Innehållsförteckning för December 2017 från Decanter

Resilient in the face of disaster Just a few days before the October wildfires began, Californian producers were generously pouring their wines at the Golden State’s annual tasting in London. Their smiles were as warm and bright as the unusually benign Westminster sunshine. Today though, nobody is smiling in northern California as communities count the cost of lives, homes, businesses, vineyards and livelihoods destroyed or damaged by the fires. But what remains intact is the sheer determination and courage of those affected to overcome the disaster they are faced with. Organisations such as Napa Valley Vintners, the California Wine Institute, and Sonoma County Vintners reacted with incredible speed to help raise relief money and assist those in need. It is also heartening to report that help has come from other…

Letter of the month Portuguese prejudice HOW REFRESHING TO see the selection of native reds from Portugal between £8 and £25 (November 2017 issue). I’d always believed that the best table wines came from the Douro, and that most Portuguese reds were rustic in nature and high in alcohol. Your article has encouraged me to challenge those preconceptions by seeking out your recommendations. Studying the tasting notes, no fewer than 21 of the 38 wines chosen have 13.5% alcohol or less. Nearly half are indeed from the Douro, yet the three top scorers hail from elsewhere – who knew the Azores was capable of such quality, and where on earth is the Colares region?! I intend to make it my business to find out… N Cooper, London…

Hugh Johnson ‘Once in a while I stand among the vines and think “this is special”’ I’VE BEEN VISITING vineyards for decades now; long enough to have had moments of ennui. Another row of vines: are they in good shape, how are they trellised/ pruned, do they use cover crops, herbicides? It’s all interesting – up to the umpteenth time. Then, once in a while, I stand among the vines and think, ‘this is special’. The landscape can do it, on a Douro terrace or crazy Mosel cat-slide of a site. The atmosphere, the weather, the view… but most often it’s the company. Last summer I bumped around the fields of Mád with István Szepsi in his battered van, stopping every few yards to hop out and examine the soil.…

La Freixeneda The Ferrer family have owned La Freixeneda estate for 18 generations. Now Josep Ferrer i Sala has converted it into a perfect small bodega, with a blend of the latest technology and traditional techniques, tucked away within a very comfortable Catalan villa, with lovely views. Here Josep Buján once more shows his creativity. The wine, La Freixeneda, is Buján’s first red wine, and he says he wanted to make something exceptional. It is a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Garnacha, an uncommon blend in itself for Spain. More than that, one third of the Garnacha uses the ‘doble pasta’ technique, a traditional method for concentrating wine by using double the quantity of grapes. Equally the Cabernet Sauvignon is intensified, as some of the grapes are dehydrated…

DECANTER PROMOTION Château Arnauld By Jane Anson, Decanter Bordeaux correspondent As Médoc landmarks go, the restaurant Le Lion d’Or in the village of Arcins must be in the top 10. It has been rightly described as a time capsule of traditional French cooking within a stone’s throw of some of the world’s most glamorous châteaux. It is also perfectly located as the lunchtime dining spot for château owners and workers, as Arcins is right on the edge of the Margaux and Moulis appellations, the very first commune of AOC Haut-Médoc as it heads up towards Saint Julien, and the site of one of the highest gravel outcrops on the peninsula, billowing up from the Garonne river to 20 metres at its highest point. Right opposite Le Lion d’Or, set back…

The Decanter Interview Christophe Roumier His acclaimed wines command stratospheric prices on the secondary market, but the man in the driving seat at Domaine G Roumier is more concerned with looking after the land for the next generation, discovers Stephen Brook Photograph: Eric Feferberg/AFP/Getty Images Roumier at a glance Born 1958 Education Dijon University, graduated in oenology in 1980 Vineyard area 12.6ha Hobbies Has a house and olive groves in France’s Alpes-Maritimes; cycling and travel Favourite wines Northern Rhône, Barolo, German Riesling THE THE DAY BEFORE going to visit Christophe Roumier, I asked some of his neighbours what questions I should pose. The reply came as a chorus: ‘Ask him why he doesn’t reply to emails!’ Indeed, I too have long experienced the same problem. The topic slipped my mind…

The Decanter guarantee Our buying guide is here to provide you with trusted, independent, expert recommendations on what to buy, what to drink and what to cellar. Each panel tasting is judged by three experienced tasters chosen for their authority in the category of wine being rated. All wines are tasted blind and are pre-poured for judges in flights of eight to 10 wines. Our three experts taste and score their set of wines individually but then discuss their scores together at the end of each flight. Any wines on which scores are markedly different are retasted; however, judges are under no obligation to amend their scores. Judges are encouraged to look for typicity in wines, rewarding those which are true to their region. Prices are…

COTE DE BEAUNE REDS Outstanding 95–97pts Antoine Olivier, Les Charmes, Santenay  2015 Decanter average score: 96/100pts Individual judges’ scores: Jason Haynes 96 Andy Howard MW 96 Jasper Morris MW 96 £30-£32 Exel, Hallgarten Druiit & Novum, Vin Cognito It is now 10 years since Antoine and Rachel Olivier made the move from Santenay-le-Haut to Vincent Girardin’s old premises down the road in Santenay-le-Bas. This has afforded them more space in the cellar and more freedom over when to bottle. The estate has been certified organic since 2011. Les Charmes comes from the southern part of the commune, just below the premier cru Clos Rousseau, rich in marl and clay. Some whole clusters are always added to the fermentation vat. Jason Haynes Mix of fruits, fairly savoury and clean, nice length,…

Decanter PANEL TASTING The results A tasting that prompted mixed reactions, reports Tina Gellie, with the pendulum perhaps swinging too far away from Australia’s customary richer Chardonnay styles ‘The wines we all enjoyed had well-integrated oak and fruit picked at perfect ripeness’ Giles Cooke MW A SPIRITED DISCUSSION followed this tasting, which our experts said illustrated both the good and the bad of Australian Chardonnay. On a positive note, Anthony Rose said the best examples were ‘wonderful, complete, balanced wines with all the complexity you could wish for’. Roger Jones noted the ‘astonishing and fascinating variety of styles, even though we were only looking at two states – we’re not even talking about the world-class Chardonnays of Margaret River or Adelaide Hills’. The negatives were much more complex, the…

Highly Recommended 90–94pts ‘An astonishing and fascinating variety of styles, even though we were only looking at two Australian states’ Roger Jones Giant Steps, Sexton Vineyard, Yarra Valley, Victoria 2016 92 GC 91 RJ 92 AR 92 £27.25-£32.99 Exel, Liberty, Vin Cognito Fresh and cool on the nose, with a peachy, restrained expression on the palate, adding complexity and length. The acid finish gives an added dimension. Drink 2017-2023 Alc 13.5% Jack Rabbit, Bellarine Peninsula, Victoria 2015 91 GC 92 RJ 90 AR 90 N/A UK www.jackrabbitvineyard.com.au An attractive touch of nutty oak promises and delivers an appealing style combining nutty oak and savoury fruit character. It’s relatively restrained and very drinkable with juicy acidity on the finish. Drink 2017-2022 Alc 13% Mandala, Yarra Valley, Victoria 2016 91 GC…

RESTAURANTS Pique-Nique London By Fiona Beckett Go into the park and after the tennis courts turn right at the children’s playground. There’s a funny old building in the corner – that’s it. Don’t follow Google maps.’ Not the most reassuring set of instructions when you’re heading for a restaurant you’re trying for the first time. The timbered dining room – a cross between an old Berni Inn and a Normandy auberge – isn’t the coolest either, except in a self-consciously retro way. But I hadn’t come for the decor, I’d come for the chicken. Pique-nique is an offshoot of the equally quirky Casse-Croûte, which is just round the corner in Bermondsey Street, London SE1 (about 10 minutes walk from the Shard, in case you think I’m dragging you into the…

Top 10 tips for visiting Champagne houses 1 Always make an appointment well in advance. You’ll be better looked after if you’re expected, and most houses and growers don’t accept visitors at all without an appointment. 2 Book accommodation and top restaurants months in advance during the peak seasons of summer and autumn. 3 Avoid weekends and public holidays – most estates only receive visitors on work days. 4 Allow plenty of time for appointments. Two to three houses or three to four growers a day is a busy schedule. 59am is an early start in Champagne, and many prefer 10am appointments. Avoid 12pm-2pm, as everyone stops for lunch (as should you). You might have time for two appointments after lunch, and it’s often fine to continue a visit into…

John Stimpfig ‘We will now generate more than 1,000 new tasting notes a month’ UNSURPRISINGLY, I LOVE my job, but it does have occasional frustrations. One is asking other, more expert palates go to incredible tastings, which I can’t attend. However, I make the personal sacrifice because I know how much you, dear reader, like and value a really good note from our crack team of tasters. A bigger frustration is not being able to include more – and indeed longer – notes in the magazine from the huge number of diverse tastings we cover. From our research we know that you’d like to see more recommendations. But as with all things in life and wine, it’s a question of balance. We just don’t have the space in the printed…

In brief Notorious wine counterfeiter Rudy Kurniawan is to remain in prison, after a US district judge refused to reduce his 10-year sentence at a hearing in New York. Kurniawan was convicted in 2013 of making and selling hundreds of fake fine wines from his LA home. A hoard of World War II hand grenades has been discovered in an abandoned outbuilding near St-Emilion vineyards. ‘They had almost certainly been stashed there by Resistance fighters,’ reported Decanter’s Jane Anson, whose friend uncovered the weapons while renovating a 17th-century outhouse in Montagne St-Emilion. An experiment in London found that the same wine can taste 15% better if it follows the sound of a cork popping. ‘The sound and sight of a cork sets our expectations before the wine has even touched…

Andrew Jefford ‘The greatest wines often have a lovely unloveliness at their heart’ NO WINE IS more sipped, but less tasted, than Champagne. For most of its drinkers, it’s a social marker. Clutching a flute of Champagne is a secular rite – to denote achievement, happiness, success, or to shine a light on any of the significant waymarks in life. What it actually tastes like is secondary, perhaps irrelevant. Indeed, given its high acidity levels and the ever-decreasing levels of dosage decreed by today’s zeitgeist, I suspect that many of those happy, starry-eyed celebrants must secretely suffer it rather than relish it. Decanter readers – a breed apart, as usual – are indeed interested in tasting Champagne rather than merely enacting a ritual, and I wish you much pleasure with…

DECANTER PROMOTION Can Sala and La Freixeneda The original icons from the Freixenet Family The Ferrer Family make wine right across northern Spain, from east to west, as well as internationally. Yet their history and their heart lies in Penedès, and specifically in the glorious estate of La Freixeneda, a family house among the vines. Pere Ferrer Bosch was the youngest son of winegrowers, and nicknamed ‘El Freixenet’ from the name of the estate. In the early twentieth century he married Dolors Sala Vivé , daughter of another wine business. It was an ideal marriage of two ambitious vignerons. In 1914 the couple launched their first sparkling wine, using Pere Ferrer’s nickname – Freixenet – for the brand. Sadly Dolors lost both her husband and one of her sons in…

DECANTER PROMOTION YALUMBA FAMILY VIGNERONS C.1849 The motivations that drove 37 year old brewer Samuel Smith to leave the comfort of a multi-generational family in Wareham, Dorset in the South West of England in 1847, are little different to the aspirations of emigrants wishing to start new lives on the other side of the world in the 21st century. Religious persecution, political unrest, a dead-end job in a failing economy, a lack of future opportunity for one’s family (not to mention the weather) were the evergreen concerns of Samuel and his wife Mary when they chose to uplift their four children, and sail off to the promise of a better life in South Australia. In 1849 Samuel leased a 30-acre block of land from John Angas (son of South Australia’s…

Kelley’s pick: eight delicious Oregon Pinot Noirs Résonance, Résonance Vineyard, Yamhill-Carlton, Willamette Valley 2014 94 £55 Berry Bros & Rudd, BI, Fine & Rare, Harrods, IG Wines, Hatch Mansfield Complex pot pourri, black cherry, orange rind, cocoa and spice is followed by a full-bodied, savoury palate. Fine but firm tannins, good depth and balancing acidity. Jadot has really hit the ground running in Oregon. Drink 2017-2025 Alcohol 13.5% Domaine Drouhin Oregon, Laurène, Dundee Hills, Willamette Valley 2013 93 £45-£59 (2012) AG Wines, Berry Bros & Rudd, Harvey Nichols, Noel Young Aromas of cherry and bergamot, cedar and spice are the prelude to the most multidimensional, concentrated wine in the Drouhin portfolio in this vintage, structured around fine-grained, savoury tannins with impressive depth and amplitude. Not appreciably riper, just more serious.…

Brook’s view: a rare taste of Domaine G Roumier With one exception, these wines were tasted at the domaine in July 2017, having just completed their malolactic fermentation. For information on pricing and availability, please contact UK importer Domaine Direct. Georges Roumier, Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Amoureuses, Burgundy 2016 97 Barrel sample. Airy, ethereal nose, poised and pure, showing lovely raspberry fruit and incomparable charm. Fresh, limpid and airy, yet very concentrated, with fine-grained tannins, impeccable balance, and a very long, lifted finish. Drink 2022-2045 Alc N/A Georges Roumier, Musigny Grand Cru, Burgundy 2016 97 New oak barrel sample. Deep red. Voluptuous raspberry nose, vibrant and seductive. Fresh attack, lean and intense, with fine-grained tannins supporting the mouthwatering fruit. Lifted and precise, with very good length. Drink 2022-2045 Alc N/A…

Two to try: M&S wines from the Hospices de Beaune auction Both wines matured and bottled by Lucien Le Moine for Marks & Spencer Hospices de Beaune, Cuvée Goureau Meursault, Burgundy, France 2014 94 £65 M&S Complex and profound, an intensely savoury Meursault from a top-notch white vintage. Full of roasted nut and zingy red apple flavours. The palate is tense, textured and resonant with bass tones. Still young and steely – will benefit from decanting and time in bottle once opened. Drink 2018-2024 Alc 13.5% Hospices de Beaune, Cuvée Jehan de Massol Volnay-Santenots 1er Cru, Burgundy, France 2014 93 £65 M&S Perfumed and engaging, but still young. This is fairly forceful in character, with dark fruit, gamey and earthy aromas leading into a spicy, layered, savoury-sweet palate profile. Fine-textured,…

Montalcino: the facts TERROIR Latitude 42°90’N to 43°11’N Administrative area 243km2 Vineyard areas Brunello di Montalcino 2,100ha Rosso di Montalcino 510ha Vineyard elevation Approx 120m-600m Climate Warm, dry Mediterranean Average annual rainfall 700mm Average July temperature 21.6°C Average September day/night temperature excursion 9°C Soils Mixed, principally sandy clay, marl, limestone and galestro in various combinations Producers 250 Annual production Brunello 9 million bottles Rosso 4.5 million bottles PRODUCTION NORMS Brunello di Montalcino Grape 100% Sangiovese, known locally as Brunello Yields Max 8,000kg/ha Ageing 4 years, of which minimum 2 years in oak barrels Rosso di Montalcino Grape 100% Sangiovese, known locally as Brunello Yields Max 9,000kg/ha Ageing 1 year…

STEVEN SPURRIER’S fine wine world Decanter’s long-standing consultant editor and 2017 Decanter Man of the Year hand-picks fine wines for drinking now and recommends others to lay down, all priced from £25 upwards From the cellar L’Académie du Vin de Tokyo 30th In 1986 I visited Japan for the first time and the following year saw the creation of l’Académie du Vin de Tokyo, a branch of my Paris wine school. In September I was present at a dinner for 80 guests at the Park Hyatt to celebrate its 30th Anniversary. With the exception of a deliciously modern Joseph Drouhin, Beaune 1er Cru Clos des Mouches 2015 with the first fish course, the four other wines were all from 1987. We started with a Moutard, Millésime Blanc de Blancs Champagne…

Decanter PANEL TASTING The results Much to like in an impressive range of approachable red Burgundies, mostly from 2015, that reveal the individuality of their village origins, reports Christelle Guibert ‘The freshness of the Pinot Noir really came through, with a lot of fruit and structure’ Andy Howard MW THIS IS THE first time we have assessed many different Burgundy villages in the same line-up and the results show that, even in Burgundy, one can find stunning quality at a fair price. Although Burgundy often makes headlines these days for exorbitant prices, beyond the famous names the wines can be difficult to sell. Jasper Morris MW explained: ‘So much has been concentrated into the famous names. For these lesser appellations, when in the range of a top grower, of…

Decanter PANEL TASTING Highly Recommended 90–94pts ‘It was a series of lovely wines in different styles. Each flight was from a different village, so it was fascinating to see how they all stood up together’ Jasper Morris MW Domaine Petitot, Vieilles Vignes, Ladoix 2015 94 JH 94 AH 94 JM 94 POA Roberson Stylish strawberry coulis bouquet along with some blacker fruit. Tighter and leaner than expected on the palate, but the fruit is classy and the length is there – will unfold beautifully. Drink 2019-2023 Alc 13% Domaine Chevalier, Ladoix 2015 93 JH 92 AH 93 JM 94 £28.60-£32.99 Exel, Liberty A youthful albeit concentrated nose, with some emerging floral touches. There’s intense fruit on the palate, which is still backward, though with a suggestion of more to…

The judges Giles Cooke MW Cooke graduated with a degree in history but realised early on that a career in wine was his goal. He worked at Majestic until the lure of his native Scotland saw him join Alliance Wine, where he is currently wine development director. Cooke completed his Master of Wine in 2001 and now spends a lot of time in South Australia, where he makes Thistledown wines for Alliance. Roger Jones Jones owns the Michelin-starred restaurant The Harrow at Little Bedwyn, and combines his kitchen duties with a love of wine. A consultant chef, he hosts food and matching events in the UK and abroad, and is also a writer for UK wine-trade publications. Jones is heavily involved with numerous charities, and founded The Mamba Riedel Decanter…

Highly Recommended (continued) 90–94pts ‘I detected a fear of going over the top in oak, in alcohol, and even in fruitiness, which resulted in leanness, lack of fruit’ Anthony Rose Elmswood Estate, Yarra Valley, Victoria 2015 90 GC 90 RJ 89 AR 90 N/A UK www.elmswoodestate.com.au Smoky citrus, baked pear and a well-integrated, subtle touch of oak on the nose. Fresh and juicy citrus fruits on the mid-palate, providing richness and a succulent texture. Drink 2017-2022 Alc 13% Levantine Hill, Yarra Valley, Victoria 2015 90 GC 92 RJ 89 AR 89 N/A UK www.levantinehill.com.au An attractive and creamy yet crisp style. An initial texture of soft stone fruit, cantaloupe melon and clementine spice intensity, which is etched by a fine blade of salty acidity. Drink 2017-2021 Alc 13.5% Onannon,…

Stelzer’s favourite places to stay Baradon-Michaudet, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger Le Mesnil-sur-Oger is the most famous grand cru in all of Champagne, and its narrow streets are home to many small growers worthy of visiting. Baradon-Michaudet is the best B&B in the area. This delightful grower family offers spacious rooms in a historic house in the heart of the village. Each room is authentically country French in its homely and slightly over-decorated way. www.champagne-baradon-michaudet.com La Chevalée Chambres d’Hôte, Hautvillers Olivier and Cécile Fedyk have transformed their 1750 butchery with 60cm-thick stone walls, using as many original materials from the property as possible, while achieving a modern and luxurious feel. From the main street of Hautvillers (the historic village of Dom Pérignon himself, perched high on the Montagne de Reims), all rooms enjoy…

READERS’ QUERIES Notes & Queries Each month our experts answer readers’ wine queries and share their knowledge This month’s experts Michael Garner is co-author of Barolo: Tar and Roses Sebastian Riley-Smith is co-founder of Smith & Taylor Fine Wine Storage David Lapsley is general manager at The Taynuil-Etive Restaurant in Argyll Digestif discovery I was recently given a bottle of Cocchi’s Barolo Chinato. It seems to be a liqueur, which my wife and I have enjoyed as an after-dinner treat. Can you tell me more about Chinato, and suggest other producers to seek out. C Victa, Walnut Creek CA Michael Garner replies: Barolo Chinato is an aromatised wine (such as vermouth) made by adding a maceration of herbs and spices to Barolo DOCG. It was invented in the late 1800s,…

Decanter Wine Legends Pol Roger, Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill 2000 Champagne, France A legend because… First made in 1975, this cuvée has become one of Champagne’s best and most admired wines. As a vintage, it is only made in top years and aged for about nine years before release. The warm conditions in 2000 particularly suited the rich, weighty style of the cuvée. Looking back Pol Roger was founded in 1849, in Epernay. For decades it was Winston Churchill’s favourite Champagne (his first order was in 1908), but the personal connection can be traced back to the liberation of Paris in 1944, when a lunch organised by Lady Diana Cooper brought Odette Pol-Roger and Churchill together. The two got along famously, establishing a long-lived friendship. When Churchill died in 1965,…

Jane Anson ‘Latour has ushered in new ways of selling wine in Bordeaux’ THERE WAS A minor spat a few months ago over the performance of Pauillac legend Château Latour on the secondary market. Trading platform Liv-ex reported that sales volume for Latour had dropped way behind its first-growth siblings (Lafite’s sales are reportedly quadruple that of Latour); while wine ratings site Wine Lister rejoined that Latour’s performance in auction house sales was robust and in fact it’s the only first growth to have seen two quarters of trading growth. The argument arose because since the 2011 en primeur campaign Latour has dropped out of the traditional selling system for top Bordeaux wines, meaning that its last five vintages are not yet available to buyers. The debate is basically over…

Can Sala, Cava de Paraje Calificado, vintage by vintage Can Sala is a blend of two of Cava’s classic varieties, Xarel.lo and Parellada. Each year Josep Buján makes his selection from the series of separate small fermentations. 2004 , the first vintage, was a blend of 70% Xarel.lo and 30% Parellada, harvested ripe, producing a golden wine. More than a decade on, the wine shows a vibrant intensity with notes of lime curd. 2005 is very different, despite using the same blend of varieties. Notes of apple, pear and cantaloupe melon followed by a silky, creamy midpalate. Exceptionally refined and elegant. 2006 is a blend of 50% Parellada and 50% Xarel.lo. The cava has a superfine mousse, and marvellous complexity in the mouth: from notes of pineapple and citrus, to…

AUSTRALIA Top 50 Margaret River buys It’s 50 years since the first commercial vines were planted in this famous corner of Western Australia. Peter Forrestal considers what makes the region so highly regarded, and recommends 50 great wines to try ‘It’s Australia’s premier Cabernet region, its Chardonnays are among the country’s finest, and many of these are world-class wines’ MARGARET RIVER IS celebrating 50 years of winemaking in style: the region has never made better wines. It’s Australia’s premier Cabernet region, its Chardonnays are among the country’s finest, and many of these are world-class wines. No one else in Australia is making better everyday whites than its Semillon-Sauvignon Blanc blends, and the experimentation of the past decade has led to a raft of Bordeaux blanc lookalikes that have critics and…

ORGANIC & BIODYNAMIC BUYS 30 best-value organic & biodynamic wines Shoppers the world over have embraced organic produce, but for wine the adoption process seems to be advancing at a slower pace. Jane Anson comes to the rescue with 30 great buys, all under £30 THE IDEA OF buying locally, cooking with seasonal ingredients and supporting responsible farming has become so embedded in food culture as to barely raise an eyebrow these days. And yet there is still far less acceptance of this with wine, even though – as with food – plenty of bottles are produced for a mass audience, with shortcuts taken along the way to ensure they taste good without costing a fortune to make. I wanted to write a book to celebrate the winemakers who rally…

BURGUNDY Not just any Burgundy... At the prestigious charity auction that’s an annual highlight of the wine trade, Peter Richards MW gets the inside track on how wines bought here are helping one UK retailer to tap into a growing premium sector Photograph: Patrick Aventurier/Stringer/Getty Images ‘It’s great that the Hospices is more about the wine, charity and people than just business and prices’ Mounir Saouma ‘EN VOULEZ-VOUS MONSIEUR?’ The auctioneer conducts the room like an orchestra, his insistent refrain urging potential buyers on from the stage. Sitting a discreet distance from the front is a hunched bidder, ostensibly studying the brochure, in reality alert to every fleeting detail of the buzzy, fluid auction. The bidding moves onto a Meursault premier cru. The bidder has had sotto voce instructions…

UNESCO The World Heritage wine regions Being granted UNESCO World Heritage status is a feather in the cap of any wine region boasting superb landscapes or a long wine-growing tradition. Rebecca Gibb MW explores the rocky path to selection A CROCODILE OF poncho-wearing tourists trail behind a cruise-ship guide in the aftermath of a downpour in St-Emilion. It’s an unseasonably soggy summer day in the medieval town and the steep, narrow lanes are treacherous, but that’s not deterring thousands of visitors: American voices mingle with French, German and Chinese, filling the cafés and keeping the wine stores – which advertise that they ‘speak English with a French accent’ – ticking over. In 2019 it will be 20 years since the town achieved UNESCO World Heritage status, and a survey by…

SPONSORED GUIDE Brunello di Montalcino: 16 benchmark wines from older vintages Every wine lover should have some of Montalcino’s finest Sangioveses in their cellar. Richard Baudains highlights a selection that are drinking beautifully today Baricci 1988 98 Dark bright ruby centre and tawny rim. Gorgeous, fresh, complex nose of roasted chestnut, eucalyptus, fig leaf, hint of truffle, sweet spices and plum jam. Smooth and silky, lovely, even progression, beautifully interwoven tannins, huge length with peacock tail array of aromas. Great wine. Drink 2017-2025 Alcohol 13.5% Capanna 2006 97 From every producer’s favourite vintage. Deep ruby, no hint of a rim. Intense, concentrated wild berry nose, side notes of undergrowth and sweet liquorice. Still young and fresh. Huge concentration of red fruit on the palate, with crisp, crunchy tannins that still…

Weekday wines Looking to try something different or adventurous, but don’t want to make an expensive mistake? Decanter’s tastings director Christelle Guibert has done the hard work for you, picking out 25 exciting and accessible wines available in the UK for £25 or less Deviation Road, Reserve Brut Pinot Noir Chardonnay, Adelaide Hills, South Australia NV 90 £17.99 All About Wine Kate Laurie trained in Champagne and it shows. With 30% Chardonnay, 70% Pinot Noir, this is a delightful offering, showing notes of ripe apple, nougat and a touch of brioche and a lovely persistent stream of fine bubbles. Alcohol 12% Domaine des Gerbeaux, St-Véran, Burgundy, France 2015 91 £12.95 Berry Bros & Rudd The summer heatwave in 2015 was a worry, but light rain came to the rescue and…

The judges Jason Haynes Haynes is director and buyer at Burgundy specialist Flint Wines. He set up the company with Sam Clarke in 2006, having previously been buying director with OW Loeb. Haynes is a judge at the Decanter World Wine Awards, and spends much of his time tasting in Burgundy, seeking out the next generation of superstars. Andy Howard MW Howard is a frequent contributor to Decanter. A Master of Wine since 2011, he runs a consultancy business Vinetrades Ltd, which focuses on education, investment and sourcing. His key areas of expertise are Burgundy and Italy, but he also takes a keen interest in the wines of southwest France, owning a house in Gaillac, where he has made wine for six vintages. Jasper Morris MW Morris is the Burgundy…

COOL-CLIMATE AUSTRALIAN CHARDONNAY Outstanding 95–97pts Brokenwood, Indigo Vineyard, Beechworth, Victoria 2016 Decanter average score: 95/100pts Individual judges’ scores: Giles Cooke MW 95 Roger Jones 96 Anthony Rose 95 £35 Exel Wines Brokenwood was established in 1970 by Sydney-based solicitors Tony Albert, John Beeston and James Halliday. The original block in Hunter Valley was destined to be a cricket ground for the local community, but was instead planted with Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz. Today, 17 different wines are produced under the Brokenwood brand, encompassing regions all over Australia. After witnessing the success of Beechworth Chardonnay from Giaconda winery, Brokenwood acquired the Indigo Vineyard, and they became neighbours in 1990. Giles Cooke MW Subtle, nutty and complex. A weighty palate, well integrated, mouthwatering flavours of honey, ginger and hazelnuts. Roger Jones Real…

EXPERT’S CHOICE Old-vine South Africa A landmark tasting of wines produced from South Africa’s oldest vine stock was both fascinating and revealing. Nancy Gilchrist MW picks her favourites of the day ‘Remarkably, South Africa has no fewer than 39 grape varieties in its list of old vineyards’ IN JUNE 2017, South Africa House in Trafalgar Square, London, was the venue for a landmark tasting. The Old Vine Project had come to town, and on offer were some of the most exciting wines yet to emerge from the Cape. The Old Vine Project (OVP) had its roots in 2002 when leading viticulturist Rosa Kruger (see September 2016 issue) began searching out old vineyards – minimum 35 years – because they ‘reflect the earth and the terroir they grow in... Age in…

Akihiko Yamamoto My Tokyo It blends old with new in seamless fashion, and is home to some of the world’s finest restaurants, but, says Akihiko Yamamoto, it’s impossible to capture Tokyo’s allure in a single visit TOKYO IS A fusion of tradition and modernity. In the upmarket shopping area of Ginza I can buy premium global brands before walking down towards Tsukiji market, the biggest and oldest wholesale fish and seafood market in the world. On the way, it gives me a strange feeling to stand in front of Kabukiza Theatre (Tokyo’s principal theatre for traditional kabuki drama) and see this palace of culture, built 130 years ago, surrounded by shiny skyscrapers. There are few other cities where you can experience so much history as well as the latest fashions…

Grape varieties with Julia Harding MW Photograph: Lyrarakis Vidiano Vidiano is a rare but renascent variety from the Greek island of Crete, closely related, according to DNA profiling, to Thrapsathiri, another promising rarity indigenous to this, the largest of all the Greek islands, and to Vilana, the most widely planted variety on Crete. At one time Vidiano was found only in old mixed vineyards, particularly in Rethymnon, but in the last 20 years or so producers such as Douloufakis and Lyrarakis have planted new vineyards using cuttings from those old vines and the variety is now being propagated by a local nursery. (Credit should also go to Boutari, who was the first to replant in the early 1990s.) There are now about 100ha on the island. Wines tend to have…

Decanter Fine wine price watch Below are the most recent merchant case prices (equivalent 12 x 750ml bottles) for wines that are actively traded among a global network of merchants on Liv-ex, the fine wine market. Liv-ex records transactions between its merchant members in the UK, US, Asia and Europe. All prices are in GBP and exclude sales tax. The numbers in red indicate those prices which have changed since last month. The Liv-ex Fine Wine 100 Index represents the price movement of 100 of the most sought-after fine wines for which there is a strong secondary market and is calculated monthly. The majority of the index consists of Bordeaux wines – a reflection of the overall market – although wines from Burgundy, the Rhône, Champagne and Italy are also…