Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2025 i Decanter

Wine and experience Spanish wine for me is bound up with memories of an offseason road trip I took nearly 30 years ago, with my parents, after a bad break-up. At the time my parents weren’t really into wine, and as we explored Barcelona and travelled along the coast, stopping off at the scenic towns of Figueres, Cadaqués and Tossa del Mar, I was reanimated by the delight of introducing them to the wines not only of Penedès but of all Spain, often enjoyed with servings of piping hot, herb-accented Catalan fish stew. Sharing my passion brought us closer, and has given me an affection for the reds and whites of Spain, in all their glorious diversity. Memories of that trip returned as we worked on this Spanish-themed issue, and…

Finally: an ambition fulfilled. I’d reached the intricate hilltop town of Montefalco. Now I could explore its dark secret. My curiosity hatched in 1990. The Banco d’Assaggio dei Vini d’Italia, organised by Perugia-based Giorgio Lungarotti and his family, was the first wine competition I was ever invited to. It proved frustrating, with an inflexible, box-ticking scoring system and no chance to find out what we’d tasted afterwards. What was the point? What impressed me was the tasteful serenity of the hotel we stayed in (Le Tre Vaselle in Torgiano), with its tall earthenware vases and white curtain drapes, gently stirring in the breeze. Still more striking was a local red wine made from a grape variety called Sagrantino, pioneered by a producer called Arnaldo Caprai. Caprai’s resource came from textiles;…

It’s impossible to will, or proclaim, the creation of an icon. Any Hollywood talent agent worth their salt will tell you as much. And yet, when achieved, icon status is undisputable. So what does the process of becoming an icon entail? What makes the 10 Spanish wines featured here worthy of the description? The answer is never straightforward. Producers themselves acknowledge that there is, despite their recognised efforts and focus on quality, an element of serendipity made of fortunate encounters and of the sometimes baffling flux of history. Still, luck and historical relevance need to be met by a combination of winemaking excellence, expert viticulture and privileged terroirs. The 10 icons of Spanish wine highlighted in the coming pages share two common denominators: individuality and consistency of style and quality.…

How long is a piece of string?’ quips Michael Dal Zotto of Dal Zotto Wines in Victoria’s King Valley wine region (pictured on p63) – a pithy yet fitting response to a big question: What’s the next big thing for Italian varieties in Australia? ‘I have a personal preference for Pinot Bianco,’ he adds, ‘but Fiano and Montepulciano are definitely appealing to the consumers we show them to.’ These are just a few of the Italian varieties flourishing in Australian vineyards – and ultimately in Australian wine glasses. To many outside the country, however, this evolution might come as a surprise. The global perception of Australian wine still often defaults to two extremes: inexpensive, fruity bulk wine and bold, premium Barossa Shiraz. And while these styles are undeniably significant within…

Work begins on Scotland’s most westerly distillery Construction has begun on a new distillery in Castlebay on the Isle of Barra in the Outer Hebrides. The £12 million project will be Scotland’s most westerly distillery and is scheduled to open in October 2026. Husband and wife team Michael and Katie Morrison founded The Isle of Barra Distillers Co in 2017 and began planning their new distillery in 2021. ‘My wife and I are Isle of Barra born and bred. When we moved back to the island after a few years on the mainland, we knew we wanted to create opportunities for more families to call Barra home and make sure there could be a future on the island for generations to come,’ said Michael. ‘Building our distillery is a transformative…

"Got to say, I’m super-hyped about climate change. Seriously? What did the polar bears ever do to you? Come on – this is great news! All those exciting new wine styles: Surrey Sauvignon, Malmo Merlot… I mean, you’re right that new places are making wine now, but climate change is causing all kinds of problems for traditional grape-growers. I thought vines were super-resilient. Surely they can handle a bit of extra heat? Up to a point, yes. But over a prolonged period it’s difficult. Grapes stay small and get super-ripe, super-fast, so flavours and tannins don’t develop like they used to, and styles are changing. I remember wine from the 1970s. I don’t think that’s a bad thing. True, attaining ripeness used to be a problem. But in the last…

The Porto Protocol, a wine industry climate action network, has launched a major guide on the environmental impact of wine packaging. Naturally, it’s aimed at wine producers, importers, exporters, retailers and wholesalers. I’m none of those, but I read it anyway, because as a wine drinker, I also have a strong interest in the container that gets this precious liquid cargo safely from the winery into my hands. I care what it looks like, how it’s presented, but I also know that its environmental impact can be significant. So here are my key takeaways from the report, as well as some packaging trends we might see in the near future... • A shift towards reusable bottles and deposit return systems, with packaging designed with reuse and recycling in mind from…

Although this tasting didn’t result in any Outstanding awards, these Tempranillodominant wines retailing at £15 or less put on a good show. The judges were surprised and delighted to taste so many elegant, mature and great-value wines. Of 110 wines tasted, 32 (29%) were awarded 90 points or more (Silver medal equivalent), with a highest score of 94pts. A further 71 wines achieved a Bronze medal level. In total, 93.6% were Highly recommended or Recommended – a strong result given the price constraints. Considering the price of the wines, David Williams was impressed: ‘“Value” in the title of a tasting can lower expectations. But this line-up genuinely represented excellent value.’ Andy Howard MW agreed: ‘From virtually no other country could mature, expressive and well-made wines be found at values even…

Rémi Leroy, Brut Nature, Champagne, France NV £50-£52.90 Corks, Parched, The Sourcing Table This Pinot Noir-dominant Champagne is beguiling and seductive, combining the fruitiness of forest berries with a pithy, taut structure, layered with toast and zesty citrus. Textured, mouthwatering and sherbety but also creamy and silky – a wine to wow friends with. NE Alc 12.5% Domaine du Pélican, Arbois Chardonnay, Jura, France 2022 B £42.25 Corney & Barrow A biodynamic blend of several high-elevation parcels aged between 15 and 45 years. Lovely cashew creaminess, juicy stone fruit, vibrant yellow apple and delicate blossom notes. Fermented and aged in old barrels and foudres, giving beautiful texture and weight. TG Alc 13.5% Palacios Remondo, Propiedad Viñas Viejas, Rioja, Spain 2021 O £31-£44.99 Berry Bros & Rudd, Hic, NY Wines, The…

UNICO BUCKS THE MARKET TREND Vega Sicilia has reasserted its credentials as a name to watch on the market, and the 2015 vintage of its flagship Unico debuted in early 2025. Unico 2015 was offered at £837 per 3x75cl in bond in January (Bordeaux Index, Lay & Wheeler). A month earlier, Vega Sicilia became the first Spanish winery to top the annual Liv-ex Power 100 ranking of secondary market performance. Vega Sicilia was ‘one of 2024’s few bright spots’ in a subdued market, said Liv-ex, a global marketplace for the trade. ‘Starting from a relatively low level, [Vega Sicilia] trade value is up 455.8% on last year,’ it said. Prices haven’t shot up, though. Unico 2013 saw relatively strong trading, but its price dipped 3% in 12 months to 3…

MATT WALLS Who? Matt is a contributing editor to Decanter and the DWWA Regional Chair for Rhône. His book Wines of the Rhône (£35, Infinite Ideas 2021) is an essential reference for the regionWhat? In this combined vintage report, Matt sums up his thoughts on the quality and style of the 2023 vintage in the northern and southern Rhône, and picks some top wines to seek out Why? 2023 is a lovely vintage in the Rhône, and Matt has tasted more than 1,200 wines to give you the inside track on which styles, appellations and producers to look out for from this popular region TOM KLINE Who? A wine writer, educator and judge based in Victoria, Australia, Tom was born and raised in the King Valley. He is the Australian…

There are a few bottles in my gradually dwindling cellar here that have question marks over them. The doubts are not just ‘when?’ (though that is always a question), but ‘who for’ or ‘with whom’. Experience has shown me that Cheval Blanc in the wrong company is like taking an eskimo to a cricket match. There is simply no connection. You open and pour. You sniff and sip. You look expectantly at your guest – and get ‘nice’. Yes, I know how to prod. But you soon realise if you’re feeding pearls to swine, or sowing seed on stony ground. It can be worth doing a bit of a drum-roll. Not, perhaps, saying it cost a month’s wages, but spinning a little yarn: how you once drank it at midnight…

It is a pleasure to introduce you to the diverse winemaking landscape of Salta, a region defined by its high altitude and remote, extreme-climate winemaking , and to share with you the stories of its producers, landscapes and wines. Situated in northwest Argentina, the Salta province is particularly famed in winemaking terms for the Calchaquí Valleys (see map on p70). Surrounded by towering mountains, this network of linked valleys spans nearly 300km in length. Its mineral-rich, sandy soils offer unique conditions for growing vines, and the distinct terroirs of particular valleys are recognised in individual Geographical Indications. Located between 1,530 and 3,111m elevation, with low levels of rainfall, a wide diurnal range and long hours of sunlight, the area is known for its often highly concentrated, deeply coloured wines with…

Originally, the term Pink Gin referred to a simple cocktail of Plymouth Gin and Angostura bitters. Today, it’s used to describe gins infused with a range of botanicals – from rose and rhubarb to strawberries and redcurrants – that give a distinct flavour and a rosy hue. 1 Amalthea Pink Gin £35/50cl Fortnum & Mason Amalthea is the name of the copper still at the in-house distillery on the third floor of Fortnum & Mason on London’s Piccadilly. This distinctive gin is made from a base of apple spirit; botanicals include grapefruit peel, hibiscus flowers and Fortnum’s Earl Grey Classic tea. I love the aromas: pretty rhubarb and rose tones, with a sprinkle of white pepper. On the palate, exotic cardamom spice notes balance Turkish delight sweetness. A classic London…

Named ASI Best Sommelier of Europe, Africa and Middle East in November 2024, Parre also won the titles of Best Sommelier, Estonia (2022 and 2023), and Best Sommelier, Baltics (2022 and 2024). He has worked as a sommelier for 13 years, entirely in Tallinn, Estonia – in both casual restaurants and high-end, Michelinstarred establishments. In 2024, he left his position as head sommelier of Time to Wine Rotermanni, one of the best wine bars in the Baltics, and is currently working as cellarmaster for Bombay Group in Tallinn. Q My first memorable wine experience A At the time, I was working as a waiter at a casual neighbourhood restaurant and didn’t know much about wine. One day, a senior colleague came from a special wine event and brought with him…

Next chapter at Beauséjour Amy Wislocki In 2020, St-Emilion premier grand cru classé Château Beauséjour was sold to the Duffau-Lagarrosse family, who put in a bid in tandem with the Clarins beauty group owners. The estate is managed today by Joséphine Duffau-Lagarrosse (pictured) and Prisca Courtin-Clarins, both in their 30s, and Dr Axel Marchal consults. I caught up with Joséphine when she passed through London recently. She spoke about the winery renovation that has been three years in the making, and about how to bring Bordeaux to a new audience. ‘We want to create aficionados of Bordeaux, who have visited and who know the terroir,’ she said. She wants those selling her wines to be able to tell the stories behind them and she wants the grand vin to be…

In the early 1990s, Airén was the world’s most widely planted wine grape, with almost 480,000ha in Spain. But according to the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, by 2023 the surface under vine had decreased dramatically to 190,000ha. EU subsidies for grubbing-up and vineyard restructuring are to thank for this. In 2022, Tempranillo surpassed Airén as Spain’s number one variety. Today, Castilla-La Mancha, the vast region covering Spain’s southern plateau, accounts for 187,045ha, according to ministry data to July 2023, followed by Madrid (2,248ha) to the north and Murcia (573ha) in the southeast. Where do all these grapes go? Airén’s high yields and neutral aromatic character make it ideal for distillation. The practice was long driven by the brandy industry – legendary Sherry producer Pedro Domecq opened a distillery in Tomelloso…

South Australia has become a powerhouse for Rhône-style reds, with its old-vine Grenache, bold Shiraz and GSM blends capturing global acclaim. The region’s sun-drenched vineyards and diverse terroirs, from Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale to Clare Valley, offer ideal conditions for these varieties, resulting in wines that offer both depth and elegance. While classic Rhône reds are known for their earthy complexity and restrained fruit, South Australia’s interpretations embrace ripe fruit, vibrant aromatics and silky textures. This combination of elegance and power has earned recognition at the Decanter World Wine Awards, with three wines at the 2024 competition featured in the Best in Show top 50 global selection. Pair these wines with hearty dishes like slow-cooked lamb, barbecued meats or mushroom risotto to highlight their rich fruit profiles and savoury…

Celeb watch KYLIE MINOGUE When it comes to zero-abv, wines have tended to lag behind beers on the quality front, but a spike in demand has seen producers up their game, and this new alcohol-free sparkler from pop princess Kylie Minogue is no exception. Why try it? Kylie has been clever in assembling a crack team around her, including Paul Schaafsma, the Aussie powerhouse behind Sir Ian Botham’s and Gordon Ramsay’s wine brands. Having shaken up the market in 2022 with a 0.0% sparkling rosé, Minogue has launched a bone-dry (hooray!) white version. It’s made with grapes that go through a bacterial fermentation process, without yeast – meaning that no alcohol is produced, but other side-products characteristic of fermentation are – then infused with green teas from the Liu-Da mountains…

For wine professionals, good or great wine is defined simply by what the wine is like. Distinctiveness, balance, precision, capacity to age; even the ability to evoke an emotional response are all presented as objective characteristics of the wine. As a wine lover, I have been wondering whether such descriptors resonate with us, regular wine consumers. Recently, I got an answer to my question, and it was a resounding ‘no’. Last October and November, Jan Andrzejewski, a researcher and wine merchant, and I convened tastings and focus groups that are part of a larger project on wine communication. A few of the almost 50 participants had attended wine courses in the past, but the group was entirely one of self-declared non-professional wine consumers. Among the questions asked was this: ‘What,…

Florent Lançon of Domaine de la Solitude is renowned for his excellent Châteauneuf-du-Pape. In his spare time, he collects orchids. ‘It started when I was young – 12 or 13 years old,’ says Lançon. ‘I went to England on holiday. We were visiting a lot of castles and I was so bored! But I did enjoy the Victorian greenhouses.’ It was there that he discovered orchids. When he returned home, he started buying plants. ‘Soon they were everywhere in the house, but they need humidity and the right light, so I started pestering my parents to construct my own greenhouse.’ After several years, his fascination showed no sign of abating, so his mother and father gave in, and let him build one. It quickly grew to 18m², and as he…

Traditionally, you would find aquavit on the table at celebratory occasions in Scandinavia, served neat with food – no bad thing, and something that the region’s ubiquitous spirit excels at. But there’s a growing appreciation for aquavit’s mixing potential, too, whether it’s simply paired with tonic, employed in a Nordic twist on the Martini, or part of more elaborate cocktail creations. In essence, aquavit is nearly identical to gin, starting with a neutral spirit, but replacing juniper with either caraway or dill seed as the primary flavour – think fresh, almost-savoury herbal notes in abundance. As with gin, other botanicals play a supporting role, resulting in a wide variety of flavours and styles. In addition, some aquavits are aged for a period of time in oak. Made for mixing In…

Ask Decanter Each month our experts answer your burning wine questions. Email your queries to editor@decanter.com In-flight flavours Q How does one’s appreciation of wine change in the air, and how should you go about choosing wines accordingly? Claire Hampton, by email A Anne Krebiehl MW, Decanter contributor and wine consultant for Qatar Airways, replies: While the taste receptors on our tongues don’t change, cabin pressure, dehydration and low humidity can dull our perception of flavours on a plane. This in turn can enhance the perception of textural elements such as tannins. This is one reason the glass of fizz as you settle in is so popular: the effervescence of the wine enhances its flavours and is exquisitely refreshing; it’s almost a kind of tonic that doesn’t weigh you down. For…

No matter how hard you try to ignore it, the question that haunts any tasting of DO Montsant wines is always: ‘How do these wines compare to those of Priorat?’ And the answer will invariably be something along the lines of, ‘better value, but not quite hitting the same heights’. Founded as a DO in 2001, a year after Priorat was elevated from DO status to DOCa, Monstant almost entirely envelops the more famous region, both of which are set in the rugged hills of southern Catalonia. The reasons for comparison are obvious enough: the two regions share much by way of climate, grape varieties and stylistic approach. Then again, Montsant is much more varied in its soils, elevations (from 50m to 700m), aspects and microclimates. In other words, while…

Laborie, Blanc de Blancs Brut, Western Cape, South Africa 2018 £14.50-£14.95 Booths, Drinks Direct This mature blanc de blancs, drinking beautifully now, is a snip at below £15. Strong autolytic notes of nutty lees and toasted brioche overlay orchard fruit on a lean, crisp palate. An ideal wine to move from aperitif to the first course. TG Alcohol 12% Bacio della Luna, Veluti Prosecco Extra Dry, Veneto, Italy NV £5.47 Morrisons At such a low price per bottle, this simple, floral Prosecco offers plenty of pleasure. Sweet peach and pear blossom on nose and palate, with good freshness. Frothy and balanced. A touch of chilling is all it needs to quench the thirst and pair well with almost any dish. SW Alc 10.5% Tesco, Finest North Row Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough,…