Innholdsfortegnelse for April 2020 i Decanter

SPONSORED GUIDE Welcome to Decanter’s 2020 South America Guide ‘Todo se transforma’ – everything changes – is one of the best-loved songs by Jorge Drexler, Uruguay’s most famous musician. Drexler lives in Madrid these days, but his lyrics, complete with a reference to a glass of red, could be applied to the South American wine scene over the last three decades. The transformation has been remarkable. I’ve been lucky enough to sit in the front row and watch it happen, as it were, visiting the continent at least twice a year. In their different ways, Argentina, Chile and Uruguay have all joined the modern wine world, each of them bringing something unique, whether Malbec, old-vine Carignan or Tannat. However much you can see and appreciate as a frequent visitor –…

SPONSORED GUIDE: CHILE Extreme viticulture Desert regions with salt-laden soil, snowy mountainsides and active volcanoes are among the unlikely locations where Chile’s winemakers are experimenting – and often succeeding. Chris Losh hails their spirit Around the millennium, much of Chile’s wine production – and just about all the interest – was firmly centred within a 150km radius of Santiago. Well, not any more. Over the past 20 years, Chile’s grape-growing boundaries have not so much been pushed back as disappeared altogether. Producers are planting in areas that previous generations probably couldn’t even have found on a map, let alone considered for viticulture. From the dust of the Atacama Desert in the north to the verdant hills of the Lake District in the south, from the breezy Pacific coast to the…

ARGENTINA Argentina: my top 25 While Malbec remains Argentina’s flagship variety, winemakers are increasingly producing innovative blends, as well as exploring new varieties and styles. Alejandro Iglesias recommends his favourites 1 Susana Balbo Wines, Susana Balbo Signature White Blend, Uco Valley, Mendoza 2019 95 £16.95-£20 (2018) Bottle Apostle, Christopher Piper, Grapevine Wine Services, Hedonism, Hennings, Noble Green, The Whalley Wine Shop, Vegan Wine Box A leading light among Argentinian white blends, made with Semillon, Torrontés and Sauvignon Blanc from Paraje Altamira at 1,050m above sea level. With a distinctive combination of mineral notes, hints of white flowers, fresh citrus, pear and green apple over subtle spices, it offers refreshing acidity and a full body. Drink 2020-2024 Alc 13% 2 Otronia, III & VI, Patagonia 2017 94 £60 Bibendum Wine Juan…

In brief Stay up to date with the latest wine news on Decanter.com, or follow us on Facebook or Twitter @Decanter ■ Michelin France 2020 demoted France’s longest-standing three-star restaurant, Auberge du Pont de Collonges near Lyon, to two stars. It had held three stars since 1965 and was run by chef Paul Bocuse until his death in 2018. Inspectors gave a third star to three new contenders, including Kei Kobayashi in Paris, now the first Japanese chef in France with three stars. ■ Provence producer Château Miraval, co-owned by Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie and Famille Perrin, is set to launch a rosé Champagne in partnership with Pierre Péters Champagne, ‘effectively creating a new Champagne house’, according to winemaker Rodolphe Péters. The project aims to combine Miraval’s expertise of saignée-method…

Andrew Jefford ‘Fire, I fear, will be a wine theme of the coming decade’ The bushfires affecting Australia as I write this column, shortly after the turn of the year, are deeply traumatic: 5.9 million hectares burnt and counting. The vineyard region most grievously affected so far is the one I know – and love – best: the Adelaide Hills. About one third of the 2020 crop has been lost and some 1,100ha burned, including vineyards and wineries I remember well from the 15 months my family and I spent living there between 2009 and 2010: those of Geoff Weaver, James Tilbrook, the Henschke vineyards at Lenswood, Petaluma and Bird in Hand. We register the facts – but can we actually imagine how these losses must feel? Creating a vineyard…

Bordeaux-style blends 45 GREAT BUYS FOR BORDEAUX LOVERS We asked Andy Howard MW to taste a wide selection of top red blends from around the globe, produced using differing combinations of the classic Bordeaux grape varieties. The standard was pleasingly high across every region, and Howard’s favourite wines, revealed in the following pages, represent particularly good quality and value in this popular category This was a very interesting tasting, as well as a highly successful one in terms of the high scores. With Decanter casting its net around the globe (but excluding Bordeaux) for red Bordeaux-style blends, hopes were high that producers would submit a wide range of high-quality blends. The wines didn’t disappoint. With an overall return of six Gold/ Outstanding awards (95 points) and 54 Silver/ Highly Recommended…

Producer profile DOMAINE NICOLAS-JAY It took more than 25 years for a chat about a joint winemaking venture to bear fruit, but the past five years have seen this project between a former US music mogul and a Burgundian winemaker become one of the big names of Oregon Pinot Noir. Matthew Luczy reports A late September evening, and Jay Boberg is loosening the ratchet straps securing harvest bins to a flatbed trailer in preparation for the picking of Pinot Noir in the Nysa Vineyard at dawn. The Nysa site, in the Dundee Hills in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, offers a stunning panoramic view of the area, including the estate vineyards of Domaine Drouhin Oregon. The quarter-tonne bins have been hauled here by Furiosa, a rusty Dodge Ram 250 Cummins Turbo Diesel,…

California Zinfandel THE ZENITH OF ZINFANDEL It’s a variety synonymous with Californian wine, but for years it was overlooked in favour of fashionable Bordeaux styles. Now, thanks to some of the state’s best winemakers, it’s the star of field blends and single-varietal bottlings alike. Jeff Cox shares his top producer picks Anyone who likes ‘the blood and sun of California’, as a European friend characterised his first taste of Zinfandel, should give recognition to the early Italian pioneers who settled the coasts of central and northern California. The regions looked like northern Italy. They had Italy’s Mediterranean climate. And those Italian farmers brought with them more than 2,000 years of grape-growing and winemaking experience. They didn’t have degrees in viticulture or oenology. They farmed by the seat of their pants.…

Chardonnay TOP 20 UNDER £20: SOUTH AMERICAN CHARDONNAY There’s a world of Chardonnay out there to try, and while it will always be subject to differing opinions, it remains the world’s favourite white wine grape. Peter Richards MW focused on quality and value to pick his 20 top Chardonnays from around South America According to the US parenting website BabyCenter, the girl’s name Chardonnay saw its usage peak in the 1990s, at 47 babies per million. It has declined since, to the point where www.parents.com ranked it the fourth worst baby name of 2019, stating: ‘Only next-level wine moms need consider this one.’ That’s Chardonnay: ubiquitous yet often invisible, fashion victim and victim of fashion. According to Kym Anderson’s Which Winegrape Varieties are Grown Where? (University of Adelaide Press, 2013),…

A taste of Abruzzo: Hulme’s picks 1 Valentini, Trebbiano d’Abruzzo 2015 98 £130 Berry Bros & Rudd, The Solent Cellar Like an immature but great Riesling, this wine shows little of its full potential when it’s young. Having tasted the 1978 in summer 2019, I was astonished by just how well it can age. The longer you sit with it in your glass, the more facets of this beautiful yellow diamond appear. It just shows how good Trebbiano Abruzzese can be: delicate, fine and ethereal, yet at the same time incredibly tenacious and persistent. Citrus, wildflower and honey notes, gentle, yet with steely precision and poise. Lace-textured and beautifully delineated. Drink 2020-2050 Alcohol 12.5% 2 Tiberio, Pecorino, Abruzzo 2017 92 £13.75-£15 Armit, Hic Pecorino has become super-trendy in Italy –…

Krebiehl’s five standout Sekt selections 1 Griesel & Compagnie, Pinot Brut Nature, Hessische Bergstrasse 2015 94 £30.05 The WineBarn Red apple and fresh pastry are mellow on the nose, but a lifted streak of zesty lemon steals the show. The palate also plays between citric sharpness and mellow, autolytic roundness while showcasing its bone-dry fruit and creamy layers of evolution. Compelling and utterly refreshing: Niko Brandner shows his mettle here, working in an intentionally classic, international style. Drink 2020-2024 Alcohol 12.5% Sekthaus Solter, Riesling Reserve Berg Roseneck, Rheingau 2012 94 £39.65 The WineBarn Lifted camomile, dried lemon rind and smoky earth immediately promise Riesling complexity. The palate sparkles gently and the bubbles are like a tonic on these fresh but wonderfully evolving Riesling notes. The finish is rich with flavour…

WEEKDAY WINES Looking to try something different or adventurous, but don’t want to make an expensive mistake? The Decanter team has done the hard work for you, picking out 25 exciting and accessible wines available in the UK priced at £25 or less Recommended by: James Button, Tina Gellie, Georgie Hindle, Julie Sheppard, Amy Wislocki and Sylvia Wu La Cave des Hautes Côtes, Crémant de Bourgogne, Burgundy, France NV 89 V £10 Marks & Spencer A blend of 75% Pinot Noir with Aligoté, Chardonnay and Gamay, this good-value fizz has a fine, creamy mousse and pear, white blossom and citrus on the nose. The palate features candied pear and bright acidity, with lime peel on the finish. SW Alcohol 12.5% Quails’ Gate, Chardonnay, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada 2016 92…

CORBIERES: THE FACTS Wine styles Red 88%, Rosé 9%, White 3% Production About 390,000hl, depending on the vintage Area under vine 10,600ha Producers 1,210 growers, 23 cooperatives, 221 private cellars Appellation AP since 1985 Exports 30% (largest markets China and Germany) Grapes Red & Rosé Carignan, Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Cinsault, Lladoner Pelut, Piquepoul Noir, Terret Noir; White Grenache Blanc, Macabeu, Bourboulenc (locally called ‘Malvoisie’), Marsanne, Roussanne, Rolle (Vermentino), Clairette, Piquepoul, Terret Blanc Corbières Boutenac Production (red only) 6,000hl Area under vine 2,668ha classified; 1,500ha under vine; 165ha in production Producers Three cooperatives, 28 private cellars Appellation AP since 2005 Grapes Carignan (30%-50% of blends), Grenache, Mourvèdre (Source: CIVL)…

THE JUDGES Stephen Brook Brook is a Decanter contributing editor and the DWWA Regional Chair for Piedmont. The author of almost 40 books in all, he has won several awards for his work in wine. He fully revised the last two editions of Hugh Johnson’s Wine Companion, and his definitive study The Complete Bordeaux is now in its third edition. Nicolas Clerc MS Clerc is a wine buyer for Armit Wines. A Master Sommelier since 2010, he is the current president of the sommelier arm of the UK Academy of Food & Wine Service, and a board member at the Court of Master Sommeliers Europe. He won UK Sommelier of the Year in 2007. Aldo Fiordelli A certified sommelier since 2003, Fiordelli is a widely published Italian journalist, wine writer…

Burgundy Rare taste: Atkin’s verdict on the DRC 2017s 1 La Tâche Grand Cru Monopole 2017 98 £970 (ib) Corney & Barrow The La Tâche was the palest of all the DRC 2017s, almost to the point of transparency. This is a floral, open-knit expression of the monopole grand cru, which is very far from being a blockbuster this year. Scented and appealing, with notes of dried rose petals, fresh leather and peat smoke on the nose, then lots of whole-bunch spice and structure, racy acidity, a hint of salinity, succulent red-berry fruit and remarkable palate length. A layered, understated red. Drink 2029-2037 Alcohol 13% 2 Romanée-Conti Grand Cru Monopole 2017 98 £3,000 (ib) Corney & Barrow This has gained in weight and intensity since I tasted it from barrel…

Your Peloponnese address book ACCOMMODATION Agroktima, Leonidio A stylish, traditional property at the foot of the imposing Mount Parnon, with carefully built stone guesthouses, this makes an ideal place to stay for all those wanting to explore the best climbing and hiking spots in and around Leonidio. www.agroktima.com Asfendamos, Zacharo Lovely self-catering holiday homes amid olive groves and orange trees. The Kaiafas lake and thermal springs (see left) are a stone’s throw away, and the archaeological site of Olympia is just 15 miles to the north. There’s a beautiful, secluded wild beach that you can reach through a pine forest. www.asfendamos.gr Dexamenes Seaside Hotel, Amaliada A thoughtfully designed boutique resort, located on a converted post-war winery right on the coast. It’s a great base to explore all of Ilia –…

Readers’ queries Notes & Queries You say ramato... I enjoy Italian white wines in general, but have recently come across a style called ‘ramato’ – can you tell me what it is please? Lucy Mason, by email Marisa Finetti replies: Ramato is for the wine lover who wants more from their Pinot Grigio. It’s produced when Pinot Grigio grapes are crushed and the skins allowed to spend time with the juice, resulting in a distinctively teasing, tactile texture and a coppery hue: the word ramato means ‘copper’ in Italian. What distinguishes ramato from a rosé or orange wine is that ramato is a product of a historical winemaking style from Friuli in northern Italy, made with Pinot Grigio grapes. Today the style is also made in…

Price eases for SuperTuscan 2017 All Figures based on Liv-ex Cellar Watch data up to 31 January 2020 unless otherwise stated. Sassicaia 2017 has been released in the UK below market prices for the 2016 and 2015 vintages. Armit Wines was offering Sassicaia 2017 from Tenuta San Guido at £850 per six-bottle case in bond (ib), equivalent to £1,700 per dozen. Sassicaia prices ‘have been on a steady upward trend’, said Liv-ex. UK merchant BI Fine Wine & Spirits said the 2014, 2015 and 2012 vintages gained the most in price among Italian wines on its LiveTrade platform in 2019. At the time of writing, a 12-bottle case of the widely praised Sassicaia 2016 was £2,400 (ib) on LiveTrade, with the 2015 at £1,063 for six bottles.…

Decenter WINE LEGENDS LANZERAC, PINOTAGE 1959 Stellenbosch, South Africa A legend because… This was the first-ever monovarietal Pinotage bottled and released in South Africa. Nowadays, Pinotage is a staple variety in many parts of the country, even though it is not universally loved. This wine was produced by the huge cooperative Stellenbosch Farmers’ Winery (SFW) and was not released until 1961. In the late 1950s, SFW had purchased the trademark of Lanzerac, an estate founded in 1692, and decided to use that label for its pioneering Pinotage. It went on to win the trophy at the Cape Young Wine Show in 1959. Looking back It was the inspiration of Professor Abraham Perold of Stellenbosch University in 1924 to cross Pinot Noir with the more widely planted Cinsault, resulting in a…

Sustainable Uruguay: Barnes shares her top 12 wine recommendations 1 Cerro del Toro, Albariño, Maldonado 2019 91 N/A UK www.cerrodeltoro.uy This new hillside coastal vineyard shows great promise from its debut vintage of Albariño. Juicy peach aromas lead into a lively wine with a tangy, saline finish that leaves you dreaming of the sea. Drink 2020-2023 Alc 12% 2 Bracco Bosca, Ombú Moscatel, Canelones 2018 90 £14.49 Latin Wines Online Fabiana Bracco is on a mission to revalue her old vines. Her Moscatel and Ugni Blanc blend is scented with citrus and white blossom. This is a crisp, sea-salt fresh wine; ideal for sushi on the beach. Drink 2020-2022 Alc 12% El Capricho, Verdejo, Durazno 2019 89 N/A UK www.elcaprichowinery.com One of the few producers in the inland Durazno region,…

ARGENTINA Breaking new ground In striving to establish a more terroir-based approach to viticulture, wine producers in Argentina are revealing the striking diversity of their land – and producing wines with a truer sense of place, finds Marina Gayan MW ‘What we previously considered a single vineyard may today be sub-divided into 35 parcels’Sebastián Zuccardi Argentina’s vineyards have undergone a more radical transformation in the past two decades than in any other period in the country’s almost 500-year viticultural history. Returning to my homeland after 20 years in the UK, I have discovered that Argentina’s long-heralded potential is finally becoming an exciting reality. A country known for its easy-going Malbec has been transformed by a colourful spectrum of quality, diversity and nuance. At the heart of this transformation lies the…

Losh selects his top 12 wines from Chile’s extreme vineyards 1 De Martino, Tres Volcanes Chardonnay, Malleco 2017 95 £26.99-£27.95 AG Wines, Berry Bros & Rudd De Martino is consistently at the forefront of new thinking in Chile, and when its Quebrada Seca vineyard in Limarí keeled over due to drought, it headed 650km south of Santiago in search of rainfall and coolness. This is the result – a wonderful expression of cool-climate Chardonnay, all white pear and apple fruit, with a lovely crunchy minerality giving the palate stretch and length. Drink 2020-2024 Alcohol 13.5% Concha y Toro, Marques de Casa Concha Chardonnay, Limarí 2017 92 £12.99 Tesco, TJ Wines, Villeneuve Wines Concha is a big believer in the potential of northern Limarí for Chardonnay – and this wine shows…

WHAT I’VE BEEN DRINKING THIS MONTH This was a wine about which I knew nothing: the Cholfirst, Pinot Noir 2017, produced by Winzerkeller Strasser in Uhwiesen in Switzerland, and brought by a fellow guest to the table of a generous friend just before Christmas. It looked rather grand (in a minimalist kind of way). What we responded to, though, was the wine’s sweet grace, its quenching delicacy and its cherry-blossom charm. Gossamer tannins – yet it held our attention as only perfectly balanced wine can do.…

The Decanter interview ALAIN BRUMONT His path to success has been far from smooth, but this Madiran-based producer has managed to surmount every obstacle he has encountered, making some of southwest France’s most lauded wines along the way. Stephen Brook meets a man defined by his persistence and tenacity For three hours, Alain Brumont whizzed me around his properties, greeting his staff, checking the bottling line, sampling some of the newly fermenting wines and then driving me to some of his best vineyards, explaining the terroir of each. At every stop he leaped from his truck to show me how his vines were trained, while also showing me the errors of others: ‘Look at those rows! The guy’s a biodynamic producer. That’s well and good, but…

A taste of the top northern Rhônes Wines are listed by commune, from north to south, then by score, then alphabetically by producer. Some 2018s have not been bottled yet, hence some prices, stockists and alcohol levels are not yet known. Contact specialist merchants for en primeur offers Côte-Rôtie KEY PRODUCER Domaine JP Jamet, Côte Brune 97 Jamet’s only single-vineyard bottling. 2018 is a soft, rich, easygoing vintage. Sunny and ripe, juicy tannins, slightly higher alcohol than a typical year. Expressive, cheerful, with potpourri, cedar, blueberry and blackberry and signature rose petal aroma. Menthol freshness and no overripeness of flavour. Drink 2026-2044 KEY PRODUCER Domaine Rostaing, Côte Brune 97 £223 Berry Bros & Rudd, Lay & Wheeler Now in the hands of René’s son Pierre. Just starting to…

DOMAINE NICOLAS-JAY: A TIMELINE 1987 Jay Boberg and Jean-Nicolas Méo meet at a dinner at the house of Boberg’s sister Jill in Philadelphia, where she and Méo were studying at the University of Pennsylvania 1989 Méo returns to his family’s property, Domaine Méo-Camuzet, and works alongside Henri Jayer, preparing to take over winemaking in 1991 2011 Véronique Drouhin and David Millman of Domaine Drouhin Oregon encourage Jay Boberg to look into the Willamette Valley for a future wine project 2012 Boberg approaches longtime friend Méo about starting a winery together in Oregon 2012-2013 Méo makes many trips to Oregon to visit cellars with Boberg, tasting fruit from more than 200 vineyards 2013 Domaine Nicolas-Jay is officially founded 2014 Nicolas-Jay purchases the organically farmed Bishop Creek Vineyard 2014 The winery produces…

Next-gen Zin While ancient field blends continue to enchant, producers report that among younger California Zinfandel wine lovers, the trend is toward lighter, lower-alcohol, fruit-forward wines – especially those showing the perfume of carbonic maceration. Some winemakers are taking advantage of this trend by making small-batch fermentations that contain whole berries and some whole clusters. Erik Miller at Kokomo (see p77) and Greg La Follette at Alquimista (p78) are two who have climbed aboard this bandwagon.…

German sparkling SEKT REBORN Though initially a luxury product, German sparkling wine experienced a downturn in quality that marred its reputation for years. Now, a renewed focus on traditional winemaking techniques is revitalising the category, says Anne Krebiehl MW You can still be forgiven for turning your nose up at Sekt – German sparkling wine – in New York or London, but in Berlin, Hamburg and Munich, Sekt is the new ‘sexy’. About time too, since Germany has an illustrious but almost forgotten history when it comes to effervescence. In the 19th century, Sekt spelled pure luxury, but by the turn of the millennium, 20 years ago, it had become a byword for sweetish, mass-produced plonk. Sekt, which had lagged behind in Germany’s quality revolution, is the country’s latest category…

Steven Spurrier’s FINE WINE WORLD Decanter’s long-standing consultant editor and 2017 Decanter Hall of Fame Award recipient picks fine wines for drinking now and recommends others for laying down, all priced from £25 upwards FROM THE CELLAR Domaine Courbis, Champelrose, Cornas, Rhône 2007 This was my favourite from the usual medley of fine bottles (in magnums on this occasion) brought to The Shortest Day Lunch on 19 December. Created by the late Tim Stanley-Clarke on the basis that one doesn’t leave the table until it is dark outside, we are down to 14, average age well above 70, with Robin Yapp guarding the senior spot. After Robin’s excellent house Champagne from Dumangin and a Pol Roger 2000, a mystery wine was revealed as a 2016 Müller-Thurgau and Traminer blend from…

Panel tasting THE VERDICT Corbières reds From an appellation that’s been unpredictable in the past, our judges found these Languedoc reds full of character and interest, with value to be found in all parts of the region, says Georgie Hindle This was certainly the most successful Corbières tasting I’ve ever done,’ opened Andrew Jefford. Despite not having high expectations, commenting that in the past ‘the outstanding wines have been intermittent rather than a regular feature’, he said: ‘Well under a quarter of the wines could be described as disappointing in some way or another, or even average, so it was a really exciting tasting.’ Justin Howard-Sneyd MW agreed: ‘I feel we tasted some top-quality wines. We ended up with a group of seven wines that really stood out, and the…

BAROLO: KNOW YOUR VINTAGES 2016 (Not yet released.) Very warm weather in early September and October fully ripened the grapes, which remained healthy. Potentially excellent. Keep. 2015 Torrid July but cooler, moister August and September brought the grapes to ripeness, especially in Barbaresco. Small crop, charming wines. Keep. 2014 After a stormy summer, a fine September saved the vintage, although hail did much damage. Yet top growers produced fine, elegant wines. Better in Barbaresco. Keep. 2013 A cool summer but an abundant crop that needed to be thinned to achieve full ripeness. Fragrant, elegant wines now gaining in structure. Keep. 2012 Hail and sunburn were among 2012’s problems, and growers had to respond adroitly in the vineyards. Some fine wines, but others are soft and forward. Drink or keep. 2011…

Expert’s choice ALTO ADIGE Northeast Italy’s verdant alpine region has a reputation for fresh, pristine white wines, but its rocky slopes are producing impressive reds too. Michael Garner selects his favourites from both camps The biennial Wine Summit in Bolzano is more than just another anteprima tasting. Seminars and winery tours form an integral part of the event, providing the background knowledge for a better-informed approach to the 200 or so new releases available to taste. The unique conditions of the Alto Adige’s jaw-dropping vineyard scenery – climate, topography and altitude – are the key feature. An extraordinary turnaround since the 1980s has seen the area transformed from a supplier of anonymous, mainly red, bulk wine into Italy’s most exciting source of fine whites. While international grapes like Chardonnay and…

Jo Bates MY CHRISTCHURCH In the face of adversity, this New Zealand city has rebuilt itself with community at its foundation – evident in its welcoming restaurants, wine bars and destination wineries. It’s an exciting time to visit, says Jo Bates Momentum is gathering in Christchurch that will shake off any unwanted monikers associated with the earthquakes that have reshaped New Zealand’s southern city. Nearly 10 years into its recovery, a new city and skyline are forming. The city changes daily as buildings are completed and heritage treasures restored. Neo-Gothic civic buildings and modernist gems were felled in 2011, but enough remain that the landscape is still aesthetically rich. Yet perhaps it’s the less tangible forces emerging from the rubble that are truly shaping the city. Christchurch had earned a…

TASTING NOTES DECODED Earthy Written by Laura Seal Earthy as a tasting note can encompass a range of wine flavour profiles; from dry and dusty to tertiary aromas such as wet forest floor, or even farmyardy odours. It can be seen as belonging to the same flavour set as wet wool, mineral and tar; all are naturally occurring substances, but they have little in common with fruit, vegetal or floral notes. If subtle, then ‘earthy’ notes can be regarded as a welcome addition to a wine’s aroma, particularly in more full-bodied reds. A number of examples can be found in this issue’s Barolo 2006 panel tasting report (see p113-p117), for example in Parusso’s Bussia Riserva, and it may also crop up in other Italian wines such as Brunello di Montalcino…

Paul Hobbs: a ‘gringo’ winemaker in Uruguay American consultant winemaker Paul Hobbs has been visiting Uruguay since the early 1990s. Today, he is a consultant for the Deicas family projects, one of the most dynamic forces on the new Uruguayan scene. What are the differences between viticulture in Uruguay and the rest of South America? Everything. Mainly because the climate here is majorly different relative to any of the well-known wine regions of Argentina or Chile – it’s drier and warmer. Climate impacts the entire biosphere, so the soils are unique too. Viticulturally speaking, it’s unlike any other place on the continent. How have Uruguay’s wines developed since your first visit? Fast. In the 1990s I was struck by how backwards the industry was – it made Argentina look positively…

SPONSORED GUIDE: URUGUAY Expert’s choice: Uruguay From intense, textured Tannats to fresh, ocean-influenced Albariños, Marina Gayan MW selects 18 wines to kickstart your journey of discovery Many wine lovers around the world are yet to taste Uruguayan wines. This is perhaps because of the small scale of the country’s wine production and Uruguay’s relatively recent arrival on the international wine scene. Bearing in mind that only 5% of the country’s bottled wines are exported, this tasting showcases fully half of the producers who export the highest quality Vinos de Calidad Preferente (VCP) wines. The predominance of red wines is perhaps not surprising in a country where most of the land is dedicated to beef production. Uruguay has the highest per capita consumption of beef in the world (56kg, followed closely…

Sustainability in Chilean wine As in other areas of the world, most of Chile’s vineyards are located in regions with defined seasons. Dry summers are followed by seasonal rains that begin only in the autumn, providing a good natural framework for growing healthy vines. However, increasing production volumes and the industrialisation of the Chilean wine industry in the past have affected the environment. Producers today are acknowledging this impact, and consequently the idea of sustainability has begun to gain strength. Since 2008, efforts have been made to regulate the production of wines in Chile, from the vineyard to bottling and transportation. ‘Today there is a sustainability code that originally covered vineyards, winery, bottling and social responsibility. This year, we added a new area of wine tourism,’ says Patricio Parra, who…

SPONSORED GUIDE Chile: my top 20 With an increasingly diverse range of wine styles being produced in Chile, Alistair Cooper MW recommends a selection of his favourite red, white and rosé bottles to give you a taste of what’s on offer Miguel Torres, Estelado Sparkling Rosé NV, Secano Interior, Maule 90 £12.50-£14.99 Available through UK agent Fells A project that helped to kickstart the Chilean País revival. A delicious traditional-method sparkler with subtle red fruits and a lively, focused palate. Drink 2020-2023 Alc 12% Casa Silva, Lago Ranco Sauvignon Blanc, Futrono, Austral 2017 94 £20.94 Jackson Nugent A superb wine from one of Chile’s most southerly vineyards on volcanic ash soils. The nose is citrus-led with a steely minerality. The palate has tantalising acidity and the finish is very long.…

Letter of the month Adventures in winemaking Having read Decanter for over 15 years, I finally gave in to my niggling desire to venture into winemaking. Regretfully this is not a story of cashing in stock in a wildly successful tech start-up to buy a vineyard in Napa; rather a more rudimentary Blue Peter version of the above. In earnest though, I managed to buy some imported Montepulciano grapes from Italy. Great pleasure was taken in sourcing a crusher and press and I followed a scientific approach. There was commercial yeast, sulphur and malolactic bacteria, as well as a pH meter. The grapes fermented in a plastic barrel in my sitting room (temperature controlled by the underfloor heating) and my kids punched down the cap several…

Elin McCoy ‘If we want wine to survive, we need to put our money where our values lie’ My favourite beverage is, I think, an important part of contemporary culture, but what does that mean? As the third decade of the 21st century begins, I find myself reflecting upon the cultural values that lurk behind the label, not just the quality of the liquid in my glass. No wine exists in a vacuum. Each one is a microcosm of society: people, communities, agriculture, ideas, politics. Things we take for granted – wine’s future, its connection to a particular place, its diversity, availability and more – seem to be under threat in 2020. If we want wine to survive and make the world a better place, we need to ask hard…

Brook’s pick: the best of Brumont 1 Château Montus, Blanc, Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh Sec 2012 92 £29.95-£35.95 (2013) Christopher Keiller, Hennings, South Downs Cellars, WoodWinters The full straw colour is a bit alarming, but there’s no oxidation here. The nose is waxy, with apricot aromas. Rich and creamy, this is very concentrated and spicy, lifted by fine acidity. It displays energy as well as opulence, and it’s long. Drink 2020-2022 Alcohol 15% 2 Château Montus, XL, Madiran 2000 95 £82 Thorman Hunt Opaque red. Despite the bottle age, the nose remains surprisingly closed. In contrast, the palate is rich and concentrated, with dark chocolate and black fruits blending together. Yet it has drive and freshness too, and fine tannins. There’s nothing overbearing about it, for all its power. The finish…

Luczy selects the best from Nicolas-Jay Nicolas-Jay, Bishop Creek Chardonnay, Yamhill-Carlton, Willamette Valley 2017 91 N/A UK www.nicolas-jay.com Sourced from organic, newly planted upper blocks of the estate Bishop Creek Vineyard. Just two barrels of the domaine’s only white wine were made. Aromas of cinnamon, apple blossom and French toast, the latter from 13 months in French oak. Honeydew melon, mango and yellow apple on the palate. A supple, acid-driven but not sharp expression of Willamette Valley Chardonnay. Drink 2020-2026 Alcohol 13.5% 1 Nicolas-Jay, Bishop Creek Pinot Noir, Yamhill-Carlton, Willamette Valley 2016 94 £99.99 Berry Bros & Rudd From Nicolas-Jay’s estate vineyard, 100 cases were made of this organic wine. Poised and patient at first, aromas are driven by red and citrus fruits with a subtle woodsy quality in the…

California Zin: ones to watch ALEXANDER VALLEY: ZIALENA Zialena’s roots go back to the early 1900s, when Italian immigrant Giuseppi Mazzoni joined the Italian Swiss Colony and became a grape farmer and winemaker. His great-grandchildren, Mark and Lisa, now carry on the legacy at their 49ha estate. Mazzoni fruit is prime stuff for the family’s own-label Zialena, as well as for other local wineries. Zialena, Zinfandel, Alexander Valley, Sonoma County 2017 93 N/A UK www.zialena.com The second vintage from the estate’s new winery, which features concrete fermenting tanks. This beautifully crafted wine is 100% Mazzoni-clone Zinfandel, with black-cherry, plum, dark-chocolate, clove and nutmeg aromas, and cherry and cranberry flavours flecked with cracked pepper and cacao on the finish. Barrel-aged in neutral French oak for 18 months. Drink 2020-2028 Alc 14.8%…

Sekt: what to look for on the label Traditionelle flashchengärung (traditional bottle fermentation) This is the key term to look out for. While the law defines Sekt, Winzersekt and Crémant, not all producers choose to use these terms. Winzersekt Prescribes traditional bottle fermentation and 100% estate-grown fruit; must state grape variety and vintage (minimum 85% of that variety and vintage). Crémant Now less used; prescribes whole-bunch pressing for white grapes, a maximum yield of 100 litres of must from 150kg of grapes, and traditional bottle fermentation. VDP Sekt statute This stipulates grape varieties, yields, pressing regimen and traditional bottle fermentation. It distinguishes between Ortssekt (village) with a minimum of 15 months on lees in bottle; and Lagensekt, from a single site classified as either Erste or Grosse Lage, with a…

The Spurrier selection Finca La Anita, Gran Corte, Agrelo, Luján de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina 2017 93 £25 Delibo Wine Agencies Syrah (59%) dominates, but Malbec plays its supporting role superbly, with 8% Malbec from the 2015 vintage added to the 2017s before spending 15 months in barrel. The La Anita is one of Mendoza’s most elegant and impressive wine styles. Drink 2020-2027 Alc 14.5% Tasca, Tascante Contrada Pianodario, Etna Rosso, Sicily, Italy 2016 93 £60 Berkmann From the Tasca d’Almerita family comes this stunning 100% Nerello Mascalese grown on shallow sand over volcanic pumice and rock: rich, slightly exotic, lovely texture, flavour, and the finesse of a Vosne-Romanée. Presence and class. Drink 2020-2028 Alc 13.5% Domaine Chevalier, Ladoix, Burgundy, France 2017 92 £29.67-£36 Exel, GP Brands, Quercus Wines, The Fine…

CORBIERES: KNOW YOUR VINTAGES 2018 A mild, wet spring was followed by a hot, dry and often windy summer, with cool nights in September. Most harvested a top-quality crop, but storms on 15 October damaged vineyards, particularly near Narbonne. 2017 April frosts after a very mild late winter and early spring cut yields, but for those whose vineyards came through unscathed, quality was good. 2016 The driest Languedoc summer since 1944 reduced the crop and led to some raisining, but higher vineyards fared well, with wines of freshness and poise. 2015 After a cold winter and spring, summer was hot and dry, aided by August storms. A good vintage, though not as good as the three that followed. 2014 A very dry spring was followed by hail in Corbières in…

THE JUDGES Justin Howard-Sneyd MW In 2012 Howard-Sneyd founded The Hive Wine Consulting, after heading up the wine teams at both Direct Wines and Waitrose, and now works as a consultant globally. He is a DWWA joint Regional Chair for Languedoc-Roussillon, and makes wine with his family and partners at the 4ha Domaine of the Bee estate in Roussillon. Andrew Jefford Jefford has been writing about wine since the 1980s, winning many awards. He is a contributing editor to Decanter magazine and writes a widely followed blog for Decanter Premium. After working as a senior research fellow at Adelaide University from 2009-2010, he now lives with his family in Languedoc, France. Frederic Marti Marti is director of wines at five-star 45 Park Lane in London. Born and raised in the…

Panel tasting THE VERDICT Sufficient time has now passed for the quality of the top wines to shine through – the best 2006 Barolos offer both maturity and freshness, says James Button, and many will continue to age well ‘I’ve heard a lot about 2006 – it’s a kind of controversial vintage’ Nicolas Clerc MS With only 29 wines to be tasted, our judges agreed it was impossible to draw any broad conclusions as to which of the Barolo communes (see p115) performed the best. But in fact, the top 10 featured at least one wine from each of the major Barolo communes, with six wines in all awarded an Outstanding score. Covering cross-communal blends, single-vineyard (Menzioni Geografiche Aggiuntive, or MGA) bottlings and Barolo Riservas, our judges were faced with a…

Burgundy FIRST TASTE: DOMAINE DE LA ROMANÉE-CONTI 2017 This hot vintage has divided opinion, but the wines from Burgundy’s most vaunted estate could reap rewards for those who are lucky enough to get hold of any, says Tim Atkin MW Photographs: Mick Rock/Cephas; Ole Troelso/Cephas We ask that you taste in silence’, said the sign by the door, alongside a further request to refrain from snapping selfies or bottle shots. Those entreaties were in vain: social media was full of attendees’ photos and, even though the packed room was quiet and respectful, conversation was still audible, not least between Aubert de Villaine, DRC’s esteemed co-manager, and journalists who wanted to discuss the vintage. Welcome to the annual tasting of the new releases from the Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Burgundy’s most…

My Top 10 in Christchurch 1 Inati Simon and Lisa Levy have created an absorbing dining experience at this restaurant they established in 2017. The couple met in London, Simon’s hometown (Lisa is from Hawke’s Bay, NZ), but they’ve become locals through their sophisticated eatery that buzzes like a London hotspot. A former head chef for Gordon Ramsay, Simon says that – aside from serving quality food and wine – their ethos is about breaking down barriers and building relationships (easily done at the bar-cum-chef’s table). The boeuf-nuts is a signature dish and the Our Collection wine list stocks some serious New Zealand vintages. www.inati.nz Photographs: Travelscape Images/Alamy; www.inati.nz 2 Gatherings Chef Alex Davies describes his innovative, immaculately executed, plant-based dishes as ‘an expression of myself, my values…

Market watch Burgundy gets a reality check All the important fine wine investment news, compiled by Chris Mercer Has Burgundy peaked on the fine wine market after prices for top wines stumbled in 2019? Photograph: Ian Shaw/Alamy Meteoric price rises for famous Burgundy labels have captivated fine wine market watchers in recent times, but the Liv-ex Burgundy 150 index dropped by nearly 9% in 2019. Domaine de la Romanée-Conti wines led the fall, said Liv-ex. ‘The past year has highlighted the vulnerability of Burgundy’s high prices,’ it said in its Burgundy: after the peak report. The news comes amid wider political and economic pressure on the fine wine market, from US tariffs to disruption in Asia. However, Liv-ex said its Burgundy 150 index was still up by…

Decanter 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 green indicate those prices which have increased since last month, whilst the numbers in red have decreased. THE LIV-EX 100 INDEX Index level at end of January 2020 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 –…