Innehållsförteckning för February 2022 från Decanter

LEADING BY EXAMPLE Bringing their expertise to wineries all over the country, Italy’s top wine consultants have helped to create a diverse range of wines, inspiring the next generation of winemakers along the way. We profile six of the best STORY SUSAN HULME MW Some of Italy’s most famous and exciting wines are shaped by a small number of wine consultants. This is not a new thing – Italy has a long history of influential and innovative consultant oenologists stretching back to the 1960s: the hugely respected Giacomo Tachis developed acclaimed wines such as Tignanello (see ‘SuperTuscans’, p11), and Giulio Gambelli, ahead of his time, believed in the strength of Sangiovese as a single variety. Just the mention of their names acted as a seal of approval and added to…

A sense of place in CHIANTI Soon, Chianti Classico wines will show 11 new sub-zone names on their labels. You won’t see them on shelves for a while yet, but the decision has been made, so here’s a tour of the new sub-zones with a selection of the wines made there now STORY EMILY O’HARE Following much debate over several years, in the summer of 2021 the Chianti Classico consorzio approved a new sub-zone classification, the proposal having been to allow 11 Unità Geografiche Aggiuntive (UGAs: ‘additional geographical units’) in Chianti Classico to add the name of their commune or township to the front label of their Gran Selezione wines (in the coming years this will extend to the Riserva and annata-level wines). The approval of this law change, said…

EDITOR’S LETTER The finest hyperbole ever? We’ve rather immodestly claimed on the cover of this issue that the Wines of the Year is our best tasting ever. But, allowing for a certain amount of brevity in the interest of not boring casual magazine browsers, I very much stand by that statement. While we’ve done many, many great tastings over the years this one was a perfect example of that rare moment when all the stars align and things go pretty damn near perfectly. Our judges were true experts, and their opinions matched to a highly unusual degree for a blind tasting. The suggestions from our panel were wide-ranging and fascinating in both depth and breadth. And the wines were excellent, from established classics proving their pedigree to unusual varieties punching…

IN BRIEF Stay up to date with the latest wine news on decanter.com, or follow us on Facebook or Twitter @Decanter ■ Robert Mondavi Winery has joined the digital trend for non-fungible tokens (NFTs). Its new MCMLXVI collection – featuring 1,966 1.5-litre bottles made by French porcelain specialist Bernardaud and containing 2019 vintage, Cabernet Sauvignon-based custom blends from Napa’s To Kalon vineyard – would be sold ‘exclusively through generative art NFTs’, said Mondavi owner Constellation Brands. ■ A criminal trial in Bordeaux related to the theft of about €1m-worth of grand cru wines has led to convictions. The case involved 1,520 bottles of grands crus, including first growths, taken from a merchant’s warehouse in September 2020. Those convicted, pending any appeal, received a range of sentences, including prison, with some…

WINES OF THE YEAR The results are in! Our experts around the world and the Decanter team nominated the wines that impressed them most in 2021, and they have been retasted blind by our three judges to select the best of the best REPORT TINA GELLIE With 40% of entries scoring 95 points or more, this was undoubtedly the most successful Wines of the Year tasting Decanter has ever held. Our trio of judges, Michelle Cherutti-Kowal MW, Matt Walls and Stefan Neumann MS were unanimous in their praise. ‘It was overwhelming to taste so many fantastic wines – it was hit after hit!’ said Walls. ‘Given the line-up was so diverse, it was notable how much we agreed on our scores,’ commented Cherutti-Kowal. ‘That just shows the sheer quality and…

A taste of the top 2020 Burgundies Wines are listed by commune, from north to south, then by score, then alphabetically by producer. The 2020s are bottled from January 2022, hence prices, stockists and alcohols are not yet finalised. Contact specialist merchants for allocations, or to enquire about en primeur tastings TOP WINES OF THE 2020 VINTAGE: CURTIS’ PICK White Domaine des Comtes Lafon, Montrachet Grand Cru Red Domaine Georges Roumier, Musigny Grand Cru Gevrey-Chambertin 1 Domaine Dujac, Chambertin Grand Cru 99 O This is a genuinely epic wine, concentrated, tannic, and impressively persistent on the palate. The domaine crafts its Chambertin from a little more than 0.29ha, although most of the vines are located in the Clos de Bèze near the top of the slope, and there is a…

FIVE OF THE BEST: NO-ALCOHOL SPIRITS FOR DRY JANUARY RECOMMENDED BY JULIE SHEPPARD PHOTOGRAPHS ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES PLUS, PAULINE CUTLER/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO 1 Æcorn Aromatic £18.95-£20/50cl Æcorn Drinks, Amazon UK, Distillers Direct, Drinkmonger, Hard to Find Whisky, Harvey Nichols, Ocado, Waitrose Cellar Æcorn is a range of herbal aperitifs based on grapes – Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Meunier – infused with botanicals including oak, hence the name. Aromatic is a good choice for cold winter nights, thanks to its spicy berry aromas – like mulled wine. Try it over ice with soda, to help open up autumnal bonfire, bitter woodland notes, dark spices and a burnt caramel edge, plus vanilla and orange citrus. Or make a warm Mulled Cup: mix 300ml Æcorn Aromatic, 210ml apple juice and 90ml cinnamon syrup in…

PERFECT PAIRING The wines to match ORANGE WINE The skin contact that orange wine undergoes, along with the often grippy tannins and almost ‘red wine’ texture, make the style a perfect match for this boldly flavoured dish. The flavours in the wine are exotic, and the colour arresting – it’s an unusual match that showcases the versatility of this exciting and growing wine category. Try: Maturana Wines, Naranjo Torontel, Loncomilla, Maule, Chile 2019 97 £15.25 Corney & Barrow From a 4ha plot of 80-year-old Torontel vines, fermented on skins in concrete eggs. Intensely aromatic, with peach, apricot, lychee and orange peel leaping out of the glass. The textured palate is more restrained with subtle stone fruit, orange and lemon citrus, spice and good cleansing acidity. Crisp and juicy, a perfect…

PANEL TASTING Roussillon reds Thanks to big changes since our last panel tasting in 2015, our judges were impressed by the defined freshness and pared-back oak of these wines REPORT ROSEMARY GEORGE MW Six years have passed since Decanter’s last panel tasting of red wines of the Roussillon, in the Catalan southwest of France, and the change was palpable. Fellow judge Andy Howard MW summed up recent developments in the region: ‘I was expecting more hefty, powerful wines and was pleasantly surprised by the restraint and elegance’. Frederic Marti agreed, commenting on the evident freshness, lift and diversity. The production of table wine, locally called vin sec, as opposed to vin doux naturel (VDN) fortified, is a relatively recent development in the Roussillon. In their heyday in the mid-19th century,…

WEEKDAY WINES Looking for everyday drinking wines that won’t disappoint? The Decanter in-house tasting team has done all the hard work for you, picking out 25 exciting and accessible wines that are all ready to drink now, are available in the UK and priced at £20 or less RECOMMENDED BY JAMES BUTTON, NATALIE EARL, TINA GELLIE, GEORGINA HINDLE, JULIE SHEPPARD, AMY WISLOCKI & SYLVIA WU Fiol, Extra Dry, Prosecco, Veneto, Italy NV £15.50-£18.95 Amazon UK, ND John, The Great Wine Co Fiol was founded by three friends, with the aim of filling the gap between luxury and affordable Prosecco. It’s a cut above many on the shelves, offering elegant, crisp green apple fruit, warm lemon and acacia notes. There’s also an accomplished rosé. AW Alcohol 11% Laurent Brotte, Grand Vallon Grande…

Spotlight: Champagne No sign of slowing Confidence is high that the momentum built up behind Champagne over recent years will remain strong into 2022, as the top names continue to pull in the sales Champagne prices have been rising fast on the fine wine market as buyers seek to pick up vintages of the top names. Buyer demand has continued to be led by the highly regarded 2008 and 2012 vintages – topped up by recent releases such as Krug 2008 or Salon 2012 (see p110) – yet also by other vintages of the top labels. Momentum was good going into 2021 but the global reopening of hospitality sectors may have helped to boost Champagne further, said Matthew O’Connell, head of investment at Bordeaux Index and CEO of the merchant’s…

Barolo & Brunello vintages to drink Patience is most certainly a virtue when it comes to pulling the cork on those back vintages of prime Piedmont and Tuscan flagship reds quietly gathering dust in the cellar. But if you can’t resist, what’s best to open and enjoy right now?… STORY MICHAELA MORRIS When it comes to Italian wine, Barolo and Brunello di Montalcino are two of the most likely candidates for cellaring. Their respective grape varieties, Nebbiolo and Sangiovese, are undoubtedly the country’s noblest and, in their most prestigious denominations, there is no question of their pedigree for long and beneficial ageing. In decades past, both typically took years to come round in the bottle, but modern-day production can result in more immediately accessible wines. Some producers point to the…

EXPLORING MONFERRATO Boasting a huge number of different, variety-focused denominations, Monferrato’s wines celebrate the region’s many indigenous grapes – including, but not limited to, Barbera STORY MICHAELA MORRIS The wine region of Monferrato expands across the provinces of Asti and Alessandria in southern Piedmont. It lies to the east of Cuneo, where Barolo and Barbaresco are located. But before heading directly to those hallowed hills, it’s worth stopping in Monferrato to explore its wines. Monferrato embraces a dizzying number of overlapping denominations and is home to many of Italy’s fascinating native varieties. Leading the way is Barbera. Widely spread throughout Italy, Barbera is thought to have its origins in Monferrato – and the region certainly boasts some of its finest specimens. This sunloving grape is given plenty of opportunity to…

Meet the Decanter experts RICHARD BAUDAINS is a regular contributor to Decanter and long-serving DWWA Regional Chair for the Veneto. He lives in Friuli-Venezia Giulia in northeast Italy where he is consultant to a group of language schools MICHAEL GARNER is co-owner of Italian specialist Tria Wines and a DWWA Regional Chair for northern Italy. Co-author of Barolo: Tar and Roses, his second book Amarone and The Fine Wines of Verona was published in 2017 ANDREA BRICCARELLO is business development manager at specialist on-trade wine merchant Jascots. Formerly head sommelier and wine buyer for Galvin restaurants, he is a DWWA judge across several Italian regions SUSAN HULME MW is a wine writer, educator and judge specialising in Italy, with a particular interest in organic viticulture. A DWWA judge across Italian…

SANGIOVESE on the other side Across the Apennines, northeast from Tuscany, the Sangiovese grape is finding a new identity in Romagna DOC. The former inferiority complex towards its more illustrious neighbour has disappeared and today the region, established only in 2011, is full of energy and ambition STORY ASA JOHANSSON When you ask for water and someone gives you wine, that’s when you know you are in Romagna,’ laughs Giovanna Madonia. She started the winery that bears her name in 1992, and together with one of her four daughters she makes wine in a small and unpretentious 18th-century wine cellar. In the beginning, she made Sangiovese with a lot of extraction and aged the wines in barrique. ‘In the late 1990s, everyone tried to make structured wines with a lot…

Meet the Decanter experts CHARLES CURTIS MW is a widely published journalist, author and fine-wine advisor based in New York. Formerly head of wine for Christie’s in the US and Asia, he started out as a chef and trained at Le Cordon Bleu Paris ROLFE HANSON is a writer with 30 years’ experience in the wine trade working in various roles across wholesale and retail. He covers overlooked and emerging issues affecting consumers and sellers of wine ANDREW JEFFORD is a contributing editor to Decanter magazine, and a Co-Chair overseeing all judging at the DWWA. His journalism and books have won many awards, and he lives with his family near Montpellier in France MILLIE MILLIKEN is a freelance drinks writer with a particular focus on spirits and the hospitality sector.…

Your choice? Behind that wine you just picked out in your local shop sits a whole host of invisible influences. You may assume you have the power of choice, but the range available to you has already been carefully curated. We find out just what drives the trade wine buyers to select the wines that end up in your basket STORY ROLFE HANSON We’re saturated with wine data and enticed by bottles around every corner – 2022 is a heady time to be a wine consumer. The info-bottle intersection has created the opportunity for thoroughly informed wine choices. But now that you’re finally at the counter, with bottles picked out, I need to ask you this: who really chose your wine tonight? You may believe you’re in full control of…

DECANTER WORLD WINE AWARDS Top value: 95+ point wines under £15 A selection of the top-scoring Value wines from the Decanter World Wine Awards, worth seeking out… A Value medal fi·om the Decanter World Winei\wards has a special meaning. Price versus value is imponant, and the unique DWW A judging process rakes This imo consideration, with wines judged in carefidly organised flights by country, region, colour, grape, style, vintage and ptice poinr. This ensures wines are judged againsr their peers, and rhar results reflect top quality in relation to price - often a leading factor when people are purchasing wines. Co-Chair Andrew Jefford explains: 'Any wine claiming a retail value of £14.99* or less is eligible for our Value categories (we check prices where we are able). No wine at…

SPIRITS TRENDS What to drink in 2022 The world of spirits is so dynamic. From exciting new products to the creation of whole new categories, here are six trends to keep your eyes on over the next 12 months STORY MILLIE MILLIKEN AGAVE SPIRITS Looking to premiumise your collection? Tequila has plenty of high-end brands to choose from: perfect for enthusiasts to explore. Gone are the days when tequila was seen as a shot drink or only used in Margaritas. Now, drinks makers are showing just how versatile agave spirits can be in a range of cocktails. Agave expert Deano Moncrieffe of Hacha bar in east London has just opened a new specialist bar in south London (hachabar.com), bringing tequila to the masses. Big-name Mexican brands such as El Tequileño…

Ask Decanter Each month our experts answer your burning wine questions. Email your questions to editor@decanter.com AGED AROMAS In your explanation of wine aromas (‘Wine wisdom’, November 2021 issue), you define tertiary aromas as those that emerge with bottle age. According to the Wine & Spirit Education Trust, tertiary aromas have their origin in the ageing process. So, are tertiary aromas a direct consequence of bottle ageing, or the ageing process overall, including time spent in oak? Robin Parr, by email Lydia Harrison, head of education and events at WSET School London, replies: At WSET we distinguish between primary aromas (from the grape), secondary aromas (from winemaking, such as barrel ageing and lees stirring) and tertiary aromas (from ageing). Tertiary aromas, such as dried fruit or leather, are therefore attributed…

PANEL TASTING ROUSSILLON REDS 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 8-10 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 and over…

WEEKEND WINES Planning to splash out a little bit more to celebrate your weekend in style? As a companion selection to our 25 wines under £20, the Decanter team has selected seven standout bottles that are sure to impress, all available in the UK and priced between £20 and £50 RECOMMENDED BY JAMES BUTTON, NATALIE EARL, TINA GELLIE, JULIE SHEPPARD, AMY WISLOCKI & SYLVIA WU Parés Baltà, Blanca Cusiné Cava, Catalonia, Spain 2012 £31.49 9 Elms Wines Mainly Xarel·lo, with 9% Chardonnay and 10% Pinot Noir, farmed biodynamically. Golden, with fine bubbles. Freshly cut lemons, herbs, nuts, fennel, with an underlying stony minerality. Brisk acidity and a mouthwatering finish. A great aperitif. JS Alc 12.5% Definition, Pouilly-Fuissé, Burgundy, France 2019 £21.99 Majestic Majestic’s Definition range showcases benchmark examples of classic wine…

Monitor: latest sales activity – Champagne Top cuvées surge ahead Christie’s auctioned a single bottle of Perrier-Jouët ‘Brut Millésimé’ from the ‘outstanding’ 1874 vintage, in a rare sale in London, early December, of wines sourced from the Champagne house’s Oenothèque. The 1874 vintage, which came with a VIP experience at Maison Perrier-Jouët in Epernay, sold for £42,875 (US$56,981/€50,292), versus a pre-sale high estimate of £15,000. More recent vintages also found demand. Three magnums of Perrier-Jouët Belle Epoque 1979 sold for £8,575 (pre-sale high e: £3,000), three magnums of Belle Epoque 1988 fetched £4,900 (high e: £2,400), three magnums of Belle Epoque 1989 sold for £4,288 (high e: £2,400) and one jeroboam of Belle Epoque 2000 sold for £2,083 (high e: £1,200). There was more evidence of market momentum for Champagne’s…

PIEDMONT Gathering pace: Monferrato DOC Nebbiolo Prior to 2019, Nebbiolo wines in Monferrato were only entitled to the Monferrato Rosso DOC. ‘It was a handicap not being able to name the grape variety on the label,’ says Villa Giada’s Andrea Faccio. Finally approved, the new denomination stipulates a minimum of 90% Nebbiolo in two categories: Monferrato Nebbiolo must age for 12 months before release, while those labelled Monferrato Nebbiolo Superiore require at least 18 months, including six in wood. Maximum yields are 63hl/ha and 56hl/ha respectively. To date, the inaugural 2019 vintage is the only one to have been fully declared at just 122,000 bottles, and 2020 numbers have yet to be finalised. However, the denomination is set to grow: as of October 2021, the consorzio recorded 248ha of Nebbiolo,…

SUPER TUSCANS at 50 These superstar wines, created as a reaction against restrictive Chianti Classico rules, took on near-mythical status and began to command very high prices. As the SuperTuscans celebrate their half-centenary, how are they faring today? STORY ALDO FIORDELLI Fifty years since their inception, the wines known widely as SuperTuscans represent some of the top expressions of Italian winemaking today. Produced outside Tuscany’s most reputable denominations, sometimes using grapes not authorised within those DOC or DOCG regions, often – in a wider region well known for the typical large Italian botti – aged in small French barrels, and always having been sold at incredibly high prices, SuperTuscans have faced something of an uphill battle. DEFYING AUTHORITY The term SuperTuscan was first coined in the mid-1980s by the English…

20 under £20 Now is the perfect time to explore the depth and breadth of delicious and characterful wines emerging from regions across Italy. To help inspire you, our in-house tasting team has sought out eight whites and 12 reds, all great value, and all available on the UK high street FEATURE JAMES BUTTON While independent wine merchants remain the go - to choice for a small portion of the wine-drinking public, in the UK it’s the national high-street chains and supermarkets which continue to attract the lion’s share of wine sales. Accessibility, price and the ability to fling a few bottles into the trolley along with the weekly shop all play into the hands of the big operators. And there’s seemingly no better time than now to hit the…

Uncorked A snapshot of what’s happening in the world of win COMPILED BY CHRIS MERCER & JULIE SHEPPARD Wine lovers braced for price increases in 2022 There’s been speculation that wine lovers could see prices rise in 2022, due to the higher cost of everything from glass to shipping, and smaller harvests. Winemakers and merchants are no strangers to tight profit margins, but the UK Wine and Spirit Trade Association raised concerns before Christmas that wine prices may rise in 2022 due to higher costs, inflation and supply chain issues. Daniel Lambert, MD of importer Daniel Lambert Wines, said costs were up in several areas, including on glass across Europe and on shipping globally. Smaller 2021 harvests in some major regions could intensify price pressure on certain varietal wines, too.…

UNCORKED Andrew Jefford ‘The gifts of Bacchus hold our gaze like a procession’ Do growers make wine – or do markets? Growers, of course. Yet markets define the scope of the grower’s creative efforts by what they reward or sanction. When markets are neglectful and unresponsive, there’s little the grower can do but conform. It’s a problem the world over. Here’s an example. The river Moselle/Mosel rises to the wet west of the Vosges mountains, then curves in a long green arc heading north through Epinal, Metz and (along the left bank) Luxembourg’s Grand Duchy, turning east at Wasserbillig into Germany. It’s squeezed between the Eifel and the Hunsrück regions into the Rhine at Koblenz, after a series of extravagant meanders where, as Ausonius wrote 1,650 years ago, ‘The gifts…

Burgundy 2020 It was another hot year but the best producers rode out the drought and concentration of fruit to produce many superb, if less than typical wines. The 18 white wines and 42 reds that follow are just a selection of the best our expert reviewer found in a month of tastings REPORT CHARLES CURTIS MW The unique conditions – economic as well as meteorological – of 2020 mean it is an exceptional Burgundy vintage. The potential was there to make sublime wine if one avoided the traps of overripeness and over-extraction. A judicious choice of picking date and a gentle hand in the winery were required, but the best producers made delicious wines that will last for decades. ‘It’s good. But is it Burgundy?’, I found myself asking…

Creole stew Vegetable-based versions of this hearty stew are found throughout Andean countries, but with four different types of meat added it becomes a favourite celebration meal for Argentinians. And all that red meat needs something equally hearty, full-bodied and tannic to match it STORY VIRGILIO MARTINEZ The passion behind writing and compiling The Latin American Cookbook was to observe – and celebrate – what we Latin Americans have in common: the meals we eat, the foods made in the streets, the drinks we enjoy and the dishes served for decades by neighbourhood restaurants. While the flavours may change from country to country, what we discovered during our research was that these recipes provide a shared identity. In Latin America the commitment to making delicious things to eat unites us…

Editors’ picks Each month our editorial team tastes a lot of wine, but not all of it makes it on to the page. So here’s our in-house pick of other great wines we’ve tried HARLAN ESTATE’S YOUNG PUP TINA GELLIE The Mascot began as the table wine for Will Harlan’s family and close friends in California’s Napa Valley, made from a barrel selection of the younger vines of Harlan Estate, Bond and Promontory – the properties made legend by his father Bill Harlan. Will was inspired for the name and label by two famous white English bull terriers from his childhood. The first is Kid, literary loyal companion in the 1902 book The Bar Sinister, and the second is Prince, whose image on the label is one of the Harlan…

PANEL TASTING Pinotage Our second ever Pinotage tasting (and first in 22 years) was a huge success, with judges praising the significant evolution found in an extensive line-up REPORT GREG SHERWOOD MW The cliché of Pinotage being a real ‘Marmite’ wine is definitely starting to fade as more producers continue to craft high-quality wines. More than anything, thanks to wide-scale plantings and parcels of older vines, Pinotage wines exude a true sense of place, with the best examples grown on all three of South Africa’s main soil types; ancient sandstone, shale, and decomposed granite. Pinotage, like Chardonnay, allows a winemaker to make their personal mark stylistically. But the variety’s true strengths and unique selling points include being able to make a host of dry red styles – wines with a…

Marketwatch News from the world of investments and auctions COMPILED BY CHRIS MERCER Auction prices soar for Burgundy’s top names Burgundy’s market momentum has continued to look strong ahead of the region’s traditional January en primeur season. Just 362 lots featured at November’s Hospices de Beaune auction, reflecting a small 2021 harvest – even by Burgundian standards. Each lot beat its pre-sale high estimate, said auction partner Sotheby’s. The average lot price was €34,980 (£29,335, $39,408), 60% up on the 2020 auction, which had 638 lots, Sotheby’s said. Two barrels of Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru, ‘Cuvée Dames de Flandres’ 2021 sold for €248,200 and €221,400 – more evidence of Burgundy riding high in a buoyant overall fine wine sector. Cyrille Jomand, CEO of Francebased auctioneer iDealWine, said recently: ‘I’ve never seen…

WORKING WINE TO 5 Wendy Gedney Wine tour guide and educator PHOTOGRAPH SARAH REID Inside a professional’s everyday life How did you end up here? I was over 50 when I went into wine, after my husband’s death in 2000. At the time I only drank Sancerre, but I inherited John’s 200-bottle cellar, most of which turned out to be great Burgundy. So I started to learn about them. I became a wine teacher at Birmingham College of Food and then started my own wine school. The teaching experience has helped me with the wine tours. The Languedoc felt like the right fit, and there was no one running tours there at the time. It’s an exciting region, undergoing big changes. What’s the best thing about your job? I love…