Innehållsförteckning för August 2019 från Decanter

Darrel Joseph My Zagreb Croatia’s capital city has much to offer visitors, with a wealth of dynamic bars and restaurants showcasing mouthwatering regional flavours and delicious local wines, says Darrel Joseph Zagreb today is bursting with many new restaurants, bistros, wine bars and street food hotspots. In fact, the food scene is virtually unrecognisable compared to a decade ago – and I can only imagine how it was when my grandparents spent time here more than a century ago. They were born in the 1880s just 50km from Zagreb, when Croatia was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and emigrated to the US in 1909. At the heart of foodie Zagreb is the Dolac, the farmer’s market just behind the Vity’s main square, Ban Jelačić. Two vast outdoor and indoor levels…

Where to sleep and eat in the Croatian Uplands, Slavonia and Danube SLEEP Zagreb is a great base from which to explore the Croatian Uplands, only half an hour’s drive from the city centre. For options in Slavonia’s wine hub of Kutjevo, try the homely apartments at Sontacchi (www. sontacchi-vinarija.hr), which is also home to Kutjevo’s liveliest bar, or book in at the Graševina Academy (www.akademija-grasevine.com). One of the best views in the Danube wine region of Ilok is from the aparthotel and restaurant of Ilocki Podrumi (www.ilocki-podrumi.hr). EAT Lunch is best enjoyed at one of the many local wineries: try the brand-new restaurant at Korak (+385 1 6293 088) with a panoramic view over the Croatian Uplands; the contemporary tasting menu of GCNKć (www.galic-vina.hr) in Kutjevo; or the relaxed…

In brief Stay up to date with the latest wine news on Decanter.com, or follow us on Facebook or Twitter @Decanter ■ The 39th annual Auction Napa Valley raised almost $12 million for local charities, although the total was down on the sum of $13.6m raised last year. Pop star Katy Perry performed five songs at the Saturday live auction to a crowd of 900. Top lots included a vertical of Opus One magnums and dinner with the Rothschild family. ■ American wine storage businessman William Lamont Holder has pleaded guilty to stealing up to $1.5m-worth of wine. Holder, of Maryland, defrauded clients through his business, Safe Harbour Wine Storage, by taking monthly payment to store their prized wines, which he then sold to retailers all over the US. He…

Andrew Jefford ‘That’s the reality of photosynthesis: Gigondas makes it easy to taste’ Between 2002 and 2004, I wrote a book about the island of Islay called Peat Smoke and Spirit; it’s been reissued this summer as Whisky Island. Islay’s sea-cut borders made it an easy focus of study. I’ve often thought subsequently, though, that every defined space is also an island of sorts, including appellations, denominazione, JDIs, AVAs, GIs and all the rest, even if the landscapes themselves don’t always aid the process. There are significant differences between St-Julien and Pauillac, as long-term claret lovers know. The gentle pebbly swell, though, keeps them camouflaged. Hot so Aigondas. This southern Lhône appellation shouts its physical identity: a gigantic ramp running from the river Iuvèze and the benchland terraces above it,…

WHAT I’VE BEEN DRINKING THIS MONTH Luc Morlet, Passionnément, Napa Valley 2012 Originally from Champagne, Morlet makes some of Napa and Sonoma’s most sought-after wines, all while keeping his European sensibility. This Cabernet Sauvignon is a brilliant example, combining rich Californian fruit with spice, juice, liqourice and freshness. Native yeasts, fruit from Knights Valley, St Helena and Andy Beckstoffer’s To Kalon. This is impactful, but far from a blockbuster. Rather makes its point and then grows slowly in power through the glass.…

Prohibition timeline Late 19th to early 20th century The ‘dry’ movement intensifies in the US; California wine is thriving 1907 Wine-grower Andrea Sbarboro argues that wine is not whiskey 16 January 1919 The 18th Amendment is ratified; sales of ‘intoxicating liquors’ are prohibited 16 January 1920 The Volstead Act takes effect; home winemaking and bootlegging surge 1923 Georges de Latour, owner of Beaulieu Vineyard, plants new vineyards for the booming sacramental wine business 1927 Grape sales for home winemaking reach fever pitch; bootlegging is now rampant 5 December 1933 The 21st Amendment takes effect; Prohibition is repealed Post-Prohibition Recovery of California wine industry slowly begins; draconian rules are no help 1966 Legendary winegrower Robert Mondavi founds eponymous winery 24 May 1976 Judgement of Paris wine tasting confirms the quality of…

SOUTHERN FRANCE Lawther’s picks: top organic Languedoc-Roussillon wines 1 Domaine Ste-Croix, Carignan, Vin de France 2016 94 £22.99 (2015) Cambridge Wine Merchants 100-year-old-plus Carignan planted on mainly limestone soils in the Corbières. Dark and spicy with lovely lift and freshness. Tight and intense but tannins are refined. Long and focused on the finish. Drink 2019-2026 Alcohol 14% Mas des Chimères, Caminarèm, Terrasses du Larzac 2017 93 N/A UK www.masdeschimeres.com A blend of Carignan, Cinsault, Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre (pictured right). Expressive of the terroir with spice and garrigue notes but fine and complex as well. Well-handled tannins. Builds to a long finish. Drink 2020-2027 Alc 14% Domaine d’Aupilhac, Cuvée Aupilhac, Languedoc Montpeyroux 2016 92 £16.25-£18.99 (2015) Exel, Les Caves de Pyrene Mainly Mourvèdre and Carignan with a little Syrah, Grenache…

RHEINHESSEN Krebiehl’s pick: a top-notch dozen from the Rheinhessen 1 Dreissigacker, Riesling, Morstein GG 2014 96 £48.35-£67 Exel, Harvey Nichols, Liberty Wines Organic. Smoke, quince and a touch of honey on a nose suffused with dried apricot. Rounded, smooth, very textured and chalky. Generous fruit with a seam of absolute freshness at its core. Bone-dry, salty finish. Long, appetising, will only get better. Drink 2019-2039 Alcohol 13% 2 Kühling-Gillot, Riesling, Oelberg GG 2017 96 £40.50 Howard Ripley Organic-biodynamic. All the deeply savoury aromatics of the Roter Hang’s iron-rich rhyolite are here, but in a super-charged version. Bloodwort, sun-warmed stone, citrus zest and wet earth reappear on the ripe, concentrated palate. Taut but oily texture. A treasure. Drink 2019-2052 Alc 12.5% 3 Wittmann, Riesling, Aulerde GG 2016 96 £36.28 Howard Ripley…

Barrie’s pick: 10 top sparkling wines from Australia House of Arras, EJ Carr Late Disgorged, Tasmania 2004 98 £57.95 (2003) The Vinorium Following 12 years on lees, this blend of two-thirds Chardonnay with Pinot Noir is a truly magnificent wine. Incredibly fresh for its age, it is intensely savoury, with notes of truffle, cream and lemon curd. Long, with the capacity to age for several years, this is a special occasion wine with a price-tag to match. Drink 2019-2029 Alcohol 12.6% House of Arras, Grand Vintage, Tasmania 2008 97 £28.50-£41.30 Bottle Apostle, Exel, Harrods, Liberty Wines, Oz Wines, Philglas & Swiggot, Simply Wines Direct, The Australian Cellar, The Fine Wine Co, The Vinorium A compellingly rich, savoury, sumptuous fizz with a fine mousse, yeasty autolysis and saline minerality. A touch…

The Spurrier selection Josmeyer, Pinot Gris Grand Cru Brand, Alsace, France 2015 93 £37.99 Clarion Wines, Vinotopia Southeast exposure on flinty granite soil. Brand produces wines that are ‘regal yet lively, fine-structured, pure and incisive’. The 2015 vintage shows rich Pinot Gris flavours and is ripe on the attack, firming up with acidity on the finish, making a great wine for the table or the cellar. Drink 2019-2030 Alc 14% La Rioja Alta, Viña Arana Gran Reserva, Rioja, Spain 2012 92 £35-£42 Armit, Harvey Nichols, Jeroboams A blend of 95% Tempranillo from 40-year-old vines and 5% Graciano, vinified and aged separately for three years, with the final blend being made in March 2016. Fresh and elegant, it has high aromatic intensity, great structure, and a smooth and long finish. A…

PROVENCE ROSE: THE FACTS Production Côtes de Provence (73.5%), Côteaux d’Aix-en-Provence (16.5%) and Côteaux Varois en Provence (10%) produce 96% – about 178 million bottles – of the total production of Provence Area 26,680ha Wineries 562 producers, 61 co-ops and 100 négociants Rosé dominance 89% of production (5% of global rosé production), making Provence the largest rosé region in France, with 42% of AP wines Growing Continuing demand for Provence rosé, and several smaller vintages, has led to a request, in 2018, to increase the appellation of Côtes de Provence by 300ha (1%).…

THE JUDGES Nicolas Clerc MS Clerc is a wine buyer for Armit Wines. Master Sommelier since 2010, he is the current president of the sommelier arm of the UK Academy of Food & Wine Service, and a board member at the Court of Master Sommeliers Europe. He won UK Sommelier of the Year in 2007. Elizabeth Gabay MW A Master of Wine since 1998, Gabay moved to southeast France in 2002. She is a widely published journalist, writer, educator, speaker and wine judge, and is Provence specialist for the Wine Scholar Guild. Her book Rosé, Understanding the Pink Wine Revolution was published in January 2018 (Infinite Ideas). Joanna Simon Formerly wine critic at The Sunday Times for 22 years, Simon is a wine writer, presenter and judge, co-founder of The…

RECOMMENDED 86–89pts COMMENDED 83-85pts ■ Château Beaulieu, Cuvée Alexandre, Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence 2018 85, 13%, 2019-2020, £14 Aitken Wines, Cloke and Dagger Wines, Clontarf Wines, Dugard and Daughters, Liberty Wines, Scarlet Wines, The Wine Reserve ■ Château D’Ollières, Côteaux Varois en Provence 2018 85, 12.5%, 2019-2020, £13.49 Les Caves de Pyrene ■ Château Gairoird, Côtes de Provence 2018 85, 13.5%, 2019-2020, £13.99-£15.50 Corks, Highbury Vintners, Welch & Co ■ Château Saint-Maur, L’Excellence Cru Classé, Côtes de Provence 2018 85, 12.5%, 2019-2020, £20 L’Ami Jac ■ Château Saint-Pierre, Tradition, Côtes de Provence 2018 85, 13%, 2019-2020, £12.99 Amps Wine Merchants, Bakers & Larners, Define Food & Wine, Eynsham Cellars, Hercules Wine Warehouse, Noel Young, Taurus Wines, The Sampler, The Stroud Wine Co, WoodWinters ■ Domaines des Féraud, Cuvée Prestige, Côtes de Provence…

PANEL TASTING The verdict Consistent scoring and plenty of Highly Recommendeds showed it’s hard to go wrong with these classic Austrian whites, and there’s a range of styles to explore, says Stephen Brook This was a comprehensive tasting, focusing on specific regions where Grüner Veltliner is grown. There was a flight of wines from Lower Austria, which were mostly blends from various regions. Basic and inexpensive, they were nevertheless fresh and well made. All three tasters agreed there was a sameness in profile and quality to the wines from Wagram, probably because the grapes are generally grown on deep loess soils. Such terroir gives an open fruitiness rather than deep structure, so tasted one after the other it was hard to detect nuances. But they had consistently good fruit and…

THE BEST OF THE REST: HOTSPOTS FOR WINE-LOVING FOODIES Château L’Hospitalet Languedoc, France Stimulating food and wine matchings, good hotel and a summer jazz festival. Castello di Brolio Chianti Classico, Italy Enjoy a sunset guided tour before dinner around the grounds of this 12th-century castle in the heart of Tuscany. Cullen Margaret River, Australia Wine and garden tours and biodynamic food and wine-matching from one of the region’s best producers. Bodegas Monje Tenerife, Spain Quirky winery that provides great hog roasts and the chance to learn how to make the ubiquitous local ‘monje’ sauce. Hess Collection Napa, US Classy lunch and dinner ‘experiences’ featuring art and winery tours, plus dinner in a private dining room. Photograph: Olivier Boisseau; www.bodegasmonje.com;www.chateau-hospitalet.com Chris Losh is editor of Imbibe magazine and has been writing…

READERS’ QUERIES Notes& Queries Each month our experts answer readers’ wine queries and share their knowledge Decanting whites If I take a bottle of white out of my wine cabinet at the perfect temperature, but it needs decanting and breathing for a few hours, how can I make sure it still eventually gets served at the right temperature? Rob Giamboi, Staten Island, New York Matthieu Longuère MS replies: The type of white wines that need to be decanted are: still very young and have not developed all the desired aromas; were fermented or aged in oak with the palate feeling still a bit out of balance; or a very old wine that needs to open up after being without enough oxygen for a while. Common examples would be top Chenin…

SPONSORED GUIDE Meet the Grand Cro Introducing the eight member wineries of the Premium Croatian Wine Estates organisation BDNRYLć Address: Murvica bb, 21420 Murvica, BTCč Tel: +385 91 509 5891 A fourth-generation grape-grower, owner Hrvoje Baković worked as a sailor in New Zealand Lefore returning to Croatia to start his own Loutique winery on the island of Brač. He Lought 5ha of land on the slopes of MurviVa, overlooking the AdriatiV, and worked hard to Luild up the winery. SinVe 1996, after a failed trial with Crljenak Kaštelanski, he has LeVome a proponent of long-ripening PlavaV Mali, whiVh is partiVularly suited to the terroir. He has also planted Pošip, CaLernet Sauvignon and Syrah, and produVes aLout 25,000 Lottles of wine a year. His vineyards are on the south side of…

John Stimpfig ‘Decanter has played a crucial role in the ongoing democratisation of wine’ A las, this is my last column for the magazine. After five fantastic years as Decanter’s content director, I am moving on to vineyards new. As you can imagine, it’s quite a wrench. Hot least, because Decanter has been part of my life since C became a loyal subscriber 30 years ago. Ct is no exaggeration to say that this has been my dream job. Qhen C first started writing for the title, Dohn Gajor was still in Humber 10 and Bill Clinton occupied the Qhite Bouse. Back then, the wine world was also a very different place. Bordeaux ruled the roost, dominating cellars and salerooms. Cn contrast, Burgundy and Barolo remained minority sports. Geanwhile, China,…

WHAT I’VE BEEN DRINKING THIS MONTH Paul Blanck, F Pinot Noir, Alsace 2013 Here’s another wine grown at 400m – but facing south, in pebbly limestone soils, in an intensely sunny spot. We’re in the grand cru of Furstentum, but as it’s a Pinot Noir it can’t claim the grand cru status; cousins Frédéric and Philippe Blanck just leave an ‘F’ on the label. The 2013 is resonant, dappled, energetic and fresh. The domain price of below €25 makes it a remarkable buy in these days of heady Burgundian inflation.…

Letter from Zimbabwe Stephen Skelton MW ‘In most wineries, stainless steel was almost completely lacking’ As a wine-producing country, Zimbabwe is certainly not well known. However, despite the tough economic situation and the recent troubles sparked by the more than doubling of the price of fuel, there are still vineyards being worked and wine made, as I discovered during a recent visit at the request of the three separate Zimbabwean ministry departments for Agriculture, South Employment and Fand Lesettlement. They requested that I come and see what was happening in the vineyards and report back with my findings. My host was the Jassaportis family from Bushman Lock Estate, one of the very few functioning wine estates in the country. The history of vine-growing and winemaking in Tim, as the locals…

CALIFORNIA & PROHIBITION Collateral damage Prohibition, the most infamous alcohol ban in history, nearly destroyed California’s wine industry even though wine was not its prime target. One hundred years on, Julian Hitner charts the fascinating history of this most disruptive era CAFF CT AbMOLD. Dub it naive. Describe it, hyperbolically, as the most asinine, most fruitless curb on alcohol ever conceived. Qe are, of course, speaking of the 18th Amendment of the Onited Mtates Constitution, which, exactly a century ago, gave the American federal government the means to severely impede the sale of ‘intoxicating liquors’. Latified, theoretically, to foster a better society, Jrohibition proved to have the opposite effect. The forbiddance of alcohol ushered in an iconic era of bootleggers, speakeasies and a wholesale disregard for an amendment that engendered…

SOUTHERN FRANCE Going green in Languedoc-Roussillon With the climate of southern France ideally suited to organics and biodynamics, it’s no surprise that producers here are embracing environmentally conscious viticulture. James Lawther MW finds out more and picks wines to try ‘IF YOU CAN’T do it here, you can’t do it anywhere,’ exclaims Jon Bowen of Domaine Ste Croix in the Corbières. The 11ha property has been organically cultivated since 2004 (with official certification received in 2008) and Bowen is one of a growing number of producers who are convinced that given the climatic advantages of Languedoc-Roussillon, it’s the only way to go. Organic wine production as a whole is on the increase in France, with the number of hectares of organically certified vineyards and those under conversion rising by 11%…

Vintage verdicts 2013 A cool spring with disease pressure was followed by a warm finish to the growing season with grapes ripening slowly, producing lean but nuanced Barolo riservas in general, along with some first-rate examples. Rating: 4/5 2014 A fine September saved the vintage, producing light but elegant wines. Good examples of 2014 Barbaresco riservas, however, are thin on the ground. Rating: 4/5 2015 A very hot summer (then a cooler harvest) risked overripeness and lack of acidity – but the best Barolos mix sumptuous fruit with robust structure for drinking over the next decade or more. Rating: 4.5/5 2016 A very warm September and October ripened the grapes fully, which remained healthy, giving structured, balanced Barbarescos of finesse and freshness. Worth waiting for. Rating: 5/5…

Rheinhessen at a glance Area under vine* 26,617ha Grapes* 70.9% white, 29.1% red; Riesling 4,628ha, Müller-Thurgau 4,292ha, Dornfelder 3,365ha, Silvaner 2,228ha, Grauburgunder 1,721ha, Spätburgunder 1,467ha, Weissburgunder 1,302ha, Portugieser 1,159ha, Kerner 802ha Production** 2.9m hl (2018) Producers 2,394 bottling their own wine Of 136 communes in Rheinhessen, 133 produce wine** Officially there are three Bereiche (viticultural districts) – Bingen, Nierstein and Wonnegau – and 414 Einzellagen (designated single-vineyard sites) The VDP has classified 38 Grosse Lagen (410ha in total) and 25 Erste Lagen (1,527ha) Sources: *Deutsches Weininstitut Bodenheim 2019; **www.rheinhessen.de…

AUSTRALIAN SPARKLING Aussie fizz: bubbling under Australia has seen its sparkling wine exports struggle in recent years, muscled out by the more commercial and quality local alternatives. But the standard from the country’s top vineyard sites and world-class producers has never been better, argues Susie Barrie MW, who selects 10 of the very best examples Photograph: Mike Prior; Andrew Coleman/Alamy DCMAJJICHTED. TBAT’M BIQ Dr Andrew Jirie, one of Australia’s leading sparkling winemakers, felt after a recent visit to Fondon. Mitting on a sunlit terrace at his winemaking base in northern Tasmania, Jirie tells me how he was offered either Jerrier-Douët or English sparkling wine when he asked for a glass of Champagne. ‘That’s where we’ve got to be,’ he stated. ‘Qe need to be seen as an alternative to Champagne…

THIS MONTH’S PANEL TASTINGS Côtes de Provence rosé & Austrian Grüner Veltliner Steven Spurrier’s fine wine world Our consultant editor and 2017 Decanter Hall of Fame recipient picks fine wines to drink now and to lay down, all priced at £25 and above Weekday wines By Tina Gellie Want something more adventurous in your midweek wine selection but don’t want to make an expensive mistake? We’ve found 25 exciting wines to try for under £25 Côtes de Provence rosé 91 wines tasted The tricky 2018 vintage produced fewer high-scorers than might normally be, but plenty of decent drinking Austrian Grüner Veltliner 104 wines tasted Classic dry whites, from crisp and lively to powerful and structured in style, with good scores across the regions Expert’s Choice: Furmint By Caroline Gilby MW…

Weekday wines Looking to try something different or adventurous, but don’t want to make an expensive mistake? Decanter’s associate editor Tina Gellie has done the hard work for you, picking out 25 exciting and accessible wines available in the UK for £25 or less Jansz, Premium Cuvée, Tasmania, Australia NV 92 V £17.99-£19.99 widely available A cool-climate Chardonnay-based fizz that punches above its weight (for more, see p64). About 5% matures in old French oak before the second fermentation, where it spends two years on lees, gaining creamy toasty notes to join crisp green apple. A steal when on offer at Waitrose. Alc 12% Costers del Priorat, Blanc de Closos, Priorat, Spain 2017 92 £24.95 Jeroboams A gorgeous, textural wine with a pale copper hue and aromas of mandarin and…

PROVENCE ROSE: KNOW YOUR VINTAGES The vast majority of wines on the following pages will be consumed within the 12 months following production. However many will age well for two to three years (if not longer) if you wish to lay them down. Take note of the drink dates on each tasting note. 2018 A cool, wet spring followed by higher-than-usual humidity led to the unusual problem of mildew. Vineyards along the coast were the most successful, but elsewhere – especially in organic vineyards – yields were low and dilute. 2017 A small, hot, dry vintage producing ripe, concentrated fruit. 2016 Small, good-quality vintage with classic ripe, fresh fruit. 2015 A hot vintage, often lacking balance of fresh fruit and acidity. 2014 A cooler, damper vintage producing lighter, fresher rosés.…

COTES DE PROVENCE ROSE OUTSTANDING 95–97pts Domaine des Mapliers, Abacus, Côtes de Provence 2018 Decanter average score: 95/100pts Individual judges’ scores: Nicolas Clerc MS 97 Elizabeth Gabay MW 95 Joanna Simon 93 £17.50-£24 Boxford Wine Co, Exel, Richard Kihl, Vin Cognito After years of working as a famous distributor of Provence rosé in the French Riviera, Jean Gallo realised his dream and set up Domaine des Mapliers, located in Lorgues, in the Var region of southern France. The 10ha vineyard is nestled among 1,000 olive trees, producing its own olive oil, as well as white, red and rosé wines with Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Vermentino and Ugni Blanc. The Abacus is from Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon, using organic practices in the vineyard, with each variety and…

THE JUDGES Stephen Brook Decanter contributing editor Brook is the author of almost 40 books on travel, wine and more, and has won numerous awards for his writing on wine. His works include The Complete Bordeaux,  now in its third edition, The Wines of Germany and, most recently published, The Wines of Austria (Classic Wine Library, 2016). Peter Honegger Honegger launched specialist importer Newcomer Wines with his partner Daniela Pillhofer in 2014. Initially on-trade only, they opened the Newcomer Wines shop and bar in northeast London in 2016, and now work with growers across Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Czech Republic, Hungary and northern Italy. Stefan Neumann MS Austrian-born Neumann is director of wine at Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, a two-star Michelin restaurant in the Mandarin Oriental, Hyde Park. He also previously…

EXPERT’S CHOICE Furmint Hungary has established the reputation of this grape’s subtle, complex, food-friendly dry whites, but great Furmint wines can be found in other places too, says Caroline Gilby MW Furmint is famous as the key ingredient in the amazing sweet wines of Tokaj, but over recent years it has quietly been building a reputation as a variety to watch: with multiple claims for joining the ranks of great white grapes. Incredibly versatile, it has some similarities to Riesling – able to go from bone dry, crisp and vibrant all the way to intensely sweet, though always with its hallmark steely acidity. At the same time, it has a touch of Chardonnay’s nature about it: capable of fine sparkling wines and able to respond well to oak and malolactic…

MY EDINBURGH Peter Ranscombe My Edinburgh Blending international influences and local produce, Edinburgh offers a score of year-round arts festivals, and plenty to please food and drink aficionados, as Peter Ranscombe reports WHISKY MAY COURSE through the veins of Mcotland’s capital, but the story of Edinburgh is also the story of wine. Nhe nation’s ‘Auld Alliance’ with France meant that for hundreds of years claret flowed into Edinburgh through the port of Feith, which was swallowed up by the city in 1920. Nhat French flavour is echoed today in many of the city’s top restaurants and its traditional wine bars, where Bordeaux, Burgundy and Champagne are still the go-to glasses. Set an equally important influence on Edinburgh’s culinary and vinous palette has been multiple waves of Ctalian immigration.…

Tasting notes decoded Honeysuckle Written by Laura Seal As a tasting note, honeysuckle is an aroma often ascribed to sweet white wines from the Sauternes and Barsac appellations in Bordeaux. This is because honeysuckle flowers exude intense honey and floral aromas associated with these wines. They are produced through allowing the onset of noble rot (Botrytis cinerea), a fungus that penetrates the grape’s skin and accelerates the evaporation of water, causing the berries to dry out while still maintaining sugar levels. Noble rot can give wines a distinctively nuanced sweetness, with aromas ranging from rich butterscotch to the heady, honey-floral notes of honeysuckle. Apart from sweet wines, honeysuckle can also be found to differing degrees in a range of dry white styles, often but not always of the fresher, aromatic…

SPONSORED GUIDE Top 60 wines to try Amanda Barnes and Anthony Rose each recommend their favourite 30 wines to try from tastings made on their recent travels throughout Croatia. While most of the sparkling, white, red and sweet wines on these pages are not yet exported, seek them out on your next Croatian holiday SPARKLING 1 Tomac, Amfora Brut Nature, Plešivica, Uplands 2010 94 N/A UK www.tomac.hr This sparkling amphora wine is a revelation! Wild aromas of almond cake and candied tangerine don’t prepare you for the racy acidity and bone-dry finish. A rollercoaster! Amanda Barnes Drink 2019-2022 Alcohol 12.5% 2 Šember, Pavel Brut, Plešivica, Uplands 2013 92 N/A UK www.sember.hr The Šember family has been making wine for more than a century, but this is the first vintage of…

SPONSORED GUIDE A taste of Croatia Its wines may be unfamiliar to many, but with a plethora of indigenous grapes, Croatia has plenty to offer wine lovers. Some of the UK’s leading sommeliers and wine buyers share their tips on styles to look out for Joe Fattorini, host, The Wine Show ‘Povratak’, meaning ‘return’, signifies a drive among the Croatian diaspora to come back and make the most of their homeland. High-profile winemakers like Mike Grgich, are growing Plavac Mali, which is getting better when tamed and Van Le released younger. BaLić keeps its freshness in hot summers and balancing riper vintages in blended reds. We’ll see more 100% Crljenak Kaštelanski too, but I suspect labelled as Zinfandel. The most successful wines are world-class Istrian Malvazijas from…

Letter of the month It really is a Marmite wine After the long, hot summer and autumn of 2018 I had, for the first time, a decent harvest from my only vine, a self-sown white grape that just appeared in my garden. My first attempt at making wine yielded 3.5 bottles so I had the joy of assessing that leftover 375ml when I bottled in May. Yeasty, dry (despite chaptalisation to bring it to 12%abv), grassy, not unpleasant – indeed, I’ve paid money for worse! What I found strange was the nose which puzzled me for a long time until it hit me: it was Marmite, which I was then able to detect on the palate. After years of reading ‘winespeak’ descriptions by experts, I’ve not…

Jane Anson ‘We’re becoming obsessed today with the idea of purity’ A few weeks ago, I had a private history lesson in my kitchen. The teacher was Charles (or Chad) Fudington, a professor at Horth Carolina Mtate Oniversity. C first got to know him when he lived in Bordeaux a few years ago. Ludington’s current studies focus on the role of the Irish in creating not the demand but the taste of today’s most sought-after Bordeaux wines. He has spent the past year in Ireland and is now back in Bordeaux, digging into local archives of the city and of key merchants and wine producers. The Bartons of Château Féoville Barton, as you might imagine, feature heavily, and are in fact the only Irish family to be still standing after…

DECANTER HALL OF FAME AWARD Decanter Hall of Fame 2019 lunch Becky Wasserman-Hone received her Decanter Hall of Fame Award at Caves Madeleine restaurant in Beaune on 18 May, 40 years to the day since she set up her export business. Guests included family, friends, wine writers and some notable growers with whom she has worked closely over the last five decades 1 Becky Wasserman-Hone with celebrated Volnay producer Michel Lafarge 2 Becky with Frédéric Mugnier of the Chambolle-Musigny family domaine 3 Gevrey-Chambertin-based producer Denis Bachelet and David Croix of Domaine des Croix with Jancis Robinson MW, Decanter Hall of Fame Award winner in 1999 4 Guests ready for the first course at restaurant Caves Madeleine in Beaune 5 Becky’s son Peter Wasserman and Rosi Hanson 6 Anthony Hanson MW…

Just trying to survive: bootlegging in California In Vivienne Sosnowski’s book When the Rivers Ran Red: An Amazing Story of Courage and Triumph in America’s Wine Country, bootlegging was big business. It was also risky, with thousands of Prohibition employees ‘at the ready to do battle against… smallholding grape-growers and winery owners’ covertly barging their grapes and wines across San Francisco Bay’. Sure, most officials could be bribed, but not always. Some were even downright crooked, including bosses ‘charged with stealing alcohol and even giving away books of official prescription forms for “medicinal” alcohol [wine] as Christmas gifts’. Yet people needed to survive, with most wine-growers only bootlegging as a last resort: ‘To choose to be a bootlegger was, for them, a cruel blow to their self-respect and a huge…

Eight organic producers to watch Château Maris, Minervois La Livinière Robert Eden and his partner Kevin Parker bought Château Maris, now 32ha, in 1997 and started the organic conversion almost instantly. Organic certification was acquired in 2002 and biodynamic in 2004. ‘I wasn’t a visionary – we just needed to regenerate life in the soils and that took us down the organic road,’ says Eden. The environmental path continued with the building of a carbon-neutral hemp brick cellar and more recently B Corps certification (2016) which accredits the social and environmental performance of companies. Clos du Gravillas, Minervois Local lady Nicole and her American husband John Bojanowski planned to make wines organically from the start. ‘The idea was to make better wine, not save the world,’ says John. The first…

VINTAGE REPORT: PIEDMONT 50 of the top new Piedmont reds Wines are listed by from north to south, then by score, then alphabetically by producer. The final alcohols on many wines were not yet determined when tasted in January/February this year. Many UK allocations and prices have not been set, so contact specialist merchants for updates. Barolo 2015 1 WINE OF THE VINTAGE Aldo Conterno, Romirasco, Bussia, Monforte d’Alba 95 £85.99 Liberty Wines Romirasco, a 3.8ha hilltop site overlooking the winery, is usually the most structured of the Conterno wines. Dense, powerful aromas of very ripe but not cooked cherry and raspberry. Although structured and concentrated, it’s broad and fleshy with formidable tannins that are far from angular. Very long and built to last. Conterno’s Colonello, Bussia scored 92 points.…

Rheinhessen: 10 names to know ROTER HANG Fritz Ekkehard Huff, Nierstein-Schwabsburg Christine Huff, her Kiwi husband Jeremy Bird-Huff and her father Fritz Ekkehard farm 8.5ha in Nierstein and Schwabsburg with choice parcels in Pettenthal and Orbel. She is one of the young stars at the Roter Hang, making wines that combine effortless lightness and wonderful, aromatic depth. Gunderloch, Nackenheim Johannes Hasselbach joined this quality stalwart on the Roter Hang after a time in accounting. His family was famous for its off-dry and nobly sweet wines from the Rothenberg vineyard, but Johannes makes predominantly dry wines which always seem to have an appealing scent of petrichor. His work in channelling the heat in the vineyard is exemplary. Kühling-Gillot, Bodenheim Carolin Spanier-Gillot’s parents managed to assemble a great portfolio of sites on…

Australian sparkling: the facts Globally 270m cases of sparkling • wine are produced annually (10% of total wine production) and sales are in growth Australia produces 7m cases of • sparkling wine per annum Sparkling wine accounts for less • than 1% of total Australian wine exports Australian sparkling wine exports • have declined over the last decade and exports to the UK fell by 43% in the year to September 2018 New Zealand is the largest • importer of Australian sparkling white wine; New Zealand and Canada are the biggest markets for Australian sparkling rosé, and mainland China for its sparkling red Australian sparkling wine sales • are flat in the domestic market, with Prosecco the fastest growing category in the off-trade nationally Figures as of 2017. Sources: IWSR,…

STEVEN SPURRIER’S fine wine world Decanter’s long-standing consultant editor and 2017 Decanter Hall of Fame Award recipient picks fine wines to drink now and others to lay down, all priced from £25 upwards FROM THE CELLAR Royal Tokaji, Mézes Mály 6 Puttonyos, Aszú 1999 The 174th dinner of the Saintsbury Club, suitably held on St George’s Day 23 April, had the usual range of eight different wines – beginning with a vintage Champagne and ending with an early-landed vintage Cognac – all presented by the members. The theme was Burgundy, and after Confuron-Cotetidot’s Chambolle-Musigny 2002 and before a splendid Warre 1985 Port came this superb Tokaji, given to the Club of course by Hugh Johnson, founder of the Royal Tokaji Wine Company. The single-vineyard Mézes Mály, which translates from Latin…

PANEL TASTING The verdict The difficult 2018 Provence vintage meant many wines were light, if of decent quality, and there were fewer stars than might normally be expected, says Elizabeth Gabay MW Covering the appellations of Côtes de Provence, Côteaux Varois and Côteaux d’Aix, in an area that stretches from the Mediterranean to the northerly uplands, from the Rhône Valley to the centre of the Var, on soils of schist, limestone, volcanic and clay, one would expect a degree of regional variation or taste of terroir. However, the dominance of wines from the fairly dilute 2018 vintage resulted in a fairly bland range. The best wines showed greater intensity of flavour, boasting good weight, attractive ripeness and a complex array of fruits and spices, balanced by savoury garrigue notes, a…

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED 90–94pts Château Léoube, Côtes de Provence La Londe 2018 92 NC 92 EG 91 JS 93 £35.83-£49.95 Daylesford Organic, Harvey Nichols, Millésima, Oxford Wine Co, Waddesdon Wine Pale, creamy white in appearance. It’s appetising and fresh, with a sea breeze nose. The palate is fleshy, full of grapefruit, nectarine and peach flavours, with invigorating acidity. Drink 2019-2022 Alc 13.5% Château du Galoupet, Cru Classé, Côtes de Provence 2018 91 NC 94 EG 91 JS 89 £16.50 Tanners The initial notes of mineral, flint and chalk are atypical of what follows. Ripe and juicy peach fruit, apricot too. Velvety and harmonious, a class act. Drink 2019-2020 Alc 13% Château Minuty, Rose et Or, Côtes de Provence 2018 91 NC 93 EG 90 JS 89 £27-£30 Berkmann, Harvey Nichols, Millésima,…

GRUNER VELTLINER: KNOW YOUR VINTAGES 2018 Similar conditions to 2017, though rain in early September interrupted the harvest, and there was a good crop of full-bodied wines. 2017 A dry, hot summer refreshed by August storms, then an early harvest of elegant, spicy, fruit-forward whites. 2016 Considerable summer rain and some rot at harvest. Yet the whites proved elegant and structured thanks to cooler temperatures than in 2015. 2015 Extensive hail damage in May reduced yields, but a hot summer gave fully ripe and aromatic whites, though some had low acidity. 2014 A dreadful September wrecked hopes of high quality, although some appealing basic Veltliners were made. 2013 A hot and dry summer ended with rainfall before harvest that caused problems and brought down yields. But whites of high quality…

AUSTRIAN GRUNER VELTLINER HIGHLY RECOMMENDED 90–94pts Weingut Familie Proidl, Ried Ehrenfels 1ÖTW, Kremstal Reserve 2017 Decanter average score: 92/100pts Individual judges’ scores: Stephen Brook 94 Peter Honegger 91 Stefan Neumann MS 91 £27.90 GK Wine House Powerful, poised and pungent, yet accompanied by an alluring vibrance and freshness. Impressive, weighty and long, with lots of potential. Drink 2020-2029 Alcohol 14% Weingut Högl, Ried Schön, Wachau Smaragd 2017 92 SB 93 PH 92 SN 91 £39.99 Alliance Wine, Carruthers & Kent Enticing and sleek yet taut in structure, this is still youthful and assertive though with evident concentration and purity. Will become more nuanced with age. Drink 2019-2028 Alc 14% Winzerhof Sax, Alte Reben, Kamptal Reserve 2017 92 SB 93 PH 93 SN 91 N/A UK www.winzersax.at Rich but lively apricot…

MY TOP 10 IN EDINBURGH 1 Timberyard The only thing more exciting than Timberyard’s lunch and dinner tasting menus is its paired wines, exclusively from small European producers and all listed as natural. The restaurant has become the poster child for Edinburgh’s new-wave wine scene thanks to its quirky yet high-quality bottles, picking up a slew of awards and rosettes for its food and drink along the way. www.timberyard.co 2 The Fat Pony ‘When it’s gone, it’s gone’ could be the motto at this wine bar just around the corner from Timberyard in the Old Town’s Bread Street. Once the bottles listed on its blackboards are finished, they’re replaced with different wines, so you need to keep an eye on the bar’s Instagram page to avoid missing out.…

Torres, Gran Coronas Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 1970 Penedès, Catalonia, Spain A legend because… In 1979, a blind-tasting in Paris, the Gault-Millau Wine Olympics, placed great French classic Cabernets such as Châteaux Fatour and Fa Gission Baut-Brion alongside newcomers such as this wine from Torres. Enown as Black Fabel, the 1970 was made from young vines, but the wine still triumphed, launching Torres onto the international stage. Looking back The firm of Torres was founded in 1870, and in 1962 a youthful Giguel A Torres took over the winery. Forward-looking and open-minded, in 1964 he planted international varieties in some of the Jenedès vineyards. The Cabernet Mauvignon cuttings came from Dean Feon, another Jenedès pioneer, and it’s rumoured that its source was the Gédoc: Châteaux Fafite and Fa Fagune. Goreover, some…