Innehållsförteckning för Apr-2018 från Decanter

In brief Château Franc Mayne has become the latest high-profile Bordeaux winery to be sold. Jean-Pierre Savare, chairman of Oberthur Finance, bought control of the St-Emilion grand cru classé estate, owned by Griet Van Malderen and Hervé Laviale since 2005. Savare has asked Martine Cazeneuve to oversee Franc Mayne. Tenuta San Guido’s anticipated Sassicaia 2015 has been released via Armit Wines, the estate’s exclusive UK importer. Priced at £565 for a six-bottle case, in bond, Sassicaia 2015 is available en primeur and will be shipped in summer. Tenuta San Guido has compared 2015 to the celebrated 1985 vintage, a former Decanter Wine Legend. Increased sales in China and across Asia have buoyed Treasury Wine Estates in the first half of its financial year, after its decision to cut volume supply…

Andrew Jefford ‘The era of billionaire ownership in Burgundy has begun’ IF YOU’RE LUCKY enough to own your house, when did you buy it? When did the previous owner purchase it? How many owners has it had in the last century: a dozen? Maybe more? Considerations of this sort were the reason why I always stepped up the little fenced, stepped portico and through the imposing oak door of Clos de Tart, in the middle of Morey-St-Denis, with reverence. The walled vineyard stretches away up the hill behind the small property, its modest winery and its magnificently deep cellars. Its 7.5ha of vines (planted, unusually, north-south, along the contour of the hill) are nourished by soil which, astonishingly, had only seen three owners in 875 years, setting aside a short…

Promotional feature Bodegas Protos Founding father of Spain’s Ribera del Duero It’s a rare occurrence when the name of a producer ends up becoming and representing the name of an entire wine-making region. However, this is precisely the distinguished accomplishment Bodegas Protos has achieved. Founded in 1927 by 11 growers, it is the oldest winery of this region and it initially went by the name Ribera de Duero; Ribera del Duero now, of course, being universally recognised as one of Spain’s preeminent regions. Yet, it has never stood still; an example being branching out into the region of Rueda in 2006 to concentrate on top-end Verdejo, as well as opening a brand-new cellar ten years ago designed by the famed architect, Richard Rogers, which when co-joined with the old tunnels…

Meet Rodolfo Bastida CEO of Bodegas Ramón Bilbao and Rioja oenologist Rodolfo Bastida stumbled into the world of wine by chance, though his family owned a farm in the Rioja region. After graduating in agricultural engineering, Bastida started working for a company in the wine sector as a technician. Here he developed a love of characterful wines and an obsession with experimenting, which eventually brought him to winemaking. After taking a Master’s degree in oenology and viticulture, he joined Bodegas Bretón, where he spent eight years gaining vital experience of winemaking at this expanding winery. In 1999, at the age of just 31, he was appointed CEO at Ramón Bilbao, where he immediately implemented a major renovation of the winery and introduced an innovative new approach to its wine production.…

Timeline of major achievement 1870 Maximiano Errázuriz founds his eponymous winery in Aconcagua 1983 Family takes back control of Viña Errázuriz; Eduardo Chadwick joins 1985 Travels to Bordeaux and Burgundy 1987 Marries María Eugenia 1991 Meets Robert Mondavi in Chile 1992 Plants his father’s polo field in Puente Alto to form Viñedo Chadwick 1994 UK agency Hatch Mansfield acquired by Viña Errázuriz, Louis Jadot and Villa Maria 1995 Joint venture with Robert Mondavi to create Seña 1998 New dedicated vineyard for Seña planted in Ocoa 1999 Viña Errázuriz becomes Principal Supporter of Institute of Masters of Wine 2002 Summits Mount Aconcagua, the highest peak outside Asia, brandishing a bottle of Don Maximiano Founder’s Reserve ➢ 2003 Helps re-establish Wines of Chile’s UK office 2004 Viña Errázuriz assumes sole control of…

MULTI-VINTAGE BLENDS A wine of many years Multi-vintage blends may sound like a novel idea, but they’re part of a long tradition. What’s more, says Anthony Rose, they offer creative freedom for innovative winemakers Photographs: LOOK Die Bildagentur der Fotografen GmbH, Andrey Kuzmin/Alamy WHERE WOULD WINE be without its vintages? The concept of vintage is so ingrained in our psyche that the very name itself has become an all-singing, all-dancing descriptor for products as diverse as cars, watches, dresses and even football. Vintage is a great hook: the key to the values of fine wines in the marketplace, the cheat’s guide to wine, a vertical stroll through the back pages of fine wine. Without vintages, there would be no vertical tastings, no heated debates about the weather and no guessing-the-year…

A selection of top southern Rhônes Wines (red unless otherwise stated) are listed by appellation, from north to south, then by score, then alphabetically by producer. Prices, stockists and alcohols are given where possible Full tasting notes on Decanter.com/premium Vinsobres Famille Perrin, Les Hauts de Julien 94 £16.50 (ib)-£23.6 Big Red Wine, Farr Vintners, Goedhuis & Co, Tanners Concentrated palate of vibrant herbal black fruit. with integrated oak adding complexity and spice. Good tannic grip and fine acidity. A punchy beast. Drink 2019-2026 Domaine de Montine 92 £10.54 Christopher Piper TOP VALUE Blackberry, plum and spice nose. Fresh, textured palate. Excellent concentration and freshness with ripe acidity. Drink 2018-2021 Domaine l’Ancienne Ecole, L’Essentiel 92 NEWCOMER Bright black cherry and aniseed. Full-bodied, plush texture, raked up by sharp tannins.…

Newton Vineyard – a timeline 1977 Peter and Dr Su Hua Newton buy land and found winery 1978 Winemaker Ric Forman joins as partner 1979 First vintage is made from purchased grapes 1983 Forman leaves; John Kongsgaard becomes winemaker 1990 Debut of Newton Unfiltered Chardonnay 1997 Kongsgaard leaves 2001 LVMH buys majority share 2003 The Pino Solo pine tree symbol debuts on Newton labels 2008 Peter Newton dies 2012 Jean-Guillaume Prats becomes president of Moët-Hennessy Estates & Wines 2014 Rob Mann joins Newton as winemaker 2016 Douglas fir that serves as the winery’s Pino Solo emblem topples 2017 Newton’s 40th anniversary and launch of three single-vineyard Cabernets 2017 Prats and Mann leave…

McCoy’s pick: the best of Newton Vineyard Newton, Chardonnay, Knights Valley, Sonoma County 2014 92 N/A UK www.newtonvineyard.com Of the winery’s two single-vineyard Chardonnays, this one comes from a north-facing volcanic slope in Sonoma’s Knights Valley and was my favourite thanks to its savoury, mineral-inflected character and the dialled-down ripeness of its fruit. Drink 2018-2028 Alcohol 14% Newton, Unfiltered Chardonnay, Napa Valley 2014 90 £42 Clos 19, Edencroft, Justerini & Brooks Intense and layered, this wine has more vibrancy and minerality than it did in the past, though it still has the lush texture that people loved, thanks to barrel-fermenting with native yeasts. The fruit comes primarily from cool Carneros. Drink 2018-2025 Alc 14% Newton, Mt Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2014 94 £140 Clos 19 Dark and intense, with…

Cork and TCA: the facts Photographs: Carla Capalbo • TCA (2,4,6-trichloroanisole) is a chemical compound created when natural fungi come into contact with chlorides (specifically 2,4,6-trichlorophenol or TCP) which are found in bleach, other fungicides and pesticides. • As well as cork, TCA can attach to wood, cardboard and plastics – including the linings of screwcaps and glass closures. • TCA does not travel through cork. It can only be transferred to wine if it comes into direct contact with it. • You can sometimes improve a corked wine by pouring it into a jug lined with plastic food wrap for several minutes, as the polyethylene in the wrap attracts the TCA away from the wine. • According to research published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, the…

25 UNDER £25 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 Camin Larredya, La Part Davant, Jurançon Sec, Southwest France 2016 92 £19 H2Vin This is a blend of Gros and Petit Manseng with a touch of Petit Courbu. A unique style with pungent tropical aromas and a hint of honey. Full-bodied, but with focused white fruits and a tangy acidity to keep the wine fresh. This is a wine full of personality. Alcohol 14% Jean-Paul Brun, Terres Dorées, Chardonnay Classic, Beaujolais, France 2016 91 £12.40 Savage Selection This white Beaujolais is made by…

PANEL TASTING The results Lussac was the surprise star of these four communes, but all offered affordable drinking and very good quality – when not marred by new oak. Tina Gellie reports WHILE THE RESULTS might not immediately suggest it, our experts were impressed by this line-up from the St-Emilion satellite communes of Lussac, Montagne, St-Georges and Puisseguin. ‘I’d urge Decanter readers to rush out and buy the top wines here,’ enthused Andrew Jefford. ‘2015 is a lovely vintage, and the best of the producers here did a fantastic job with it.’ Stephen Brook agreed. ‘These wines have a reputation for rusticity, which is often well deserved, but I was astonished by how good some of them were.’ Tim Sykes had been expecting ‘a lot of high-octane, over-extracted not particularly…

The judges Stephen Brook Brook has been a contributing editor to Decanter since 1996. He is the author of almost 40 books, including The Complete Bordeaux, now the definitive study of the region, and The Wines of California, which won three awards. His most recent book is The Wines of Austria. Brook also fully revised the last two editions of Hugh Johnson’s Wine Companion. Alex Hunt MW Hunt is purchasing director for Berkmann Wine Cellars. He became a Master of Wine in 2010, completing a dissertation on ripeness trends in California, and receiving the Madame Bollinger Medal for excellence in tasting. He wrote a regular tasting column for JancisRobinson.com and has been a DWWA judge for over a decade. Stefan Neumann MS Neumann is head sommelier at Dinner by Heston…

PANEL TASTING The results With impressive consistency, identifiable regional styles, notable older vintages and terrific value for money, the panel found plenty to praise, reports John Stimpfig LOOKING AT THE results, there wasn’t much doubt about the success of this two-day tasting of 133 Australian Rieslings. Equally, the post-match analysis and comments of the judges were just as positive. Roger Jones described it as ‘an absolutely amazing tasting’. Sarah Knowles and Anthony Rose agreed, praising the quality and ‘phenomenal consistency’. For Rose, Aussie Riesling’s recognisable style is as impressive as it is important. Nearly all the wines were dry with no obvious oak, he noted. They were also crisp, with good lemon and lime fruit, terrific balance and moderate alcohol. ‘So if you like dry, fresh, aromatic white wines, you…

EXPERT’S CHOICE The Cabernet contenders Move over Malbec – Cabernet Sauvignon is making a name for itself in Argentina. Alistair Cooper MW selects 18 bottles that reveal the grape’s considerable potential IN BOXING PARLANCE, Malbec is the undisputed heavyweight champion of Argentina, a title it has held for many years. Its closest contenders are Cabernets Franc and Sauvignon. Despite Bonarda’s significant plantings, it can’t compete in the same division. So what kind of shape is Argentinian Cabernet Sauvignon in at the moment, and just how well can it perform? The flavour profile of Cabernet Sauvignon on the eastern side of the Andes is quite distinct to that of neighbouring Chile, where deep cassis, spice-laden, often minty styles are found. In Argentina, with its continental climate, Cabernet tends to be rounder,…

Signorello Estate Photograph: Stars and Stripes/Alamy A week after my visit to Napa to research this article, devastating forest fires swooped down on the valley, causing enormous damage and considerable loss of life. Most of the Silverado Trail wineries had a very close call, but the Signorello visitor centre was burnt to the ground (although the vineyards and wine stocks were spared). It would be a cruel additional blow to delete Signorello from this article, but equally it makes little sense to give practical guidance to visit a facility that at present does not exist, even though plans are under way to rebuild it. In-house sommelier Ron Plunkett and chef Tyler Stone are hosting dinners throughout the US to maintain the visibility of Signorello while the new building is being…

Tasting notes decoded Melon Although there are many types of melon – watermelon, canteloupes, crenshaw, to name a few – when we talk about melon flavours in wine, we generally mean those associated with the honeydew melon. In the wine tasting lexicon, melon is found among other tropical fruits such as pineapple, lychee and mango. The flavour profile of ripe melon is generally fruity, fresh and sweet, although its sugar content is not normally as high as that of pineapple. Rosé wines can be a good place to find melon notes, particularly Provence rosés, such as Domaine Gavoty 2013, and some Californian rosés, like Arnot-Roberts, Clear Lake Rosé, Lake County 2016. Melon can also be found in rosé Champagnes, such as De Castelnau, Rosé Champagne NV, where fruity melon is…

Commemorative COS100 bottling is big attraction Set for release this year, Château Cos d’Estournel’s new cuvée COS100 is from a parcel of 100-year-old Merlot vines planted at the Bordeaux second growth property by women during the first world war. ‘I want to pay tribute to the terroir and to acknowledge the women who courageously worked in the vineyard to ensure the continuity of the estate,’ said owner Michel Reybier, according to French financial paper Les Echos . From the 2015 vintage, COS100 will be available only in large format bottles. Just 100 double magnums and 10 balthazars were bottled, by hand, from two barrels. Two of the balthazars will reportedly feature at Sotheby’s New York and Hong Kong auctions, along with two double magnums and elephant scultpures. All profits will…

John Stimpfig ‘Eduardo Chadwick: Chile could not wish for a better champion’ SINCE WE BEGAN the Decanter Man or Woman of the Year award in 1984, there have been immensely distinguished winners from around the wine world including France, Germany, the UK and the US, Lebanon, Australia, Italy, Spain, Portugal and Austria. With that long list of countries in mind I offer my sincere congratulations to Eduardo Chadwick, who becomes the very first Chilean to receive this hugely prestigious accolade. It goes without saying that each year, the competition is incredibly tough. So too are the judging criteria; the winner must have made a major and lasting contribution to wine, both in their own field or region and beyond. As you will see from Peter Richards MW’s interview (turn to…

30 WHITE BOYS Chablis alternatives: 30 fresh whites Rising demand and the ravages of harsh weather in 2016 mean that admirers of one of the world’s most famous white wines may need to consider other options. Andy Howard MW recommends his top 30 palate-refreshing dry whites CHABLIS IS ONE of the best-known and most distinctive wines. It is recognised around the world by consumers who crave the steely and mineral-charged expression of Chardonnay which characterises its individual, cool-climate origin in northern Burgundy. Chablis is renowned for its powerful acidity and ability to age – keep premier cru and grand cru wines for several years and great complexity will evolve in those from top producers and specific vineyards. Chablis is rarely heavily wooded, and is frequently unoaked – a style that…

Tributes to Eduardo Chadwick ‘In 2003 and 2004 Eduardo was living in Oxford, studying to become a Master of Wine, and his four daughters were with him, attending local schools. In January 2010 Sebastián Piñera, newly elected President of Chile, invited him to be the Chilean Ambassador to the United Kingdom. Eduardo declined this honour, stating that he did not wish to have his daughters move once more. He was already and continues to be the best ambassador his country’s wines have ever had.’ Steven Spurrier, 2107 Decanter Man of the Year ‘Too young, too charming and too good-looking are presumably the only three reasons for Eduardo Chadwick’s belated anointment as Decanter Man of the Year. On a serious note, this award is testament to Eduardo’s innovative spirit and his…

Rose’s top multi-vintage wines to try Penfolds, g3, South Australia 98 £2,640 Millésima A blend of Grange from casks of the 2014 and 2012 vintages, and the 2008 in bottle, matured for over a year. Saturated colour, with liquorice and toffee aromas and an undertone of leathery maturity. Immensely concentrated palate, with rich blueberry and blackberry fruit, enveloped by a voluptuous texture. Even at this stage, it has the backbone and flesh for long ageing; very Grange, very Penfolds, very Australian. Drink 2018-2060 Alc 14.5% Vega Sicilia , Unico Reserva Especial (2018), Ribera del Duero, Spain 96 £225 Fields Morris & Verdin, Harrods, WoodWinters A blend of mainly Tinto Fino with some Cabernet Sauvignon from the 2005, 2006 and 2007 vintages of Unico, this shows notes of fennel, liquorice and…

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC 50 years of everyday excellence ‘Abruzzo has perfect conditions for making full-bodied wines of exceptional quality, which are also robust, elegant and aromatic.’ One of the top three Italian DOC wines in terms of sales, Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC is the ambassador of viticulture in the Abruzzo region. This wine has pursued a path of development during its 50 years of DOC status which has involved increasing validation for the territory and a growing ambition for quality viticulture. So renowned for its unspoilt nature that it has earned the name of “Green Region of Europe”, Abruzzo boasts an ancient winemaking tradition, documented in antiquity by Polybius and Ovid. The presence of the Montepulciano grape variety, by far the most prevalent today, dates back more than two…

The Decanter guarantee Our buying guide provides you with trusted, independent, expert recommendations on what to buy, drink and 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 experts taste and score 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 that are true to their region. When judging, experts are aware of wine price bands – under £15, £15-£30…

Wine Legends Williams Selyem, Summa Vineyard Pinot Noir 1988 Sonoma, California, US A legend because… Williams Selyem was not the first serious producer of Californian Pinot Noir, but by the late 1980s it was probably the most highly acclaimed. Although based in Russian River Valley, it bought fruit from several different vineyards. During the 1980s growers began seeking out cool sites near the Sonoma Coast and Summa Vineyard was one of these. The debut Summa bottling from Williams Selyem was 1988 and before long it became both the most expensive Pinot Noir from California and one of the most scarce. By the 1991 vintage, the release price was $100; nonetheless it sold out within three days. Demand for Williams Selyem wines exceeded supply, with a two-year wait to join the…

Letter of the month Ready or not… MY LOVE AFFAIR with Rioja began when I visited the region in the late 1980s. I brought a few bottles home, mainly 1978 and 1982 gran reservas, and regrettably drank them far too early. Since then, all Riojas I buy are stored for several years before opening. Last year, a friend bought me a gran reserva from Majestic for my 70th birthday. He mentioned my name to the manager, who, when I next visited, wished me a happy birthday and handed me a mystery bottle, saying: ‘You will drink it, won’t you?’ (It was a standing joke between us that I never drank what I bought.) I did: it was a 1995 gran reserva. The next time I visited, the manager asked me…

Hall of Fame: previous recipients 2017 Steven Spurrier, England 2016 Denis Dubourdieu, France 2015 Alvaro Palacios, Spain 2014 Jean-Pierre & François Perrin, Rhône 2013 Gerard Basset OBE MW MS, England 2012 Paul Symington, Portugal 2011 Giacomo Tachis, Italy 2010 Aubert de Villaine, Burgundy 2009 Nicolás Catena, Argentina 2008 Christian Moueix, Bordeaux 2007 Anthony Barton, Bordeaux 2006 Marcel Guigal, Rhône 2005 Ernst Loosen, Mosel 2004 Brian Croser, Adelaide Hills 2003 Jean-Michel Cazes, Bordeaux 2002 Miguel Torres, Penedès 2001 Jean-Claude Rouzaud, Champagne 2000 Paul Draper, California 1999 Jancis Robinson OBE MW, London 1998 Angelo Gaja, Piedmont 1997 Len Evans OBE AO, Australia 1996 Georg Riedel, Austria 1995 Hugh Johnson OBE, London 1994 May-Eliane de Lencquesaing, Bordeaux 1993 Michael Broadbent MW, London 1992 André Tchelistcheff, California 1991 José Ignacio Domecq, Jerez 1990 Professor…

Promotional feature Cantina di Custoza 50 years of pioneering winemaking in Italy Just outside Verona, in the winemaking heart of Italy, with vineyards in the hills of Lake Garda, where wine has been part of the landscape and winemaking a local skill for over a thousand years. This is the place where 83 vignerons got together 50 years ago to combine forces, make ambitious plans, and found the “Cantina di Custoza”. The territory of Custoza is unique in viticultural terms: a perfect symbiosis between the lake and its hills. Lake Garda has the mass to create its own microclimate, very temperate and benefitting from constant breezes. This is where, millions of years ago, a glacier carved out the biggest morainic amphitheatre in the Alps, thereby creating the rolling hills that…

Vintage report Southern Rhône 2016 Ideal growing conditions have delivered one of the best vintages of the past decade. Matt Walls takes a closer look at each appellation and recommends some exceptional wines Photograph: Mike Prior. With thanks to Hedonism Wines (www.hedonism.co.uk); Pierre Hourlier Wines (www.hourlierwines.co.uk) & Handford Wines (www.handford.net) for the loan of the bottles ‘The wines have it all: ripeness, concentration, freshness, acidity and plenty of firm, ripe tannins’ Matt Walls BEFORE ARRIVING IN the Rhône in October 2017 to taste the 2016 vintage, I had an inkling it was going to be special. I’ve since tasted nearly 1,500 wines and it’s clear this is a very good year in the northern Rhône – but truly great in the south. Conditions were ideal in the southern Rhône –…

Plans for the future The massive wildfires of 2017 took their toll; there will be no Mt Veeder Cabernet from the vintage. The end of the year saw the departure of Rob Mann, who returned to his family’s winery in Australia; and of Jean-Guillaume Prats, who left to become the CEO of Château Lafite-Rothschild. But the direction for Newton, and its future quality, is set. A more elegant label design will debut with the 2015 vintage, while Alberto Bianchi, Mann’s assistant winemaker, has taken on his role. Two single-vineyard Chardonnays, one from Carneros and one from Knights Valley, will be available at the winery. The woman taking Prats’ place, Margareth Henriquez, seems the right person for the next part of Newton’s transformation, changing its image with wine lovers, as she…

Brook’s pick of Dry Creek Valley Zinfandels In addition to the wines recommended below I have recently tasted excellent wines from Armida, Bella, Cast, Comstock, Dutcher Crossing, Preston, Ravenswood, Sbragia, Truett-Hurst and Unti A Rafanelli, Zinfandel 2015 92 N/A UK www.arafanelliwinery.com This family estate knows Zin like the back of its hand. The winemaker is Shelly Rafanelli, and this vintage includes 9% Petite Sirah. Sweet yet savoury nose, with cherry and cassis. Medium-bodied and supple yet intense. Good acidity gives persistence, with a fresh finish. Drink 2019-2028 Alcohol 15% Once & Future Wine, Teldeschi Vineyard Frank’s Block 2014 92 N/A UK www.onceandfuturewine.com The personal label of Joel Peterson of Ravenswood, a man known for his Zins. This block of vines is over 100 years old. The dense cherry nose is…

CORK The cork comeback In the last two decades, cork producers have been researching ways to combat TCA and salvage the tainted reputation of corks. Carla Capalbo reports on the latest developments Photograph: Carla Capalbo POP! THE CELEBRATORY sound of a cork being drawn from a bottle is thrilling to wine lovers. Cork stoppers are associated with prestigious, long-aged reds and first-class Champagnes, and with the promise of pleasurable drinking. They’re kept in jewellery boxes as mementos of special meals and moments. Yet, for all the good vibes that natural corks can evoke, there’s occasionally another, less positive association too. Corks often signal that a wine may have been tainted in the bottle. ‘The smell of a corked wine, once learned, is unforgettable: mouldy and dank, taint masks the fruit…

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 Shortest Day Lunch Almost 20 years ago, the much-missed practical joker and fortified wine expert, Tim Stanley-Clarke, created the Shortest Day Lunch, attended by his contemporaries in the wine trade and held on the nearest possible day to 21 December at London’s Garrick Club. On that day last year, we celebrated his memory in style. For aperitifs, my Bride Valley, Blanc de Blancs 2014 was followed by a superb Pol Roger 2006 and marvellously mature Gosset, Grand Rosé NV, both in magnums. With scallops came an uplifting Dr H Thanisch, Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Kabinett…

The judges Stephen Brook Brook has been a contributing editor to Decanter since 1996 and has won many awards for his writing on wine. The author of more than 40 books, his works include The Complete Bordeaux, now the definitive study of the region and in its third edition, and The Wines of California, which won three awards. His most recent book is The Wines of Austria. Andrew Jefford Jefford is a multi-award winning writer and author who pens a monthly column for Decanter magazine as well as the ‘Jefford on Monday’ blog for Decanter.com. He has been writing and broadcasting about wine since the 1980s and lives with his family in the Languedoc, close to Pic-St-Loup. Tim Sykes Sykes joined The Wine Society in 2012 as head of buying…

PANEL TASTING The results With 79% of wines Recommended or above, this is clearly a solid vintage, but our experts were hoping for more top scorers. Tina Gellie reports on their findings EXTREMELY COMPETENT CABERNETS, but no real showstoppers, concluded our trio of experts, from what they deemed an approachable but inconsistent vintage. ‘I’d hoped for a greater number of magnificent wines,’ said Stephen Brook. ‘Yes, we had a few, and many very good wines, but I was disappointed there weren’t more that knocked my socks off.’ Alex Hunt MW agreed, but added: ‘I have come to expect that of Californian Cabernets. While a deservedly world-class category of wine, it’s not where you look for guaranteed fireworks.’ Much of this had to do with money, Hunt explained, where so much…

The judges Roger Jones Jones is owner and chef of the Michelin-starred restaurant The Harrow at Little Bedwyn, where his wine list focuses on Australia, South Africa and New Zealand. He is a a regular Decanter judge, a contributing editor to trade publication The-Buyer.net, and with his wife Sue founded the Mamba Riedel Decanter Awards which highlights premium Australian wines in the UK. Sarah Knowles MW Knowles qualified as a Master of Wine in 2015, winning the award for her dissertation. She is a buyer at The Wine Society, responsible for Australia, New Zealand, North America, Austria, sparkling wines and spirits. She was previously head of buying at UK wholesaler and retailer Amathus Drinks, which specialises in supplying wines to the on-trade. Anthony Rose Rose is the DWWA Regional co-Chair…

TRAVEL: CALIFORNIA Riding the Silverado Trail As they recover from the devastating wildfires of late 2017, California’s wine communities want the world to know that the best thing you can do to help is to come and visit. Take the road less travelled, advises Stephen Brook, and make the most of Napa wine country at a less pressured pace Illustration: Jitesh Patel/Central Illustration Agency ‘Many wineries along the Trail are set in an exquisite landscape, so visitors feel amply rewarded’ FOR AN EXERCISE in frustration, there’s little to beat attempting a left turn onto Highway 29, the main road that traverses Napa Valley. Nose-to-tail traffic – mostly tourists visiting the wineries that line the highway – ploughs past, but if you’re lucky, someone may eventually allow you to nudge your…

READERS’ QUERIES Notes & Queries Each month our experts answer readers’ wine queries and share their knowledge Email: editor@decanter.com. Post: The Editor, Decanter , Blue Fin Building, 110 Southwark Street, London SE1 0SU, UK Decanter shapes Do different wine styles require different shapes of decanter? Su Collins, Surbiton, Surrey Martin Turner replies: While Riedel stemware is grape-varietal specific, our decanters are not. That said, we do make recommendations depending on style. Decanters with serpentine forms, twists and turns (like our Mamba and Eve styles), are extreme aerators, so perfect for young, complex reds and whites. Wine flows into a central chamber and the coil design forces more air through when serving. This double decants the wine. By contrast, less vertiginous shapes like Amadeo and Tyrol allow more control over aeration…

Market watch Whisky investment worth a shot Often with very limited availability, rare spirits are becoming highly sought-after, as auction sales of Scotch and Japanese whisky achieve record figures Compiled by Laura Seal All figures from Liv-ex 12/02/18, unless otherwise stated RARE WHISK(E)Y IS coming of age as an investment proposition, so perhaps it may be an opportune moment to clear a space in the cellar – or maybe you’ve got a bottle that you’d be willing to part with? It is four years since a senior member of the then-Zachys auction team told Decanter that he expected to see many more rare whiskies going under the hammer across the market. His forecast appears to be coming to fruition, in light of news that sales of single malt Scotch whisky…