Innehållsförteckning för March 2016 från Decanter

FRANCE A bid to grant the Bordeaux 1855 classification UNESCO World Heritage status has been put on hold after some of the châteaux involved voiced doubts about the idea. The bid, announced in June 2013 and led by Philippe Castéja, president of the Conseil des Grands Crus Classés en 1855, fell apart thanks to disputes among the 88 properties recognised in the rankings – 60 in the Médoc, 27 in Sauternes and Barsac, and one in Pessac-Léognan. ‘We only ever wanted to pursue this recognition if all châteaux were agreed,’ Castéja said. ‘Some have doubts, so we will not be moving forward for now.’ He added that, because Burgundy and Champagne were both awarded UNESCO World Heritage status last year, ‘taking a pause’ now might offer a greater chance of…

I’ve had little experience of wines made from koshu, Japan’s mysterious, lilac-skinned, globe-graped vinifera variety, so I was keen to set about a bottle of the Grace, Private Reserve Koshu 2014 with two gourmet friends when circumstances offered. Peach blossom, lemon, gooseberry and mirin were some of the notes we picked out in this exquisite miniature. It was pristine, limpid and refreshing – as impeccably organised as a Zen garden. Spanish Txakoli or Rías Baixas seemed the nearest European equivalents.…

Although he only began making wine in the 1990s, Miguel Louro produces one of the Alentejo’s last traditional reds. Quinta do Mouro 1998 (a wine we drank at our engagement in 2002) is still drinking well, with ripe blueberry and cherry fruit offset by a touch of leathery rusticity. As for a white to go with it, when the winter sun shines, there is nothing more uplifting than a glass of Soalheiro’s Alvarinho 2014 . With all the zest and freshness of biting into a Cox’s apple, this is surely Portugal’s most consistently accomplished dry white.…

1 Artadi, Viña El Pisón 2012 99 £168 Berry Bros & Rudd, James Nicholson, Jeroboams Always one of Rioja’s – indeed, Spain’s – best wines, this is from a 2.4ha vineyard in Laguardia, planted in 1945. It’s a superdense, richly textured wine with massive concentration, but it’s not forced or over-ripe. Intensely aromatic, with notes of liquorice and wild herbs, it beguiles your tastebuds with supple tannins, sweet oak and flavours of orange zest, Asian spices and blackberry and plum fruit. Tim Atkin MW Drink 2018-2032 Alcohol 15% 2 Finca Allende, Aurus 2010 98 £144 Hedonism The grapes for Aurus come from vines that are at least 60 years old, picked as late as 11 November in 2010. It’s a very cool, north-facing site and that’s reflected in the wine.…

Jiménez-Landi José Benavides Jiménez-Landi has gained renown, at least on a cult level. He has revitalised the family cellar, and now produces several excellent Garnachas from small parcels near the Alberche River and in Gredos. They bear all the best modern elements of Méntrida wines, including floral aromatics and a light, fresh body. Arrayán Though founder José María Entrecanales passed away in 2008, his widow María Marsans continues with the winery. She’s pushed onward and upward, with oenologist Maite Sánchez taking over the winemaking in 2009. Their main vineyards were planted in 1999 with international varieties, of which their Petit Verdot is a very surprising and wondrous star. Naturally, the single-vineyard Garnacha from Gredos stands out, as does the limited-production Albillo Real white. Canopy One of the original wineries of…

‘I was fed up with the restrictions in France and had an idea inspired by blends I’d tasted in Lebanon’ Stephan Asseo, L’Aventure THE CALIFORNIAN WINE scene has always beckoned to the French. From Burgundian Paul Masson in the late 19th century to Baron Philippe de Rothschild and Opus One in the 1980s, the Golden State has been a land of vinous opportunity. And that attraction endures today. As part of the global wine business California cannot be ignored, and the heavy-hitting French companies have all taken a stake, particularly in Napa and Sonoma. Luxury goods group LVMH has been in the Napa Valley since the 1970s with Domaine Chandon, and in 2001 took a majority shareholding in Newton Vineyards. More recently, Burgundy’s largest producer Boisset has been hoovering up…

1506 The Gonzaga family is allowed to add the name Guerrieri (‘warriors’) and ennobled as Marchesi 1724 San Leonardo leased from the Church by the Gresti family 1770 The Grestis buy the estate from the Church 1894 Marriage of Tullo Guerrieri Gonzaga with Gemma de Gresti of Trentino 1918 Austrian forces surrender to the Italians at San Leonardo 1968 Carlo Guerrieri Gonzaga returns to San Leonardo from Tuscany 1974 Death of Marchese Anselmo Guerrieri Gonzaga 1978 Cabernet Sauvignon first planted at the estate 1982 First vintage of San Leonardo 1984 Appointment of Giacomo Tachis as wine consultant 2000 Appointment of Carlo Ferrini as wine consultant 2000 First vintage of Villa Gresti 2011 Anselmo Guerrieri Gonzaga joins his father Marchese Carlo in running the estate 2012 First vintage of Vette Sauvignon…

Pinot Noir Sancerre Vincent Pinard, Vendanges Entières 95 £27.50 (in bond, 2012) Justerini & Brooks Barrel sample. Sweet fruit with raspberry and cherry character. Very promising but needs time. The Pinards make an excellent range of reds. Drink 2018-2035 Alcohol 13% Daniel Crochet 93 N/A UK +33 2 48 54 07 83 Barrel sample. Lovely example of a red Sancerre with sweetly textured fruit, structure and well-integrated tannins. Drink 2016-2028 Alc 13% Domaine du Carrou, La Jouline 93 N/A UK www.dominique-roger.fr Barrel sample. Dominique Roger makes consistently fine Sancerre that ages beautifully. Dense black fruits, still very youthful – needs time. Drink 2018-2030 Alc 12.8% Vincent Delaporte, Cul de Beaujeu 93 £23.29 (2012) Lea & Sandeman Barrel sample. Wonderfully textured black fruits. Length, balance. Drink 2018-2032 Alc 13% Domaine Vacheron,…

Born 1948, Millicent, South Australia; raised in Clare Education University of Adelaide, degree in agricultural science 1970; University of California, Davis, Masters in oenology and viticulture 1972-1973 Career 1969-1971 & 1974-1976 Thomas Hardy & Sons, winemaker 1976-1978 Established wine science degree course at Charles Sturt University; lecturer 1976 Founded Petaluma 1978 Started Enotec winemaking consultancy with Dr Tony Jordan 1979 Tiers Vineyard planted 1980s Established vineyards for Croser sparkling and Petaluma Chardonnay in Adelaide Hills 1985 Established Argyle in Oregon, which became part of Petaluma in 1999 1987 Croser sparkling wine first released 1990s Co-founder and president of Winemakers’ Federation of Australia 1992 Took Petaluma public and bought Mitchelton, Knappstein, Smithbrook and Stonier 1994-1995 A commissioner on the Winegrape and Wine Industry in Australia inquiry 1997 Maurice O’Shea Award for…

Sepp & Maria Muster, Sauvignon vom Opok, Südsteiermark, Austria 2012 93/100 POA Les Caves de Pyrène Opok is a chalky, marly soil, which here produces a concentrated, lively Sauvignon brimming with citrus, grapefruit and apple compote. Nettle and wild herb aromas open out into a complex, thrilling wine. Drink 2016-2017 Alcohol 13% Cotar, Vitovska, Karst, Slovenia 2011 90 £24 Indigo Wine, R&H Fine Wine, Vagabond Wine, Wapping Victualler Branko Cotar has been producing wine with no added SO2 and a week of skin contact for 40 years. The region’s indigenous Vitovska has lovely aromatics of pear and apricot, with a bit of wet stone. Taut and sculpted, with a bone-dry, umami finish. Pairs wonderfully with Chinese seasonings. Drink 2016-2025 Alc 12% Radikon, Jakot, Friuli, Italy 2008 89 £29 Buon Vino…

Xenysel, Monastrell, Jumilla 2014 Decanter average score: 92/100pts Individual judges’ scores: Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW 90 Sarah Jane Evans MW 92 Pierre Mansour 93 £10.95-£11 (2013) Handford, Harper Wells, Prohibition Wines Powerful, focused peppery, smoky nose and a plump, succulent palate – appealing and beautifully balanced. A rich and quite delicious red, which needs some time to express itself fully. Drink 2016-2021 Alc 14.5% Abanico, Gustavete el Mudo Monastrell, Alicante 2014 91 PBT 88 SJE 93 PM 93 £10 Matthew Clark Smoky, layered nose with a wonderful herbal quality. Generous, round, fleshy palate, underlined by refreshing lines of citrus and a texture of oak. The finish is long and full of sweet blueberries. A lovely, modern style. Drink 2016-2019 Alc 14.5% Bodegas Sierra Norte, Equilibrio 9 Monastrell, Jumilla 2013 91…

• Enrique Mendoza, Las Quebradas, Alicante 2011 I adored the refined complexity of this wine, the subtle and tight finish, the unique expression. Comes from an impossible piece of chalky soil, where the sparse vines struggle to survive. Amazing. 95/100 Drink 2016-2025 • Casa de la Ermita, Joven Organic, Jumilla 2014 Juicy, fruity and fresh despite its intensity; original, with precise aromatic definition. Powerful and approachable at once. A star house-wine choice from Jumilla! 92 Drink 2016-2021 • Casa Castillo, Pie Franco, Jumilla 2010 Far too young to be enjoyed now, it needed a long time in the glass to show its finely grained structure, complexity and persistence. A wine to keep for a long time. Fantastic! 92 Drink 2016-2030…

Ruggabellus, Efferus, Barossa 2013 Decanter average score: 96/100pts Individual judges’ scores: Justin Knock MW 95 Anthony Rose 95 Vicky Stephens-Clarkson MW 98 £32.40 Hallisham Cellars, Indigo Wines Of Abel and Emma Gibson’s three premium red blends, Efferus is the Mourvedre-dominant, from a 15-year-old vineyard that drains cool air from neighbouring, higher Eden Valley. Some whole bunches and natural temperature control help preserve aromas. The blending, with a touch of Cinsault, is the key that helps build layers and complexity. No new oak is used in order to express the distinctive flavour of the fruit, and the wine is bottled unfiltered and unfined. Justin Knock MW Nice, savoury, complex, wood smoke and spice, winter fireplace. Well-judged and balanced. Warm fruit, complex. Anthony Rose Attractively fresh and aromatic, succulently textured blackberry…

• Ruggabellus, Efferus, Barossa 2013 The main reason I enjoyed this super-peppery, blackberry and damson-savoury red so much was because of its high proportion, at 73%, of Mourvedre in the blend. 95/100 Drink 2016-2021 • Dog Day Wines, Rusty Mutt, Rocky Ox GSM, McLaren Vale 2014 This intriguingly spicy, faintly iodiney blend muscled its way into my top three for its bright, supple-textured fruit, because I’ve never heard of it, and because I have a suspicion that it’s one of the best-value wines in the tasting. 95 Drink 2016-2019. • Spinifex, Esprit Barossa Valley 2012 Technically a GMC (Grenache, Mourvedre, Cinsault), this was an obvious choice for me, not least because of its camphor-spicy aromatics and clarity of sweet dark berry fruits in muscular frame. Real finesse and balance. 95…

‘They are likely to become collectable: Spanish new-wave classics’ SINCE THE 1990S, Galicia has become quite well known, almost exclusively thanks to the success of the Albariño grape from Rías Baixas. This is indeed a curious situation from a historic viewpoint. In the 14th century, Galician wines were already being imported and highly appreciated in the UK. Those wines were not Albariño but a blend of grape varieties cultivated further inland, in the Ribeiro region. Such was the fame of those wines that in 1579 the local government of Ribadavia introduced a law to protect the indication of origin and the accepted winemaking practices, to prevent fraud. Ribeiro was arguably the first appellation of origin. Ribeiro wines’ privileged situation lasted until the second half of the 19th century, when the…

ABS Wine Agencies, Lincs (www.abswineagencies.co.uk) AC Gallie, Jersey (www.acgallie.com) Accolade Wines (www.accolade-wines.com) Adnams, Suffolk (www.adnams.co.uk) AG Wines, London (www.agwines.com) Albion Wine Shippers, London WC1 (www.albionwineshippers.co.uk) Alexander Wines, Glasgow (www.alexander-wines.co.uk) All About Wine (www.allaboutwine.co.uk) Alliance, Ayrshire (www.alliancewine.co.uk) Amathus, London (www.amathusdrinks.com) Amazon (www.amazon.co.uk) Amps Fine Wines, Northants (www.ampsfinewines.co.uk) Armit, London W11 (www.armit.co.uk) Asda, Leeds (www.asda.co.uk) Asda Wine Shop (www.direct.asda.com) Astrum Wine Cellars, Surrey (www.astrumwinecellars.com) Aubert & Mascoli, London (www.aubertandmascoli.com) Averys, Bristol (www.averys.com) Bablake Wines, Coventry (www.bablakewines.co.uk) Bancroft, London SE1 (www.bancroftwines.com) Beaconsfield Wine Cellars, Bucks (www.beaconsfieldwinecellars.com) Bentleys, Ludlow (www.bentleyswine.com) Berkmann, London (www.berkmann.co.uk) Berry Bros & Rudd, London SW1 (www.bbr.com) Bibendum PLB, London NW1 (www.bibendum-wine.co.uk) Big Red Wine Co, Suffolk (www.bigredwine.co.uk) Booths, (www.booths.co.uk) Bordeaux Index, London EC1 (www.bordeauxindex.com) Boutinot Wines, Cheshire (www.boutinot.com) Bowes Wine, Wiltshire (www.boweswine.co.uk) Buon Vino (www.buonvino.co.uk) Burridges of Arlington St, West…

Hotels Hotel Casa Torner i Güell, Vilafranca del Penedès Luxury bed & breakfast in the heart of cava country. www.casatorneriguell.com Hotel Platjador, Sitges Very central three-star hotel, just across the road from the beach; small pool. A great tourist destination, Sitges is very busy in the summer – be prepared for crowds. www.en.hotelsitges.com Loft Rural Les Orenetes Rural ‘agriturismo’ retreat in a converted bodega. Sleeps 11. Walking, cycling, wine tasting, plus a farm with produce to enjoy. www.casaruralorenetes.cat Mas Palou Agriturismo offering two beautifully restored cottages, close to Sant’Sadurní d’Anoia. www.maspalou.com W Hotel, Barcelona Plenty to choose from in Barcelona at every price level. But the W, amid the smart restaurants and showy nightlife of the old port, is a luxury treat. www.w-barcelona.com Restaurants Casa Hidalgo, Sitges Just by the…

Feteasca Regala Of Romania’s two light-skinned Feteascas, Regala used to be much more common than Alba, but in 2014 they were almost even (Regala 12,592ha, Alba 12,474ha). While Feteasca Regala, meaning ‘royal young girl’, is genetically and morphologically close to Feteasca Alba (‘white young girl’) and is likely much younger, there is no DNA evidence to show that the latter is the parent of the former. Both varieties produce aromatic wines, but Feteasca Regala is distinguished by fresher acidity and more obvious tannins, even when the fruit is pressed quickly and gently. This can be a problem for light, simple bottlings but in more serious wines there is greater potential for complexity and longevity, and greater suitability for discreet oak influence. The variety is also used to produce sparkling wines…

Cunard bids big for Pacherenc Luxury cruise line operator Cunard successfully bid for three barrels at this year’s Barriques d’Or Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh auction, including top selection, La Barrique d’Or, made by Sabine Laborde in the village of Viella in the Gers. This year’s selection of 15 of the best barrels from 2014 included 14 sweet wines and one dry, with the auction taking place at Château Croseilles. HDH’s three-day event Chicago auction house Hart Davis Hart held its first three-day sale on 10-12 December, with 99.82% of 3,395 lots selling for US$9.6m, against a high estimate of $10.2m (see Hammer Highlights). The sale included 66 lots of Coche-Dury, 46 of Armand Rousseau and 63 of Domaine Raveneau. A selection of Ridge Monte Bello from the cellars of winemaker Paul…

‘One of the greatest and most exciting young reds I have ever tasted’ Robert Parker A legend because… Pingus came out of nowhere. The 1995, the debut vintage, was sold through the Bordeaux market by American négociant Jeffrey Davies. Its winemaker, Peter Sisseck, took samples with him when he went to Bordeaux to stay with his uncle, winemaker Peter Vinding-Diers. Adam Brett-Smith of Corney & Barrow in London tasted the wine with Vinding-Diers and told Robert Parker about it. The US critic waxed lyrical, and its reputation was made. With Pingus, Sisseck had created a legendary and very profitable wine. Its status was only enhanced when in 1997 a quarter of the vintage was lost in a shipwreck in the Atlantic. Looking back Sisseck trained in his native Denmark…

I DON’T KNOW about you, but come February, I’ve usually long since failed to sustain any of my newly minted New Year’s resolutions. Therefore, I am extremely pleased to report that, thus far into 2016, my one wine-related target remains very much on course. Not only that, I am confident that I will easily maintain it for the next 11 months and beyond. How so? Because this year, I am resolved to drink more of the world’s great sweet wine styles than ever before. For some inexcusable and unfathomable reason, I had largely got out of the habit. Yet when I look back at some of the most memorable wines of 2015, several were ‘amabile’, ‘dulce’ and ‘moelleux’. They were also extraordinarily diverse, distinctive and utterly delicious. Take, for instance,…

Kurniawan appeal founders as wines destroyed USA Rudy Kurniawan has lost an appeal against his conviction and 10-year jail sentence for faking some of the world’s finest wines. The ruling by a US appeals court in New York came two years after Kurniawan’s conviction in December 2013. It’s a serious blow to his lawyers, who had argued that his conviction was unsafe because FBI officers did not have a proper warrant when they raided his Los Angeles home in 2012. ‘We reject Kurniawan’s arguments as meritless,’ said the panel of judges for the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. They also upheld his conviction for fraudulently attempting to secure a $3m loan. Kurniawan, named ‘Dr Conti’ in court papers in reference to his prolific faking of wines from…

I AM PLEASED that we have been blessed with another fine vintage in Burgundy, but why is it that the older I get, the less I am bothered about vintages? Is it because I’ve seen all the hype before? Is it because I am slowly accruing enough back vintages to even out the discrepancies of individual years? Maybe, conversely, it is because the older I get, the more I value the diversity of each year and the insights that each brings. Is it because my advancing age brings an increasing awareness that my palate does not always have the measure of each year’s supposed vintage character? Or because I have learned that the skills of the winemaker will almost always trump the vagaries of the vintage? Or is it because…

THE BOTTLES, APPROPRIATELY enough for an estate founded by the Citeaux Abbey, are draped in black cloths, one facing the next like a line of cowled monks. I am alone with them, a view over the Thames and the South Bank skyline from the window of a London wine merchant, tasting through almost 30 bottles of what has to be one of the best known and yet least understood of all Burgundy names. Even with 30 different owners from the 2013 vintage, I’m not even tasting half of what is on offer from Clos Vougeot. Split between 80 owners, the vineyard is Burgundy’s largest grand cru, its 51 hectares representing 19% of the region’s grand cru land. The next biggest is Echezeaux with 37ha, or 13% of Burgundy’s grands crus,…

Arrayán, Albillo Real, Méntrida, Spain 2014 91 £14.25 Berry Bros & Rudd Albillo 100%. Fresh cream along with elegant notes of honey, cracked wheat and a dusting of wild herbs. Wonderfully balanced and round on the palate, with integrated acidity and light toasted notes. Very well-made. Drink 2016-2019 Alcohol 13% Bernabeleva, Navaherreros Blanco, Sierra de Gredos, Vinos de Madrid, Spain 2014 90 £17.50-£19.50 The Fine Wine Co, Winedirect Albillo, Macabeo. Magnolia blossom and stony aromas; light and delicate. Fuller in body, direct and precise, but with a good deal of grace and a lingering, sinewy acidity that flows on and on. Drink 2016-2018 Alc 13.5% Jiménez-Landi, Piélago, Méntrida, Spain 2013 94 £27.50 H2Vin Garnacha. Aromas of elegant red fruits on a bed of granitic minerality, with herbal notes around the…

Tenuta San Leonardo, Riesling 2013 90/100 N/A UK www.sanleonardo.it Muted apricot nose. Full-bodied, with firm acidity and a taut structure, still inexpressive but has considerable minerality and grip. Long, with ageing potential. Drink 2016-2022 Alcohol 13% Tenuta San Leonardo, Vette Sauvignon Blanc 2014 86 £13.45 Jeroboams, The Secret Cellar Delicate brisk nose of lemon and nettles. Good attack, lean and fresh, with high acidity and a perky, bright grapefruit finish. Quite long. Drink 2016-2018 Alc 12.5% Tenuta San Leonardo, San Leonardo 2010 93 £54 Christopher Keiller, Forth Wines, Honest Grapes, Inverarity Morton, The Secret Cellar Muted, smoky nose of brooding black fruits. Rich, juicy and concentrated, with good acidity to cut through. Firm but integrated tannins, lifted and stylish. Good length and potential. Drink 2017-2030 Alc 13% Tenuta San Leonardo,…

Although I wouldn’t claim to be able to tell how a finished wine will turn out by tasting the freshly pressed juice, all of the 2014 juice I tasted throughout the Loire was very precise and remarkably well balanced, with fruit and acidity in harmony. Many of the top 2014 reds are yet to be bottled, so there are a number of very reliable producers whose wines I have yet to taste. These include Clos Rougeard (Saumur-Champigny), Domaine Guiberteau (Saumur), Philippe Alliet and Charles Joguet (Chinon), Vincent Ogereau and Château Pierre-Bise (Anjou-Villages), Domaine de Bablut (Anjou-Villages Brissac), Château de Petit Thouars (Touraine), Alphonse Mellot, Lucien Crochet and François Crochet (Sancerre).…

‘Hats off to the generations who preserved these vineyards’ Australia’s Old Vines Seminar A tasting of 15 wines, some from vines planted in the 1850s, took place at Australia House in London, to answer the question ‘Do old vines make great wine?’. Under the chairmanship of Decanter contributor Sarah Ahmed, critic Dr Jamie Goode, Dean Hewitson (Hewitson Wines, Barossa) and Sue Hodder (Wynns, Coonawarra) led us through a memorable and convincing exercise. There is no legal definition of ‘old vines’, but an Old Vine Charter has been agreed upon in phylloxera-free Barossa, as follows: Old Vine – equal or greater than 35 years of age; Survivor Vine – equal or greater than 70 years of age; Centenarian Vine – equal or greater than 100 years of age; Ancestor Vine –…

The scores 82 wines tasted 0 Exceptional 0 Outstanding 15 Highly Recommended 39 Recommended 18 Commended 10 Fair 0 Poor 0 Faulty WHILE THIS MAY not seem a successful tasting, all three of our experts were keen to point out that it was a very positive result, demonstrating great development and improvement in quality in these regions’ wines. ‘Five years ago, more than half these wines would have been poor or faulty,’ said Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW. ‘Today the average quality is very good – and getting better – and the wines are perfectly decent options for consumers at very attractive prices.’ Sarah Jane Evans MW agreed: ‘They were honest wines.’ Pierre Mansour was pleased Decanter was throwing the spotlight on Monastrell – ‘Spain’s other great red grape’ – given…

Don’t miss Decanter’s first big event of 2016 – a special tasting dedicated to the very best wines from Spain and Portugal. Taste outstanding examples of Rioja, Ribera del Duero, Bierzo, Sherry, Cava, Madeira, Port and other key wine styles, from more than 80 top producers who will be attending. Grand Tasting tickets are just £50 for a whole day of tasting. Unmissable Masterclasses and Discovery Theatres are available to book separately. www.decanter. com/events…

• Ego Bodegas, Gorú Organic, Jumilla 2014 Straightforward, gloriously red-fruited, honest Jumilla Monastrell, overlaid with a lick of US oak. A newish winery, working organically with 40- to 50-year-old Monastrell, and other warm climate varieties. 94/100 Drink 2016-2020 • Casa de la Ermita, Joven Organic, Jumilla 2014 Really encouraging here to see Casa de la Ermita back on form. The winery is high up, set back from the road at some 1,300m, and the wine expresses all that expected freshness of fruit with no oak interference. 92 Drink 2016-2021 • Casa Castillo, Las Gravas, Jumilla 2012 High up in the altiplano at 700m, José Maria Vicente works with Garnacha, Monastrell and Syrah, producing glorious, single-varietal expressions from his rocky terroir. For me, this blend was the best of his wines…

The scores 71 wines tasted 0 Exceptional 3 Outstanding 20 Highly Recommended 37 Recommended 11 Commended 0 Fair 0 Poor 0 Faulty OUR EXPERTS WERE optimistic at these results, which they felt showed the potential of Rhône-style blends in Australia – especially Barossa and McLaren Vale. But it’s a work in progress, said Anthony Rose. ‘The best wines were terrific, but essentially it was a mixed bag – an evolving style – where it was clear there were a minority of producers who understood what they were doing and the majority who hadn’t quite got it right.’ There were a number of reasons for this, he said, one being how producers prioritised fruit for GSM blends over their varietal Grenache, Shiraz or Mourvedre wines, which are commercially very important. ‘Some…

Red Deer Station, GSM, Barossa Valley 2012 95* JK 96 AR 95 VSC 94 N/A UK www.reddeerstation.com.au Great aromatic complexity of tea leaf, wood smoke, game meats and cherry. Dark and brooding, rich, intensely fruity and supple. Shows great typicity and has a structure for ageing. Drink 2016-2020 Alc 14.5% Kalleske, Clarry’s GSM, Barossa Valley 2015 92 JK 93 AR 92 VSC 92 £21.25 Bentley’s, Selfridges, Oxford Wine Co, Winos Opulent blackberry fruit with fragrant violet, lavender and black cherry aromas. The palate is ripe and smooth in texture with supple tannins, a touch of spicy oak and good freshness. Should turn out to be a cracker in the long term. Drink 2016-2024 Alc 14% Dandelion Vineyards, Menagerie GSM, Barossa Valley 2014 91 JK 85 AR 93 VSC 95 £20…

• Ruggabellus, Efferus, Barossa 2013 While this Mourvedre-dominant wine was my top-scorer, I wouldn’t advocate a large-scale shift to producing Mourvedredominant blends, as they can be rather angular. But from this producer it brims with fruit and fine structure. I’ll be buying a bottle myself! 98/100 Drink 2016-2021 • Penfolds, Bin 138, Barossa Valley 2010 Reassuringly familiar quality from Penfolds. Generous fruit and alcohol and a hearty palate – perfect winter wine. While not cheap, it’s still good value within the context of many other high scorers. 96 Drink 2016-2025 • Pimpernel Vineyards, GSM2, Yarra Valley 2012 Off the beaten track, from a region usually associated with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. It was a perfect foil to some of the heavyweights from South Australia’s warmer climes, without compromising either character…

Rafael Palacios, O Soro, Valdeorras 2014 96/100 £80 Hedonism, Indigo Wine, Noel Young Far too young now, this Godello needs aeration to show its great complexity and expression. A Spanish benchmark of excellence, fermented with natural yeasts and aged in new, 500-litre French oak barrels. Drink 2018-2030 Alc 13.5% Manuel Rojo, Colleiteiro, Ribeiro 2014 93 N/A UK www.adegamanuelrojo.es Blend of Treixadura, Lado and Godello. Delicate flavours and sound structure, with attractive green fruit and floral notes. Quite persistent. A jewel of a wine, and so original. Drink 2016-2020 Alc 12.5% Antonio Cajide, 1040 Sameirás, Ribeiro 2013 92 £16 Les Caves de Pyrène, Vin Cognito Blended to showcase Treixadura, Albariño, Godello and Lado equally. Subtle and complex, this is a unique wine that requires concentration to fully enjoy it. Drink 2016-2021…

AS A YOUNG child living on the outskirts of Portugal’s capital, my first memories of Lisbon are of ferry and tram rides, weekend shopping sprees, the occasional museum visit and the famous pastel de nata egg custard tarts. It’s probably a similar list of highlights that most tourists remember when they think of their city breaks here. But there’s much, much more to Lisbon than that. It was only when I went to university that I started discovering the daily rituals of the city. I’d enjoy my morning galão, a caffè latte served in a tall glass, and two slices of ‘chocolate salami’ – a chocolate, biscuit and Port log. As a student, I would frequently drop into one of the city’s many pastelarias, or cafés, to share a prego…

Inglenook, Cask Cabernet 2012 £56.50 The Wine Society First made in the 1930s, this label was revived by Francis Ford Coppola in 1995, with the 2012 a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon with 12% Cab Franc and 3% Merlot. Krug 2002 £215 Berry Bros & Rudd, Bordeaux Index, Corney & Barrow, Farr Vintners, Fine & Rare, Goedhuis, Hedonism, Jeroboams 40% Pinot Noir, 39% Chardonnay and 21% Pinot Meunier. For our report and tasting notes, see Decanter.com Trinity Hill, Homage, NZ 2013 £76 widely available via UK agent Liberty Wines The seventh release since the first in ’02, inspired by Jaboulet Aîné’s La Chapelle, and mainly from Gimblett Gravels Syrah with 1.3% of Viognier.…

FRANCE French winemakers fear the country’s appellation system could be threatened by the relaxation of vineyard planting rules in the European Union. The controversial new rules, which came into effect across the EU on 1 January, mean it is now theoretically possible for anyone to plant a commercial vineyard anywhere, including locations such as the banks of the Seine in Paris. The long-mooted and much-debated deregulation means that the previous system of planting rights has been scrapped in favour of individual, non-transferrable authorisations that can be granted for land not previously considered suitable for vines. Under the new rules, French regions such as Picardie or Ile-de-France can now legally bottle and sell wine commercially, whereas previously any wine produced in these areas could only be made for personal consumption. However,…

Burgundy winemaker Thibault Liger-Belair has become the second biodynamic winemaker in France to escape punishment for refusing to spray his vines against deadly leaf-rotting disease flavescence dorée. The court in Villefranche-sur-Saône acquitted him due to a ‘procedural defect’. Liger-Belair, who owns a Beaujolais domaine at Moulin-à-Vent called for a full debate on the issue. Hundreds of bottles of some of the world’s most expensive wine were stolen from the port of Le Havre. The 31 cases, mainly Domaine de la Romanée-Conti’s Echézeaux and Romanée-Conti 2012, were due to be shipped to Canada. Vandals drained more than 1.5 million bottles-worth of wine from vats in South Australia’s Riverland region. Police are investigating the incident on 28-29 December, during which 1.2m litres of red wine were allowed to gush out of vats…

ABOUT 15 YEARS ago, I had dinner with the ‘father’ of Condrieu, Georges Vernay. We discussed, of course, the struggle he and his own father Francis had fought to save the appellation – and with it, Viognier – from oblivion. Just 19hl of Condrieu were produced in 1969, he recalled. It wasn’t a wine much sought-after. In 1971, a bottle of Condrieu fetched seven francs – about the same price as a kilo of cherries, he told me. On many occasions since that evening, I’ve wondered which appellations today might multiply in value 14 times in the next 50 years. (Seven francs equates to E 7 at today’s prices – while Domaine Georges Vernay’s Coteau de Vernon 2013, for example, is currently on sale from Berry Bros & Rudd for…

Sarah Jane Evans MW is a Decanter World Wine Awards co-Chair for Spain, a member of the Gran Orden de Caballeros de Vino, and chair of the Institute of Masters of Wine AS LONG AS I have been drinking wine, I’ve been drinking Rioja. Back at the beginning there wasn’t a huge range to choose from. Today we are spoiled by a glorious diversity. Wherever you look, Rioja offers great value. The best crianzas often contain declassified reserva wine in poor vintages. As for reservas and gran reservas, they are released ready to drink – the producers have done the expensive ageing for you. What I have been particularly excited about this past year or two are the releases of old Riojas, back to 1970, 1964, 1945 and beyond. These…

I REBEL, THEREFORE I exist,’ wrote the great French writer Albert Camus, taking himself un petit peu too seriously. It’s a statement that’s easier to live up to in some professions than others. Rebellious tax inspectors are rarer than rebellious playwrights, for instance. But what about winemaking? Is that a field that encourages mutiny, defiance and sedition? Or are its practitioners more likely to be predictable, conventional and wedded to the status quo? The answer, of course, is that it depends on the winemaker, as well as on the place and the era in which he (or she) is working. It’s arguably easier to be a considered a rebel in the Old World, where rules and regulations are more stringent, than in the New, where innovation is almost de rigueur.…

‘The wines have great balance and finesse, as well as that typical Loire freshness’ Jacky Blot, Domaine de la Butte 2014 WAS ONE of those September ‘miracle’ vintages that often save a potentially disastrous Loire harvest. By late August producers were looking glum – a cold, damp August made them wonder whether the grapes would ever ripen properly. Philippe Boucard (Lamé Delisle Boucard, Bourgueil) recalls that desperate vignerons were starting to light candles in their local church, and even considering a pagan sun rite by sacrificing a favourite chicken. After two difficult and small vintages, the need for a good vintage was particularly acute in most parts of the Loire, with the exception of the Central Loire vineyards such as Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé, which had escaped the severe frost of…

Sulphur dioxide is a compound that contains sulphur and oxygen. It can be produced in its simplest form by burning elemental sulphur, hence the confusing usage of the term ‘sulphur’, when actually SO2 is meant. SO2 is identified in foodstuffs as E220. Two other forms are permitted in wine: E224, potassium metabisulphite; and E228, potassium bisulphite. Collectively these are referred to as ‘sulphites’, hence the term used on labels. Toxicity: SO2 is toxic in large quantities; however, the amounts used in wine production are minute. SO2 intolerance is very rare, and most likely to be found in individuals with a pre-existing disorder such as asthma.…

Egly-Ouriet, Les Vignes de Vrigny 1er Cru, Champagne, France NV 91 £33.15 Justerini & Brooks A 100% Pinot Meunier from this cult domaine in Ambonnay: strikingly spicy with finely structured flavours and dry finish. Very good with food. Drink 2016-2019 Alc 12.5% André Perret, Coteau de Chéry, Condrieu, France 2014 95 £35.46 Justerini & Brooks, The Wine Treasury From one of Condrieu’s finest vineyards, where soft granite soils enable the roots to dig deep. A floral Viognier full of peach/apricot fruit. Elegant and pure. Drink 2016-2018 Alc 13.5% Two Rivers, Altitude Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand 2014 91 £19.95 Lea & Sandeman A single-vineyard wine aged for 10 months in oak with regular lees-stirring. Striking yellow summer fruits on a finely structured palate with refreshing acidity. Drink 2016-2017 Alc 14%…

Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW Ballesteros Torres is a DWWA Regional co-Chair for Spain and Sherry, with Evans (right). He has studied in Jerez, Burgundy, Napa and Bordeaux, and has a masters degree in viticulture and oenology. A columnist at Spain’s Vino y Gastronomía and Planeta Vino magazines, he is on the council of the Institute of Masters of Wine, the governing board of the Spanish Tasters’ Union, and is the wine expert on the committee of the Basque Culinary Centre. Ballesteros Torres’ verdict ‘At first glance, the results do not seem impressive, as there are no wines scoring above 92 points. But in my view the tasting represents a great step forward for Spanish Monastrell. If we’d done this tasting a few years ago, most of the wines would have…

• Juan Gil, Pedrera Monastrell, Jumilla 2014 From a bodega whose first vintage was in 2003, Juan Gil is now widely regarded as one of Jumilla’s top estates. This has a fragrant, earthy and distinctive nose with a stylish and poised palate, velvety ripe tannins and well-judged oak. 92/100 Drink 2016-2021 • Xenysel, Monastrell, Jumilla 2014 From old-vine Monastrell grown in the heart of Jumilla, this stood out with its ripe plummy, peppery fruit, unmasked by any new oak. Rich, succulent and beautifully balanced, this is a delicious red, full of flavour. 92 Drink 2016-2021 • Los Frailes, Trilogia, Valencia 2011 Vineyards planted at around 700m altitude bring a freshness and brightness, and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Tempranillo bring an added complexity to the Monastrell. It has an intense…

‘The absence of scores above 92 points may seem bad, but the results are actually very good’ LET’S PUT THIS tasting in context. It’s the first time we have looked at Levante Monastrell in detail because it’s only now that we can be guaranteed of an acceptable number of fine wines. The request was for wines that retail at £6.50 and above, which represents less than 25% of the total production. Most Monastrell from here is still sold in bulk – good quality, yes, but anonymous. The absence of scores above 92 points may seem a bad outcome, but the results are actually very good – just 10 wines out of 83 were not Commended at the very least. Such reliability is very important at this price range. Wines of…

Justin Knock MW Knock worked in wine retail before joining d’Arenberg in McLaren Vale. Moving to the Hunter Valley, he became research winemaker for Rosemount and then Southcorp, before a winemaking stint in Margaret River. After moving to London to work with Southcorp, he became wine-buying manager for Treasury Wine Estates. He is now director of The Purple Hand Wine Co consultancy. He also makes wine in Australia’s Yarra Valley. Knock’s verdict ‘GSMs are some of the most enjoyable wines coming out of Australia. Most in our tasting delivered this, yet a significant number were overly oaky, which seems perverse and unnecessarily oxidative on Grenache in particular. Alcohol levels were generally balanced – a positive trend. ‘Grenache and Mourvedre/Mataro thrived in the hot 2013 vintage, producing the most fragrant, complex…

• Spinifex, Esprit, Barossa Valley 2012 Pete Schell works the sandy soils of the eastern Barossa and gives an almost Pinot-like touch to his wines. Where others swaggered with muscularity, this Esprit was effortlessly charming and virile. A benchmark style that’s the future for the Barossa. 96/100 Drink 2016-2024 • Salomon Estate, Aestatis, South Australia 2009 A leftfield wine and one of the few that showed well with age. A luscious, opulent style that reminded me of my first whiff of a GSM in the mid-1990s – it immediately brought a smile to my face. Well made, with lots of berry and liquorice flavours. 95 Drink 2016-2020 • Yangarra, GSM, McLaren Vale 2013 A Grenache specialist that sets the highest standards – moderate alcohols and no confected, raisined notes. This…

‘Many alcohols were (perhaps surprisingly) lower than in their southern Rhône counterparts’ IT WILL COME as no surprise to find that the two South Australian regions of Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale dominate the 23 wines awarded either Outstanding or Highly Recommended in this fascinating tasting. Both of these warm, dry regions have demonstrated that they are ideally suited to the late-ripening Grenache and Mourvedre grapes, even if extreme heat spikes or abnormal rainfall occasionally put a dent in the blends. Of the top 23, 13 blends come from Barossa and five from McLaren Vale, with the remaining five wines split between Clare Valley, Yarra Valley, Central Ranges, Heathcote and generic South Australia. Almost all the wines had Grenache as the dominant partner, but Mourvedre was the main variety in…

denotes supermarket and high-street wines J de Telmont Grande Réserve, Champagne, France NV 89 £19.99 Majestic A delighful Champagne, made by a family-owned Champagne house. A Chardonnay-Pinot Noir-Pinot Meunier blend, presenting complex richness and elegance with lifted toasty, yeasty, brioche notes and apple and honey-touched flavours. Creamy, delightful fine mousse and bright acidity. Alc 12% Craig Hawkins, C Chenin Blanc, Swartland, South Africa 2014 90 £10.49 D Vine Cellars, Philglas & Swiggot, Swig, The Sampler, Wine Utopia Craig Hawkins is one of South Africa’s biggest advocates of natural wine. Made à la mode in a concrete egg, this is alive with tangerine-scented notes and an emphasis on freshness and drinkability. Alc 12.5% Clos Marguerite, Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand 2014 89 £17.48 Clark Foyster High-quality grapes from a perfectly located…

This month’s experts Dr Michael Apstein MD is a gastroenterologist and an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School Jasper Morris MW is the DWWA Regional Chair for Burgundy and author of Inside Burgundy Anne Krebiehl MW is a wine writer, educator, consultant and judge ‘I’ve not seen any study that suggests two dry days a week will combat alcohol abuse’ Alcohol-free days The UK Government is to recommend as part of its official advice that drinkers have two alcohol-free days each week. Is it more beneficial if those two days are consecutive, or does it not make any difference? Patricia Rawson, Surrey Dr Michael Apstein replies: The UK government’s advice that everyone should have at least two alcohol-free days a week is a well-intentioned effort to combat the enormous adverse…

AS WE DISCUSSED last month, 2015 was not the most thrilling period for the international fine wine market: the Liv-ex Fine Wine 100 index closed the year 0.1% down. Mind you, it’s a bull market compared to the current performance of commodities, not to mention recent stock market trends. There’s a feeling that, after years of distortion by boom and bust in the Far East, the market is returning to normality, with Liv-ex director Justin Gibbs pointing out that Bordeaux’s share of trading is back to the level of a decade ago. ‘Only a reasonable price will help return confidence to the Bordeaux en primeur market,’ adds Arthur de Lencquesaing, international development director at iDealwine. ‘In the meantime, many have discovered other regions, uncorked bottles from their own stocks, or…

• Hart Davis Hart, Chicago, 10-12 December: 12 bottles of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (DRC) La Tâche 1990 sold for $45,410 (high estimate: $55,000); three double magnums of Pétrus 1982 sold for $41,825 (high e: $55,000); three bottles of DRC, Romanée-Conti 1971 sold for $38,240 (high e: $42,000); 12 bottles of Pétrus 1982 sold for $38,240 (high e: $42,000); two magnums of Henri Jayer, Cros Parantoux, Vosne-Romanée 1982 sold for $38,240 (high e: $48,000); 12 bottles of Coche-Dury, Corton-Charlemagne 2007 sold for $31,070 (high e: $32,000); 12 bottles of Lafite Rothschild 1982 sold for $31,070 (high e: $35,000). • Acker Merrall, Hong Kong, 16 December: 12 bottles of Mouton 2000 sold for HK$158,080 (high e: HK$144,000); 12 bottles of Rousseau, Chambertin 1993 sold for HK$247,000 (high e: HK$280,000); 12 magnums…

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