Innholdsfortegnelse for August 2017 i Decanter

MEET THE EXPERTS The world’s best palates The panels at the Decanter World Wine Awards boast unrivalled credentials. The 35 Regional Chairs – chosen for their unique expertise – lead their teams of 219 judges, all overseen by our Chairman Emeritus and three co-Chairs CHAIRMAN EMERITUS Steven Spurrier Decanter’s consultant editor joined the wine trade in London in 1964 and later moved to Paris where he bought a wine shop in 1971, and then opened L’Academie du Vin, France’s first private wine school in 1973. Spurrier staged the historic 1976 blind tasting between wines from California and France, the Judgment of Paris, and in the 1980s wrote several wine books and created the Christie’s Wine Course with then senior wine director Michael Broadbent. In 1988 Spurrier returned to the UK…

Asia ‘Chinese ice wine is on a roll, this year winning a Platinum and two Golds. And Japanese Koshu has never been more impressive, taking home a Platinum and a Gold’ Ch’ng Poh Tiong, Regional Chair What should we buy from here? Chinese ice wine is on a roll, this year winning a Platinum and two Golds – unprecedented for Asia within a single wine category, and confirms the Middle Kingdom’s newfound ascendancy (except those that are over sulphured). China's sweet success is not surprising given the wine style relies so critically on climactic and weather conditions more than it does on the site of the vineyard. There is serious concentration of intense fruit to rival Canada’s very best; northern China has many a place where it freezes as readily…

Burgundy & Beaujolais ‘The winners’ enclosure showed an encouraging mix of producers from small domaines to heavyweight négociants, along with a good showing from the best co-operatives’ Jasper Morris MW, Regional Chair What should we buy from here? At last year’s DWWA, Burgundy was dominated by the 2014 whites, and this outstanding vintage took home another bagful of Golds this year too. We also had the amazing 2015 reds to enjoy, and indeed there were many delicious wines which deserved their Golds. But the standout experience was just how good the white wines were in 2015, especially from Chablis and the top vineyards of the Côte d’Or. Producers have clearly learned how to manage warmer weather conditions. The wines had the delicious ripe aromas of a sunny vintage, but the…

Chile ‘Sauvignon Blanc was notably diverse, with some really subtle, nuanced wines in evidence – the variety scooped three great Golds and a Platinum Best in Category’ Peter Richards MW, Regional Chair What should we buy from here? Chile is best known for its reds, so it was great to see the whites on form. Sauvignon Blanc was notably diverse, with some really subtle, nuanced wines in evidence – the variety scooped three great Golds and a Platinum Best in Category. Chardonnay is much improved too – witness the Platinum Best in Show value example – and it’s clear that producers aren’t afraid to experiment and push boundaries with this shape-shifting variety. It’s wonderful to witness the revival of Semillon (a historic variety in Chile but one that’s flown under…

GERMANY - GREECE & CYPRUS Greece & Cyprus ‘Greece has moved into a higher league with four Platinum Best in Category and 13 Golds… and the Xynisteri from Cyprus, which won its first Platinum, was extraordinary!’ Nico Manessis, Regional Chair What should we buy from here? With four Platinum Best in Category awards and 13 Gold medals this year, Greece has moved into a higher league of quality. As ever, Santorini’s top performing bone-dry whites remain in a class of their own. The Xinomavro red blends are much more assured, and in the whites, old-vine Savatiano from Attica is not only dependable, it reflects regional character with good-value prices to boot. Fragrant Malagousia comes in many guises. Always floral, this versatile variety is the most fashionable of dry Greek whites…

WINNERS BY NUMBERS DWWA 2017: The ultimate winners The 34 Platinum Best in Show wines – the top 0.2% – triumphed over 17,229 others. These wines were judged the best of their type, not only in their own country or region, but among all the other 175 Best in Category winners of that style from around the world. 34 Platinum Best in Show (0.2%) 175 Platinum Best in category (1.01%) 456 Gold medals (2.64%) 3,348 Silver medals (19.39%) 7,044 Bronze medals (40.8%) 17,263 wines tasted from around the world…

BEST VALUE DRY AROMATIC Amalaya, Blanco de Corte Torrontés-Riesling, Calchaquíes, Salta, Argentina 2016 (13%) The nose offers a beguiling mix of pineapples and grapes. Inviting jasmine and crisp peach flavours meld with an attractive mouthfeel. Superbly made, with splendid varietal characters. One glass of this won’t be enough! £10.99 Liberty Wines AMALAYA IS OWNED by Donald Hess, who owns five wineries in California and Argentina. Amalaya – which translates to ‘hope for a miracle’ – was initially the entry-level wine of Bodega Colomé, but success led to it becoming an independent brand in its own right in 2010. It has its own vineyards and winemaking facility, with a capacity of 1.5 million litres. The philosophy at Amalaya is to produce distinctive but easy-to-drink wines based on the predominant Argentinian varieties…

BEST VALUE DRY RIESLING Adamo, Riesling, Ontario, Canada 2016 (12.5%) Floral notes, baked apple, lime and lemon sherbert on the nose. Crisp, bright acidity and slightly pithy flavours with a cascading minerality on the palate. Interesting citrus note on the finish. N/A UK www.adamoestate.com ‘THIS WINE IS an expression of potential and risk,’ says John-Paul Adamo, president and owner of his eponymous estate. ‘Where we are in Mono is not in the traditional winemaking region of Ontario, but an area that is classified as emerging. We took a massive risk in building our dream winery on this site; one where most people felt vines would not be able to survive. ‘We have our challenges, but feel that these bring character to our wines,’ he adds. ‘In winter we have to…

Southwest & rest of France ‘Our best-ever showing from Corsica: not merely a more plentiful entry than ever before, but 35 of the 40 wines entered were given at minimum a Bronze medal’ Andrew Jefford, Regional Chair What should we buy from here? This year has seen our best-ever showing from Corsica: not merely a more plentiful entry than ever before, but 35 of the 40 wines entered were given at minimum a Bronze medal, topped by a Platinum Best in Show award to a Vermentino white blend, and two excellent Golds. Another star category is the white wine of Jurançon, both dry and sweet: there’s plentiful complexity there, and fine intrinsic balance, too; we awarded a Platinum Best in Category and two Golds to the sweet styles. The whites…

BEST DRY RIESLING Devil’s Corner, Riesling, Tasmania, Australia 2015 (12.3%) Markedly varietal and quite evolved with bruised apple and lime blossom aromas. Lovely, ripe, honeyed apple fruit flavour wreathed by taut acidity. A super-elegant, wondrously balanced and poised example. £17.48 AC Gallie, Alexander Wines, ABS Wine Agencies, Corney & Barrow, DBM Wines, Ex-Cellar, Fine Wines Direct, Hannibal Brown, Hennings, House of Townend, Lancaster Wine Co, Loki Wines, North Coast Wine, St Austell Brewery, The Good Wine Shop, Village Wines THERE’S A REAL sense of excitement about Tasmania right now, which is reflected in the number of awards its wines are garnering, both in Australia and globally. As this Platinum winner proves, the island certainly seems to have the potential to match South Australia’s Eden and Clare Valleys for world-class Riesling.…

BEST VALUE SAUVIGNON BLANC Martinborough Vineyard, Russian Jack Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand 2016 (12.5%) Bright, fresh, tangy, balanced Sauvignon with fresh herbal flavours, subtle tropical characters and an underlying minerality. Lively and appealing wine with striking purity and exceptional length. £8.99 Majestic ‘I CAUGHT THE winemaking bug early,’ says Stu Marfell, who grew up on a sheep farm in Marlborough’s Awatere Valley. As a nine-year-old, he’d taste the grapes while his mother harvested them at the estate she worked at, then later he spent his school holidays working in the vineyards. He qualified as a winemaker in 2002, immediately joining Foley Family Wines, whose portfolio includes Martinborough Vineyard. ‘I’ve been making Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc for 15 years now,’ he says. ‘But even after all these years I still find…

Tuscany ‘Catch the 2013 Chianti Classico and Chianti Classico riservas before their delicate cherry flavours fade’ Monty Waldin, Regional Chair What should we buy from here? Tuscany is not alone in reacting to changes in climate and consumer tastes. Moves towards lighter, less oaky wines are becoming apparent, though not yet universal. The hot 2012 vintage has produced appealing, forward Brunellos whose dark fruit is starting to peak in lower-priced wines. Likewise, catch the 2013 Chianti Classico and Chianti Classico riservas before their delicate cherry flavours fade. On the other hand, 2015 in Chianti Classico looks to be a classic vintage, with structured, bright wines with moreish fruit and friendly tannins. Tuscany’s premium Merlots are proudly international and the winemakers know what they’re doing in matching new oak with the…

United Kingdom ‘The UK (essentially just England this year) is not just about sparkling, but can – in a good vintage like 2014 – produce excellent still wines too’ Stephen Skelton MW, Regional Chair What should we buy from here? This year’s DWWA saw Platinum and Gold medals in all categories: classic cuvée, blanc de blancs and rosé sparkling wines, still white, still rosé, still red and a truly gorgeous dessert wine. This shows that the UK (essentially just England this year) is not just about sparkling, but can – in a good vintage like 2014 – produce excellent still wines too. One of the three Platinum Best in Category winners and five of the six Golds went to sparkling wines, with wines from 2011 and 2013 showing well. Of…

BEST VALUE CHARDONNAY Valdivieso, Single Vineyard Chardonnay, Leyda Valley, San Antonio, Chile 2015 (14%) Fresh citrus fruit with lovely toasty oak and a hint of minerality. Refreshing acidity on the multi-layered palate with prominent oak, great concentration and a slightly savoury finish. Elegant white at outstanding value. £18* Bibendum PLB * The wine was submitted as under £15 and judged accordingly, but since judging the wine now retails at over £15 ALBERTO VALDIVIESO FOUNDED Champagne Valdivieso in 1879, the first sparkling wine producer in South America. It was not until the 1980s that the company began producing still wines. The winery is based in Lontué in the Curicó Valley and remains family owned to this day. Chief winemaker Brett Jackson is a New Zealander who has lived and worked in…

BEST WHITE SINGLE VARIETAL Montonale, Orestilla, Lugana, Lombardy, Italy 2015 (13%) Beautiful nose of lime leaves, golden apples and soft aromatic herbs. The palate is rich and round with custard and honeyed fruit, apricot and almond hints and great intensity and texture, fresh acidity and full length. A lovely wine. N/A UK www.montonale.com POA $ Vias Import THIS PLATINUM WINNER owes its distinctive and complex character to the Orestilla vineyard’s gravel-rich clay and limestone soils and fortuitous southern exposure, which yields muscular but elegant wines. Its route to market has been equally complex – the happy outcome of a very Italian story that includes war, poverty and family disputes. In the early 1900s, a livestock farmer in Montonale, near the southern shore of Lake Garda, used just a shovel to…

BEST VALUE ROSE Domaine de Rimauresq, Côtes de Provence Cru Classé, France 2016 (13%) Lovely strawberry shortcake and hint of petal aromas then a generous palate with great depth of flavour. There’s spice to frame the delicate fruit and a fine cushion of lees that carries to an elegant finish. £15 Boutinot, Firth & Co, Hangingditch, Philglas & Swiggot, Planet of the Grapes, The Good Wine Shop, The Vineking, Theatre of Wine POA $ DB Wine Selection, Noble Wines, Planet Wines DOMAINE DE RIMAURESQ takes its name from the river Maures, which crosses the 60ha estate. In 1955, it was among the first in Provence to be awarded cru classé status, recognising the quality of its vineyards. In 1988 it was bought by the Wemyss family. Since current director and…

DECANTER PROMOTION Domaine Serene Grace and Ken Evenstad first arrived and settled in the Dundee Hills in the Willamette Valley in 1989. The Evenstads had faith in Oregon early on, before there was an international market for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from the region. Today, Domaine Serene produces wines from six individual vineyard estates, planted exclusively to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Each estate offers a diversity of soils, clones, rootstocks, microclimates, slopes and elevations that add distinguishing complexity and elegance to the wines. Ken and Grace remain very active in the business and leadership in the winemaking process. In 2001, the Evenstads completed construction of their current state-of-the art, five-level, gravity flow Pinot Noir winery. They broke ground in 2017 for their Chardonnay and Sparkling winery, the first dedicated white…

In brief Raimonds Tomsons, head sommelier of Vincents restaurant in Riga, Latvia has been named Best Sommelier of Europe & Africa by the ASI (Association de la Sommellerie Internationale). Piotr Pietras of Poland came second, while Julia Scavo of Romania and David Biraud of France shared third place. Scientists in Germany have pinpointed botrytis cinerea as the most noble fungus affecting wine grapes. Analysing samples of Riesling and Gewürztraminer, researchers found that botrytis was the only fungus that created ‘positive aromatic notes’ in the grapes. Sommelier Gerard Basset has added yet another accolade to the string of letters after his name, as the Organisation de la Vigne et du Vin named him Master of Science in Wine Management. Basset remains the only person in the world to simultaneously hold the…

Andrew Jefford ‘In the global media village, celebrities are the villagers everyone knows’ ONE OF THE phone calls I used to dread, during the decade in which I worked as a newspaper drinks correspondent for the London Evening Standard, was the exhortation to chase after a ‘celebrity wine’ story – though I knew why the calls came. The newspaper needed to appeal to an unrivalled cross-section of readers. Most had zero interest in whole-bunch fermentation, the antecedents of Carmenère or whether Alsace grands crus had been too laxly delimited. They were, though, hot to discover what Francis Ford Coppola, Sting, Cliff Richard, Sam Neill or Phillip Schofield spent their money on. In the global media village, celebrities are the villagers (and surrogate friends) everyone knows. There were two frustrations. Celebrity…

CELEBRITY VINTNERS Celebrities and their wines The rich and famous who make the leap into the world of wine are driven by passion, ambition or plain old business acumen, says Nick Wise. But how about the wines: can you taste the stardust? Photographs: Martin Klimek/Getty Images; Everett Collection Inc/Alamy Stock Photo ‘Perhaps the demands of Coppola’s most ambitious movies prepared him well for the winemaking business’ THE SUDDEN EMERGENCE of the celebrity winemaker phenomenon a few years ago gave me the inspiration I needed to write my first book about wine. Was it even possible for actors, musicians or sportspeople to do anything more than lend their names and charisma to a pre-existing wine? Might some of them be involved in the winemaking process itself? And why did they choose…

Producers to know Château des Rontets, Fuissé The vineyards of this historic estate are among the highest and coolest in the appellation. Husband and wife team Fabio Montrasi and Claire Gazeau produce three wines: their Clos Varambon and Les Birbettes bottlings both hail from the clos (enclosed vineyard) surrounding the château, and the Pierrefolle from an unusual parcel with granite soils. Domaine de la Bongran, Quintaine Gautier Thévenet took up the reins from his legendary father Jean in 2000, but nothing has changed at this domaine, celebrated since the early 20th century for its uncompromising winemaking. Low-yielding Chardonnay selections, late harvests and protracted fermentation and maturation in tank produce deep, concentrated, singular wines. Domaine Guerrin & Fils, Vergisson A top-class domaine founded in 1984, Guerrin produces a range of lieu-dit…

Vintage report Brunello 2012 Richard Baudains assesses the most recent vintage releases from this prime territory at the heart of Tuscany, recommending 21 Brunello 2012 buys, plus his top picks of the 2011 Riservas and Rosso di Montalcinos from 2015  THERE IS NOT a corner of Tuscany that does not grow Sangiovese, but Montalcino is special. Its wines have the quintessential varietal character that comes from the exclusive use of the native grape and a terroir capable of producing wines of prodigious ageing potential. In Biondi Santi it has one of Italy’s truly iconic estates, but also admirable standards of quality in general. These are the constants. The variable – the difference between great, normal or possibly disappointing – is the vintage. This is why the annual presentation of the…

Alsace ‘Crémants d’Alsace are no longer only attractive as a basic fizz, but ready to become alternatives to the best sparkling wines of the world’ Thierry Meyer, Regional Chair What should we buy from here? With a record six Platinum and four Gold medals this year and one-third of entries receiving no medal, quality in Alsace is clearly highly variable. A two-speed wine landscape seems to have emerged in recent years. On one side, light, insipid wines are produced in all appellations, including grand crus which show little sense of place. On the other side, some of the best wines in the world are made: perfectly crafted bottlings from noble origins, showing intensity, complexity, delicacy and focus. Structure, style and character are the key descriptors for good wines from specific…

Behind the scoresheet Emma Dawson MW (Judged Asia) Dawson is a wine buyer for Marks & Spencer. Her role has seen her focus on bringing in new emerging regions to the supermarket’s range, including Greece, Lebanon, Israel, Croatia, Brazil, Bolivia, Mexico, Japan and India. She also covers wines from Bordeaux, Burgundy, Italy and South America. She came to the wine world late, having previously worked in film and media, only studying wine as an enthusiast. Before her current role she worked in Sainsbury’s wine team and also ran wine tastings for charity under the name Naked Grape.…

Austria 'Our panel has never been this generous handing out the top medals, including 17 Golds, four Platinum Best in Category and one Platinum Best in Show' Andreas Larsson, Regional Chair What should we buy from here? An impressive 90% of entries were awarded Bronze or above this year. Thus, Austria once again confirms its stronghold as a quality-driven wine country with very few weak examples. And the great wines certainly shone! Our panel has never been this generous handing out the top medals, including 17 Golds, four Platinum Best in Category and one Platinum Best in Show. That’s particularly thanks to the 2015 vintage, which is nothing less than great across the board – from Burgenland’s spicy reds (especially the blends) to the Blaufränkisch-based wines that showed great balance,…

Canada ‘Undoubtedly, the most successful flights were the sparkling wines in a variety of styles, dry and off-dry Riesling, and the white Icewines’ Tony Aspler, Regional Chair What should we buy from here? Four days of tasting wines from British Columbia and Ontario, with the odd sortie into Québec and Nova Scotia, proved just how vintage-sensitive Canadian wines are. The complete portfolio of popular European varieties are planted in the two major regions, along with winter-hardy hybrids like Vidal (mainly for Icewine) and Baco Noir – and they were all on show, including Tempranillo, Aglianico, Sangiovese and Zinfandel. Undoubtedly, the most successful flights were the sparkling wines in a variety of styles, dry and off-dry Riesling, and the white Icewines. What should we leave on the shelf? The biggest disappointment…

Languedoc-Roussillon ‘Of our seven Platinum Best in Category winners, 19 Golds and whopping 144 Silvers, the shining stars of the appellations were Limoux for whites and Minervois for reds’ Bernard Burtschy & Justin Howard-Sneyd MW, Regional co-Chairs Bernard Burtschy What should we buy from here? It will be no surprise to Decanter readers that red wines continue to be the mainstay of this region. But over the past few years, their styles have changed quite dramatically. Before it was mainly Grenache, which was too often cooked or oxidised. Today those old-fashioned wines are now the exception rather than the norm. Instead, vineyards are more commonly planted with Syrah, which is proving very successful – especially in calcareous and granitic terroirs. Moreover, the grapes are increasingly harvested at perfect ripeness and…

BEST VALUE SPARKLING Bernard-Massard, Cuvée de L’Ecusson Brut, Moselle, Luxembourg NV (12.4%) This is a classy sparkling wine. Citrus notes to start, followed by cream and pineapple, quite possibly piña colada, too. There’s excellent purity and freshness, making this light and enjoyable in the glass. This leaves a lasting impression. £13.50 Amathus POA $ Masciarelli Wine Co JEAN BERNARD-MASSARD, a young winemaker from Luxembourg who had learned his craft in Champagne, was able to convince members of the Clasen family to provide financial support for his project to start producing sparkling wines in the 1920s. Following Bernard-Massard’s death in 1937, the Clasen business took over and is now run by the third and fourth generations of the family. One of its main strategies has been to invest in the best-possible…

BEST DRY AROMATIC Sonberk, VOC Pálava, Mikulovská, Moravia, Czech Republic 2015 (14%) Lightly aromatic and grapey but also savoury. Very rich on the palate with a round, creamy mouthfeel, flavours of pear and peach, and then bitter leaf and almond notes on the finish. Superb! £18.75 Ellis Wines ‘PALAVA IS A truly unique grape variety; it cannot be found anywhere else in the world,’ says Sonberk winemaker Oldrich Drapal Jr. A crossing of Gewürztraminer and Rivaner, ‘it produces balanced wines, with exceptional fruitiness, spiciness and fullness – despite having quite a low level of residual sugar’, he explains. Drapal established Sonberk in 2002, but the estate has a longer history, with records showing that grapes were planted here as long ago as the 13th century, when the southern-facing vineyard was…

Southern Italy ‘Aglianico from Vulture in Basilicata delivered a stunning Platinum Best in Category winner, and great examples of the Aglianico grape are also to be found in Campania’s Taurasi DOCG’ Andy Howard MW, Regional Chair What should we buy from here? Arguably the greatest fascination for wine lovers lies in this DWWA category’s diverse varieties. Italy is reputed to be home to several thousand different grapes, yet this could almost apply to southern Italy alone! Look for the individuality of varieties such as Vermentino, Piedirosso and Bovale Grande, as well as the class of Aglianico and Etna’s Nerello Mascalese. Aglianico from Vulture in Basilicata delivered a stunning Platinum Best in Category winner, and great examples of the Aglianico grape are also to be found in Campania’s Taurasi DOCG. The…

Behind the scoresheet Daphne Teremetz (Judged Languedoc-Roussillon, Provence, Southwest & Rest of France) Teremetz is a wine buyer for UK grocer Waitrose, responsible for Regional France, Bordeaux, Alsace and South America. Having grown up in France and the UK, her buying career began in the ladies tailoring department at Marks & Spencer. Following studies with the WSET, she made the switch to wine, taking responsibility for the retailer’s online range. This was followed by a move to convenience chain Spar UK where her improvements to the wine range earned her an industry award as Retail Buyer of the Year.…

Behind the scoresheet David Forer MW (Judged Australia, Bordeaux, Spain, USA) A San Francisco resident who works in pharmaceutical research, Forer’s passion for wine was driven by the city’s proximity to California’s wine regions. After passing the WSET diploma in 2011, he began consulting for restaurants and bars and leading wine tours to Napa. He is interested in wine technology to help consumers, and his website DaveTheNeighbor.com reviews supermarket wines. Forer is also writing a book about cult wines.…

USA ‘The cooler climate of the Pacific Northwest is now producing wines more appealing to European palates than the often bolder, richer wines from California’ Stephen Brook, Regional Chair What should we buy from here? Not for the first time were we highly impressed by the overall quality of wines – reds especially – from Washington State. They scooped many Silvers, a Gold for a Bordeaux-style blend and a Platinum Best in Category for a great Syrah. They strike home with their vibrancy and finesse. Washington wines are more expensive than in the past but, compared with Napa, still seem fairly priced. Many Napa reds were equally splendid, if generally a pricier and burlier (our Platinum winner a case in point). The Pinot Noirs from Oregon clearly surpassed those from…

HIGH-STREET WINNERS UK shopper’s guide Your handy shopping list of selected Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze winners from the UK’s leading high-street merchants Platinum Best in Show Best Sweet • 96 Klein Constantia, Vin de Constance, Constantia, South Africa 2013 £45/50cl Platinum Best in Category Best Australian Sparkling • 96 Pirie, Brut, Tasmania NV £24 Best Southern Rhône Red • 95 Domaine St-Amant, Grangeneuve, Beaumes de Venise 2014 £11.95 Best Tuscan Red • 96 Poggio al Tesoro, Sondraia, Bolgheri Superiore 2013 £28 Best German Sweet • 95 Dr H Thanisch, Berncasteler Doctor Riesling, Spätlese, Mosel 2015 £30 Gold • 95 Pazo Señorans, Selección de Añada Albariño, Rías Baixas, Spain 2008 £29 • 96 Pio Cesare, Ornato, Barolo, Piedmont, Italy 2013 POA • 95 CVNE, Imperial, Rioja Gran Reserva, Spain 2010…

BEST CHARDONNAY Paul Cluver, Seven Flags Chardonnay, Elgin, South Africa 2016 (13.5%) Refined and elegant, the nose shows complex notes of white peach, lemon and dill. Full and intense with a core of rich fruit, smoke and vanilla, while the finish is delicious with mineral tautness. £39.45 Frontier Fine Wine, Kevin Parsons PAUL CLUVER IS a pioneer in the Elgin region, having planted the first commercial vineyards in 1985 and establishing the region’s first wine cellar. The winery forms part of larger holistic farming business called De Rust Estate, which has been in the Cluver family since 1896. Grapes for this Platinum-winning Seven Flags Chardonnay come from two adjacent south-facing vineyards planted on mostly decomposed Bokkeveld shale over clay layers of varying depths. Winemaker Andries Burger has been at the…

BEST WHITE BLEND Domaine Vico, Clos Venturi Chiesa Nera, Corsica, France 2014 (13.5%) Honeyed, waxy, nutty nose with blossom and lemon, orange peel and tangerine notes. Full, generous palate with supporting acidity and subtle oak with spice, creaminess and vanilla notes. Soft, long, nutty and minerally oyster-shell finish. Complex and refined. N/A UK www.domainevico.com $65 Wineberry America DOMAINE VICO WAS planted by its founder Jean Vico in 1901. The estate was repurchased by the Vico family in 1987 and it now owns 49ha of vineyards, planted on schist, basalt and granite soils. Here the terroir is said to be atypical, which results in a freshness and tension to the wines. The Clos Venturi estate is home to one of the oldest vineyards in Corsica. Over the past 20 years the…

BEST ROSE La Grande Bauquière, Moment Inattendu, Côtes de Provence, France 2016 (13%) Intense strawberry jam nose with citrus notes. The palate is rich throughout: intense and pure flavours of fresh strawberries with some refreshing leafiness. Delicate, delicious and steely with a long, silky finish. N/A UK www.domainelagrandebauquiere.com DOMAINE LA GRANDE Bauquière was in a poor state of affairs when Alain and Dorothy Salat took over the reins in 2012. The whole estate was in need of an overhaul, which required them to grub up vines, install irrigation and refurbish the cellar. The man in charge of revitalising it is director and winemaker Lionel Avaro. The famous Mistral wind can often blow through the vineyards all year, with the summers being dry and hot, and the winters potentially very cold,…

Welcome to the 14th edition of the Decanter World Wine Awards John Stimpfig, Decanter content director  IF YOU’RE LOOKING for the most up-to-date and comprehensive snapshot of top wines to buy from around the wine world, in all styles and price points, this is the place to find them, enabling you to return to old favourites or experiment with new discoveries in complete confidence. Why? Because all the wines have been rigorously tasted blind by the world’s greatest palates. ‘In 2017 we broke the 17,000 wine barrier for the first time, with no fewer than 42 countries entering’ Now in its 14th vintage, the Decanter World Wine Awards has long established itself as the wine Oscars. Part of the reason for that is because this competition never stands still; instead,…

How the DWWA works The Decanter World Wine Awards are rooted in regionality. Wines are judged first and foremost within their region, by a panel of experts in that region. They look for typicity above all, rewarding wines that are true to their terroir. The credentials of our Chairman Emeritus, three co-Chairs and Regional Chairs, plus a list of judges are detailed from p10. Flights of wines are organised to ensure judges do not jump between contrasting styles in short time-frames, or risk palate fatigue by tasting very tannic wines over a long period. Judges taste an average of 85 wines a day, in optimum conditions: seated, in a plain, white room, under natural light. They taste from Riedel glasses, in an environment free of distractions such as music or…

John Stimpfig ‘In France, rosé has outsold white wine every year since 2009’ I HAVE NO idea whether it was the chicken or the egg which initally prompted the remarkable rise of rosé in recent times. Was it the dramatic improvement in quality that fired the category’s exponential sales growth over the last 10 years? Or did a spontaneous spike in sales encourage producers to suddenly up their game. What is in no doubt is that rosé has entered a virtuous circle of ever-increasing quantity, quality and popularity. The figures are extraordinary. For instance, in 2015, US sales of rosé increased by 58% in volume terms and 60% by value. In France, rosé has outsold white wine every year since it first overtook it in 2009. When I began drinking…

What I’ve been drinking this month Mediterranean whites fascinate me. What do you put in place of the natural tension delivered by cooler-climate levels of acidity? One of the finest I know is a Montpellier garage wine – but the garagiste is hugely experienced consultant Jean Natoli, working a tiny family parcel in Vaucluse known as Mas Cascal , and vinified in the Montpellier suburb of Castelnau-le-Lez. We tried the Les Ailes du Désir, 2011 and it had everyone hymning its scented subtlety and vinous freshness: that tension was there, even though this was a rich wine.…

Donald Trump In 2011, Donald Trump acquired the Kluge Estate Winery and Vineyard at a foreclosure auction for $6.2 million. The 526ha Virginia winery (which his son Eric now owns) is located not far away from Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello estate. Donald Trump does not drink alcohol, and briskly summarised his involvement with the words: ‘I’m really interested in good real estate, not so much in wine. This place had a $28 million mortgage on it, and I bought it for $6.2 million!’ Now with the registered trade name of Eric Trump Wine Manufacturing LLC in place, the estate produces wines that have generally received a lukewarm reception. Verdicts range from ‘mediocre’ (a 2016 VinePair taste test) to sommelier-blogger Erin Scala’s ingeniously pragmatic speculation in The Washington Post that the wines’…

The Mâconnais at a glance Map: Maggie Nelson Geology Tilted limestone strata overlaid with clay and intermingled with alluvial terraces Geography Chains of rolling hills around 400m-500m, running parallel to the River Saône Vineyard area 6,900ha Average annual production 45 million bottles (approximately twice the production of Burgundy’s Côte de Beaune, and three times that of the Côte de Nuits) Grape varieties Chardonnay (92%), Gamay and Pinot Noir Ageing potential Generic Mâcon and Mâcon-Villages are best consumed in the near-term, but more serious bottlings from the best producers will benefit from a few years’ cellaring to really expatiate, and they can confidently last for 10-15 years…

Baudains’ choice: Brunello 2012; Brunello Riserva 2011; and Rosso di Montalcino 2015 Wines are listed within their denominazione, then by score, then alphabetically by producer. Brunello di Montalcino Fuligni 2012 96  £55.95 Lea & Sandeman Open, very expressive nose for the vintage, with wild berries, powder puff and hibiscus. Tight ripe tannins and firm structure, lovely blackberry fruit on the finish with a hint of green walnut. Drink 2019-2032 Alcohol 14.5% San Polino, Helichrysum 2012 96  £60.83 (2011) Fine & Rare Delicate floral, wild berry nose. Palate of great power, but also superior balance. Precise fruit with a fresh juicy vein behind the tannins and a long, broad finish with hints of baked earth and cocoa powder. Drink 2019-2032 Alc 14.5% Silvio Nardi, Vigneto Poggio Doria 2012 96  £79.99 Champagne…

Argentina Bolivia, Brazil & Uruguay ‘13 of Argentina’s 29 top awards were for Malbec; in Uruguay, Tannat and Albariño shone; and there was a Gold for a Brazilian Syrah’ Patricio Tapia, Regional Chair What should we buy from here? As usual, it was Argentinian Malbec that received most plaudits this year. Of the 12 Platinums and 17 Gold medals the country earned, 13 were for its stellar grape, as a varietal and in blends. What about the other top awards? A growing diversity is the best way to sum up. The excellent performance of Cabernet Sauvignon was the biggest surprise – at last, Argentinian producers seem to be learning how to take advantage of the fresh influence of the Andes to produce more elegant wines. Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, Torrontés and…

ASIA & AUSTRALIA Australia ‘Australia’s wonderful sweet fortified wines are an under-utilised treasure. No fewer than two Platinums and eight Golds were awarded from 20 entries’ Huon Hooke & Anthony Rose, Regional co-Chairs Huon Hooke What should we buy from here? Sparkling wine and Pinot Noir from Tasmania; Chardonnay from Adelaide Hills, Margaret River and Yarra Valley; Semillon from the Hunter Valley; Cabernet Sauvignon from Coonawarra, Margaret River and Yarra Valley; fortified wines from Rutherglen and the Barossa Valley; and Shiraz from a kaleidoscope of places – these are the combinations of regions and wine styles which are excelling in the modern Australian wine industry, and they are precisely what the DWWA yielded this year. The affinity of certain grape varieties with certain regions has never been more apparent. We…

Bordeaux ‘The standard of winemaking was overall better this year, but the results clearly highlighted the appeal of 2014 (classic and underrated) and 2015 (bright and generous)’ James Lawther MW , Regional Chair What should we buy from here? With four Platinums, 11 Gold medals and 101 Silvers, this was Bordeaux’s biggest haul in the 14 years of the competition. The standard of winemaking was overall better but the results clearly highlighted the appeal of the two vintages that were principally on display this year: 2014 (classic and underrated) and 2015 (bright and generous). Keep these in mind when you are browsing wine lists or your merchant's shelves in the coming months. In the good value range (£8-£14.99) – Bordeaux has little of interest under £8 – Bordeaux Supérieur and…

Champagne ‘The big Champagne brands are improving. Why? They have started to use a higher percentage of reserve wine and are maturing the wines for longer before release’ Richard Juhlin, Regional Chair What should we buy from here? The entry-level price category for Champagne has been reliable for a long time, but this year the lowest scorers have achieved lower scores than previously. However, the higher-quality tiers have more personality, and the diversity of styles is greater than ever. As a consequence of growing competition from independent growers, the big Champagne brands are improving, and there are a few that have performed extremely well. Why is that? They have started to use a higher percentage of reserve wine and are maturing the wines for longer before release, which helps to…

Germany ‘In Pinot Noir, aka Spätburgunder, Baden took the lead, taking home a Platinum Best in Show and two Golds, rewarding the producers’ mastery of oak ageing’ Markus Del Monego MW, Regional Chair What should we buy from here? Riesling is still the darling grape among lovers of German wine, winning two Platinum Best in Category awards and five Golds for dry and sweet wines – Pfalz and Rheingau playing a leading role. Mosel is still a favourite area for off-dry Riesling; the perfect balance of elegant sweetness and crisp acidity makes an unbeatable match of grape variety and place. This balance is the signature of this northern wine-growing region, which also provided some of the best botrytised wines of this tasting, including a Platinum. Watch out for the classification…

LANGUEDOC-ROUSSILLON - LOIRE Loire ‘Of our stellar trio, a red Chinon and a luscious Bonnezeaux took the top spot in their categories, while a Sancerre was the best Sauvignon Blanc of the competition’ Jim Budd, Regional Chair What should we buy from here? It was another successful year for the Loire in 2017, with three Platinums and seven Golds awarded to a varied range of wines. Of our stellar trio, a red Chinon and a luscious Bonnezeaux took the top spot in their categories, while a Sancerre was the best Sauvignon Blanc of the competition. Overall the 2014 and 2015 vintages shone. Now is the time to stock up, in particular, on red wines from these two vintages – many of these are charming to drink now, and the best…

BEST SPARKLING Charles Heidsieck, Blanc des Millénaires Brut, Champagne, France 1995 (12%) With an incredible nose, complex palate and persistent mousse, this has all the hallmarks of very fine Champagne, the fruit spanning dried apricot and sultanas with a dusting of honey, butterscotch, roasted nuts and lingering brioche notes. Extremely long and accomplished. Photograph: FengHatat £145 Liberty Wines BLANC DES MILLENAIRES 1995 is a blend of Chardonnay grapes sourced from four grands crus from the Côte des Blancs, the chalk spine that runs south of Epernay, and one premier cru. The grand cru sites are Avize, Cramant, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger and Oger. Vertus, a premier cru village located at the bottom of the Côte des Blancs, is the final component in the blend. Once blended, the wine spends up to 20…

Southern & Eastern Mediterranean ‘The best results came from the Narince and Oküzgözü grapes where Turkey's producers have had the chance to explore the finest sites over the past 10 to 15 years’ Caro Maurer MW, Regional Chair What should we buy from here? Although the political framework nowadays does not seem to be supportive for wine producers in these countries, natural circumstances provide them with all the best reasons to continue regardless: the mild climates along the coastline of Turkey; the island of Malta; or the more extreme continental conditions of East Anatolia or on the slopes of Morocco's Atlas Mountains. Above all, there is a long history of vine growing, which provides producers with unique local varieties. Once again, the majority of entries were from Turkey – an…

Spain & Sherry ‘Rioja surpassed itself: a Platinum Best in Show, two Platinum Best in Category winners and 13 Golds – often at affordable prices’ Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW & Ferran Centelles, Regional co-Chairs Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW What should we buy from here? Rioja surpassed itself with an amazing array of top-quality wines – a Platinum Best in Show, two Platinum Best in Category winners and 13 Golds – often at affordable prices. Ribera del Duero, now most producers are mastering oak ageing and balance, is sound, this year getting a Platinum and 11 Golds. Priorat maintains its acclaimed style, and Cava’s best sparkling wines show this appellation’s vocation for excellence – gran reservas especially. Beyond the classics, Galician whites are fast improving, with exciting diversity. First it was…

Behind the scoresheet Matt Deller MW Judged Argentina, Piedmont, Spain) Deller is chief wine officer for WineAccess, a online direct-to-consumer wine merchant in the US. He started working in the wine industry in 1996 with Pernod Ricard and then helped establish importers Bennett & Deller Wine where he was sales and marketing director for more than a decade. He then joined The Fine Wine Delivery Co as wine program director before becoming director of fine-wine development for Constellation Brands. He is also an Instructor on the faculty of the Napa Valley Wine Academy, and writes for various wine publications.…

Switzerland ‘Two of our three red Golds and the red Platinum winner were all Merlot based, while the other red Gold was a Cabernet blend’ Paolo Basso, Regional Chair What should we buy from here? Switzerland’s strength lies in the different cultures that are reflected in its diverse wine production methods and native grapes. Wine lovers must taste Petite Arvine, Amigne and Completer – all white varieties with distinctive characters which, thanks to their quality, will accompany the most refined cuisine. In reds, international grapes fare best. The Valais, the largest wine-producing area in Switzerland, is an extension of the upper Rhône Valley and, with its very steep south-facing schist vineyards, produces complex wines of great depth. Ticino, Switzerland’s southernmost wine-growing region, overlooking Lombardy and Piedmont, is home to Merlots…

BEST SAUVIGNON BLANC Domaine David Sautereau, Berry Bros & Rudd, Sancerre, Loire, France 2015 (12.5%) An intense nose of wild herbs and blackcurrant leaf leads to an attractively rich and textured palate of golden pear, peach and mint. Creamy and easygoing, the finish is elegant and lemony fresh. £16.95 Berry Bros & Rudd DOMAINE DAVID SAUTEREAU is situated in the village of Crézancy, 7km from the town of Sancerre in the Loire Valley. A 10th-generation winemaker, Sautereau combines traditional practices with modern techniques to express the richness of the Sancerre terroir, aiming to produce complex, fruity Sauvignons. The majority of the domaine’s vineyards are located in Crézancy, with a small proportion also in Bué and Sancerre itself. Such diversity has given Sautereau the freedom to pick the parcels that best…

Veneto ‘Veneto reaped a record haul of six Platinum Best in Category awards, nine Golds and an unprecedented 90 Silvers. The lion’s share went to Valpolicella’ Richard Baudains, Regional Chair What should we buy from here? There was good cause to accentuate the positives this year in Veneto. Yes, there were dull wines too, especially in the category of entry-level whites, but it was the good and sometimes great wines of this exciting region that left the lasting impression. Veneto reaped a record haul of six Platinum Best in Category awards, nine Golds and an unprecedented 90 Silvers. The lion’s share went to Valpolicella. There were some deliciously fruity ripassos among the top prize winners (a Platinum and two Golds) and no fewer than five Gold-medal Amarones scrapped it out…

STOCKIESTS UK & US stockists Where to find the DWWA Platinum & Gold medal-winning wines in the UK and USA UK 1853 Wine Club (www.hardys1853club.com) Abbey Wines, Melrose (01896 823 244) ABS Wine Agencies, Lincs (www.abswineagencies.co.uk) AC Gallie, Jersey (www.acgallie.com) Adnams Southwold, Suffolk (www.adnams.co.uk) AG Wines, London (www.agwines.com) Aldi (www.aldi.co.uk) Alexander Wines, Glasgow (www.alexander-wines.co.uk) Alfie Fiandaca, London (020 8752 1222) Alivini, London (020 8880 2526) All About Wine (www.allaboutwine.co.uk) Alliance Wine, Ayrshire (www.alliancewine.co.uk) Alpine Wines (www.alpinewines.co.uk) Amathus Wines & Spirits, London (www.amathusdrinks.com) Amazon UK (www.amazon.co.uk) Amps Fine Wines, Northants (www.ampsfinewines.co.uk) Ann et Vin, Notts (www.annetvin.com) Annessa Imports, London (020 8804 3900) Anthony Byrne, Cambridgeshire (www.abfw.co.uk) Armit Wines, London W11 (www.armit.co.uk) Asda (www.asda.co.uk) Askew Wine, London (www.askewine.co.uk) Asset Wines, London (www.assetwines.com) Astrum Wine Cellars, Surrey (www.astrumwinecellars.com) Atlantico, Croydon (www.atlantico.co.uk) Atlas Fine…

BEST VALUE WHITE SINGLE VARIETAL Winbirri, Bacchus, Norfolk, England, UK 2015 (12%) Complex, oily nose with spice, elderflower and citrus. Well-defined on the palate with grassy notes. Very elegant and delicate with a slight spritz and a long, clean finish. A perfect aperitif wine! £12.99-£13.99 Adnams, English Wine Centre, Larners of Holt, Lea & Sandeman, Peter Graham, Waitrose, Winbirri Vineyards WINBIRRI VINEYARDS IS a 10ha estate situated on the edge of the Norfolk Broads National Park in Surlingham. The name is derived from the Anglo-Saxon ‘win’ (wine) and ‘birri’ (grape), recalling the Anglo-Saxon heritage of the area. Founded in 2007 by Stephen Dyer, an experienced fruit farmer, the estate is a family enterprise, with six members involved. The family has invested in modern equipment and an on-site bottling plant, ensuring…

BEST MEDIUM SWEET Dopff & Irion, Château de Riquewihr Gewurztraminer, Grand Cru Sporen, Alsace, France 2015 (13.5%) Bewitchingly good. An aromatic, spicy nose with classic tropical fruit, rose petal and a hint of ginger. Concentrated fruit on the palate with a long, spicy finish. A lovely Gewurztraminer. POA £ Merchant Vintners FOUNDED IN 1945, Dopff & Irion is based in the wine cellar of the former Château Riquewihr, which dates from 1549 and was once the residence of the Prince of Württemberg. In 1998, both Dopff & Irion and Clos Château d’Isenbourg were acquired by Cave des Vignerons de Pfaffenheim. To the west, the Vosges mountains minimise oceanic influences, while to the north the famous Schoenenbourg hills protect the vineyards from the cold north winds. With 27ha in Riquewihr (9ha…

BEST VALUE RED BORDEAUX VARIETALS Bodegas Fabre, Fabre Montmayou Reservado Cabernet Franc, Mendoza, Argentina 2015 (14%) A brilliant, crunchy wine with aromas of mint and black fruit. There’s so much energy here with a flood of sweet black fruit flavours. Very precise with enormous length and silky tannins. A rich expression. £14.99 Vinothentic THE BODEGAS FABRE umbrella unites three wineries: Fabre Montmayou, Phebus and Viñalba. Owner and winemaker Hervé Joyaux Fabre is a firm believer in terroir. He strongly believes in purity of fruit and clear varietal expression, resulting in elegant yet complex wines that hark back to his years spent as a négociant in his native Bordeaux. Talking about Cabernet Franc, Fabre says, ‘This grape gives excellent results in Argentina, as a varietal as well as blended with Malbec.…

DWWA judging process Platinum Best in Show 95-100 All the Platinum Best in Category winners from around the world are pitted against each other to win the Platinum Best in Show – the ultimate DWWA accolade Platinum Best in Category 95-100 All Gold medal-winning wines within each category are retasted; a Platinum medal is awarded to the best wine in each category Medals Each wine is given an individual score Gold 95-100 An excellent wine of great complexity and character Silver 90-94 A very accomplished wine, with impressive complexity Bronze 86-89 A well-made, straightforward and enjoyable wine Commended 83-85 An acceptable and simple wine…

Letter of the month Planning ahead I understand John Stimpfig’s disappointment at his offsprings’ ‘failure to launch’ with regard to fine wine appreciation (July 2017 issue), but I caution him to be careful what he wishes for. My son, at a similar age to John’s, began to take a keen and sudden interest in wine, even though his pals were still strictly beer or bourbon and cola boys. While pleased that we had a new shared interest, I was curious as to the reason. When I asked him he replied: ‘Someone has to inherit your cellar.’ His appreciation of wine has continued to develop in the following years on a slightly less strategically mercenary basis, a fact evidenced by the substantial ‘shrinkage’ that I discover at each annual stock-take of…

Hugh Johnson ‘As appetiser-sharpener and flavour-enhancer, fino has no rivals’ IT’S THE SADDEST vineyard sight I’ve ever seen: swathes of empty country where vines used to grow. The gently rolling landscape, with scarcely more contours than the Médoc, fawn and grey, sometimes startlingly white, treeless but crowned here and there with white farm buildings, is bare. There were 22,000 hectares of Sherry vineyards. Now there are 6,000ha. In this booming wine world, only one ancient classic region has definitely gone into reverse and become a commercial catastrophe. You can blame cynical or silly takeovers for some of it, but the real culprit is fashion. Two hundred years ago Sherry and Port slugged it out for supremacy in the northern European market. In the past 30 years or so it has…

Natalie Oliveros Natalie Skelton, born in Rochester, New York in 1967, found fame as Savanna Samson, porn movie star. Improbably, she then parlayed her celebrity into becoming a winemaker. She had the platform and contacts to make her dream a reality. While dancing at the West Side strip club Scores, she contrived to meet wealthy Venezuelan wine merchant Daniel Oliveros, who had read about her winemaking ambition. They eventually married and Oliveros took her to Italy where his business was based. There he introduced her to Roberto Cipresso, a legendary winemaker, and the scene seemed to be set for Cipresso to make the wine and Natalie to market it using her sexy Savanna image. It was Daniel’s idea that Roberto and Natalie would make good working partners. In fact, she…

Taste of the high-life: a mixed dozen celebrity wines Armand de Brignac, Gold Brut, Champagne, France NV 95 £250-£279.90 Harrods, Harvey Nichols, Hedonism, Selfridges, WoodWinters The flagship wine is equal parts of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir with 20% of Pinot Meunier – and a blend of three vintages: 2009, 2010 and 2012. The nose is full of rich aromas, with notes of white flowers and crème patissière. However, the palate is crisp, fresh and delicate with a lovely creamy texture. It’s elegant, refined and very stylish. A pleasant combination of power and concentration contrasting with finesse and elegance. While the dosage is 9g/l, it feels much drier, and this is probably due to its firm spine of acidity. Drink 2017-2020 Alcohol 12.5% Trump Winery, SP Reserve Brut, Monticello, Virginia, USA…

Kelley’s dozen: great Mâcon white buys Domaine Guffens-Heynen, Tri de Chavigne, Mâcon-Pierreclos 2014 94 £30 Farr Vintners, Millésima Notes of melon, lemon oil, pastry cream and wheat toast lead into a glossy, expansive wine with beautiful acidity, a deep core rounded off with exceptional intensity and grip on the finish. Drink 2017-2025 Alcohol 13% Domaine de la Bongran, Cuvée EJ Thévenet, Viré-Clessé 2011 93 £21.36-£28.95 Georges Barbier, Lea & Sandeman A superb nose of honeycomb, buttered apples and field mushroom. Textural, intense; dimension and power with cool acids. Several years away from revealing all its potential. Drink 2017-2030 Alc 14% Domaine La Soufrandière, Les Quarts, Pouilly-Vinzelles 2015 93 £35 Berry Bros & Rudd, WoodWinters A beautiful wine this year. Poached pear, yellow citrus, and pastry cream; intense, complex, powerful palate…

The Decanter interview Gérard Bertrand He’s a commanding presence, both physically and in terms of the development of premium Languedoc wine. Andrew Jefford exchanges a few passes with the former rugby player turned biodynamic vigneron Photographs: Per Karlsson–BKWine.com, Soufiane Zaidi Photography/ Alamy  FEW PEOPLE CAN truly be described as physically unforgettable, but Gérard Bertand is one. He’s almost two metres tall (6’4”) and uncowed by his own height: upright, open, with an easy grace of movement. The blue eyes come as a disconcerting surprise. Tousled grey hair sets off his even features well enough to whisk him through any screen test; a soft youthfulness of voice adds to the appeal. Inner composure (a steadiness of gaze and gesture) counts for a lot: you’d cast him as…