brut, Veneto, Italy 2019 90 £16.95 Harvey Nichols Made by sisters Antonella and Ersiliana Bronca, this has a lovely breeziness to it, and good weight of fruit. Coral-coloured in the glass, lively red berry and redcurrant, citrus and some cherry flavours, fragrant and juicy, finishing with decent length too. AW Alcohol 11% Banfi, Principessa…

Tasting: pay attention – get in the zone – eliminate distractions Almost everyone I speak to about tasting says this and says it in a different way. It’s simple advice, but worth taking seriously. ‘If you really want to do a wine justice, take a deep breath, get your mind focused then relaxed, and engage the senses and your brain,’ says Steve Smith MW, co-owner of Pyramid Valley Vineyards in New Zealand. ‘I know this works because I don’t have a great natural palate, but when I get my brain focused and relaxed, it’s pretty sharp.’ Frédéric Panaiotis, chef de cave at Champagne Ruinart, says he wishes people would ‘taste Champagne sitting down’, which is confusing until he elucidates: ‘Or just be in an environment where they take the time.…

Rhфne discoveries MY TOP 10: EXCITING RHONE DISCOVERIES Ready to expand your wine horizons? Look beyond the well-known estates and renowned appellations, and you’ll uncover the hidden talents of the Rhône. Matt Walls highlights 10 of his current favourite producers in the region and explains what makes their wines so special Sometimes I come across estates whose wines are so good that I can’t believe they’re not better known. Usually it’s because they’re from obscure appellations, or simply because these vignerons are more focused on making the wine than marketing it. Here are 10 domaines that I’ve been enjoying recently, all of which make beautiful wines that speak not only of where they’re from, but also bear the unmistakable imprint of the hands that made them. Cave Julien Cécillon ST-JOSEPH…

Shiraz showcase: Sly’s pick of St Hallett 1 St Hallett, Planted 1919 Shiraz, Eden Valley 2015 98 NA/UK www.sthallet.com.au Surprising, delightful restraint and finesse in a new flagship Barossa Shiraz from St Hallett, focusing on the subtle nuance of svelte Eden Valley fruit. It’s a lively dance of soft perfume and an intriguing textural pull and push, proudly showing skinny blue-fruit pucker with the squeeze of old-vine intensity. It’s a curious, beguiling wine that evolves in the glass. Released at A$450 a bottle. Drink 2021-2035 Alcohol 14.6% 2 St Hallett, Old Block Shiraz, Barossa 2016 96 £74.99 Direct Wines, Majestic Light on its feet despite such a brawny frame, defined by northern Barossa fruit, this shows liquorice and sharp blackberry, with hints of fresh raspberry and cranberry peeking beneath. Berry…

A taste of Alentejo: six benchmark wines to try 1 Susana Esteban, Procura Na Anfora, Alentejano 2018 95 £24 The Solent Cellar Sourced from an 85-year-old field blend Portalegre vineyard at 700m, this unusually suave, elegant amphora-fermented wine was fermented without skin contact and with temperature control. The mineral-slaked palate reveals sappy herbal pops of angelica and fennel seed, with subtly sweet, sunny, rounded mandarin and contrapuntal grapefruit pith and juice. Fleet of foot, yet great staying power. Lovely mouthfeel. Drink 2021-2025 Alcohol 12.5% 2 Howard’s Folly, Sonhador Rosé, Alentejano 2019 92 £20.40 Pull the Cork Dry rosé with good palate weight and intensity, balanced by crisp acidity. Gently spicy redcurrant and cranberry fruit with perfumed nectarine, cedar and savoury, textural lees. Handpicked, bunch-sorted Portalegre-sourced fruit was fermented and aged…

Spirits Distilled by Decanter A guide to the latest trends in spirits and cocktails. Edited by Julie Sheppard Kew Gin celebrates plant power Many of us have been getting closer to nature during lockdown, spending time in parks and gardens – and, with spring in the air, it’s time to reach for a gin that captures this natural spirit. Kew Botanical Gin (Alc 42%) is a collaboration between Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and the East London Liquor Co (ELLC), inspired by plants and pollinators. ‘The key botanicals in the gin come directly from Kew Gardens, including Douglas fir,’ said Kew’s Quincy Leon. ‘With the addition of lavender and sweet orange, courtesy of our pollinator friends who are celebrated on the vibrant packaging, the gin is a true…

Turning amber nectar green Sustainability is also key for Paul Miller, who founded Eden Mill brewery in Fife in 2012, adding a distillery two years later. He’s now preparing to move into his third premises within the University of St Andrews’ Guardbridge campus, a former paper mill powered by solar panels and a biomass boiler. Miller is also investigating heating his whisky still with hydrogen. ‘We can use an electric still for gin, but we need higher temperatures for whisky,’ he says. ‘We’re looking at hydrogen, and also direct heat from the biomass boiler. We want to get the carbon footprint for our whisky production down to net zero. As a new distillery, it’s important to bring something new to the party.’…

Travel RIOJA ON TWO WHEELS Any trip to this mountain-flanked Spanish wine region is destined to make an impression, thanks to its architecturally stunning wineries and gastronomic focus. But for a truly memorable adventure – and the very best views – take to its rural paths on a bicycle. Ewan MacCormick maps a cyclist’s ideal route and shares key stops along the way Illustration: Alex Green/Folio La Rioja is a region framed by the undulating lines of the Cantabrian mountains of northern Spain, dotted with ancient hill towns and home to the endless vineyards of nearly 700 wineries. Most of the biggest names in Spanish wine reside in La Rioja, where dedicated winemakers strive to squeeze bold, velvety magic from the humble Tempranillo grape and manage to do so with…

TASTING NOTES DECODED Written by Laura Seal Beeswax Beeswax is a substance secreted by worker bees in the hive, to build the honeycomb structure. Its chemical composition means it can be burnt in candles, when it can produce a resinous and honey-like aroma. In older white wines, beeswax aromas can be evoked by the prominence of ethyl acetates, which might have been created by yeast during fermentation, or from the breakdown of other components during bottle ageing. This can apply to good-quality Pinot Blanc wines, notably from Alsace or Alto Adige in northern Italy, and even some German Rieslings which have had time to develop. Certain bottle-aged Semillons, particularly from Hunter Valley in Australia, are also known to gain a beeswax character – a good example would be Mount Pleasant’s…

Panel tasting SPAIN’S INDIGENOUS WHITES A veritable A to Z of grape varieties awaits your discovery across Spain’s varied, often rugged and sometimes verdant terrains. Sarah Jane Evans MW loves their style, and says now’s the time to try Quietly, almost stealthily, Spain is transforming itself into a destination for white wines. The country’s reputation may be solidly for reds, and specifically Tempranillo in its various forms. In terms of volume, though, Airén is still the most widely planted (see box). This is explained by the fact that it produces wines ideal for distillation. It’s relatively anonymous, though, and needs careful management by both viticulturist and winemaker. Elías López Montero at Bodegas Verum in Tomelloso, Castilla-La Mancha, in the heart of distillation country, is showing the way with his own-rooted,…

THE JUDGES Sarah Jane Evans MW Photographs: Mark Greenland; Nic Crilly-Hargrave Evans is an awarded journalist, author and broadcaster in food and wine, with a particular interest in Spain. A Master of Wine since 2006, she is chairman of Spain’s Gran Orden de Caballeros del Vino, author of The Wines of Northern Spain, and one of three Co-Chairs overseeing the Decanter World Wine Awards Matthew Forster MW An independent wine consultant and education specialist, Forster started his wine career with Berry Bros & Rudd before joining the Wine & Spirit Education Trust, where he led the team responsible for WSET qualifications in wine, spirits & sake. A Master of Wine since 2016, he specialises in the wines of Spain and Portugal Beth Willard After moving to the UK from Australia,…

Napa treasures Fifteen magnums of Shafer Vineyards’ Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignon have topped a rare ex-cellar auction of Napa Valley library wines. The Shafer collection, spanning every vintage between 2000 and 2014 inclusive, fetched US$42,000 (£30,000) in the sale organised by Napa Valley Vintners (NVV) and hosted by Zachys. Three lots sold for $40,000 each, including: five six-litre ‘imperials’ of Opus One across five decades; a 10-magnum cache of Bryant Estate Cabernet Sauvignon from 2005 to 2014 inclusive; and a magnum each of Screaming Eagle’s 2015-vintage flagship Cabernet, The Flight bottling and Sauvignon Blanc. Other highlights included five magnums of Harlan Estate from vintages rated 100pts by Robert Parker Jr (sold for $24,000), and a single 12-litre bottle of Sloan Estate 2012 ($15,000). Almost 500 bidders from 12 countries competed…

Tasted & rated for Decanter Premium Domaine Michel Lafarge, Volnay 1er Cru Clos des Chênes 2005 Recently rated 95 points by Robin Kick MW, who described the wine in a tasting note for Decanter Premium subscribers as being from one of the best vintages in the last 50 years. And it’s still displaying ‘a youthful core of red and black bramble fruits, spice and sandalwood’, Kick said. Liv-ex cited a market price equivalent £2,870 for 12x75cl bottles in bond, albeit the wine hadn’t been traded on its marketplace since July 2019 (£2,800 for 12x75cl). Still, it said the market price was up by more than 80% in five years. Collectors and investors will find a wealth of useful information on Decanter.com/Premium, including expert assessments of new vintage releases and comprehensive…

Dry Furmint: Gilby’s six of the best 1 Szepsy, Urbán 73, Tokaj 2017 96 £60 9 Elms Wines, Wanderlust Wine An impressive, layered and complex wine with a quality and style that lovers of top Burgundy would recognise. It’s only made in the best years, from a tiny plot of vines from the 1930s in a top-rated Tokaj vineyard. Inviting aromas with notes of ripe apple, yellow plum and meadowsweet lead on to a richly textured mouthfeel underscored by fine mineral acidity and great length. Drink 2021-2030 Alcohol 14.5% 2 Sauska, Birsalmás, Tokaj 2018 94 £ 30.20-£31.27 (2013) Christopher Keiller, GP Brands, The Drink Shop, Vinvm From a vineyard carefully restored from its communist history while preserving its precious legacy of old vines, this has a very fine, delicate bouquet…

Welcome There are certain basics which experts take for granted but the rest of us puzzle over. Watch any great musician, sportsperson or artist and they’ll execute something amazing in a way that looks effortless but is actually the product of technique, skill, talent and many years of practice. One of those basics in the world of wine is tasting. You don’t just slurp and guess; it’s a precise skill with much more to it than the layperson, or even keen novice, would imagine. So we thought it was about time we investigated this dark art thoroughly, and enlisted the help of a stellar cast of experts to shed some light on the tricks and techniques of tasting. We hope that everybody can learn something from this story, whether you’re…

Jane Anson ‘15 April 1805: Cabernet’s journey on another continent had begun’ Photograph: John O’Brien Back in 1855, the majority of classified Médoc châteaux would have been dominated by the Malbec grape, with Cabernet Sauvignon (sometimes called Petit Vidure) coming in second, accompanied by blending grapes such as Cabernet Franc, Merlot and a host of now-rare names such as Castets and St-Macaire. There were white varieties too, some making it into the wine because they were found growing alongside the reds in vineyards across the region. The most significant result of this haphazard planting style was not just in flavour, but the fact that a spontaneous vineyard crossing between Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc took place sometime in the late 1600s, producing Cabernet Sauvignon. Now seen as the grape of…

Weekend wines Wanting to splash out a little bit more to celebrate your weekend in style? As a companion selection to our 25 wines under £20, the Decanter team has selected seven standout bottles that are sure to impress, all available in the UK and priced between £20 and £50 Recommended by: Tina Gellie, Georgie Hindle, Julie Sheppard, Amy Wislocki and Sylvia Wu Pommery, Royal Brut Rosé, Champagne, France NV 93 £44.99 Ocado Blush-pink and fruity, with a nose of sweet strawberries. The palate is succulent and juicy, with a redcurrant, raspberry and lemon zing. Smooth texture with persistent bubbles. Stored in the cellar for three years to develop its distinctive balance, precision and elegance. GH Alc 12.5% Lua Cheia em Vinhas Velhas, Nostalgia 10 Barricas Alvarinho,…

How big is a sip? ‘Here’s a variable that’s rarely discussed,’ says Alex Hunt MW of Berkmann Wine Cellars (pictured, p24). ‘Everyone will have a different sweet spot, but it’s worth experimenting until you find the sip size that gives you the most vivid impression of the wine. ‘It shouldn’t be so much that there’s no room to move the wine around your mouth or bubble a bit of air through it – but it’s important to have enough [in the mouth] that the aromas reach the back of the nose, and also to get a sense of the wine’s physical presence.’…

Alentejo: the facts Map: Maggie Nelson ALENTEJO DOC Demarcated 1988 – Alentejo Vinho de Talha introduced in 2010 Vinho Regional Alentejano Sub-regions (north to south) Alto Alentejo DOCs Portalegre; Borba; Redondo; Evora; Reguengos Baixo Alentejo DOCs Granja-Amareleja; Vidigueira; Moura Area under vine 22,883ha (DOC, VR) – of which 16,546ha approved for DOC Main red grapes Aragonez 24.3% (of total red), Trincadeira 16.5%, Alicante Bouschet 16%, Syrah 11.8%, Touriga Nacional 7.9% Main white grapes Antão Vaz 25.5%, Roupeiro 17.6%, Arinto 16.1%, Verdelho 5.3% Annual production 1m hl, of which about 76.7% red Number of producers 284 (Source: Comissão Vitivinícola Regional Alentejana 2019)…

Amarone della Valpolicella: the geography behind the wines Amarone, the most famous of Italy’s dry wines made from dried grapes (as opposed to sweet wines made from dried grapes), is produced in Valpolicella over the northern hills of Verona, between Lake Garda and the Lessini mountains in northern Italy. It is precisely this combination of lake and mountains that contributes to the perfect environment for the growing of grapes and the drying process that follows (pictured, right). The region is like a warren of valleys where Lake Garda mitigates the climate, fostering the most northerly olive oil produced in Italy, while Monte Baldo and the Lessini range provide protection against prevailing cold from the Eastern Alps. This environment is particularly true for the Valpolicella Classico sub-region to the west, closest…

FIVE OF THE BEST Añejo tequilas Recommended by Laura Foster Tequila is often viewed as a spirit that should be slammed back in shots, but in reality the vast majority should be sipped and appreciated. This is especially true when you reach the older age categories of the spirit. Añejo (‘old’) tequila needs to have been aged for at least a year in oak casks. This category is where the wood influence on the spirit starts to really overtake the clear agave notes that should be present in blanco (unaged) tequilas and still identifiable in reposados (aged at least two months but less than a year). The oak imparts sweet notes such as vanilla and caramel, and sometimes a spicy, drying side too. 1 Casamigos Añejo £58.15-£64.95/70cl Amazon UK, Gerry’s,…

New wave Scotch whiskies to try 1 Arbikie 1794 Highland Rye Single Grain £130/70cl Arbikie Highland Estate, The Whisky Exchange It’s still Scotch whisky, but made from rye instead of malted barley. Spicy nutmeg, woodsmoke and soda bread on the nose lead into fresh lemon, sweet brown sugar and more nutmeg on the palate. Distinctively spicy. Alc 48% 2 Eden Mill Hipflask Series No16 Single Malt £30/20cl www.edenmill.com Heavy on the lemons and oats on the nose, with subtle woodsmoke lending support from the ex-Islay whisky refill casks. Plenty of warming nutmeg and cinnamon spices play across the tongue, with vanilla wrapping around more of those lemons. Alc 47% 3 Glasgow 1770 Peated Single Malt £42.50-£49.95/50cl Drambusters, Master of Malt, Robert Graham, Royal Mile, The Little Whisky Shop, The Really…

RIOJA BY BIKE: AT A GLANCE Bike hire You can arrange to hire a bike and have it delivered to your accommodation by La Rioja Bike Tours (www.lariojabiketours. com), which also has local staff on hand should you have any technical issues throughout your trip. A hybrid bike will be perfect for this route and costs about €17 (£15) per day; if you need a boost, e-bikes are available for about €29 (£25) per day. Bag transfer You have the option to add panniers to carry your luggage, but cycling luggage-free is a much more pleasant option. You can send your bags ahead by arranging a taxi transfer with your accommodation each night, at a cost of roughly €20-€30 (£17-£26) per day. Fitness A reasonable level of fitness is good,…

Confused by a label? Unsure how to serve a wine? A burning bottle question on your mind? Ask Decanter… Our expert contributors are here to advise on any aspect of wine. Each month we will print the most interesting queries with a personal reply from a relevant expert. Simply email editor@decanter.com with your question – the more specific, the better – in no more than a single paragraph, and you could see your query, and a reply, in print. Please note we can only respond to those queries selected for publication.…

SPANISH WHITE: THE FACTS • In 2019, Spain produced 34,080,769hl of wine, of which 15,912,993hl (46.7%) was white • In 2015, Spain had 484,396.07ha of red wine vineyards and 440,153.66ha of white wine vineyards • Airén (white) was the most widely planted variety (215,484.14ha), followed by Tempranillo (red, 201,051.39ha) • The next three most widely planted whites were: Macabeo in fifth place, Cayetana Blanca (like Airén, commonly used for distillation; in seventh) and Verdejo (11th) Source: Spanish Ministry of Agriculture…

Expert’s choice ENGLISH BLANC DE BLANCS What better way to celebrate the arrival of spring than with a glass of crisp, quality sparkling wine? Susy Atkins says that blanc de blancs is the very finest of English wine styles – and here’s why Blanc de blancs: is it now England’s finest style of wine? I believe so, firmly. The wines I have chosen here are all exquisite. And I could have happily recommended at least half a dozen more, had there been space. Yet 20 years ago it wouldn’t have been possible to run this feature. A few decent English blanc de blancs were emerging (Nyetimber’s first release was a blanc de blancs in 1996), but nowhere near enough to fill these pages. So what has happened to produce this…

LOOKING AHEAD Bonneau du Martray 2019 en primeur The Burgundy domaine’s Corton-Charlemagne and Corton grands crus were expected from April onwards. In terms of expected quantities, one thing to note is that Bonneau du Martray’s exclusive UK agent Corney & Barrow has previously said the domaine leased 2.8ha of its 9.5ha of Corton-Charlemagne to Domaine de la Romanée-Conti in November 2018. Rhône: M Chapoutier 2020 en primeur wines A selection of 2020 vintage wines from the Rhône powerhouse was another en primeur offer expected from UK merchants in spring 2021. Bordeaux Index said releases were expected from April. Barossa: Penfolds Grange ‘imperial’ to head auction The Barossa Wine Auction 2021 – a biennial event – includes ‘significant large-format investment opportunities’, said co-host Langton’s. Two live auctions will be held, on…

SPONSORED GUIDE Welcome Here, we invite you to discover Hungarian wines! I do hope you enjoy learning about our wines, gastronomy and culture while reading this guide. Only 100 years ago, Hungary was the third largest wine-producing country in the world, and the golden nectar of the Tokaj region (see p28) has for much longer than that been a coveted sweet delicacy in royal courts around Europe. After a tumultuous 20th century, the new generation of winemakers are once again setting the bar high for quality Hungarian wines, and they are ready to show a modern face of the industry to the world. In the last three decades, Hungary has proved its potential to produce wines of great character – at once familiar yet something new and unique, too; intriguing,…

Gilby’s Tokaji picks: six of the best 1 Szepsy, Tokaji Aszú 6 Puttonyos 2013 97 £170/50cl Top Selection Utterly gorgeous wine from a superb vintage, from the living legend István Szepsy. If you can, treat yourself to one of his thrilling, long-lived older vintages. The 2013 is beguiling and complex yet elegant, thanks to spine-tingling freshness balancing the sumptuous, silky sweetness and generous notes of mango, dried apricot, orange zest and quince. Drink 2021-2041 Alcohol 9% Pajzos, Tokaji Aszú 6 Puttonyos 2013 96 £46/50cl Wine and the Vine, Malux Hungarian Wine Beautiful, youthful and pure bouquet, then just a lovely balance of luscious sweetness and vibrant acidity. Unusually, Hárslevelű is playing the lead role here, offering succulence and fruit notes of peaches and apricot, and subtle notes of honeysuckle. Furmint…

SPONSORED GUIDE Go with Oz: get to know Hungary Oz Clarke has a passion for Hungarian wines: let him tell you why... So what do you want in this year of 2021? This challenging year. This disturbing year. This unpredictable year that just might lead to an explosion of creativity and innovation. Just might. What do you want? Photograph: Philiph Reeson/Photoshot/Getty Images ‘Hungary. It’s all here – and 2021 is the year we should find out how good it is’ Do you want wines that challenge you? Do you want wines whose flavours might even shake you out of any complacency you might be possessed of? Do you want to be faced with a thrilling unpredictability when you ease the cork out of a bottle? Are you ready to cope…

In brief Stay up to date with the latest wine news on Decanter.com, or follow us on Facebook or Twitter @Decanter ■ ‘Diversity scholarships’ for prospective Masters of Wine and Master Sommeliers have launched alongside initiatives by the Gerard Basset Wine Education Charitable Foundation and Liquid Icons, a company co-founded by the late sommelier. ‘There are very few BAME/BIPOC [black, indigenous and people of colour] MWs globally and only three BAME/BIPOC MSs,’ said the groups. ■ UK wineries may need to guard against brown marmorated ‘stink bugs’, recently discovered in the country by the Natural History Museum (NHM) and research institute NIAB EMR. Native to southeast Asia and known for ‘unattractive, almond-like smell[s]’, the bugs aren’t harmful to people but can damage grapes and spoil wine. Stink bugs breed very…

Letter of the month US frustrations I have a personal connection to the USA as my father is a US citizen, so to read Matthew Luczy’s feature on California and the crippling issues its wine industry has faced over the last year (April 2021 issue) was extremely emotive. Two almost biblical disasters have decimated the industry and Governor Gavin Newsom has been ineffectual at best. However, one is drawn back to the words of Winston Churchill: ‘Never let a good crisis go to waste’, and I think this would be the perfect chance to encourage change in the archaic three-tier system that restricts sales direct to consumers and was set up during Prohibition. After these two blows to the industry, everything must be done to ensure…

WHAT I’VE BEEN DRINKING THIS MONTH I love drinking rosé in winter, when its pared-back flavours reflect the muffled quiet of frost and snow while its colour is a reminder of the heat of summer ahead. Garrus always fills this role to perfection, because it has enough personality and grip to stand up to winter foods – we had Château d’Esclans, Garrus Rosé, Côtes de Provence 2018 (95/100pts, £100 at Clos19.com) with a black bean burger – and it never fails to deliver a mood-lifting zip of mouthwatering acidity and slate-stone minerality.…

Moore recommends: five brilliant resources for wine tasting tips Essential Winetasting by Michael Schuster (Mitchell Beazley) Originally published in 2000, this award-winning book remains a good, practical and logical guide to the nuts and bolts of tasting wine. Blind tasting with Ronan Sayburn MS – Old World vs New World (for 67 Pall Mall) Wine geeks watch blind-tasting videos on YouTube. This recording of an online class for 67 Pall Mall is a good example of the evidence-gathering exercise practised by blind tasters. The first half hour is a general guide. Via www.67pallmall.com/ virtual-events. Red & White: An Unquenchable Thirst for Wine by Oz Clarke (Little Brown) Clarke’s wine memoir is a must-read for any wine enthusiast. It contains a chapter, ‘Some…

St Hallett: a timeline 1912 Pop Lindner plants the Old Block vineyard near Tanunda in the Barossa 1944 Pop’s son Bill, a trained winemaker, establishes St Hallett Wines in a Tanunda shed, focusing mainly on fortified wines 1970 Bill’s sons Carl and Elmore take charge of the winery 1972 Robert O’Callaghan joins as winemaker, remaining until he establishes Rockford Winery in the early 1980s 1980 O’Callaghan makes the first St Hallett Old Block Shiraz 1982 Stuart Blackwell, who first joined St Hallett in 1972, returns as senior winemaker, having spent several years making wines in South Africa and Zimbabwe 1988 Marketing maestro Bob McLean joins, elevating Old Block Shiraz from a South Australian treasure to an international wine icon 2000 Together with Tatachilla Wines of McLaren Vale, St Hallett forms…

Luczy’s 30: top Napa Cabernet 2018s Wines are listed by points scored, then alphabetically by producer, and are a cross-section of Matthew Luczy’s top-scoring, best value and most interesting wines of the vintage. All wines were tasted in the US, from bottle – some are just being released at the time of going to press, and few 2018s have yet been shipped to the UK. Please consult specialist merchants for further details. 1 WINE OF THE VINTAGE TOP PRODUCER Corison, Kronos Vineyard, St Helena 2018 97 Corison’s Kronos Vineyard, planted in 1971, is one of the world’s great Cabernet Sauvignon vineyards, and an anomaly in the modern Napa Valley landscape. The yields are extremely low, and just 6,000 bottles were made. Radiant aromas of blue and purple fruits, graphite and…

Alentejo: 10 names to know Photograph: Cruz Liljegren COOPERATIVA DE GRANJAAMARELEJA Located in the hot, arid Granja-Amareleja sub-region, gutsy reds are the stock-in trade of this 1950s co-op. Increasingly valued for its drought resistance, local grape Moreto thrives here and the co-op makes an exceptionally perfumed, intense example from ungrafted, shy-bearing old vines on the sandy left bank of the Guadiana river. www. granjaamareleja.pt DONA MARIA WINES Júlio Bastos’ classy range betrays his roots. He is a descendant of Mouchão’s John Reynolds, hence the Alicante Bouschet grape’s star billing (see right). As for his accomplished use of Bordeaux varieties (and French oak), the Estremozbased producer had a partnership (Quinta do Carmo) with Domaines Barons de Rothschild. Elegant mono-varietals and blends. www.donamaria.pt FITA PRETA Co-founded in 2004 by winemaker António Maçanita…

Amarone’s arch-enemies: fatty foods, peppery heat The tannins in both ‘regular’ Valpolicella red wines (which are made using the same range of grape varieties) and Amarone are typically round and soft, and this softer extraction of the tannins is the main difference between Corvina and powerful grapes found in other Italian regions, such as Nebbiolo, Sangiovese and Aglianico. Astringency [of tannin], alongside acidity, works well in contrasting the fattiness of a dish. Amarone has high acid, but its tannins aren’t especially firm, and this means it is best avoided with overtly fatty preparations. The wine’s slight residual sugar and its overall complexity could help to counteract spicy foods; however, black pepper or red chillies tend to increase the perception of warmth from the alcohol, and the combination can almost burn…

Italy: Amarone Big on character: Fiordelli’s seven Amarone della Valpolicella Classico wines to try 1 Giuseppe Quintarelli 2012 97 £190 (ib)-£273.33 Corney & Barrow, Cru, Millésima, Noble Grape, Starling Wines, Turville Valley Wines, VinQuinn, Wineye In Bepi Quintarelli’s winery, the old bottles are stored traditionally, wrapped in newspaper. From this collection, the estate is now releasing the 2012 vintage. Lively and pale ruby in colour, this is focused on bright, fresh black cherry embellished with raspberry and bay leaf, then coffee granules and a hint of curry powder. Dry and full, the palate expresses great balance due to the brilliant acidity, with ample velvety tannins. An extremely opulent wine of great tension, which will age for decades. Drink 2021-2040 Alcohol 16.5% 2 Allegrini 2016 96 £56.95-£75 Cambridge Wine Merchants, Eton…

Food & wine A perfect pairing: 7-HOUR LEG OF LAMB In the kitchen of the historic Château d’Issan in Margaux, cooking is guided by the bounty of the seasons. Estate head chef Frédéric Braud shares his deceptively simple recipe for tender lamb slow-roasted in red wine gravy, choosing two wines to complement the dish Almost every day since 2014, I’ve followed a morning ritual before getting down to the business of cooking: walking along the main drive, then skirting around the castle alongside the moat, I feast my eyes on it all. I look over to my left at the kitchen garden and greet the estate gardener Yves, who’s never far from here. Then I take the stairs, decorated with hunting trophies, and take stock of this place,…

Readers’ questions Notes & Queries Each month our experts answer readers’ wine questions and share their knowledge What happened to Chablis? Modern-day Chablis is nothing like the heaven-in-a-glass, stony mineral wines that used to be my favourite white wine by a long way in the 1960s. What has changed? Mark Smyly, Wantage, Oxfordshire, UK Andy Howard MW replies: Like you, I have long been a fan of the structured, fine acidity and discreet (if at all) oak of Chablis, and that salty, pebbly, gunflint character. I agree the style has changed since the 1960s – it was this change that drove me to write my Master of Wine dissertation on Chablis. On balance, I think the changes have been for the better, with fewer…

Panel tasting THE VERDICT In an eclectic tasting with several surprises, Spain proved its indigenous grapes have plenty to offer white wine lovers, reports Julie Sheppard, with tremendous range and character to suit all pockets Cask-fermented Palomino from Cádiz. Garnatxa Blanca from Terra Alta. Macabeo from Aragón. It was no wonder that such a variety of grapes and regions won praise from the judges and earned Outstanding scores. However, it was one of Spain’s better-known white styles that performed best across the board. White Rioja accounted for three Outstanding wines and 13 Highly Recommended. ‘The Riojas were all benchmark, high-end offerings; sophisticated oak, quite classically styled,’ noted Matthew Forster MW. While the three Rioja top scorers were made from Viura, other varieties worked well too. ‘I found some of the…

Marketwatch: Burgundy Spotlight on Burgundy developing Market interest is spreading beyond the big Burgundy names, but approach with caution A wider range of Burgundy wines are being traded on the secondary market, according to recent figures, but collectors should also be aware of trade concerns on pricing. Given lofty price tags and tight allocations for renowned producers’ top wines, it isn’t hugely surprising to see increased demand for a wider variety of Burgundy names. Yet a recent report from Liv-ex suggests this trend has developed strongly on the secondary market in the past year. ‘Demand for Burgundy is broadening at pace as merchants and their clients seek out better value offerings,’ said Liv-ex, who act as a global marketplace for the trade. ‘More wines from more Burgundy appellations are seeing more…

The Bordeaux Index view Fine wines & spirits specialists Bordeaux Index kindly sponsor this section of Decanter, and provide their view on the market here. They can be found at Bordeauxindex.com. Much has been written in the last few years around the possibility that there is a Burgundy ‘bubble’: that prices are unsustainable and could see a sharp correction. Yet approaching three years on from the rapid market gains of 2017-2018, prices have largely stabilised and indeed in recent months started again on an upwards trajectory. It is important not to generalise. That 2017-2018 period was noteworthy for the market gains being not only in the best-known names – Rousseau, Roumier, DRC et al – but also in the second and third tiers of producers. Collectors experienced this most markedly…

Working wine to five Inside a professional’s world The sommelier-turned-wine buyer Fionnuala Synnott, La Rousse Wines, Dublin From journalist to wine buyer…How did that happen? I got a taste for wine in Argentina and was determined to get into wine writing. In London, I got my first experience in financial journalism, did WSET exams, talked to a lot of people and finally (it took five years) found a position on a wine and spirits trade magazine. Being a wine journalist was great, but I was fascinated by the dark arts of the sommelier – my experience in this was key to becoming a wine buyer. I interviewed Gérard Basset who told me that he had started ‘late’ at 29, and this galvanised me into action. Sommelier supremo Luke Robertson was…