Innehållsförteckning för Jul-2018 från Decanter

Tastes of change: Brook’s comparison Two wines from the Léoville estates, but with different winemaking styles Château Léoville Barton, St-Julien 2CC 2014 93 £62.60-£71.67 Asset Wines, BI, Fine & Rare, Millésima, Montrachet Intense nose of vanilla and blackcurrant; very elegant. Showing purity of fruit. The attack is strong, with firm tannins and impressive concentration without seeming too extracted. Spicy, complex and vibrant, this is balanced, with a long zesty finish. Drink 2020-2040 Alcohol 13.5% Château Léoville Poyferré, St-Julien 2CC 2014 94 £67.20-£69.17 Asset Wines, Cru World Wine, Fine & Rare, Millésima The nose is bold, ripe and fleshy, showing more oak than the Léoville Barton, though it is far from overdone. Rich, dense and flamboyant, very concentrated and intense. It’s fleshy and forthright, spicy and complex,and has a long finish.…

Lawther’s pick of second labels from Sauternes Château Climens, Cyprès de Climens, Barsac 2013 93 £17.75-£26 (37.5cl) Bottle Apostle, Highbury Vintners, JN Wine Burnished gold. Caramel aromatics with a marked note of crème brûlée. Complex and rich, with impressive length on the finish. Drink 2018-2028 Alcohol 14% Château Doisy-Védrines, Château Petit Védrines, Sauternes 2013 93 £8.80/37.5cl-£23.99 Charles Taylor Wines, Davis Bell McCraith, Hayward Bros, Justerini & Brooks, Montrachet Pure, fresh and harmonious with caramel, spice, ginger and confit fruit notes. Round, full and supple palate with tangy freshness. Great value. Drink 2018-2023 Alc 13.5% Château Suduiraut, Castelnau de Suduiraut, Sauternes 2013 93 N/A UK www.suduiraut.com The complete package. Rich and substantial palate with a lovely depth of fruit. Citrus, tropical and vanilla notes. Persistent flavour with a long, fresh, balanced…

TRAVEL Where to stay in Bordeaux Wine lovers choosing to visit Bordeaux are increasingly spoiled for choice. Sophie Kevany uses her local knowledge to select the very best boutique hotels, B&Bs and châteaux in the city and vineyards WINE TOURISM IS booming in Bordeaux, but nowadays that’s only part of the story. This year, two major hotel chains will open: an upscale Radisson Blu in July and a more affordable Hilton Garden Inn in June. It’s a clear indication that the city is no longer just for wine lovers. ‘Bordeaux is trendy now – even for French people. The Americans and Chinese mainly come for the wine, but people from all over Europe come to see the city, the 18th-century buildings and modern architecture like La Cité du Vin and…

Château Talbot: a vintage review by Jane Anson Château Talbot 2010 93 £56-£75 Christopher Piper, Fine & Rare, Georges Barbier of London, Millésima From the first sniff you feel the extreme power of this vintage, all the more obvious at an estate that values balance and elegance. Unusually I prefer the 2009 - this is excellent, but feels a little more burly and therefore a little less of itself. High in fruit, acidity and tannins, it will age extremely well and unfurl over the long term. Liquorice and graphite notes are clear, something that is relatively unusual at Talbot, where they tend to major more on soft cigar smoke. Strong tannins and black fruits; still young. Drink 2021-2038 Alcohol 13.5% Château Talbot 2011 92 £40 Fine & Rare A classical…

Meyney vertical 2016 Gorgeous and ripe on the nose, tasted just after it had been blended, in April 2018. The palate is a bit tightly wound with “Saint Estèphe seriousness” that shows statuesque power. The 49% Merlot lends opulence, the 33% Cabernet Sauvignon structure and the 18% Petit Verdot spice that, over time, should bring notes of leather and musk. 14% alcohol. 93/100 2015 This blend of 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and the rest Petit Verdot reveals both flattering sweet and roasted fruit. A bit more diffuse than the 2016, as September rains may have made the overall picture less focused, but the wine is racy and juicy. 91/100 2014 Very similar to the 2015 blend, the 2014 however reflects a more successful vintage for the northern Médoc, with…

A taste of the 2015s Château Paveil de Luze, Margaux 93 £29 Fine & Rare Approachable: a very fine, noble character, that you might typically find in Potensac and Sociando, for example. Refinement, with ripe and fresh fruit. The oak is well integrated with the fruit. This illustrates the success of the 2015 vintage in Margaux. A top wine of the tasting. Drink 2018-2025 Alcohol 13.5% Château Pibran, Pauillac 93 £28 Fine & Rare Cassis aromas on the nose, with graphite and dark plum. The attack is typically Pauillac: initial austerity and power, with freshness and depth. Opulent, with fine balance and ripe fruit – and a little less austere than the Potensac on the palate. Drink 2020-2035 Alc 13.5% Château Poujeaux, Moulis 93 £25-£31.67 Crump Richmond Shaw, Farr Vintners,…

PESSAC-LEOGNAN Pessac, then and now… WHITES Domaine de Chevalier, CCG 1987 93 N/A UK www.domainedechevalier.com Punchy aromas, with lovely complexity. Fairly closed even now, but it opens up into lemon meringue as toffee notes appear. Bitter orange on the finish, almost minty. Surprisingly youthful. Drink 2018-2020 Alcohol 12.5% Château Latour-Martillac, CCG 1987 92 N/A UK www.latourmartillac.com Extremely fresh; white pepper and verbena, with flowers and citrus. The first vintage where Denis Dubourdieu consulted, and the first year of 100% vinification in barrel for the whites. Wonderfully vital. Drink 2018-2020 Alc 12.5% Château Malartic-Lagravière, CCG 1987 92 N/A UK www.malartic-lagraviere.com Silky texture. Markers of an older white (bitter mandarin and waxy lemon), but deepened with saffron, citrus, white pepper. These whites have evolved but they’ve kept freshness, acidity and complexity. Drink…

What to buy Hot or dry years: 2000, 2003, 2005, 2009, 2010, 2015, 2016. These are the years when you have a good choice of terroirs; but the hotter the year, the more you want to look for limestone or clay soils that can ensure water supply to the vines, or for châteaux located next to the estuary, where the nights can help to retain freshness. Think Montrose, Canon, Clos Fourtet, Petrus and Latour. Cool or rainy years: 1997, 2007, 2013. The best suggestion in these years is to focus on first, not second wines, as they will have benefited from the best selection. Also look at how and when the rain fell. If the vintage had a dry enough harvest period to allow a long and slow…

Château La Conseillante, Pomerol The continuity of ownership at La Conseillante has been one of its strengths, the Nicolas family being proprietors since 1871. It did, however, make for a rocky period in the 1990s when one family member, a doctor, oversaw winemaking with the assistance of a part-time cellarmaster. The new millennium, though, ushered in a more professional approach, first with Jean-Michel Laporte arriving in 2004 as manager-winemaker, then Marielle Cazaux as director from 2015. The cohesion of the property goes beyond ownership, the boundaries of the 11.8ha vineyard the same as in 1871, the blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc from both clay- and gravel-dominant soils also relatively stable. In fact, it’s the Cabernet Franc and Merlot grown on gravelly soils that provide the minerality and…

In brief ■ The Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) will remove coverage of spirits from its Level 4 diploma and Level 2 wines and spirits courses from August 2019. It will launch a new Level 3 award in spirits instead. WSET said the changes would allow ‘more in-depth coverage of wine’ in a new-look Level 4 diploma course, to include a research assignment looking at current trends. ■ A new, direct London to Bordeaux train service that cuts out the one-hour changeover in Paris is being planned, according to HS1, which runs the UK’s high-speed rail route that carries the Eurostar. The new route could be up and running within a few years, it said. ■ Champagne Pol Roger, Brut Réserve NV was revealed as one of the wines…

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PROMOTIONAL FEATURE PASQUA : 11 Minutes An innovative rosé wine from the Verona region of Italy “...a recipe for timeless indulgence in an idle moment in any season.” Famiglia Pasqua is well known for its range of wines from the northeast of Italy in the Verona area, particularly its wines made with the “Amarone technique” of appassimento. Now a new departure from the company is sure to delight lovers of the easy-drinking charms of the rosé style of wine. 11 MINUTES is the name of Pasqua’s new creation, and the delicate flavours and elegance of this fine and well-structured wine speak of an exceptional terroir located in one of the most beautiful areas surrounding Lake Garda. This new rosé interpretation by Famiglia Pasqua is a masterly blend created from noble…

Reading the results Wines are marked on the 100-point scale. For full tasting notes of all the wines Jane Anson tasted and for the latest pricing news, please visit Decanter.com/premium Wines are ordered by commune, then by score, with wines of the same score listed alphabetically. The value wines are Anson’s predictions of wines likely to punch above their weight when prices are released. Classifications (right and at the bottom of each page) have been added where appropriate. Cru bourgeois châteaux have been denoted according to the Sélection Officielle 2014. For St-Emilion, we have marked wines under the 2014 classification. 1-5CC 1st-5th growth (Médoc)CB/E cru bourgeois/exceptionnelCCG cru classé de Graves1GCC 1er grand cru classé (St-Emilion)GCC grand cru classéGC grand cru2L/3L 2nd label or 3rd label…

David Ramey – a timeline 1979 MS in Enology at UC Davis, Intern, Ets Jean-Pierre Moueix 1980 Intern, Lindeman’s Winery, Australia 1980-1984 Assistant winemaker, Simi 1984-1989 Winemaker, Matanzas Creek 1989 Works at Petrus again; marries Carla 1990-1996 Winemaker, Chalk Hill 1996 Founds Ramey Wine Cellars 1996-1998 VP, winemaker, Dominus Estate 1998 Debut of first Ramey wine, Hyde Chardonnay 1998-2002 Director, vineyards and winemaking, Rudd Estate 2002 Leaves Rudd to focus on Ramey Wine Cellars 2012 Buys first vineyard, Westside Farms 2013 Daughter Claire joins winery 2014 Starts Sidebar Cellars; Pinot Noir programme begins 2016 Son Alan joins winery…

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE Katnook Coonawarra An odyssey of history and heritage t is no wonder that the Ferrer family fell in love with Katnook. As a family with a strong sense of the importance of tradition, they were attracted by Katnook’s long history. It is the oldest existing winery in Coonawarra - one of Australia’s foremost wine regions, an extensive estate, and with two icon wines, Odyssey Cabernet Sauvignon and Prodigy Shiraz, at the pinnacle of its portfolio and listed on the prestigious Langtons classification. Katnook also produces its flagship Katnook Estate wines and contemporary Katnook Founder’s Block range. The winery dates back to 1861 when the entrepreneurial Scottish immigrant John Riddoch arrived in Penola and began to purchase extensive parcels of agricultural land, recognising its exceptional quality. In 1890 he…

Argentina: know your vintages 2017 A classic, high-quality vintage, with low yields but very healthy grapes. Some great Chardonnays with balance, intense white flower aromas, finesse and the ability to age. 2016 An El Niño year, with a warm, wet spring requiring lots of work on the canopy to avoid health issues. Late frosts affected the harvest in Uco Valley, Mendoza. Lower alcohols than normal with very fresh acidity. 2015 A warm year, but higher rainfall and humidity presented challenges. Sites with better drainage performed more strongly. 2014 Late spring frosts reduced some Chardonnay yields by 50%. Very high early summer temperatures were followed by cool, wet weather. A long ripening season saw very good freshness and aromatics. 2013 High quality. A cool spring, followed by mixed summer weather which…

Mathieu Mélinand Before joining the family-owned Domaine des Marrans in 2008, Mathieu Mélinand worked vintages at Pegasus Bay in New Zealand and Forester Estate in Western Australia. Two things struck him overseas: the absence of rules and the use of natural yeast at Pegasus Bay. ‘If it works there, then it should work in Beaujolais,’ he reflected. He now uses indigenous yeast at his 20ha, Fleurie-based property, has returned to ploughing the soils, and ages the wine in older foudres. ‘These practices used to be implemented at the estate before they were abandoned,’ he says. There’s also a steady move towards biodynamics, initiated by his wife, Pauline Passot, who worked at the biodynamically run Seresin Estate in New Zealand and at Domaine Michel Lafarge in Burgundy. Mélinand makes wines that…

Grape-scape: a potted history Left alone for millennia to develop and adapt, most grapes are the result of spontaneous Vitis vinifera crosses (see box opposite page). But following Europe’s phylloxera outbreak, the tradition of allowing several varieties to grow in one vineyard was eliminated. Scrambling to resurrect their livelihoods, growers grafted disease-free components, methodically separated into varietal parcels. Machines and chemicals have prevented the kind of uninhibited assignations that in the past produced a love-child like Chardonnay (Pinot Blanc, Gris or Noir x Gouais Blanc).…

The Spurrier selection Domaine de Bila-Haut, Chrysopée, Collioure, Roussillon, France 2017 92 £30 via UK agent Mentzendorff A biodynamic, old-vine 90% Grenache Gris, 10% Grenache Blanc blend from Michel Chapoutier, whole-bunch pressed and given six months’ barrel age. Honey and dried herbs, southern white fruit richness and an almost mineral finish. Complexity to come. Drink 2018-2022 Alc 14.5% Cristom, Marjorie Vineyard Pinot Noir, Eola-Amity Hills, Oregon, USA 2015 94 £41.50 Stannary St Wine Co From vines planted in 1982 on their own rootstocks, Marjorie Vineyard, named after owner Tom Gerrie’s grandmother, had a perfect 2015 vintage. Shows more richness than expected, with firm tannins and backbone of acidity for a fine future. Drink 2019-2028 Alc 14% Domaine de la Bongran, Cuvée Botrytis Chardonnay, Mâcon-Villages, Burgundy, France 2006 95 £50-£58.95/37.5cl Fine…

Germany: know your vintages 2016 A difficult year: a humid spring and summer affected yields rather than quality, but a long, dry and warm autumn saved the day, allowing great aromatic development. Subtle Rieslings for the long run. 2015 A dry, warm year with a ‘gloriously sunny’ September gave rounded, sunny, ripe Rieslings. Hailed as a great vintage. 2014 Challenging year with some rain, but stringent selection delivered racy, taut wines. 2013 Tiny vintage, difficult year, selection was everything. 2012 Ripe, balanced, long-lived. 2011 Great in the Mosel, very good in other regions.…

Market watch Bordeaux becalmed A dramatic shift in global trends has seen Bordeaux auction sales at Sotheby’s decline, while top-name Burgundies and whisky continue to find favour Compiled by Chris Mercer Prices based on Liv-ex data from May 2018 unless otherwise stated BORDEAUX’S SHARE OF sales has fallen to a record low at Sotheby’s as buyers in Hong Kong increasingly switch over to Burgundy and whisky, according to a new report from the auction house. For the first time since Sotheby’s started selling wine in 1970, Bordeaux accounted for less than 50% of its auction and retail sales in 2017, dropping to 40% from 52% in 2016. Such a situation was ‘unthinkable’ only three years ago, the company said. The Sotheby’s 2017 Wine Market Report attributes Bordeaux’s fall to ‘a…

Wine Legends Ramonet, Montrachet 1986 Grand Cru, Burgundy, France A legend because… It is hard to think of another Burgundian white wine estate with a pedigree and reputation as substantial as that of Ramonet. As long ago as the 1930s its bottled wines were being imported into the US. The 1986 vintage was superb for white wines in the region and Montrachet, then as now, reigns supreme as its most prestigious and lauded vineyard. Looking back In 1986 the patriarch Pierre Ramonet was still alive, but by then he was into his 80s. The estate had been operated since 1983 by his grandsons Noël (born 1962) and Jean-Claude (1967). Pierre died in 1994, at the age of 88. His grandsons were always very respectful of the traditions and styles laid…

2008: a decade on Against the backdrop of a global economic crisis, 2008 proved to be an affordable vintage in Bordeaux. Now 10 years later, Jane Anson revisits the wines to assess their current drinking and cellaring potential THE YEAR 2008 is probably most remembered for the US stock market crash of 29 September, when the Dow Jones suffered its biggest one-day point drop, ushering in an economic crisis that continues to make its effects felt. On that date in Bordeaux Merlot picking was underway, though grapes on sandy soils or cooler terroirs hadn’t reached full ripeness. This was also true of some Cabernets that displayed pyrazine notes and tannins that tended towards rusticity. But the best terroirs allowed their grapes to stay on the vines until late October, allowing…

40 YEARS OF CHANGE Changing styles of Bordeaux Since he started writing about Bordeaux in the 1980s, Stephen Brook has witnessed fundamental stylistic shifts in the region’s wines. Here he reflects on the highs and lows, tastes and trends, of the past four decades LONG BEFORE I started writing about Bordeaux wines, I was buying and drinking them, seeking out bottles from less fashionable vintages, such as 1979, that I could afford. By the time the famous 1982 vintage was released I was beginning to scribble, and attended some tastings of those wines. It divided opinion at the time. ‘Too Californian!’ sniffed some British wine merchants, unused to the aromas of ripe fruit. But wine writers, an emerging breed back then, were more positive, and they were right. The 1982s…

The new order With plans for a 2020 Crus Bourgeois du Médoc classification underway, Panos Kakaviatos investigates the stormy history of the system and discovers why opinions are still divided today in Bordeaux ‘Some believe that strong brand names matter more than official designations’ FOR MORE THAN 10 years, Bordeaux’s cru bourgeois had been left without a ranking. The last attempt to divide the category into three qualitative levels – back in 2003 – lasted four short years. Earlier this year, however, French authorities approved specifications and a verification procedure for a new Crus Bourgeois du Médoc classification. The reaction so far has been mixed. Some merchants believe that strong brand names matter more to consumers than official French designations. ‘I cannot think of the last time – and my…

30 UNDER £30 30 top Bordeaux under £30 Far from being the exclusive preserve of big spenders, Bordeaux offers a range of great value wines in a variety of different styles. John Stimpfig introduces Decanter’s hand-picked selection of bottles that are perfect for everyday drinking ‘In my view, Bordeaux over-delivers at mid-market price-points’ THIRTY YEARS AGO, top Bordeaux wasn’t quite as cheap as chips, but it was certainly a lot less expensive than it is today. Suffice to say that an awful lot has changed since then – and mostly at the apex of the Bordeaux pyramid, where prices for region’s great crus classés have risen to the point where many drinkers have been priced out of the market. No doubt châteaux owners would argue that the market ultimately sets…

ST-EMILION & POMEROL My top 10 St-Emilion and Pomerol châteaux We asked long-time Decanter contributing editor James Lawther MW to select his favourite estates from these Right Bank appellations. His choice highlights the evolving nature of the region since the 1990s BORDEAUX BECAME MY home in 1996, St-Emilion and the Right Bank an agreeable 25-minute drive away. Leaving the rolling hills of the Entre-Deux-Mers, the road dips and crosses the Dordogne running on towards the elevated epicentre of St-Emilion, the limestone plateau and côtes. Advancing further, the terraces, slopes and châteaux appear. It’s a heartening sight and one that hasn’t palled over the years. Likewise, the medieval town itself – whether bustling from spring to late summer or slumbering in the winter. In the 1990s the Right Bank was a…

ST-EMILION & POMEROL Château Valandraud, St-Emilion 1GCCB What a story: the architect of the garage movement is now an establishment St-Emilion premier grand cru classé. It all started in 1991 when Jean-Luc Thunevin – sometime bistrotier, DJ and bank clerk – and his wife Murielle Andraud, produced the first vintage of Valandraud, a total of 1,280 bottles, in a lock-up next to their house in St-Emilion. Frost and green-harvesting reduced the yield, handdestemming and pigeage saved on finance, while malolactic fermentation and ageing in new oak barrels produced the desired effect. The garage wine was born and the rest, as they say, is history. Except there are a few elements left unrecounted: the cherry-picking of an increasing number of parcels to produce the wine (disclosure: I worked the harvest here…

John Stimpfig ‘Lamberto is completely smitten with Perano’ THE FRESCOBALDI FAMILY has always played a long game. This formidable Italian dynasty came to Florence as silk merchants in the 13th century, thereafter becoming bankers and vintners. Remarkably, their first wines were made in 1308. Some 700 years on, the family is most famous for its dazzling collection of Tuscan estates including Nipozzano, Pomino, Rèmole, CastelGiocondo and Ammiraglia not to mention Luce, Ornellaia and Masseto. Despite these jewels in Chianti, Montalcino, Maremma and Bolgheri, one crucial piece of the Tuscan jigsaw remained frustratingly elusive. ‘All my life, I dreamed of owning the perfect estate in Chianti Classico,’ says president Lamberto Frescobaldi. ‘Over 30 years, I’ve lost count of the number of properties I saw and turned down.’ But there was one…

Andrew Jefford ‘Once you start to lie about a bottle of wine, value begins to erode’ MOST MORNINGS, BEFORE dawn or after, I tune into Farming Today on BBC Radio 4. A recent interview with Shawna Morris, vice president of trade policy for the US Dairy Export Council, made me choke on my tea (Twinings Vintage Darjeeling, 92 points, note on application). She brightly suggested that one of the advantages Britons might like to seize, on leaving the EU, was the chance to abandon European name-protection legislation. ‘Our issue is, frankly, overreach,’ she complained of the existing system. Champagne and Cognac (as well as Parma ham and what she called ‘Parmegian’) were, Morris suggested, examples of ‘common-name products’ whose names should be free for all to use, claiming that protection…

What I’ve been drinking this month During Bordeaux’s en primeur week, some châteaux host tastings to put the new vintage in perspective. At a dinner at Château Clinet in Pomerol, a dozen wines from the 2007 vintage, not all from Bordeaux, were poured blind. Yes, the Château Mouton Rothschild, 2007 and Château d’Yquem, 2007 were superb, but a surprise standout for me was the sumptuous, silky Ornellaia, 2007 from Bolgheri. With its layers of elegant red fruit, it’s absolutely delicious drinking right now.…

11 MINUTES - THE BLEND A blend of Corvina 50%, Trebbiano di Lugana 25%, Syrah 15%, Carmenère 10%. The grapes have been carefully chosen so that, when harvested at proper maturity, they express all the characteristics desired for our rosé. The Corvina varietal dominates in terms of percentage and was chosen because it is one of the principal cultivars in our territory and for the floral aroma it gives the wine as well as the provision of sufficient acidity. Trebbiano brings elegance and a long aftertaste; Syrah gives fine fruit and spice notes to the glass and finally, Carmenère creates structure, ensuring stability over time.…

SPAIN Are these Spanish whites in your cellar? Top white Rioja can age beautifully. But Spain is home to a surprising – and growing – array of other wine styles that will also reward cellaring. Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW advises on the best wines to lay down TWO YEARS AGO, a number of wine apasionados discreetly came together at Bodega Cigaleña, a prestigious wine restaurant in Santander, to taste old white Rioja wines. We made the trip filled with excitement, but the results went even beyond our expectations: Paternina’s lively, complex Reserva 1920 and firm 1930; balanced Viña Soledad ’59; structured AGE ’46; genuine López de Heredia ’64; fresh CVNE’s Monopole ’71 (in half-bottle!); Murrieta’s unforgettable, perfect, glorious Castillo Ygay 1946 and 1970. And some other amazing, utterly complex and…

The wines El Coto White £10.49 Amazon.co.uk, Richard Granger, Taste Fine Wines A blend of Verdejo and Sauvignon Blanc from Finca Carbonera, with Viura from Rioja Alta. The wine is very fresh. Both in nose and on the palate. The aromas of white fruit give way to a palate with a fresh citrus character. El Coto Verdejo £10.99 Fine Wines of Mayfield Made from 100% Verdejo from Finca Carbonera. Aromas of tropical fruit, fennel and aniseed. On the palate it is smooth, lively and elegant with a persistent freshness. 875m £14.99 Amazon.co.uk Made from 100% Chardonnay planted at 875m on the Finca Carbonera estate and fermented in new French oak. A marked smoothness and aromatic complexity, combining tropical fruit notes (pineapple) with the delicate aroma of vanilla.…

Katnook Odyssey Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 This 20th vintage release is Wayne Stehbens’ last vintage in his 39 years as Katnook’s winemaker. This benchmark ‘Coonawarra Cab’ is only made in the very best vintages, and is a hand selection from specific rows in specific blocks. The first vintage was 1991, released in 1996 to commemorate the centenary of the first vintage made in the Katnook woolshed. Odyssey has won many international awards and is listed in the ‘Outstanding’ category of the prestigious fine wine Langton’s Classification of Australian Wines. It is aged for 37 months (two thirds in French oak, half of which was new) and one third in older American oak. The wine shows an alluring interplay of typical Coonawarra dark berries and plums interwoven with notes of mocha and…

Howard’s picks: cutting-edge Argentinian whites Catena Zapata, Adrianna Vineyard, White Bones Chardonnay, Gualtallary, Uco Valley 2015 97 £82.10-£85 (2014) Harrods, Hedonism Extraordinary quality that rivals many grand cru Chablis. This is an intense, focused Chardonnay sourced from a 2-hectare site, growing on limestone-rich soils located at 1,450m altitude. Great structure, laser-like focus, purity and ageing potential for a minimum of 10 years from this benchmark white. Drink 2019-2030 Alcohol 13% Matias Riccitelli, Old Vines from Patagonia Semillon, Río Negro, Patagonia 2016 95 £29.95-£36.03 Christopher Keiller, Corking Wines, Exel, GP Brands, Great Wines Direct, Hallgarten, Huntsworth Wine Co, Strictly Wine This fine-boned Semillon is from old vines at 300m in Patagonia: the intense southern sunlight and cold nights promote slow ripening. Skin maceration over 48 hours is followed by fermentation in…

GRAPE VARIETIES New grapes on the block New wine grapes are being created all over the world, but with thousands already out there, why do we need more? Maggie Rosen explores efforts to build a better grapevine ‘Aromella makes beautiful wine, very aromatic, with good balance’ Bruce Reisch AROMELLA, MYSTIQUE, DIVICO and Floréal may sound like distant galaxies or characters from Game of Thrones, but in fact they are among the newest wine grapes available to winemakers. Right now, in agricultural research stations and experimental vineyards around the world, hundreds of grapes are somewhere on the complex journey from bright idea to bottle. The few that make it beyond the creator’s scratch-pad must be rigorously monitored through multiple harvests and microvinifications; cleared by regulatory and industry bodies; and above…

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…

25 UNDER £25 Weekday wines Looking to try something different or adventurous, but don’t want to make an expensive mistake? Christelle Guibert (left) and Tina Gellie have done the hard work for you, picking out 25 exciting and accessible wines available in the UK for £25 or less Hush Heath Estate, Balfour 1503 Foxwood Classic Cuvée, Kent, England 89 £16.99 Co-op A blend of 63% Pinot Noir and 35% Chardonnay with 2% Pinot Meunier, from estate fruit that was planted in 2002. A vibrant palate of tangy green apple, meadow flowers and a citrus bite of acidity in a fruit-forward, very English style. Alcohol 11.5% Delaire Graff Estate, Banghoek Reserve Chardonnay, Stellenbosch, South Africa 2015 91 £15-£16.95 Hic!, Tom I’Anson Grapes are grown in mountain vineyards. The palate remains llfted…

Australian Shiraz: vintages 2017 Volumes were 15% up on 2016. A later harvest meant good overall quality. 2016 Started out warm, with a cool growing season. Early harvest for structured, well-balanced fruit. 2015 Warm year with rapid ripening: generosity, perfume and silky textures. 2014 Cool and late season after a warm summer. Good ripening gave intense aromatics and flavours. 2013 Hot and dry. Forward and generous wines, but aromatics are subdued on occasion. 2012 Cool and dry summer led to a fine, concentrated vintage. 2011 Cold, wet and late; a vintage to forget for many. Yet good in Western Australia. 2010 Mild, with a long growing season. This was a classic year. 2009 Reduced volumes but wines were generously textured.…

The judges Tina Gellie Gellie is Decanter’s associate editor and has worked for the brand since 2008. An awarded wine writer and editor, she won several scholarships on the way to getting her WSET Diploma. She has more than 15 years’ experience in wine publishing, including as acting editor of Wine International. Before her wine career she was a newspaper journalist in London and Australia. Roger Jones Jones and his wife Sue own Michelin-starred restaurant The Harrow at Little Bedwyn. His combined talents as a wine critic and chef have seen him set up Restaurant Australia for Wine Australia and The Tri Nations Wine Challenge to promote the wines of South Africa, New Zealand and Australia. He is wine consultant to The Caterer and contributing editor for The-Buyer.net. Anthony Rose…

Clos des Baies, St-Emilion GC The days of finding tiny, independent, start-ups in St-Emilion are limited but they do still exist. Philippe Baillarguet waited 13 years to make his first wine and 17 to own his first plot of land. ‘I felt I needed the experience before launching out on my own,’ says the man who has been the cellarmaster for Château Ausone and other Vauthier family properties since the mid-1990s. Clos des Baies first saw the light of day in 2006 with a wine made from rented land; 2010 was the first vintage produced from the tiny plot (less than a hectare) acquired on the clay-limestone slope of the côte sud just below Tertre Roteboeuf. Baillarguet readily admits his personal venture would not have been possible without the support…

Sauternes at a glance Area under production 1,978ha (2016) Communes Barsac, Bommes, Fargues, Preignac, Sauternes Production 43,178hl or 5.8 million bottles (2016) Yield 21.8hl/ha (2016) Growers 142 Classed growths of 1855 26 (45% surface area, 40% volume) Grape varieties Semillon (80%), Sauvignon Blanc (17%), Muscadelle (3%) Soils Sand, gravel, clay, limestone Vintages Lively, fresh with good acidity and citrus notes (still with botrytised concentration): 2014, 2013, 2011, 2007. Richer, rounder with tropical fruit notes: 2016, 2015, 2010, 2009. Lighter and more uneven: 2012 (sometimes no grand vin made), 2008…

MARKET UPDATE Bordeaux: prices versus inflation – is that the whole story? How have Bordeaux prices stacked up against inflation over the past 30+ years? Does simple maths tell the whole story? What’s the impact of supply and demand? To answer these questions, let’s look back at the 1982 vintage and compare: how much it cost at the time; the equivalent price today; what the current vintage of the same wine costs today; and finally what the 1982 vintage would cost if you bought it at auction now. Comparing historical wine prices requires us to eliminate as many variables as possible. In 1982 French wine was priced in francs, compared with euros today. Using UK wine catalogue prices standardises the currency (though it doesn’t eliminate exchange rate fluctuation). Clive Coates…

The other 8s in brief 1998 The summer started beautifully, then rain arrived in September. It was a Right Bank year, producing great Merlot and so there are some wonderful Pomerol and St-Emilions. The Cabernet Sauvignons found it tough to reach full ripeness and are more mixed. 1988 A little cooler than the two years that followed, but still a good quality vintage, which produced classic, concentrated wines that can be stunning – especially on the Right Bank. Less opulent than the excellent 1989 but many have aged exceptionally well.…

Classic tastes from the Left Bank Château Haut-Bailly, Pessac-Léognan CCG 2015 94 £100-£117.59 Asset Wines, BI, Fine & Rare, L’Assemblage, Wilkinson A wonderful expression of ripe Cabernet Sauvignon, which is 60% of the blend. The nose is oaky, but delicate. Suave and velvety, with very ripe tannins and impeccable concentration. Intense but not flashy; shows excellent structure, balance and length. Drink 2019-2040 Alcohol 13.5% Château Léoville Barton, St-Julien 2CC 2016 94 £62.50-£87.80 Asset Wines, Farr Vintners, Fine & Rare, L’Assemblage, Laithwaite’s, Millésima, Montrachet, Private Cellar With 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, it’s hardly surprising that the nose is still not expressive; dense black fruits lurk in the background. But the palate is all finesse, with a velvety texture, rich fruit and fine tannins. Polished and persistent, with fine length. Drink 2021-2040 Alc…

Château Talbot – a timeline 1453 John Talbot (above) dies during the Battle of Castillon 1775 Jean-François Delage, owner of what was to become Château Tablot, dies and leaves the estate to his two daughters 1821-1822 Henry-Raymond d’Aux de Lescout, the Marquis d’Aux-Lally, expands the château edifice 1855 Château Talbot ranked as a fourth growth in the 1855 Bordeaux Classification 1899 Albert Claverie acquires the estate 1918 Claverie sells Château Talbot to Désiré Cordier 1930s The pioneering Georges Cordier decides to replant white grapes in the Médoc and begins to produce a wine named Caillou Blanc 1993 Jean Cordier dies and leaves the estate to his two daughters, Lorraine and Nancy 2006 Jean-Pierre Marty becomes general manager 2008 Stepháne Derenoncourt (above) is hired as a consultant, working alongside oenologist Eric…

Key facts Vineyard: 51 ha on one block. Yield: 48 hl/ha Altitude: Hillside up to 20 meters high Varieties: 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot and 15% Petit Verdot Soil composition: Garonne gravels, clay and limestone Average yields: 50 hl/ha Average vineyard density: 7,600 vines per hectare Average vine age: 37 years Annual average production: 160,000 bottles Aging: French oak barrels for 16 to 18 months, with between 30 to 40% new oak Second wine: Prieur de Meyney, made from younger vines of the estate…

Cru bourgeois – a timeline 1740 Although known since the Middle Ages, the first selection and prices of Médoc cru bourgeois appear in a text 1858 248 crus bourgeois listed as 34 bourgeois supérieurs, 64 bons bourgeois and 150 bourgeois ordinaires 1932 Bordeaux wine brokers designate 444 crus bourgeois for commercial use, with internal revisions in 1966 and 1978 2000 A Minister of Agriculture order stipulates rules for a cru bourgeois classification with three categories: cru bourgeois exceptionnel, cru bourgeois supérieur and cru bourgeois 2003 The first official classification of the Crus Bourgeois du Médoc recognises 247 châteaux out of 490 candidates 2007 The Administrative Court of Appeal of Bordeaux (above) annuls the 2003 classification 2009 Public authorities allow a qualitative selection procedure but without rankings. The Crus Bourgeois du…

AP Pessac-Léognan – a timeline 1964 The Syndicate Viticole des Hautes Graves de Bordeaux breaks off from the main Syndicate de Graves, although some winemakers from the southern section also join its ranks. Its first action was to send a request for a separate AC to the French appellations’ authority, the INAO 1966 André Lurton arrives at the syndicate after buying Château La Louvière (above) 1968 Pierre Perromat, president of the INAO, begins looking into creation of AC Hautes-Graves de Bordeaux, but things stall for the next decade 1974 André Lurton becomes president of the Syndicat Viticole des Hautes Graves de Bordeaux 1978 The question of the new AC is relaunched by the INAO, and various conciliatory meetings are organised between north and south Graves 1980 To overcome the issue…

Letter of the month Guiding lights I WAS IMPRESSED to notice Braille printed on the label of a Châteauneuf-du-Pape recently. Chapoutier has included Braille on all its labels since 1996, the result of a conversation between Michel Chapoutier and Gilbert Montagne, a blind friend, about the difficulties he faced buying wine. In 2001 the Co-op supermarket introduced Braille on its own-label wines. Over two million people in the UK are visually impaired and wine appreciation is a pastime only marginally diminished by lack of sight. Braille on the label enables the blind to independently choose their own wine: a real pleasure. Chapoutier and the Co-op should be applauded for their work to ensure that all wine lovers have the opportunity to explore their passion, regardless of vision. Dr Emily Stedman,…

What I’ve been drinking this month Hard, bony, acid, unyielding: I haven’t, thus far, been a big fan of Carignan Blanc, which was why when a friend brought round a bottle of Le Conte des Floris, Lune Blanche, Languedoc 2010 (pure Carignan Blanc), I didn’t hurry to pull the cork. When I did… Wow: honeyed, golden, rich, nutty-nougatine in character. The acidity was there, but the wine’s delicious alcoholic ripeness (13.5%), barrelfementation and seven years’ storage had rendered it mellow and succulent. An opinion-changing experience.…

David Ramey at a glance Born 1951 in Seattle Training BA in American Studies, University of California, Santa Cruz; MS in Enology, UC Davis. Internships JP Moueix, Lindemans Winery Career Winemaker for Simi Winery, Matanzas Creek, Chalk Hill, Dominus, Rudd Estate; founder, Ramey Cellars (1996); consultant for Rodney Strong, Davis Bynum, Westwood Estate Family Wife Carla, children Claire and Alan Hobbies The New York Times crossword, hiking, cooking, travel, watching movies on his home video system…

Ballesteros Torres’ pick: great Spanish whites for ageing WHITE RIOJA Pujanza, Añadas Frías 2016 96 £65 (2010) Bianca Trading A refined, delicate nose of subtle citrus and spice. Elegant, restrained and unassuming but long and complex on the finish. This has a very long life ahead. I kept the bottle open for three days and the wine continued to get better. Drink 2020-2035 Alcohol 13.5% Remírez de Ganuza, Reserva 2010 96 £79.70 Bancroft Top white Rioja in a more international style, made with cold soak and ageing in new French oak, but built on quality Viura and Malvasía grapes from old vineyards. Delicious, multi-layered, a benchmark. Drink 2018-2030 Alc 13.5% López de Heredia, Viña Tondonia Reserva 2004 95 £25-£34.38 Carruthers & Kent, Christopher Keiller, Four Walls, Georges Barbier, Hedonism, Laithwaite’s,…

20 PINOT NOIR BUYS My top 20: NZ Pinot Noir The land of the long white cloud is an essential port of call for all Pinot lovers on their quest for the perfect glassful. Here, Anne Krebiehl MW selects 20 of her current favourites that combine the ethereal appeal of the great Burgundy grape with New Zealand's island individuality NEW ZEALAND GETS under your skin. There is something about its remoteness, about its big skies, vivid with moving cloud by day and lit by countless southern stars at night. Its landscapes are varied: from pastoral, grassy plains, craggy coastlines and magical beaches via temperate rainforests alive with the rattle of a thousand crickets to stark, sunbaked, snow-covered rocks, ravines and icy lakes. Wilderness runs right through it, thrilling all of…

ARGENTINA The time is ripe for white Understandably associated with Malbec, it’s in white wine that Argentina is really making strides, with winemakers across the country now producing a broad variety of fascinating and fruit-driven styles. Andy Howard MW is impressed on a recent visit ‘Argentina’s slightly wild side makes its wines different and compelling’ WINES OF ARGENTINA recently hosted a visit to this dynamic country, inviting 41 Masters of Wine from around the world for the first such tour since 1988. I was fortunate enough to be included in the number. Having been a retail wine buyer for many years, it was an ideal opportunity to see whether there had been any changes since my last visit six years ago. The answer was that Argentina’s wine industry has made…

BEAUJOLAIS New faces of Beaujolais Beaujolais is currently enjoying a revival, thanks to improved quality and a run of great vintages. James Lawther MW profiles the young winemakers who are injecting new energy into the region THE RISE IN quality, authenticity and standing of Beaujolais these days begs the question: who is driving the revival? Beaujolais has never fostered a star-orientated culture but in the grey days of the 1980s and 1990s, when nouveau compromised the region’s reputation, names such Marcel Lapierre, Guy Breton, Jean Foillard and Jean-Paul Thévenet stood out as a beacon for characterful, complex Beaujolais. One or two of this generation (Foillard, Yvon Métras) are still flying the flag, but in the new millennium the spirit of true Beaujolais has undeniably become more youthful. Mainly in their…

Vine-breeding keywords Vitis vinifera species and a non-vinifera one, such as Vitis labrusca or Vitis riparia. Clone The creation of a plant with the same genetic material as another, via asexual reproduction: a piece of one vine is either grafted or planted directly in soil. The first generation will be identical to the ‘mother’, but as the plant mutates over time and adapts to different conditions, it will develop new characteristics that, if welcome, will be encouraged by the producer. This is why Syrah (Dureza x Mondeuse Blanche) from California is different to that of the Rhône. Cross – intraspecific When one variety of Vitis vinifera (the native Mediterranean species, source of ‘Old World’ fine wine grapes as opposed to table grapes) is combined with another Vitis vinifera via sexual…

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 2005 claret Every few years, Johnny Goedhuis organises a wine dinner for two charities. It’s a black-tie affair preceded by a tasting of 30 or so top crus classés or equivalents from a fine and mature claret vintage. This year it was 2005, confirming the view of the Southwold group (see opposite) that 2005 is the finest vintage of the 21st century. The wines were excitingly faultless, with years in front of most of them. My notes show that: Domaine de Chevalier edged out Haut-Bailly; Figeac dominated Canon and Angélus; La Conseillante was just…

The judges Gearoid Devaney MS Devaney is a director of independent merchant Flint Wines. A Master Sommelier since 2009, he was UK Sommelier of the Year 2008. He was head sommelier at London’s Capital Hotel when it had two Michelin stars with Eric Chavot, and he helped open Tom Aikens’ one-star Michelin restaurant, where his wine list won awards with the AA and Wine Spectator. Anne Krebiehl MW Krebiehl is a freelance wine writer and lecturer. She is the contributing editor for Austria, Alsace and England for Wine Enthusiast and publishes in other trade and consumer titles including Decanter. She is a judge in the DWWA and other international wine competitions, and has helped to harvest and make wine in Germany, Italy and New Zealand. Sebastian Thomas Thomas came late…

Australian Shiraz: the facts Area planted 39,893ha in 2017 (Australia’s most widely planted variety, 46% of plantings); peaked at about 45,000ha in 2009 Production More than 500,000 tonnes in 2017 (47% of red crush; national average purchase price per tonne up by 12%) Top regions by volume Riverland (26%), Murray Darling-Swan Hill (15%), Riverina (14%) Top ‘cooler’ climate regions Barossa Valley (11%), McLaren Vale (6%) Top export destination China Source: Wine Australia National Vintage Report 2017…

EXPERT’S CHOICE Red Sancerre As well as its famous whites, the Loire is also a source of delightful Pinot Noirs that are worth tracking down. Christelle Guibert recommends her favourite producers MADE EXCLUSIVELY FROM Pinot Noir, Sancerre Rouge accounts for about 10% of the appellation’s production, and boasts a small but dedicated following. Only a tiny percentage is exported and this, combined with recent frosts, means a slimmed-down Expert’s Choice selection (12 wines rather than the usual 18). Sancerre Rouge’s loyal client base also means it is rarely the bargain red one can sometimes find in the Loire – but this is Pinot Noir we’re talking about, and with prices rising as they have in Burgundy, the best can offer great relative value. At its best, red Sancerre is far…

Tasting notes decoded Meat Grilled or raw meat aromas can be found in muscular reds such as northern Rhône Syrah, Toro from northern Spain, or Bordeaux. Game is a slightly lighter, more fragrant character that can be found in wines with red fruit characteristics, such as Pinot Noir, Barbaresco, Rioja and Pinotage – it is reminiscent of hung pheasants and ‘farmyard’ aromas. Both meat and game aromas can become amplified over time, so are usually found in more mature bottles of wine, and are considered to be positive (and occasionally defining) characteristics of a particular wine style. In some cases these characteristics are caused by Brettanomyces, a wild yeast that can easily infect winemaking equipment, particularly the rough interior surface of wooden barrels. In small doses it produces meaty flavours…

Comtes de Champagne rises to the 2007 challenge Taittinger has launched its 2007 vintage Comtes de Champagne in the UK at a recommended retail price of £153.85. Champagne makers didn’t have an easy time in 2007, with difficulties at flowering and a cool summer. But conditions improved in August, including in the five grand cru villages of Avize, Chouilly, Cramant, Mesnil-sur-Oger and Oger, which collectively supply grapes for Comtes. Taittinger’s prestige cuvée has been produced in every vintage since 2004 and there will also be a 2008 vintage. However, Clovis Taittinger has said that none will be made in 2009, 2010 or 2011 due to unfavourable conditions: collectors take note. (See tasting note on Decanter.com/Premium.)…