Decanter January 2024

PASSIONATE ABOUT WINE SINCE 1975

JANUARY 2024

517

WINES

wines tasted in this issue

OF THE

YEAR New Year’s resolution to drink better? Meet our best bottles of the last 12 months

Burgundy 2022

Expert view on the new vintage, plus 40 top picks

New World star Around Australia in 20 fabulous bottles

Tasted & rated NZ Sauvignon Blanc Piedmont’s Dolcetto

EDITOR’S LETTER 121-141 Westbourne Terrace, London W2 6JR, UK Website: decanter.com / decanterchina.com Email: editor@decanter.com / advertising@decanter.com / marketing@decanter.com

Advice you can trust

My friend was dining the other night at a London restaurant that is part of a very well-respected chef’s stable. I’ll spare their blushes by not naming the venue.

Spotting an orange wine on the list and unfamiliar with the style, she asked the waitress to enlighten her. The waitress proceeded to inform her that orange wine is made from oranges, hence the colour (rather than a white wine produced using extended maceration on the grape skins). My friend went on to order the wine anyway, and enjoyed it, despite being puzzled by the absence of any mention of oranges on the back label...

Whether it’s orange wine you want to learn more about – did you know it can be almost as good for you as red wine (see p70) – or the best wines to go with casseroles, our mission is to take you on a thoroughly entertaining learning journey in wine. And ultimately to help you get more enjoyment from your glass. Not only in our ‘Wine wisdom’ section, which is always a good place to start, but on every single page. I’ve been at Decanter for 23 years, immersed in wine every day of my working life, and I’m still learning. And I hope I always will be.

Editorial Staff Magazine Editor Amy Wislocki Content Manager Tina Gellie Editor, decanter.com Lisa Riley Editor, Decanter Premium & Regional Editor (Bordeaux & Burgundy) Georgie Hindle Editor, Decanter China & Regional Editor (Asia, Northern & Eastern Europe) Sylvia Wu Regional Editor (Australia, New Zealand, South Africa & Spirits) Julie Sheppard Regional Editor (Italy) James Button Regional Editor (France excl Bordeaux, Burgundy) Natalie Earl Regional Editor (North America) Clive Pursehouse Regional Editor (Spain, Portugal & South America) Ines Salpico Production Editor David Longfield Art Editor Patrick Grabham Assistant Editor, decanter.com Elie Lloyd Ellis Contributing Editors Tim Atkin MW, Fiona Beckett, Stephen Brook, Sarah Jane Evans MW, Andy Howard MW, Andrew Jefford, Matt Walls Events & Awards Events & Awards Director Victoria Stanage Events Manager Jeanne Thexton Events Executive Coralie Menel Awards Manager Shivani Tomar Head of Logistics Simon Wright Logistics Manager Jarlath Curran Programme Manager Jordan Casewell Technical Manager Nina Feng Tastings Manager Javier Soto-Miranda Sales & Marketing Head of Sales Sonja van Praag Account Directors Michael Denton, Laura Bianco, Michela Nassiz, Rupert Owen, Cesar Soler Sales Executive Gabriela Colotto, Ana Chirila Premium Marketing Manager Nerea Sanz Senior Awards Marketing Manager Olivia Mason Deputy Head of Marketing Laura Timms Marketing Executive Loukia Xinari Brand Design Manager Emma Jupp Brand Design Executive Michelle Mitchell Decanter 360 Academy Trainee Annona Dodoo Managing Director Jonny Sullens Email format: firstname.lastname@decanter.com How to subscribe or change your address in the UK and rest of the world: Email: help@magazinesdirect.com Subscribe online at: magazinesdirect.com Subscription enquiries: help@magazinesdirect.com Full annual subscription rates (12 issues): UK £77.88; Europe & Eire €178 (delivery 3-5 days); US $131; Rest of World £120 (5-7 days) Subscription delays: Disruption remains within UK and International delivery networks. Allow up to 7 days before contacting us about a late delivery: help@magazinesdirect.com How to subscribe in the US & Canada Decanter 0954-4240, is published monthly by Future Publishing Limited, 121-141 Westbourne Terrace, London W2 6JR. UK. The annual subscription is $131. Air freight/ mailing in the US by Air Business, c/o Worldnet Shipping, 156-15, 146th Ave, 2nd Floor, Jamaica NY 11434, USA. Periodicals postage paid at Jamaica NY 11434. US Postmaster: send address changes to Decanter, Air Business, c/o Worldnet Shipping, 156-15, 146th Ave, 2nd Floor, Jamaica NY 11434, USA. Subscription records held at Future Publishing Limited, 121-141 Westbourne Terrace, London W2 6JR, UK. Air Business is acting as our mailing agent.

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Decanter | January 2024 | 3

62

42

4 | Decanter | January 2024

COVER PHOTOGRAPH ANNA MAKARENKOVA/500PX/GETTY IMAGES

64

January 2024

76

FEATURES

20 Wines of the Year The best wines

of 2023, as nominated and tasted afresh by Decanter experts 32 Vintage preview: Burgundy 2022 In a hot vintage, ‘an abundant crop of hugely drinkable wines’, reports Charles Curtis MW 42 Around Australia in 20 wines Matthew Jukes is marking the 20th anniversary of his renowned 100 Best Australian Wines report 50 Anniversary wines for 2024 Anthony Rose scours the shelves and cellars for the perfect wines to mark your big celebrations in 2024

SPIRITS

60 Distilled Spirits, cocktails, insight –

plus five of the best low and no-alcohol spirits for dry January

GOOD LIVING

62 Perfect pairing: 40-cloves-of-

garlic chicken A one-pan-wonder from chef-author Claire Thomson

64 Travel: Vancouver Island, British

Columbia A Pacific-facing island getaway with a ‘hidden gem’ wine region, guided by Nicole MacKay

LEARNING

70 Wine wisdom Expert tips to help

you on your journey through wine

BUYING GUIDE 75 Introduction

76 How we taste Tina Gellie details

the thorough process behind the scoring of wines in Decanter’s pages 78 Panel tasting: New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc 197 entries were tasted in a major appraisal that revealed six Outstanding wines, though some disappointments too 86 Panel tasting: Dolcetto Consistent quality among these fruit-focused Piedmont country reds, with 36 Highly recommended at 90-95pts 94 Expert’s choice: Alsace Pinot Noir Panos Kakaviatos picks 18 elegant reds that may surprise Pinot lovers

98 Weekday wines 25 top wines under

£20, chosen by the Decanter team 101 Weekend wines Priced £20-£50, seven standout buys to impress

COLLECTORS

103 Marketwatch investment news

Auction updates; what’s on the radar; Burgundy and Bordeaux

REGULARS

3 Welcome 6 Meet the experts Decanter’s authors 8 Uncorked News, views & more 14 A ndrew Jefford’s column The joy

of using non-‘serious’ wine glasses

16 Elaine Chukan Brown’s column

The value of distinctive blends and hybrids for emerging regions 18 Guest column Chris Losh casts his expert eye over the best low and no-alcohol alternative drinks 56 DWWA 2023 highlights Fifteen Gold-winning Canadian wines 106 Wine to 5: Marinela Ivanova Beverage manager, on-board residential ship The World Decanter | January 2024 | 5

Meet the Decanter experts

ELAINE CHUKAN BROWN is a widely published and internationally awarded wine writer, speaker and educator. Originally from Alaska, they now live in Sonoma, and specialise in climate action and social justice in wine

CHARLES CURTIS MW is a widely published journalist, author and fine wine advisor based in New York. Formerly head of wine at Christie’s in the US and Asia, he started out as a chef and travelled to Paris to train at Le Cordon Bleu

TINA GELLIE is Decanter’s Content Manager, joining in 2008 and most recently Regional Editor for Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Canada.

Before wine, she worked as a newspaper journalist in London and Australia

MATTHEW JUKES is a global authority on Australian wine.

An awarded author, journalist, judge and presenter, he publishes annual wine reports via his matthewjukes.com website, including 100 Best Australian Wines

PANOS KAKAVIATOS is a widely published journalist, wine writer, judge and educator based in Strasbourg.

Publishing at winechronicles.com and @PanosKakaviatos, he also organises wine tastings and tour groups

NICOLE MACKAY is a widely published writer and editor with a passion for all things wine, food and travel.

Based in Calgary, Canada, she is managing editor for Somm TV magazine and a contributor to decanter.com

CHRIS MERCER is a freelance journalist and editor, and the awarded former editor of decanter.com. He started reporting on the wine world more than 15 years ago, and has spent a decade covering the fine wine market

ANTHONY ROSE is a widely published writer on wine and sake, including for The Oxford Companion. A DWWA Regional Chair, his latest book is Fizz! Champagne and Sparkling Wines of the World (Infinite Ideas, 2021)

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ISSN 0954-4240 Decanter is published monthly by © 2024 Future Publishing Limited or published under licence. The title Decanter Magazine is registered at the US Patent Office and in Great Britain as a trademark. Registered at Stationer’s Hall No 30064. Marque Deposée. Marchio Registrato. Printed and bound in Britain by Walstead UK Limited. Distributed by Marketforce. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be used, stored, transmitted or reproduced in any way without the prior written permission of the publisher. Future Publishing Limited (company number 2008885) is registered in England and Wales. Registered office: Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All information contained in this publication is for information only and is, as far as we are aware, correct at the time of going to press.

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6 | Decanter | January 2024

Uncorked A snapshot of what’s happening in the world of wine COMPILED BY CHRIS MERCER & AMY WISLOCKI

Chardonnay grapes being harvested in Domaine Leflaive’s premier cru Clavoillon vineyard, Puligny-Montrachet

Burgundy 2022: larger crop good news for buyers Availability should rise on some Burgundy wines in this month’s 2022-vintage en primeur campaign, following limited releases last year, merchants have said.

Alongside high-quality red and white wines, Burgundy’s 2022 vintage represents a return to ‘modern-day average size’, said Will Hargove, head of fine wine at Corney & Barrow.

He said the merchant will host its first proper Burgundy en primeur tasting since the pre-Covid era, on 16 January.

The tasting did not run last year due to scarcity of a weather-hit 2021 vintage, especially for white wines.

‘Yields were almost universally higher (for 2022 than 2021) so there should be more availability this year,’ said Julian Campbell, senior buyer – and Burgundy buyer – at Justerini & Brooks, which will host a tasting on 17 January in London.

8 | Decanter | January 2024

Campbell said economic conditions will likely impact some consumers, but he still expected strong demand for 2022-vintage wines, noting high quality and also historical levels of interest. ‘For the past decade we’ve had a waiting list for the majority of the Burgundy we offer en primeur.’

Tight allocations remain a common theme in Burgundy, particularly for the most sought-after wines.

Still, Campbell said higher yields and the economic climate might also create opportunities for some Burgundy fans.

‘It’s definitely a year for customers to chance their arm in asking for wines they might not previously have had access to.’

2022 RELEASE PRICES TO BE HELD STABLE?

Price rises have been a major debate in recent Burgundy en primeur campaigns.

Several producers implemented increases last year to cover costs in the small 2021 vintage.

Justerini, Corney and fellow merchant Goedhuis & Co all indicated that they anticipated release prices for the 2022 vintage to remain broadly flat, compared to last year’s campaign.

While prices may not fall, many producers already know they have a relatively large 2023 vintage sitting in their cellars, which may ease pressure for further increases, said Hargrove.

Campbell said: ‘We haven’t seen many prices yet, but what we have seen has been mainly flat versus last year – and we expect most producers will follow suit.

This feels like a sensible move in the current climate.’

Turn to p32 for Charles Curtis MW’s annual preview of the new Burgundy vintage, 2022

MOUTON ROTHSCHILD 2021 ARTIST LABEL ‘INSPIRED BY RELATIONSHIP WITH NATURE’

Château Mouton Rothschild has revealed the label artwork for its 2021-vintage grand vin, the next to be released in bottle.

Award-winning Japanese artist Chiharu Shiota created a work named Universe of Mouton for the new label (pictured).

The Pauillac first growth has commissioned label artwork for every vintage since 1945.

Berlin-based Chiharu Shiota said she was inspired by Mouton Rothschild’s relationship with nature, adding: ‘The four lines connecting the human to the environment represent the four seasons (winter, spring, summer, autumn) and all the emotions linked to them (solitude, hope, achievement).’

Julien de Beaumarchais de Rothschild, Mouton Rothschild co-owner, said: ‘I was fascinated by Chiharu Shiota’s vision, so close to the world of wine, especially in the relationship between humankind and nature, fragile and fertile, generous but unpredictable.’

AI innovation can fight counterfeiting in wine Artificial intelligence has demonstrated its potential to develop a world-beating palate after the technology was used to identify Bordeaux wines’ precise origins by analysing chemical markers.

Researchers employed an existing analytical technique known as gas chromatography to explore the chemical make-up of 80 Bordeaux red wines, and then harnessed artificial intelligence (AI) tools to assess the data.

Wines were sourced from seven Bordeaux estates, spanning 12 vintages from 1990 to 2007. An individual wine’s ‘chromatogram’ can have 30,000 data points. A machine learning algorithm was able to

examine this data and help to pinpoint which château had produced each wine, with 100% accuracy, said scientists from the University of Geneva and the ISVV (Institute of Vine and Wine Science) at the University of Bordeaux.

They said the research, published in the Communications Chemistry journal, could be important for detecting counterfeit wines.

‘Our results show that it is possible to identify the geographical origin of a wine with 100% accuracy, by applying dimensionality reduction techniques to gas chromatograms,’ said lead researcher Alexandre Pouget, a neuroscience professor at the University of Geneva.

IN BRIEF

Stay up to date with the latest wine news on decanter.com, or follow us on Facebook or Twitter @Decanter

n Scientists exploring why some people get headaches from drinking even a little red wine said a flavanol named quercetin may be key. It’s considered a healthy antioxidant in fruit including grapes and occurs naturally in red wines, but a converted form in the body can block alcohol metabolism, wrote researchers, mostly from University of California, Davis, in Scientific Reports. ‘We think we’re finally on the right track toward explaining this millennia-old mystery,’ said neurology professor Morris Levin, of University of California, San Francisco. n Napa Valley has an exceptional, ageworthy 2023 vintage after the longest growing season in a decade, said trade body Napa Valley Vintners (NVV). ‘I have no doubt that 2023 will go down as one of the most phenomenal vintages ever in Napa Valley,’ said Karen MacNeil, author of The Wine Bible, in a NVV video. Seavey Vineyard winemaker Jim Duane said: ‘The deep red colour signals a standout vintage, especially with Cabernet.’ n Australia’s Penfolds said its six ‘icon & luxury’ wines, including Grange, will be partly distributed via La Place de Bordeaux across Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), from 30 January. It includes distribution in the UK, alongside Penfolds’ existing partners there, a spokesperson said. La Place traditionally works with Bordeaux châteaux but increasingly handles international fine wines. ‘We are looking to take the brand to the next level,’ said Penfolds EMEA sales director Daevid Warren. n Winemakers in Sicily’s Etna DOC denomination have agreed to seek prestigious DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita) status at the pinnacle of Italy’s wine classification pyramid.

‘This is a historic decision for the entire Etnean territory,’ said Francesco Cambria, president of the Consorzio di Tutela dei Vini Etna DOC. The process involves several steps and is expected to take about two years. If successful, Etna will become Sicily’s second DOCG, after Cerasuaolo di Vittoria. ▶ Decanter | January 2024 | 9

UNCORKED

A drink with...

Idris Elba

Following the launch of a new rosé Champagne from his brand Porte Noire, internationally renowned actor Idris Elba talks to Natalie Earl about his foray into Champagne, and bringing it back down to earth.

‘It wasn’t a conscious choice to be part of a Champagne brand. Seven years ago, Champagne Sanger invited me to visit its Champagne school. And I thought, what a lovely invite, to go to one of the oldest winemaking schools in Champagne.

‘I said to my wife – whom I was dating at the time – do you want to come to Champagne? It sounded very romantic.

We had this incredible, full, rich day of history, skill, sharing, and the students were really happy to see me. I learned how to twist the bottles [riddling], and all about the cuvées and vineyards. And we topped it off in one of the vineyards eating cheese and drinking Champagne.

At the end of the day, they said “we want you to own your own cuvée”. At first I thought, you mean take a few home?

I had a big trunk… And they said “No, you’ll have your own, we produce it: we

Listen

ALCOHOL, WINE & HEALTH PODCASTS Search for ‘Professor David Nutt’ wherever you look for your podcasts, and you’ll find many individual episodes of different series featuring the neuropsychopharmacologist and former UK Government advisor. He details the science of alcohol consumption in a fascinating way. Meanwhile, over at Wine Blast (S4, E13) Susie Barrie MW and Peter Richards MW talk to Professor Tim Spector about wine and the microbiome, highlighting how red wine drunk in moderation can boost gut health.

10 | Decanter | January 2024

have these lovely batches of grand cru, and you can name it and do what you want with it.

‘My favourite is the Porte Noire Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Vintage (2013, £89 portenoire.co.uk). We haven’t really marketed ourselves around me and celebrity wines. It has my name on it, but we haven’t pushed that element.

Celebrity wines tend to have a more transactional approach: the thinking is volume, volume, volume. With our grand cru, there is a volume capacity we can reach, and that’s it. So we are more in tune with people discovering it and liking it, rather than the hard sell.

‘Bad Champagne gives me a residual

Read

WINE WITCH ON FIRE Or to give it its full title, Wine Witch on Fire: Rising from the Ashes of Divorce, Defamation and Drinking Too Much. It’s an honest memoir, written by award-winning US wine writer Natalie MacLean, charting how she overcame struggles in her life, personal and professional. She gives an insight into what it’s like to work as a woman in the maledominated wine industry, and recommends some of her favourite wines along the way. It’s honest, raw and inspirational.

US$24.99 Dundurn Press (May 2023)

effect the next day. Finely produced Champagne doesn’t. When you realise that alcohol suppresses your nervous system, you don’t want to put any old liquid in your body!

Beyond Champagne, I like a Syrah, heavy and bold.

‘Often I get to be in different parts of the world where there are always stories behind the wines there. Unexpected stories are fascinating to me, and in wine there seem to be quite a few, because wine is tied up with the land, and with people. I was blown away by the selection and history of winemaking in South Africa. The English producers of sparkling wine that I’ve met also have great stories. And the wines are getting much better, too.

‘For me, growing up in a modest background, Champagne was something to aspire to, popping a bottle if you reached a milestone. Typically these are big moments, marriage, engagements, birthdays; but with Porte Noire, it’s a really good liquid at a very affordable price. So the idea is that it doesn’t have to be saved for these celebrations – it can just be, “I got through my day”. I want people to rethink where and how Champagne is appropriate.’

To read the full interview by Natalie Earl, go to decanter.com

Book in

CLUB SODA’S TAILORED TASTINGS Mindful drinking specialist Club Soda is running tailored tastings at its London shop, to help individuals or groups identify the best no- and/or low-alcohol drinks for their needs and tastes. The sessions, which are popular especially with those looking to moderate their alcohol intake, start with a questionnaire, then offer the opportunity to taste typically around 15 alternatives to wine, spirits and/or beer. Sessions cost £30pp (including £5 voucher towards a purchase), and last about an hour. joinclubsoda.com

DREAM DESTINATION

Radisson Collection Tsinandali, Kakheti, Georgia Nestled in the heart of Georgia’s Kakheti wine region, a two-hour drive from capital Tbilisi, the Radisson Collection Tsinandali hotel is set in the grounds of the historic Chavchavadze estate (the 19th-century palace, once home to Georgian royalty, is now a museum) and adjoins the Tsinandali wine estate, where the first Georgian wine was bottled in 1814. Guests can book in for wine tastings and tours of the nearby vineyards and ancient cellars.

Opened in 2018, the 141-room, four-storey glass and greenery-covered hotel (30,000 trays of plants were used to create the ‘green wall’) has five different dining venues including a Georgian restaurant with terrace, and three bars that include the Gaumarjos Wine Bar for sampling the Tsinandali wines plus a sumptuous Library bar with snooker table and cocktail menu. Bedrooms feature contemporary Georgian design and super-comfy kingsize beds, with breathtaking views of vines, forests and the Caucasus mountains.

The hotel has two tennis courts, a spa and two swimming pools including an outdoor infinity pool on the top-floor terrace, looking onto the mountains. Guests can explore the 18ha park, which contains more than 1,600 species of plants, on foot or using bicycle trails.

The annual Tsinandali Festival in August/September is a celebration of music, art and wine (tsinandalifestival.ge), and in November 2023, the estate hosted the first Tsinandali Wine Symposium, to showcase Georgian wines to an international audience. tsinandaliestate.ge For a full review by Georgie Hindle, visit decanter.com ▶ Decanter | January 2024 | 11

UNCORKED

LETTER OF THE MONTH

DECANTER LOVES…

Argentina’s culinary scene Visiting Argentina soon? There’s plenty to feast on. The South American country already bears three stars on its soccer jersey for thrice winning the FIFA World Cup and, following the country’s inaugural Michelin Guide launch in late November last year, it now houses a brand-new constellation.

While 71 restaurants were named across Buenos Aires and Mendoza, the wine-producing province shone brightly, taking home four of the six one-star ratings.

Two are based in bodegas – Zonda Cocina de Paisaje and Casa Vigil – while Brindillas and Azafrán are independent establishments. Mendoza also grabbed three of the seven green stars championing sustainability, going to the former two bodega-based venues as well as Riccitelli Bistró.

Buenos Aires is home to seven Bib Gourmands, including contemporary bodegón Mengano. But the icing on the cake was Aramburu, where the 18-course haute cuisine tasting menu was awarded two Michelin stars.

The capital also excelled in Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants 2023, with 14 mentions on the list including newcomers Alo’s (#38) and Niño Gordo (#43), as well as newly minted Michelin one-star Trescha at #94 of the top 100 of the 50 Best. Regional restaurants also got a look-in on the top 100 including El Baqueano in Salta and El Papagayo in Córdoba. On the wine side, talented Argentine sommelier Florencia Rey of Maido in Lima was anointed Beronia Latin America’s Best Sommelier.

A diverse and tasty cast awaits the wine-loving visitor.

By Sorrel Moseley-Williams

Casa Vigil

12 | Decanter | January 2024

As a younger wine aficionado, I simply cannot join Hugh Johnson in shedding a tear for Bordeaux’s decline in popularity (November 2023 issue). Sure, people like me can find a reasonable bottle of claret (let’s just call it Bordeaux) for £8-£20 that I can afford. Yet is affordable Bordeaux the type of wine ‘worth talking about’? Hardly, for they are often generic, boring, lifeless. Those that do stimulate imaginations and conversations are, I suspect, those traded by the case in bond at prices (like with housing) well beyond the reach of many of us younger folk. Bordeaux perhaps never will be a simple matter of ‘personal choice’, as it is no option at all for many of us. Price drives us to other regions where value is easily found – the Rhône, for instance.

Bordeaux is complicit in this as it has done itself no favours.

Good Bordeaux is floated by men in expensive suits on La Place at inflated prices, backed by marketing departments praising a lifestyle most of my younger generation cannot hope to aspire to.

While Mr Johnson laments the decline of Bordeaux, he fails to see the general mood of optimism in wine that he himself helped create. His own World Atlas of Wine, for example, did help steer interest in areas beyond Bordeaux. Frankly, what we find elsewhere is not only often less expensive, but also better aligns with our values. Many of us feel that Bordeaux as a region has failed to connect with the younger generation by refusing to drop conservative methods in the vineyard and winery.

I cannot and may never afford Bordeaux, or Burgundy for that matter. But I despair not. For I can easily find elsewhere better-value wines that reflect my generational priorities.

So I say bring on the dizzyingly complex Etna Rossos, the underrated wines of Savoie, the fresher Oregon Pinot Noirs, and lighter new-wave Madirans. Bring on the minnows!

Dr JR Lalancette, Tooting, London WRITE & WIN A MAGNUM OF CHAMPAGNE BOLLINGER

The enjoyment of wine is all about having and sharing opinions, so why not tell us yours? If you are amused, enraged or intrigued by anything you’ve read in Decanter or on decanter.com, let us know via email: editor@decanter.com. Each month the sender of our star letter will receive a magnum of Champagne Bollinger, thanks to the enormous generosity of Mentzendorff, the legendary Champagne house’s UK agent (mentzendorff.co.uk).

55%

of UK adults have moderation on their agenda, up from 25% in 2021 (source: tescoplc.com); and nearly 40% of regular wine consumers, especially among the youth,are intentionally reducing their intake (according to Wine Intelligence findings)

PHOTOGRAPH MICK ROCK/CEPHAS. CARTOON ROBERTTHOMPSONCARTOONS.COM

Gonzalo Arambaru, owner and chef at Aramburu, Buenos Aires

A no to Bordeaux

UNCORKED

Andrew Jefford

‘Serious wine glasses are intimidating: they’re a prelude to silence and endeavour’

T

he Alsace town of Riquewihr was where I found them. A march up the cobbled Rue du Général de Gaulle, past the coloured, half-timbered houses, to a shop called L’Aventure. Not misnamed: it was chaos in there.

The wine glasses I wanted were hiding in a dusty, half-open cabinet in the basement, and had no price. The shop assistant superintending the ground-floor bazaar was foxed; he phoned the owner. Fifteen euros each, came the answer; I settled. Squat, with an olive-green beehive stem, and the small bowl elegantly engraved with bunches of grapes, vine leaves and curling tendrils. You fill them almost full, of course.

Silly glasses. Gloriously silly.

Don’t I know better? Shouldn’t I be saving for Riedel Superleggeros, or Zalto Denk’Arts? Even Bestheim, Alsace’s largest cooperative, is wagging its website finger at me: ‘Alsace wines are often served in glasses with green stems. This kind of glass is not, however, ideal. It is too small to oxygenate the wine and the green-coloured stem interferes with the wine’s true colour.’ Yes, I know, and yes, I won’t be organising any professional wine tastings with these clumsy, dinky-chunky little glasses. But I still love them. We still use them. To drink with.

Genuine antique wine glasses might be better.

I don’t have any, but I once had a friend who did.

Goblets, balusters and coupes through to faceted stemware and the astonishing air-twist glasses, in which a bubble of air is spun by glass-blowers’ magic into spiral patterns the length of the stem: there’s enough choice, craft and creation to set dozens of cabinets shimmering. The cabinet, though, says it all: antique value discourages use. I saw one of my friend’s balusters broken by a guest I’d invited, and I’m still recovering from the trauma.

Breaking a €15 beehive is a shame, but not a trauma.

14 | Decanter | January 2024

What’s the attraction? The escape from earnestness is one. Serious wine glasses are intimidating: they tell you there’s work to do, and you damn well better be up to it. They’re a prelude to silence and endeavour, culminating in the humiliation of your (or my) pathetic attempts at blind identification, which is never the point of wine. With a squat goblet or plain baluster filled close to the brim, you can forget all that and just settle down to candlelit enjoyment, friendship, savour and story-telling: the point of wine.

Ample sensual enjoyment is still on offer.

Sipping from small glasses emphasises retronasal aromas, those that rise from your tongue as the wine warms. These may be a truer test of a wine’s aromatic soul than swirling it round a goldfish bowl on a stem, which can tear a wine to pieces and emphasise aspects of its character (oak, acidity, alcohol, potential faults) best left unemphasised in appreciative tasting. A sip, after all, is still a sip, regardless of vessel. These glasses remind you that you’re being invaded by a joy-bringing, emotionally restorative ferment rather than analysing a particular grower’s efforts on key sites in 2016 or 2019. Nothing stops you discussing; you just discuss it in a more appreciative, less analytical frame of mind.

Glasses of this sort are either historical in themselves (if antique) or modelled on historical styles, so drinking from them puts you in touch with all the drinkers of the past, whether consciously or not. Add a tablecloth and candles, and the act of drinking from a goblet, beehive or baluster feels grand, courtly, cultured and universal, even if you are sitting in the same old living room you’ve spent the evening in on a thousand other occasions.

It’s important, you see, to be the kind of drinker you want to be. The wine world is over-full of pressures to conform, to match up, to play peer-group games and to limp on gamely after the Joneses or the Johnsons or the Robinsons. A silly glass begins to set you free. D Andrew Jefford is a Decanter contributing editor and multiple award-winning author

IN MY GLASS THIS MONTH

One of the most emotionally compelling wines in a week of touring in Alsace was MeyerFonné’s Gewurztraminer Grand Cru Furstentum 2019. OK, it was drunk from sensible professional glasses, but this light golden wine would be no less delicious in an antique or cultural glass as well. That intimation of belly fur and rose petals would be there in each sip, lifting from the tongue; its density and fire would beckon alluringly from behind the frosted engravings.

UNCORKED

Elaine Chukan Brown

‘For an emerging region, success with a grape like Chardonnay proves tricky’

R

ecognition of a wine region outside its own borders often depends on its success with a well-known variety or a singular style. Varietal diversity proves much harder to market. The most famous regions in the world illustrate this model: Napa Valley Cabernet or Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc; Chablis is Chardonnay, and red Burgundy is Pinot. But wine regions are usually slow to identify a signature grape – often wisely. It takes time to know a place – its gifts and its challenges. For an emerging region such as Virginia, in the US east, it’s likely too soon to identify a dominant grape.

The first vines at Linden Vineyards were planted in 1985 on the rocky slopes of northern Virginia’s Blue Ridge mountains. Early settlers struggling to grow food in the shallow soils called the area Hardscrabble, a name owner Jim Law adopted for the vineyard. But, considering Law’s more-than-40-years in Virginia wine, it also (perhaps inadvertently) pays tribute to the challenge of making fine wine in an emerging region. Linden wines – its Chardonnay in particular – have helped bring international recognition. But Law also mentored many of the next generation of Virginia winemakers. He worked with agricultural researchers to create pest management solutions.

Law’s top Chardonnay, named Hardscrabble, includes fruit from Linden’s 1985 vines. The site’s eastern-facing slopes sit at 370m-470m, making it cooler than parts of the state further south. That, and the well-drained soils plus Law’s preferred style, mean a focus on structure can consistently be found in the vineyard’s wines, and the quality in recent vintages means it can stand alongside other Chardonnays of the world.

Yet for an emerging region, success with a grape such as Chardonnay – the most planted white in the world – proves tricky. Winemaker Ben Jordan, in his tenure at Early Mountain Vineyards (up to summer 2022), brought subtlety and a succulent sophistication to Chardonnay. The Early Mountain 2017 from Quaker Run Vineyard still impresses.

But today, Jordan has shifted focus. He’s partner and lead winemaker at Common Wealth

16 | Decanter | January 2024

Crush, a cooperative-style winery in the Shenandoah Valley of western Virginia. Like Law before him, he mentors newer winemakers. The reduced expense of a shared winery space means smaller-production projects can test-drive new styles with less risk. For Jordan, the freedom afforded by his own winery reignited his passion for experimentation and a willingness to invest in the unknown varieties and blends of Virginia.

Petit Manseng, almost unheard of outside the sweet wines of southwest France, plays a background role in many of his blends. Though it often makes disjointed wines on its own, Jordan has found that, with its naturally elevated acidity, just a splash brings energy and freshness to a better-known variety, even some reds. Similarly, hybrid grapes bring greater resilience to Virginia’s humidity and variable weather, and can add lift to an otherwise classic vinifera-based wine. Jordan recently launched Lightwell Survey, a collection of flavourful, mineral-driven wines blending vinifera, hybrids and his beloved Petit Manseng.

Wine expert Lee Campbell moved to Virginia from New York in 2022 to help build Common Wealth Crush and has already inspired new brands through the space. Reggie Leonard’s Parallax makes a white blend and a red blend, both for early consumption. Ben Jordan’s winegrower brother Tim oversees growing for the brand Star Party, delivering wines with a focus on texture. Jahdé Marley is making fruit wines.

Distinctive blends, fruits and hybrids are also free of weighty comparisons associated with traditional wine grapes. For a new generation of winemakers, they offer the opportunity to create a new legacy for American wine through new styles.

Even so, the Jordan brothers continue their passion for Chardonnay through the family project Midland Wines. The best of Virginia’s classic wines, like Linden or Early Mountain, will continue to contribute to the quality of the state’s wine industry. Just as a new generation helps to chart a new future for Virginia wine. D Elaine Chukan Brown is a widely published, California-based wine writer, speaker and educator

IN MY GLASS THIS MONTH

Over dinner with friends, I had the great fortune to enjoy a bottle of Château Mouton Rothschild, Pauillac 1973, with the Pablo Picasso label in honour of the artist’s then-recent passing.

The ullage was just below the bottle’s shoulder, yet the wine retained a beautiful crimson colour and impressively fresh acidity. It gained in complexity and life over the course of our dinner, opening to reveal beautiful mushroom, earth and cinnamon notes through a long finish.

It’s a testament to the occasional beauty of drinking history.

UNCORKED

Chris Losh What’s the alternative?

S

o this no and low-alcohol thing is a bit trendy, isn’t it?

It is indeed. The fastest growing part of the drinks world, in fact. Some of the biggest names have given it their blessing.

Who? Jancis? Parker? Aubert de Villaine?

Kylie Minogue, Lewis Hamilton and Sarah Jessica Parker.

And they’ve approved it how, exactly?

By launching a sparkling rosé, agave spirit and low-alcohol wine range respectively.

Is SJP’s sparkler called Sekt in the City?

Very good. But actually it’s a 7% alcohol by volume Prosecco, so no.

What? 7% alcohol? I thought the whole point of no-and-low was that they were all booze-free.

Come on, this is the drinks world. Of course it’s more complicated than that. Low-alcohol is meant to be for anything at 1.2% abv or below [according to UK definitions], but is often used as shorthand for drinks that are just not fullstrength. Like ‘small beers’ at 2% or Ms Parker’s Sevenly range, where the clue’s in the name.

So what’s alcohol-free then?

It can vary a bit from country to country, but generally it’s 0.5% abv and below. Zero, you’ll be pleased to hear, means zero. [The UK government is consulting on whether to raise the threshold for describing a drink as ‘alcohol free’ from the currently defined 0.05% to 0.5% abv, in line with other comparable countries.]

My head hurts.

You shouldn’t have drunk four bottles of Sevenly.

0.5% seems a weirdly random number for alcohol-free.

Not at all. It’s a level at which your body processes the minimal amount of alcohol quite easily, so you don’t get intoxicated. And it can naturally occur in things like ripe bananas or an open carton of orange juice, so even avowed teetotallers might occasionally consume that much inadvertently.

18 | Decanter | January 2024

How do they make these drinks? Are they just alcoholic versions with the booze taken out?

Yes. But also no.

Let me guess – it’s complicated.

Beers can be brewed to 0.5% without de-alcoholisation. And some spirits are made by fermenting base ingredients and then adding additional flavours. We’ll get into ‘wine alternatives’ later. But de-alcoholisation to some degree is common, especially for wine. It’s a very complicated and skilled process.

Why’s that?

Because alcohol is great at holding flavour, so when you take it out of a drink, you lose quite a bit of the character.

To be fair I can think of some drinks that would be improved if you removed most of their flavour.

Clockwise from top left: Club Soda Tasting Room, Bar & Shop in London (see also ‘Book in’, p10); Kylie Minogue holding her No Alcohol Sparkling Rosé drink; a Blossom non-alcoholic cocktail made using Seedlip Grove 42 citrus non-alcoholic spirit and juice of blood orange; for mixing drinks, ginger is one of the best ‘functional’ botanical ingredients; and Jukes 8, the apple cider vinegar-based, rosé wine-like alcohol-free mixer

For recommendations by our Spirits Editor Julie Sheppard on some of the top NoLo spirits available currently, see ‘Five of the best’ in Distilled, on p61

THE BEST NO-LO DRINKS IN MY GLASS AT THE MOMENT

Let’s not get the lawyers involved, shall we? The point is, the best alc-free wine producers take account of the effect of de-alcoholisation when they grow the grapes and make the original wine.

I guess it’s a new technology and they’re learning all the time.

Actually, de-alcoholisation has been around for more than 100 years. But you’re right – there’s a lot of work being done to refine the techniques.

Broadly speaking, fruity whites and rosés seem to work best. Sparkling is good, too – the bubbles and sugar add mouthfeel that gets lost when you remove the alcohol.

PHOTOGRAPH HIROSHI HIGUCHI/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO

There’s a ‘but’ coming isn’t there…?

Yes. Reds are tough to get right – they often taste a bit thin. That said, they’re way better than they were even four or five years ago. We’re starting to see varietal typicity, and some people think we could even see terroir in alc-free wines soon.

Pre-dinner I’ve become addicted to Citizen Spritz Bitter Orange (0% alcohol, £20/50cl citizenspritz.com, Threshers). With flavours of vanilla, cinnamon and orange pith, it’s like a less-divisive Campari and is superb mixed with Fever-Tree Refreshingly Light tonic water. Copenhagen Sparkling Tea’s Blå (0%, £15.75-£20/75cl Club Soda, Fenwick, Selfridges, Spirits Kiosk, Taurus Wines, The Champagne Co) has been my Champagne substitute for a couple of years and works well with Chinese food, too.

Butcombe’s Goram IPA Zero (£15.99/12x330ml butcombe.com) is a brilliant alcohol-free beer [labelled as

‘<0.5%’] with a lovely combination of satisfying malty richness and cool-hearted bitterness. It’s great with wintry food or watching rugby on the TV.

‘Aperitivos are a really hot part of alcohol-free with complex examples where you don’t miss the alcohol’

Is there more to it than just taking away alcohol from wine?

Yes. In fact, for many people ‘wine alternatives’ are one of the most exciting areas. These are drinks that do the job of wine but aren’t exactly wine. They could be de-alcoholised versions with added fruit, spice or herb flavours, or products created from the ground up without alcohol, building in layers of structure, flavour and complexity. It sounds weird, but they really work.

tannin, complexity and a savouriness that really works with food. Just like in the best wines.

Sounds a bit like vermouth.

Good spot. Aperitivos are a really hot part of alcohol-free with brilliant, complex, flavourful examples where you absolutely don’t miss the alcohol. A growing number of people are using cider vinegar as a base, too. Steep fruit in it, add other flavours and you can get something that’s decidedly wine-like, even though it’s never been near a grape.

Fine, but I’m just not going to give up Barolo, sorry.

You don’t have to. There are more teetotallers out there, but the big boom in alcohol-free is people who still drink having days off, or mixing in some alc-free drinks during a night out. There’s loads to try – just don’t be afraid to experiment, and come at it with an open mind.

Vinegar? Seriously?

Don’t be dismissive. It’s about balancing the acidity with sweetness and body. Just like in, say, Riesling.

If that’s too much, try tea-based drinks. They have

Chris Losh has been writing about drinks for more than 25 years. In 2023, he co-founded the World AlcoholFree Awards, the first international competition dedicated to drinks at or below 0.5% alcohol

How about spirits?

There are lots of excellent gins – and drinks that are like gin, but not quite. Rum and tequila alternatives are on the rise, too. Especially in the US. And if you don’t fancy mixing them yourself, there’s a big boom in Ready To Drink cocktails in pretty much any style you fancy.

I’ll drink to that! D

Decanter | January 2024 | 19

WINES OF THE

YEAR

Are you resolved to drink better in 2024 and looking for a unique list of classic wines, great buys under £20, and one-off quirky options?

The Decanter team and our global experts nominated some of their favourites from 2023, which we then tasted blind to come up with a distinctive list of 113 top bottles scoring 90 points and above REPORT TINA GELLIE

20 | Decanter | January 2024

WINES OF THE YEAR

G

reece and South Africa were the stars of our two-day Wines of the Year blind tasting, between them taking home the White, Red and Offbeat Wine of the Year gongs (turn the page to find out who they are), and with 14 other wines earning an average of 90 points or more.

While Italy had the greatest number of top-scorers last year, it was France’s turn to shine in 2023, with 17 wines rated Highly recommended or better, crowned by Champagne house Louis Roederer taking the Sparkling Wine of the Year for the second year running – this time with the multi-vintage Collection 243 cuvée repeating the success of Cristal 2013.

With nine top-scoring entries, Spain followed South Africa (10), and also secured repeat success in the Value Wine of the Year, thanks to Hidalgo’s La Gitana Manzanilla En Rama Sherry. Last year, it was the 2013 Reserva Blanco Rioja from Bodegas Muriel that triumphed.

PERSONAL RECOMMENDATION

Unlike other end-of-year wine round-ups which are just run-of-the-mill, reprinted lists or retastes of selected high-scoring/big-name wines, the wines entered into Decanter’s Wines of the Year are all personal favourites of our experts. They are recommendations by wine lovers for wine lovers – Decanter’s readers – of amazing classic wines, great-value buys and exciting discoveries they have tasted over the past 12 months. Decanter World Wine Awards Co-Chairs, Regional Chairs,

key contributors and staff had the opportunity to nominate three wines each under the categories of Classic (a premium, textbook wine style), Value (under £20) and Offbeat (unusual grape, regions, winemaking method or unearthed gem).

At the time of nomination, the wines had to be available commercially (so no rare or ancient bottles) but due to low stock or exclusivity, we couldn’t source some bottles. Additionally, others we did source and taste had sold out by the time we published these results.

In the final analysis, from more than 180 recommendations we blind-tasted 153 wines in all, sourced from 29 countries and priced between £7 and £270. Wines were tasted within their category but, in order to ensure a level playing field, no prices were revealed.

On the following pages we highlight the 113 wines that scored 90 points or more overall, all of them offering great pleasure, whatever your taste or bank balance.

For in-depth insight from the Wines of the Year judges about the wines entered into the Classic, Value and Offbeat categories this year, see the individual reports and score tables on decanter.com/premium

THE JUDGES Tina Gellie is Decanter’s Content Manager, joining in 2008 and most recently Regional Editor for Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Canada.

Before wine, she worked as a newspaper journalist in London and Australia

Anne Krebiehl MW is a widely published wine writer, editor and awarded author, and is a competition judge and lecturer on wine with a particular focus, among others, on Pinot Noir and traditional-method sparkling wine from around the globe

Michaela Morris is a wine writer, judge and educator with a particular focus on Italy. Based in Vancouver, she is a VIA Italian Wine Expert, a cavaleiro of the Confraria do Vinho do Porto, and a regular speaker at international wine events

Thank you to the following 63 people who contributed their nominations (some of which we were not able to source): Sarah Ahmed, Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW, Amanda Barnes, Richard Baudains, Laura Bianco, Jim Budd, James Button, Michelle Cherutti-Kowal MW, Ch’ng Poh Tiong, Shana Clarke, Brianne Cohen, Gabriela Colotto, Jonathan Cristaldi, Peter Csizmadia-Honigh, Charles Curtis MW, Markus Del Monego MW, Michael Denton, Cameron Douglas MS, Natalie Earl, Sarah Jane Evans MW, Simon Field MW, Aldo Fiordelli, Elizabeth Gabay MW, J’nai Gaither, Michael Garner, Tina Gellie, Caroline Gilby MW, Tom Hewson, Michael Hill Smith MW, Georgie Hindle, Huon Hooke, Alejandro Iglesias, Andrew Jefford, Hugh Johnson, Roger Jones, Darrel Joseph, Justin Knock MW, Anne Krebiehl MW, Malu Lambert, Anna Lee C Ijima, Peter Liem, Fiona MacDonald, Caro Maurer MW, Richard Mayson, Thierry Meyer, Michaela Morris, Michela Nassiz, Rupert Owen, Barbara Philip MW, Alessandra Piubello, Clive Pursehouse, Anthony Rose, Ines Salpico, Ronan Sayburn MS, Julie Sheppard, Stacy Slinkard, David Sly, Cesar Soler, Sonja van Praag, Matt Walls, Beth Willard, Amy Wislocki, Sylvia Wu ▶ Decanter | January 2024 | 21

TASTED BLIND

SPARKLING WINE OF THE YEAR

95

Louis Roederer, Collection 243, Champagne, France NV Classic Tina Gellie 95 Anne Krebiehl MW 94 Michaela Morris 95

£49-£65.50 Widely available via UK agent Maison Marques et Domaines

Founded in 1776, Louis Roederer is the largest family-managed Champagne house, today run by seventh-generation Frédéric Rouzaud, with wines made since 1989 by chef de cave Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon. Launching with 241 in 2021, Collection replaced Brut Premier as Louis Roederer’s multi-vintage cuvée, the collection number allowing consumers to identify the vintage of the base wine so they can choose their preferred level of youth or maturity. Collection 243 is based on the 2018 vintage, incorporating 31% of wine from a perpetual reserve that was started in 2012, as well as 10% from oak-aged reserve wines from vintages between 2009 and 2017. A blend of 42% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir and 18% Pinot Meunier with a dosage of 8g/L, a quarter of the wine underwent malolactic fermentation.

Tina Gellie Great mousse and vibrant aromas of crunchy, fresh green apple, then a palate of more tangy apple and lemongrass riffs, digestive biscuit nuttiness and a wonderful chalky texture.

Elegant, complex and impossible not to like.

Anne Krebiehl MW Subtle autolysis on the nose, lemony hints, fine mousse on a bright, balanced body. Beautifully clean and rounded while staying elegant and bright.

Michaela Morris An elegant and precise nose exudes hints of pie crust, chalky minerals and pure citrus. Delicate and refined with depth and layers. Truly classic and gorgeously attractive, with telltale chalkiness at the fore. What more could you want?

Drink 2024-2040 Alcohol 12.5% Nominated by Simon Field MW

CLASSIC WHITE WINE OF THE YEAR

GaiaWines,Thalassitis,Santorini, Greece2022 Classic

95

Tina Gellie 95 Anne Krebiehl MW 95 Michaela Morris 95

£30-£33.95 Epinoia, Hallgarten Wines, Hedonism, Hic, NY Wines, Strictly Wine, Whole Foods Market, Vinvm

Gaia Estate is one of the pioneers of the modern Greek wine revolution, founded on the Aegean island of Santorini in 1994 by winemakers Leon Karatsalos and Yiannis Paraskevopoulos (who also opened a winery in Nemea, on the mainland, in 1997). Made since the island winery’s inception, Thalassitis challenged the standards for dry Greek wine, and today remains one of the standard-bearers of the indigenous Assyrtiko grape. Fruit for this wine is sourced from very low-yielding, self-rooted 80-year-old vines on volcanic slopes of up to 250m in Episkopi, Akrotiri and Pyrgos. It is unoaked to accentuate the fruit purity and distinctive minerality, sees no malolactic fermentation in order to retain freshness, and is left on lees for four months with regular stirring to add texture and complexity.

22 | Decanter | January 2024

Tina Gellie Minerals galore. Like the smell of rain, the taste of wet slate, with a briny oyster shell tang. When the fruit shows through it is all fresh lemon juice – crisp, bright and bitey. Takes you straight to Greece and the sea and salty air – just needs sun and some grilled octopus.

Anne Krebiehl MW Slightly lemony, bright, but also with a waxy edge lending richness and texture to a salty, slender, stony wine.

Michaela Morris A slightly wild leesy funkiness to the aromas, yet clean and brilliantly unoaked.

Fruit purity shows through. The palate is confident with lemon pith, green scrubby herbs and stone. Very steely, stately acidity with a belting finish.

Drink 2024-2040 Alc 13% Nominated by Shana Clarke

C Classic O Offbeat V Value

WINES OF THE YEAR CLASSIC RED WINE OF THE YEAR

97

Kanonkop, Cabernet Sauvignon, Simonsberg-Stellenbosch, South Africa 2019 Classic Tina Gellie 97 Anne Krebiehl MW 97 Michaela Morris 96

£40 Frontier Fine Wines, Lay & Wheeler, Majestic In 2023, Kanonkop (owned by the fourth generation of the founding family, brothers Johann and Paul Kriege) celebrated 50 years of wine; the inaugural release being the 1973 vintage of this Cabernet Sauvignon. Joining in 2002, Abrie Beeslaar soon became only the third winemaker in the farm’s history, replacing Beyers Truter (1981-2003) who followed Kanonkop’s first official winemaker Jan Boland Coetzee (1968-1981). Of the estate’s 95ha of mainly dry-farmed vines, 35% are Cabernet Sauvignon, averaging 30 years, from Simonsberg in Stellenbosch, used for this varietal cuvée as well as Kanonkop’s flagship Paul Sauer Bordeaux blend. This 2019 was fermented in open-top concrete vessels then aged for 24 months in French oak barrels, 50% new and 50% second fill.

Tina Gellie Gorgeously seductive with its satin mouthfeel, silky tannins and flavours of smoked meat, saddle leather, green olives, plum skin sappiness and black fruit richness. Like diving into a cool, deep, dark pool. Beautiful freshness, length and composure – pitch perfect for drinking now but will age very well. What a belter.

Anne Krebiehl MW Smoke and earth, tobacco, the palate is dense but super-elegant, unravels like silk.

Fine tannin, savoury umami edges, yet such salty, gorgeously ripe fruit. Altogether brilliant, with a lovely, serene balance – the ideal of proportions.

Michaela Morris Aromas are open, a bit flinty, but the palate is where it’s all happening: starts seductive but finishes serious, in the best possible way. Still needs time. The nice, savoury herbal character promises much.

Drink 2024-2040 Alc 12.5% Nominated by Malu Lambert

OFFBEAT WINE OF THE YEAR

Tetramythos, Malagousia, Achaia, Peloponnese, Greece 2022 Offbeat

96

Tina Gellie 96 Anne Krebiehl MW 95 Michaela Morris 97

£18.50 Odyssea, Thirsty Cambridge All from the north of the Peloponnese region, brothers Aristos and Stathis Spanos met winemaker Panayiotis Papagiannopoulos in 1999, and together they founded Tetramythos, planting vineyards in 2003 and completing their modern winery in 2004 – here the focus is on micro-vinifications of each variety and vineyard.

Their 14ha under vine, organically farmed, is planted between 450m and 1,000m on mainly limestone soils on the slopes of the Aroania (Helmos) mountains, overlooking the Gulf of Corinth. While they also make a 100% Malagousia (and several other indigenous Greek grapes) in a ‘natural’ wine style, this bottling sees traditional winemaking in stainless steel.

Tina Gellie A wonderfully stately wine, and could be in the Classic category as it is so fine-boned, elegant and serious. Complex and beautifully structured with racy, laser-focused acidity and an intriguing herbal and bergamot-like palate, with a super-long preserved lemon and walnut finish.

Anne Krebiehl MW Tender notions of white grape skin, salty breeze, with mandarin and tangerine underneath. A synthesis of salty, bright, ripe citrus juiciness, and so long.

Michaela Morris Very pretty and pure, showing hints of rose with lemon and scrubby Mediterranean herbs. Brilliantly dry, clean, pure and mouthwatering. Gosh, and modest alcohol, too. Everyone should try this.

Drink 2024-2040 Alc 12% Nominated by Simon Field MW ▶

Decanter | January 2024 | 23

WINES OF THE YEAR VALUE WINE OF THE YEAR

95

Hidalgo, La Gitana Manzanilla En Rama, Jerez, Spain NV Classic Tina Gellie 95 Anne Krebiehl MW 95 Michaela Morris 95

£17-£20 Widely available via independent merchants Bodegas Hidalgo, most famous for its Tio Pepe Fino brand, was founded in 1792 and is based in the seaside city of Sanlúcar de Barrameda. It is the last remaining family-run business to produce and export its own unblended, single-solera Sherries. As with all manzanilla, this is made from 100% Palomino grapes grown on white albariza soils at Hidalgo’s highest-quality vineyards of El Cuadrado at Balbaina Alta, and is matured over eight years beneath a layer of flor, using the traditional solera system of fractional blending in American oak casks. The en rama style means the wine is freshly bottled, natural and unfined, straight from the cask. Only 35 of the solera’s 1,000-litre capacity barrels were used for this spring 2023 release.

1

Philipponnat, Royale Réserve Brut, Champagne, France NV C

TG 95 AK 93 MM 94 £43-£52.99 Berry Bros & Rudd, Justerini & Brooks,

Master of Malt, Selfridges, The Finest Bubble, The Whisky Exchange

A distinctly red-berry nose – all redcurrants and small forest fruit. Red Delicious apple has such a telltale Pinot scent. The palate has pure, bright apple fruit, a lemony verve, and a very delicate mousse backed by gently salty autolysis. Vanilla oak comes through, like the custard on an apple crumble, carrying freshness and flavour until the lingering finish. Drink 2024-2040 Alcohol 12.5% Tom Hewson

2

The Hilt, Estate Sparkling, Sta Rita Hills, Santa Barbara, California, USA 2016 C TG 93 AK 94 MM 94 thehiltestate.com

Gorgeous autolysis aromas with notes of lemon shortbread and cream. There is an assertive backbone and structure with evolving flavours of baked orchard fruit.

The bubbles bring freshness. Perky, green

24 | Decanter | January 2024

Tina Gellie Very impressive quality for under £20 – and could be in the Classic category as it’s such a benchmark example of the manzanilla style.

Saline, fresh and singing with its briney olive, Marcona almonds, tangy apple and yeasty notes.

Deliciously moreish, bracingly crisp and crying out for a bucket of prawns. Yum! Anne Krebiehl MW Salty, green walnut skins, absolutely savoury, tangy, totally mouthfilling and oh-so salty – umami bomb deliciousness.

And so long.

Michaela Morris Classically green apple, almondy brackiness. Firmly structured and persistent. If I ordered a glass of this, I’d be so satisfied. Doughy snap to finish. Drink while fresh.

Drink 2024-2035 Alc 15% Nominated by Julie Sheppard

apple and zingy lemon with a mineral edge.

Super-racy, yet this is more vinous than sparkling and almost off the beaten track rather than classical. A positively racy finish is classy indeed. Drink 2024-2040 Alc 12% J’nai Gaither

3

TG 92 AK 91 MM 92 £19.99 Taurus Wines, The Vineyard Dorking, The Wright Wine Co, Village Wines Bexley

An appealing and classically Cava nose is led by notes of mocha and thyme, then 1

2

KWV, Laborie Blanc de Blancs, Western Cape, South Africa 2018 V

TG 93 AK 93 MM 93 £15.95-£17.99 Booths, Cape Wine & Food, Carruthers & Kent, Cellar Doors, Dulwich Vintners,

94

94

Hedley Wright, Slurp, The Dorset Wine Co, The Whalley Wine Shop, TJ Wines

An attractive nose, baked pastry and candied citrus. Creamy, chalky autolysis, notions of honey; fresh, bright and so slender. The mousse is frothy and upfront yet persists through to the finish. A pure fruit sweetness is flattering and satisfying.

Elegant and clear-cut with proper length and a dry finish. Well done! Drink 20242040 Alc 12% Anne Krebiehl MW

4

Juvé & Camps, Reserva de la Familia Cava Gran Reserva Brut Nature, Catalonia, Spain 2018 V C Classic O Offbeat V Value

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92

5

6

92

95

7

95

8

94

9

94

10

93

lovely honeyed Xarel.lo fruit and beautifully fine mousse, all making a most elegant Cava. Nice backbone, and it comes across as quite dry with a savoury, lipsmacking finish that lingers. Well made and refreshing, very youthful and should age well. Drink 2024-2030 Alc 12% Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW

‘These are recommendations by wine lovers for wine lovers – Decanter’s readers – of amazing classic wines, great-value buys and exciting discoveries they have tasted over the past 12 months’

5

7

No1 Family Estate, No1 Reserve, Marlborough, New Zealand NV C

TG 92 AK 91 MM 92 £75 Amathus Drinks Ripeness hits home here. Elegant yet ripe apple and candied lemon; savoury apple and baked pear, then honey and acacia.

Equally expressive on the palate, the mousse sprightly. Bright and clean, a taut, brisk wine with style. Really well made and should age well. Drink 2024-2030 Alc 13% Cameron Douglas MS

6

Cantina Terlano, Rarity, Alto Adige Terlano, Italy 2010 O

TG 95 AK 94 MM 95 £200-£215 Astrum Wine Cellars, Harrogate Wines, Hedonism, Museum Wines, Natty Boy Wines, The Whisky Exchange

An incredible 144 months on lees and a 2010 but still so fresh, packed with waxy orchard fruits, nuts and citrus peel.

Hazelnut and pineapple juice, with clear signs of evolution. Wonderful serenity, with a bright line of acidity and so much body.

Textured with clarity, a super-interesting wine. Savoury and complex, it deserves to be contemplated over a long meal. Drink 2024-2040 Alc 14% Michael Garner

Thymiopoulos, Blanc des Côteaux Cuvée Amphore, Naoussa, Macedonia, Greece 2020 O TG 97 AK 94 MM 93 £38.50 Theatre of Wine Deep gold in colour. Intense orange and earth aromas, hints of nuts and honey.

Creaminess, caramelised fruit and freshly shorn wool. This blend of Vidiano and Aidani grows on you, with so much salty tension and freshness, and the austerity blossoms into complex layers of flavour. A contemplative wine with incredible lingering depths. Quality shines through – everyone should be excited about Greece.

Drink 2024-2040 Alc 13.5% Ines Salpico

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Battenfeld Spanier, CO Liquid Earth Riesling, Rheinhessen, Germany 2018 C

TG 93 AK 94 MM 94 £187 Berry Bros & Rudd, Howard Ripley, Justerini & Brooks

Subtle chervil and yarrow with a Riesling bite, brisk and lactic nose. So chalky, so stony, so profound, great concentration and complexity. Lean and light, with pointed minerality. Delicious stuff. Drink 2024-2035 Alc 12.5% Caro Maurer MW

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Trimbach, Clos Ste Hune Riesling, Alsace, France 2016 C

TG 94 AK 93 MM 95 £268 Hedonism A gentle nose with a kaleidoscope of citrus, stone, mineral and fruit blossom. Pure and focused on the palate, showing savoury, textural complexity. Creamy and rounded, this feels almost Champagne-like in its toasty, mature refinement. A lovely and mouthfilling wine, with length and texture.

Great stuff. Drink 2024-2035 Alc 13.5% Michael Hill Smith MW

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Ktima Biblia Chora, Ovilos, Pangeon, Macedonia, Greece 2022 93 O TG 93 AK 93 MM 93 £34.99-£42.50 Hallgarten Wines, Novel Wines, Strictly Wine, The Good Wine Shop

Forward and perfumed, showing zingy and perky jasmine and yellow peach, great texture and subtle spice, savoury, nutty aromas with a whack of pine that comes through on the palate. Textured and incisive, with a long aftertaste. Judiciously oaked to give just a bit of extra complexity and weight, then a rip-roaring lemony zest cleanses the mouth. Finishes with an ▶ Decanter | January 2024 | 25

WINES OF THE YEAR almost cool tropical fruit. Drink 2024-2040 Alc 13.5% Roger Jones

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Pazo Señorans, Albariño, Rías Baixas, Spain 2022 C

TG 94 AK 93 MM 92 £21-£28 Baythorne Wines, DBM Wines, Gauntleys,

Handford, Hay Wines, Highbury VIntners, JN Wine, KWM, The Wine Reserve, Uncorked, Virgin Wines

Pretty peach and honey scents seduce.

Really briney with peach juice and a lovely richness: a great example of Albariño. Puts you in no doubt as to its origins. The palate is steely: classically so. Lemon purity and salty stoniness are appetising and tangy.

Drink 2024-2040 Alc 13.5% Fiona Beckett

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Penfolds, Yattarna Bin 144 Chardonnay, Australia 2021 C

TG 95 AK 92 MM 93 £147 Berry Bros & Rudd, Burnett & Herbert Decidedly struck-match and flint nose, yet with all that stone and intense lemon behind it. Lots of corn husk and maize meal aromas, tension and a vein of lemon freshness throughout, a pithy undertone and simmering depth. Very tight and youthful now, this needs some time. Drink 2024-2040 Alc 13% David Sly

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Rudolf May, Himmelspfad Silvaner GG, Franken, Germany

2022 O

TG 93 AK 94 MM 93 £49 Howard Ripley 11

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Captivating aromas of fresh chervil, summer hay, gentle creamy hazelnut oak and lemon. Textured with a peach-skin raspiness, lovely mouthfeel, round and open. It is redolent of meadows and streamwater, with an earthiness and orchard apple; simply begs a sip. The perky, bright orange skin and green nectarine tanginess are very appealing. Drink 2024-2040 Alc 13% Anne Krebiehl MW

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Tenuta del Conte, Diversamente Greco Bianco, Cirò, Calabria, Italy 2019 O

TG 93 AK 93 MM 94 £28.50 Astrum Wine Cellars, Sociovino There’s a lovely and fragrant sense of pine resin that rises from the glass, and this has the nose of orange peel and Christmas spice. Very exciting, with fresh acidity and so much flavour. Savoury, with just a hint of marzipan. Wonderfully textured yet clean, dense, salty and light on its feet. A white to be paired with pork or rich seafood. Drink 2024-2040 Alc 12% Michaela Morris

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TG 92 AK 91 MM 92 £22.40-£27.50 Bowland Forest Vintners, Lay & Wheeler, Shelved Wine, Stannary Wine

A beautifully bitter note appears on the nose, alongside Navel orange zest. Apple skin mouthfeel with perky and raspy fruit tannins and a lingering green herb tanginess. There’s a slight bitterness on the palate, with a deep salty texture that cries out for food. Drink 2024-2030 Alc 13.5% Ronan Sayburn MS

TG 92 AK 92 MM 92 POA Matthew Clark Baked apple and camomile aromas on the nose are very fragrant and a bit oxidative, with a marzipan edge. A lot is happening on the palate, both texturally and flavour-wise.

The wine has an undeniably racy backbone.

Lime curd and nougat with a creamy depth, begging yet another sip. Drink 2024-2035 Alc 13.5% Thierry Meyer

TG 92 AK 93 MM 92 cavespring.ca

Cream and honey on the nose, along with super-lifted lemon. Unusual style, oxidised and nutty, Riesling character is there in the background. Waxy, rounded with gorgeously

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Elvio Cogno, Anas-Cëtta Nascetta del Comune di Novello, Langhe, Piedmont, Italy 2021 O

Emile Beyer, Riesling Grand Cru Eichberg, Alsace, France 2020 C

Cave Spring Vineyard, Prova Riesling, Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Canada 2018 O

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beautiful fresh acid. Bright, vivid, salty and dry. Drink 2024-2040 Alc 12% Tina Gellie

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Hamilton Russell, Chardonnay, Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, Walker Bay, South Africa 2021 C TG 94 AK 89 MM 92

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£35-£42 Widely available via UK agent Mentzendorff

Pristine, clean and vibrant, crisp apples, fresh peaches and lemon. Restrained but complex, the oak doesn’t override, leaving pure fruit at the core. Lovely brightness and freshness with some evolution. A pithy, bright verve draws out the leesy creaminess on the finish. A very handsome wine. Drink 2024-2033 Alc 13.5% Gabriela Colotto

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Höfflin, Phonolith Grauer Burgunder, Baden, Germany

2020 O

TG 92 AK 92 MM 92 weingut-hoefflin.de

Perky and phenolic with grapefruit peel and scents of toasted hazelnuts and almonds. Lovely texture with serenity, creaminess and hints of oaky orchard fruit.

A beautiful in-between wine, between white and red, with the best elements of both. A solid offbeat wine. Drink 2024-2030 Alc 13% Markus Del Monego MW

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Mount Pleasant, Elizabeth Semillon, Hunter Valley, Australia 2017 V TG 92 AK 91 MM 92 £19.25-£20 Fintry Wines, Shelved Wine, Vinvm A beautiful, savoury and seductive nose offers up lanolin with hints of both toast and citrus. There are overtones of lemon tisane, lemon oil and linden flower. This is a wine that is strident, yet so emollient.

Candle wax, autumn leaves and toast.

A lovely and well done wine. Drink 2024-2033 Alc 11% Justin Knock MW

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Tiko Estate, Orange Kisi, Kakheti, Georgia 2021 O

TG 93 AK 94 MM 94 £22.50 Astrum Wine Cellars, Field & Fawcett, Hedonism, Peckham Cellars, Sociovino

Gingerbread spice, orange peel studded with cloves, gorgeous phenolics. Pure rose and potpourri with hints of Turkish delight.

Medicinal and green with rosemary oil and citronella. This is not for the faint of heart: you’ll feel the dry tannins and a distinct bitterness of orange peel with intense sweet spice, but it is all genuine and sensational. A delicious pairing with Moroccan lamb tagine and dried apricot.

Drink 2024-2035 Alc 13.5% Sylvia Wu

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Troupis, Ekato Moschofilero, Arkadia, Peloponnese, Greece

2022 O

TG 91 AK 92 MM 92 £23.50-£24.50 Bancroft, Bottle Apostle, Epinoia, The Grocery

Floral rose water, orange potpourri and fig with persistent and pronounced fragrance – fun but serious. Gorgeous overtones of pomegranate fruit and electric acidity – it’s impossible not to imagine this with a whole array of exotic dishes. Drink 2024-2030 Alc 13% Barbara Philip MW

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Château Brane-Cantenac, Margaux 2CC, Bordeaux, France 2016 C TG 95 AK 97 MM 97 £82.50-£110 Berry Bros & Rudd, Christopher Keiller, Farr Vintners, House of Townend, Jeroboams, Mumbles Fine Wines, Nemo Wine Cellars, The Good

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Wine Shop, The Guildford Wine Co

Captivating cedar, tobacco and dark blackcurrant fruit, sinewy and taut. The palate is still firm and rigid, quite stately in fact, with a ton of savoury structure. Elegant structure with a tannic crunch. A great one to squirrel away and watch develop further.

Deep, dark, bramble fruit with a slick lick of oak, but it’s holding everything in reserve.

Drink 2024-2045 Alc 13.5% Ch’ng Poh Tiong

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Catena Zapata, Nicolás Catena Zapata, Mendoza, Argentina 2019 C

TG 95 AK 95 MM 95 £53 (ib)-£92 Berry Bros & Rudd, Bon Coeur, Cru, Crump Richmond Shaw, Davy’s, Farr Vintners, Fine & Rare, Lay & Wheeler, Waud Wines

Restrained and elegant with a minty coolness – classy and characterful. Lactic, very dense with bay leaf and sage herb savouriness, well-integrated oak. Poised, Bordeaux-like in structure, but with the benefit of beautifully ripe blue and purple berry fruit. Firm tannic grip, bright acidity and chalky textural chew. Polished and impressive but not showy or overdone.

Drink 2024-2040 Alc 13.7% Julie Sheppard

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Château Beau-Site, St-Estèphe, Bordeaux, France 2019 C

TG 94 AK 95 MM 95 £23.50-£30 Brunswick, Cambridge Wine Merchants, Davy’s, DBM Wines, High Breck, Nickolls & Perks

Sophisticated, oak-led nose exhibits roasted coffee and grilled meat. Very brooding, simmering with latent power and generous fruit expression. Taut, ▶ Decanter | January 2024 | 27

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structured, sinewy and a little dry, with chewy liquorice, tar and coffee notes alongside black fruit. Elegant complexity with a liquorice finish. Drink 2024-2045 Alc 13.5% Michael Denton

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Grattamacco, Bolgheri Superiore, Tuscany, Italy 2019 C

TG 95 AK 93 MM 98 £52.50 (ib)-£75 Berry Bros & Rudd, Christopher

Keiller, Crop & Vine, Cru, Cru Wine, Decorum Vintners, Ideal Wine Co, Justerini & Brooks

A fresh nose of grilled herbs and evocative oily green character. Olive and bay leaf, rosemary, an inkling of thyme. Dense and full, very generous, opulent fresh blackberry, black olive, coffee and rich red berry compote with savoury oak notes.

Warm on the finish. Magnificent in stature, polish and plushness, but it needs time.

Drink 2024-2045 Alc 14.5% James Button

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Massolino, Parafada Barolo, Piedmont, Italy 2019 C

TG 96 AK 92 MM 96 £114 Liberty Wines Discreet and youthful, waiting to express all of its earthy charms. Subtly perfumed, with slight florals and the expected brisk acidity.

Firmly structured, but has ample fruit concentration. Classic style with sour cherry flesh, mineral cherry stone and oak presence. Young, with time on its hands.

Drink 2024-2038 Alc 14.5% Michaela Morris

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Château Les Carmes HautBrion, Pessac-Léognan, Bordeaux, France 2019 C 28 | Decanter | January 2024

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TG 95 AK 94 MM 94 £87.50 (ib)-£180 Berry Bros & Rudd, Bordeaux Index, Corney & Barrow, Farr Vintners, Fine & Rare, Lay & Wheeler, Millésima, Nemo Wine Cellars

Pretty nose of florals and red berries with a back note of ripe green herb. Subtle tar, lovely elegance, dense but ripe tannin, structure and flow. The palate is quite austere and youthful now, needing time to relax. Nothing is overdone, and it thrills with that gravelly backbone. Drink 2024-2040 Alc 13.5% Georgie Hindle

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Fontodi, Flaccianello della Pieve, Colli della Toscana Centrale, Tuscany, Italy 2013 C TG 94 AK 94 MM 94 £83.33 (ib)-£120 Berry Bros & Rudd, Crump Richmond Shaw, Liberty Wines, Nemo Wine Cellars, Seckford Wines Starling Wines, Wilkinson Vintners

Powerful meaty scents joined by roasted coffee and mint. Lovely, savoury, grippy tannins. This is generously extracted and not shy on wood, but all comes together.

Still very youthful and structured; the vigorous tannins could use more time to mellow. Drink 2024-2033 Alc 14.5% Michelle Cherutti-Kowal MW

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Rall, Ava Syrah, Swartland, South Africa 2021 C

TG 95 AK 94 MM 94 £56.21 Justerini & Brooks Seductive nose, youthfully oak-led, but expressive violets, olives and black pepper.

Bold and meaty, liquorice, some reductive elements, blue fruit, full-on but varietally classic. Delicious cocoa nib edge to the red

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plum and high-acid redcurrant fruit. Still youthful with all its primary exuberance.

Drink 2024-2040 Alc 12.5% Tina Gellie

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Casa Ferreirinha, Reserva Especial, Douro, Portugal 2014 C

TG 93 AK 93 MM 93 £250 Burnett & Herbert, Hedonism, Liberty Wines A lovely notion of camomile flowers and dried hay appears even before the notes of caramelised red fruit. Brooding and overwhelming, firm and structured along with some heat, but this is very well done.

Melted vanilla laces dark black fruit; mouthwatering and fresh. Drink 2024-2031 Alc 14% Sarah Ahmed

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Illimis, Pinotage, Polkadraai Hills, Stellenbosch, South Africa 2022 O TG 93 AK 93 MM 93 US$50 Square Wine & Spirits What lovely, clean and bright-smelling Pinotage. Cherry is clothed in smoke and crushed red berry. Juicy and vivid, defined by brightness and freshness. A little funky, but so pretty. It will seduce detractors, for sure. Crunchy, aromatic and very long.

Drink 2024-2035 Alc 12% Fiona McDonald

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Raats Family, Cabernet Franc, Stellenbosch, South Africa

2020 C

TG 93 AK 93 MM 93 £31.95-£35.50 Alliance Wine, The Oxford Wine Co, Uncorked

Opens up quite beautifully in the glass to reveal classy red and black berries infused C Classic O Offbeat V Value

WINES OF THE YEAR with graphite. Lovely fluidity and freshness with good inky depth. Oak is evident but not overbearing on a well-weighted palate, perhaps a bit warm, but classic with lovely balance overall. Drink 2024-2045 Alc 14% Fiona McDonald

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Rudolf Fürst, Schlossberg Pinot Noir GG, Klingenberg, Franken, Germany 2021 C TG 93 AK 93 MM 93 £100-£120 Goedhuis & Co, Howard Ripley, James Nicholson, Justerini & Brooks, Lay & Wheeler, Stannary Wine

Lean, leafy, fresh with light reduction, but in a promising fashion. Lightness, crunch and elegance with sinuous red fruit and lovely iron-oxide depth. Peppery and spicy, pure.

Mouthwatering, with fine tannin. Mineral and pointed on the finish. Drink 2024-2035 Alc 13% Anna Lee C Iijima

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Rutini, Single Vineyard Malbec, Gualtallary, Uco Valley, Argentina 2018 C TG 94 AK 91 MM 95 £53 Viñals Wine & Food Seductive and plush, with tar and smoke evoking desert shrub: this has a really transportive nature. You smell the dry earth and perfumed herb flowers. There’s a lovely balance of oak, fruit and acid, and impressively constructed. Polished but not overdone in one direction or another.

Drink 2024-2035 Alc 14% Cesar Soler 33

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Tenuta delle Terre Nere, Calderara Sottana, Etna, Sicily, Italy 2021 C

TG 94 AK 93 MM 93 £58-£67 Justerini & Brooks, Millésima, Philglas & Swiggot, Vin Cognito

Subtle nose, with some brushwood and fragrant florals. Clean-flowing, crisp, great acid, mineral and tensile, super grip, tactile and tangy with so much crunchy, crisp acid.

Tannins are decidedly dry and clingy. A beguiling wine, firm and slender. Drink 2024-2035 Alc 14.5% Richard Baudains

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Allegrini, La Poja Corvina Veronese, Veneto, Italy 2018 C

TG 93 AK 91 MM 92 £52.50 (ib)-£100 Crop & Vine, Cru, Farr Vintners, Ideal Wine Co, Millésima, Starling Wines

Blackcurrant, very pretty, floral and potpourri on the nose and inital palate.

Tasty and delicate, shining fruit and smoky incense-like toasty oak. Depth and concentrated acidity with a healthy sheen of wood. Warming on the finish. Drink 2024-2032 Alc 14.5% Michela Nassiz

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Bodegas Bianchi, Gran Famiglia Corte, Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina 2020 C TG 92 AK 93 MM 92 POA £ Viñals Wine & Food Floral, smoky nose. High-toned and spirited with weight to balance the acid and density of fine tannins, and a real finesse. The

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palate is densely laden, full of dark fruit with a warming finish. Impressive and will appeal to Malbec aficionados. Will gain more elegance with age. Drink 2024-2035 Alc 14.5% Cesar Soler

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Castillo de Cuzcurrita, Cerrado del Castillo, Rioja, Spain 2017 C

TG 92 AK 91 MM 92 £85 Georges Barbier Quite modern and opulent in style. Vanilla, oak-led nuances, old-school. Concentrated raspberry flavours on a palate mellowed with a ton of tobacco, leather and grilled meatiness. Tight and firm on the finish.

Drink 2024-2030 Alc 14.5% Beth Willard

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Chêne Bleu, Héloïse, Vaucluse, Rhône, France 2015 C

TG 93 AK 91 MM 93 £72-£83 Arden, Justerini & Brooks, Salusbury

Winestore, Wine Monkey

Ripe and wild with a dark, brooding undertone, olive tapenade; classic savoury-acid Rhône-style. Evocative and meaty, with southern French character.

Peppery blackberries and garrigue. Great acidity, so pure and crisp. Can drink now.

Drink 2024-2035 Alc 14% Stacy Slinkard

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Cheval des Andes, Mendoza, Argentina 2020 C

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spirit-spiked Christmas cake booziness.

Swish tannins, juicy and full-bodied, very opulent and undeniably impressive. Drink 2024-2040 Alc 14.5% Alejandro Iglesias

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Domaine Mas de Rey, Marselan, Bouches du Rhône, Provence, France 2019 O TG 93 AK 89 MM 94 domaine-masderey.com

Pure nose, dense but fresh dark fruit. A mouthful of high-toned blackberry, spicy and peppery garrigue notes. Sappy and grippy. Lots of grape tannins, but ripe and well formed. Juicy, bright and very tasty.

This is blackberry and plum central. Drink 2024-2030 Alc 14.5% Ch’ng Poh Tiong

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Miguel Torres, Los Inquietos 01, Maule Valley, Chile 2019 O

TG 92 AK 92 MM 92 £40-£43.54 Mitchells Wine, Shelved Wine Blackcurrant fruit and leaf perform their aromatic magic, perfume leaping from the glass – quite exotic desert shrub with rocks and black liquorice. Blueberries and bilberries, lilacs and violets. The fruit is somewhat candied, yet this is a satisfying mouthful overall. Pretty Malbec. Drink 2024-2030 Alc 13.5% Amanda Barnes

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Philip Togni Vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, California, USA 2018 C

TG 91 AK 92 MM 93 £130-£150 (ib) Berry Bros & Rudd, Crop & Vine,

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Bramble berries with smoky and cocoa notes, some savoury characters but chock-full of bright fruit. Ripe, dense tannins with overt oak; a dry, vertical structure that lends intrigue and captivating savoury notes, bringing this wine to a warming close. Drink 2024-2035 Alc 14% Justin Knock MW

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Tapanappa, Foggy Hill Pinot Noir, Fleurieu Peninsula, South Australia 2019 C

TG 91 AK 92 MM 94 £32 Mentzendorff High-toned and crisp, mineral, a little underripe with crunchy, fresh green leaf notes and bonfire smoke, a touch of mint.

Lithe with a structured character. Drink 2024-2032 Alc 13% Anne Krebiehl MW

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Te Mata, Coleraine, Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand 2021 C

TG 92 AK 93 MM 91 £74 Berry Bros & Rudd, Bordeaux Index, Burnett

& Herbert, Farr Vintners, Hedonism, Lay & Wheeler

Juicy, ripe and hedonistic, expressive aromas, sweet bay leaf character and graphite notes. Lovely plum fruit, subtle cinnamon and much freshness on the palate. Flowing and clean, albeit with an edge of greenness. Weighty and ambitious.

Drink 2024-2035 Alc 14% Rupert Owen

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Tenuta Santa Caterina, Monferace, Grignolino d’Asti, Piedmont, Italy 2017 O

Ideal Wine Co, Justerini & Brooks, Lay & Wheeler,

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Starling Wines, Vinum Fine Wines

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Subtle but aromatic lift with a lovely hint of cherry evolution on the nose; with coaxing some exotic juniper and pepper emerge alongside cranberry.

High-toned with crisp acidity that refreshes the palate, grippy tannins but well structured. Incense-like aromatics persist in the glass. Very Italian.

Drink 2024-2030 Alc 15% Aldo Fiordelli

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Scubla Roberto, Cràtis Verduzzo Friulano, Friuli Colli Orientali, Italy 2019 O TG 93 AK 94 MM 94 scubla.com

Gorgeous coffee-vanilla nose with notes of orange, earth and violets. Sweetness and concentration are countered by structure, with a real nuttiness only adding to the substance. Masterfully balanced with good grip, some candied grapefruit and apricot freshness. Almost caramel on the finish. Drink 2024-2040 Alc 12% Richard Baudains

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Equipo Navazos, I Think Amontillado, Montilla-Moriles, Spain NV C TG 94 AK 93 MM 95 £23 Alliance Wine, Drinkmonger A very rich roasted hazelnut character makes this hard to resist. Lovely caramel crispness, lemon rind and peach, quite complex. There is a leesy, sea saltiness to it: vanilla, dried banana skin, tangy, smoky and such umami length – whoa! Drink 2024-2035 Alc 16.5% Sarah Jane Evans MW C Classic O Offbeat V Value

WINES OF THE YEAR

Also Highly recommended: Wines of the Year at 90-91pts SPARKLING

n AT Roca, Finca Els Gorgs Clàssic Penedès, Catalonia, Spain 2013 91 C 12%, josepastorselections.com IS n Chapel Down, Kit’s Coty Blanc de Blancs Brut, Kent, UK 2017 91 C 12%, £60 Chapel Down, Fortnum & Mason, Harrods, Hedonism, Master of Malt, The Whisky Exchange SW n Nathan Kendall, Extra Brut, Finger Lakes, New York USA 2018 91 O 12%, nkendallwines.com ALI n Podere Forte, Ada Blanc de Noir Extra Brut, Tuscany, Italy 2014 91 O 12%, podereforte.it JK n Pol Roger, Sir Winston Churchill, Champagne, France 2015 91 C 12.5%, £195-£250 Widely available via independent merchants SP n Sinefinis, Rebolium Brut Nature, Brda/Collio, Slovenia/Italy 2015 91 O 12%, sinefinis.com GC n Ferrari, Trentodoc Brut, Alto Adige, Italy NV 90 V 12.5%, £19-£27 Cellier, Frazier’s, Morrisons, Shelved Wine, Vinvm BP n Gusbourne, Rosé Brut, Kent/Sussex, UK 2018 91 C 12%, £110/magnum Gusbourne RJ

WHITE

n Domaine des Bérioles, Autochtone Tressallier, Loire, France 2021 91 O 12.5%, lesberioles.com JB n Errazuriz, Las Pizarras Chardonnay, Aconcagua Costa, Chile 2021 91 C 12.5, £45 (ib)-£70 Appellations, Berry Bros & Rudd, Bordeaux Index, Crop & Vine, Farr Vintners, IG Wines, Jeroboams, Starling Wines, VinQuinn AB n Massican, Gemina, Napa Valley, California, USA 2022 91 O 12.1%, US$35-$43 Blackwell’s, Crush, First Bottle, Hi-Time, Perrine’s, The Cellar d’Or, Tribeca, Wine.com, Wine Solutions SC n Pieropan, Soave Classico, Veneto, Italy, 2022 91 V 12%, £15.50-£20 Widely available via UK agent Liberty Wines MHS n Pietradolce, Etna Bianco, Sicily, Italy 2022 91 V 13%, £20-£28.50 Armit, Hic, Nemo Wine Cellars, Salusbury Winestore, The Dorset Wine Co, The Secret Cellar, The Wine Society MCK

n Sebastian Erbeldinger, Sauvignac, Rheinhessen, Germany 2021 91 O 12%, sebastian-erbeldinger.wine CM n Bodegas de la Marquesa, Valserrano Gran Reserva, Rioja, Spain 2017 90 C 13.5%, £38.50-£40 Davy’s, Private Cellar AW n Domaine de Bargylus, Bargylus, Deir Touma, Lattakia, Syria 2016 90 O 13.5%, £29.50 The Good Spirits Co AJ n Domaine La Réméjeanne, Les Arbousiers Blanc, Côtes du Rhône, France 2022 90 V 13.5, domainelaremejeanne.com MW n Drappier, Perpetuité Blanc de Pinot Noir, Coteaux Champenois, France NV 90 V 11.5%, £61-£70 The Champagne Co, The Drinks Emporium, The Secret Bottle Shop TH n Freycinet, The Society’s Exhibition Tasmanian Chardonnay, Tasmania, Australia, 2021 90 V 13.5%, £16.50 The Wine Society SA n Grace, Misawa Vineyard Koshu, Yamanashi, Japan 2021

90 O 11.7%, grace-wine.com SJE n Káli Kövek, Köveskál Olaszrizling, Káli, Balaton, Hungary 2022 90 C 13%, kalikovek.hu DJ n Karavitakis, Nomas Assyrtiko, Crete, Greece 2022 90 V 13%, £18.50 Jeroboams RS n Monte del Frà, Ca’ del Magro Custoza Superiore, Veneto, Italy 2021 90 V 13%, £21.50 (2020) Bancroft, Philglas & Swiggot, The Good Spirits Co JB n Podrumi Vukoje, Velika Selekcija, Middle Neretva, Bosnia & Herzegovina 2018 90 O 14%, podrumivukoje1982.com DJ n Taboadella, Villae Branco, Dão, Portugal 2021 90 V 13.5%, £18.55 Ellis Wines, Sommelier’s Choice IS n Vasse Felix, Filius Chardonnay, Margaret River, Australia 2022 90 V 12.5%, £14.99£20.50 Australian Wines Online, Bakers & Larners, Booths, Christopher Piper, Harrogate Wines, Majestic, Ocado, Soho Wine Supply, Wine Direct TG

n Voskevaz, Karasi Collection Voskehat, Aragatsotn, Armenia 2017 90 O 13.5%, £55.95 GinVino, Wine Origins JG n Wieninger, Wiener Gemischter Satz, Vienna, Austria 2022 90 V 12.5%, £19.99 Burnett & Herbert, Liberty Wines SC

ORANGE

n VineVenom, Skin, Swartland, South Africa NV 91 O 12.5%, £25 VineVenom Ascot ML n Vignerons Schmölzer & Brown, Grauburgunder, King Valley, Victoria, Australia 2021 90 O 12%, £34 Nekter Wines SA

RED

n Adelaida, Anna’s Estate Vineyard Counoise, Adelaida District, Paso Robles, USA 2019 91 O 12.6%, US$40 adelaida.com BC n Aldi, Specially Selected Lebanese Red, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon 2020 91 V 13.5%, £8.49 Aldi JB n Boschkloof, Kottabos Grenache-Syrah, Stellenbosch, South Africa 2022 91 V 13.5%, £16.20-£18.75 Justerini & Brooks, Lay & Wheeler, The Good Wine Shop ML n Domaine Danjou-Banessy, Estaca Rouge, Côtes Catalanes, Roussillon, France 2020 91 O 13.5%, £59.99 Cambridge Wine Merchants MW n Kyperounda, Epos, Limassol, Cyprus 2020 91 O 14.5%, kyperoundawinery.com CG n M Bulas Cruz, Reserva, Cima Corgo, Douro, Portugal 2019 91 V 14%, £11.99 LWC Drinks SP n Paul Jaboulet Aîné, Les Traverses, Ventoux, Rhône, France 2021 91 V 14.5%, £5.95/37.5cl The Wine Society RM n T-Oinos, Clos Stegasta Rare Mavrotragano, Tinos, Cyclades, Greece 2020 91 O 14%, £172 Oenogroup SP n The Standish Wine Co, The Relic, Barossa Valley, Australia 2021 91 C 15.5%, £85.50 The Vinorium RO n Trothe, Cabernet Sauvignon, Horse Heaven Hills, Washington State, USA 2019 91 C 14.7%, US$240 Compass Wines CP n Artisan Wines,

Zweigelt, Neusiedlersee, Burgenland, Austria 2017 90 V 13.5%, £19.50 Stone Vine & Sun SW n Bira Wines, Rosso d’Uco, Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina 2022 90 O 13.5%, £11.99 Bibendum Wine AI n Blackbook, South Bank Vineyard Drums>Space Field Blend, Essex, UK 2021 90 O 12.5%, £25.50£29.50 Blackbook Winery, D Vine Cellars, The Pig Hotels AR n Cà dei Maghi, Canova Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Riserva, Veneto, Italy 2015 90 C 16.5%, £55-£60 Eynsham Cellars, Grape Minds, Old Chapel Cellars, The Dorset Wine Co, The Solent Cellar, The Terrace Ventnor, Tivoli Wines, Vindependents MG n Carboy, Teroldego, Grand Valley, Colorado, USA 2020 90 O 13.5%, US$39 carboywinery.com SS n Di Prisco, Taurasi, Irpinia, Campania, Italy 2015 90 C 14%, cantinadiprisco.it AR n Domaine de l’Amandine, Séguret Côtes du Rhône Villages, France 2021 90 V 14%, £14.40 Tanners CPT n E Guigal, Côtes du Rhône, France 2020 90 V 14.5%, £11.50£16.95 Frazier’s, Huntsworth Wine Co, Lekker Wines, Majestic, Mumbles Fine Wines, Ocado, Shelved Wine, Tesco, The Wine Society, Waitrose TM n Fritz Wassmer, Spätburgunder CCL, Baden, Germany 2020 90 C 13.5%, weingutfritzwassmer.de MDM n Girlan, Gschleier Alte Reben Vernatsch, Alto Adige, Italy 2021 90 V 13%, £25.50 St Andrews Wine Co, The Wine Society, VinumTerra AF n Lagarde, Green Farming Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina 2022 90 V 14.2%, £18 (2021) Ruta 40 AI n MAN Family Wines, Essay Red Blend, Cape Coast, South Africa 2021 90 V 13.5%, manwines.com FM n Matias Morcos, Criolla Chica, Mendoza, Argentina 2022 90 V 12.5%, £20 Butlers Wine Cellar, Chesters Wine Merchants, Dronfield Wine World, House of Townend, The Stroud Wine Co AB n Mike & Molly Hendry, RW Moore Vineyard Zinfandel, Coombsville, California, USA 2021 90 C 15.4%, mikeandmollyhendry.com BP n Orma, Toscana, Tuscany, Italy 2015 90 C 15%, £75 Berry Bros & Rudd, Bordeaux Index, Corney & Barrow MN n Remírez de Ganuza, Iraila, Rioja, Spain 2021 90 C 14%, £90 Brunswick, Crop & Vine, Ideal Wine Co, Starling Wines LB n Storm, Ridge Pinot Noir, Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge, Walker Bay, South Africa 2020 90 C 13.5%, £43.95 Handford RS n Te Mata, Estate CabernetMerlot, Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand 2020 90 V 13.5%, £18.45-£21.50 Noble Green, Vinvm, Wine Direct CD

FORTIFIED

n Hidalgo, Pastrana Manzanilla Pasada, Jerez, Spain NV 91 V 15%, £16.95-£20 Widely available via independent merchants SF D Decanter | January 2024 | 31

Burgundy 2022 Despite the (very) hot and dry season, 2022 wasn’t a typical année solaire, according to the verdicts of Burgundy’s winemakers, with quality and quantity to be found, many early-drinking options, but reds to lay down, too. Our expert’s selection of 40 excellent whites and reds will point the way...

REPORT CHARLES CURTIS MW

T

he 2022 growing season from April to September saw near-record heat and sunshine for the Burgundy region, but well-timed rains helped to deliver grapes that exhibited few characteristics of a hot summer.

The fruit was healthy and ripe, with often lower

32 | Decanter | January 2024

alcohol levels than in 2020 – also a year of significant heat along with drought across Burgundy – and just slightly lower acidity. In the context of what Jeremy Seysses of Domaine Dujac calls ‘the new normal’, such a result in 2022 must be called an encouraging success.

VINTAGE PREVIEW: BURGUNDY 2022 STYLE & QUALITY

The red wines from 2022 are deeply coloured, with a lush fruit expression, full body, welldeveloped but velvety tannins and abundant extract. The whites have a lush fruit character spanning ripe apple, peach and apricot and relatively soft acidity, suggesting these wines are primarily for early drinking. To achieve proper balance, some winemakers had to acidify. In both reds and whites, it is the acid balance that holds 2022 Burgundy back from the very highest level, but the wines will be accessible and earlydrinking, and the reds should age well.

Overall quality is very high for red wines and good to very good for white wines. The red wines are consistent from the Côte de Nuits [in the north] down through the Côte Chalonnaise, and there will be many wines worth laying down. The effect of the heat on the white wines becomes more pronounced as one moves south, though there are exceptions to this and whites also

‘Overall quality is very high for red wines and good to very good for white wines’ worthy of ageing. In terms of quantity, the yield was up more than 70% from the frost-stricken 2021 harvest – hopefully this will help growers avoid price increases (see ‘Uncorked’, p8).

Below: looking southeast across the village of Volnay and its vineyards

WATER STORY

After a cold snap in January 2022, February was much warmer than average and March continued warm, exposing the vineyards to frost in April.

Fortunately, the vines had not yet started their growth in earnest, and when the frost arrived between 3-11 April, damage was limited.

Warmer weather followed the frost, and the vines developed quickly. Flowering occurred from 19-26 May, two weeks ahead of the norm. ▶

Decanter | January 2024 | 33

There was very little loss to coulure or millerandage [fruit-set problems], presaging a very large crop. Just after the bunches formed, the region received a deluge of rain over five days from 21-25 June that varied from 20mm-90mm according to the region, with localised flooding exacerbating things in places.

Thunderstorms brought some hail damage, but it was not widespread. ‘But for that rain, there would have been no harvest,’ says Frédéric Barnier of Louis Jadot.

July and August were hot and dry, and if the rain had not topped off water reserves at the end of June, the vines would have suffered the scorching drought conditions. The worst effects were relieved by light showers in July and August, and the health of the vines remained excellent due to the hot and dry conditions.

The sporadic heat stress drew out the ripening.

Some growers concerned with freshness picked as early as 20 August, while others – more concerned with ripe skins, seeds and stems – waited until the beginning of September or beyond. The harvest was complete nearly everywhere by the third week in September. Had there been less fruit on the vines, then overripe fruit, higher alcohol and lower acidity would have been more widespread in 2022 – but the abundant grapes and generous rainfall in June set the region up for a vintage with both quality and quantity.

Burgundy’s vines are slowly adapting to the reality of global warming. Perhaps as importantly, grape-growers and winemakers are also adapting their techniques, and 2022 generally appears much more successful than the first global warming vintages of 2003 and 2005. Although the wines don’t have the grip and freshness we saw in 2019 and 2020, the vintage delivered an abundant crop of hugely drinkable wines, including reds that will age gracefully in the cellar.

Around the appellations Côte de Nuits

Despite relatively homogenous results, the growing season of 2022 varied from village to village in the Côte de Nuits. The vineyards of Gevrey-Chambertin suffered in the storms of late June. According to Cyrielle Rousseau of Domaine Armand Rousseau, it was complicated, with 15 barrels less than average in the producer’s Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St Jacques [due to flooding] and two hail storms. Nicolas Rossignol of Rossignol-Trapet remarked that the hail hit the northern part of Gevrey, on the north side of the Combe de Lavaux known as the ‘Côte St-Jacques’, where they experienced 170mm of 34 | Decanter | January 2024

Decanter vintage rating COTE D’OR 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018

Whites

Reds

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rain in a single week. Hail damage, however, was very localised, and growers to the north and south of Gevrey did not report the same conditions.

The centre of the Côte de Nuits was spared the hail and, according to Dujac’s Jeremy Seysses: ‘This is the “new normal” [heat and sunshine], yet there was not the relentless heat we had in 2003.

The nights were cooler than they were in 2003.

Although the dates in 2022 were similar to those in 2018, and I was expecting [the wines] to be similar, they’re not.’

Alexandre Abel at Domaine Ponsot comments: ‘2020 was atypical because of the concentration of the tannins and the acidity during the blockage; 2022 is more classic and reminds me of 2015.’

Further south in Vosne-Romanée, Bertrand de Villaine of the Domaine de la Romanée-Conti points out: ‘It’s impossible to think of 2022 without thinking of 2021; these are a pair, rather like 2016 and 2017. We have to avoid falling into the trap of having too much sugar, which poses questions for the future since everything seems to be ready simultaneously.’ Luckily, according to de Villaine, ‘in 2022 we were stressed, but the grapes were not in a hurry’.

Early April 2022: candles being lit in vineyards near Puligny-Montrachet to combat the effects of frost

Côte de Beaune

There was less of an inundation at the end of June in the Côte de Beaune, and a greater frequency of small steady showers in July and August. Growers such as Frédéric Lafarge (pictured, opposite) in Volnay described 2022 as a ‘perfect’ vintage. The rains at the end of June brought much less water than in the Côte de Nuits – 80mm rather than 150mm. However, several smaller showers brought 20mm each throughout the season, which allowed the vines to withstand the heatwave well. Lafarge reports similar pH levels [acidity] to 2020 but slightly lower alcohol, which fell to between 13%-13.5%.

In the white wine villages of Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet and Chassagne-Montrachet, results were consistent. According to François Carillon in Puligny: ‘2022 was not easy, but almost, with small amounts of rain falling regularly in July and August to encourage ripening.’ He continues: ‘My grandfather never

BURGUNDY 2022: CURTIS’ WINES OF THE VINTAGE

Domaine Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey, Montrachet 99pts Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Romanée-Conti 100pts

VINTAGE PREVIEW: BURGUNDY 2022

Côte Chalonnaise

The climate dynamic in the Côte Chalonnaise differs from that of the Côte d’Or in that there are no cooling winds from the Hautes-Côtes streaming into the valleys that break up the slope, since the limestone outcroppings here are more irregular. The region is generally hotter and drier than the Côte d’Or further north, and this proved to be the case in 2022. Overall, the whites (Aligoté from Bouzeron and Chardonnay from Montagny) are lush and rich, with soft acidity, making them an early-drinking vintage; reds from Mercurey were concentrated and tannic, while those of Givry were often silkier and more approachable.

Frédéric Lafarge of Domaine Michel Lafarge, Volnay

picked in August; my father, twice. I don’t even count the times any more. However, we ended up with pH levels between 3.15-3.20, while in 2015, we were at 3.50. Things weren’t so bad in 2022 after all.’

In Chassagne, Pierre-Yves Colin (pictured, p36) gave the whites of 2022 the edge: ‘The crop was lower in 2020, and the freshness is about the same, but there is more concentration in 2022… even if you try to make wine for the future, they are showing quite well right now.’

Mâconnais

The 2022 vintage in the Mâconnais was, if anything, even hotter and drier than the Côte d’Or. Winemaker Florent Rouve of Vins Rijckaert notes that excessively hot and dry conditions caused vines to shut down in August, which helped keep alcohol levels in check. Data from the BIVB regional wine board corroborates this, showing slightly lower sugar levels than in the Côte d’Or and marginally higher levels of malic and total acidity. Julien Desplans of Maison Verget and Domaine Guffens-Heynen ventures that ‘2022 risks being a very charming year’. ▶ Decanter | January 2024 | 35

TASTED NON-BLIND

A taste of the top 2022 Burgundies Wines are listed in order of white then red, then by scores, and then alphabetically by producer. The 2022s are bottled from January 2024, hence prices, stockists and alcohols are not yet finalised. Contact specialist merchant for allocations or to enquire about en primeur tastings.

The following 40 wines were Charles Curtis MW’s selection for particularly notable quality and value among the 650 wines he scored from the 2022 Burgundy vintage – we have highlighted those rated as ‘Top value’ in their relative categories or appellation types 1 Domaine des Comtes Lafon, Montrachet Grand Cru 99

This wine is among the greatest whites in Burgundy in 2022 (as is often the case), with a profusion of ripe tropical fruit, nectarine and peach aromas, accents of butter, soft white blossoms and spice. The texture is rich with extract and dense, yet there is lively acidity to balance the aromas and flavours perfectly through to a dynamic finish. Fortunately, the yield of this 0.33ha plot was 6.5 barrels in 2022, although Lafon will wait several years to bring it to market.

Organic. Drink 2028-2070

Millemann Wines, CortonCharlemagne Grand Cru 99 The Millemann family has taken every step to retain maximum freshness even in the torrid 2022 vintage, and has already racked wine into stainless steel to help preserve its vigour. Superb concentration of tropical and orchard fruit aromas are gently trimmed with hints of spice, fresh acacia flowers and beeswax. A marvellous tension and intensity draw the wine to a neverending finish. After pressing and settling, the must is run into a new puncheon for fermentation and ageing without sulphur (until bottling). A reference for the appellation. Drink 2028-2070

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Pierre-Yves Colin in Chassagne-Montrachet (see p35)

WHITE WINE OF THE VINTAGE, TOP PRODUCER Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey, Montrachet Grand Cru 99 Pierre-Yves Colin has good reason to be delighted with the arrival to the portfolio of a tiny sliver of Montrachet from his family’s holdings. The wine is superb, with aromas of ripe nectarine, Williams pear and peach, suggestions of hawthorn flowers, spice and cream. The texture is rich without being heavy, and the freshness brings exquisite balance. The grapes come from 267 vines (0.0267ha) on the Chassagne side under Dent de Chien, planted at the highest part of Montrachet to give a rewardingly mineral result. Look out in six or seven years for release of the 220 bottles produced.

Drink 2028-2070

Domaine Michel Niellon, Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru 98 A wine of intense concentration, tension and focus, even in the warm conditions of 2022. Aroma notes of ripe apple, peach and quince, then the volume and density you’d expect from 2022, but it’s well balanced by the fresh acidity that draws it to a lingering finish. Grapes from Niellon’s plot of old vines are fermented on native yeasts in 40% new cask. This wine is among the best from this vintage and will make old bones if you are so inclined. Drink 2025-2065

36 | Decanter | January 2024

2 Bouchard Père & Fils, La Cabotte, Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru 97

The wines of Chevalier La Cabotte lie between ‘regular’ Chevalier and Montrachet itself in location and quality.

The wine is not as open as the classic Chevalier at present, yet aromas of lemon peel, apricot and pear are present with shadings of acacia flower and honey. Rich and creamy texture: ‘Much closer to Montrachet than Chevalier,’ I noted on the day. The grapes come from a 0.21ha monopole up-slope from Bouchard’s Montrachet holdings, consistently producing a wine that will live for decades.

Drink 2028-2070

Domaine Alvina Pernot, PulignyMontrachet 1er Cru Les Folatières 97 Fragrant with aromas of lemon peel, white flowers, spice and a bit of smoky reduction.

A winning finesse and lightness for the vintage make it particularly good. The grapes come from the 1ha Pernot family parcel, fermented in cask with all the lees and aged in mostly used casks. Stylish and elegant: a wine of remarkable precision, balance and length. Drink 2025-2065 3 Domaine Paul Pillot, ChassagneMontrachet 1er Cru La Romanée 97

Thierry Pillot describes his Romanée as a

VINTAGE PREVIEW: BURGUNDY 2022

Frédéric Weber, cellar master and head of the winemaking team at Domaine Bouchard Père et Fils

‘shell that closes in upon itself; there’s a bit of reduction, but that doesn’t trouble me’.

I completely agree. It is a lovely wine with aromas of grapefruit and greengage, and a strong saline/mineral component. The texture, however, is still deep and rich, and it is almost chewy, and absolutely superb.

The grapes come from 1ha of 70-year-old vines at the top of La Romanée, which

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delivered 2022 a wine of vibrancy and power. Drink 2028-2070 4 Lamy-Caillat, ChassagneMontrachet 1er Cru Les Caillerets 97

As with last year, the Les Caillerets shows smoky reduction aromas most clearly, but there is more here than that, with notes of ripe pear, peach and salty minerality. The grapes are from a half-hectare site planted with venerable vines that give tiny, super-concentrated grapes. The yeast struggles to ferment their rich juice, but here has produced a marvellously detailed and powerful wine that retains remarkable balance. Drink 2028-2070

Domaine Albert Grivault, Meursault 1er Cru Clos des Perrières 96 Grivault’s monopole has produced a wine of superb concentration and depth, with rich aromas of ripe apple, peach and apricots touched with honey and a hint of reduction. The texture is lush and dense, with a finish that lingers sultry on the palate. Split between sand, silt and clay, the unique terroir of the clos gives grapes of extraordinary ripeness, pressed as whole

clusters (without sulphur) and fermented in cask with minimal batonnage to give this nuanced, complex result. Drink 2025-2065 5 Guffens-Heynen, Juliette et les Vieilles de Chavigny, Mâcon-Pierreclos 96

This riveting wine boasts aromas of Williams pear and quince with accents of lemon zest, ginger and hay. The texture is concentrated, almost tannic, and long, but balanced by an astonishing freshness. The grapes come from two parcels of lowyielding vines (one very old, one planted in 2003) at the top of the slope. The wine is not produced every year, but when it is it’s fermented in cask (almost 40% new) and gives one of the most distinctive wines of the Mâconnais. Drink 2025-2065 6 TOP VALUE Domaine François Carillon, Le Vieux Clos, Bourgogne 94

Abundant ripe apple, hawthorn flowers, butter and spice aromas. Dense but not heavy, with plenty of balancing acidity.

The grapes come from a half-hectare of old vines outside the Puligny village appellation area near the border with ▶ Decanter | January 2024 | 37

Meursault. Superb: an excellent option for a Puligny lookalike crafted with care and precision. Drink 2024-2035

TOP VALUE Rijckaert, L’Epinet, Viré-Clessé 94 Florent Rouve succeeds here with an aromatic Chardonnay of crisp citrus and nectarine aromas with something more exotically tropical. The texture is racy and mineral, the finish impressively long.

Delicious on any terms, and at the price it commands [typically below €30 in France], it is ridiculously good. Drink 2024-2030

TOP VALUE Domaine A&P de Villaine, Bouzeron 93 This reference Aligoté is riper in 2022 than it often is and lacks the bright acidity typical in cooler years such as 2021. However, it provides a moreish choice for refreshing current drinking, with alluring aromas of ripe green apple, apricot and nectarines.

The grapes are from old massal-selection vines, hand-harvested and fermented in large oak uprights. A modern classic.

Organic. Drink 2024-2030 7 TOP VALUE Domaine Merlin, Les Cras, Mâcon La Roche-Vineuse 93

Tasted from barrel, this complex, delicious wine boasted ripe pear, apricot and quince fruit aromas with a pleasant floral cast. The texture is rich and dense in keeping with the sunny vintage, but is always in balance.

Grapes from 0.8ha of 60-year-old vines on a modest slope at 265m, fermented in 20% new cask and aged for 18 months to deliver this stylish wine. Drink 2024-2035

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38 | Decanter | January 2024

9

Joannès Violot-Guillemard in Pommard

TOP VALUE Domaine Joannès Violot-Guillemard, La Foulotte, Hautes Côtes de Beaune 93 Enchanting nectarine and apricot aromas, hints of beeswax and butter. Supple and silky, with a lovely richness but nothing heavy. The grapes are from a half-hectare just above the village of Pommard, a superb terroir for Chardonnay. Fermented and aged in large, 10% new casks. Will drink upon release and easily hold for several years afterwards. Organic. Drink 2024-2030 8 TOP VALUE Domaine Sylvain Pataille, Les Auvonnes au Pépé, Bourgogne Aligoté 93

Produced from a small plot west of Marsannay village in the lieu-dit En Auvone that was originally owned by Pataille’s grandfather, who planted it in the 1930s, this wine is a beautiful introduction to Pataille’s single-vineyard Aligoté range.

Grapefruit and apricot fruit with structure and power on the palate, but enough pleasant, lemony brightness to bring balance. Organic. Drink 2024-2035

under the rock, thus sheltered from the hottest sun. Drink 2024-2035

TOP VALUE Domaine Fabien Coche, Bourgogne Aligoté 92 A classic example of Aligoté, redolent of grapefruit and greengage with a herbal, tarragon-scented edge. Lively, with lemony acidity and outstanding balance.

Grapes are from old vines in the village of Meursault, lightly crushed and fermented on native yeasts in tank and large casks. Will drink well on release.

Organic. Drink 2024-2030

TOP VALUE Domaine Pierre Morey, Bourgogne Côte d’Or 92 From vines located within the village limits of Meursault, producing a wine of delicious apple aromas and notes of acacia flowers with a bit of smoky reduction. The texture is dense and rich but not heavy. Fermented in cask but with no new oak, and the wine matured for 18-24 months with occasional lees stirring. Complex and texturally satisfying. Organic. Drink 2024-2035

TOP VALUE Deux Roches, La Côte Rôtie, St-Véran 92

9 TOP VALUE Maison Verget, Lieu Secret, Mâcon-Pierreclos 92

This wine is made in an explosively ripe style that will delight lovers of rich Mâconnais wines, yet it never loses its balance or becomes heavy. Ripe apple, apricot and quince aromas with crisp acidity. From a steep site at the base of the Vergisson rock in the village of Davayé, where the vines face south but are right

An entry-level wine that should not be overlooked, this has a charming lemony fruit aroma with floral notes and just a hint of reduction brought on by the vinification in stainless steel this year.

The style is elegant, with a lively balance and abundant finesse. Crisp and refreshing.

Drink 2024-2030

VINTAGE PREVIEW: BURGUNDY 2022

Pinot Noir harvest underway in Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé’s Les Petits Musigny vineyard, with the Château du Clos de Vougeot behind

TOP PRODUCER Domaine Armand Rousseau, Chambertin Clos de Bèze Grand Cru 100 Tasting the 2022 Chambertin Clos de Bèze, one cannot doubt its perfection. The super-ripe aromas of mulberry and pomegranate roll from the glass, accented with hints of smoke, spice and earth, and all pervaded by a saline mineral quality.

Cyrielle Rousseau describes the wine as having ‘more of everything, [while] the Chambertin is more focused’. There is exceptional density and immense length – this extraordinary wine is among the greatest I have tasted from this estate.

Drink 2030-2080

RED WINE OF THE VINTAGE, TOP PRODUCER Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Romanée-Conti Grand Cru Monopole 100

Some vintages of Romanée-Conti when tasted from barrel give but a hint of future greatness. This is not the case with the 2022, which is immediately impressive. All its grandeur is revealed, from the ripe, plummy fruit with hints of liquorice, cedar, rose petals and earth, to the dense and firmly tannic texture that balances massive weight and supreme elegance. A powerful wine that I immediately qualified as ‘perfect’, and it would not surprise me if this were still compellingly beautiful a century from now. Drink 2030-2100

Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair, La Romanée Grand Cru Monopole 99 An exhilarating wine at the highest level, on par with the riveting 2019. There are profuse aromas of red and black fruit, exotic Asian spices, a hint of smoke and a touch of sweet oak spice. Despite its

effortlessly silky texture, one appreciates the density and substance with time. It’s hard to ask for more wine than this offers.

Given the lush texture, it should drink well young but will also age effortlessly for decades. Biodynamic. Drink 2030-2080

Domaine Cécile Tremblay, Chapelle Chambertin Grand Cru 98 This superb offering has everything one can hope for from this appellation, yet it is a model of understated elegance. Initially with floral and spicy fruit intensity, the texture is silky and approachable, yet substantial extract and firm tannins make themselves felt on the long finish. Grapes are from the domaine’s 0.36ha plot in Les Gémeaux at the base of the Clos de Bèze slope. Despite its approachable nature, this has the substance to age for decades.

Biodynamic. Drink 2025-2075 ▶ Decanter | January 2024 | 39

Clos des Lambrays is one of the five grand cru vineyards within the Morey-St-Denis appellation

10 Domaine Chandon de Briailles, Corton-Clos du Roi Grand Cru 98

Subtle and understated aromas of ripe black cherry and peony with hints of smoke, spice and a savoury touch at the end.

Delicate texture but still structured and long. The grapes come from 0.35ha of old vines at the top of the slope. This wine should open more fully in five years and will drink well for at least another 50 after that.

Biodynamic. Drink 2025-2075

Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé, Cuvée Vieilles Vignes, Musigny Grand Cru 98 A tasting of each of the seven 2022 Musigny VV sub-sections and an approximate blend hint at a wine of almost voluptuous sensuality, with expressive mulberry and pomegranate fruit and hints of earth, smoke and liquorice that waft from the glass. The texture is powerfully tannic and dense but almost infinitely silky, and there is a dynamic interplay between the perfumed fruit and robust structure. Ideally, wait a decade before opening. Drink 2028-2080

Domaine Duroché, GriotteChambertin Grand Cru 98 A seductive wine, pointedly fresh and tannic with super-concentrated and focused black cherry and mulberry fruit, and abundant aromas of liquorice and ginger. The fruit is the tiny production of very old vines (the oldest back to 1922) at the base of the En Griotte climat.

Fermented entirely as whole clusters and aged in a single, older barrel to ensure its

40 | Decanter | January 2024

purity of fruit. Marvellous density and richness – a masterpiece. Drink 2025-2075 11 Domaine Georges MugneretGibourg, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru 98

Tasting the 2022s from this cellar, the Clos Vougeot was the most expressive wine of all, with spicy mulberry and black plum fruit aromas and silky texture, while the abundant extract and freshness help carry the wine to a gratifying finish. The fruit – from a 0.3ha plot replanted 70 years ago – is destemmed and fermented on native yeasts before ageing in 70% new cask. This should be approachable early, but refrain from drinking for at least five years for best results. Drink 2025-2075

Domaine Hudelot-Noëllat, Richebourg Grand Cru 98 Immediately impressive with a beguiling combination of fruit expression, silkiness

GET AHEAD OF THE GAME ON BURGUNDY 2022 For full tasting notes on the 40 wines shown here, plus notes and scores for 610 more 2022 Burgundy wines tasted by Charles Curtis MW for Decanter – along with our comprehensive vintage analysis of the 2022 vintage across Burgundy – go to decanter.com/premium

and length. The nose boasts raspberry, bramble and kirsch with notes of violets, earth and smoke. The texture is deceptively silky, and with time the firm tannins and rich extract make themselves felt and lead into a lingering finish. The grapes are sourced from 0.3ha in Les Richebourgs, next to DRC – they are mostly destemmed and gently fermented on native yeasts before the wine is aged in cask. Enormous ageing potential. Drink 2028-2080

Domaine des Lambrays, Clos des Lambrays Grand Cru 97 The blend of the entire clos is superb in 2022, with a seductive black cherry and mulberry fruit that is at once fresh and round, with complexity coming from earth and mineral notes and a bit of polished oak spice. The selection for this wine has been changed slightly, with fruit from a portion of replanted top-quality vines that are now reaching maturity included in the blend. It’s a compelling wine that will live for decades.

Organic. Drink 2028-2070

TOP VALUE Domaine Lamy-Pillot, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Morgeot 95 A delicious wine with abundant aromas of ripe mulberry fruit touched with notes of violets, smoke and earth. The texture is firm and elegant, with admirable finesse and a lingering finish. The grapes are from a 0.8ha parcel in one of the top terroirs for Pinot in Chassagne, spread over two lieux-dits, Ez Crottes and Guerchère, which fall under the Morgeot umbrella. Drink 2025-2040

VINTAGE PREVIEW: BURGUNDY 2022 TOP VALUE Domaine Michel Lafarge, Anthologie, Bourgogne Passetoutgrain 95 This incredible wine defies all expectations, with its pronounced cherry aromas, hints of earth, smoke and fresh saddle leather.

Dense and long, it is produced from 95-year-old vines and is a classic blend of half Pinot Noir, half Gamay planted, picked and vinified together. Quantity is limited: two 500-litre puncheons (one new) and a regular barrel; bottled only in magnum, this is eminently worth seeking out. Organic.

Drink 2028-2040 12 TOP VALUE Domaine BerthautGerbet, En Combe Roy, Fixin 94

Aromas of plum and mulberry, leather, smoke and an edge of wild herbs. The texture is firm and tannic, with impressive substance and length: classic Côte de Nuits.

The grapes are from a plot of 0.37ha located just under the premiers crus Arvelets and Hervelets, planted with 60-year-old vines that deliver solid power each year. Drink 2028-2040 13 TOP VALUE Domaine Jessiaume,

PHOTOGRAPHS HERVÉ LENAIN/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO, JEFF PACHOUD/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES (2), MICK ROCK/CEPHAS

La Cassière, Santenay 94

Jessiaume is using the 2ha of domaine vines it recently recovered from a sharecropping contract to produce this lovely wine with aromatic raspberry fruit and a floral edge. This is supple and approachable, with a pleasant sweetness to the fruit, structure and freshness. It’s a noticeable step up from the other villagelevel bottlings. Organic. Drink 2024-2030

TOP VALUE Domaine Amiot Servelle, Bourgogne Côte d’Or 93 Perfumed, aromatic black cherry character with floral notes and a bit of spice. Supple and approachable now but not lacking in structure. The grapes – all from Chambolle but outside the village appellation – are destemmed and fermented in used casks before ageing. Among the region’s best value for everyday Pinot Noir, and perfect for drinking on release or over the next five years. Organic. Drink 2024-2030

superb introduction to the Trapet style, with its perfumed raspberry and pomegranate fruit aromas and a hint of spice. The texture is a bit light, but the palate has rewarding complexity and a supple balance that lingers on the palate. The vines were originally planted in the garden of the family house in the 1950s. The house now belongs a cousin of the Trapets, and they purchase the fruit. This will drink well on release and over the next several years.

Biodynamic. Drink 2024-2030

TOP PRODUCER TOP VALUE Domaine du Cellier aux Moines, Le Petit Cellier, Givry 92

Jean-Louis Trapet Domaine Trapet

pronounced sweet black fruit character.

The fruit is fermented as whole clusters, with extraction achieved by moistening the cap with a bucket. The result has an arresting fruit concentration for a villagelevel wine. Drinkable on release. Organic.

Drink 2025-2040 14 TOP VALUE Domaine Faiveley, Mercurey 1er Cru Le Clos du Roy 93

This wine has a ripe, plummy fruit aroma and earthy complexity that develop on the palate. Straight and a little strict, it will still drink on release but will be better in three to five years. The grapes come from a 2.54ha vineyard holding planted in 1971 and 1982, on limestone soils exposed to the south, making this an exceptional site.

Drink 2025-2040

TOP VALUE Domaine Trapet, Le Meix Fringuet, Côte de Nuits-Villages 93 This pleasant, approachable wine is a

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This raspberry-scented wine has surprising complexity for a village-level wine, with hints of wild herbs, earth, smoke and leather. The texture is also striking, with rewarding freshness and grippy tannins.

The estate is replacing old vines with superior massal selection, but until that’s finished this wine is being made from the old-vine fruit, all declassified from premier cru. Organic. Drink 2024-2030

TOP VALUE Domaine Roger Belland, Maranges 1er Cru Clos Roussots 92 Tasted blind, this wine impressed with its pronounced aromas of ripe mulberry and fig with an edge of smoky spice. It’s firm and tannic, with a pleasant mineral underpinning. The grapes come from 55-year-old vines in clay soils with grass between the rows. Fruit is destemmed and fermented with a gentle infusion before ageing for a year in cask. Suitable for mid-term ageing. Drink 2024-2030 D

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TOP VALUE Domaine Chicotot, Aux St-Juliens, Nuits-St-Georges 93 This wine surprises with its profoundly dark colour and lovely forward blackberry fruit with hints of violets, earth and spice. It’s supple and approachable, with a Decanter | January 2024 | 41

AROUND AUSTRALIA in 20 wines

An Aussie wine advocate since the late 1980s, Matthew Jukes has recently released the 20th anniversary edition of his 100 Best Australian Wines report.

Here he reflects on how the country’s wine industry has changed over that time, and picks out 20 top wines from his 2023/2024 selection INTRODUCTION & SELECTION MATTHEW JUKES

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hen you notch up 20 years doing something, there is always an urge to look back, picking out the highlights and the lowlights while trying to plot a course for the future.

I used to host a wine slot on the BBC’s London FM radio station GLR back in the 1990s. This short 10-minute slot during the breakfast show turned into a half-hour spot and, to pad out the weekly wine tastings and anecdotes, I took to interviewing notable wine personalities. As it turned out, touring Australian winemakers usually landed at Heathrow in the early morning, so it was a doddle for them to come straight to the studio in time for my show. I interviewed many of the big names back then, and it was during this time that I learned more than I could possibly imagine about the stories behind the great Australian wines and winemakers.

I had always been a fan of Australian wines since the very beginning of my wine trade career in the late 1980s. I worked at The Barnes Wine Shop (now a branch of Lea & Sandeman) in

‘McLaren Vale has come of age recently as a Grenache mecca, but the signs were there 20 years ago’ southwest London, and it occurred to me that the Cabernet Sauvignons from, say, Cape Mentelle or Wynns were more attractive, accurate and delicious than the clarets at the same price level.

Peter Lehmann’s or Tim Adams’ Shiraz trumped the various Rhône wines. Rosemount’s Chardonnay demolished inexpensive white Burgundies, while Pike’s Riesling outclassed the various Alsace and German counterparts.

DECADES OF VALUE

My taste memories are incredibly vivid from all those years ago, and while I didn’t quite realise it at the time, I was already well on my way to becoming an Australian wine advocate. From 1990 and for the next 26 years, I wrote a wine ▶

Below: vineyards in McLaren Vale in South Australia

Decanter | December 2023 | 43

Clockwise from top left: Jansz Tasmania 1999, Cullen Diana Madeline 2001 and Penfolds Bin 389 2001 all featured in Matthew Jukes’ first ever 100 Best Australian Wines list back in 2004; Len Evans in Sydney, 1996; Jukes at the launch of his 100 Best Australian Wines 2015 report; the late Di Cullen, founder with husband Kevin of Cullen Wines in Margaret River, Western Australia, 1971

list for Bibendum Restaurant in Chelsea, central London. One of my favourite coups was buying the entire UK allocation of 120 bottles of Torbreck’s 1996 RunRig Shiraz. I sold it for £32.50 a bottle on the wine list and left it at this price after Robert Parker awarded it a perfect 100 points and the retail price in New York hit $1,000 a bottle. The Australian section of the wine list had more than 100 bins and our sommeliers and customers loved these wines.

From 1999 until 2022, I wrote a weekly column for the Daily Mail, and I occasionally look back at old articles to remind myself of wines that caught my eye in the old days. So many of the best-value wines on the shelves during this two-decade period were Australian – and they still are. But it was my third book, The Wine List 2003, that inspired me to come up with the idea for my 100 Best Australian Wines report.

The Wine List detailed my favourite 250 wines sold in UK retail and, in the 2003 edition, 50 of these were Australian. Tasmanian Pinots, Pemberton and Adelaide Hills Chardonnays, Clare Rieslings, sparklers and sweeties; good old Penfolds St Henri 1998 was £29.99, and coolclimate Shiraz was already a thing. It drives me up the wall when people think that Australia only used to make big, blocky, clumsy wines when, 20 years ago, delicacy and balance were already living and breathing mantras.

EVER ON THE MOVE

Throughout my whole wine life, I have been a recommender and not a wine critic. There is so much to be said about delicious wine, and I prefer

‘The rate of improvement in all sectors of the Australian wine scene is staggering’ 44 | Decanter | January 2024

not to waste words on those bottles I don’t like.

So, 20 years ago, I decided to move away from being a generalist and start to specialise in the wine styles that I loved. I focused my efforts on Bordeaux, Burgundy, Piedmont and Australia.

After all, these four wine regions make up 90% of my own cellar.

100 Best was born, and I launched the first 2003 edition at the London Wine Trade Fair. I invited the Australian High Commissioner to bring a degree of formality to proceedings. Back then, the list was two sides of A4 paper with heroic wines such as Jansz Tasmania 1999*, Leeuwin Art Series Chardonnay 2000, Mount Pleasant Lovedale Semillon 2003, Shaw & Smith M3 Chardonnay 2002, Cullen Diana Madeline 2001*, Kooyong Haven Pinot Noir 2001 and Penfolds Bin 389 2001* (*pictured, top left), among others making the cut. It was simply a list, with no tasting notes, but it has evolved greatly over the years.

In late September last year, I launched the 2023/2024 report – the 20th anniversary edition – at Australia House on The Strand in London, with the current Australian High Commissioner Stephen Smith lending his support. The selection

AUSTRALIA

It’s only natural: bright prospects

PHOTOGRAPHS JON ARNOLD IMAGES LTD/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO, ROBERT PEARCE/FAIRFAX MEDIA VIA GETTY IMAGES, KEVIN JUDD/CEPHAS, MATTHEW JUKES

I have mentioned that some things never change and that the signs were there many years ago for trendy hooks that appear to be recent phenomena, such as cool-climate wines, the emergence of Grenache as an elite wine style, Pinot Noir coming of age, old vines earning the respect they deserve, and Australian Chardonnay – finally – being recognised as every bit as refined and even more long-lived than the most famous examples overseas.

So, what are the real threads that are genuinely new and exciting? I can safely say that I never fell for the so-called natural or low-fi wines that temporarily distracted many retailers, restaurateurs and unsuspecting consumers over the years. I think that most of these wines have cleaned up their act, the producers realising that hands-off winemaking only makes sense if customers genuinely enjoy the wines and come back for more.

I have tasted a large number of wines recently that, in the past, I would have dismissed as faulty and unpleasant, but which today taste dynamic, clean, detailed and accurate. These wines often employ little oak, preferring to focus on their authenticity, purity and openness. Australia leads the way with this new style of bright and professional ‘natural’ wine.

includes recent vintages of the very same wines mentioned above, and others besides, now part of a 32,000-word colour booklet.

In addition to the consistently excellent wines that form the heart of this report, other smaller estates always catch my eye. The inaugural 100 Best featured curios such as Craigow Riesling 2003, the epitome of a cool-climate Tasmanian white wine – very much the flavour on everyone’s lips today. I included Wirra Wirra Grenache 2002 – McLaren Vale has come of age recently as a Grenache mecca, but the signs were there 20 years ago.

Of course, some brands have disappeared over the years, but the discoveries keep coming.

Australia never sits still, and this year I have 13 newcomers among the 100 Best wineries – Alkina, in my selection to follow, is one. Over the past 20 years, 290 different names have featured in my various reports. Only three have appeared in every single one: Penfolds, Tyrrell’s and Yalumba.

EXEMPLARY AGEING

I could never have kept up my excitement for 100 Best had the wines stayed the same. The rate of improvement in all sectors of the Australian wine

scene is staggering, and one of the most overlooked aspects of Australian wine is its ability to age. While most wines drink beautifully from the off, on account of their intrinsic balance, I am always amazed at how exquisite old vintages of Semillon, Riesling and Chardonnay, and virtually all styles of red wine, age.

Perhaps this is because Aussies have mastered bottling under screwcap, while being expert ‘finishers’. So many wineries around the world can make decent plonk, but then fail to get it into the bottle in one piece. Australians are sensational at this discipline. While the rest of the world suffers from wines that tend to age prematurely, Australian wine, at all price points, defies logic in its ability to mellow and evolve without losing traction and freshness.

Australians are great story-tellers and the stories that inspired me to follow these wines nearly four decades ago, told to me by winemakers Peter Lehmann, Bob McLean, Charlie Melton, Di Cullen (pictured, p44), Len Evans and many, many others, are mine to pass on to young people wishing to learn more about the incredible wines from Down Under. It is my honour to do so. ▶

The 20th anniversary edition of the 100 Best Australian Wines report, by Matthew Jukes, is available now via his website matthewjukes.com

Decanter | January 2024 | 45

TASTED NON-BLIND

Idée Fixe, Premier Brut Blanc de Blancs, Margaret River, Western Australia 2020 £29.99-£35 Cambridge Wine Merchants, Shelved Wine, Simply Wines Direct UK Although Vasse Felix had made traditional-method sparkling since the mid-1980s, the 2019 vintage that made it into the 2022 100 Best report was my staggeringly exciting introduction to this wine. And it took no more than a nanosecond to realise that this 2020 is another exquisite wine. It reminds me of some of my favourite Côte des Blancs classics with brittle, long, gleamingly fresh Chardonnay and discreet moments of tenderness. Drink 2024-2029 Alcohol 12.5%

95 Leeuwin Estate, Art Series Chardonnay, Margaret River, Western Australia 2020 £92 Honest Grapes, Laithwaites, Lay & Wheeler, Richard Kihl, Seckford Wines, Stannary Wine, Uncorked

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This vintage is a triumph, with firm fruit surrounded by a rigid suit of armour that compresses its flanks and ratchets up the drama. This adds immeasurable length to the flavour without any diminuendo in power or persistence. The fruit is cradled with beautiful blonde oak and shot through with sublime pith and herb details allowing the flavours to transcend expectation. Drink 2024-2039 Alc 13.5%

Jim Barry, The Florita Riesling, Clare Valley, South Australia 2021 £33-£37.25 Hallgarten Wines, Handford, Hic, Strictly Wine, The Holland Park Wine Co, Wine Republic, Winesnvines

A tense, focused, bright and laser-sighted Riesling that has purity and an acid-soaked ninja of a finish. Every facet of a great dry Riesling is in place, and nothing is hidden. Highly strung, yes, but not belligerent, this is a young wine that you feel no guilt for opening five minutes after the delivery driver has dropped it off. Drink 2024-2027 Alc 12%

96 Larry Cherubino, Laissez Faire Field Blend, Pemberton, Western Australia 2022 £19.99-£25.25 Cambridge Wine Merchants, Cellar Selected, Strictly Wine, Vinvm

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I’ve not enjoyed any complex white blend in the past year more than this wine. Laissez Faire is a hands-off, ‘let it be’ collection, and these wines are among the most intellectually pleasing and deeply rewarding in the country. Pinot Blanc, Gewurztraminer, Riesling, Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Gris, with some skin contact and six months in French oak; this is total class. Drink 2024-2029 Alc 12.5%

Shaw & Smith, M3 Chardonnay, Adelaide Hills, South Australia 2021 £35 Hedonism, ND John, Noble Green, Philglas & Swiggot, Raffles, Shelved Wine A tremendous vintage, the equal of any past wine and perhaps even finer than some of the quieter wines for which I held a candle.

It is edgy, lime pith-imbued, generous as it billows on the palate, and enticingly oaked. Impressively light to the touch, but a firm and controlled spine brings rigidity and discipline, allowing the more transient and less serious flesh notes to fly. Drink 2024-2032 Alc 13%

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AUSTRALIA Silver Lining, Chardonnay, Adelaide Hills, South Australia 2022 £19.95-£21.45 Great Wines Direct, The Fat Pigeon Wine Co, The Fine Wine Co, The Great Wine Co

Marty Edwards is a consummate expert at fine-tuning his wines.

Apparently, this Chardonnay occupies more head-scratching and consternation than a chess grandmaster limbering up for a world tournament. Inside the bottle is a kaleidoscopic array of sumptuous components, each bringing its character and timbre to proceedings.

It flows seamlessly and harmoniously across the palate, maintaining perfect pitch throughout. Drink 2024-2024 Alc 13%

95 Tyrrell’s, Semillon, Hunter Valley, New South Wales 2022 £17.50-£21.50 Australian Wines Online, Cellar Door Wines, DBM Wines, Fareham Wine Cellar, Hennings, The Fine Wine Co

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After just one sip, the grandeur here is apparent. While this is a youthful wine, there is incredible perfume, flavour intensity, and a super-refined finish. It is drinking, but will outrun many innocent Semillons by a mile. I was hypnotised by the sleek, super-cool lemon balm, white flower hints and minutes-long finish. It’s a stunning wine by a world-class winery. Drink 2024-2034 Alc 11%

Berton Vineyard, Winemaker’s Reserve Vermentino, Riverland, South Australia 2022 £12-£15 Corking Wines, Great Wines Direct, Hallgarten Wines, Hic, Strictly Wine The Berton family is famous for crafting stunningly priced treats, and this Robin Hood mentality has served them well. With a near-tropical nose, a sleek, saline-tinged palate and a crisp, pointy finish, the flavour puts my palate on a yacht in the Med instead of a rib in the Gulf of St Vincent. This is a genuinely accurate, delicious and insanely well-balanced wine. Drink 2024-2026 Alc 12.5%

93 Torbreck, Descendant, Barossa Valley, South Australia 2020

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£90 Corking Wines Gobsmacking. A raptor on nose and palate, locking on without hesitation. An insane iodine and black fruit perfume conjures up images of a dementedly talented parfumier going to work with the rarest musks and scents. The sense of heady Balkan tobacco alone is hypnotic. I have waited a long time for this wine to move from a ‘high-gold’ to perfection, and it happened in one fell swoop in 2020.

Shiraz co-fermented with 9% Viognier. Drink 2024-2039 Alc 15%

Swinney, Farvie Mourvèdre, Frankland River, Western Australia 2021 POA The Great Wine Co The nose is simply terrific, mobbed with mulberries, cloves, plums and wild cherries, and then, at once, without warning, you are in an elevator plummeting down below ground where you find ironstone, gravel, bitterness, smokiness and raw meaty malevolence. This is a spectacular wine with drama and dynamism, and it takes over the senses and guides you through its chapters of flavour. Drink 2024-2039 Alc 14% ▶

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By Farr, RP Côte Vineyard Pinot Noir, Geelong, Victoria 2020 £92 Goedhuis & Co Taken from the famous Côte Vineyard, ‘Robyn Pamela’ is treated to about half the crop being destemmed, and half the wine is matured in new Allier oak barrels. This is my favourite RP vintage to date, and only a couple of Aussie Pinots manage to engender the richness, intensity, gravitas and flair that this wine seemingly summons with ease. Texturally, it is richer and more succulent than any other Aussie Pinot, too. Drink 2024-2034 Alc 13.5%

96 Yalumba, The Signature Cabernet Sauvignon-Shiraz, Barossa, South Australia 2019

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£41.99 Burnett & Herbert, Majestic This elegant, compact Great Australian Red blend of Cabernet and Shiraz (gold medallist in the 2023 competition of that name) rolls on and on for minutes. All the energies and complexities have been captured, and instead of being released in a firework explosion of flavour, they rumble like distant thunder, building and growing on the palate, teasing and attenuating the flavour seemingly without end. It is nothing short of spectacular. Drink 2024-2044 Alc 14.5%

Alkina, Kin Grenache, Barossa Valley, South Australia 2022 £25 Raeburn Fine Wines Kin is a blend of four parcels of Grenache, with a large proportion of whole bunches included in the ferment. This wine slams the door shut on any pretence at fruitiness, preferring to walk a tense and tortured line on the finish. It has the same dramatic tension as a brittle, energetic dry Riesling, and it raises the bar for Grenache higher than any other I’ve tasted in the past year.

Drink 2024-2030 Alc 13.8%

95 Cullen, Mangan East Block, Wilyabrup, Margaret River, Western Australia 2021

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£44 Liberty Wines East Block is a 59% Malbec and 41% Petit Verdot creation, which sees a punchy 40% new oak for seven months, and the result is an arresting wine with serious complexity and fantastic weight. It is light yet full, with purple and black-hued notes that are welcoming and tangy, but stop short of sourness, so even at this young age, you can crack on with this wine. Drink 2024-2032 Alc 13.5%

Paringa Estate, Peninsula Pinot Noir, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria 2022 £26-£29.99 Great Wines Direct, Hallgarten Wines, Handford, Shelved Wine, Strictly Wine, VInvm

Bright, crisp, tangy and black fruited (yes, black!), this is a delicious, lively and deceptively powerful wine. It has the same shape, style and minerality of a modern Monthélie Rouge, with herbs, spices and a fair old dollop of flashy oak. Peninsula still represents some of the most compelling value for money in the world if you are, like me, obsessed with the Pinot Noir grape. Drink 2024-2030 Alc 13%

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AUSTRALIA Willunga 100, Smart Vineyard Clarendon Grenache, McLaren Vale, South Australia 2021 £28 Oz Wines A fabulously expansive, open and floral nose, and then it straightens up on the palate, showing formality and decorum.

Classy and elegant, it would be lazy to compare this wine to a Pinot, as I have done in the past, because Pinot cannot match the effortless beauty of this Grenache on the nose and then follow this gentleness with bare-knuckle tension and threatening acidity.

Drink 2024-2032 Alc 14.5%

95 Wynns, Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra, South Australia 2019

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£28.99-£29.99 Frazier’s, Majestic The 64th vintage of this wine, and everything about this is magnificent. It is desperately classy and much more grand, seasoned and noble than expected. Bygone vintages have tended to err on the muscular side of the tracks, but not any more. This is a thoroughly civilised Cabernet with a finely tuned alcohol level, expressive, refreshing fruit and a heroically long finish. Drink 2024-2039 Alc 13.8%

Mount Langi Ghiran, Billi Billi Shiraz, Grampians, Victoria 2021 £16 Loki Wine An incredible Shiraz – sour, peppery and amazingly aromatic with a green peppercorn note atop ridiculously ripe fruit. Crunchy tannins form the perfect platform on which the glorious blackberry, liquorice, rhubarb and cherry notes cavort. 70% of this wine is estate fruit, so that goes some way to explaining why this has such an elite flavour. Drink 2024-2029 Alc 14%

93 De Bortoli, Noble One Botrytis Semillon, Riverina, New South Wales 2020 £20-£23/37.5cl Cambridge Wine Merchants, Taurus Wines, The Dorset Wine Co, TJ Wines, Wadebridge Wines, Waitrose Cellar, Weavers, WoodWinters

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Noble One is an Aussie legend, and when you consider its value for money, it is at the top of the pile. I am lucky to have tasted every vintage of this wine back to the inaugural 1982, and this 2020 is up there with the very best. The opulent orange blossom and honey-soaked palate is perfectly balanced by crisp acidity on the finish, keeping it keen and classy. Drink 2024-2039 Alc 9%

Campbells, Grand Muscat, Rutherglen, Victoria NV £57/37.5cl Alexander Hadleigh, Q Wines, Yorkshire Vintners I wrote the word ‘heroic’ in my notes when I tasted this wine, and I am sure I was talking about the wine as opposed to how it made me feel, but there is a strong chance it was both because this is one of the world’s most profound fortified wines. Intense, bafflingly complex and stunningly balanced, this is near-perfect in every sense. Drink 2024-2074 Alc 17.5% D

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ANNIVERSARY

WINES

Celebrate in 2024 It’s largely ‘vintages ending in 4’ for anyone looking for wines to mark a significant milestone this coming year. This is bad news for some based on vintage performances, though promising for others. Our annual expert selection will help you locate that ideal bottle for the perfect 2024 gift WORDS & SELECTION ANTHONY ROSE

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or this year’s 2024 edition, I have left as few stones unturned as possible, drawing as extensively as I can both on recent tastings as well as the vinous vestiges of my own ‘cellar’ in these anniversary vintages. More importantly, I have tapped into a rich seam of expertise of fine wine-loving friends and writers who have been nowhere near a spittoon in the enjoyable product familiarisation of these wines from their own personal collections.

To gauge the popularity of different regions in the anniversary years for 2024, I asked wine trade global marketplace Liv-ex for a statistical breakdown of trade over the past five years according to vintage. The data showed the not-unexpected dominance of Bordeaux for most of the anniversary vintages, with proportions of overall trade value from about 30% to nearly 90% (for 1974). For the 1999s – 25th anniversaries this year, see p52 – Burgundy (reds 38%, whites 2%) outgunned Bordeaux, also coming within one percentage point (Burgundy 36.4% vs 37.2%) for the 1964 vintage. Champagne came in a creditable second for the 2004s (30.3% of trade vs Bordeaux’s 40.1%). Italy did reasonably well for the 2004 and 1964 vintages (11% and 19% respectively), and Port for 1994 (5.6%). Scotland putting in a nearly 5.6% contribution for 1974 was something I had to query – anomalously, it was down to the trade in rare Ladyburn single malt Scotch whisky.

I’ve made the point before, but the longer a wine spends in bottle, the more provenance and condition become paramount considerations.

Champagne luminary and author Tom Stevenson

50 | Decanter | January 2024

recommends that you ‘never buy single bottles (or magnums) of old vintages from a wine shop, only direct from cellars or auctioned direct from cellars’. Meanwhile, Sacramento wine merchant extraordinaire Darrell Corti points out that ‘most normal drinkers have no pleasure from old wines; fresh, fruity and talked-about is what I think is really liked’. And yet, as he says: ‘When a really lovely old bottle is found, it really is both delicious and memorable.’

20th (2004)

Coinciding with the inaugural Decanter World Wine Awards in 2004, writer-director Alexander Payne’s Sideways sets a high bar for wine films; the term orange wine is coined by UK wine merchant David Harvey; and Eduardo Chadwick puts Chile on the fine wine map when his Viñedo Chadwick and Seña triumph over Châteaux Lafite and Margaux at the Judgement of Berlin tasting. This was an abundant, ‘Indian summer’ vintage in Champagne and fizz-loving 20-year-olds are spoiled for choice.

For Tom Stevenson, Dom Ruinart Rosé along with magnums of Dom Pérignon Brut and Louis Roederer Cristal Rosé are the greatest wines from this vintage. Wine writer and educator Michael Schuster claims that the 2004 vintage is ‘almost a no-brainer’, having enjoyed, above all, Taittinger Comtes de Champagne, Roederer Cristal and a 2004-vintage Gosset. To an already long

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shopping list, I would add 1 Billecart-Salmon Blanc de Blancs, Salon, Philipponnat Clos des Goisses and Bruno Paillard’s Nec Plus Ultra prestige cuvée, as well as a big personal favourite 2 Charles Heidsieck Blanc des Millénaires, a fine-textured, all-Chardonnay Champagne full of beurre blanc and toasty notes for millennials, millenarians and millionaires alike.

Although 2004 was not one of the greatest vintages of the decade in Bordeaux, the best wines are ripe, well balanced, medium-weight and can be left in the cellar a little longer, but many are

‘2004 was an abundant vintage in Champagne – fizz-loving 20-year-olds are spoilt for choice’

already starting to drink well now. Schuster is a big fan of Châteaux Grand-Puy-Lacoste, Léoville Las Cases and Mouton Rothschild (‘best value of the 1st growths’) from the Left Bank; and on the Right (which may prove harder to find), Châteaux L’Evangile, Magdelaine and Canon La Gaffelière. I will draw a veil over red Burgundy, which suffered from ladybird taint, but in the Rhône, Chave’s Hermitage red is outstanding.

Piemontese Nebbiolo failed to live up to expectations, but Polish critic Wojciech Bońkowski MW calls the Cogno Vigna Elena Barolo a star. In his view, Brunello di Montalcino generally fared better, with impressive wines from Costanti, Campogiovanni, Fuligni, Cerbaiona and Soldera Case Basse Riserva.

In Australia, 2004 was a pin-sticker of a fine vintage with the usual suspects all producing excellent wines, among which expert and Decanter contributor Huon Hooke lists Brokenwood Wade Block 2 Shiraz, Woodlands Cabernet ▶ Decanter | January 2024 | 51

ANNIVERSARY WINES

Cullen Wines in Wilyabrup, Western Australia

Sauvignon, Clonakilla Shiraz-Viognier, and Crawford River Reserve Riesling.

From the Rose ‘cellar’, I would add a suppletextured, wonderfully evolved, cherry-rich Cullen, Diana Madeline Wilyabrup Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot, and John Duval’s smokyspicy, savoury Entity Barossa Valley Shiraz; from California, Vérité’s sumptuously juicy, finely balanced Cabernet Franc-dominated Sonoma blend Le Désir; from Chile’s Pacific coast, the consistently excellent Matetic Rosario Valley Syrah; and from Swartland in South Africa, Eben Sadie’s vigorous, blackberryish Columella.

3

4

5

25th (1999)

One chapter opens with the creation of London’s Vinopolis City of Wine venue; another closes as Château d’Yquem in Sauternes is sold to LVMH after 214 years in the Lur Saluces family; while US critic Robert Parker is awarded France’s Légion d’Honneur. This is another good vintage for Champagne despite relatively low acidities, and, it hardly needs saying, is a perfect present for 25-year-olds and 25th anniversaries.

Champagne specialist and author Giles Fallowfield is full of praise for Billecart-Salmon, Cuvée Nicolas François Billecart in this vintage, along with Deutz, Cuvée William Deutz and Pol Roger, Vintage Blanc de Blancs. For Tom Stevenson, the ‘single most outstanding great Champagne’ is Moët & Chandon’s Grand Vintage Extra Brut; while for my part, I have consistently enjoyed the Louis Roederer Vintage (from the year in which Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon became chef de cave), along with the nuttiness and expansive mousse of a seriously vinous Roederer, Late Release Vintage Series magnum.

In Italy’s classic wine regions, 1999 was a great vintage for Brunello di Montalcino, Barolo and

Above: Comte Alexandre de Lur Saluces (who died in July 2023) at the entrance to the courtyard of Château d’Yquem in Sauternes (see ‘25th’, left)

‘1999 was a great vintage for Brunello di Montalcino, Barolo and Chianti Classico’ 52 | Decanter | January 2024

Müller’. Speaking of sweet, a long, cool autumn in Tokaj brought high-quality botrytis wines of fine acidity, among them Disznókő’s 5 and 6 Puttonyos, and Oremus.

Having squirrelled away a few South African reds, I have unearthed from the nooks of the Rose cellar two excellent red surprises: a minty, deliciously pure Thelema, Merlot Reserve and a spicy, cherryish Vergelegen. Elsewhere, along with a handful of long-forgotten winners that are still drinking surprisingly well, I have enjoyed a mature, Burgundy-alike Felton Road, Block 3 Pinot Noir from Central Otago, New Zealand, and Chile’s Alvaro Espinoza’s opulently youthful Merlot-Cabernet-Syrah blend Antiyal, with its classic Maipo Valley sage and mint twist.

30th (1994)

Chianti Classico. Personal favourites for Wojciech Bońkowski include 3 Col d’Orcia’s Poggio al Vento Brunello, Fèlsina Rancia Chianti Classico Riserva, Barolos Le Vigne and 4 Cannubi Boschis from Luciano Sandrone, and 5 Aurelio Settimo’s Barolo Riserva Rocche dell’Annunziata, ‘a sumptuous example of old-style Barolo, the best made at this winery’ – along with the singlevineyard Produttori del Barbaresco Riservas.

Bordeaux, while not outstanding, is drinking well now, with Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande one of the cru classé standouts. Opinions on 1999 Burgundy are mixed, so the answer for lovers of Pinot Noir could be in German Spätburgunder, albeit difficult to find now. Germany-based critic Stuart Pigott suggests that ‘the sweet Riesling Spätlese and Auslese wines from the Mosel, Nahe and Rheingau can be delicious, and this was a great vintage for Egon

6

In 1994, we say farewell then to the term ‘méthode champenoise’ for sparkling wines after it’s outlawed by the EU, and hello to Chilean Carmenère following the revelation that it is not, as previously believed, Merlot. While no great shakes in most of Europe, 1994 was ‘a superb year for Australian reds that has always been a bit underrated’, according to top Aussie critic Huon Hooke. Among the special wines he’s enjoyed in recent years, he singles out 6 Moss Wood’s Special Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon from Margaret River, Tasmania’s Rotherhythe Pinot Noir, and the Chapel Hill Reserve CabernetShiraz South Australian blend, not forgetting the cult Clare Valley red Wendouree.

In a decent vintage for Bordeaux, respected merchant Roy Richards singles out Vieux Château Certan (Pomerol), ‘as sweet as a nut, an absolute joy’, and says that ‘its sister wine Le Pin produced one of its best wines of the decade, discreetly, without anyone noticing’. Tom Stevenson’s Champagne pick is Dom Pérignon, P3 Plénitude Rosé – affordable, if available, to the chosen few. Tuscany-based producer and global consultant Alberto Antonini is a fan of Antinori, Solaia IGT Toscana, ‘an amazing wine that’s elegant, complex, spicy with a structure of velvety and succulent tannins’. I very much enjoyed the Bertani, Amarone della Valpolicella Classico, still going strong, with the accent on strong at 15% alcohol, and laden with black cherry richness.

In Stuart Pigott’s view, Germany’s 1994s have generally aged less well than the 1990s. But, in a difficult year for dry whites, I very much enjoyed a Dönnhoff, Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle Riesling Spätlese Trocken, whose searing citrussy acidity supported a mature white with an ▶ Decanter | January 2024 | 53

almost Hunter Valley Semillon-like smokiness.

Ports are largely enjoyable now, in particular Dow’s, Graham’s and Quinta do Noval Nacional, while for something completely different, Gonzalez Byass Añada 1994 is an arresting palo cortado Sherry with aromatic notes of nuts, dried apricots, orange peel and spices.

40th(1984)

7

8

In 1984, Chateau Musar’s Serge Hochar is made Decanter magazine’s first ‘Man of the Year’ (now the annual Hall of Fame award); Pol Roger’s Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill is launched in homage to its famous client at Blenheim Palace; and it was also a debut vintage for Randall Grahm’s cult California Rhône-style red Le Cigare Volant. All these events occurred in an Orwellian vintage in which 40-year-old wine lovers could be forgiven for wondering what they’d done in a previous life to have been born under quite such a bad sign.

‘One of the two worst vintages in Champagne since World War II,’ says Tom Stevenson, and ‘throughout Italy and Central Europe’, echoes Wojciech Bońkowski. ‘A lost cause,’ moans Michael Schuster. Salvaging something from the wreckage, 1984 in Australia was ‘a good year but patchy’, says Huon Hooke.

‘Interesting wines in Châteauneuf-du-Pape’ suggests Roy Richards, where tiny yields helped to make ‘outstanding’ wines at 7 Clos des Papes and Château Rayas.

While Bordeaux was nothing to write home about, Richards has also extracted some pleasure from Domaine de Chevalier, Château Latour and 8 Lynch-Bages on the Left Bank, and in South Africa, prominent author Michael Fridjhon was blown away by a recently tasted Delheim Grande Reserve.

Where to find and buy anniversary wines For checking prices and availability, I suggest checking out winesearcher.com and wine-lister.com.

You could also try reliable wine brokers such as farrvintners.com or wilkinsonvintners.com, and you may find helpful comments on a wine you’re looking for on a site such as cellartracker.com. For older and scarcer wines, you may wish to keep an eye on auction sales, the main names in the UK and internationally being Christie’s, Sotheby’s and

54 | Decanter | January 2024

Bonhams, with regional UK players including the likes of Dreweatts in Newbury, Stride & Son in Chichester, Gorringe’s in Lewes and Straker Chadwick in Abergavenny, though there are many others – the smaller and more regional you go, the greater caution must be exercised over condition and provenance: caveat emptor. In the US, Zachys in New York is the biggest auction name, while in Australia Langtons is the leading authority.

The late Serge Hochar, Decanter’s first ‘Man of the Year’

50th(1974)

Wine is the Best Medicine is published by the aptly named Dr EA Maury, but the wine gods were looking the other way in what was in large part a nadir vintage. Not least in Bordeaux, where – though not directly implicated himself – a member of the Cruse family jumped to his death in the Gironde river following the scandalous discovery of the négociant’s industrial-scale sale of southern French red as Bordeaux.

On the plus side, in Italy 1974 was a historic vintage for Nebbiolo in Piedmont, ‘rivalling 1971 and (perhaps) 1978 for the best of that otherwise patchy decade’, says Wojciech Bońkowski. His top bottles include Gaja’s Barbaresco (still to be found in several markets, including the UK and US), Prunotto’s Montestefano Riserva Barbaresco and, ‘for more gas in the tank’, the ‘legendary’ Marcarini Barolo or the Marchesi di Barolo, Cannubi Barolo, ‘a magisterial kaleidoscope of Italian scents’.

1974 was one of the best South African vintages in living memory, according to Michael Fridjhon, in general a perfect and gentle ripening season.

‘The best wines are from Nederburg, especially the Auction Cabernet, Auction Shiraz and Auction Pinotage,’ he says, ‘as well as the Paarl Cabernet and even the Baronne [red blend]. The Rustenberg Dry Red from that year is a legend, and Zonnebloem also good – nothing bad, with the exception of Kanonkop.’

It was unmemorable however in Burgundy, although Roy Richards still has one ‘stunning’ red wine in his cellar, Barthod-Noëllat’s ChambolleMusigny 1er Cru Cras, ‘with a deep crystalline hue and gorgeous raspberry fruit’. Californian voices have come out in support of Beaulieu, Georges de Latour, Stag’s Leap and Heitz

ANNIVERSARY WINES

Vineyards of Nederburg with the Simonsberg mountain in the background (see ‘50th’, left)

Martha’s Vineyard. For Port lovers, DWWA Regional Chair Richard Mayson recommends the Quinta do Noval Colheita, an unusual but very fine example of the cask-matured tawny style: ‘Refined, milk chocolate aromas, a touch balsamic, smooth, silky, suave and seductive with citrus freshness and perfect balance.’

PHOTOGRAPHS MICK ROCK/CEPHAS (2), JULIA PEARSON

60th and older

9 Perrier Jouët’s Belle Epoque 1964, its first vintage, is launched in 1969 as Cuvée Belle Epoque at Duke Ellington’s 70th birthday party at Maxim’s in Paris. The legend that was Steven Spurrier (Decanter’s former consultant editor, among many other things) starts life in the wine trade in 1964 at Christopher’s cellars in London.

1964 was a great vintage in more regions than I have space to mention, but terrific in Bordeaux for Domaine de Chevalier and Château Haut Bailly in the Graves, Châteaux Latour and Montrose on the Left Bank and Figeac in St-Emilion; a fine year in Champagne, too, with Burgundy also on good form. Marqués de Riscal’s 1964 Rioja was the best of the decade between 1954 and 1964 and Penfolds, Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon is a legend. There are a number of beguiling colheita Ports from 1964, including a smart rare bottling by Taylor’s.

9

10

1954 was largely forgettable then, even more so now, although diligent seekers of drinkable fine wines of this age might look to 10 Viña Tondoñia Gran Reserva Rioja, Australia’s Mount Pleasant, Hunter Valley Richard Hermitage and the first ever vintage of Wynns, Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon, while the outstanding Blandy’s 1954 Malmsey (bottled 1975) should raise a smile on a platinum anniversary, even if, statistically, only one in 1,000 actually make it that far. From wartime 1944, a Sandeman vintage Port may still be gracefully drinkable.

1934 sees the founding of the first American branch of The Wine and Food Society in Boston, The Wine Institute of California and the Jerez Consejo Regulador. Châteaux Latour, Ausone and Cheval Blanc compete with the legendary colheita Port from Niepoort (still to be found in several markets, including UK and US) for wine of the vintage status. Centenary ahoy!...

In 1924, Professor IA Perold crosses Pinot Noir and Cinsaut to create the mixed blessing known as Pinotage, while Cubist Jean Carlu creates the first artist’s label for Château Mouton Rothschild in Pauillac. It was a great vintage in Bordeaux if you can get your hands on any, while South Australian Seppeltsfield, Para Vintage Tawny 100 Year Old (available from the producer at A$1,100/100ml) represents 100 years of plenitude. D Decanter | January 2024 | 55

CANADA CALLING

The wines exciting the experts now

C

anada might be best recognised internationally as the leading global producer of Icewine, but there’s much more to elicit from this cool-climate wine-producing nation. From elegant Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs to inviting expressions of Syrah and Cabernet Franc, plus bright and toasty traditional-method sparklers, Canada’s dry and sparkling wines are quickly becoming known globally for their quality.

‘Canada has small production of wine, but very exciting wine,’ explained Master Sommelier, Decanter World Wine Awards judge and Quebec native Elyse Lambert, noting the delicious Pinot Noirs tasted during DWWA 2023 judging week.

Excitement and quality abound: Canada saw its best Gold (95-96 points) performance to date at the 2023 competition – dry and sparkling wines carrying a mass of the nation’s 19 L’Acadie Vineyards, Prestige Brut, Gaspereau Valley, Nova Scotia 2017 95 Gold

CA$56.35 (£32.70) lacadievineyards.ca

Pretty and attractive, with white fruit, honey melon, chalky green apple and lifted floral aromatics leading to a palate of vibrant acidity, citrus curd and a fine, saline finish.

Alcohol 11%

COMPILED BY OLIVIA MASON

Marynissen Estates, Sparkling Vidal Icewine, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario 2020

accolades in the category, with the provinces of Ontario, British Columbia and Nova Scotia represented.

‘These days, Canadian wines are getting a lot of attention,’ explained DWWA judge and Ontario native Andrea Pritzker MW. ‘There are some really excellent smaller regions, both in southern Ontario and of course British Columbia, that are really producing some phenomenal quality wines, white and red.’

The question: where to buy them? Pritzker added: ‘Although the volume isn’t huge, which means they’re more difficult to find, the quality is very high. It’s very exciting.’

Worth seeking out – or great cause for a wine trip to Canada – below, discover the top-awarded dry and sparkling wines which impressed the experts of Decanter World Wine Awards most, with more to seek out at awards.decanter.com

Ravine Vineyard, Brut, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario 2011

Trius, Rosé Brut, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario NV

CA$134.80 ravinevineyard.com Attractive and inviting, with a perfumed nose of lifted white flower, buttery brioche and toast. Fresh, lively palate of toasted marshmallow, rich fruit and a pretty, creamy mousse. Alc 12%

CA$29.95 triuswines.com Inviting and perfumed with an attractive nose of spiced red fruit, brioche and toasty notes, while the palate is graced with lifted citrus notes and a beautiful, bright acidity. Alc 12%

Closson Chase, South Clos Chardonnay, Prince Edward County, Ontario 2020

Flat Rock Cellars, The Rusty Shed Chardonnay, Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario 2020

95 Gold

95 Gold

95 Gold

CA$75 (2021) clossonchase.

CA$74.95 marynissen.com Lush, honeyed and opulent with aromas of grilled pineapple, burnt sugar, plush apricot and lychee, then a luscious palate of mango, tropical fruit, lime and rich peach. Alc 9%

Hints of smoky gun flint on an inviting nose, while a textured palate is layered with lean, bright citrus, crisp grapefruit, just-ripe apricot and a chalky, wet stone minerality. Alc 13.3%

56 | Decanter | January 2024

com

95 Gold

95 Gold CA$35.15 flatrockcellars.com Opulent nose, layers of toast, cashew nut, hints of struck match and lush vanilla oak. Textured palate of bright lemon, plush peach, supple oak spice and apple. Alc 13.5%

DECANTER WORLD WINE AWARDS 2023

Peller Estates, Signature Series Sauvignon Blanc, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario 2020

CedarCreek, Aspect Block 4 Pinot Noir, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia 2020

Hidden Bench, Pinot Noir, Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario 2021

CA$36 peller.com Fumé-style, inviting nose of toasty oak and baking spice, then a textured palate of citrus curd and herbaceous blackcurrant leaf, tropical notes and very well-judged oak. Alc 13.8%

CA$75 (2019)

CA$37.75 hiddenbench.com Fragrant, bright raspberry, plush strawberry and pretty florals. Textured palate of flinty, stony mineral, light spice, violet, small red berry fruit, crunchy blackberry and subtle, fine-grained tannins. Alc 13%

Kacaba, Signature Series Reserve Cabernet Franc, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario 2020

Mission Hill, Terroir Collection Desert Ridge Meritage, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia 2020

95 Gold

95 Gold

96 Gold

cedarcreek.bc.ca

Spicy, small berry and plush cherry aromatics invite you to a pretty palate of crunchy red cherry, lifted floral notes, bright acidity and a textured minerality.

Alc 13%

95 Gold

O’Rourke, Waiting for You Pinot Noir, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia 2020 95 Gold

CA$60.15 kacaba.com Opulent, plush and inviting, with aromas of lush dark cherry, cocoa, dark berry , liquorice and espresso, while the textured palate is graced with blackberry, spice and well-managed tannins. Alc 14.9%

95 Gold

ofestate.com

missionhillwinery.com

Inviting and aromatic nose, with plush red cherry, a touch of vanilla oak, black fruit and spice.

Layered with opulent, lush black fruit and a gorgeous floral midpalate. Alc 13.3%

Road 13, John Oliver Syrah, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia 2020

Thirty Bench, Benchmark Red, Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario 2020

Thirty Bench, Small Lot Cabernet Franc, Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario 2020

CA$86 (2019) thirtybench.com Inviting, perfumed nose of spiced black fruit, roast pepper and graphite leading onto a rich palate of plush black fruit, supple oak and herbaceous leaf notes. Alc 13.5%

CA$76 (2019) thirtybench.com Fragrant, with pretty redcurrant, mint, chocolate and blackberry aromatics.

A herbaceous palate is graced with intense fruit, leafy notes and lovely textured tannins. Alc 13.9%

95 Gold

CA$80 road13vineyards.com Inky and inviting, with heady aromas of plush blackberry and blueberry, then a textured palate layered with lush blue fruit, vibrant acidity, mocha and polished, glossy oak. Alc 13.9%

Big, bold and inviting, with aromatics of graphite, plush black fruit, leather and spice. Textured palate with concentrated, smooth, lush dark fruit framed with graceful tannins. Alc 14.2%

95 Gold

DWWA 2024 entries are open until 15 March. Learn more and enter at enter.decanter.com

95 Gold

Decanter | January 2024 | 57

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Distilled

Your guide to the latest trends in spirits and cocktails EDITED BY JULIE SHEPPARD

No smoke without fire…

While some of us may be taking a break from alcohol in the new year (see ‘Five of the best’, opposite), for the rest of us, the first of January is World Bloody Mary Day. This classic vodka-and-tomato-juice cocktail is also a winning hangover cure, according to its disciples. But more importantly it’s one of those recipes that can be tweaked and refined to suit your individual taste perfectly.

Step forward Tongue in Peat, the world’s only peat-smoked tomato juice, which makes a deliciously smoky, savoury Mary. Launched by a small Scottish drinks company in

2020, it’s made by cold-smoking fresh tomatoes over a peat fire for 12 hours, which are then blended, infused and bottled. Peat is sourced from Islay, so no surprises the flavour will appeal to fans of smoky single malts. For my ultimate Bloody Mary, I stir together 50ml vodka, 150ml Tongue in Peat, 15ml manzanilla Sherry, 10ml lemon juice, 2 dashes of Worcestershire sauce, 2 dashes Fee Brothers Celery Bitters and 1 dash Tabasco, in a highball glass with ice.

Garnish with a celery stick and wedge of lemon. £15.99/3x500ml, £24.99/6x500ml tongueinpeat.com

WHAT TO DRINK NOW…

Air Mail If dark January has got you pining for some winter sun, try this tropical twist on a Champagne cocktail. The Air Mail first appeared in a recipe pamphlet in Cuba by the Bacardí company in 1930. The Cuban air mail service began the same year, which could indicate the drink was invented then and named after it, but there’s no evidence to support that. You can use sparkling wine instead of Champagne and any gold rum (aged one to three years) – though the original called for Bacardí Gold. Try Bacardí Carta Oro (Alc 40%, £20.99-£23.95/70cl Distillers Direct, Gerry’s, Master of Malt, Ocado, Spirits Kiosk, The Bottle Club, The Whisky Exchange).

60 | Decanter | January 2024

AIR MAIL Glass Highball Garnish None Method Put the rum, lime and syrup in a shaker with ice and shake until your hands are cold. Strain into an ice-filled highball glass and top with Champagne.

45ml gold rum 15ml lime juice 15ml honey syrup Champagne to top

PHOTOGRAPH GAVIN HILL

WHAT IS… a Nick & Nora?

The Nick & Nora is a stemmed cocktail glass with an inverted bowl, used to serve stirred or shaken cocktails straight up – in other words, without ice. The stem prevents the drink getting too warm in your hand. This style of glass was resurrected by bartending icon Dale DeGroff of New York City’s Rainbow Room in the late 1980s. Hunting for a smaller alternative to the conical Martini glasses of the time, he noticed fictional detectives Nick and Nora Charles drinking their Martinis from delicate glasses in The Thin Man, a series of comedy-mystery films released in 1930s and 1940s. Manhattan-based Minners Designs sent DeGroff one of its 1930s catalogues, which had a similar design called a ‘Little Martini’. DeGroff commissioned new moulds of the design, naming his glasses Nick & Nora.

To make your own honey syrup, dissolve 5ml honey in 5ml warm water.

FIVE OF THE BEST

Low and no-alcohol spirits for dry January RECOMMENDED BY JULIE SHEPPARD

If you’re cutting out or reducing your alcohol intake after festive indulgence, there are plenty of delicious alcohol-free drinks to choose from. Remember to keep your opened bottles in the fridge, as they don’t have the same shelf life as alcoholic spirits.

1

Botivo

£24.70-£26.95/50cl Amathus Drinks, Botivo Drinks, Earl of East, Reserve Wines, The Whisky Exchange, Threshers, Wise Bartender

Made from a base of British apple cider vinegar, Botivo was my favourite NoLo of 2023. Small batch, with no flavourings or preservatives, it’s infused with fresh botanicals – rosemary, thyme, gentian, wormwood and orange zest – balanced with wildflower honey, for a bittersweet drink with depth and complexity. Mix 25ml with tonic over ice. Alcohol 0.1% 2

Crossip Dandy Smoke

£22-£25/50cl Crossip, Drinks Distilled, Mothership, The Alcohol Free Co, The Scottish Gantry, Threshers

The Crossip range was created with bartenders in mind. One for fans of whisky and dark rums, Dandy Smoke is so richly textured, complex and smoky that you can simply enjoy it neat over ice. But it’s also brilliant in cocktails. Try a Dandy Sour: mix 35ml Crossip Dandy Smoke, 20ml lemon juice, 10ml apple juice, 5ml honey and 20ml aquafaba/egg white in a shaker without ice.

Add ice, shake again and strain into a chilled Nick & Nora glass. Alc 0% 3

cold then serve straight up or on the rocks in a salt-rimmed glass. Alc 0% 4

Pentire Coastal Spritz

£21-£23/50cl Abel & Cole, Amathus Drinks, Elston & Son, Master of Malt, Pentire Drinks, The Light Drinker, The Wine Society

Cornish distiller Pentire uses local coastal botanicals such as rock samphire and sea buckthorn to produce its approachable range of non-alcoholic drinks. The latest addition is Pentire Coastal Spritz, made with blood orange, sea rosemary and oakwood. With bitter, herbal, red berry and citrus notes, it’s best paired with Fever-Tree Refreshingly Light Tonic, to make a thirst-quenching dry aperitif with flavours of blood orange to the fore. Alc 0.3% 5

Sipsmith FreeGlider

£17-£22/70cl Amazon, Booths, Harvey Nichols, John Lewis, Majestic, Master of Malt, Ocado, Sipsmith, Spirits Kiosk, The Drinks Edit, The Whisky

ISH Mexican Agave Spirit

Exchange, Threshers, Waitrose

£18-£22/50cl Club Soda, Master of Malt, Non-Alcoholic Shop, Wise Bartender

ISH is a range of zero-alcohol spirits and non-alcoholic wines from Denmark. Smoky and spicy Mexican Agave Spirit is styled after a reposado tequila, made with organic agave and rested in American oak. Enjoy it in a Mindful Margarita: combine 60ml ISH Mexican Agave, 30ml lime juice, 30ml orange juice and 20ml sugar syrup in a shaker with ice. Shake until your hands are

The dedicated Sipsmith team, creators of the excellent Sipsmith London Dry Gin, experimented with more than 100 ingredients and 189 prototypes to create their alcohol-free spirit – and it was worth the effort. Woody, herbal aromas with uplifting freshness lead to grapefruit citrus, juniper, dry spice and eucalypt with a lingering pine sap note. Well balanced, it makes a super No G&T garnished with a slice of grapefruit. Alc 0.5% D

5

1 3 2 4

Decanter | January 2024 | 61

40-cloves-ofgarlic chicken If you need a reliable yet delicious one-pan crowd-pleaser to add to your repertoire, this Provençal-style staple is hard to beat – to match with a range of whites or rosé STORY CLAIRE THOMSON

62 | Decanter | January 2024

PERFECT PAIRING

A

popular ingredient, chicken is as much a grocery favourite for midweek, minimal-fuss dinners as it is for more indulgent, celebratory weekend cooking. Its versatility is very much its selling point. Stating the obvious, we should all be buying the best-quality chicken our budget allows for, with free range and/or organic chicken being the ideal. A responsibly sourced whole chicken will cost you, and as such I would urge you to be scrupulous in its demolition. After cooking a whole bird and eating your fill, strip the carcass, prising every single morsel from the frame, and use it in a recipe that makes the most of leftovers.

If you are buying chicken from a butcher, a good one should be happy to help with any of your butchering requirements – spatchcocking a whole bird, for example. If not, then as ever there are countless tutorials to show you how to do this online.

With One Pan Chicken, never in my 10 years of writing cookery books has my answer to the question ‘What are you working on at the moment?’ elicited such an enthusiastic response. It has even taken me by surprise. In summary of these conversations – and there have been plenty – people want to eat chicken, and they want to cook that chicken simply, in one pan.

THE RECIPE Many food writers – from Richard Olney, Elizabeth David, Keith Floyd and Nigel Slater to Nigella Lawson, me and plenty more – have given the recipe for 40-cloves-of-garlic chicken (thought to be Provençal in origin), but it’s terrific and certainly deserves its place in this book, too.

The older the garlic, the more pungent the flavour, so using some fat cloves of new-season French garlic would no doubt be outrageously good in this recipe, although regular garlic, found already in your kitchen or in supermarket aisles, will also work perfectly well.

PHOTOGRAPH SAM FOLAN

Serves 4 INGREDIENTS 1kg whole chicken thighs, leg or drumsticks 40 garlic cloves (approximately 3-4 bulbs), unpeeled 2 tbsp olive oil

The wines to match By Fiona Beckett This is more a question of what goes with garlic than what goes with chicken, although the flavour is milder and more mellow than you’d imagine. Since you will be using white wine to make the dish, I’d be inclined to drink white wine with it, too – maybe from Italy rather than France. You don’t want a buttery Chardonnay or an aromatic Sauvignon Blanc, I would venture. Those usefully neutral Italian whites like Orvieto Classico, Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi and Vernaccia di San Gimignano or, more interesting still, Timorasso, would work just fine. A good Soave, as well.

As there’s a Provençal influence, you could obviously drink a Provence rosé, too – I suggest a Bandol rosé, which tends to be more weighty and savoury than a lighter, paler Côtes de Provence. And if you want to drink a red I’d recommend a light one, Beaujolais being the obvious candidate – though a lighter cru such as a Brouilly or Chiroubles, maybe, rather than a Morgon. Marcillac would be a good rustic alternative. Wine suggestions from decanter.com –

Try: The Society’s Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi, Umbria, Italy 2022 90

Try: Château Jean-Pierre Gaussen, Bandol Rosé, Provence, France 2021 93

£8.50 The Wine Society A good-value, fruit-forward and organic option, this is crisp and taut but it also has a generous weight of orchard fruit on both nose and palate. Unoaked and bone-dry, it has racy acidity and a warm, preserved lemon zestiness on the finish.

Drink 2024-2025 Alc 12.5%

£22.95 Robert Rolls Intense dried fruit on the nose with notes of green tea and herbs, a touch of creamy lees. Soft supple strawberries and cherries and delicate floral notes. Charming yet energetic, with a silky, creamy weight and buttery shortbread richness.

Drink 2024-2033 Alc 13%

250ml dry white wine 2 bay leaves 1 large thyme sprig 250ml chicken stock or water salt and freshly ground black pepper METHOD 1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.

2. Heat the oil in a casserole pan over a moderate heat. Add the chicken and garlic and fry, turning, for around 8-10 minutes, until both are golden brown all over.

3. Add the wine, bay and thyme, and cook, stirring often, until the liquid is almost completely cooked away.

4. Add the stock or water and cover with a lid. Then cook over a very low heat for around 30-35 minutes, until the chicken is fully cooked through.

5. Remove the casserole pan from the heat and rest the chicken for 5 minutes before serving.

6. Eat the garlic cloves, squeezing them out from their casings, with the chicken and juices.

One Pan Chicken

by Claire Thomson (£20 Quadrille) was published in November 2023

Claire Thomson is a chef, food writer and source of family-cooking inspiration on Instagram. She lives in Bristol with her husband and three children. Her previous books include The Art of the Larder, New Kitchen Basics, Home Cookery Year and Tomato. This is her eighth book. D

Decanter | January 2024 | 63

TRAVEL: CANADA

64 | Decanter | January 2024

Vancouver Island A wine lover’s guide Lying just off British Columbia’s west coast, this Pacific-facing island may not be Canada’s best-known wine tourism draw, but it offers a bounty of hidden gems. And vying for the accolade of Canada’s warmest place, it’s the perfect destination for a winter getaway STORY NICOLE MACKAY

O

nly a 90-minute ferry ride from Vancouver in Canada’s western province of British Columbia (BC), or a 50-minute seaplane journey from Seattle in the US, a lush isle beckons with artisanal wineries and a unique climate. It’s Vancouver Island, a relatively unknown wine appellation, but a charming and convenient destination for enthusiasts.

While Vancouver Island stretches 460km north to south, most winemaking happens in a small area along its southeast coast – the Cowichan Valley, the island’s only GI sub-appellation,

‘The First Nations Salish translation of Cowichan is “warm land”’ which surrounds the city of Duncan and extends between Mill Bay northwest up to Cowichan lake (see maps, p66). Most wineries are on the east coast, off the Saanich Inlet.

A short drive from Victoria – the island’s hub city and BC’s provincial capital – the Cowichan Valley is a breeze to navigate. The short distance ▶

View of the Inner Harbour at sunset in downtown Victoria (see ‘Address book’, p69)

Decanter | January 2024 65

TRAVEL: CANADA between wineries – at most 20 minutes’ drive apart – allows for leisurely exploration.

‘Winemaking’ on the island dates back 100 years, first using loganberries (a blackberryraspberry cross) to create fruit wines. The focus turned to grapes in the 1980s with the Duncan Project, a government-led test site initiative.

Over seven years, more than 100 grape varieties were trialled before the government withdrew funding. Today, a vibrant community of winemakers produce a diverse array of grapes that reflect the island’s individual microclimates.

WARM WELCOME

Nearby mountains shield the Cowichan Valley from Pacific ocean storms from the west. The First Nations Salish translation of Cowichan is ‘warm land’, epitomising the area’s long, dry growing season with low frost risk. Thanks to a year-round average temperature warmer than anywhere else in Canada, the island’s climate is known as ‘Maritime Mediterranean’.

Hybrid varieties such as Ortega, Auxerrois and Maréchal Foch were the focus in the early days, while today – thanks in part to climate change – some Vitis vinifera flourish, particularly Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris. However, Chardonnay will soon be the most planted white grape variety.

This potential has attracted international investment. California-based Jackson Family Wines (JFW) owns two Cowichan Valley properties, accounting for 53ha of the island’s area under vine: 130ha according to the BC Wine Grape Council’s report for 2022.

JFW family members bought Unsworth (unsworthvineyards.com) in 2020, focusing on sustainable vineyard practices. Disease-resistant cross-varieties developed by Swiss geneticist Valentin Blattner since the 1980s, such as Petite Milo, Cabernet Libre and Labelle, play an important role in Unsworth’s signature white and red blends Allegro and Symphony respectively.

Its Charme de L’Ile sparkling wines (a trademarked concept used by Vancouver Island producers who make Charmat-method wines) are BC’s most accessible expressions of the style.

In 2022, JFW also acquired Blue Grouse (bluegrouse.ca), one of Cowichan Valley’s pioneering wineries. Its portfolio centres around Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and 30-year-old dry-farmed Pinot Gris. Annual production is about 84,000 bottles, set to increase to 120,000.

PLAN AHEAD

While most of Vancouver Island’s wineries offer a year-round visiting experience, it’s worth planning ahead in the off-season, as some limit their tasting hours. At the same time, it’s common for 66 | Decanter | January 2024

Unsworth’s Charme de L’Ile sparkling Pinot Noir rosé

Vancouver Island vineyards

Strait of Georgia

1 Unsworth 2 Blue Grouse 3 Averill Creek 4 Church & State Wines

3 Lake Cowichan

0

10

20

30

VANCOUVER ISLAND 14

Fuc a St rait

BRITISH COLUMBIA

Duncan

COWICHAN VALLEY 2 1Cowichan Bay Victoria

kilometres

Jua n de

CANADA USA

1

Cowichan Lake

N

Vancouver International Airport

Nanaimo

1

International Airport

Saanich Inlet

Brentwood Bay

Mill Bay

4

SAANICH PENINSULA 14

How to get there

Saanich Core

Victoria

There are frequent flights to Victoria International (at Sidney) from Canada’s major cities (such as Victoria USA Vancouver: 30 mins, from $106/£64), but renting a Juan de Fuca Strait Seattle car is necessary to visit wineries. Several daily ferries VANCOUVER WASHINGTON ISLAND run from Vancouver (1hr 35mins into Swartz Bay, Portland Pacific Ocean adults CA$17.20/£10). From Seattle, consider the OREGON seaplane route (50-75 mins, from about $200/£117 per person) or the Clipper ferry (2hrs 45mins, from about $99/£58 per person).

CANADA

VANCOUVER ISLAND

Vancouver

restaurants to close on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Averill Creek (averillcreek.ca), about 12km from the coast, is a must-visit in winter when it offers its popular Alpine cheese fondue and wine pairing experience (CA$50/£29 + tax per person, reservations required). Its tasting room and ▶

Viewable from Malahat Skywalk, the impressive volcanic peak of Mount Baker lies almost as far northwest as you can get in the USA

MY PERFECT DAY IN VANCOUVER ISLAND MORNING & LUNCH

Wake up to the gentle sounds of waves at Oceanfront Suites* in the charming community of Cowichan Bay. Stroll to nearby Leeward Cafe (@leewardcafe) for a quick breakfast sandwich and honeysweetened chai latte before browsing in the waterfront shops or, for the adventurous, taking to the water with Cowichan Bay Kayaking (+1 250 597 3031). In your rental car, head to Averill Creek (see p66) to enjoy one of three tastings that you have already

booked – guided, self-guided or the full package, including private vineyard and cellar tour. You could stay and order from the snack menu, or head where the locals go: Hank’s Cowichan (hankscowichan.com), about 15 minutes’ drive away and a great sit-down stop for a homemade soup and sandwich. Alternatively from Hank’s, grab some Pickles’ Pantry (picklespantry.ca) paté or charcuterie items for an on-the-go snack — also to be found at the Duncan Farmers Market on Saturdays.

AFTERNOON

After a bite, continue to Blue Grouse Estate Winery (p66), only eight minutes’ drive from Cowichan. The modern tasting room is inviting and boasts panoramic views of the vineyards. From here, a 30-minute drive south gets you to the Malahat Skywalk*, where a spiral wooden ramp leads up to a 32m viewing deck. Soak up the breathtaking scenery of Mount Baker (above) and the Saanich Peninsula before taking the nine-second spiral slide to the bottom. Then make your way to the Mill Bay ferry to cross the inlet. The 25-minute journey runs nearly every hour until 6:30pm (from CA$32.60/£19 for car with two passengers).

EVENING

Cowichan Bay Kayaking

After docking at Brentwood Bay, drive 10 minutes to Church & State (p68) to taste traditional-method artisan sparkling wines.

Afterwards, check in and relax at Brentwood Bay Resort & Spa*. Dinner options include the pub (a great chowder of local fish and clams) or the upscale Arbutus Room, where you can savour seared Hokkaido scallops or Saltspring Island mussels.

For more details of entries marked with an asterisk (*), see p69 Decanter | January 2024 | 67

TRAVEL: CANADA

Whale watching in Cowichan Bay (see ‘Address book’, p69)

outdoor terrace (when weather permits) offer stunning panorama views of its 13ha of vineyards on the sunny southeast-facing slopes of Mount Prevost. It’s the perfect spot to sip Averill Creek’s Joue Red, a blend of Foch, Gamay and Pinot Noir, or its wild-ferment Westholm Pinot Gris.

At family-run Rocky Creek (rockycreekwinery.ca), in tourist season 30- to 45-minute tastings are available at a modest charge, and spring and summer are best for enjoying an informal picnic on the patio with wine purchased. But even during winter you can still enjoy a stroll through the gardens next to its estate vineyards before enjoying a local Cabernet Foch or wines from international varieties.

While most of Vancouver Island’s wine comes from Cowichan Valley, there are vineyards elsewhere, such as in the Saanich Peninsula, where Church & State Wines (churchandstatewines.com) has its satellite property. Best known for producing elegant whites and bold reds from the southern Okanagan Valley (mainland BC), Church & State’s 8ha island estate (about 5ha planted) is focused on sparkling wines. Try the traditional-method, hand-riddled Gris de Noir, which comes from Saanich-grown Pinot Noir.

TASTE OF THE ISLAND

Vancouver Island boasts a robust culinary identity that draws foodies as well as wine lovers.

Organic produce abounds and menus feature freshly caught Pacific salmon and succulent 68 | Decanter | January 2024

Dungeness crab, while farm-to-table dining showcases the island’s bounty of artisanal cheeses and grass-fed meats.

Wine festivals add another layer of allure.

Averill Creek’s Noir Fest, in late June, celebrates Pinot Noir from across BC (averillcreek.ca/ noir-fest). In the warmth and full bloom of August, the Cowichan Valley Wine Festival (@cowichanwineries) spotlights local wines, dishes and live entertainment. Victoria Wine Festival (vicwf.com) wraps up the season around harvest time in late September, with winery dinners and events aimed at both consumers and wine trade.

Whatever the season, and whether you’re a seasoned oenophile or a casual sipper, Vancouver Island promises unforgettable experiences.

Above: Church & State Wines (see left)

The spiral staircase and accessible viewing ramps of the Malahat Skywalk tower, just south of Mill Bay

YOUR VANCOUVER ISLAND ADDRESS BOOK ACCOMMODATION

PHOTOGRAPHS PAUL BIRIS/MOMENT/GETTY IMAGES, MR NIKON/SHUTTERSTOCK, KEITH SUTHERLAND/GETTY IMAGES, DAVE HUTCHISON PHOTOGRAPHY/GETTY IMAGES. MAPS MAGGIE NELSON

Brentwood Bay Resort This waterfront sanctuary offers luxurious accommodations, spa indulgence and panoramic views. It’s a tranquil escape where elegance meets natural beauty. brentwoodbayresort.com

Alpina Restaurant at Villa Eyrie Resort

THINGS TO DO Malahat Skywalk An awe-inspiring treetop adventure en route to Cowichan Bay, offering panoramic views of forests and mountains for an unforgettable nature experience (CA$36.95/£22 per adult). malahatskywalk.com

Oceanfront Suites at Cowichan Bay Perfect for nature lovers, Cowichan Bay is an idyllic and historic waterfront community with breathtaking views, known for its independent shops and cafés. oceanfrontcowichanbay.com Parkside Hotel & Spa A luxurious central spot in Victoria to start or end your trip, blending modern elegance with environmental sustainability in its spacious suites and rooftop gardens. parksidevictoria.com

FOOD & DRINK Alpina Restaurant at Villa Eyrie Resort For menus that infuse local ingredients with traditional Alpine European flavours, accompanied by breathtaking 270° views of the Olympic mountains, Mount Baker and the Saanich Inlet, this is a dining experience

cideries, breweries, wineries and farms, so the menu always features seasonal dishes. atthelakehouse.ca

elevated in every aspect. villaeyrie.com/ alpina-restaurant Little Jumbo A must-visit in Victoria for gastronomic adventurers, with an intimate setting and inventive menu that showcases locally sourced ingredients and craft cocktails. littlejumbo.ca The Lakehouse at Shawnigan A serene hideaway with views overlooking the lake. It supports local distilleries,

Victoria Harbour Victoria’s downtown area features iconic attractions such as the Parliament Buildings and historic Empress Hotel, plus vibrant street performers along Inner Harbour (pictured, p64). Enjoy scenic walks, boat tours and charming waterfront cafes. tourismvictoria.com Whale watching At eco-friendly business Ocean Ecoventures in Cowichan Bay, get up close and personal with marine life (pictured, p68) with expert guides: a thrilling exploration of the ocean’s wonders (Cowichan Bay Whale Watching Eco Tour, half day CA$169/£99 per adult). oceanecoventures.com D Decanter | Janaury January 2024 | 69

Wine wisdom Our regular learning section helps you get more from your glass

Ask Decanter

Orange wines (which have undergone extended skin contact) can contain almost as many polyphenols as red wines

Each month our experts answer your burning wine questions. Email your queries to editor@decanter.com

POLYPHENOLS EXPLAINED If polyphenols are the ‘healthy’ component of red wine (as in the ‘French paradox’), does this mean skin-contact/orange wines, such as qvevri and natural wines, are equally good for you, as opposed to white wines which don’t have any skin contact?

Louis Drake, by email Beverley Blanning MW, Decanter contributor, replies: Polyphenols are

present mostly in the skins and seeds of grapes, and the level of polyphenols in wine depends on many factors. These include the grape variety used, the soil where the vines are planted, their access to water and sunlight, the degree of ripeness when the grapes were picked, the strain of yeast used during fermentation and, crucially, the extended maceration of grapes during the winemaking process.

Traditionally made (skin-macerated) red wines typically contain up to 10 times as many polyphenols as their nonmacerated white counterparts. But studies have shown that qvevri-style white wines, which undergo long maceration with the grape skins and seeds, contain levels of polyphenols that are almost as high as those seen in reds, the latter benefiting from additional colour-related anthocyanins not present in white grapes.

So, though there are many variables to consider, the broad answer to the question is ‘yes – almost’, when it comes to white wines with extended skin contact.

I should point out, however, that ‘natural’ wine and orange wine are not the same thing. There is no requirement for a ‘natural’ white wine to be made in the

70 | Decanter | January 2024

style of a skin-contact orange wine, and indeed most do not fall into this category.

WHEN N/A UK WON’T DO I find the lack of UK stockists for some of your wines frustrating. What can I do?

Hannah Edwards, by email Tina Gellie, Decanter content manager, replies: We try to make sure that the

wines we feature in Decanter magazine are available in the UK. It’s a timeconsuming process for our production team, and we hope you find it useful if you’re based in Britain, as the majority of our readers are. But sometimes we think wines are exciting, interesting and worthwhile enough to feature regardless of whether they have UK availability. In those cases, there are a few ways you can source them.

1. Go direct When there is no UK stockist, we list the producer’s contact details.

These days, most wineries have websites, answer emails promptly (or phone calls) and are often happy to take online orders from anywhere.

2. Use a shipping agent Cellardoor-todoorstep services are particularly useful if you want to buy from more than one

winery, as they offer consolidated shipping. In Australia, for example, try Get Freighted (getfreightedcellardoor.com).

But a web search will find many others internationally, too.

3. Wait Consumers aren’t the only people who read Decanter for ideas about new wines. The UK wine trade also finds it an invaluable source of inspiration, and a mention in our pages often prompts an importer or agent to order several cases of something we’ve praised. Sommeliers, too, are always on the lookout for unusual or exclusive wines, so companies that serve the hospitality industry are likely to source more adventurous, esoteric and boutique bottles that may well appear on the list of your favourite wine bar or restaurant. While wine search engines such as wine-searcher.com and vivino.com may not yet feature these wines, keep trying and you may find they pop up.

4. Ask If you’ve spotted something in our pages you’d like to buy and you have a good relationship with a local merchant, why not see if they can order in a wine for you? To make it worth their time, effort and expense, get some friends to join you in purchasing a few cases.

3 WAYS WITH

Casseroles

You don’t often find casseroles on a menu these days – in fact, how often do you cook one at home? Or if you do, maybe you call it a stew? Strictly the term refers to the pot in which the dish is cooked, but it basically refers to any slow-cooked dish that’s simmered in the oven. There’s a slightly retro connotation to the word casserole, though, that implies a more traditional, hearty kind of dish, the question being whether you match it for weight with your wine or go for a slightly lighter option as a contrast. It also depends on the liquid you use – many old-fashioned casseroles specify beer or cider in the recipe, rather than wine.

Tomato, or the absence of it, also makes a difference to a wine pairing.

BEEF DAUBE

Generally cooked with a hearty red, which would also go with it. Red Rhône varieties – in this instance Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre – are the obvious option, or GSM blends from elsewhere such as South Africa or Australia. Other robust reds, for example Priorat or a red Douro, will work too. (The latter’s good with a carbonnade.)

CHICKEN CASSEROLE

Can take a number of forms, but is likely

Very old-school, hearty and rustic, though these days it might well take the form of a mini-cassoulet. I think Malbec – whether from Cahors or Argentina – is perfectly suited to this kind of food, or an inexpensive Barbera from Piedmont, especially if the recipe includes tomato.

The other significant parallel is that, much like Cava, which showcases indigenous varieties Macabeo, Xarel.lo and Parellada, crémant also shops local when it comes to source material. There are eight legally recognised crémant

appellations: Alsace, Bordeaux, Bourgogne, Die, Jura, Limoux, Loire and Savoie; each iteration uses as building blocks varieties which have forged their region’s name.

Crémant d’Alsace leans predominantly on Pinot Blanc, along with Riesling and Pinot Gris, plus Chardonnay and Pinot Noir – which also form the backbone of Crémant de Bourgogne; Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc are the main players in Crémant de Loire. It is this contemporary chime of local provenance which perhaps resonates most strongly with today’s arguably more informed drinker, being assured that not only are they indulging in top-drawer, world-class fizz, but in one that also speaks faithfully of its origins. ▶

If you like Cava, why not try crémant Cava’s reputation as a (largely) keenerpriced alternative to the grande dame of sparkling wine, Champagne, is all but baked in. In recent times, however, it is Cava which has been looking over its shoulder as a crémant surge continues apace, and just as Cava quite rightly proclaims that its traditional-method process (where the sparkle-inducing second fermentation takes place in bottle) echoes the techniques used in Champagne, the exact same principle applies to all crémants.

SAUSAGE CASSEROLE

to be lighter than a beef- or lamb-based one, especially if cooked with cider. I’d generally go for a rich, textured white such as an old-vine Chenin Blanc, or a Rhône or Languedoc blend of Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, Marsanne and/or Viognier. White Grenache/Garnacha on its own works well, too.

Decanter | January 2024 | 71

WINE WISDOM

The sommelier suggests...

We invite a leading sommelier to pick a go-to, personal favourite grape variety or wine style

Grüner Veltliner

by Christopher Sealy

I

first met Grüner Veltliner perhaps a decade ago, or more. I had scheduled a tasting with an agent who was touring my home town of Toronto with an Austrian wine producer – it was an unexpected encounter with the Grüner Veltliner grape: I was shy and caught off-guard.

The Grüner shimmered with an emerald hue, was charming, nuanced, vibrantly fresh and complex at the same time.

I was intrigued. I became enamoured. I wanted to get to know Grüner wines in all their forms and fashions. To this day our relationship can be described as one big love affair.

My first visit to see Grüner Veltliner on its home soil was in the company of the wine-grower Fred Loimer, who is located in the Kamptal wine region in the Danube area of Lower Austria, Niederösterreich. The Kamp is one of the many tributaries that carve channels across the land, making way for the warm easterly breeze of the Pannonian Basin to enter and clash with the cool winds of the Atlantic descending from the north and west. Beautiful climates of tension allow for Grüner to be fashioned into some of the most dynamic wines I have ever tasted.

I have learned that, yes, Grüner can be styled into elegant and classic wines. Yet with a more raw, lower-interventionist/biodynamic approach, Grüner is capable of reaching indescribable heights of taste and delight. Austria is abundant in biodynamic wines.

Over the years, I’ve been able to explore Grüner’s native lands further, spending time in the cool, westerly, terraced vineyards of the Wachau where Grüner displays a crystalline and mineral side; like sunlight in winter. All the way east above Vienna to the rolling hills and valleys 72 | Decanter | January 2024

of a Sound-of-Music landscape that is the Weinviertel. Here a multitude of expressions of Grüner can be found, from sensual skin-contact wines to acacia-scented, spicy, peppery expressions. In between, there are the regions – no less in significance – of Kremstal, Traisental and Wagram, which all offer various other identities of Grüner.

When all you need is comfort at the table, Grüner easily takes the place of Sauvignon Blanc, Albariño or Muscadet – even Chardonnay in many instances. With any dish featuring or

Christopher Sealy is a sommelier, wine educator and occasional wine writer, based in Toronto. He was the recipient of the first ever Toronto Michelin Guide Sommelier Award in 2022, as wine director for Alo Food Group restaurants. In between frequent wine travel and wine service, Christopher can be found at the Saturday morning farmers’ market, spinning vinyl at a local wine bar, sipping fresh low-intervention wines, or in a coffee shop planning his next wine collaboration.

Next month in

ON SALE 7 FEBRUARY

‘I was intrigued. I became enamoured.

I wanted to get to know Grüner wines in all their forms and fashions’ scented with asparagus, anise, fennel, cucumber, over a crudo, lake or ocean fish, Grüner is harmonious. With serious cuts of veal, pork, roast cauliflower or Brussels sprouts, meanwhile, enjoy a ‘reserve’ level or grand cru 1ÖTW (Austria’s equivalent of the German Grosses Gewächs) expression of Grüner.

Good Grüner is irresistible, great Grüner is divine. Most Grüner is already styled and fashioned to a high degree. It’s just in its DNA. Take more than a sip and fall into a wonderful love affair. ▶

Discover Grüner Veltliner: Sealy’s three to try For those who love ‘classic’ styles, try any of the many expressions of Fred Loimer, particularly his Ried Spiegel 1ÖTW, Langenlois, Kamptal. This is a wine for the cellar, reflective of time and space that shepherds the energy of soil and environment towards

centre stage, like the skilled conductor of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra.

For those who may have explored Grüner at their local natural wine bar, try Weingut Shödl’s Grün, Grün, Grüner, Weinviertel 2022 (£28.50-£33 Modal Wines, Wayward Wines), for an expression of raw clarity.

No funk, just enough edge with a peppered playfulness, and delight that keeps you coming back for more. As a food pairing option, this low-intervention wine works wonders.

Weingut Prager is an icon of the Wachau, crafting wines of Klimt-esque divinity. Whatever you see in a Klimt painting, I am sure you will find in a bottle of any terroir-driven wine from Prager. There is no comparison for wines like this. It is difficult to pick one particular bottling, but I would recommend many.

SPAIN

SPECIAL Meet Xarel.lo, Spain’s answer to white Burgundy

PLUS Ribera del Duero 20 great Sherry buys Cycling in Priorat For subscription offers, call: +44 (0)330 333 1113 or visit decantersubs.com/XD75 Scan this QR code to enjoy Decanter in your inbox with our email newsletter Decanter | January 2024 | 73

WINE WISDOM

Native yeast: aka ‘indigenous’ or ‘natural’ yeast, or the somewhat prosaic ‘ambient’ yeast; then there’s the decidedly more exotic alias ‘wild’ yeast. Regardless of the moniker, the primary function of these single-cell microorganisms is the same: to transform sugar into alcohol, to make wine from grape juice. However, the actions and consequences, negatives and positives of natural yeast in comparison to those of lab-created, cultured yeast is a mightily complex, intricately threaded debate, for yeast’s role cannot be underestimated – as Andrew Jefford wrote in Decanter’s April 2023 issue: ‘...only yeast can unlock personality and even origin in [grape] must.’ Indeed, it is yeast which triggers, produces and releases much of the flavour and aroma that we associate with varietal character.

In the winery, cultured yeast (the most common species used in winemaking being Saccharomyces cerevisiae) is added straight into grape must, instigating fermentation, whereas with wild or natural ferments, the winemaker opts to wait for native, non-Saccharomyces yeasts – which are found naturally in the vineyard, on the grape and even in the

winery – to begin proceedings. Native yeast is lauded for delivering complexity, texture, inherent balance and other, almost intangible site or terroir markers; not to mention, say adherents, avoiding the ‘sameness’ of wines produced on an industrial scale using cultured yeast.

However, they are slow and unreliable, opening the window even wider for faults, such as brettanomyces (‘brett’), to scurry in. Inefficiency is another cross to bear, as native yeasts often become redundant above 5% alcohol and require additional cultured strains to finish the ferment – Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeasts

THE TASTE CLOUD

Caladoc

DARK COLOUR SPICE

CHERRY Redcurrant

FIRM TANNINS

BLACKBERRY

Loganberry

74 | Decanter | January 2024

FULLPEPPER BODIED Balsamic

Red berries

If your name’s not down, you’re not coming in. And when it comes to France’s appellation d’origine contrôlée laws, the Caladoc grape isn’t on the guestlist, it being barred from use in all of the country’s AP regions. Fortunately, the dress code for both Vin de France and IGP wines is more generous, and here the Caladoc variety has seen its star ascend, most notably in Languedoc and Provence.

Caladoc was born in 1958 when Paul Truel crossed Grenache with Malbec, the goal being to mimic many of the former grape’s positive characters while eradicating its weakness for coulure (poor fruit set).

Thick skins deliver deep colour and tannins, making it a good blending grape, but it is also increasingly seen as a single-varietal wine. Wider appreciation is on the cards, too, with Caladoc being approved, in 2017, as an experimentation grape within the AP areas of Côtes du Rhône and Côtes de Provence.

are also found naturally on grapes, albeit in tiny quantities.

Natural versus cultured yeast is a kaleidoscopic argument, particularly when considering the perpetual development and fine-tuning of the latter. Yet, despite their undoubted, flighty flaws, the employment of natural yeast, in the right circumstance, is clearly a risk worth taking when winemakers want and are able to make their wine stand out just a shade from the line-up.

It may not deliver a true walk on the wild side, but you’ll more than likely enter a world with a bit of an edge. D

PHOTOGRAPHS SIMON REDDY/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO, ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES PLUS (2), ERIN KUNKEL, VADIM/KACHKOV ALAMY STOCK PHOTO, IRINA NAOUMOVA/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO, TONY LANZ PHOTO

native yeast

Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast particles, viewed through a microscope

PLUM

WHAT IS..?

BUYING GUIDE EXPERT RECOMMENDATIONS AND ESSENTIAL READING

PHOTOGRAPH PHIL BARKER

THE GUARANTEE See page 93

This month’s tastings 76 HOW WE TASTE

86 DOLCETTO

98 WEEKDAY WINES

Rigorous blind tastings are the cornerstone of Decanter’s wine ratings, says Tina Gellie

95 wines tasted Piedmont’s ‘other’ red is a locals’ fruit-focused favourite. Consistent quality, with 36 wines scoring 90-95 points

25 picks under £20: from fascinating Greek and Hungarian dry whites to a world of reds including Cinsault, Zinfandel and Zweigelt

78 NEW ZEALAND SAUVIGNON BLANC 197 wines tasted An extensive appraisal that produced six ‘world-class’ Outstanding wines, though many disappointments, too

94 ALSACE PINOT NOIR

101 WEEKEND WINES

Expert’s choice Back on form in the 2019 vintage – Panos Kakaviatos selects 18 wines to delight and perhaps surprise Pinot fans

Seven treats at £20-£50: top fizz from Sussex, dry Austrian Riesling, excellent Rioja rosé, a well-priced 2015 Crozes Hermitage Syrah...

Want more? Decanter.com/premium has full notes for panel tastings, plus exclusive tasting reports, scores and notes for far more wines than we can fit into the magazine Decanter | January 2024 | 75

HOW DECANTER DOES IT

How we taste

Decanter has been one of the world’s most trusted wine resources since 1975, with blind tasting the foundation of our panel tastings. Here we give insight into how our judges conduct their assessments and why Decanter’s expert recommendations are much more than the score WORDS TINA GELLIE

F

or almost 50 years, Decanter has been an authority on wine – in print, and now in print and online – providing readers around the world with expert, trusted and independent recommendations of what to buy, drink and cellar.

Behind these recommendations is a team of wine critics chosen for their specific knowledge and expertise in the category of wines being assessed. Each one – whether a Master of Wine, Master Sommelier, Decanter World Wine Awards judge or Regional Chair, or a member of the Decanter team – has many years (often decades) of qualifications and experience, travelling to wine regions and tasting widely.

PANEL TASTINGS

Blind tasting is a cornerstone of Decanter recommendations, not only through the 20 years of the Decanter World Wine Awards – the world’s biggest wine competition – but also the Decanter panel tastings, one of the most loved sections of the magazine since its inception in 1975, and equally popular with our online Decanter Premium subscribers.

When producers and importers send in wines for panel tastings – always free to enter, and in response to requests that specify the criteria for eligibility – they are categorised, flighted (put in tasting order based on factors that include vintage, alcohol and oak), bagged and sealed. The bespoke design of the tasting suite at our London offices ensures a controlled neutral environment for judges to assess wines in a space free of noise and distraction and full of natural light.

Panel tastings are so named as they are conducted by a panel of three judges. All are experts in their field and are specifically chosen from a variety of wine backgrounds, such as buyers, sommeliers and journalists, lending diversity to the panel.

Flights of six to 12 wines are pre-poured in the prep room and delivered to judges in the tasting suite, so the wine identities remain unknown. On individual laptops, judges are given information 76 | Decanter | January 2024

on grape variety, alcohol, vintage and region, as well as details (if supplied by the submitter) on maturation vessel and residual sugar. This is key information to help judges form their tasting notes and give a score out of 100 and an optimal drinking window.

During the tasting, if any of the judges feel that a wine might not be showing its best, a new bottle is opened and all three judges retaste and rescore it.

SCORING THE WINES

Judges individually taste through a full flight, then briefly discuss the wines together before their final scores are locked in by the tastings coordinator and an average is calculated. If there is a significant score discrepancy, there is wider discussion, but ultimately judges stand by their own scores. For each wine rated Recommended or above (86+ points), readers have the benefit of both seeing the average score from all three judges or, if they feel more affinity with a particular judge’s palate, following their individual scores.

After all flights are completed, and scores and tasting notes locked, the wines are revealed.

Despite the occasional surprise, with some wines perhaps not scoring as well as expected, and others punching well above their weight, we believe blind tastings are the fairest, most transparent format, giving each and every wine – regardless of price or prestige – the same chance to shine. If we had a different panel, or it was a Wednesday in July not a Monday in December, maybe the results would be different. It is impossible to say.

But we trust in the tasting ability and expertise of all our professional judges, and the rigorous conditions under which every wine is assessed.

BLIND OR NON-BLIND?

With their decades of experience, Decanter’s expert critics can put aside their personal opinions on particular styles, wines and producers and make an impartial judgement on wine quality, regardless of circumstance. But it is fair to say it is trickier to do this if the winemaker is standing in

Above from left: Spain expert judges Pierre Mansour, Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW and Sarah Jane Evans MW assess wines in the Rioja Gran Reserva and Reserva 2014 panel tasting (results will be published in spring 2024)

front of you, or you recognise the wine is, say, £500 or £5 a bottle, or has already earned a string of high scores/been panned by other critics.

This helps to explain why, occasionally, you may see the same wine, from the same vintage, given a higher or lower score in different Decanter tastings or articles. Some may perceive these as score anomalies. Bear in mind that this may well be a difference between the same wine tasted blind and tasted non-blind (often, when non-blind, the wine is tasted on its own and not in a line-up of bottles of the same style/vintage/region).

Any such conflicting scores do not mean the three expert judges in the panel tasting individually and collectively got it wrong, or that the single critic tasting it non-blind was influenced into inflating or deflating a score. They are simply different evaluations of the same wine by different judges, on different occasions, often tasting under different conditions.

We have always indicated online whether wines have been tasted blind or not, and from this issue we’re now flagging this in the magazine, too. The annual Rhône and Burgundy vintage reports, for example, are tasted blind. But Napa Cabernet and Bordeaux en primeur are not, simply due to timing and logistics. The staff selection of ‘Weekday (and ‘Weekend’) wines’, often the result of attending individual retailer or importer press tastings, are tasted non-blind. This is also the case for most magazine features, including Top 20 type features and ‘Expert’s choice’ selections.

‘Blind tasted or not, Decanter believes that wine should never be reduced to a number’ MORE THAN A SCORE

Blind tasted or not, Decanter believes that wine should never be reduced to a number. Sure, a 94 or 88 score on the 100-point scale is useful in the same way as a 3-1 score in football. But it doesn’t tell the whole story. Just like reading the full match report, we pride ourselves on producing tasting notes that accurately describe, and give context to a wine. It’s where the detail lies – background, highlights, future potential – and you might better understand the context, for example, of why an 88-point ‘League One’ wine might be a smart buy if tasted in a field of ‘Premiership’ contenders.

The Decanter Guarantee that appears within the panel tasting pages in every issue (see p93), as well as on Decanter.com, provides a key to our ratings, with the overwhelming majority of wines tasted falling into Recommended (86-89 – equivalent to Bronze at the Decanter World Wine Awards), Highly recommended (90-94, Silver), Outstanding (95-97, Gold) and, very rarely, Exceptional (98-100).

Above all, the aim of Decanter’s tastings and ratings has always been to offer an impartial judgement and constructive criticism to help the producers themselves improve, but primarily to inform and guide our passionate readers towards wines that best suit their pockets and palates. D Decanter | January 2024 | 77

PANEL TASTING

New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc Now more than ever, it pays to invest a little time in research before buying New Zealand Sauvignon. Our experts give their constructive criticism on this popular wine style and review almost 200 current releases REPORT ROGER JONES

F

or a long time, New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc has been ‘a safe banker’, as judge Cat Lomax said. ‘A wine you could pick up knowing exactly what to expect in the glass.’ The top-line results (see ‘The scores’, below) suggest a solid tasting, but the recentrelease wines came in for some strong criticism from our panel, over 2.5 days of judging. We all agreed, on the basis of this tasting, that there was no longer a guarantee that expectations of ‘pungent aromatics and concentrated flavours’ would be met.

Lower-priced examples, particularly from Marlborough, disappointed. We surmised that expanding plantings to the flat plains to increase production had delivered lacklustre, simple wines. In addition, early picking – also for commercial reasons – has necessitated an increased use of residual sugar to try to balance underripe wines, often resulting in artificial or cooked flavours, rather than fresh.

Freddy Bulmer said: ‘Too many wines were lacking texture and depth. Clean and correct, but with no personality and barely reflecting the grape.’ For consumers looking for a sub-£10 wine, these may tick a box, but they don’t do anything to differentiate New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc from competing Chilean, South African or French examples.

But there were some positives, too. All six of our Outstanding wines had judicious barrel ageing. They earned their high marks by ‘pushing the boundaries’, said Lomax. They were not merely excellent examples of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, but world-class

white wines that would enhance any cellar or table. ‘It’s a clear argument for well-used oak,’ said Bulmer, ‘but also a sign that less commercially significant styles exhibit more personality and sophistication than those driven by market demand.’

The results may not paint vintage 2023 in a great light, with no Golds and only 12 Silvers among 115 wines entered, but Jones believes they will evolve well, particularly those with some oak ageing. ‘Be prepared to tuck them away for a few years, as at this price point they will become a worthwhile investment.’

For Marlborough (87% of entries), Bulmer noted: ‘It was clear which were the commodity wines and which were the quality wines. But the success and reputation of the genuine quality-first winemakers hinges on what the big commodity producers are putting out there. And my concern is that they are making wines with far less charm and drinking pleasure than they ever have done, which isn’t good news for premium producers, who will be unfairly tarred with the same brush.’

It might send a potentially gloomy message, said Lomax, but there was a definite upside.

‘Smaller, quality-focused producers in Marlborough are still producing fantastic Sauvignon Blanc with all the hallmark aromas, flavours and depth that customers are looking for. So, there’s an opportunity for Decanter readers to really support the little guys and, by doing so, to maintain vibrancy in a region that could easily become ever-more dominated by commodity producers.’

THE SCORES 197 wines tasted Exceptional 0 Outstanding 6 Highly recommended 24 Recommended 72 Commended 74 Fair 21 Entry criteria: producers and UK agents were invited to submit their latest-release dry, still white wines made from 100% Sauvignon Blanc from any region in New Zealand

78 | Decanter | January 2024

THE JUDGES

Roger Jones is the retired former owner of The Harrow at Little Bedwyn restaurant in Wiltshire. He is now a wine writer, judge and consultant with a particular interest in the hospitality trade, as well as helping charities.

He is a DWWA judge, with a focus on New World regions

Freddy Bulmer is a wine and beer buyer for The Wine Society, responsible for its New Zealand range as well as Australia, Austria and Eastern Europe. A DWWA judge, he began his career in wine working for independent wine merchants in Yorkshire

Cat Lomax is a wine and wine retail consultant who has held buying and senior trading roles across key premium wine retailers in the UK, including Laithwaites, Waitrose, Majestic and most recently Marks & Spencer

NZ SAUVIGNON BLANC

Outstanding 95-97pts

97

96

Greywacke, Wild Sauvignon, Marlborough 2021

Dog Point, Section 94, Southern Valleys, Marlborough 2018

Roger Jones 98 Freddy Bulmer 97 Cat Lomax 97

RJ 96 FB 96 CL 95

£31.99 Widely available via UK agent Liberty Wines

The flagship wine from renowned winemaker Kevin Judd, who founded this winery with wife Kimberley in 2009 after 25 years at Cloudy Bay. Sourced from sites across the region, it is fermented using wild yeasts in old French oak barriques where it rests on lees for six months.

Roger Jones Stylish balance of fruit to herbaceous notes,

multi-layered with a crunchy texture, mellow yellow summer field flowers. The elegance at the end is quite remarkable.

Freddy Bulmer Attractive and clean on the nose, plenty of primary fruit but also a nice amount of savoury character from the oak. Well balanced and really quite a serious wine.

Cat Lomax Expressive, punchy nose. Great concentration, tonnes of luscious Sauvignon fruit supported by very smart use of oak. Tastes like pricey white Bordeaux. Delicious.

Drink 2024-2026 Alcohol 14%

95

£24.95-£29.95 Fine Wine Direct,

Hennings, South Downs Cellars, The Vineyard Dorking, Wine Raks

Ivan Sutherland and James Healy met at Cloudy Bay then joined forces to found this estate in 2004. Section 94 is from a parcel in the Dog Point Vineyard – the largest organically certified plot in New Zealand. Fruit handpicked, whole-bunch pressed, then fermented and aged with wild yeast in older French oak barrels for 18 months. Bottled without fining.

RJ The nose tells you everything – delicate perfume with crisp white stone fruit, delicate herbaceous notes, clean precise citrus. Classic.

FB Fairly mellow nose showing some nice development, though still a fresh and vibrant wine. Creamy and smart, lovely texture, good palate weight, delicious sweet spices.

CL Hazelnut, savoury toast, hints of spice with a little struck match. Punch, depth, rounded citrus, dried mango, hazelnut.

Creamy texture, fresh and lifted.

Drink 2024-2034 Alc 14.5%

95

Amisfield, Fumé, Pisa, Central Otago 2021 Pyramid Valley, Weaver, Marlborough 2021 RJ 96 FB 95 CL 95 amisfield.co.nz

From vines planted between 1999 and 2005 on low-yielding gravelly soils of the lower terraces of Amisfield’s estate vineyard. Grapes were hand-harvested and wholebunch pressed before fermentation and ageing on wild yeast lees in French oak barrels, 20% of which were new, for 16 months. There was no stirring, but the wine was allowed to go through a partial malolactic fermentation.

RJ Oak is showing but carried well with nice toasty nectarines, hazelnuts, gently herbaceous notes and caramelised pineapple. Fresh textured citrus cleans the palate.

FB Oak is clear though not at all overpowering, bringing another layer of aroma to the fruit and rounding things out. Complex and focused.

CL Nice concentration. Ripe, rounded passion fruit and citrus, hints of dried mango. Creamy texture, juicy acidity. Sustained.

Drink 2024-2030 Alc 13.8%

RJ 95 FB 96 CL 93

£55 Louis Latour Agencies Part of Pyramid Valley’s Pastures Collection (single-site wines from the three main South Island appellations but not using estate grapes), the Weaver name honours the family owners of biodynamic Churton Vineyard, from where this fruit was sourced, on a hillside parcel at 200m. It is wild-yeast fermented and lees-aged in wooden eggshaped barrels and bottled unfined and unfiltered.

RJ Buttercups and mellow finesse on the front, gentle white peaches and nectarines, soft clean citrus notes, crunchy white asparagus. Love the length and refined aftertaste.

FB Some nicely used oak, supporting the fruit well, with ginger, nutmeg and vanilla.

Well integrated acidity carries tropical, toasty spice flavours.

CL Pineapple chunks and passion fruit, a waxiness.

Concentration with rounded citrus. Fresh, balanced acidity.

Drink 2024-2028 Alc 14% ▶ Decanter | January 2024 | 79

PANEL TASTING

95

95 Saint Clair, Barrique, Marlborough 2020

Te Pā, Oke, Marlborough 2019

RJ 95 FB 96 CL 95

RJ 95 FB 95 CL 94

£22.29-£25.15 Hallgarten Wines, Shelved Wines, Strictly Wine, Wine Direct, Wine Poole, Wine Republic

Fruit from selected rows within Saint Clair’s best vineyards in Lower Wairau are used for this wine, with the grapes left to hang a week longer than the traditional Sauvignon Blanc. It ferments in seasoned barriques then ages on lees (with regular stirring) for 11 months, before winemakers Stewart Maclennan and Hamish Clark choose the best barrels for the final blend.

RJ Liquorice and dark fruit, sultanas, cedar notes, then on

the mid-palate bright pineapple and peaches. Fresh and vibrant with good acidity.

FB Attractive nose with positive oak influence and good concentration of fruit aromatics. Savoury notes, butterscotch and sweet tropical fruits combine. Salty and crisp with fine acidity.

CL Slightly sweaty peach/ passion fruit notes with hints of tinned tropical fruit and white asparagus. A leaner mid-palate than anticipated from the nose – very citrus-focused, but with supporting tropical notes. Drink 2024-2028 Alc 12.5%

tepawines.com

Haysley MacDonald, descendent of the original Mãori tribe that arrived in Wairau in 1350, converted the family farm to vineyards in 2003, releasing Te Pā’s first wine in 2011. For Oke (‘a Sauvignon Blanc for Chardonnay lovers’), grapes come from the home vineyard in Lower Wairau (60%) and the Redwood Hills Vineyard in Awatere, fermented and aged on lees in barrel for 11 months.

RJ Perfumed nose then into a luxurious style of Sauvignon.

Clean, focused stone fruit –

nectarines with a delicate bouquet of herbs and green vegetables. White nutty notes.

FB Inviting pure fruit character, well-used oak. The acidity holds everything together and provides focus. I’d like a little more on the finish, but this is very smart.

CL Waxy, pithy, savoury nose, toast and hazelnut hints. Fleshy citrus supported by some spice and more hazelnut; a creamy, rounded texture. Fresh acidity.

Drink 2024-2028 Alc 13.5%

Highly recommended 90-94pts 94 Spoke, Resolute, Marlborough 2022 RJ 96 FB 95 CL 90

£16.50-£19 EW Wines, The Wine Society,

93

93

Clos Henri, Single Vineyard Otira Glacial Stones, Marlborough 2021

Tapi, Lower Wairau Valley, Marlborough 2023

RJ 93 FB 93 CL 92

£23.50-£25.99 Les Caves de Pyrene,

RJ 95 FB 90 CL 93

Vineyard Productions

Lactic, yoghurty nose with evident barrel influence. Defined layers of creamy stone fruit and hazelnuts. Nice texture and weight, concentrated with a balance of sweet tropical fruit, pepper and nutmeg.

Complex, well-made and still evolving.

Drink 2024-2025 Alc 13.5%

Terra Wines, The Natural Wine Co

Quince and melon with restrained citrus notes and flinty tones. Lovely intensity with lifting oak and a sprinkle of stone fruit.

Lovely intensity on the palate. The fruit shows nice concentration with a supple texture. Classic, with great typicity. Juicy acidity, long finish. Drink 2024-2026 Alc 13%

Pea pod and tinned asparagus with hints of butterscotch that complement tropical fruit aromas. Attractive and layered with sweet spices throughout. Key lime pie and passion fruit character. A smart wine which finishes well. Drink 2024-2028 Alc 14%

‘Smaller, quality-focused Marlborough producers are still producing fantastic Sauvignon with all the hallmark aromas, flavours and depth’ --------------------------- Cat Lomax

80 | Decanter | January 2024

£18.99 Naked Wines

NZ SAUVIGNON BLANC

92

92

Eaton, Breezemere Single Vineyard, Awatere Valley, Marlborough 2021

Rapaura Springs, Reserve, Wairau Valley, Marlborough 2023

RJ 93 FB 90 CL 92

RJ 92 FB 92 CL 93

Waxy, pithy, kerosene notes, gentle and delicate fruit with a toasty nutty background. Bitter lemon, savoury and herbaceous background with a waxy honeycomb feel. Freshness at the end lifts a complex wine. Drink 2024-2030 Alc 13.5%

Flint, matchstick, restrained tropical fruit and mineral, ripe citrus notes. Ripe but crisp, with polished, clean citrus zest, beeswax and tropical fruit. Fresh acidity with good intensity and texture. Elegant and well made. Drink 2024-2030 Alc 13%

£36.50 Swig

91 Amisfield, Pisa, Central Otago 2023 RJ 92 FB 91 CL 90

£20.95 K&L Wines & Spirits UK Attractive nose that is unmistakably Sauvignon Blanc. Fresh, clean tropical notes with a racy acidity, fresh, zippy mouthful. Ripe and generous. Good concentration, with some tropical fruit, kiwi and lime. Drink 2024-2026 Alc 13.5%

91

POA Maisons Marques et Domaines

91 Astrolabe, Taihoa, Kekerengu Coast, Marlborough 2021

92 The Hunting Lodge, Home Block Waikoukou, Waimauku, Marlborough 2022 RJ 94 FB 92 CL 91 thehuntinglodge.com

Toasty hazelnuts with perfumed, vanilla cedar notes. Guava and rounded citrus, supported by a creamy texture. Lime, kiwi, and passion fruit pair nicely with oak nuttiness. Drink 2024-2026 Alc 13.5%

93 Eaton, Cuvée Forte, Marlborough 2021 RJ 90 FB 90 CL 93

RJ 94 FB 90 CL 90

£36.50 Swig

Pithy grapefruit peel notes with lovely purity. Evident sweet spices from the oak but without the fruit being dominated. It needs food and time, but it is fabulous and complex. Drink 2024-2030 Alc 14%

Waxy, pithy with rounded citrus and floral, sweet spice. Chunky concentration. Lots of rounded citrus and passion fruit. Some complexity. The oak brings an extra layer of flavour, giving way to a lightly toasted hazelnut finish. Drink 2024-2028 Alc 13.5%

£30.53 Armit

91

91

Grove Mill, Wairau Valley, Marlborough 2023

Lake Chalice, The Falcon, Wairau Valley, Marlborough 2023

Loveblock, Awatere Valley, Marlborough 2021

RJ 91 FB 90 CL 91

RJ 92 FB 91 CL 89

RJ 92 FB 90 CL 90

Tropical notes with guava and lime. Quite racy, with lovely notes of herbs and white nectarines. Citrus and passion fruit cut through with a classic herbaceous quality.

Austere with juicy acidity. Drink 2024-2028 Alc 12.5%

Light lime fruit nose with hints of herbaceous and floral aromas. Textured, layered and plenty of flavours with some yellow stone fruit and tropical citrus fruit, custard apple, and papaya. Fresh, zingy, textured, vibrant. Drink 2024 -2028 Alc 13%

Loki Wine, Mother Vine, Palate Bottle Shop, Selected

£11 Co-op

91

£18 Hallgarten Wines

91

£22-£24 BinTwo, Drinkmonger, Hometipple, Grapes, The Good Spirits Co

Rich guava, passion fruit and toasted nuts.

Vanilla custard and just a touch of reduction. Textured and creamy with hints of yoghurt. Drink 2024-2028 Alc 13%

91

Misty Cove, Estate Series, Wairau Valley, Marlborough 2023

Nautilus Estate, Wairau Valley, Marlborough 2023

Tūpari, Boulder Rows, Awatere Valley, Marlborough 2017

RJ 93 FB 89 CL 90

RJ 93 FB 90 CL 91

RJ 91 FB 90 CL 92

Menthol grassiness with pea pod and wet slate aromas. Good concentration, ripe passion fruit, gooseberry, lime and mango with a grassy, herbaceous character.

Marmite style – structure and concentration are good. Drink 2024-2025 Alc 13.5%

Elegant passion fruit and gooseberry with an undercut of lime. Good intensity with a punch of juicy, crunchy texture. Lemon, lime, honey and spice, gentle tropical flavours with white, juicy peaches. Superb purity. Drink 2024-2034 Alc 13%

Tinned asparagus and pea pod. Dried mango, fresh citrus and passion fruit with focused, zippy freshness. Soft and pleasant with significant ginger and lemongrass on the finish with a hint of dill. Complex and textured. Drink 2024-2026 Alc 13% ▶

£12.99 Anthony Byrne Fine Wines

£16.55 Vinvm

£24.99 Ester Wines

Decanter | January 2024 | 81

PANEL TASTING

91

90

90

Zephyr, MKIII, Wairau Valley, Marlborough 2021

Cloudy Bay, Wairau Valley, Marlborough 2022

Delta Estate, Wairau Valley, Marlborough 2023

RJ 93 FB 90 CL 91

RJ 90 FB 90 CL 90

RJ 91 FB 90 CL 90

Waxy, savoury with hints of buttercup and toasty aromas. Evident oak influence, but not too overpowering with lovely purity and depth. Bitter almond pithiness and hints of ginger on the finish.

Drink 2024-2030 Alc 13%

merchants

Herbaceous gooseberry and cut grass with hints of lime, peach and passion fruit. Good balance and poise. Solid, well-made wine, typical of place, but a nice, ripe example.

Well-integrated acidity, with polished and clean fruit. Drink 2024-2026 Alc 12.5%

£22.50-£23.50 (2022) Bancroft, Hay Wines

£26-£36 Widely available via independent Notes of passion fruit with hints of green grassiness, creamy with a slight farmyard wildness. A punch of intense acidity with layers of gooseberry, lemon, lime and sweet spice. Drink 2024-2028 Alc 13.5%

90

£16.50 Hennings

90

90

Marisco, The Ned Skyscraper, Waihopai Valley, Marlborough 2023

Rapaura Springs, Classic, Wairau Valley, Marlborough 2023

Steve Bird, The Whanau Reserve, Wairau Valley, Marlborough 2023

RJ 92 FB 90 CL 88

RJ 90 FB 90 CL 90

RJ 90 FB 92 CL 89

A focused nose with hints of smokiness and elegant, ripe, racy citrus. Fresh, crisp and crunchy fruit, lean and green in style.

Concentrated, with a lovely balance of texture and acidity. Drink 2024-2030 Alc 13%

A rounded citrus and fresh passion fruit nose. Pineapple, kiwi and tropical fruit meld with the fresh acidity. Well-integrated, a pleasant glass of wine. Drink 2024-2026 Alc 13%

Restrained lime fruit and gooseberry. Fresh, clean and focused with a tantalising feel.

Smart, well put-together. Well-integrated acidity with a pleasing mineral crunch. Very sophisticated. Drink 2024-2028 Alc 13%

£14.99 Majestic

£15.50 Stainton Wines

90

£14.99 Majestic

90

The Coterie, Massey Dacta, Wairau Valley, Marlborough 2023

Wairau River, Reserve, Marlborough 2022

RJ 90 FB 91 CL 89

RJ 90 FB 89 CL 90

thecoterie.co.nz

£21.40 Ellis Wines

Stone fruit, hints of herbs and floral aromas. Fresh, crunchy and bright with tropical, spiced citrus fruits. The salinity and acidity make the wine pleasant and moreish. Bursting with ripe fruit on the finish. Drink 2024-2026 Alc 12.5%

Toasty, oaky, vanilla spice and herbaceous, tropical fruit. Quince and guava mingle with layers of ripe lemon and creamy, sweet spices. Fresh acidity with great texture and length. Still evolving but showing a lovely personality. Drink 2024-2028 Alc 12.5%

90 Whitehaven, Block 11 Barrel Fermented Single Vineyard, Rapaura, Marlborough 2022 RJ 92 FB 88 CL 89 whitehaven.co.nz

Perfumed on the nose with white nectarine notes, citrus, ripe guava and hazelnut toast.

Concentrated key lime pie flavours with an enticing texture. It will improve with age.

Drink 2024-2026 Alc 13.5%

Recommended 86-89pts Wine

Score RJ

FB

CL

Tasting note

Alc

Drink

Price

13%

2024- £17 2028

Stockists

Blackenbrook, Moutere Hills, 89 Nelson 2022

91

88

89

Quince and white asparagus, a hint of reduction. Fresh citrus acidity and a bit of a spritz. Punchy but elegant.

Blank Canvas, Abstract Three 89 Rows, Marlborough 2019

90

88

89

Clean, with bright fruit and refined citrus. Asparagus and 13.5% 2024- £28.99 Liberty Wines, Vinified Wine slightly wild spice. A fresh wine with a zingy finish.

2030

Caythorpe, Marlborough 2021

89

92

88

87

Green, vegetal and textured. Blackcurrant leaf, fresh lime, a touch of slate minerality. Long, and still young.

13%

2024- £15.95 Wanderlust Wine 2028

Dog Point, Wairau Valley, Marlborough 2023

89

91

88

88

Struck match, pink grapefruit pith and citrus oil.

Mineral complexity with good intensity. Ambitious.

13%

2024- £19.99- Fortnum & Mason, Hennings, JN Wine, The Vineyard Dorking, 2030 £23.50 WoodWinters

Goldwater, Wairau Valley, Marlborough 2022

89

90

89

89

Gooseberry and cut grass with passion fruit and lime.

Tropical, elegant stone fruit. Textured, quite complex.

12.5% 2024- £13.99 Majestic 2026

82 | Decanter | January 2024

Amathus Drinks

NZ SAUVIGNON BLANC Wine

FB

CL

Tasting note

Alc

Drink

Isabel Estate, Wairau Valley, 89 Marlborough 2022

Score RJ

89

89

88

Citrus, kiwi and herbs, guava, gooseberry. A slight viscosity and firm acidity: concentration and structure.

13%

2024- £16- Bancroft, Barrique, Dunell’s, Harvey Nichols, Martinez, Ocado, 2026 £23.99 Selfridges, The Wine Society

Price

Stockists

Mt Difficulty, Bannockburn, Central Otago 2023

89

90

89

89

Yoghurty but clean, lifted aromas. Pithy, spiced lemon and grapefruit on a linear, citrus-focused style.

13.5% 2024- £18 2026

Cellar Wine Shop

Saint Clair, Origin, Wairau Valley, Marlborough 2023

89

93

86

87

Refined, a touch closed now, but balanced, with pink grapefruit pith, Williams pear and tropical fruit.

12.5% 2024- £19 2034

Hallgarten Wines

Saint Clair, Pioneer Block 3 43 89 Degrees, Marlborough 2021

90

87

89

Green citrus, simple style, quite refreshing. Crystalline acidity with lemon notes and a mineral edge.

13%

Toi Toi, Reserve, Awatere Valley, Marlborough 2023

89

88

89

90

Ripe, punchy tropical note. Peachy, floral aromas.

Attractive herbaceous flavours. Good weight,

12.5% 2024- N/A 2028 UK

Vavasour, Awatere Valley, Marlborough 2023

89

89

87

91

Gooseberries, box bush and passion fruit. Balanced freshness. Crunchy mineral acidity. Good persistence.

13%

Anchorage, Nelson, Nelson 2023

88

89

88

88

Grassy, elderflower notes with passion fruit and lime.

Nice mineral character. Creamy, slightly vanilla finish.

12.5% 2024- £16.99 Peter Watts Wines 2028

Auntsfield, South Oaks Barrel 88 Fermented, Marlborough 2020

88

89

87

Waxy, pithy, slightly phenolic with refined pure stone fruit. Herbaceous and textured with a chunky finish.

14%

Decibel Wines, Giunta, Dillons 88 Point, Marlborough 2023

89

88

86

Piney, with ripe citrus. A delicate flintiness and vibrant acidity. Fresh and crunchy with a herbaceous hint.

12.5% 2024- N/A 2028 UK

Georges Michel, Golden Mile, 88 Marlborough 2022

89

86

88

Ripe, rounded passion fruit aromas with hints of blackcurrant leaf and gooseberry. Juicy acidity.

12.5% 2024- £17.50 Amathus Drinks 2025

Giesen, Uncharted, Awatere 88 Valley, Marlborough 2022

89

86

88

Nice concentration, fresh lime flavours with supple 12.5% 2024- N/A acidity. Zesty fruit, minerality and freshness throughout.

2026 UK

Hunter’s, Wairau Valley, Marlborough 2023

88

89

87

88

Grass, gooseberry and passion fruit on the nose.

Herbaceous, with wet stone and a lift of freshness.

12.5% 2024- £16.50- Averys, Experience Wine, Field & Fawcett, Guest Wines, Must 2026 £18.99 Wines, Wight & Wessex

Nautilus, The Paper Nautilus 88 Renwick, Marlborough 2022

89

89

87

Enticing savoury oyster shell and sweet spice with bruised apple aromatics. Breadth and lovely texture.

13%

2024- N/A 2026 UK

Opawa, Wairau Valley, Marlborough 2023

88

89

87

87

Reductive nose with passion fruit notes. Juicy fruit and good vibrant acidity. Finishes fairly well for the style.

13%

2024- £13.99 Mitchells Wine 2028

The Hunting Lodge, Seasonal 88 Organic, Marlborough 2023

89

89

87

Fresh and racy, flint and wet stone. Pretty and clean with 13% elegant fleshy green and stone fruit. Smart stuff.

2024- N/A 2028 UK

thehuntinglodge.com

Tiraki, Wairau Valley, Marlborough 2023

88

87

87

89

Fuzzy peach fruit and lime zest. Fresh but not biting acidity, pretty citrus blossom. Restrained, considered.

13%

2024- N/A 2032 UK

tiraki.nz

Tohu, Single Vineyard Whenua 88 Awa, Marlborough 2022

90

87

87

Passion fruit, guava, zippy citrus and a hit of stone fruit.

Citrus, tropical fruit, a toastiness, suggests lees work.

13%

2024- £20- CH Wines, ND John, North South Wines, Macknade Fine 2028 £24.95 Foods

Toi Toi, Marlborough 2023

88

89

88

86

Tropical and Thai notes, lemongrass, kaffir lime, white 13% stone fruit. There’s a clean-cut Pink Lady apple note, too.

2024- N/A 2030 UK

Allan Scott, Rapaura, Marlborough 2023

87

89

86

85

Focused prickly pear and lemon. Granny Smith apple, peach, herbaceous hints on the lingering finish.

12%

2024- £13- Addison Wines, EW Wines, Fine Wines Direct UK, ND John, The 2026 £17.49 Wine Box, Worsley Stores

Awatere River, Marlborough 87 2023

87

89

86

More along the tropical fruit end of the spectrum. Lime citrus curd, notes of key lime pie and kiwi.

13%

2024- £15.99 Majestic 2026

Craggy Range, Te Muna, 87 Martinborough, Wairarapa 2023

89

85

87

Crisp, focused with hints of herbs and citrus zest. Layers 12.5% 2024 £17.99 Majestic, Vinvm of passion fruit, pineapple, gooseberry bush. Long finish.

Decibel Wines, Hawke’s Bay 87 2023

87

87

88

Pear drops dominate, followed by sweet cordial notes and herbaceous hints. Fresh acidity.

12.5% 2024- N/A 2025 UK

Forrest, The Doctors’, Wairau 87 Valley, Marlborough 2022

87

87

86

Fruit-forward nose, tropical and gooseberry. Crisp with passion fruit, elderflower, creamy fruit and pear drops.

9.5%

Framingham, F-Series, Wairau 87 Valley, Marlborough 2022

88

89

84

Deep yellow in colour with exciting aromas of nutmeg, peach and tropical fruit. Creamy yoghurt, sweet spices.

12.5% 2023 £28.99 Liberty Wines -2024

Holdaway Estate, Marlborough 2023

87

87

86

88

Peach, passion fruit and herbal aromatics. Rounded and 13% concentrated with ripe stone fruit and zesty lime.

2024- £17.99 Liberty Wines 2025

Lawson’s Dry Hills, Marlborough 2023

87

88

85

87

Tropical fruit, citrus, lemon and lime. Ripe fruit and freshness with notes of peach, lime and gooseberry.

13%

2024 £13- Amps, Must Wines, The Wright Wine Co £14.75

Lawson’s Dry Hills, Reserve, Marlborough 2023

87

86

86

88

Passion fruit and gooseberry aromas. Refreshing palate 13% with notes of juicy peach, stone fruit and lime.

2024- £14.90- Amps, Must Wines, Small Beer Trentans, The Wright Wine Co 2025 £16.50

Nga Mihi, Waihopai Valley, Marlborough 2023

87

87

87

86

Green apple, gooseberries, herbaceous. Rounded citrus, 12.5% 2024- N/A passion fruit and ripe stone fruit. Perfumed floral finish.

2026 UK

Otu, Estate, Marlborough 2023

87

87

87

87

Passion fruit and tropical nose. Good balance of lime, 13% some kiwi fruit, restrained orchard fruit and crisp notes.

2024- £20- Hallgarten Wines, Quay Wines, Shelved Wine, Strictly Wine, 2028 £24.25 Vinvm, Wine Poole toitoiwines.co.nz

2024- £12.25- Co-op, Majestic 2026 £13

2024- £25 2026

New Generation Wines

decibelwines.com

giesen.co.nz

nautilusestate.com

toitoiwines.co.nz

decibelwines.com

2024- £10.99- JN Wine, Majestic, Waitrose 2026 £12.50

tohuwines.co.nz

2024- £14.95- Amps, Arkle Vintners, Ejm Wine, Venus Wine & Spirit, 2026 £15.50 William Morton

Decanter | January 2024 | 83

▶

PANEL TASTING Wine

FB

CL

Tasting note

Alc

Drink

Rapaura Springs, Rohe 87 Rapaura, Marlborough 2023

Score RJ

89

85

88

Tropical fruit and gooseberry. Forward style, luscious and open with notes of hops and blackcurrant leaf.

13%

2024- £18.99 Waitrose Cellar 2028

Price

Stockists

Rimapere, Single Vyd, Wairau 87 Valley, Marlborough 2023

87

88

86

Freshly cut green apples. Tinned fruit but quite a pleasant, steely feel with fresh, well-integrated acidity.

12.5% 2024- £21 2030

Waddesdon Wine

Saint Clair, Like Vines Single Vyd, Marlborough 2023

87

88

86

87

Crystalline notes of apples, fresh and tingling, elegant and fine-boned with good acidity and citrus.

12.5% 2024- N/A 2028 UK

saintclair.co.nz

Spoke, Awatere, Marlborough 2023

87

86

88

87

Fruit-forward, focused with a zippy grip, and delicate tropical notes. Crunchy texture with a tart lime finish.

13%

2024- £16 2026

Vineyard Productions

Swiftsure, Marlborough 2023 87

89

87

85

Clean, fresh peach nose. Gripping, citrus with sweet passion fruit. Good typicity and well-integrated acidity.

13%

2024- N/A 2025 UK

swiftsure.nz

Te Kairanga, Estate, Wairarapa 2022

87

87

85

88

Delicate green peas, matchstick and fresh citrus. Notes of stone fruit, lime, dried mango and a creamy finish.

12.5% 2024 N/A UK

tkwine.co.nz

Ten Sisters, Single Vyd, Wairau 87 Valley, Marlborough 2022

89

85

88

Tinned white asparagus and guava. Thai spice mid-palate. Lots of fruit, clearly inspired by the Loire.

13%

Tohu, Awatere Valley, Marlborough 2023

87

88

86

88

Lime, gooseberry, ripe and juicy notes, tangerine and 13.5% 2024- £16spice, a touch creamy. Some pleasant clementine notes.

2028 £17

Torrent Bay, Nelson 2023

87

85

87

89

Herbal, crisp, unripe lemon. Verging on green. Abundant 12.5% 2024- £15.99 Peter Watts Wines acidity with prickly pear, lemon and lime notes.

2026

Twin Islands, Wairau Valley, Marlborough 2023

87

90

86

86

A lean, mean style – lots of lime and peapod notes.

Delicate fine citrus, restrained with pleasing length.

12.5% 2024- N/A 2030 UK

Waimea, Nelson, Nelson 2022

87

89

87

86

Citrus, with a hint of flinty reduction. Fresh, crisp, crunchy. Lime and hints of lemon peel. Appealing.

12.5% 2024- £12.99 Majestic 2026

Allan Scott, Kekerengu, Marlborough 2023

86

87

88

84

Fleshy white fruit and pithy citrus. Refreshing palate with notes of lime, grapefruit, a twist of white pepper.

12.5% 2024- £14.50 The Wine Box 2026 (2022)

Babich, Family Reserve, Marlborough 2023

86

85

87

85

Fresh citrus with light herbaceous aromas. Well balanced, lime fruit, passion fruit, gooseberry, tea leaf.

12.5% 2024 N/A UK

Babydoll, Marlborough 2023 86

86

84

87

Green grass and pawpaw aromatics. Juicy passion fruit, 12.5% 2024- N/A lime curd, gooseberry and peapod notes.

2025 UK

Blind River, Awatere Valley, Marlborough 2023

86

87

85

87

Citrus, lime cordial and grapefruit pith. Intense, rounded 13% with notes of elderflower, custard and blackcurrant leaf.

Clos Henri, Wairau Valley, Marlborough 2022

86

87

86

84

Ripe stone fruit and spice aromas. Rounded citrus and 13.5% 2024- £17.99- Delay No More Bottle Shop, Les Caves de Pyrene, The Good good concentration with fresh acidity and a good finish.

2026 £20 Wine Shop

Coal Pit, Proprietor’s Reserve, 86 Gibbston, Central Otago 2022

88

85

85

Tropical fruit with hints of white peach aromas. Light use 13% of oak with notes of peapod, gooseberry bush and lime.

Eradus, Ana, Marlborough 2023

86

88

85

85

Esk Valley, Marlborough 2023

86

86

88

Framingham, Nobody’s Hero, 86 Marlborough 2023

88

Greystone, Organic, Waipara, 86 North Canterbury 2022 Inviniti, Marlborough 2023

2024- £14.50 Cheshire Cheese Co (Central London), Wine & Something 2026 Gwin Dylanwad, Hoults, Love Wine, North South Wines, Ocado, Reserve Wines

twinislandswine.com

babichwines.com

babydollwines.co.nz

2024- £13.99 Waitrose 2026

2024 N/A UK

coalpitwine.com

Clean ripe gooseberries and fresh citrus nose. Lovely texture with lemon, lime, sherbet and peapod.

13.5% 2024- £14 2028

Corney & Barrow

85

Lime, kiwi and quince aromas. Lovely freshness with notes of passion fruit, mango, pineapple and citrus.

12.5% 2024- £15.50 Amazon, Banstead Vintners, Bon Coeur, Brompton Wines, 2025 Cambridge Wine Merchants

86

83

Citrus and green herbaceousness. Restrained with crunchy texture and notes of lemon, lime and herbs.

13%

86

86

85

Deep gold in colour with nutty notes. Sweet ripe apricot, 13.5% 2024- £26.75 Booths, Frontier Fine Wine, Great Grog, Salusbury mango and spice. Hazlenut and a hint of creaminess.

2025 Winestore, Waitrose

86

87

84

86

Lime, green apples and gooseberry. Juicy, fresh with passion fruit, mango, blackcurrant leaf and citrus.

12.5% 2024- £9.95 The Wine Society 2028 (2022)

Lowlands Wines, Pretty 86 Paddock, Marlborough 2022

86

86

86

Peach and juicy tropical fruit aromas. Asparagus with hints of toasty oak and creamy vanilla.

13%

Map Maker, Marlborough 2023

86

88

86

85

Lime and green apple. Ripe and fresh with notes of fresh 12.5% 2024- £16- Vinothentic, Wine at Home passion fruit, lemon curd and citrus. Clean and focused.

2030 £18.70

Marisco, Leefield Station, 86 Waihopai, Marlborough 2023

87

85

86

Zesty, crisp with aromas of citrus and gooseberry. Well balanced with stone fruit, pear drops and juicy lime.

13%

Marisco, The Ned Pinnacle, Marlborough 2023

86

88

88

83

Citrus-focused aromas with hints of vanilla and cedar.

Bright with layers of lime, lemon and grapefruit.

13.5% 2024- £12.99 Waitrose 2028

Mount Fishtail, Sur Lie, Wairau 86 Valley, Marlborough 2022

88

85

86

Gentle tropical fruit with delicate spicy aromas. Pleasant 13% perfume with notes of passion fruit, citrus and lime.

Palliser Estate, Wairarapa 2023

86

88

86

85

Pear drop, banana, florals and fresh kiwi fruit. Good concentration of lime, gooseberry, apple and peach.

12.5% 2024 £16.80 Justerini & Brooks

Saint Clair, Common Vine, 86 Waihopai, Marlborough 2022

86

86

85

Fresh guava nose with tinned white pears, fresh citrus, pineapple and a touch of creaminess. Well made.

12.5% 2024- N/A 2026 UK

84 | Decanter | January 2024

2024- £14.99 Majestic 2026

2024- £12.99- Firth & Co, Kilo Wines, Liquid Indulgence, New Forest Wines, 2025 £14.99 PDN Wines, Topsham Wines

2024- £12.20 Vinvm 2028

2024- N/A 2028 UK

mountfishtailwines.co.nz

saintclair.co.nz

NZ SAUVIGNON BLANC Wine

Score RJ

FB

CL

Tasting note

Alc

Drink

Sileni, Cellar Selection, Marlborough 2023

86

86

86

85

Attractive tropical fruit and syrup aromas. Tart lemon and lime, peach extract. Crunchy texture, good finish.

13%

2024 £12£13

Blas Ar Fwyd, Camber, Hattersley, Momentum Wines, ND John, The Vineking, Wine Poole

Staete Landt, Duchess, Marlborough 2022

86

87

85

86

Lemon peel, tangerine zest and a creaminess. Rounded 13% with notes of apricot, yoghurt, cedar, vanilla and lime.

2024- £28 2028

Thorman Hunt

Stoneleigh, Latitude, Marlborough 2023

86

86

85

87

Creamy aromas with touches of white and citrus fruit.

12.5% 2024- N/A Passion fruit, floral and a core of juicy citrus on the finish.

2028 UK

stoneleigh.com

Te Whare Ra, TWR, Marlborough 2023

86

86

85

86

Citrus and sweet gooseberries. Fresh and focused with touches of bruised apples, lemon, cooked asparagus.

Vidal, Reserve, Marlborough 86 2023

85

85

87

Ripe peach and passion fruit, hints of green herbs. Crisp 13% and clean with soft peach and tinned tropical fruit.

Villa Maria, Private Bin, Marlborough 2023

86

87

85

87

Delicate mineral notes with passion fruit and meadow 12.5% 2024- £9.49- Asda, Keiller, Majestic, Morrisons, Noble Green, Sainsbury's, Tesco, grass. Citrus, butterscotch, white peaches and nectarine.

2026 £12.75 Vinvm, Waitrose

Wairau River, Marlborough 2023

86

85

84

88

Expressive nose of dill, citrus and gooseberry. Lovely intensity, rounded with passion fruit and lychee notes.

Yealands, Single Vyd, Awatere 86 Valley, Marlborough 2023

88

88

82

Crisp with green fruit and lemon pith. Gentle spice, citrus 12.5% 2024- £14curd, lemon and crunchy lime. Focused and refreshing.

2028 £18

Zephyr, Organic, Marlborough 2022

88

85

84

Struck match with hints of pithy citrus aromas. Clean 13% and refreshing with good concentration and minerality.

86

Price

Stockists

13.5% 2024 £16.99 Les Caves de Pyrene 2024 £18.40 Ellie’s Cellar, Hoults

12.5% 2024- £13.75 Ellis Wines 2028 Widely available via independent merchants

2024- £21.50 Bancroft 2028

Commended 83-85pts n Allan Scott, Terra Nova, Marlborough 2022 85, 12%, 2023-2026, £14.99 Fine Wines Direct UK n Ant Moore, A+ Marlborough, Marlborough 2023 85, 12.5%, 2024-2028, antmoorewines.com n Astrolabe, Awatere Valley, Marlborough 2023 85, 13.5%, 2024-2026, £17.99 Waitrose Cellar n Babich, Marlborough 2023 85, 12.5%, 2024-2026, £13 Ocado, Sainsbury, Tesco n Babich, Black Label, Marlborough 2022 85, 13%, 2024-2025, £19.99 Ann et Vin, Brigitte Bordeaux, Decanter Spirit, Loki Wine, Moreton Wine Merchants, Wine Direct n Coopers Creek, Marlborough 2023 85, 12.5%, 2024-2026, £15-£18.99 Christopher Keiller, Eton Vintners, Hic, Oakham Wines, Vinvm n Crowded House, Marlborough 2023 85, 13%, 2024, £14.99 Boutinot, Hattersley Wines, Kwoff, ND John, NY Wines n Dashwood, Marlborough 2023 85, 13%, 2024 -2025, dashwoodwine.co.nz n Eaton, Thistle Hill Vineyard, Marlborough 2021 85, 13.5%, 2024, £36.50 Swig n Eradus, Awatere Valley, Marlborough 2023 85, 13.5%, 2024-2026, £16.50 Corney & Barrow n Framingham, Marlborough 2023 85, 13%, 2024, £16.45-£19.45 (2022) Alexander Hadleigh, Frazier’s, KWM, NY Wines, Shelved Wine, Vinvm, Wine Utopia n Kim Crawford, Small Parcels Spitfire, Malborough 2023 85, 12.5%, 2024-2028, £15.99 Ocado, Whole Foods Market, Wine Direct n Lismore, Single Estate Specially Selected, Dillons Point, Marlborough 2023 85, 12.5%, 2024-2026, lismorewines.co.nz n Main Divide, Waipara, North Canterbury 2023 85, 13.5%, 2024-2025, £18 Hic, Must Wines, Nursery Stores, Once Upon a Vine n Mohua, Marlborough 2023 85, 12%, 2024-2028, £16.65 The Great Wine Co n Mount Brown Estates, Grand Reserve, Waipara, North Canterbury 2023 85, 13.5%, 2023-2024, mountbrown. co.nz n Mount Brown Estates, Wild River, Waipara, North Canterbury 2022 85, 13%, 2024, £13-£13.99 Chilled & Tannin, Davy’s, The General Wine Co n Mount Riley, Limited Release, Marlborough 2023 85, 13%, 2024, mountriley.co.nz n Mount Vernon, Marlborough 2023 85, 13%, 2024, £12.90-£14.95 Champagnes & Châteaux, Must Wines, The Wright Wine Co n Nga Mihi, Gisborne 2023 85, 12%, 2024-2028, tohuwines.co.nz n Peregrine, Central Otago 2023 85, 13%, 2024, £29 The Great Wine Co n Saint Clair, Reserve, Wairau Valley, Marlborough 2022 85, 12.5%, 2024, £26-£27 Hallgarten Wines, Majestic, NY Wines n Smith & Sheth, Cru, Wairau Valley, Marlborough 2022 85, 12.5%, 2024-2026, £22-£29 Amps, Selfridges, Tesco n Staete Landt, Annabel, Marlborough 2022 85, 13%, 2024, £18 Thorman Hunt n Staete Landt, Pure, Marlborough 2023 85, 12.5%, 2024, £15.50-£17.50 Bowland Forest Vintners, Hedley Wright, Hic, Perfect Cellar, Quercus, St Andrews Wine Co n Te Pā, Pā Road, Marlborough 2023 85, 13%, 2024-2026, £14-£15 (2022) Bay Tree Wine Co, Drink Finder, Hay Wines, Mumbles Fine Wines, Noble Green n The Supernatural Wine Co, The Supernatural, Hawke’s Bay 2022 85, 11.5%, 2024-2026, £18 Marta Vine n Tinpot Hut, Marlborough 2023 85, 13%, 2024-2026 £17.99 Cambridge Wine Merchants, Liberty Wines, NY Wines, The Fine Wine Co n Totara, Marlborough 2023 85, 13%, 2024, £20.30 (2022) Friarwood n Triplebank, Marlborough 2023 85, 13.5%, 2024, therealreview.com n Vavasour, Papa, Awatere Valley, Marlborough 2022 85, 13.5%, 2024-2025, £20 Majestic n Villa Maria, Cellar Selection, Marlborough 2022 85, 13%, 2024-2025, £13-£15 Christopher Keiller, Majestic, Morrisons, Ocado, Sainsbury’s n Villa Maria, Reserve, Awatere Valley, Marlborough 2022 85, 13%, 2023-2025, POA Hatch Mansfield n Villa Maria, Reserve, Clifford Bay, Marlborough 2022 85, 13%, 2024-2026, £18.10 Sainsbury’s n Villa Maria, Reserve, Wairau Valley, Marlborough 2022 85, 13%, 2023-2024, £16.55-£18.10 Asda, Ocado, Vinvm n Whitehaven, Marlborough 2023 85, 13%, 2024-2025, £16-£20.99 (2022) Ocado, Perfect Cellar, The Wine Reserve n Whitehaven, Greg Single Vineyard, Awatere Valley, Marlborough 2022 85, 13.5%, 2023-2024, whitehaven.co.nz n Yealands, Reserve, Marlborough 2023 85, 12.5%, 2024-2028, £11.99 Sainbsury’s, Waitrose n Ant Moore, Estate Series, Marlborough 2023 84, 12.5%, 2024-2025, antmoorewines.com n Ara, Single Estate, Marlborough 2022 84, 12.5%, 2023-2024, £10.99 The Fine Wine Co, Waitrose n Astrolabe, Kekerengu Coast, Marlborough 2022 84, 12.5%, 2023-2024, £22.80 Armit n Auntsfield, Single Vineyard, Southern Valleys, Marlborough 2023 84, 13.5%, 2024-2026, £19.99 New Generation Wines n Catalina Sounds, Marlborough 2023 84, 13%, 2024, £17.99 Argyll Vintners, Blas Ar Fwyd, Boutinot, ND John, NY Wines, Wine Poole, WoodWinters n Fincher & Co, Awatere Valley, Marlborough 2023 84, 13%, 2024-2026, £14 Vineyard Productions n Fincher & Co, The Dividing Line, Wairau Valley, Marlborough 2022 84, 13%, 2023-2024, £20 Vineyard Productions n Jackson Estate, Green Lip, Waihopai Valley, Marlborough 2022 84, 13%, 2024-2026, £15-£17 Cheers, Christopher Piper, K&L, Street Wines n Jules Taylor, On the Quiet Single Vineyard, Awatere Valley, Marlborough 2022 84, 13%, 2023-2024, £24 Decorum Vintners n Kiwi-Oeno, Ahi Kā Blackmore Vineyard, Dillons Point, Marlborough 2023 84, 13%, POA Liberty Wines n Lake Chalice, The Nest, Marlborough 2022 84, 12%, 2024-2025, £15.25-£16.50 Hallgarten Wines, Shelved Wine, Strictly Wine, Wine Poole, Wine Republic n Lake Chalice, The Raptor, Marlborough 2022 84, 12.5%, 2024, £18.50-£19.75 Hallgarten Wines, Hic, Strictly Wine, Wine Poole n Little Beauty, Pounamu, Marlborough 2022 84, 12.5%, 2023-2024, £16.95 Davy’s n Maui, Waipara, North Canterbury 2023 84, 12.5%, 2024, £17 Castelnau Wine Agencies n Mount Riley, Marlborough 2023 84, 13%, 2024-2025, £13.99 Rodney Fletcher Vintners, Stone Vine & Sun, Street Wines, Whitebridge Wines n Spring Creek Estate, Rapaura, Marlborough 2022 84, 12%, 2024-2025, £12 MWH Wine Merchants n Stoneleigh, Organic, Marlborough 2023 84, 13%, 2024, stoneleigh.com n Te Pā, Marlborough 2023 84, 13.5%, 2024, £17.79 (2022) Spirits24 n The Darling, Wairau Valley, Marlborough 2023 84, 13.5%, 2024, £23 L’Art du Vin, Swig n Tiki, Single Vineyard, Waipara, North Canterbury 2023 84, 12.5%, 2024, £20 Castelnau Wine Agencies, Salut Wines, The Wine Flyer n Tūpari, Awatere Valley, Marlborough 2023 84, 13%, 2024-2027, £16.99 Ester Wines n Blank Canvas, Holdaway Vineyard, Dillons Point, Marlborough 2023 83, 13%, 2024-2026, £20-£22 Liberty Wines, NY Wines, Shelved Wine n Brancott Estate, Letter Series B, Marlborough 2023 83, 13.5%, 2024, brancottestate.com n Brancott Estate, Reserve, Marlborough 2022 83, 13.5%, 2023-2024, £12 Tesco n Devils Creek, Gold Reserve, Marlborough 2022 83, 12.5%, 2023-2024, £12.99 Majestic n Earthsong, Single Vineyard, Dillon’s Point, Marlborough 2022 83, 12.5%, 2023-2025, £16.95-£19.30 Alliance Wine, Drinkmonger, Jaded Palates, KWM, Reserve Wines, The Bon Vivant’s Companion n Forrest, Marlborough 2022 83, 12.5%, 2023-2024, £13.99-£17.49 Adnams, Great Grog, Highbury Vintners, JN Wine n Greywacke, Marlborough 2023 83, 13.5%, 2024, £20-£23 EW Wines, Harrogate Wines, Liberty Wines, NY Wines, Philglas & Swiggot, Slurp, Vino Gusto n Jules Taylor, Marlborough 2023 83, 13.5%, 2024, £16.40 Decorum Vintners n Martinborough Vineyard, Home Block, Wairarapa 2023 83, 12.5%, 2024 -2025, martinborough-vineyard.co.nz n Montana, M, Marlborough 2023 83, 13.5%, 2024, POA Pernod Ricard n Paritua, Stone Paddock, Bridge Pa Triangle, Hawke’s Bay 2022 83, 12%, 2024 -2025, £16.50 Amathus Drinks n Rimapere, Plot 101, Wairau Valley, Marlborough 2022 83, 13%, 2023-2026, £29 Waddesdon Wine n River Farm, Marlborough 2023 83, 13.5%, 2024, £16.99 Milestone Wines n Small and Small, Sylvia Reserve, Awatere Valley, Marlborough 2022 83, 12.5%, 2023-2028, £22.99 Naked Wines n Villa Maria, Earth Garden Organic, Marlborough 2022 83, 12%, 2024, £13.80-£15.75 Bon Coeur, Majestic, Tesco, Vinvm NB: Whereas wines rated ‘Fair’ (76-82pts) would normally be listed at the end of each panel tasting report’s results, for reasons of space only we have omitted those 21 wines on this occasion – all will however be available to view on decanter.com Decanter | January 2024 | 85

PANEL TASTING

Dolcetto

These early-drinking Piedmont reds place the focus on fruit, with little or no oak used, yet they can be great for food-matching, too.

More than a third of the wines tasted here scored 90pts or higher REPORT SUSAN HULME MW

D

olcetto is the third-most important red grape variety in Piedmont, after Nebbiolo and Barbera. Although most closely associated with Piedmont, it is also grown in Lombardy, Liguria and the island of Sardinia, though often under other names (Ormeasco, Nibiò etc). It’s an earlyripening variety – two to three weeks before Nebbiolo – and produces deeply coloured, dry red wines with plenty of gentle tannins and lowish acidity, which emphasise the sweetness of fruit and perhaps explains the meaning of its name: ‘little sweet one’.

Dolcetto wines are well suited to modern tastes: typically they are unoaked, mediumbodied, soft, round and fruity, with flavours and aromas of blackberry, black cherry and black pepper or spice notes. This drinkability makes Dolcetto a much-loved variety among the Piemontesi, whereas the Nebbiolo wines of Barolo and Barbaresco are considered more serious and demanding with much higher levels of tannins and acidity.

In Piedmont, the DOCGs where Dolcetto is the sole or principal variety include Dolcetto Diano d’Alba, Dolcetto Diano d’Alba Superiore, Dolcetto di Ovada Superiore, Dogliani and Dogliani Superiore, along with the DOCs Dolcetto d’Alba – which usually produces the most wine – Dolcetto d’Alba Superiore, Dolcetto di Ovada, Dolcetto d’Asti, Dolcetto d’Acqui and Langhe Dolcetto. All of these denominations, with the exception of the small-production Dolcetto d’Asti, were represented in this panel tasting, and all 95 wines were 100% Dolcetto.

Dogliani is one of the most historically significant areas for Dolcetto; indeed, some

people claim that the variety originated from the hills in this area, and it was promoted to a DOCG in 2005. The judges were therefore expecting great things from the Dogliani wines in this panel tasting, but while the Dogliani wines did quite well, the Dogliani Superiore wines tasted were disappointing: three of the five entered scored 86 points or below; the wines either already looked too evolved at three or four years old, or there was too much oak for the level of fruit. In fact, the panel typically rewarded wines that were unoaked, or where the oak was very subtle.

Sara Bachiorri commented that she ‘loved the young Dolcetto that didn’t try to be something else; naked, pure, crunchy and honest’.

Vincenzo Arnese added that Dolcetto ‘is the kind of wine that to perform well doesn’t need... oak and can express typicity very well’.

Overall, there were few poor wines. ‘It was a very consistent tasting with good base quality of wines,’ noted Arnese. Almost all the wines tasted – 93 out of 95 – achieved a ‘Bronze medal’ level (86-89pts, Recommended) or higher, with 35 achieving the equivalent of a ‘Silver’ (90-94pts, Highly recommended) and one ‘Gold’. Indeed, 26 of the 57 Recommended wines scored 89pts, which is on the verge of being a Highly recommended/Silver.

Bachiorri noted after the tasting that ‘Dolcetto is certainly an underrated grape variety that can give great pleasure and joy.’

Dolcetto is without doubt very well suited to today’s taste for lively, fresh wines. Most are best drunk young, either on their own or with food. This tasting confirmed that Dolcetto can offer plenty of enjoyment and value for money, if you choose wisely.

THE SCORES 95 wines tasted Exceptional 0 Outstanding 1 Highly recommended 35 Recommended 57 Commended 2 Fair 0 Entry criteria: producers and UK agents were invited to submit their currently available vintages of Piedmont Dolcetto red wines, with no price restrictions, from DOCs Dolcetto d’Alba, Dolcetto d’Asti, Dolcetto d’Acqui, Dolcetto di Ovada, or DOCGs Dolcetto di Diano d’Alba/Diano d’Alba, Dolcetto di Ovada Superiore or Dogliani

86 | Decanter | January 2024

THE JUDGES

Susan Hulme MW is a wine writer, editor, educator and presenter specialising in Italy. She runs her own wine training and consultancy company Vintuition and travels regularly to wine regions around Italy. Now focusing more on her writing, she is Italian editor for The Wine Independent

Vincenzo Arnese is director of wine at Raffles London at the OWO. Born in Naples, he worked at top hotels in Italy, Switzerland and Australia, and later at Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester. A DWWA judge, in 2022 he won the coveted title of Taittinger UK Sommelier of the Year

Sara Bachiorri is in the buying team at merchant WoodWinters.

A DWWA judge, she was formerly head sommelier at The Glasshouse in Kew then Chez Bruce in London, followed by a stint at Italian specialist merchant FortyFive10°

DOLCETTO

Outstanding 95-97pts

Podere Ruggeri Corsini winery in Monforte d’Alba

95 Podere Ruggeri Corsini, Dolcetto d’Alba 2021 Susan Hulme MW 95 Vincenzo Arnese 96 Sara Bachiorri 93

£21.80 Humble Grape

Ruggeri Corsini was founded in 1995 when viticulture and oenology graduates Nicola Argamante and his wife Loredana Addari tired of city life and bought a piece of land in Corsini, a hamlet in Monforte d’Alba. Today the estate is run by the couple and daughters Francesca and Vittoria. Grown at 430m-480m on sandy/loam soil, their Dolcetto vines are 15-44 years old. The wine is unoaked and is aged in stainless

steel tanks for nine months.

Susan Hulme MW Super-clean aromas, precise and controlled, great harmony and balance on the palate with energy and focus. Exciting.

Vincenzo Arnese Intense red fruits with some floral aromas.

Elegant, fruity and velvety, good acidity, a little candied on the palate but good freshness.

Approchable yet complex style.

Sara Bachiorri Aromas of berries are echoed on the palate. A clean and bright style with high acidity, but moderate in body and alcohol. Drink 2023-2028 Alcohol 14%

Highly recommended 90-94pts 93

93

92

Eraldo Revelli, San Matteo, Dogliani Superiore 2021

Rocca Giovanni, Vigna Sant’Anna, Dolcetto d’Alba 2022

Alario Claudio, Sori’ Costa Fiore, Dolcetto di Diano d’Alba 2022

SH 93 VA 93 SB 92

SH 95 VA 92 SB 92

SH 90 VA 93 SB 92

Red cherry, mineral, citrus notes, roses and violets on the nose, showing tertiary aromas with darker fruits like plum and blueberry present lifting the wine. Firm tannins that are fine and chalky, good freshness with a long finish. Well made.

Drink 2023-2030 Alc 14.5%

Saratoga Wine Exchange

Dark ripe bramble fruit and black cherry wrapped in light peppery notes. Rich yet elegant palate with good vibrancy and integrated tannins. Good structure and fruit concentration; balanced, youthful with a ripe finish. Drink 2023-2030 Alc 14.5% ▶

£28 Ultravino

US$14.50 Arlington Wine & Liquor, Sweet fruit aromas, cherry-crisp intensity with good definition. A very poised palate, showing pomegranate and raspberry flavours, fleshy and fresh. Long on the finish.

Drink 2023-2028 Alc 14%

POA $ Vera Wine & Spirits

‘Dolcetto is certainly an underrated grape variety that can give great pleasure and joy’ --------------------------- Sara Bachiorri Decanter | January 2024 | 87

PANEL TASTING

92

92

Beni di Batasiolo, Bricco di Vergne, Dolcetto d’Alba 2022

Giorgio Pelissero, Augenta, Dolcetto d’Alba 2022

SH 92 VA 93 SB 92

SH 92 VA 93 SB 92

Candied red fruits with good intensity and a hint of balsamic. Subtle style, a little stalky, with green notes but refreshing.

Dark fruit flavours linger through the finish.

Good texture. Drink 2023-2028 Alc 13.5%

Floral aromas, chalky, with hints of sweet spice and bramble fruit. Shows cherry and red berries, high acidity and alcohol but good concentration. Expressive with good intensity and ripeness and a good finish.

Drink 2023-2028 Alc 14%

£27.50 (2021) Mondial Wine

92

£20.25 Alivini

91

Prunotto, Dolcetto d’Alba 2022

Cascina Sòt, Dolcetto d’Alba 2022

SH 94 VA 90 SB 92

SH 94 VA 90 SB 90

Fareham Wine Cellar, Hic, Oakham Wines, Vinvm

Cherry, plums and Mediterranean herbs with dried flowers and blue fruit aromas.

Shows good structure and body, with character and richness, nice intensity and a beautiful finish. Drink 2023-2028 Alc 13%

£17.75-£20 All About Wine, Divine Fine Wines, Smoke, spice and gentle oak, with fresh and floral aromas. Very young, light and bright.

Red fruit, cherries, a spicy hint, integrated with good grip. Persistent and rounded on the finish. Drink 2023-2028 Alc 12.5%

91

£16 Nebbia e Luce

91

Réva, Dolcetto d’Alba 2022

Vietti, Tre Vigne, Dolcetto d’Alba 2022

SH 89 VA 92 SB 92

SH 90 VA 90 SB 92

Good freshness, ripe, dark aromas, brightness and precision on the nose. Black cherry, smooth, round and enjoyable.

Showing youthful typicality and a nice fresh finish. Drink 2023-2028 Alc 13.5%

Floral aromas with crisp notes of sweet spice. On the palate, plums and dark berries with intensity and freshness, firm tannins.

An honest and straightforward wine: lovely.

Drink 2023-2038 Alc 13%

£123.80 (2020) Friarwood

90 Abrigo Fratelli, Diano d’Alba 2021 SH 92 VA 89 SB 89

US$14.50-$21 Ferry Plaza, Princeton

£25-£28.83 (ib) Bibendum Wine, Cru

90 Abrigo Fratelli, Diano d’Alba Superiore 2019 SH 88 VA 91 SB 92

92 Paolo Scavino, Dolcetto d’Alba 2022 SH 95 VA 91 SB 91

£15.20 Justerini & Brooks Candied nose of red fruits, restrained and mineral, with fresh precision of aromas.

Clean and pure style, with good intensity.

Drink 2023-2029 Alc 13.5%

91 La Fusina, L’Alteno, Langhe Dolcetto 2022 SH 89 VA 92 SB 92

POA $ Vos Vinum Importing Fragrant, red berry aromas with plum and cherry. Fruity, good freshness and elegant style. Shows purity of fruit, light with high acidity. Lovely texture with a very smooth finish. Drink 2023-2026 Alc 13%

91 Vite Colte, Roccabella, Dolcetto d’Alba 2022 SH 90 VA 91 SB 92

£15 Ellis Wines

Bright cherry aromas with lovely pure plum fruit on the palate. Smooth mouthfeel, good acidity, with intensity and ripeness. Clean finish. Drink 2023-2028 Alc 14%

90 Alario Claudio, Sorì Pradurent, Dolcetto di Diano d’Alba Superiore 2021

Corkscrew, Solano Cellars, The Wine Connection

US$27.50-$29 Princeton Corkscrew,

A touch of forest floor and black fruit aromas. Plum and damson flavours, high acidity, medium tannins. Fresh, sappy and energetic. Drink 2023-2028 Alc 12.5%

The Wine Connection

POA $ Vera wine & Spirits

Very fruit-driven nose, sweet and dark, a touch of liquorice, rich and intense. Smooth mouthfeel with fine-grained tannins. A nice, powerful style. Drink 2023-2028 Alc 15%

Very intense aromas, smouldering black and dark berry fruit. Concentrated, rich and powerful; the tannins are very persistent and crisp. Nicely balanced with a long finish. Drink 2023-2028 Alc 14.5%

88 | Decanter | January 2024

SH 92 VA 90 SB 88

DOLCETTO

90 Anna Maria Abbona, Sorì dij But, Dogliani 2022 SH 89 VA 90 SB 92

£14.50-£16.54 (2020) Baglio, Gerrard Seel, The Champagne Co, The Drinks Emporium

Elegant and poised nose, with a smooth mouthfeel: bright purple fruit, good acidity and lovely balance. Chewy tannins and mouthwatering acidity. Grippy, ripe tannins.

Long finish. Drink 2023-2028 Alc 13.5%

90

90 Boasso, Dolcetto d’Alba 2022 SH 89 VA 88 SB 92

£14.95 Stone Vine & Sun Delicate and slightly smoky nose, black fruit aromas. Dark and red fruit, with a rustic quality to the tannins. Grippy with a clean, long finish. Drink 2023-2028 Alc 14%

90

90 Carlo Giacosa, Cuchet, Dolcetto d’Alba 2021 SH 89 VA 91 SB 90

POA $ Skurnik Wines Bright cherry aromas, fresh and delicate, with a hint of green. Fresh palate with high acidity, giving clean and precise flavours.

Unapologetic and intense with a good finish. Drink 2023-2028 Alc 12.5%

90

Cascina Gentile, Tre Passi Avanti, Dolcetto di Ovada 2020

Casetta, Dolcetto d’Alba 2022

Chionetti, San Luigi, Dogliani 2022

SH 89 VA 91 SB 90

SH 91 VA 89 SB 89

SH 87 VA 93 SB 91

flli-casetta.it

£20 VinumTerra

cascinagentile.com

Very lively, almost electric. Good intensity and structure. Has power and richness, but also fresh, clean and tight flavours. This is long-lasting on the palate, but needs time to relax. Drink 2023-2028 Alc 13%

Sweet black cherries, charming aromas of dried raspberries with primary fruit notes of blueberry and plum. A linear and silky palate, showing good tannins in a chewy style. Drink 2023-2028 Alc 13.5%

Aromas of dried berries and spices. Elegant and well poised, well-balanced ageing and all elements nicely integrated. Very charming. Drink 2023-2028 Alc 13.5%

90

90

90

Fratelli Alessandria, Dolcetto d’Alba 2022

Gianfranco Alessandria, Dolcetto d’Alba 2022

Marchesi di Barolo, Madonna del Dono, Dolcetto d’Alba 2022

SH 92 VA 87 SB 90

SH 89 VA 90 SB 90

SH 90 VA 91 SB 89

Ripe red fruit aromas of black cherry and cream. Smooth, slightly spicy, very approachable and with great drinkability.

Delicious with a straightforward and lively approach. Drink 2023-2026 Alc 13.5%

Delicate and perfumed nose, but then a structured palate with full-bodied fruit, showing spiced cherry and red berries.

Nice freshness and intensity with a lingering finish. Drink 2023-2026 Alc 14%

Smouldering dark fruit, intense and vibrant – red cherry and violet aromas. Bramble fruits and smoky notes on the palate with integrated, fine-grained tannins. Ambitious.

Drink 2023-2028 Alc 13%

£14 Raeburn Fine Wines

90

£15 Collectivino, The Winery UK

90

Matteo Ascheri, Nirane, Langhe Dolcetto 2022

Mossio Fratelli, Bricco Caramelli, Dolcetto d’Alba 2021

SH 89 VA 89 SB 91

SH 89 VA 90 SB 90

Bright, cheerful black cherry and plum aromas and flavours. Smooth, generous and expressive, clean and long with fruit concentration, lovely acidity and ripe tannins. Drink 2023-2028 Alc 14%

Dark and brooding, plum and dark cherry, blueberry with a spicy touch. Sinewy structure on the palate, good mouthfeel with high acidity. Robust and hearty character, long and lingering on the finish.

Drink 2023-2028 Alc 14.5%

£18.85 The Great Wine Co

Ex-UK stockist, see note p93

†

POA $ Vinity Wine Co

£19 Tannico†

90 Pecchenino, San Luigi, Dogliani 2022 SH 90 VA 90 SB 91

£15 Winetraders UK Smoky black fruit and cherry aromas. Full of primary fruit with bright acidity, very well balanced, good texture with mouthfilling bitter plum flavours. Excellent drinkability.

Drink 2023-2028 Alc 13.5% ▶

Decanter | January 2024 | 89

PANEL TASTING

90

90

90

Pecchenino, Sirì d’Jermu, Dogliani Superiore DOCG 2021

Piazzo Comm. Armando, Buràn, Dolcetto d’Alba 2022

Pietro Rinaldi, Madonna di Como, Dolcetto d’Alba 2021

SH 89 VA 90 SB 90

SH 88 VA 91 SB 90

SH 89 VA 91 SB 90

£25 Winetraders UK Dark fruit, plums and cherries, spicy intensity with integrated tannins. High acidity with a juicy kick. Well structured with a good finish. Drink 2023-2030 Alc 14%

90 Sordo, Dolcetto d’Alba 2022 SH 92 VA 89 SB 90

£15.50 WoodWinters Dark fruit, some dried cherries with lifted plum aromas. Full, giving a little leather, sweet spice and rich tannins. Very pleasant.

Drink 2023-2028 Alc 12.5%

piazzo.it

POA $ Wine Twist Florida

Dark berries and dried flowers with subtle smoke aromas. Fresh and fruity with good intensity and concentration. Powerful mineral frame. Drink 2023-2026 Alc 13.5%

Youthful, spicy plum aromas with ripe concentration. Fresh and light with a delicate tannin structure. Lingering fruit on the finish. Drink 2023-2028 Alc 13.5%

‘Its drinkability makes Dolcetto a much-loved variety among the Piemontesi’ --------------------------- Susan Hulme MW

90 Tenuta Carretta, Il Palazzo, Dolcetto d’Alba 2021 SH 92 VA 88 SB 89

£18 Graspo Wine Importers Blueberry and pomegranate with black cherry and cola aromas. Well balanced, smooth and round with a harmonious palate. Drink 2023-2027 Alc 13.5%

90

90

90

Terrenostre, Donna in Pietra, Dolcetto d’Alba 2022

Vigna Rionda, Massolino, Dolcetto d’Alba 2022

Viticoltori Rodello di Anna Anselmo, Des’ert, Dolcetto d’Alba 2022

SH 89 VA 90 SB 90

SH 90 VA 90 SB 90

SH 93 VA 89 SB 89

terrenostre.it

£22.50-£23.99 Liberty Wines, NY Wines

Pronounced aromas of dark fruit, red cherry and plum. Pure blackberry on the palate with chewy, rustic tannins. A well-structured wine with bright acidity and an uplifting finish. Drink 2023-2028 Alc 13.5%

Black cherry fruit, smooth and round with refined tannins. Textured mouthfeel with a crunchy finish. Drink 2023-2036 Alc 14%

viticoltorirodello.it

Dark, intense and brooding but not heavy, with herbaceous notes. Baked and dried fruits on the palate with good intensity. A wine with plenty of charm and enjoyment.

Drink 2023-2026 Alc 14%

Recommended 86-89pts Wine

Score SH

VA

SB

Tasting note

Alc

Amalia Cascina in Langa, Dolcetto d’Alba 2021

89

89

89

89

Smoky nose, intensity and ripeness. Pepper mingled with blue fruit and creamy spice. Fresh and rounded.

14.5% 2023- £16 2028

Jeroboams

Broccardo, Le Campanelle, Dolcetto d’Alba 2022

89

89

89

90

Fresh floral and red fruit aromas. Plums and forest fruit flavours with good acidity. Bright, cheerful and lively.

13.5% 2023- POA $ 2028

Caput Mundi Wine Import

Ca’ Bianca, Dolcetto d’Acqui 89 2021

89

88

89

Dusty plum nose with good intensity, cherry and fresh violets. Linear structure, good intensity. Cheerful.

13%

Stewart Wines

Cascina Vano, Dolcetto d’Alba 2022

89

90

88

89

Smoky, dark, brooding nose, blackberries and oak spice. 13% Smooth, balanced and crispy. Extracted, ambitious style.

Ciabot 1896, Cavalier Bertino, Dogliani 2022

89

88

89

90

Flowers and red berries, freshand intense. Crunchy fruit, 12.5% 2023- POA $ very pretty. Slightly chilled, it’s a very charming wine.

2028

90 | Decanter | January 2024

Drink

Price

2023- £10 2026

Stockists

2023- US$25 Dylan’s Wine Cellar, Princeton Corkscrew 2027 Antares Inc

DOLCETTO Wine

Score SH

VA

SB

Tasting note

Alc

Drink

Price

Stockists

Collina Serragrilli, Alessandro 89 II, Dolcetto d’Alba 2022

90

89

89

Aromas of flowers and spice, black cherry and leather.

Ripe, fresh, with firm tannins. Powerful and impressive.

13.5% 2023- £15 2035

Via UK importer Delitalia

Fr Serio & Battista Borgogno, 89 Dolcetto d’Alba 2022

88

90

90

Floral, cherry and black fruit aromas. Smooth tannins and delicate spice. Vibrant and straightforward.

13%

2023- £17 2028

Howard Ripley, Tanners

Giacomo Fenocchio, Dolcetto d’Alba 2022

89

88

88

90

Iron and flint. Expressive, with violets and dark fruit.

The finish is rustic and mineral, but the fruit lingers.

13%

2023- £18- Armit, The Wine Reserve 2028 £19.99

Giacomo Grimaldi, Dolcetto 89 d’Alba 2022

88

89

90

Restrained but with pure and bright aromas of black cherry and spice. Grippy, with good acidity. Robust.

14%

2023- POA $ 2026

Giacosa Fratelli, Madonna 89 Como, Dolcetto d’Alba 2021

88

89

90

Brambly dark fruits, rich with ripe and present tannins.

Structure and body with a fresh and lively finish.

13.5% 2023- £25 2026

Lano Gianluigi, Ronchela, Dolcetto d’Alba 2022

89

88

90

88

Lifted aromas of exotic spice, plum and blueberry. Grip 13% and personality with a bright, crushed cherry aftertaste.

2023- US$25 Artisan Wines, Transparent Wine Co, VF Wines 2026

Luciano Sandrone, Dolcetto d’Alba 2022

89

89

89

89

Bright and youthful with dark cherry and spice. Intense and rich with good tannin structure and a juicy finish.

13%

2023- £10.83 Mann Fine Wine 2026 (ib)

Marchesi di Grésy, Monte 89 Aribaldo, Dolcetto d’Alba 2021

88

90

90

Violet and dark fruit nose. Ripe and concentrated body with notes of plum, dark cherry, forest floor and spice.

14%

2023- £14-£17 Cru, Lady Wine, Starling Wines 2026 (ib, 2019)

Massimo Rattalino, Seven, Dolcetto d’Alba 2022

89

89

90

89

Lavender and coriander seed with black and blueberry fruits. Very ripe and baked. Intense, bright, attractive.

14.5% 2023- N/A 2028 UK

Michele Flori, Dolcetto d’Alba 2022

89

90

89

88

Crunchy red fruits and blackberries with lifting acidity 13% and poised tannins. Structured, with an enjoyable finish.

2023- N/A 2026 UK

cantinaflori.it

Moscone, dd’a, Dolcetto d’Alba 2022

89

89

89

88

Pronounced aromas of flowers. Cherry intensity with 13% earthy notes, well-balanced acidity and a smooth finish.

2023- £15 2026

1485 Wines

Musso, Dolcetto d’Alba 2020 89

87

90

90

Mineral aromas with spicy red fruit. Fresh and lean with 13% an elegant finish.

2023- £18.50 Wanderlust Wine 2028

Palladino, Dolcetto d’Alba 2022

89

89

89

89

Expressive aromas of fresh and dried flowers. Smoky, with dark fruit and mineral notes. Full, soft and juicy.

2023- POA $ 2026

Pasquale Pelissero, Cascina Crosa, Dolcetto d’Alba 2022

89

88

89

89

Smoky and herbal, sweet spice. Ripe tannins with black 14% cherry fruit intensity. A robust and firm style.

2023- US$15- Best Wine Values, Saratoga Wine Exchange, Solana Cellars, 2028 $19 The Wine Connection

Pier Paolo Grasso, Maicarin, 89 Dolcetto d’Alba 2021

89

89

89

Smoky, toasted notes with hints of tar. Plum, cherry and 13% herbaceous, stalky tannins with a bitter cherry finish.

2023- N/A 2026 UK

Poderi Colla, Pian Balbo, Dolcetto d’Alba 2022

89

90

88

90

Bright, cherry aromas with clean red and purple fruit.

Smooth with a slight grip. Juicy with good drinkability.

Punset, Dolcetto d’Alba Superiore 2021

89

89

89

90

Plum and spice with a gentle fragrance of faded flowers. 13.5% 2023- £20 Smooth, but with slightly gravelly tannins. Textured.

2036

Rizieri, Sorì del Ricchino, 89 Dolcetto di Diano d’Alba 2022

89

89

90

Smoky, bright cherry aromas. Pure primary flavours with 13.5% 2023- US$18 Julio’s Liquors damson, cherry and plum. Warm but fresh. Enjoyable.

2028

Salvano, Fosco, Diano d’Alba 89 2020

89

89

88

Plums, dark cherry and damson aromas. Intense and rich with notes of cherry, leather and spice.

14%

Schiavenza, Dolcetto d’Alba 89 2022

89

88

89

Sweet berries with heavy extraction. Intense ripeness with grippy, fine-grained tannins. Charming.

14.5% 2023- US$15 Saratoga Wine Exchange, Sparrow Wine 2028

Teresa Soria, Langhe Dolcetto 2021

89

89

88

89

Dark cherry, damson and bitter plum aromas. Creamy spice, with roundness and a smooth finish.

14%

Aurelio Settimo, Dolcetto d’Alba 2020

88

87

88

88

Bright and elegant with ripe red fruit notes. Dark fruit with a balanced, rich body and good finish.

12.5% 2023- £16.50 Lant Street Wine 2026

Brezza Giacomo e Figli, Dolcetto d’Alba 2022

88

89

88

88

Good intensity with sweet dark fruit. Firm tannins with notes of candied fruit and sweet spice.

13%

Cantina del Nebbiolo, Dolcetto d’Alba 2022

88

88

88

89

Dusty cherry aromas with crunchy green fruit. Smoky with lovely freshness and ripe structure.

13.5% 2023- POA £ 2026

Tria Wines

Castello di Neive, Vigna 88 Basarin, Dolcetto d’Alba 2021

87

88

89

Vibrant nose with notes of plum and cherry. Ripe dark fruit, damson and good structure on the robust palate.

14%

Vinexus

Ceretto, Rossana, Dolcetto d’Alba 2022

89

88

88

Ripe plum and spice aromas. Crunchy green and black 13.5% 2023- POA £ fruit, good intensity, full body and freshness on the finish.

2028

88

13%

Classified Wines, Vigneti del Sole The Wine Prophet

massimorattalino.it

Enotec Imports

pierpaolograsso.wine

12.5% 2023- £15 2028

Boutinot, Cellar Door Wines, Kwoff, ND John, Vinomondo Armit

2023- POA $ 2027

2023- N/A 2028 UK

Wine 2 Wine Imports

teresasoria.com

2023- £19.99 Aitken’s, Askew Wine, Hampstead Butcher & Providore, Oakdene Fine 2026 Wine Importers, R Campbell & Sons,

2023- £25 2026

Mentzendorff

Decanter | January 2024 | 91

▶

PANEL TASTING Wine

Score SH

VA

SB

Tasting note

Alc

Diego Pressenda, Dosso, Dolcetto d’Alba 2022

88

88

88

89

Forest floor, floral and toasty nose. Uplifting dark fruit, spice and leathery tannins on the fine finish.

13.5% 2023- N/A 2028 UK

Dogliani Il Generale, Dogliani 2022

88

87

88

89

Youthful with notes of olives, red fruit and dark bramble. 13% Smooth mouthfeel, chewy with ripeness and intensity.

Eraldo Revelli, Autin Lungh, Dogliani 2022

88

87

89

89

Violet and lavender aromas with notes of black cherry, plum and raspberry. Vibrant with fine-grained tannins.

Gian Piero Marrone, Dolcetto d’Alba 2021

88

88

88

89

Ripe aromas of spice and cherry. Refreshing acidity and 13.5% 2023- POA £ full body showing sweet dark fruit and vibrant cherry.

2026

Vindependents

Gian Piero Marrone, Carlot, 88 Dolcetto d’Alba Superiore 2021

85

91

89

Floral, with hints of cherry and spice aromas. Bright and 13.5% 2023- POA £ crunchy with sweet spice, dusty cherry and red fruit.

2028

Vindependents

Le Strette, Dolcetto d’Alba 2021

88

89

88

87

Attractive aromas of dark cherry, cranberry and plum.

Bright and fresh with lively acidity and a long finish.

13%

Wanderlust Wine

Lodali, Dolcetto d’Alba 2022 88

88

88

89

Pronounced floral aromas of roses and violets. Ripe tannins, fresh with notes of dark fruit, plum and cherry.

12.5% 2023- POA $ 2028

Mauro Molino, Langhe Dolcetto 2022

88

89

86

89

Bright blackberry and black cherry aromas. Round and 13.5% 2023- US$13- Little West, Saratoga Wine Exchange, The Cellar d’Or rich tannins with vibrant ripe dark fruit, cherry and plum.

2027 $16

Mossio Fratelli, Gamvs, 88 Dolcetto d’Alba Superiore 2018

83

92

88

Toasty hazelnut and sweet spice aromas. Vanilla and rich baked plums, cherry, hints of coffee and nuts.

Negro Giuseppe, Pian 88 Cavallo, Dolcetto d’Alba 2021

89

86

88

Ripe, appealing aromas of macerated cherries. Smooth 14.5% 2023- POA $ and rounded with notes of ripe cherries and prunes.

2026

Fass Selections, Franciacorta Imports

Salvano, Sori’ della Sorda, Diano d’Alba 2021

88

89

87

88

Smoky and intense blackberry aromas with ripe cherry, 13.5% 2023- POA $ dark fruit, blackberries and hints of spice on the finish.

2028

Wine 2 Wine Imports

Abbona, Papà Celso, Dogliani 2022

87

83

89

90

Balanced nose of violets and fresh herbs. Intense and ripe, with mulberries, cherries, redcurrant and herbs.

14%

2023- £22.95 Lea & Sandeman 2028 (2021)

Arnaldo Rivera, Sorì del 87 Cascinotto, Diano d’Alba 2021

85

88

88

Dark blackberries and subtle earthy aromas. Bramble fruit, cherry, plum and spice with good concentration.

13%

2023- £21.50 Astrum Wine Cellars 2028

Castello di Perno, Dolcetto d’Alba 2021

87

86

88

88

Subtle floral nose with ripe raspberry, cherry, smoke, leather and dark fruit. Grippy tannins and good length.

12.5% 2023- £25 2026

Elvio Cogno, Mandorlo, Dolcetto d’Alba 2022

87

85

88

87

Lifted balsamic and dark fruit aromas. Intense with fresh 14% acidity and notes of leather and game on the long finish.

Fortemasso, Dolcetto d’Alba 87 2022

88

85

88

Bright aromas of dark fruit with notes of charcoal, sweet 13.5% 2023- £15 dark fruit and smoky flavours on the finish.

2025

Milton Sandford

La Fusina, Santa Lucia, Dogliani 2021

87

84

88

89

Gentle aromas of grass and wildflowers. Intense and rich, with fresh black fruit, spice and dark berries.

Vos Vinum Importing

Piero Benevelli, La Costa, Dolcetto d’Alba 2022

87

85

88

88

Ripe with good intensity and structure. Dark fruit, gamey 13.5% 2023- £16 and leathery with fresh acidity and a smooth finish.

2028

Passione Vino

Scarpa, Dolcetto d’Acqui 2019

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85

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88

Vibrant nose of ripe red fruit. Good structure with notes 13% of dark cherry, plum, game and fine-grained tannins.

2023- £22 2026

Bibere

Tacchino, Du Riva, Dolcetto di Ovada Superiore 2016

87

83

90

88

Evolved nose of red fruit and sweet spice. Medium body 14% with freshness and smooth tannins.

2023- £25.99 Askew Wines, Orbit Wines 2028

Vit Rodello Anselmo, Miraggio, 87 Dolcetto d’Alba Superiore 2021

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86

87

Floral, blueberry and red cherry aromas. Sweet spice and crunchy, vibrant tart fruit and a crisp finish.

14%

2023- N/A 2027 UK

viticoltorirodello.it

Anna Maria Abbona, S Bernardo, 86 Dogliani Superiore 2019

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86

Baked cherries and sweet spice. Rich black fruit with dominating oak spice and smooth tannins.

14.5% 2023- N/A 2029 UK

annamariabbona.it

Bricco Rosso, Dogliani 2021

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Light fresh red fruit aromas with notes of cherries.

Bright, juicy acidity and fruit-driven intensity.

13.5% 2023- £13.49 All About Wine, Ashby Wines, Five O’Clock Somewhere, Kwoff 2027 (2019)

Ciabot 1896, Vergaia, Dogliani 2020

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87

Dark, opaque colour with intense dried fruit aromas.

Good texture and touches of herbs and cherry.

14%

Gillardi, Cursalet, Dogliani 2021

86

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Sweet dark plum and bright cherry aromas. Grippy tannins, bright purple fruit and a touch of smokiness.

14.5% 2023- £24 2026

Ester Wines

La Fusina, San Luigi Cavagnè, 86 Dogliani Superiore 2020

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85

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Lovely intense candied red fruit aromas. Lifted and grippy tannins with hints of leather and waxy notes.

13.5% 2023- POA $ 2026

Vos Vinum Importing

92 | Decanter | January 2024

Drink

Price

2023- £14 2026

13.5% 2023- POA $ 2027

2023- £17 2026

14.5% 2023- POA $ 2025

2023- £202026 £22

13.5% 2023- POA $ 2026

2023- POA $ 2028

Stockists diegopressenda.it

Tacco UK

Giannoni Selections

Vinoveritas Wine Import

Vinity Wine Co

Raeburn Fine Wines

Lay & Wheeler, Shelved Wine, Stannary Wine

Antares Inc

DOLCETTO Commended 83-85pts n Ciabot 1896, Storia Cento, Dogliani Superiore 2020 85, 14.5%, 2023-2027, POA $ Antares Inc n Agnelli Viassone, Bricco Paris, Dolcetto d’Alba 2022 83, 13%, 2023-2025, US$29 Di Lisi Imports, Roger Wilco Our buying guide provides you with trusted, independent,

THE

expert recommendations on what to buy, drink and cellar.

GUARANTEE

Each panel tasting is judged by three experienced tasters chosen for their authority in the category of wine being rated. All wines are tasted blind and are pre-poured for judges in flights of 8-10 wines. Our experts taste and score wines individually but then discuss their scores together at the end of each flight.

Any wines on which scores are markedly different are retasted; however, judges are under no obligation to amend their scores.

Judges are encouraged to look for typicity in wines, rewarding those

SCORING SYSTEM Tasters rate the wines using the 100-point scoring system. The overall Decanter rating is the average of all three judges’ scores. The ratings are as follows:

98-100 Exceptional A great, exceptional and profound wine 95-97 Outstanding An excellent wine of great complexity and character 90-94 Highly recommended A very accomplished wine, with impressive complexity

86-89 Recommended A well-made, straightforward and enjoyable wine 83-85 Commended An acceptable, simple wine with limited personality

that are true to their region. When judging, experts are aware of wine price

76-82 Fair Correctly made, if unexciting

bands – under £15, £15-£30 and over £30 – with the aim of recognising and

70-75 Poor Unbalanced and/or bland with no character

rewarding quality and value.

The tastings are held in the controlled environment of Decanter’s

For the Exceptional and Outstanding Decanter ratings, judges’ individual

tasting suite: a quiet, purposely designed room, with natural light. We limit

scores and tasting not es are listed in addition to the saverage score.

the number of wines tasted to a manageable level – a maximum of 85 per

For the Highly Recommended and

day – allowing judges to taste more thoroughly and avoid palate fatigue.

Recommended wines, individual

Drink-by dates indicated are based on how long it is prudent to keep the

and average scores are also listed

wine in question. However, some wines will have a longer ageing capacity

but tasting notes are a combination

if stored in pristine conditions throughout their lifespan.

of the three judges’ notes.

Glasses kindly supplied by

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† Ex-UK stockists: for UK consumers purchasing from outside the UK, please note that bottle prices shown include stockists’ shipping fees, duty and taxes where known at time of writing. Goods could still be subject to additional charges or shippers’ fees on delivery – check with the retailer concerned before purchasing.

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EXPERT’S CHOICE

Alsace Pinot Noir A blind tasting of 2019-vintage wines showed that this classic yet sometimes overlooked French region is now more than capable of matching better-known, quality Pinot Noir-producing areas WORDS & SELECTION PANOS KAKAVIATOS

W

hen I arrived in Strasbourg Sunrise over Barr, from some 25 years ago, in the Kirchberg de Barr France’s northeast, I could Grand Cru vineyard not have imagined Pinot Noir from Alsace standing up to fine Pinot Noir wines from Oregon in the US northwest or New Zealand, let alone fine Burgundy, in a blind tasting.

Pinot Noir has been known in Alsace since the Middle Ages. It once flourished, but war and conflict reduced it to just 2% of regional production by 1969. By the 1990s, it was often boring, lacking the spicy, earthy nuance and beguiling, perfume-like cherry characters encountered in great Burgundy, the world standard. Instead I remember thin, weedy reds served in pitchers at local restaurants. Aside from a handful of producers, Pinot Noir was not taken seriously, and the official Alsace Grand Cru appellation of 1975 (revised in 1983) excluded Pinot Noir.

Much has changed in recent years, capped by the announcement in 2022 by the French national appellation authority INAO that two grand cru terroirs – Hengst and Kirchberg de Barr – could henceforth include Pinot Noir as and reduced yields, we are focusing on a grand cru variety, starting with the making better reds,’ he says.

2022 vintage.

A blind tasting held in October 2023 of The clay-limestone soils of these two 27 Alsace Pinot Noir wines from the 2019 grands crus are successful for Pinot Noir, vintage proves that Alsace Pinot Noir can be a delicious, aromatically driven many say. There is also talk of other grand cru terroirs being worthy of Pinot wine that varies in style from delicate and elegant, which I prefer, to more Noir in the future, including the structured and powerful examples which limestone, clay and iron-rich soils of require cellaring.

Grand Cru Vorbourg.

The tasting included four quality FIND YOUR STYLE ‘pirates’, which performed expectedly Aside from terroir, production methods well: Eyrie Vineyards, Sisters Vineyard have changed to improve quality. ‘We Pinot Noir from Dundee Hills in Oregon make Pinot Noir differently than 20 (priced about £47 retail); Villa Maria, years ago,’ says Marc Beyer, 13th Single Vineyard Taylors Pass Pinot Noir generation of the Léon Beyer estate in from Marlborough, New Zealand Eguisheim. ‘With longer macerations (£30-£34); Weingut Knipser, Kirschgarten 94 | Decanter | January 2024

Spätburgunder Grosses Gewächs from Pfalz, Germany (£55-£65); and Domaine Marc Roy, Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes from Burgundy’s Côte de Nuits, France (about £80 for recent vintages).

While some of the Alsace Pinot Noirs lacked comparative excitement to make the cut, others showed that Alsace Pinot Noir can not only hold its own, but even outperform these other highly reputed regions.

The 2019 vintage exhibits a more classical style in Alsace, in the modern context: not as hot as 2022 or 2018, but a warm vintage. 2019 is also considered very good in Burgundy, Germany, New Zealand and Oregon, so the horizontal tasting of that vintage was equitable.

PHOTOGRAPH NIGEL BLYTHE/CEPHAS

‘Alsace Pinot Noir can not only hold its own, but even outperform other highly reputed regions’

TASTED NON-BLIND

Albert Mann, Les Saintes Claires 2019 B

Muré, Clos Saint Landelin 2019 B

Domaine Kirrenbourg, Jardin des Oiseaux 2019 B

US$93-$99 Empire State of Wine, Some Good Wine Seductive black cherry, peony and fresh earth aromatics set in motion a svelte palate with verve, leading to a wonderfully long finish marked by refreshing orange rind and juicy cherry. The 100% limestone soils lend freshness. Serve with haute cuisine, from roast goose or braised pork belly to mushroom risotto with truffle and fine cheeses. Drink 2024-2042 Alcohol 13%

£48 (2017) The Wine Society A classy wine. Pure Pinot with indelible leafy earth, bright and ripe red cherry and subtle floral aromatics presaging pristine finesse, subtle palate density and impressive length.

The 12ha Clos Saint Landelin, fully owned by the Muré family, marks the southern end of Grand Cru Vorbourg, with a sunny exposure and northwestern winds. For a grand dinner occasion – or just on its own.

Drink 2024-2042 Alc 13.5%

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Domaine Marcel Deiss, Burlenberg La Colline Brûlée 2019 B

Domaine Weinbach, Altenbourg 2019 B

Emile Beyer, Lieu-dit Sundel 2019 B

£38.33 (2016) Millésima Pinot Noir blended with co-planted Pinots Beurot, Meunier, Blanc and Gris. Gorgeous aromatics of cherry and summer berries introduce a bright attack. Nuanced depth and fresh leaf aspects in a juicy and suave palate of subtle tannic power. It is said that the silicified limestone of the soils resemble those found in the Côte de Nuits. Balanced and exciting. Try with beef Wellington or pigeon. Drink 2024-2042 Alc 13.5%

£73.20 Justerini & Brooks Appealing aromatics of subtle cherry and white flower presage delicate balance, a silky yet juicy palate with fine acidity.

Among the most elegant wines tasted, exuding notes of cherry clafoutis and rose petal. Enjoy with mushroom and fresh herb fricassée or chicken vol-au-vent. The lieu-dit Altenbourg is known for precocious ripening. Drink 2024-2042 Alc 13.6%

With its particularly engaging violet and cherry aromas, this wine exudes ripe fruit, earthiness and verve from noticeable acidity on the finish. Cooler clay limestone soils are bathed in light on a steep, south-facing slope at 330m elevation in a vineyard dedicated exclusively to Pinot Noir, located in the heart of the hillside classified as Grand Cru Pfersigberg of Eguisheim. Drink 2024-2042 Alc 13%

95

95

95

Meyer-Fonné, Altenbourg 2019 O

Muré, V 2019 B

Paul Ginglinger, Les Rocailles 2019 O

meyer-fonne.com

paul-ginglinger.fr

In the blind tasting, this wine followed the excellent Oregon Pinot Noir, itself an Old World style from vines on limestone soil.

The Meyer Fonné displayed more nuance if it was not as rounded. No new oak for ageing here, but much fruit purity. The levels of acidity were the highest we encountered, reflecting exciting briskness.

Try with roast poultry or veal in a cream sauce. Drink 2024-2042 Alc 13.5%

£43-£48.85 (2020) Hic, L’Art du Vin Nearly as exciting as the pricier Clos Saint Landelin from the same producer, this light-toned wine reveals wonderful red cherry, blueberry, violet, leafy and subtly toasty aromatics. A juicy, nuanced palate with dark cherry, blueberry, sous bois and white pepper leads to a long finish.

Wonderful fruit purity plus understated refinement. The ‘V’ stands for Vorbourg.

Drink 2024-2042 Alc 13%

95

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B Biodynamic O Organic

POA £ Raeburn Fine Wines Seductive aromas of cherry liqueur and wild strawberry, excellent palate sap, density and a long cool finish. The top Pinot Noir from this estate. Vines grown on pebbly limestone soil that imparts freshness; 50% whole-cluster vinification.

A wine of power and refinement. Try with beef Wellington, or truffled mushroom balls. Drink 2026-2042 Alc 13.5%

emile-beyer.fr

Made from carefully selected grapes in plots corresponding to the Grand Cru Eichberg, this wine reveals rose petal and red cherry fruit on a smooth palate, along with subtle energy and briskness ending with a tonic finish. Fermented with 30% whole clusters, and a steal for the quality.

Drink 2024-2042 Alc 13.5% ▶

Decanter | January 2024 | 95

EXPERT’S CHOICE: ALSACE PINOT NOIR Albert Mann, Grand H 2019 B US$85-$102 Dandelion Wine, Empire Wine,

Domaine Hurst, Coeur de Dragon 2019 B

Manhattan Wine Co, Myrtle, Some Good Wine

hurst-shop.fr

Cool wild strawberry, tart raspberry, white pepper and tobacco leaf aromatics. A most accessible and balanced wine offering immediate pleasure, its juicy palate is marked by cherry pit and raspberry, beckoning further sipping. There is power and density, but far from New World flamboyance. An excellent by-the-glass wine bar choice. Drink 2024-2042 Alc 13.5%

A savoury wine reflecting the freshness of black cherry and blackberry fruit with earthy Pinot appeal. The palate has zing, almost rhubarb tart but very fun, leading to Indian tonic freshness on the finish. Try with fatty foods such as prime rib, partridge pie with foie gras or rich cheeses. Vines are in one of the warmest Alsace vineyards, Grand Cru Brand. Drink 2024-2042 Alc 13.5%

POA £ Anthony Byrne Fine Wines Cherry and raspberry aromas precede an engagingly warm, yet still high-toned palate with tannic finesse, albeit unresolved at present. A touch of coffee comes through, perhaps from the barrel ageing. This Pinot Noir comes from vines at the Grand Cru Hengst on a rather steep, south-facing slope at an altitude of 270m-360m. Enjoy with grilled steak or shish kebab. Drink 2024-2040 Alc 13.2%

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Léon Beyer, Comtes d’Eguisheim 2019

Boeckel, Les Terres Rouges 2019 O

Domaine Barmès-Buecher, Vieilles Vignes 2019 B

£50.45 (2015) Yapp Bros Pleasing aromas of blackberry and blackcurrant introduce an almost burly palate with concentration and length.

Insiders say that this Pinot Noir, hailing predominantly from clay and limestone soils, ages very well. Partial whole-cluster fermentation. Cellar for two more years before tasting. A more ‘powerful’ style, says 13th-generation owner Marc Beyer.

Drink 2026-2042 Alc 14%

Initially closed, time in glass yields sous bois and tree bark aromas with black cherry.

The deep, concentrated palate is a veritable mouthful of wine, albeit slightly austere. From vines more than 50 years old grown within the Grand Cru Zotzenberg, on cooler soils of marl and limestone. Three years’ cellaring should soften matters for a higher score. Drink 2027-2040 Alc 13.5%

£65 (2020) Vins-Clairs A warmer expression of Pinot Noir that yields ripe, fruit-forward pleasure. The smoothly textured palate includes notes of coriander and fennel to complement the ripe red berry fruit. Although it lacks the pristine focus and elegance of some higher-scoring wines tasted, this savoury wine would be great with charcuterie, stuffed mushrooms or red pepper hummus and pitta bread. Drink 2024-2042 Alc 14%

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Domaine Weinbach, S 2019 B

Cave de Ribeauvillé, Rodern 2019

£73.20 Justerini & Brooks This wine evinces some austerity with reductive aspects that require aeration – be sure to give it time in a carafe, and this will slowly reveal its elegant red and blackberry fruit and subtle earthiness.

Although bright on the initial attack, the palate displays steeliness that requires time to open. At this stage it’s not as exciting as the 2019 Weinbach Altenbourg (95pts).

Drink 2026-2042 Alc 13.5%

vins-ribeauville.com

Domaine Schoenheitz, Linsenberg 2019

Aromas of cherry liqueur and earthy smokiness precede a palate of blackberry and cherry with grape skin-like tannic intensity, but not overbearing. That the cooperative can craft a wine of this calibre is good for Alsace, even if it’s more about structure than elegance. Time in glass reveals nuance and power. Try with roasted wild fowl or mushroom risotto with truffle oil. Drink 2026-2035 Alc 12.5%

£24.50 Lea & Sandeman If the aromatics are initially steely, the ripe cherry palate conveys some headiness as the granite soils seemed to lend warmth in this vintage, resulting in a bigger style. One year of ageing in 50% new Burgundy-sized oak barrels conveys a modern sheen, ideally suited for pouring in a wine bar setting. Drink 2024-2030 Alc 13.5% D

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boeckel-alsace.com

Domaine Saint-Rémy, H 2019 B

B Biodynamic O Organic

TASTED NON-BLIND

WEEKDAY WINES

The Decanter in-house tasting team spends a great deal of time out and about at tastings, finding new and exciting wines, or new vintages of existing wines, for everyday drinking. On these pages we bring you 25 top picks that are all ready to drink now, available in the UK and priced at £20 or less RECOMMENDED BY JAMES BUTTON, NATALIE EARL, TINA GELLIE, INES SALPICO, JULIE SHEPPARD, AMY WISLOCKI & SYLVIA WU

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Castellore, Asti Spumante, Piedmont, Italy NV £4.25 Aldi Sparklings and wines under 11% alcohol were the only winners in August 2023’s UK duty changes, so there’s double the reason to buy this. Sweet and simple, yes, but the light body and frothy mousse stops the fresh grape, jasmine and peach notes from being cloying. TG Alcohol 7%

Blank Canvas, Holdaway Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand 2023

90

Antech-Limoux, Jean Lafon Crémant de Limoux Rosé Brut, Languedoc, France NV £17.99 Majestic Crémant is increasingly fashionable, and rosé even more so. This blend of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc is tangy and juicy with raspberry perfume and a red berry generosity. The winery is undergoing organic conversion. AW Alc 12%

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Domaine Papagiannakos, Old Vines Savatiano, Markopoulo, Attiki, Greece 2022

£18-£19.99 London End Wines,

£14.50-£16 Slurp, The Good Wine

Shelved Wine

Shop, Vine & Bine

Classically styled, with a firm bite of citrus, blackcurrant leaf and samphire on the restrained, mineral palate.

With time in the glass, tropical notes override the nettley and gooseberry tones to a long finish. TG Alc 13%

The classical poise to this old-vine Savatiano says much about this underrated variety’s potential. Fleshy yellow apple, quince and peach, lined by oregano, thyme and hay.

Refreshing acidity balances the weight of the fruit. IS Alc 12.5%

Vasse Felix, Filius Chardonnay, Margaret River, Western Australia, 2022

Tesco, Finest Viña del Cura Blanco, Rioja, Spain 2022

£14.99-£19.99 Cambridge Wine Merchants, Harrogate Wines, Majestic, T Wright

A great-value Chardonnay.

Elegant and modest in alcohol, tangy and appetising, with a nutty savouriness and an intense zestiness – think lime curd on toast. AW Alc 12.5%

98 | Decanter | January 2024

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Must-try white

Kolonics, Zrínyi Ilona Olaszrizling, Somló, Hungary 2022

£10 Tesco Made by respected Rioja name Barón de Ley, this is fruitforward with almost exotic aromas of ripe stone fruit, but a buttery, nutty savouriness, too.

Some spice, and the structure from four months in American oak make this a great food wine. AW Alc 13%

White

£17 The Wine Society A characterful, benchmark Welschriesling from a very talented producer and an interesting, overlooked region. Each barrel is bottled separately, delivering a very pure and direct expression of the volcanic soils it hails from. Lemon zest, yellow apple and strudel flavours are coated by a fine layer of honey and lifted by fine acidity. One for flavourful and rich meat dishes, such as confit duck or lamb chops. IS Alc 13% Rosé

Orange

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Sweet & fortified wines

WEEKDAY WINES

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Berry Bros & Rudd, Good Ordinary White

by Dourthe, Bordeaux, France 2021

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£12.50 Berry Bros & Rudd Zesty 100% Sauvignon Blanc.

Bright citrus aromas, woven through with lime, elderflower and gooseberry. Crisp unoaked palate with zippy acidity and layers of citrus and white peach around a mineral core. Good value. JS Alc 12%

£9.50 Tesco Appealing aromas of ripe nectarine, pineapple and yellow apple, showing nice ripeness. The wine still has sustaining acidity, with lots of lift and length and fresh appley acidity. I like this. NE Alc 12.5%

Piccini, Memoro Bianco, Italy NV

Familia Castaño, Old Vines Monastrell Rosado, Yecla, Murcia, Spain 2022 O

£8.50 Morrisons A non-vintage white blend of 50% Viognier with 20% Chardonnay, 20% Vermentino and 10% Pecorino. Jasmine aromas with a touch of grapey freshness. Oily richness with herbal essence and juicy white peach.

A crowd-pleasing food companion. SW Alc 13%

Yalumba, Samuel’s Collection GrenacheShiraz-Mataro, Barossa, South Australia 2018

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Wine Direct

£16.99 Averys, Laithwaites An unusual ‘repaso’-method red which delivers richness and texture. Floral and plummy with potpourri overtones, it’s fresh, balsamic and herbal, with dark fruits.

Rich and spicy, a delicious wintry wine. JB Alc 14.5% Vegan V Vegetarian O Organic B Biodynamic

High street choice

Diego Conterno, Baluma Nebbiolo d’Alba, Piedmont, Italy 2019 O £19.40 Howard Ripley A classic Nebbiolo with a delightful funky edge. Bright yet deep, with crunchy red apple, plum, sour cherry and wild strawberry fruit, topped by dried Mediterranean herbs. The tannins are assertive but smooth. Enjoy slightly chilled. IS Alc 14%

Punches well above its price-tag. Finely etched raspberry, pomegranate, blackcurrant and plum, with savoury cedar and crushed roses. An acid grip lends lightness. IS Alc 13.5%

El Escocés Volante, Manga del Brujo Repaso Doble Pasta, Calatayud, Spain 2020

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£7.25 Ocado Unbeatable value for a bone-dry, organic rosé from bush vines averaging 30 years of age and planted at 750m on limestone. At first it’s like biting into a crisp, juicy red apple, then red berry and floral notes join in. Cute new label, too. TG Alc 12.5%

£18-£18.40 Satah’s Cellar,

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Plaimont, Grande Cuvée Tradition Saint-Mont, Gascony, Southwest France 2020

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Ken Forrester, The Misfits Cinsault, Western Cape, South Africa 2022 £10 Tesco A little restrained on the nose at first, it then shows wild strawberries, plums, raspberry coulis, and the palate is full of flavour. Has attractive tension, decent tannin structure and a really succulent finish. As it was in 2021, very good. NE Alc 13%

Waitrose, Loved & Found Carignan Blanc, Languedoc, France 2022 £8.99 Waitrose A really intriguing wine made from the rare Carignan Blanc variety, which is native to southern France, from 30-year-old vines planted on limestone and granite soils.

Creamy and sweet-fruited on the nose, showing vanilla, peach and honeysuckle.

There’s a decent weight to the palate, too, which is also perfumed and fragrant, with jasmine and spring flowers followed by a lean, stony finish. Chalky, soft and easy to enjoy. NE Alc 13% ▶ Decanter | January 2024 | 99

WEEKDAY WINES

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Alte Vogtei zu Ravensburg, Spätburgunder, Baden, Germany 2022

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£9.99 Lidl This German Pinot Noir is my pick of the bunch from Lidl’s latest range. Intense, fresh, gamey and tangy red fruits take centre stage, along with some darker fruit in the background, then a long, vibrant finish. Pair with cold cuts. JB Alc 12.5%

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Rabl, Titan Zweigelt, Austria 2019 £17.99 Waitrose Stony black fruit on a plump palate that’s quite full and rich. There’s a certain bittnerness discernible here, behind polish and succulent fruit on the mineral, silky palate. Yummy. NE Alc 13%

Quinta das Maias, Maias Tinto, Dão, Portugal 2021 O

£17.50 Co-op Bright red cherry and dried herb aromas, redcurrant and cranberry on the palate, seasoned with liquorice and Pu’er tea. High acidity and fine-boned tannins. A warm finish. Perfect for tomatobased dishes. SW Alc 14%

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£9.50/37.5cl Ocado A little of this nectar goes a long way – it has a whopping 410g/L of residual sugar (Port is 100g/L-120g/L). Unctuously decadent, it would pair well with sticky toffee pudding, thanks to its flavours of molasses, prunes, raisins and figs. TG Alc 17%

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Must-try red

Wente Vineyards, Beyer Ranch Zinfandel, California, USA 2021 £14.95 The Wine Society A mish-mash of grapes alongside the 76% Zin includes Syrah, Barbera, Tempranillo and Mourvèdre. But it works – fun, with blueberry and red berry exuberance. It would be hard to find a wine that tastes more like cherry cola! Great pizza wine. AW Alc 14.5%

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£13.95 Buon Vino Approachable and fresh, this vibrant blend of Jaen (Mencía), Touriga Nacional and Alfrocheiro shows the modern side of Dāo.

Succulent pomegranate, plum and wild strawberry, lifted by pink grapefruit and subtle florality. IS Alc 13%

Marks & Spencer, Lustau Pedro Ximénez, Jerez, Spain

Castello Vicchiomaggio, Villa Boscorotondo Chianti Classico Riserva, Tuscany, Italy 2020

Salentein, Barrel Selection Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina 2022 £16 Marks & Spencer We prefer the 2022 M&S Collection Susana Balbo Tradición Malbec (£12), but if you like more oak and structure on your Malbecs, try this. It’s plush and modern with toasty cinnamon wood spice, firm tannins and creamy black fruit. TG Alc 14.5%

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Fletcher’s, 10 Year Old Tawny Port, Douro, Portugal £13.49 Aldi Fletcher’s tawnies always punch above their weight for the price and this one will find fans at any festive party with its rich, sweet, oak-spiced flavours of chocolate-covered raisins, dried figs and brown sugar. Perfect with Christmas pudding. TG Alc 20% White

Volcanes de Chile, Gran Caldera Cabernet Sauvignon, Rapel Valley, Chile 2021 £13.99 Laithwaites Bodega Volcanes is a project focusing on volcanic wines, started in 2008 by Chilean wine giant Undurraga. This Cabernet is from a 40° slope in the Rapel Valley, and displays pure blackcurrant fruit aromas with floral overtones and herbaceous touches.

Dark, creamy, iron-rich berries mingle with black pepper and pomegranate in the mouth, with nice verticality and freshness.

Decent value. JB Alc 13.5% Rosé

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Sweet & fortified wines

WEEKEND WINES

WEEKEND WINES Get through the working week, and it’s time to crack open something a little bit more special.

As a companion selection to our 25 wines under £20, the Decanter team has selected seven standout bottles that are sure to impress, all available in the UK and priced between £20 and £50 RECOMMENDED BY JAMES BUTTON, NATALIE EARL, TINA GELLIE, INES SALPICO, JULIE SHEPPARD, AMY WISLOCKI & SYLVIA WU

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Busi Jacobsohn, Blanc de Noirs Brut Nature, East Sussex, England 2018

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£48 Busi Jacobsohn, Hawkins Bros,

£31 The Wine Society Characterful Kamptal Riesling with texture and layered complexity. Robust structure balanced by energy and freshness. Long, succulent finish with ripples of grapefruit zest, ripe pear and lemon essential oil. Drinking well now but with cellaring potential. IS Alc 12.5%

Kilo Wines, Yapp Bros

Refreshing green apple, star fruit and blood orange dominate, with a hint of toast.

The autolytic characters are more apparent on the palate, revealing creamy brioche richness, with bruised red apple and red cherry notes. SW Alc 12%

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Piedra Fluida, Los Frontones, Tenerife, Spain 2021 O

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£32 WoodWinters The Los Frontones vineyard in southwest Tenerife is said to be the highest in Europe, at 1,687m. 100% Listán Blanco: a concentrated, vertical white with intense orange peel and apricot skin character. Textural, fresh and bright. JB Alc 12.5%

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Joel Gott, Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, California, USA 2017 £37 Tesco With this wine you really do step into the world of Napa Cabernet. It’s dark-coloured, dense and powerful, the rich blackcurrant and forest berry fruit spreading thick and fast across the palate. Fig and damson richness lingers on the finish. NE Alc 14.5%

Vegan V Vegetarian O Organic B Biodynamic

Jurtschitsch, Riesling Ried Heiligenstein 1ÖTW, Kamptal, Niederösterreich, Austria 2018 O

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Must-try rosé

Paul Jaboulet Aîné, Domaine de Thalabert Crozes Hermitage, Rhône, France 2015 £34.99 Majestic 2015 in northern Rhône was declared at the time by one leading producer as ‘surely the vintage of a lifetime’.

Fruit-packed, gutsy and tannin-structured, with dark berry fruit, medicinal notes, black olive and tertiary complexity. AW Alc 13.5%

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Protero, Nebbiolo, Gumeracha, Adelaide Hills, South Australia 2023

Ramón Bilbao, Lalomba Finca Lalinde Rosado, Rioja, Spain 2022

£29.99 Liberty Wines Steve Pannell’s love for Nebbiolo inspired this wine: a refined Piedmontese expat with a broad Aussie drawl.

Structure from raspberry acidity and firm but fine tannins support floral cherry and plum flavours and a salty liquorice finish. Delicious now but will age. TG Alc 14%

£25 The Great Wine Co This textured, gastronomic rosé delivers in every vintage. Fruit comes from the cool 5.4ha Finca Lalinde vineyard on the slopes of the Sierra de Yerga in Rioja Oriental; lalomba means ‘hillside’. Garnacha is co-fermented with 10% Viura in concrete, with time on lees. Strawberry and raspberry aromas, citrus and spicy hints. Creamy palate of red berries and citrus peel, with a savoury undertow and brisk acidity. JS Alc 13% D Decanter | January 2024 | 101

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Marketwatch

News from the world of investments and auctions COMPILED BY CHRIS MERCER

BRUNELLO 2019 Officially released from January 2024, Italy’s Brunello di Montalcino 2019 vintage has been highly anticipated. Winery release schedules vary, and Riserva wines can’t be released for another year at the earliest, but do look out for expert Michaela Morris’ full 2019 vintage report, coming soon to Decanter Premium.

Burgundy leads Sotheby’s Pierre Chen auctions

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uction house Sotheby’s has offered the first wines from major private collector Pierre Chen via a two-day sale in Hong Kong, with buyers swooping for blue-chip rarities.

Not all lots found buyers, but Sotheby’s reported total sales still hit HK$131m (£13.3m, US$16.8m). It had estimated sales in excess of $16m.

More Sotheby’s auctions of Pierre Chen’s wines are planned in 2024, with total sales expected to be in the order of US$50m.

Nick Pegna, global head of Sotheby’s wine and spirits, said established and new collectors came out in force in Hong Kong, ‘their enthusiasm for the offering evident in the strength of their bids’.

The top three lots were dominated by Burgundy, and these were: • Henri Jayer, Vosne-Romanée, Cros Parantoux 1999 (10x75cl) Price realised HK$1.875m – Estimate HK$1.5m-$2m • Domaine d’Auvenay, ChevalierMontrachet Grand Cru 2007 (12x75cl) Price realised HK$1.875m – Estimate: HK$1.4m-$1.9m

JANUARY SALE

Domaine d’Auvenay, Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru 2007

• Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, La Tâche Grand Cru 1971 (3x150cl) Price realised: HK$1.25m – Estimate: HK$1m-$1.2m (‘Price realised’ includes buyer’s premium) Sotheby’s said the Henri Jayer lot was ‘among the highest prices ever achieved for this mythical wine at auction’, while the third lot was a record auction price for a case of DRC La Tâche 1971 in magnum.

Domaine d’Auvenay only made 706 bottles of the Chevalier-Montrachet 2007, according to Sotheby’s, and its price in this sale was said to underline collector interest in the very best white Burgundies.

PHOTOGRAPH SOTHEBY’S

RAYAS ‘CORRECTION’ PROVES DRAG ON LIV-EX RHONE 100 Liv-ex, a global marketplace for the trade, has said retreating prices for Châteauneuf-duPape star property Château Rayas on the secondary market contributed to a relatively weak performance for its Rhône 100 index in much of 2023.

Liv-ex’s Rhône 100 fell 19.4% in value in 11 months to 30

COMING UP

November, compared to a 13% drop for its parent index, the Liv-ex 1000.

Those figures followed Liv-ex commentary in November that said Château Rayas was ‘undergoing a correction’ on the secondary market, similar to some top names in other key regions. Rayas vintages included

in the Liv-ex Rhône 100 were down 30.6% in value on average in the 10 months to 31 October.

Château Rayas prices shot up prior to 2023, however, as previously reported by UK merchant Bordeaux Index, which cited high quality, scarce supplies and growing collector interest in the wines.

DISCLAIMER: Decanter’s Marketwatch pages are published for informational purposes only and do not constitute investment advice. Wine prices may vary and they can go down as well as up. Seek independent advice where necessary and be aware that wine investment is unregulated in several markets, including the UK.

UK merchant Farr Vintners said it would be running its usual January sale offer, which has previously featured significant discounts on a range of the group’s stocks across different regions. Not all wine merchants offer January sales, but it’s worth keeping an eye out for offers.

DOMAINE DE LA ROMANEE-CONTI 2021 DRC releases wines once bottled, and the Burgundy producer’s UK agent Corney & Barrow said it was planning a debut ‘en primeur’ offer for DRC 2021-vintage wines in February 2024. Allocations will be strict.

Decanter’s Charles Curtis MW (see ‘Vintage preview’, p32) rated DRC’s Romanée-Conti Grand Cru 2021 at 98 points after tasting it en primeur.

LA PAULEE 2024, LOS ANGELES This year’s La Paulée Burgundy wine festival (lapaulee.com) will take place in Los Angeles from 28 February to 2 March. Last year’s New York event included tastings, lunches, dinners and seminars with top producers.

Ticket details were unconfirmed as Decanter went to press. ▶ PLEASE NOTE: RELEASE SCHEDULES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE

Decanter | January 2024 | 103

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Uncertain times favour Bordeaux

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ordeaux has benefited from buyers’ ‘flight to quality’ in an uncertain market, according to a recent report, as separate analysis digs deeper into the longer-term price trajectory of ‘legendary’ five-star Bordeaux vintages.

Thirty Bordeaux wines featured in Liv-ex’s new ‘Power 100’ ranking of brand performance on the secondary market, compared to 25 in the previous edition. Château Angélus rose to ninth, from 65th a year earlier.

‘Buyers have sharpened their focus to reflect greater risk aversion,’ said Justin Gibbs, Liv-ex deputy chairman and exchange director. ‘They are seeking stable and liquid brands, offering relative value, which favours Bordeaux over Burgundy and California.’

Liv-ex’s Fine Wine 50 index, tracking Bordeaux first growths, still fell 13% in 11 months to 30 November, however.

Fresh data from Bordeaux Index’s LiveTrade online platform (see chart) suggested ‘legendary’ Bordeaux 1989 and 1990 wines have mirrored the price trajectory of counterparts from younger, lesser vintages.

‘In general, we think legendary Bordeaux is particularly underpriced,’ said LiveTrade CEO Matthew O’Connell, referring broadly to

HISTORIC BORDEAUX WINE LEGENDS AT AUCTION

Decades-old Bordeaux superstars featured strongly in auctions of single-owner collections in late 2023, though scarcity means trading activity in such wines is limited. Three wines from Decanter’s ‘Wine legends’ series were among the highlights: • Cheval Blanc 1947 (6x75cl), sold for HK$375,000 (£38,000) – Estimate HK$300,000-$500,000, Sotheby’s.

• Mouton Rothschild 1945 (12x75cl), sold for US$200,000 (£158,000) – Estimate $95,000-$150,000, Zachys.

• Latour 1961 (3x150cl), sold for £56,250 – Estimate £32,000-£42,000, Christie’s.

(Sale price includes buyer’s premium) ‘There’s no question that bidders were willing to pay a premium for older wines with an excellent chain of provenance,’ said Charles Antin, global head of auction sales and auctioneer at Zachys, following its auction of collector Peter Hut’s wines.

LiveTrade Bordeaux price history: legends vs lesser vintages Comparing the price performance of top-rated Bordeaux wines, including first growths, from the ‘legendary’ 1989 and 1990 vintages (red), with top-rated wines from younger ‘non-prime’ vintages (ie, lesser vintages: orange) which span the period 2001 to 2013 215

THE BORDEAUX INDEX VIEW Fine wine & spirits specialist Bordeaux Index kindly sponsors this section of Decanter, and provides its view on the market here every issue. It can be found at bordeauxindex.com The performance of Bordeaux as a region has lagged the broader wine market in the last few years. Partly this is due to the outsized performance of regions such as Champagne and Burgundy, but there is no doubt that Bordeaux-specific factors are also at play, including en primeur pricing (in general, with notable exceptions) across the last two vintages failing to drive market engagement.

This means that we see a significant relative value opportunity in Bordeaux, and when the market turns upwards again, this should be an interesting segment. That said, there is a question around the potential catalyst for a re-pricing of the region’s wines when that has been slow to happen even amid the positive market environment of 2021 and 2022 – perhaps such a catalyst would be a compelling en primeur campaign, for example.

It is intuitive that the wines to benefit most (at least as first movers) may be more mature, prime vintages such as 1989/1990/1996/2000, where the quality looks most attractive in terms of relative value. These wines have held up in a tricky 2023 market (collectors step in as soon as they cheapen meaningfully), and we would expect them to lead the market up.

195 175 155 135 115

Baseline 100 at January 2008

95

Collectors and investors will find a wealth of useful information on decanter.com/ premium, including expert assessments of the latest vintage releases and comprehensive tasting notes. Current reports available on our website include Bordeaux 2022, Rhône 2022, Chablis 2022 and Napa 2019, with more on the way soon.

104 | Decanter | January 2024

Nov 2023

Jan 2023

Jan 2022

Jan 2021

Jan 2020

Jan 2019

Jan 2018

Jan 2017

Jan 2016

Jan 2015

Jan 2014

Jan 2013

Jan 2012

Jan 2011

Jan 2010

Jan 2009

75 Jan 2008

DATA SOURCE: BORDEAUX INDEX LIVETRADE ONLINE PLATFORM. DATA RUNS FROM JANUARY 2008 TO NOVEMBER 2023

FOCUS: RELATIVE VALUE IN FIVE-STAR VINTAGES

top-rated wines from five-star vintages in the past 40 years.

Château Latour 1990 (£10,250 per 12x75cl in bond, LiveTrade) was relatively inexpensive in a wider market context, he said. ‘Think what you can get for that in Burgundy.’

Vaunted Haut-Brion 1989 was one outlier, at £26,000 (12x75cl in bond).

PREMIUM

WORKING WINE TO 5

Inside a professional’s everyday life

Marinela Ivanova Beverage manager, residential ship

What’s the best thing about your work?

Visiting places, exploring terroirs, meeting the dedicated individuals behind each wine, and unravelling the stories behind their creation.

What’s the most common misconception about what you do?

When I embarked on my career 25 years ago, there was a prevailing assumption that the perfect sommelier had to be male, sport a French accent, carry an air of intimidation with a tastevin around their neck, and push expensive wines onto customers.

Fortunately, those days are long gone.

What’s your greatest achievement?

It happened nine years ago when World of Fine Wine awarded our ship’s wine list three stars, the highest possible, and recognised us as Best Ship Wine List, which we have retained ever since.

And your greatest mistake?

Over the years I’ve experienced the

106 | Decanter | January 2024

usual mishaps, from spilling wine on people to opening the wrong vintage.

Most recently we had a funny moment during a cocktail reception when closing out a successful expedition to Greenland. As the captain was making a speech, I was opening a bottle of Champagne in the background.

Instead of opening it ‘with a whisper’ as I normally do, the cork escaped my grip and a loud pop sounded. Luckily it was very timely as it happened when the captain was announcing the furthest northern latitude we had reached. Everybody knew I had made a mistake, but because of its timing, laughter erupted.

What skills or qualities do you need to be successful in your profession?

A passion for hospitality and strong interpersonal skills are vital. Then an insatiable thirst for knowledge, as the industry is constantly evolving. Lastly, very good organisational skills and financial acumen to manage the wine portfolio. When it comes to personal qualities, one must be humble, never patronising, and respectful of the hard work of wine producers.

Does wine age differently on a ship?

In my extensive maritime experience, I’ve observed that a ship’s motion accelerates the ageing process of wine, although not significantly. It’s worth

noting that modern passenger ships, which are equipped with stabilisers, experience far less rolling than their predecessors did years ago. And most ships now have temperaturecontrolled wine cellars.

What do you love most about working on The World?

Working on board the largest privately owned residential mega-yacht on Earth is the pinnacle of my career. Our residents are highly discerning wine enthusiasts and the ship is their home.

Consequently, we develop a very special bond, and get to know their dining preferences in detail, tailoring our wine program towards these preferences. As the ship continuously circles the globe, we call in on the wine-producing countries and regions repeatedly. These visits allow us to follow developments in the regions, to experience firsthand the terroirs that nurture the wines, and to develop lasting relationships with the talented people who craft them. It is the ultimate journey. D Marinela Ivanova oversees the beverage program for The World, Residences at Sea, the world’s largest privately owned residential yacht. A certified sommelier, and a holder of the WSET Diploma, she is responsible for the 1,200-label wine list and 15,000-bottle wine cellar on board.

INTERVIEWED BY GEORGIE HINDLE

How did you get here?

I joined The World 15 years ago, after working as a waitress at a fine-dining restaurant in Germany. Coming from eastern Europe, which was still emerging after the fall of the Iron Curtain, I had never encountered the profession of a sommelier before. It was love at first sight.

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