C335-BC

'middle road' between Cali’s turbo-charged beasts and

EDITORIAL

Four Centuries in the Glass

By Michael Palij MW

This is, somewhat incredibly, the 367th year that South Africa has been making wine.

It is a legacy nearly as old as the hills; only the hills win because the Stellenbosch soils are at least 250 million years old. It hasn't been smooth sailing for four centuries: war, apartheid, drought, and violence have all contributed to a viticultural crucible that, In the early 1970s, producers such as Simonsig, supported by the emerging ‘Wine of Origin’ scheme, introduced the world to what Stellenbosch had to offer. Not only is this the birthplace of Cap Classique (now a national treasure), but it is also a region that delivers world-class Cabernet Sauvignon. Does it get better? Possibly, possibly not. Stellenbosch is that irresistible

members, including The High Road and Miles Mossop's new gig. And what about New Dawn, the baby of former StarkCondé winemaker Rüdger van Wyk? He is a past master with both Chenin and Cabernet. Try his approachable blends and try not to be blown away by their unbelievable value.

We’re on a roll. Krispel is a very good place to start for those who drink Anything But Red. This is a family-run Austrian winery with strong sustainable credentials, producing wines that the governing body describes as ‘outstanding’.

In case withdrawal symptoms from the classics are setting in, this is also the Bordeaux issue, featuring Château Séraphine (Pomerol) and Clos Cantenac (Saint-Émilion), the hottest properties in town. Don’t look now, but we have secured magnums and double magnums of Clos Cantenac, so you

with their epic quality.

Clos Cantenac ................................................................................................... P2 COUPS DE COEUR ............................................................................ P5 SOUTH AFRICA ................................................................................................P6 The High Road ..................................................................................................P6 Simonsig Family Vineyards.....................................................................P8 New Dawn .........................................................................................................P10 SPIRITS ................................................................................................................. P11 AUSTRIA .............................................................................................................. P12 Krispel ................................................................................................................... P12 EVERYDAY WINES ...........................................................................P16 BORDEAUX .......................................................................................................P18 Darriet ...................................................................................................................P18 Loupiac ................................................................................................................ P19 BORDEAUX LEFT BANK ......................................................................... P22

@

BORDEAUX RIGHT BANK...................................................................... P26 COLLECTOR’S CORNER ...............................................................P30 SAUTERNES ..................................................................................................... P32

Opimian offers three distinct subscription programs, each designed to suit a different style of exploration.

Founder’s Choice is a six-bottle program featuring a premium red wine and cellaring potential. These wines are chosen for balance, structure, and laying down for the future.

The Masters Case also includes six bottles, but offers two bottles each of three different wines. Selected by Opimian’s Masters of Wine, it highlights diverse expressions from a single producer or region, showcasing depth, contrast, and craftsmanship.

Everything But Red responds to growing Member interest in whites and other non-red styles. Each offering includes a case of premium wines that are fresh, vibrant, and versatile—ideal for entertaining or

Joining is simple. Ensure your payment details are up to date, then visit your dashboard at opimian.ca to select one or more programs. For assistance, Member Service is always available at memberservice@opimian.ca.

Natasha Hughes MW is an internationally respected Master of Wine, awarded the title in 2014 with four prizes, including the Outstanding Achievement Award. A former Decanter deputy editor, she is now The Wines of Beaujolais (2025), an international wine member of the Institute of Masters of Wine.

CHÂTEAU HAUT POUGNAN, AOC 2024, LOT 6070, P20

NEW DAWN BY RÜDGER VAN WYK RED, WESTERN CAPE, 2024, LOT 6095, P10

LA DEVINE DU CLOS CANTENAC, AOC GRAND CRU, 2024, LOT 6097, P2

Michael Palij MW is a Canadian-born, internationally recognized Master of Wine.

An entrepreneur with a deep passion for Italian wines, he brings decades of experience working closely with leading Italian producers and has played a key role in curating many of Opimian’s most acclaimed Italian offerings.

SIMONSIG PICK OF THE BUNCH PINOTAGE, STELLENBOSCH, 2024, LOT 6046, P9

KRISPEL STRADEN SAUVIGNON BLANC, VULKANLAND STEIERMARK DAC, 2024, LOT 6052, P14

SIMONSIG TIARA, STELLENBOSCH, 2020, LOT 6048, P9

ARTICLE

Austria Finds Its Voice

appearing on an ongoing basis over the last 20 years as they adopted the DAC fundamentals.

By Michael Palij, MW

At the turn of the 21st century, Austria suffered from an identity crisis.

The regions were not enshrined in law, and the reputation of the grape varieties was not always certain. Perhaps with an eye on their neighbours, Germany, where Riesling had suffered a most unbecoming fate after its association with Liebfraumilch, the authorities decided that a system more akin to France’s Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée would be a safer bet. In 2003, the DAC (Districtus Austriae Controllatus) system was launched.

DAC is an integral part of a two-tier concept tied to a Austrian regions: Bergland, Niederösterreich, Burgenland, Steiermark, and Wein. These are, if you like, the parent regions of Austrian wine production, which are then further subdivided into 18 DACs, each ranging in size from 500 to 25,000 acres. The DAC's introduction has not been a wholesale operation but a slow evolution, with new regions

elsewhere in Europe, but a far cry from Kabinett, Spätlese, et al. The goal, of course, is to strengthen the brand “Austria” by highlighting the striking regional differences in climate, soil, much as national – success.

And has it been a success? There can be no doubt that Austrian wine today is better than it ever has been. Established DACs with a strong reputation (Wachau, for instance) are having a positive ripple effect on newer ones, such as the Vulkanland Steiermark DAC, where Krispel is based.

Established in 2018, Vulkanland is known for its vibrant culinary scene and its hilltop castles. The reds are marketed under the wider ‘Steiermark’ designation of origin, as are the whites that fall outside of DAC regulations. Most of the wines share similar characteristics, including refined aromatics. Austrian wines unquestionably deserve a wider audience, and, DAC or no DAC, their purity and intensity are worth a detour from Chablis and Sancerre.