Innholdsfortegnelse for April 2017 i Decanter

In brief The 2014 vintage of HM The Queen’s English sparkling wine is available on pre-order prior to a planned autumn release. Three-bottle sets of the 2013, priced at £75, sold out quickly before Christmas, and now Windsor Vineyard 2014 can be ordered at £35 a bottle. The wine is a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier from the Windsor Great Park estate. Pop star Lady Gaga is to produce her own wine under the Grigio Girls name after filing the trademark in the US. Known for her outrageous outfits, Lady Gaga once appeared on US TV show Saturday Night Live dressed as a wine cork and grapes. Decanter consultant editor Steven Spurrier has been named honorary president of the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET), succeeding Gérard…

Andrew Jefford ‘It may be harder to see terroir in pink wines than in whites or reds’ IN 2009, LONDONER Stephen Cronk moved to Provence with his family and founded Mirabeau Wines: a négociant and brand-building enterprise specialising in rosé. It’s been successful; the wines (Mirabeau and Pure, plus the red La Falaise) have won good reviews. One of the reasons Stephen gave me, when I chatted to him last June, for adopting the négociant approach rather than buying a domaine was that ‘rose isn’t really a wine that expresses terroir’. Since he’s spent the last seven years tasting, buying and blending rosé, he should know. No one, though, says this about red or white wine. Is it true? If so, why the difference? These are questions which matter. Rosé…

The tasters Alistair Cooper MW Cooper is a freelance consultant and wine writer who contributes to Decanter among other publications. After years working for wineries in Chile and Argentina, he has since consulted for and managed several wine bars in Oxford. He runs tastings and events for corporate and private clients, and is resident wine expert for BBC Radio Oxford. Cooper is currently writing his Master of Wine research paper. Anthony Rose Rose is the Decanter World Wine Awards Regional co-Chair for Australia, and regularly contributes to Decanter among other publications. He has won several wine writing awards, and his specialist areas include wine investment, on which he contributes to The Oxford Companion to Wine, as well as saké, which he writes on and teaches. A founding member of…

DECANTER MAN OF THE YEAR Thanks from a protégé Photograph: Bella Spurrier ‘He’s always had an unbridled enthusiasm for wine’ I’m sitting perusing Les Caves de la Madeleine’s wine list dated Autumn 1983, the year I joined the Spurrier circle. It still looks impressive today: Burgundies from Dujac, Coche-Dury, Rousseau, Lafon and Leflaive; Guigal’s La Mouline and La Landonne; Châteauneuf-du-Pape from Beaucastel and even a Tignanello – a roll-call of future stars listed more than 30 years ago (I won’t depress you with the prices). First and foremost Steven has always had a great palate and that has made him a precursor to finding and promoting many a great wine. It has also been an eye-opener for anyone working alongside him. Secondly, he has always had an unbridled enthusiasm for…

DECANTER MAN OF THE YEAR Man of the Year tributes: Steven Spurrier ‘What I admire most about Steven is his egalitarian approach to wine. He can be as excited about a wine from an unknown producer in an obscure region as he can be about a great classic from an incredible vintage. For him, it is only the intrinsic quality that matters. That is why he is so admired as a taster, and why he is internationally revered. His contribution to Decanter is immense, but his contribution and influence on the wider wine world is even greater.’ Sarah Kemp, managing director of Decanter ‘Steven is the unsung hero of the wine world. He lit the flame for so many of today’s famous luminaries and deserves much more credit than he…

Lawther’s dozen to try: Languedoc-Pézenas Domaine Le Conte des Floris, Lune Blanche, Languedoc 2014 91 £26 (2012) Vine Trail A white from this region that merits note: 80-year-old Carignan Blanc (yields of 20hl/ha) fermented and aged in barrel. Burgundian in style with floral, mineral and white fruit notes. Rich but elegant. Acidity gives freshness and length on the finish. Drink 2017-2022 Alcohol 13.5% Domaine Les Aurelles, Solen, Languedoc-Pézenas 2011 92 £22.25 Monopole Wine Club A Carignan-dominant blend with Grenache. Lovely purity of red fruit with a hint of spice. Good depth on the palate. Texturally smooth and silky with a fine grain of tannin. Exudes a certain power but harmonious. Drink 2017-2023 Alc 14.5% Mas Gabriel, Clos des Lièvres, Languedoc-Pézenas 2013 90 £16.99-£17.99 (2012) Cambridge Wine Merchants, The Wine Room…

Keller’s top-scoring dry Rieslings Weingut Keller, Riesling G-Max, Rheinhessen 2015 100/100 points POA Howard Ripley Named in honour of his great-grandfather Georg and his youngest son Max, Keller’s 2015 G-Max is the most in need of serious cellaring of all his dry Rieslings. Notes of lemon, wet stones, fresh bread and white flowers herald an extraordinarily three-dimensional, complete wine, which stains the palate with minerality and lingers through an impossibly long finish. Simply the pinnacle of dry Riesling – and the only thing that keeps the Morstein and Abtserde bottlings from receiving a perfect score. Drink 2020-2070 Alcohol 13% Weingut Keller, Westhofen Brunnenhäuschen Abtserde Riesling Grosses Gewächs, Rheinhessen 2015 99 POA Howard Ripley The favoured vineyard of the Bishop of Worms in the 14th century (and today a sub-plot…

Richards’ pick of Chilean Carmenere Terranoble, CA2 Carmenere, Costa, Colchagua 2011 95 £25-£25.50 Pimlico Dozen, Vintage Cellars Terranoble is one of Chile’s consistently best Carmenere producers, and this is its finest rendition: complex and intense, with notes of roasted peppers, soy, bitter chocolate, all underscored by elegant energy and tension. Beautiful and balanced. Drink 2017-2022 Alcohol 14% Tamaya, Winemaker’s Gran Reserva, Carmenere, Costa, Limarí 2012 94 £13.99 Fine Wines Direct Tamaya specialises in a fresh, peppery style that marries juicy dark fruit with roasted herb complexity. Never overblown, always uplifting. Pure and cogent. Drink 2017-2019 Alc 13.5% William Fèvre, Espino Carmenere, Pirque, Maipo 2011 94 N/A UK www.wfchile.cl A deliberately restrained style, grown high in the Andean foothills of Maipo. This has aged delightfully and is now showing the potential…

Scoring system Tasters rate the wines using the 100-point scoring system. The overall Decanter rating is the average of all three judges’ scores. The ratings are as follows: 98-100: Exceptional A great, exceptional and profound wine 95-97: Outstanding An excellent wine of great complexity and character 90-94: Highly Recommended A very accomplished wine, with impressive complexity 86-89: Recommended A well-made, straightforward and enjoyable wine 83-85: Commended An acceptable, simple wine with limited personality 76-82: Fair Correctly made, if unexciting 70-75: Poor Unbalanced and/or bland with no character 50-69: Faulty Displays winemaking faults For the Exceptional and Outstanding Decanter ratings, judges’ individual scores and tasting notes are listed in addition to the average score. For the Highly Recommended and Recommended wines, individual and average scores are also listed but tasting notes…

PANEL TASTING The results A solid set of results from an average vintage, which showcased the quality of the Haut-Médocs against the poor oaking of the Médocs. Tina Gellie reports on the day TWO OUTSTANDINGS FOR cru bourgeois in an underrated vintage like 2014? Yes, said our experts, who felt that in such a comprehensive line-up of 203 wines they wanted the best examples to stand out. Andrew Jefford explained: ‘When you review a whole Bordeaux vintage, as at en primeur, you have to fix your top scores – say your first growths or Petrus – and then calibrate everything else to that. And because Bordeaux represents such a vast pool of wine, with so much widespread quality, the cru bourgeois end up being scored between 87 and 89 points;…

My top three James Lawther MW • Château Mongravey, Margaux This Cabernet Sauvignon-based wine (65%) carried the day with its elegance and finesse. Just what a good Margaux should be. It follows the success of the 2006 which won a DWWA Regional Trophy in 2009. 95 Drink 2018-2026 • Château du Retout, Haut-Médoc I’m less familiar with this property’s wines, but the 2014 has a fine spiciness coupled with a generous depth of dark fruit. The blend is a surprising 76% Cabernet Sauvignon with 16.5% Petit Verdot and just 7.5% Merlot. 95 Drink 2018-2027 • Château Larose Trintaudon, Haut-Médoc It’s worth highlighting the progress made at the Médoc’s largest estate (165ha). The wines used to be lightweight but, like the 2014, they now have expressive fruit and integrated oak. Production…

PANEL TASTING The results An impressive tasting highlighting the potential of cool-climate coastal regions and the great 2015 vintage. Ageability was the only sticking point, as Tina Gellie reports AMONG MANY REGIONS making good Chardonnay, South Africa has proven here that its best are world class. ‘The top wines are of international quality – they’d hold their own against anything,’ said John Hoskins MW. ‘And we were harsh judges. There were several more that could have squeezed into that top niche.’ Tim Atkin MW agreed: ‘Chardonnay is a competitive field. Perhaps because South Africa does Chenin Blanc better than anybody, you forget how good its Chardonnay can be, but the best wines are outstanding.’ It was the cool-climate, coastal region of Elgin that shone. Greg Sherwood MW said: ‘South Africa…

SOUTH AFRICAN CHARDONNAY Highly Recommended 90–94pts Newton Johnson, Family, Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, Walker Bay 2015 94 TA 94 JH 94 GS 94 £23-£24.99 The Solent Cellar, Vincisive, Vin Est, Wine Trust 100 Youthful and creamy but also firm and serious. There is high acidity but it is not green. Dried lemon peel, wet straw and musk flavours. A smart wine. Drink 2017-2022 Alc 13% Cape Chamonix, Franschhoek 2015 93 TA 93 JH 93 GS 92 £16.99 Widely available via UK importer ABS Wine Agencies The spiced honey and vanilla notes make for a promising start which then adapts into lemon biscuits and ice cream. This fleshy palate is backed up by tangy acidity and the finish is pleasantly tart. Drink 2017-2021 Alc 13.5% Migliarina, Elgin 2014 93 TA 93 JH…

My top three John Hoskins MW • Thelema Mountain Vineyards, Sutherland, Elgin 2015 How can this be under £13?! This is where South Africa rules the roost – exceptional, unbeatable value in the mid–price tier. Struck match complexity, modern and expressive, fine and well balanced. 96 Drink 2017-2023 • Paul Cluver, Estate, Elgin 2015 Elgin was, unsurprisingly, the strongest region in the tasting. This is a bargain, achieving firmness without austerity – the Holy Grail for modern Chardonnay producers. 95 Drink 2017-2023 • Storm, Vrede, Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, Walker Bay 2015 The Hemel-en-Aarde Chardonnays were less charming than those from Elgin, but often more serious. This was classic: pithy texture, taut structure, clearly young and closed but with so much potential. And only 13%! 94 Drink 2017-2021…

EXPERT’S CHOICE Chile As fires raze Chile’s ancient vines, Christelle Guibert reflects on past visits to the country and recommends 30 exciting wines that show its great diversity  AS I WRITE, Chile is going through its worst ever wildfire disaster – more than 400,000 hectares of land destroyed: forests, towns, century-old vines and people’s lives. ‘Having some of the world's oldest vines may be one of Chile’s great strengths, although these modest producers don’t shout about it’ I am extremely lucky to have visited the country on several occasions over the past eight years, but my last trip, in February 2016, was a real eye opener. Then, I discovered a new Chile that I didn’t know existed. A trip to Itata Valley, 400km south of Santiago, revealed the country’s long…

Nina Caplan ‘Britain still has much to prove when it comes to selling gourmandise, and this vanguard knows it’  IN THE 1990S, London’s Docklands were more like wastelands, still reeling from the last recession. This had been a major port of Britain’s Empire; it was about to become the gateway to a different kind of kingdom. Now it’s a finance hub, wealthy but alien, a foreign land where once the ships came in. Just across the river are Greenwich and the Maritime Museum. Two eras of British trade: the divide feels a lot wider than the Thames. ‘They make too little wine, but this is gorgeous, like Condrieu’ Daniel Illsley, Theatre of Wine Daniel Illsley opened shop in Maze Hill in 2002, on a busy road just 20 minutes walk…

TRAVEL: AUSTRIA THE DECANTER TRAVEL GUIDE TO Styria, Austria For the active wine lover who enjoys a cycle or mountainside hike before a sumptuous meal, this ancient and stunning southern wine region is a slice of paradise, says Darrel Joseph Maps: Maggie Nelson STEIERMARK (STYRIA IN English) is Austria’s southernmost wine region. Its 4,240ha of vineyards are planted among the hills and valleys between the Austrian Alps in the west, Hungary’s Pannonian Plain to the east and the undulating hills of Slovenia in the south. Beyond that, Styria’s borders stretch southwest to the Adriatic Sea. This means terrain and climates embrace both continental and Mediterranean influences. This sets the scene for escapist pleasures: pampering the body and inspiring the spirit with everything from hiking and bike riding to soaking in…

Next month in Decanter On sale 5 April Photograph: David Letts/Alamy Stock Photo Southern Italy’s hidden gems 10 estates to discover, and their delicious wines to try PLUS: TASTED & RATED • Amarone della Valpolicella • Barbera d’Asti ALSO... • Natural wines: best buys • Vintage report: southern Rhône • Vermentino • Soave • Masseto For subscription offers, see p119, call: +44 (0)845 676 7778 or visit www.decantersubs.com/11XG Guess the South African producer (see p126 ) Newton Johnson (Newt+ton, John (Travolta)+sun)…

Fine wine price watch 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…

John Stimpfig ‘Steven has not just enriched the world of wine, he has expanded it’ AT THE END of last year, I had the great pleasure of interviewing Steven Spurrier, as the recipient of this year’s Decanter Man of the Year award. As I recorded our conversation, I kept on thinking that somebody really should write a book or make a film about his extraordinary life and career. In fact, I can reveal a small scoop on that score – Steven is already several chapters into his memoirs, which will be published later this year. Having had a sneak preview, I cannot wait to read them in full. And of course, a significant instalment of his life has already been captured on film with the late Alan Rickman playing him…

What I’ve been drinking this month My most memorable white from the festive season was Frédéric Mochel’s , Cuvée Henriette Riesling, Altenberg de Bergbieten Grand Cru 2012 (pale, sappy, sustained), while our Christmas lunch treat was Paitin’s Sori’ Paitin, Barbaresco 2013 from Serraboella (fresh, pristine, limpid yet grippy), served cellar-cool. The apple-cranberry fruit and firm, clean tannins of this shapely Piedmontese classic had a perfection of orderly elegance to them, giving the turkey and trimmings the contrastive authority they needed. (The wine’s refreshing qualities were just what the cook needed, too.)…

What I’ve been drinking this month Autumn is when importers tantalise wine writers with new wines they’ll be launching in the US. Few have as exciting a back-story as the Portuguese icon Barca Velha, which inspired today’s dry Douro reds. This icon wine is made by Casa Ferreirinha , a brand in the giant Sogrape stable. I sipped the latest vintage, the rich, full-bodied, spicy and intense 2008 , with its winemaker Luis Sottomayor and Sogrape president Fernando Guedes at the Nomad Hotel Rooftop. Paired with roast duck and huckleberries, the delicious wine struck just the right note for cold weather.…

Timeline of major achievement 1968 Marries Bella 1964 Enters wine trade at 23, joining Christopher & Co 1970 Moves to Paris, purchasing Les Caves de la Madeleine 1973 Opens L’Academie du Vin wine school in Paris 1976 Judgement of Paris tasting 1982 Launches Christie’s Wine Course 1983 Académie du Vin Wine Course book published 1988 Returns to UK as independent wine consultant 1993 Writes first of nearly 300 subsequent Decanter columns 1996 Awarded Le Prix de Champagne Lanson 2004 Appointed Chairman of Decanter World Wine Awards 2011 Receives Le Grand Prix de L’Académie Internationale du Vin 2006 30th anniversary recreation of the Judgement of Paris 2009 Plants Bride Valley vineyard 2011 First vintage of Bride Valley sparkling wine 2016 Invited by US Congress to commemorate 40th anniversary of the…

Vintage report Northern Rhône 2015 Exceptionally approachable in their early stages, the wines of this seemingly trouble-free vintage are already being hailed as equal to the very best of the last century. John Livingstone-Learmonth starts his Rhône round-up in the region’s north Photograph: Mike Prior. With thanks for the loan of the bottles to Berry Bros & Rudd ( www.bbr.com ); Vine Trail Ltd ( www.vinetrail.co.uk ); Justerini & Brooks ( www.justerinis.com ); Mentzendorff & Co Ltd ( www.mentzendorff.co.uk ) ‘2015 is a bit like 1990, when everything was good’ Jean-Louis Chave, Hermitage THE SNAPPING JAWS of social media bring frenetic judgement to new vintages these days, with the risk of superficial conclusions. However, the hullabaloo surrounding 2015 in the northern Rhône is justified. This is an excellent vintage on…

Weingut Keller – a timeline 1789 Johann Leonhard Keller came to the Rheinhessen from Zurich, Switzerland 1993 Klaus-Peter Keller interns at Domaine Armand Rousseau in Burgundy 1999 Klaus-Peter and wife Julia return to work at Weingut Keller 2000 Weingut Keller joins the VDP organisation of Germany’s best producers 2001 Produces first Grosses Gewächs and first bottling of G-Max 2006 Klaus-Peter and Julia take over full control of the winery 2009 Buys first vineyards in Nierstein 2010 G-Max becomes the most expensive dry Riesling ever auctioned 2012 Produces wine for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee 2016 Felix Keller, the 10th generation, begins winemaker internships in Germany and Burgundy…

DECANTER PROMOTION Tenuta Carobbio Winemakers know there’s a very special part of Panzano, the highly specialised Chianti Classico cru growing area south of Florence, called the Conca d’Oro (Golden Bowl), where grapes get the best exposure to the sun and ripen best. This is where the Carobbio estate lies: 50 hectares of land with the 15 best devoted to vineyards in a valley protected from the cold Appenine winds by the hills that overlook Greve. Carobbio’s sheltered vineyards are at 350-400 metres a.s.l., face south and get the maximum sunlight, ideal for the cultivation of the two major grapes of Tuscan winemaking: Sangiovese and Cabernet. The soil is loosely packed, mineral-rich and stony, providing both excellent drainage and reserves of water deep underground. More desirable vineyard characteristics. In winemaking on…

CRU BOURGEOIS 2014 Outstanding 95–97pts Château Le Crock, St-Estèphe Decanter average score: 95/100pts Individual judges’ scores: Jane Anson 95 Andrew Jefford 97 James Lawther MW 93 £25-£30 Cambridge Wine Merchants, Montrachet Fine Wines The Cuvelier family from Château Leoville-Poyferré has owned this St-Estèphe estate since 1903, and the investment and attention to detail lavished on its main, St-Julien property has also paid off here. Isabelle Davin is oenologist at both properties, and Michel Rolland consultant. The harvest is vinified in small tanks of both stainless steel and cement. (Le Crock was actually classified as a fifth growth in one of those pre-1855 rankings that have got lost in the mists of time.) Jane Anson Profound structure and real depth of fruit. It is not drying even if the tannins…

My top three Jane Anson • Château Haut-Breton Larigaudière, Margaux The De Schepper family, a boutique négociant and estate owner originally from Belgium, produces some quality Médoc wines (and La Crozille in St-Emilion). This has modern oak notes, but it is well finessed and stays within the fragrant remit of Margaux. 93 Drink 2019-2026 • Château Tour de Pez, St-Estèphe This lesser known of the Pez trio has been owned by Philippe Bouchera since 1989, with Franck Duprat as technical director and Eric Boissenot as consultant. I loved the depth of flavour in this wine, and really felt it showed the success of St-Estèphe in 2014. 93 Drink 2019-2026 • Chateau Labat, Haut Médoc Classic, structured wine from the Nony family of Château Caronne Ste-Gemme. The vineyard is close to…

CRU BOURGEOIS 2014 Expert summary: Jane Anson A good result for the 2014s: an enjoyable vintage for mid-term drinking, rewarding the estates that were vigilant in the vineyard and found the right oak and fruit balance  ‘LESSER’ BORDEAUX APPELLATIONS often suffer against the theoretical (in the context of these type of tastings) heights of the first growths or super seconds. So as a group, when we tasted these crus bourgeois we had in mind which ones would give readers the most pleasure at this level of value, and scored accordingly. ‘The average age for enjoyable drinking looks to be around eight to 10 years to really hit their stride’ And we found that plenty that would do so. Overall there was exceptional drinkability in the wines, although wines that would…

The judges Tim Atkin MW Atkin is an award-wining wine writer, photographer, broadcaster and taster, who became a Master of Wine in 2001. His website www. timatkin.com includes an in-depth annual report on the South African wine scene. Atkin has been visiting and writing about the Cape since 1991 and is regarded as one of the leading commentators on its wines. John Hoskins MW Hoskins was born into a family of hoteliers and wine finally drew him into the business; in 1994 he became the first person in the restaurant industry to become a Master of Wine. That year he also bought the hotel-restaurant The Old Bridge in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, which now includes includes an on-site wine shop. Greg Sherwood MW Sherwood is general manager of fine wines at London’s…

SOUTH AFRICAN CHARDONNAY Recommended 86–89pts Commended 83-85pts • Baleia Wines, Inge, Cape South Coast 2014 85, 13.5%, 2017-2018, N/A UK www.baleiawines.com • Haskell, Anvil, Stellenbosch 2014 85, 12.5%, 2017-2019, £25.50 Lea & Sandeman • Robertson, Constitution Road, Robertson 2015 85, 14%, 2017-2019, £15 Wimbledon Wine Cellar • Val de Vie, Barista, Western Cape 2016 85, 13%, 2017-2018, £9 New Generation McKinley • Groote Post, Kapokberg, Darling 2015 84, 13.5%, 2017-2019, £12.99 Hennings, Francis Fine Wines • La Motte, Franschhoek 2015 84, 12.5%, 2017-2020, £13.99 Raisin Social • Rickety Bridge, Franschhoek 2015 84, 14%, 2017-2018, £10.99 Cape Wine & Food • Topiary, Franschhoek 2015 84, 14%, 2017-2018, £21.95 Atlas Fine Wines, Compass Wines, Frontier, Gerrard Seel, Harvey Nichols, Hermitage Cellars, Ten Acre Wines • Simonsig Estate, Stellenbosch 2015 83, 13.5%, 2017-2018,…

My top three Greg Sherwood MW • Migliarina, Elgin 2014 Carsten Migliarina’s precise, classic, Old World wines appeal to sophisticated drinkers. This had premier cru Chablis written all over it, with beautiful dusty minerality and salty, briny, chalky freshness. A rising star. 94 Drink 2017-2022 • Richard Kershaw, Clonal Selection, Elgin 2014 British Master of Wine Kershaw has been at the forefront of the Cape’s resurgence in premium cool-climate Chardonnay. The typicity of his mineral-laden vineyards, complex, Burgundian struck match reduction and fleshy opulence, make his wines highly collectable. 94 Drink 2017-2022 • Storm, Vrede, Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, Walker Bay 2015 Hannes Storm has thrilled with his Pinot Noirs, and now he's pushing the boundaries with Burgundian-style Chardonnay. Fine fruit purity, limestone minerality, dried herb and citrus peel complexity. Worth the…

Weekday wines Looking to try something different or adventurous, but don’t want to make an expensive mistake? Decanter’s tastings director Christelle Guibert has done the hard work for you, picking out 25 exciting and accessible wines available in the UK for £25 or less Cave de Lugny, Blanc de Blancs, Crémant de Bourgogne, Burgundy, France NV 90 £13.99 Waitrose * This is a great alternative to Champagne – at a fraction of the price. Fresh, light and dry with ripe apple and grapefruit. Lovely foaming mouthfeel with creamy notes and a tangy finish –very complex for the price. This is Burgundy’s most reliable co-op, so fill-up your fridge! Alc 12% Orsi San Vito, Pignoletto, Vigna del Grotto, Colli Bolognesi, Emilia Romagna, Italy 2014 91 £23 Noble Fine Liquor Biodynamically farmed…

RESTAURANTS Aquavit, London By Fiona Beckett Photographs: Jean Cazals It’s not often I decide to review a restaurant on the basis of its breakfast, but once I’d sampled Aquavit’s smoked eel benedict I couldn’t wait to see what they’d do with the rest of their ‘morning to midnight’ dining experience So I had a herring fest with a couple of companions with whom I’d shared a trip to Trondheim in Norway, then followed up with lunch with a chef friend who had raved about the crab. Aquavit is a casual(ish) offshoot of the New York original, though the metres of marble and blond wood could hardly be called laid back. Situated in the very flash new St James’s Market, just a few paces from Piccadilly Circus, it’s definitely more Mayfair…

READERS’ QUERIES Notes & Queries Each month our experts answer readers’ wine queries and share their knowledge This month’s experts James Lawther MW is a Decanter contributing editor, based in Bordeaux Sarah Jane Evans MW is co-Chair of the Decanter World Wine Awards John Stimpfig is Decanter’s editorial content director Lesser-known Bordeaux Friends have invited us to their holiday home in St-Macaire near Bordeaux. It sounds as if it’s mainly a sweet wine area, but does it produce dry reds and whites too? Can you recommend any châteaux to visit and, more importantly, are the wines any good? M Turnbull, Birmingham James Lawther MW replies: The official name of the appellation (created 1937), which is physically located in the Entre-Deux-Mers, is Côtes de Bordeaux St-Macaire. About 60 hectares are declared…

Wine Legends Beaulieu Vineyard, BV, Georges de Latour, Private Reserve 1947 Rutherford, Napa Valley, California A legend because… In the 1930s, Beaulieu Vineyard persuaded the Russian-born winemaker André Tchelistcheff to come over from France and make its wines after Prohibition ended. He succeeded Leon Bonnet as winemaker, and it was Bonnet who, encouraged by BV founder Georges de Latour, created the Georges de Latour Private Reserve in 1936. Latour was keen to create what today would be called an icon wine, one that fully represented the finest Cabernet Sauvignon vineyards in the Rutherford sub-region and followed the great winemaking traditions of Bordeaux. It was named after BV’s Bordeaux-born founder, who established the property in 1900, planting 40 hectares in Rutherford, though his first vintage was 1909. Looking back Tchelistcheff was…

Letter of the month A wine lover’s Ferrari I READ JOHN Stimpfig’s column (March 2017 issue) with interest. I have spent 15 years trying to improvise wine storage solutions. It got to the point where I had two wine fridges filled to the brim, shelves buckling to support their load. I would often phone my wife from an overseas trip to check on the temperature in rooms where all the excess bottles were stored. She would obligingly juggle bottles from the sunny side of the house to the shaded to ease my panic. My dream finally came true two years ago, with the construction of a wine room. On showing new guests around the house I usually get a little embarrassed when we enter. I justify the extravagance by emphasising…

Hugh Johnson ‘In Bordeaux, it’s the brand, not the land, which is classified’ IT’S FUNNY HOW our expectations of Bordeaux and Burgundy reds have been reversed over the past generation or so. When I was young, claret used to be considered the lighter of the two; Burgundy had an altogether beefier ring to it. What has changed our perception? Modern Burgundy is tissue-thin compared with its forebears. The qualities we prize today are transparency (you can read the soil through it), ‘precision’ (the nonce-word of the day; ‘mineral’ is looking old hat) and a lively bite which time, we trust, will metamorphose into a lingering caress. A dark red entrant fuming with alcohol and extract gets the thumbs down. Whereas the edgy clarets I grew up with, tannins to the…

NEW WORLD CABERNETS Top 35 New World Cabernets under £40 From oaked and opulent styles to more perfumed, fruit-driven reds, there’s a New World Cabernet Sauvignon for every palate. And pockets won’t be stretched with these examples, priced from just £12.99. Anthony Rose reports THIS TWO-DAY TASTING of 172 New World Cabernets between £12.99 and £40 arguably took us three judges to a happier place than assessing a similar number of red Bordeaux in the same price range might have done. To add perspective to the results, 34% of the entries were from Australia, 23% from South Africa, 17% from Chile, 15% from Argentina, 11% from the US and just one example from New Zealand. It was no surprise, then, that Australia came in top dog with an impressive eight…

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

Livingstone-Learmonth’s pick of the 2015 vintage Wines are listed within their appellations, then by score, then alphabetically by producer. Côte-Rôtie René Rostaing, Côte Blonde 98 £100 Justerini & Brooks, Tanners, The Wine Society Savoury and smoky, classy red-fruited bouquet. Coolly floral style that’s complex and extended. Drink 2024-2046 Alcohol 13.5% Maryline & Christophe Billon, La Côte Rozier 97 N/A UK www.domainebillonchristophe.com Inky, dark berry fruit plunges through the nose. Sleek palate and handsome tannins. Top grade; a triumph. Drink 2019-2037 Alc 13.5% Domaine Bonserine, La Garde 97 £40 Alliance Wines Rich, ripe yet also fresh nose, will impress. A muscular, blood-in-its-veins wine, a mineral thread from its terroir. Complex and compelling. Drink 2020-2039 Alc 14% Stéphane Ogier, Belle Hélène 97 £42 (ib) Berry Bros & Rudd, Lay & Wheeler, Montrachet,…

Six producers to watch Map: Maggie Nelson Prieuré St-Jean de Bébian Undoubtedly the leading light in Pézenas, Bébian is also one of the Languedoc’s unofficial first growths. The history can be traced back to Roman times, but its modern-day reputation was established in the 1970s when previous owner Alain Roux replanted the vineyard with mass-selection Syrah from Jean-Louis Chave, Grenache from Château Rayas and Mourvèdre from Domaine Tempier. Present owners (since 2008), the Russian Pumpyanskiy family has provided further momentum with the construction of a new winery (2016). Bébian wines can age. Domaine Les Aurelles Basile St-Germain is a perfectionist and it shows in his wines. He and his wife Caroline established organically run Les Aurelles in 1995 following the sale of the family Cognac business Léopold Gourmel. There are…

ARGENTINA Tapia’s picks: top 10 ‘poolside reds’ Bodegas Aleanna, Gran Enemigo, Gualtallary, Uco Valley, Mendoza 2012 95 £45.83 BI Wines Rich in floral and herbal notes, this blend of Cabernet Franc plus 15% Malbec moves towards tobacco leaf and earthy notes. Medium body, firm and tight, this is the wine you need for a slow-cooked meat. Drink 2017-2020 Alc 13.9% Gen del Alma, Ji Ji Ji, Gualtallary, Uco Valley, Mendoza 2015 93 £18.50 Dalling & Co, Drinkmonger, Slurp, Speciality Drinks An unusual blend of Pinot Noir and Malbec, this comes 100% from the chalky soils of Gualtallary. It is bright, floral and fruity, with tension and a lovely freshness all the way through the palate. Drink 2017-2018 Alc 12% Tintonegro, Limestone Block Malbec, Uco Valley, Mendoza 2014 92 £14.12 Just…

WEINGUT KELLER Keller’s grands crus Dalsheimer Bürgel (0.5ha) Gently south-facing, clay soils underpinned by mussel shell chalk. Planted with Pinot Noir. Produces elegant, focused and full-bodied wines. Dalsheimer Frauenberg (0.5ha) Not far from Bürgel, but later-ripening, and also planted to Pinot Noir. Doesn’t succeed in every year, but in good ones yields wines with deep minerality, purity and transparency. Dalsheimer Hubacker (4ha) In the Keller family since 1789, yellow limestone soils and southeasterly exposition; 40-year-old Riesling vines ripen later than all Keller’s other grands crus. Distinguished by exotic flavours of passion fruit and peach, combined with a deep mineral core. Westhofener Kirchspiel (2.5ha) Bought in 1999. Keller owns the oldest vines here. An east-facing site, planted with Riesling, characterised by limestone rock with a high iron content. The cooler exposition…

The Decanter guarantee Our buying guide is here to provide you with trusted, independent, expert recommendations on what to buy, what to drink and what to cellar. Each panel tasting is judged by three experienced tasters chosen for their authority in the category of wine being rated. All wines are tasted blind and are pre-poured for judges in flights of eight to 10 wines. Our three experts taste and score their set of 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 which are true to their region. Prices are…

The judges Jane Anson Anson is the Bordeaux correspondent for Decanter and has lived in the region since 2003. She writes a monthly column for Decanter, a weekly column for Decanter.com and is the author of Bordeaux Legends: The 1855 First Growth Wines. She is also an accredited teacher at Bordeaux’s Ecole du Vin. Andrew Jefford Jefford is the 2016 Roederer International Wine Columnist of the Year for his widely followed Jefford on Monday blog for Decanter.com and monthly column for Decanter. He has been writing and broadcasting about wine since the 1980s and lives with his family in the Languedoc, close to Pic St-Loup. James Lawther MW Lawther is a contributing editor to Decanter as well as an independent wine writer, lecturer and tour guide based in Bordeaux. He…

Highly Recommended 90–94pts Château du Retout, Haut-Médoc 92 JA 91 AJ 89 JL 95 £20 Vinothentic A little reductive at first, but give it some air and a whoosh of clean blackberry fruit rides in on a bed of spicy and exotic apparent oak. No green notes at all, and ample depth and richness. The fruit density will carry the oak through. Drink 2018-2027 Alc 13% Château Fontesteau, Haut-Médoc 92 JA 93 AJ 91 JL 92 £19.99 ABS Wine Agencies Ripe and warm, this wine is exuberant with enticing scents of great classicism. A core of blackcurrant fruit is supported by a polished roasted oak veneer, even some menthol touches. It has the feel of a seriously good Bordeaux, and will open up beautifully with food. Drink 2018-2027 Alc 13%…

My top three Andrew Jefford • Château Le Crock, St-Estèphe With its haute couture level of detail and finesse, this is the wine of the tasting for me: a well-sited cru bourgeois on which no effort has been spared, yet which remains true to appellation and vintage. 97 Drink 2019-2029 • Château Bernadotte, Haut-Médoc A happily sited property within striking distance of vineyards used for Pichon-Lalande, Les Forts de Latour and Pontet Canet. Its refined, long, supremely graceful style in 2014, combined with perfectly teased ripeness, will make a lovely mid-term drink. 92 Drink 2018-2024 • Château Caroline, Moulis-En-Médoc I love the chunky Moulis style. Some estates opted for softness in 2014, but the stuffing in this nicely ripened wine strikes a more traditional, cellar-seeking note. Well done to the…

SOUTH AFRICAN CHARDONNAY Outstanding 95–97pts Ataraxia, Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge, Walker Bay 2015 Decanter average score: 96/100pts Individual judges’ scores: Tim Atkin MW 96 John Hoskins MW 96 Greg Sherwood MW 95 £23.95 Alexander Wines, Bancroft, Harrods, Hawkshead Wines, Majestic, St Andrews Wine Co, Swig, Slurp ,The Circle Wine Co, The Oxford Wine Co, The Vineking Kevin Grant is one of only a handful of Chardonnay specialists in South Africa. He made his name with the variety at Hamilton Russell where he worked for 10 vintages before leaving to set up Ataraxia in 2004. While he waited for his own vineyards to mature, he supplemented them by buying fruit from elsewhere in the Walker Bay until 2013. Tim Atkin MW Classy winemaking. White flowers and vanilla cream on the nose, with elements…

My top three Tim Atkin MW • Ataraxia, Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge, Walker Bay 2015 Just the third vintage made with fruit from Kevin Grant’s own farm, but it’s typical of the style he has been perfecting for more than a decade with grapes from elsewhere. A Chardonnay masterclass. 96 Drink 2017-2022 • Paul Cluver, Estate, Elgin 2015 The Chardonnays from Elgin’s best producer are especially exciting in 2015. This is priced below its Seven Flags release, but is just as impressive. Long and refreshing, it’s still youthful and will age further in bottle. 96 Drink 2017-2023 • Richard Kershaw, Clonal Selection, Elgin 2015 First made in 2011, this remarkable Chardonnay has established itself as one of the Cape’s finest. There’s more malolactic in 2015, but otherwise, the wine comes from the…

Expert summary: Tim Atkin MW A few surprises and a few disappointments, but an essentially successful tasting that showcased the quality of Chardonnay in the Cape – especially Elgin and the 2015s  THIS LARGE, GENERALLY impressive tasting proved two things: first, the excellence of the 2015 vintage, which many regard as one of the greatest ever in South Africa; and second, the growing quality of Chardonnay. The variety is much less widely planted here than Chenin Blanc, but on this evidence is every bit as good. ‘Elgin had five of our top seven wines; its Chardonnay plantings account for only 1.48% of the national total’ The tasting was dominated by Elgin, which supplied five of our seven top wines. When you consider that this predominantly fruit-growing region didn’t get into…

UK stockists Where to find the wines featured in Decanter this month 3D Wines, Lincolnshire (www.3dwines.com) A&B Vintners, Kent (www.abvintners.co.uk) Abbey Wines, Melrose (01896 823 244) ABS Wine Agencies, Lincs (www.abswineagencies.co.uk) AC Gallie, Jersey (www.acgallie.com) Addison Wines, London SW11 (www.addisonwines.com) Adnams Southwold, Suffolk (www.adnams.co.uk) 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 Wine, Ayrshire (www.alliancewine.co.uk) Amathus Wines & Spirits, London (www.amathusdrinks.com) Amazon UK (www.amazon.co.uk) Amps Fine Wines, Northants (www.ampsfinewines.co.uk) Andrew Darwin, Herefordshire (www.adwines.co.uk) Anglia Wine Merchants, Cambridgeshire (www.angliawines.co.uk) Argentine Wine Online, East Sussex (www.argentinewineonline.co.uk) Armit Wines, London W11 (www.armit.co.uk) Artisvin (www.meadsvillage.com) Asda (www.asda.co.uk) Aske Wine, London (www.askewine.co.uk) Asset Wines, London (www.assetwines.com) Astor Wines, London N20 (www.astorwines.com) Atlas Fine Wines, London (www.atlasfinewines.com) Averys, Bristol (www.averys.com) Bablake Wines, Coventry (www.bablakewines.co.uk) Bacchanalia, Cambridge (www.winegod.co.uk) Bacchus Wine,…

Grape varieties with Julia Harding MW Photograph: Steve Haider Roter Veltliner My choice this month was inspired by one particular wine: Birgit Eichinger’s excellent Roter Veltliner. Both parts of the variety’s name are misleading: it is neither dark-skinned ( rot is German for red), nor is it related to Grüner Veltliner. It is in fact an old pink-skinned Austrian variety. Although its parentage is unknown, DNA testing has shown that it has produced some interesting offspring with various partners: from a natural crossing with Silvaner, Frühroter Veltliner and Neuberger; with Savagnin, Rotgipfler; and, more recently, it was crossed with Gewürztraminer to produce Slovakian varieties Hetera and Devín. Roter Veltliner tends to produce powerful, full-bodied wines not unlike Grüner Veltliner in notes of spice and pepper but often with a little…