Since 2015, Waddington’s has been the exclusive auctioneer of Fine Wine and Spirits in Ontario, working under the authority of the LCBO.
Over these ten years it has been our honour to offer impeccable liquid treasures, with just a few of the memorable highlights including a rare 1945-2000 vertical of Château Mouton Rothschild, 50 year Balvenie Single Malt Scotch, and a 5L Jeroboam of Château Pétrus.
When assembling these remarkable auctions, we strive to include additional content, reflections, and insights about wine and spirits as stories posted on our website.
Looking back on our collection of writing we realised our essays could be compiled into an excellent reference booklet – a delightful read while you sip on a blue-chip Bordeaux or a Single Malt.
This booklet contains some of our favourites. The entire collection is available in the News section on our website. We hope you will enjoy our inaugural publication and that it will inspire your oenophilic and collecting journeys. This is our 10th anniversary gift to you!
Slàinte, Joann Maplesden, Devin Hatfield, Robin Morgan, Nick Lim, Gordon Gothreau and Dara Vandor
About Wine & Spirits at Waddington’s Auctioneers and Appraisers
Waddington’s continues to be the only auction house authorised by the LCBO to sell beverage alcohol sourced from Ontario’s secondary market to international buyers.
Our Fine Wine and Spirits department, located in downtown Toronto, is lead by Joann Maplesden and Devin Hatfield and supported by a team of industry specialists.
Our highly anticipated auctions attract thousands of bids. Held quarterly, buyers know that our auctions are an excellent way to build a rare and fine beverage portfolio; to buy and taste exceptional wines and spirits not available through other channels; and for restaurants to build world-class lists.
Over the past ten years it has been a pleasure to showcase extraordinary collections from distinguished investors, and to offer sought after wine and spirits for your consumption, collection and investment.
WE KNOW THE VALUE
In addition to selling your liquid assets in our auctions, we also provide appraisal services to help you understand the value of a single bottle or an entire collection. Whatever your needs, we are here to help realise your investment vision.
You can rely on our expertise to guide you through the process of buying or selling exceptional bottles in an established, trusted, knowledgeable and professional environment.
The process is simple, and we follow the highest standards of care and thorough inspection to ensure we meet and exceed the expectations of all our clients.
To explore consigning or bidding opportunities, please contact us at finewine@waddingtons.ca.
Table of Contents
Reading Wine Labels
Exploring Scotland’s Six Whisky Regions
A Brief History of Napa
Pappy Van Winkle: The World’s Most
Coveted Ketucky Bourbon
The Famed 1982 Bordeaux Vintage
Super Tuscans
Learning About Japanese Whisky
Collecting Macallan Whisky
There’s No Place Like Rhône
Château Pétrus: Bordeaux at its Finest
Reading Wine Labels
They say you should never judge a book by its cover. But when it comes to wine, the label actually provides a lot more information than you think… if you know what to look for. Each winery approaches labels slightly differently. All labels include basic components like region, producer, and alcohol by volume (ABV), but as there are no international standards, here’s where the similarities end. We’ve compiled a few basic rules to help you decode the often-confusing world of wine labels.
GRAPES, REGIONS AND APPELLATIONS
Old World producers – think Europe – tend to display regions and ageing classifications on their wine labels, though not necessarily which grape varietals are inside the bottle. As an example, producers assume that when you pick up a bottle of Chablis, you’re aware that the bottle contains Chardonnay, because you’re familiar with the appellation and its rules. An appellation mandates which grape, or grapes, can be used in the making of a wine in a specific region, as well as crop yield, and alcohol percentage. Almost 20 countries use officially regulated and internally administered appellations, to varying degrees of strictness. If a bottle of wine lacks a detailed breakdown of the grape varietals used to make it, its appellation will help you identify what you’re buying – though you may need to do a little research.
Wine Enthusiast explains this lack of information on wine labels is due to the Old World’s focus on regional styles rather than on the grape varieties themselves. As the same grape variety can taste vastly different depending on where it is planted (hello, terroir!), regional style is actually thought to be a more reliable guide for a wine buyer than a bottle’s specific ingredients.
LEGEND
1. Vineyard Site
2. Appellation
3. Name of the Winemaker
4. Wine’s Vintage
5. Estate Bottled
6. Specific Region
7. “Cru” signifies a vineyard or site that is known for its exceptional terroir
Conversely, New World wine labels almost always include which grapes went into the bottle, often broken dow by percentage (e.g., 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot). Without rigid, centuries-old winemaking traditions, New World regions didn’t have the same strict rules about appellations. Similarly, all of these “new” regions were relatively unknown on the international scene, meaning that there was no regional style which would tip off potential buyers as to what to expect when buying a bottle from that area. As a result, producers highlighted the grape varieties instead, which could theoretically prompt connoisseurs to associate New World wines with their Old World counterparts. New World winemakers, unbound by tradition, are also happy to cater to their customers, often adding marketing copy on their wine labels which describe flavour profiles, histories and even suggested food pairings.
Region plays a role in deciphering both New and Old World wine labels. A general rule is that the larger the region indicated on the bottle (e.g. “France”), the lower the quality of wine. A quality wine often indicates a specific region and/or specific vineyard site on its label – the more specific, the higher the quality (e.g. “Armand Rousseau Gevrey-Chambertin Clos St. Jacques” – Gevrey-Chambertin being a region in Burgundy, and Clos St. Jacques being the specific vineyard within Armand Rousseau’s holdings there).
AGE AND AGEING GUIDELINES
Most bottles have the vintage – the year the grapes were harvested –indicated on their label. This tells connoisseurs a lot about the wine, as different weather conditions will change the way a certain wine tastes from year to year. Some wines, however, are non-vintage (NV), which means that they have been composed from wines harvested in different years. Typically, these wines are of lesser value, though delicacies like Champagne and tawny port can often be blended vintages.
Ageing guidelines also differs between Old and New World wines. In the Old World, terms like “Reserva,” “Riserva,” or “Gran Reserva” often have strict, albeit region-specific rules. As an example, a Rioja labelled as Reserva means that it has been aged for a minimum of 36 months with at least 12 months in oak barrels – not to be confused with a Chianti Riserva, which has spent at least 24 months in oak, with another three months in
bottle. Though the terminology is nearly identical, certain regions have decided that those terms mean very specific things.
To confuse matters, New World labels like “Reserve” “Selection” and “Special” are unregulated, and mean different things to different people. For many winemakers, they’re used to signify a higher level of quality, but… buyer beware.
An additional qualifier for age is “Old Vine.” In the world of winemaking, grapes sourced from older vines (vieilles vignes in French) tend to be more concentrated and thus more sought after. However, there is no governing body overseeing how old a vine needs to be to be referred to as “old” on the wine label. Wine Folly notes that “Old Vines” should be regarded as a style rather than a specific indicator of what’s actually happening in the vineyard: “Old Vine” wines can sometimes be a blend of young and old-vine grapes.
ALCOHOL BY VOLUME
The alcohol by volume (ABV) might seem like something you can skip over, but it’s actually a useful tool for determining what’s inside the bottle. Generally speaking, the more alcohol, the bigger or richer the wine will taste. Higher alcohol wines are usually more fruit-forward, having been sourced from riper grapes. Certain European wine regions cap how high a wine’s ABV may be, while American wines are less restricted – some of the biggest examples swell to a mighty 17% ABV.
ESTATE BOTTLED
A pretty unambiguous term, Estate Bottled means that a wine was grown, processed and bottled in the same place. While there are notable exceptions – like garagiste wine – generally, wine made from grapes sourced from several locations tend to be lower quality. At the very bottom of the spectrum are wines grown in one country, and then shipped to another to be processed and sold as mass-market table wine.
Estate bottling is alternately described on the wine label as “Mis en Bouteille au Château/à la Propriété/au domaine” in France, “Embotellat a la Propietat” in Spain, “Imbottigliato all’origine” in Italy and “Erzeugerabfüllung” in Germany.
Exploring Scotland’s Six Whisky Regions
Scotland is home to over 100 whisky distilleries, which produce an incredibly diverse range of expressions, from briny malts to gentle drams. At the turn of the 20th century, Scotland formally recognized five whisky regions: Highlands, Speyside, Lowlands, Campbeltown, and Islay. Today, many insiders also consider the Islands as an unofficial sixth region.
The products from each of the six whisky regions are the result of distinct geographical conditions, microclimates and traditions. However, there are no non-geographic requirements for the whiskies produced in a specific region and distillers work with their own inimitable processes and styles to create distinctive expressions. Similar to no two wines from the same wine region tasting alike, no two whiskies in the same area are identical. Regional style guides should be considered a lens through which to think about whisky, rather than viewing the expressions as having a strict set of rules.
Below we explore the six whisky regions and their characteristics —how many have you tried?
SPEYSIDE
Number of Distilleries: 50
Typical Flavours:
Fruity with light to no peat, look for notes of apple, pear, oak, honey, vanilla and spice
Notable Names:
The Macallan, Glenlivet, Glenfiddich, Dalwhinnie, The Balvenie
Geography:
Lush glens, rolling hills and pine forests split by the River Spey
If whisky had a downtown, Speyside would be Main Street. The most extensive and densely populated whisky region in the world, Speyside is home to more than half the distilleries in Scotland. This area accounts for more than 60% of Scotland’s whole single malt production, all within an area no larger than 15 miles wide. Speyside is home to Glenfiddich, the bestselling brand of whisky globally, as well as other household names including The Macallan and Glenlivet. Together, these three distilleries produce around one-third of the entire single malt market.
Speyside takes its name from the River Spey. Numerous distilleries cluster on the river’s banks and draw water directly from the source. Located in the lower northeast corner of the Highlands between Inverness and Aberdeen, Speyside is technically a subregion of the Highlands, meaning that distilleries in Speyside can choose which whisky region to use on their labels.
Speyside whisky is often matured in sherry casks, which is key to the region’s style. Over the decades, the Speyside profile has evolved from robust and peaty to a sweeter, lighter product, reflecting consumer tastes. Speyside whiskies are often cited as a great entry point for novice drinkers and collectors, due to their mild profile.
HIGHLANDS
Number of Distilleries: 47
Typical Flavours:
Varies widely, from full-bodied, rich, and sweet to lighter, drier, and fruitier
Notable Names:
Glenmorangie, Dalmore, Oban, Ardmore, Dalwhinnie
Geography: Diverse, including glens, lochs, mountains, and coast
Highland area encompasses the most territory of any of Scotland’s whisky regions, spanning from the northwest of Glasgow to the Northern islands. The Highland region creates 25% of Scotland’s whisky, and has the greatest geographical range. Highland whisky is hard to categorize stylistically and varies widely.
Some prefer to look at the region as four subregions: north, east, south, and west. The north makes rich, fuller-bodied cereal-sweet single malts like Glenmorangie and Dalmore. The east tends towards a lighter, drier, fruitier style that has something in common with Lowland whiskies, exemplified by Glendronach. The south is similar in style to the east, though with a touch less body, typified by Aberfeldy. The west part of the Highland makes fuller bodied, smokier and peatier expressions with a resemblance to Islay malts, exemplified by Oban.
Historically, the Highland style is a richer and heavier whisky, produced in smaller stills which leads to more condensed, richer flavours. Even compared with Speyside, Highland whiskies are more robust, intense and spicy.
LOWLANDS
Number of Distilleries: 18
Typical Flavours:
Light, with no peat. Floral notes, grass, cream, ginger, toffee, toasted bread, cinnamon
Notable Names:
Auchentoshan, Glenkinchie, Annandale, Ailsa Bay, Rosebank
Geography:
Rolling countryside and fertile farmland formed of sedimentary rock like sandstone and clay
Located in the southernmost part of Scotland, in the basins of the River Clyde and the River Forth, Lowlands is the second biggest whisky region geographically. Dividing the Highlands from the Lowlands is an old county border which follows the Clyde estuary in the west to the River Tay in the east. Covering a region from the south of Scotland up to the north of Glasgow and Edinburgh, Lowlands is easy to visit due to its proximity to Glasgow and Edinburgh. Though it is home to only a handful of distilleries, more and more distilleries are being founded or reopened.
Soft and gentle, Lowlands whiskies were historically triple-distilled instead of double-distilled, making them analogous with Irish whiskeys. Today, only a few distilleries, of which Auchentoshan is one, continue this practice. This whisky region is also known for its use of coal instead of peat—the Lowlands used to be the epicentre of Scotland’s coal industry— which contributed to the lighter, more floral Lowlands expression. Much of the whisky produced in the Lowlands is used in blends, due to its easygoing flavour profile.
CAMPBELTOWN
Number of Distilleries: 3
Typical Flavours:
Smoke, brine, dried fruit, vanilla, caramel
Notable Names: Glengyle, Glen Scotia, Springbank
Geography:
Rocky coastal terrain marked by few trees
The smallest of the six whisky regions, Campbeltown is located in the southwest of Scotland, at the foot of the Kintyre peninsula in west Argyll, bordered by the Atlantic. Once considered the ‘Whisky Capital of the World,’ Campbeltown was home to over 34 distilleries in its heyday during the early to mid-19th century. Located in an advantageous location, out of sight of customs officers and well situated to export its wares across the Atlantic, Campbeltown flourished. As the century passed, Campbeltown distillers began to cut corners in their production, resulting in an inferior product. Combined with poor economic development, changing tastes, Prohibition and the Great Depression, Campbeltown’s once-thriving industry collapsed. By the 1930s, only two distilleries, Glen Scotia and Springbank, remained in existence. Glengyle, which was founded in 1872, was reopened in 2004, bringing the total up to three.
Though the three distilleries produce distinctive expressions, they are collectively known for oily, briny and smoky flavours reflective of Campbeltown’s coastal setting. A lack of trees on the Mull of Kintyre means that peat is the fuel of choice, adding to the robust and smoky profile of the region’s whiskies.
ISLAY
Number of Distilleries: 9
Typical Flavours:
Seaweed, brine, peat, smoke, carbolic soap, apple, and kippers
Notable Names:
Ardbeg, Laphroaig, Lagavulin, Bunnahabhain and Bruichladdich
Geography:
Flat, and dominated by sphagnum peat bogs, which are formed by decomposing moss, which in turn can be burned for fuel
Though small in size, the island of Islay (pronounced “EYE-la”), holds its own when it comes to delivering sought after expressions for both peated and non-peated Single Malt Whiskies. Some historians believe that Islay was where distillation first took place in Scotland, having been imported from Ireland in the 13th century when the Lord of the Isles took the daughter of an Ulster Baron as his wife. Similar lore suggests it was the visiting Irish monks who brought and taught the locals to make whisky. Islay has an abundance of raw materials perfectly suited to whisky making: rich peat, good quality water, and barley crops—rare for an island ecosystem.
Islay is also famous for its “lost” distilleries, a term which refers to distilleries which were closed due to economic, political, or manufacturing problems, such as water shortages. Bottles from lost distilleries are coveted by collectors, owing to their scarcity as much as their mythology.
Typical Islay whisky is among the strongest Scotch whiskies in existence. This style is epitomized by Ardbeg, Lagavulin and Laphroig. That said, not all bottles from Islay are super smoky – Bunnahabhain and Bruichladdich typically skip the smoke and make unpeated whisky.
ISLANDS
Number of Distilleries: Under 10
Typical Flavours:
Brine, smoke, peat, oil, spice, black pepper, honey
Notable Names:
Arran (Arran), Highland Park (Orkney), Jura (Jura), Talisker (Skye), Tobermory (Mull), Isle of Raasay (Raasay)
Geography:
Windswept and rugged islands in the Atlantic Ocean
The Islands are not formally recognised by the Scotch Whisky Association as one of the whisky regions, and are considered as a subcategory of the Highlands. That said, whisky connoisseurs often discuss them as being their own genre, due to their unique geography and flavour profile. Just be sure not to lump Islay into the Islands category—it’s definitely its own thing.
Scotland’s coastal region includes nearly 800 islands, which are scattered along the entire west and north coasts of Scotland. Only a few are inhabited, including Orkney, Jura, Arran, Mull, and Skye. While each island has its own set of flavour profiles, peated and full-bodied salty malts are the name of the game—unavoidable given the maritime terrain.
Talisker, located on the Isle of Skye, is currently the largest Island distillery in Scotland. New distilleries have been opening in the region as well.
A Brief History of Napa
Did you know that President Lincoln was the first US President to purchase and serve California wine? Or that the most expensive agricultural land in the entire United States is in the Napa Valley?
Located in Northern California about a two-hour drive northeast of San Francisco, the region’s unique microclimates, geography and soil have allowed Napa to the become one of the finest winemaking regions in the world. Known for its exceptional Cabernet Sauvignons and Chardonnays, Napa is currently home to over 500 wineries. The region has seen explosive growth over the past few decades, a far cry from its humble roots.
FROM CHURCH WINE TO…CHURCH WINE
Records show that grapes were planted in California as early as the 1700s. Some of the earliest wines were cultivated for religious use. These were field blends planted by Catholic missionaries, using a variety of Vitis Vinifera from Spain, which became known as as Mission grapes. By the 1800s, European immigrants began cultivating European vines, and the first commercial winery opened in California in 1833. Soon afterwards, vineyards began sprouting up across the state.
The first person to extensively plant grapes in Napa was George Calvert Yount. Yount had been granted a large tract of land by the Mexican government—at the time, the region was still a part of Mexico. As far back as 1836, Yount began planting vineyards, primarily of the Mission variety. The famous town and subregion of Yountville are named after him.
The first official winery in Napa belonged to John Patchett, who received the region’s—and perhaps the state of California’s—first official review in 1860. Published in the “California Farmer Magazine,” the review stated that “The white wine was light, clear and brilliant and very superior indeed; his red wine was excellent; we saw superior brandy, too.”
The first commercial winery in Napa was established in 1861 by Charles Krug, who had previously worked for Patchett. A boom in wineries would follow, a growth of approximately 29,000% accelerated by the ever-expanding Pacific Railroad, which would reach the area in 1869. Many of these early wineries still exist, such as Beaulieu, Beringer, Chateau Montelena, Far Niente, Inglenook, and Schramsberg.
Napa was to experience another stratospheric rise in the 1970s, but it is important to note that the region was producing some fine wines over the previous century. As an example, wines from Schramsberg were served by President Benjamin Harrison in the 1890s at official state functions at the White House.
Napa became a victim of its own success, too many grapes were grown at the end of the 19th century, resulting in plummeting prices. Wine quality was also questionable and Californian wines took a backseat to the imported French and European wines. Foreign wines were actually cheaper to import due to the high costs of moving Napa wines across the vast United States by rail.
Beginning in 1877, Napa was hit by phylloxera, a microscopic louse that destroys the roots of grapes and the crops. More than 90% of Napa’s vineyards were destroyed. By the time Prohibition hit in 1920, the wine industry was in decline. Only a handful of vineyards were able to continue operations by diversifying their crops to produce fruit and nuts, growing wine to make vinegar, or returning to California’s original wine-making roots: by producing wine for use by the church.
TO THE TOP
Napa begin rebuilding its wine agriculture in 1933 when Prohibition ended. Rekindled appetites for wine after years of drinking cocktails produced high demand, and commerce began revivifying the region. New immigrants brought new varietals and techniques with them,
Napa Valley, California. Photo by Irma Sophia
taking advantage of the area’s Mediterranean climate. The result was outstanding New World wines made using Old World methods like aging in oak, and a defined style of high-quality Cabernet Sauvignon.
Though the bottles coming out of the region were exceptional, California wines had an image problem due to their uneven history for quality production. This changed in the 1970s with an event known as the “Judgement of Paris” or the Paris Wine Tasting of 1976. Organized by Steven Spurrier, a British wine merchant, and his colleague Patricia Gallagher, the event was a competition between the best French wines and the best Napa wines—red and white—blind tasted. The outcome seemed obvious and Spurrier, who sold only French wine, anticipated a sales increase for his company. Unsurprisingly, the judging panel was entirely French. Surprisingly, Napa wines won in both the red and white categories. The 1973 Chateau Montelena won top prize for white wine, while 1973 Stag’s Leap took the crown for red, trouncing such esteemed Bordeauxs as Château Mouton-Rothschild, Château Haut-Brion and Château Montrose. Napa was back on the map, bigger than ever.
Just when the Napa was on the rise, phylloxera reappeared in the mid 1980s. This time, around 60% of Napa’s vines needed to be replaced. Luckily, new scientific advances meant that better rootstock was used in the replanting. Winemakers also carefully reconsidered the layout and varietals used on their land. The result of this great purge and rebirth was that Napa was making even better wines than before. Today, Cabernet Sauvignon accounts for some 40% of the region’s production and 55% of the crop value. Chardonnay comes in second, followed by Merlot, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc and Zinfandel, in that order.
THE REGIONS OF NAPA
Napa is divided into 16 official sub-regions (often referred to as AVAs, or American Viticulture Areas), each with its unique microclimate, soil type, and topography. These subregions can be classified into three categories: valley, mountain, and bay. Valley wines include the Oak Knoll District, Yountville, Oakville, St. Helena, Coombsville, Stags Leap District, Rutherford and Calistoga; mountain wines encompass Mount Veeder, Spring Mountain, Howell Mountain, Wild Horse Valley, Atlas Peak, Diamond Mountain District, and Chiles Valley. There is only one bay region, Los Carneros.
Pappy Van Winkle: The World’s Most Coveted Kentucky Bourbon
Pappy Van Winkle bourbon—known to connoisseurs simply as “Pappy”—is one of the most difficult whiskeys for consumers to get their hands on. Stories of people camping outside of liquor stores overnight in an (often thwarted) attempt to secure a bottle are commonplace, as are tales of frenzied fans resorting to shady Craigslist deals or attempting to bribe bartenders into selling them an already-opened bottle. For those not deep into the world of whiskey, this seems like absolute madness. If you’ve ever wondered why people risk breaking the law for this Kentucky liquor and how you can (legally) get your hands on some—spoiler alert, it’s at auction—read on.
THREE JULIAN VAN WINKLES
There are three generations of Van Winkle men who play a part in the history of this spirit, but the story begins with Julian “Pappy” Van Winkle. In 1893, at the age of 18, he began working as a travelling whiskey salesman for W.L. Weller & Sons, a liquor wholesaler. Ten years later, Julian and another Weller salesman combined their finances to buy the firm. In 1910, they were able to purchase the A. Ph. Stitzel Distillery in Louisville, Kentucky, which was the major supplier of whiskey for the Weller business. Unfortunately, the merger coincided with Prohibition however the company was able to stay afloat due to having been designated as one of the few distilleries able to provide medicinal alcohol.
Julian passed away in 1965 and control of the company went to his son, Julian Jr. The bourbon business began to wane as consumer tastes shifted towards spirits like vodka; bourbon was seen as antiquated and unrefined. This decline in sales, coupled with a disagreement between stakeholders, forced Julian Jr. to sell the Stitzel-Weller distillery in 1972. However, Julian Jr. insisted that his family retain control of the “Old Rip Van Winkle” name and brand, which had been introduced prior to Prohibition.
After the sale of the distillery, Julian Jr. formed J.P. Van Winkle and Son, which produced quirky, customizable commemorative whiskey decanters,
with universities being his main clients. On the side, he continued to bottle Old Rip Van Winkle bourbon using old whiskey stocks purchased from the Stitzel-Weller distillery.
His son, Julian Van Winkle III, inherited the business upon his father’s death in 1981. Over the decades, consumer tastes had been slowly shifting back towards an appreciation for bourbon, and the Van Winkle family project began garnering an audience once more. Many credit Julian III’s excellent palate for taking Pappy to even greater heights and ushering in a new golden age of bourbon.
WHAT MAKES PAPPY SO DESIRABLE?
Pappy was arguably the first bourbon to break the Scottish domination in the high-end whiskey category. To understand what makes Pappy so sought after, it is perhaps worth comparing Bourbon whiskey to Scotch whisky.
Bourbon, under U.S. Federal Regulations, must be aged in new charred oak barrels. Comparatively, scotch is aged in already-used barrels, meaning that much of the wood flavour has been leached out already. The climates where scotch and bourbon are produced also differ wildly: Scotland’s cold temperatures help to slow down the alcohol’s interaction with the wood, while the hotter climes of the Southern United States result in bourbon taking on oak flavours very quickly. In short, this means that bourbon ages much quicker than scotch does, and explains why traditionally, bourbon was not left to age for the long stints that is customary in the making of fine scotch. Yet it is these long aging periods that make scotch so special, and why collectors rarely bother with young whiskys.
Before Pappy emerged in the 1990s, older bourbons were often tarry and overly oaked—not very desirable. Julian III was able to produce an aged bourbon that was smooth, buttery and not too oaky, one which was good enough to compete alongside Scotch and the world’s best whiskeys.
Legally, bourbon products can be sold as young as three months old. Commonly found brands of bourbon like Jim Beam, Jack Daniels or Bulleit are typically aged from 3 to 5 years, with some special select reserves having 7 to 10 years of age. To put that in perspective, Pappy’s youngest offering is 15 years old, followed by a 20 and 23-year-old.
The Van Winkle family recipe also plays a part in Pappy’s success. To be legally classified as bourbon, the liquor must be made with a minimum of 51% corn. The remaining percentage is typically made up of a combination of rye and barley. The Van Winkle recipe omits the rye in favour of wheat, which some claim is the reason why Pappy has a softer, silkier profile and a gentler aging process.
PAPPY VS. VAN WINKLE WHISKEY
The Van Winkle Distilling Company produces several whiskeys, but strictly speaking, not all of them can be referred to as Pappy. Any Van Winkle whiskey with less than 15 years of age is not technically known as Pappy, and connoisseurs can be very rigorous on this point. An easy way of knowing what can be called Pappy? Look for the picture of Julian Sr. smoking a cigar on the label.
Nomenclature aside, Van Winkle’s related offerings are made with a very similar recipe at the same distillery—the main difference is that they have spent less time sitting in oak. They are a wonderful entrée into the world of Van Winkle whiskey at a more accessible price point. These sister products are known as Old Rip Van Winkle Handmade Kentucky Straight
Bourbon (10 years old), Van Winkle Special Reserve “Lot B” Straight Bourbon (12 years old) and Van Winkle Family Reserve Straight Rye Whiskey (aged 13 years).
WHY IS PAPPY SO HARD TO ACQUIRE?
Tom Gara, writing for the Wall Street Journal, famously wrote of Pappy: “You could call it bourbon, or you could call it a $5,000 bottle of liquified, barrel-aged unobtanium.” It seems inconceivable that for years there was little to no market for Van Winkle whiskey (remember those university decanters?) while nowadays it’s nearly impossible to get your hands on a bottle.
The tipping point happened in 1996 when an employee of Julian Jr. submitted a bottle of Van Winkle 20 Year whiskey to the Beverage Testing Institute, where it received the highest rating ever given out: 99/100. Demand skyrocketed. Add to that the endorsement of mega-celebrities like Anthony Bourdain and David Chang—even Pope Francis reportedly called it ‘very good bourbon’—and Pappy was launched into the stratosphere.
One of the most fundamental reasons why Pappy is so hard to acquire is its limited supply. The Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery releases around 7,000-8,000 cases only once per year. To put that in perspective, Jim Beam produces 7,000,000 cases of bourbon annually. Liquor stores and restaurants only receive a small allotment from the distillery, and the size of this allotment can vary from year to year. In an attempt to keep things fair, many liquor stores and agencies, such as the LCBO, distribute the bottles through a computerized lottery—”winning” simply means that you have the right to purchase or pass on a bottle—which they hold early in the year when the bourbon is released.
To put the relationship of supply and demand in perspective: Christine Sismondo at Moose Milk writes that the LCBO’s 2020 “Bourbon Masterworks” release received 63,000 entries, while the 2019 allotment was estimated to contain only 30 bottles of Pappy 15 years old —not great odds.
Julian P. “Pappy” Van Winkle Sr. (1959). Photo by Charles Fentress
The Famed 1982 Bordeaux Vintage
Considered one of the greatest vintages of the 20th century, 1982 wines from the Bordeaux region are still spoken about in reverent terms—so lavishly, in fact, that famed wine critic James Suckling writes that they changed his life, and Decanter cites an expert who refers to them as being so perfectly balanced that they are “like big men dancing lightly.”
However, novice collectors shouldn’t necessarily buy every 40-year-old wine they can get their hands on: while Italy, Spain, South Africa, Champagne and Porto also produced fantastic vintages, wines from Sauternes, Burgundy, Beaujolais and Alsace were of average quality. Wine Searcher also cautions that 1982 wines from California are hit or miss, as are wines from the Rhône region.
So what was it that made 1982 so extraordinary for Bordeaux?
A SUMMER OF PERFECT WEATHER
Jean-Bernard Delmas, then managing Haut-Brion, noted that “it was an armchair summer, hot and dry, so there were no diseases, no insects to worry us.” Christian Moueix, who now runs Château Pétrus and owns Dominus, called it a “perfect summer,” comparing it to the superb conditions in 1989 and 2005. Decanter breaks it down even further: “The winter had been mild, April was dry and sunny and, apart from a few scattered hailstorms, May was as promising. June and July provided an excellent, if very warm, mix of sunshine and showers, while August and early September, with temperatures at 30°C, did nothing to damage the grapes or prevent an early harvest – starting September 15, even in the northern Médoc. The result was Merlot of more than 13% potential alcohol, even finer than the Cabernet which reached more than 12% –levels then deemed remarkable.”
To circle back slightly, while these specific weather conditions helped produce incredible Bordeaux wines, they hindered other types of production. In the production of Sauternes, a hot September hinders the growth of botrytis (also known as “noble rot”), a type of fungus which decays and dehydrates wine grapes—and helps to intensify certain flavours and an overall sweetness. The rains that fell in September of 1982 washed away the botrytis, further hampering the production of this sweet wine. In short—one vintner’s windfall is another vintner’s despair.
SET UP FOR SUCCESS
While the flawless weather in 1982 cannot be overstated, other factors aligned perfectly as well. The year launched the career of the now-famous critic Robert Parker, who sung the vintage’s praises to the skies, ushering in new collectors and new audiences. Parker knew the vintage would be great, and announced it early—in contrast to the wine critic at the New York Times, who had panned it!
Consumers now turned their gaze to France and Italy, so much so that even Parker himself was surprised at how little interest there was in buying first-rate California wines only two years after Time magazine declared the “Golden Age of California Wine.” At the time, Parker wrote of a great shift in allegiance to European imports “that are providing some astonishingly good buys—a result of a very bullish American dollar combined with unsettled political and economic situations in key European wine-producing countries such as France and Italy.”
Also worth mentioning is the advent of modern winemaking technology, which had begun to permeate the tradition-bound world of Bordeaux. Moueix noted that the 1959 vintage might have rivalled that of 1982, but due to a lack of production abilities, “half of it ended up as vinegar.” Not so in 1982, as winemakers were better equipped to capitalize on Mother Nature’s bounty.
FORTY YEARS OF EXCELLENCE
One of Suckling’s greatest lessons from the 1982 vintage was that “great wines are always great, no matter if they are tasted from barrel or bottle, young or old. The best 1982s were fabulous from barrel and many are still fabulous today.”
Super Tuscans
UNDERSTANDING ITALIAN WINE CLASSIFICATIONS
Although it may sound like the title of an upcoming Pixar film about a charming Italian family fighting crime in the countryside, the term “Super Tuscan” is used to refer to wines from this region that are produced outside of the rules and traditions of Tuscany’s DOCs (“Denominazione di Origine Controllata”). Italian wine classifications cover every traditional Italian wine style and the laws governing its viticultural zone include permitted grape varietals and styles. Wines classified as DOCGs (“Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita”) hold Italy’s top wine classification.
DOC AND DOCG RULES
Inspired by the French AOC (“Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée,” or “controlled designation of origin”), a strict classification system that covers products including wine, cheese, lavender, lentils and more, Italy introduced its own wine appellation system in the 1960s. Criticized as being at best too restrictive, and at worst, misguided, winemakers were frustrated by these restrictions. Some felt that Chianti wines had lost their oomph, and the introduction of Bordeaux-style grapes and French winemaking methods, such as the use of oak barrels, might help to revive the genre.
By the end of the decade, producers outright rebelled against the DOC and DOCG rules, and began to experiment with different (and unsanctioned) varietals and techniques. Most notably, international grapes such as Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon were blended with indigenous varieties like Sangiovese, or even left to stand alone and unblended as what James Suckling refers to as “a remix of French grapes with Italian terroir.”
THE STORY BEGINS WITH MARCHESI MARIO INCISA DELLA ROCCHETTA
Several winemakers claim to be the first to produce Super Tuscan wine, though consensus typically places Sassicaia, a Bordeaux-style blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, as the forerunner. The story begins with Marchesi Mario Incisa della Rocchetta who relocated with his family from the outskirts of Rome to the village of Bolgheri in the early 1940’s. The local land was then dedicated to growing vegetables and legumes or was left uncultivated, thick with wild forests and scrub. Prior to his move to the Tuscan countryside, Incisa della Rocchetta had developed a palette for Bordeaux wines and found the local wines produced from the Trebbiano and Sangiovese varietals lacking. Taking cuttings from a friend’s vineyard he planted Cabernet Franc vines on an east-facing stony site with an elevation of 1,150 feet and set to work producing a locally-grown wine that he actually wanted to drink.
While initial tastings proved less than thrilling, in time, Incisa della Rocchetta noticed that his wines aged beautifully, transforming what began as a grassy, green wine into something much greater. Encouraged, he planted more vines. He gave his wines to friends and family, without the intention to ever sell the product commercially. When his nephew, Piero Antinori, recognized the potential of Incisa della Rocchetta’s hobby his plans changed. Antinori enlisted enologist Giacomo Tachis to help refine the product with the most significant changes being the relocation of the vineyards and the introduction of Cabernet Sauvignon to temper the Cabernet Franc. This new location was named Sassicaia (from the Italian ‘sasso’, meaning stone) and the first vintage in 1968 was introduced to market in 1972. Within a few years Sassicaia was performing brilliantly on the world stage: competing and winning awards against the wines that so inspired their creator.
Vineyards in Ponte a Bozzone, Tuscany, Italy. Photo by Thomas Fabian
VINO DA TAVOLA (VDT)
Because Super Tuscans did not conform to the government’s strict standards, these innovative wines were labelled as “Vino da Tavola” (VdT), table wine, Italy’s lowest tier of wine classification, despite their high calibre.
To entice consumers to drink such a “lowly” category of wine, Tuscan producers began using proprietary names, figuring that customers would remember the wine by brand rather than by appellation. The Italian suffix “-aia” refers to unused or vacant land, and was employed by Super Tuscan producers to reinforce this branding—think Ornellaia, Sassicaia and Solaia.
TOSCANA IGT (INDICAZIONE GEOGRAFICA TIPICA)
Finally acknowledging the inadequacies of the DOC/DOCG system, the Italian government introduced a new wine classification in 1992, Toscana IGT (Indicazione Geografica Tipica), to handle these outlying wines. IGT wines rank above VdT but below DOC and DOCG—although these tiers do not necessarily reflect the quality of the wine inside the bottle.
Super Tuscans are typically modern, rich and full-bodied wines with notes of vanilla and spice. They remain highly collectible and age beautifully. Those new to the genre should look for the earliest pioneers of the region, which are still viewed as the most iconic: Sassicaia, Ornellaia and Tiganello.
Learning About Japanese Whisky
It may surprise you to learn that Japan is the third-largest producer of whisky, behind Scotland and the United States, although the nation has only been making this spirit since 1923. Japanese whisky was largely overlooked until 2003 when Suntory’s Yamazaki 12 Year Old won the prestigious Gold Medal at the International Spirits Challenge. The following year, the Hibiki 30 Year Old won the same respected award. Subsequent wins in other major international competitions combined with serious auction results has solidified Japanese whisky’s place on the world stage and on the shelves of connoisseurs around the world.
FROM SCOTLAND TO JAPAN
Japan’s first recorded mention of whisky dates back to 1853, when Commodore Matthew Perry gave the Imperial Court 70 gallons of Scotch and American whiskey, which was exceedingly well received. Meiji-era rulers encouraged the brewing of domestic versions, though the Japanese use of sweet potatoes rather than barley, corn and rye produced a very different product.
Japanese whisky, as we know it today, can trace its origins to one man: Masataka Taketsuru, known as “The Father of Japanese Whisky.” Taketsuru was sent to Scotland in 1918 to learn the art of distillation. He studied organic chemistry in Glasgow, and apprenticed at three distilleries in Speyside and Campbeltown. He returned to Japan in 1920 with a Scottish wife, Rita, and a notebook full of everything he had learned, which was to become Japan’s first guide to whisky production. Upon their arrival, the couple discovered that the company that had financed his trip to Scotland abandoned its plans to brew whisky due to a poor financial outlook after the First World War.
In 1921, Taketsuru was hired by Shinjiro Torii (1879-1962) who had been working to create Western-style liquors tailored to the Japanese palate. His company, Kotobukiya Limited—known today as Suntory—had launched a port-style wine in 1907, and was looking to expand into whisky distillation. The two men built the first Japanese distillery, Yamazaki, in 1923, on the outskirts of Kyoto.
At the end of his ten-year contract with Kotobukiya, Taketsuru left to establish his own company. He chose Yoichi, Hokkaido in the north of Japan as his ideal site, figuring it was closest to the Scottish climate in terms of humidity, air and climate. In 1934, he launched Dai Nippon Kaju, which translates to “The Great Japanese Juice Company” and began selling apple juice products while he readied his whisky business. Two years later, he began distillation and by 1940 the first bottle of Nikka Whisky was launched.
OLD TRADITIONS, NEW INNOVATIONS
Taketsuru sought to instil Japanese whisky with the austerity and tradition of its Scottish counterpart. As in the Scotch tradition, Japanese whisky is double-distilled before aging in wood barrels. It tends to be drier and smokier than an American bourbon or rye, with some enthusiasts considering it closer to a Speyside or Lowland whisky. A few distilleries even import malted barley and peat from Scotland, though Japanese expressions tend to be more delicate and sweeter with only a light smokiness.
Japanese whiskies are not always tied to Scottish traditions and distillers experiment with peat as well as with cask finishes such as mizunara oak and plum wine casks. Different yeast strains, local water, fermentations and cut points all combine to create a unique product, playing with the traditionalist’s notion of what a single malt can be. Collectors love Japanese whiskies for their incredible range and complexity, with Wine Enthusiast noting that “they span from whisper-light to rich, caramel-forward expressions that resemble Bourbon, and even peated variations that will please fans of smoky Scotches.”
Only a handful of whisky distilleries have ever existed in Japan and Nikka and Suntory continue to dominate the market. Nikka now includes the original Yoichi distillery as well as its Miyagikyo property, while Suntory distills whisky at Yamazaki, Hakushu and Chita, in addition to its staple blended whisky, Hibiki. Smaller distilleries in Japan have opened and closed, with the now-closed Karuizawa being one of the most covetable
BIG IN JAPAN – AND ABROAD
The surge in Japanese whisky’s popularity outside of Japan caught distillers by surprise. Stocks of aged whiskies became depleted, and the scarcity of bottles has driven prices up. Japan’s extended recession in the 1990s meant that many distilleries closed and even large companies like Suntory and Nikka reduced production, translating into a lack of supply. Collectors are finding new bottles increasingly hard to come by, reminiscent of the mania for Pappy Van Winkle. In 2018, a bottle of Yamazaki 50 Year Old fetched HK $2,337,000 (nearly $400,000 CAD) at auction, holding the record for the most expensive bottle of whisky before being surpassed by The Macallan in 2019.
Collectors should take note to buy their Japanese whisky only from reputable sources, as Japan’s rules about what can be sold as whisky are notoriously lax. Whisky in Japan was originally intended only to service a domestic audience, and formal definitions were only introduced in 1989. These definitions are not rigorous, requiring the whisky to contain at least 10% aged malt whisky, with the rest of a bottle’s contents being open to interpretation. Companies are legally allowed to fill bottles with aged rice-based shochu, or even rebottle foreign spirits, all under the label of Japanese whisky. The New York Times explains that Scotch and Canadian whisky exports to Japan have boomed in recent years, “even as the retail sales of those whiskeys remain flat — implying that most of the imported spirit is being bought by distilleries and relabeled as Japanese.”
Collecting Macallan Whisky
Perhaps you’ve ordered it in a bar. Or perhaps you’ve read that Macallan holds the distinction of being the most expensive whisky ever sold.
Herein lies the magic of Macallan: a distillery capable of producing both great entry-level Scotch as well as some of the most sought-after spirits for serious collectors.
THE HISTORY
The Macallan Distillery was founded in 1824 by Alexander Reid, a schoolteacher and barley farmer, a year after the Scottish Excise Act made distilling legal. The original name of the area where the distillery was established was “Maghellan,” from the Gaelic word “magh”, meaning fertile ground and “Ellan”, derived from the name of St. Fillan. St. Fillan was an Irish monk who travelled extensively throughout the 700s promoting Christianity and was closely associated with the church that previously stood on the Macallan Estate.
The 485-acre Estate is located on a plateau above the river Spey in northeast Scotland, an area with a long and rich tradition of making whisky from surplus barley. Reid started his business modestly and the first batch was made in a woodshed in just two pot stills.
In 1892, the distillery was under the management of Roderick Kemp, who set up a family trust. From the 1950s onwards, the Macallan operation has been greatly expanded. By 1968, Macallan was publicly traded on the London Stock Exchange. By the end of the 1990s, the family’s interests had been sold to various companies, including Highland Distillers and the Japanese company Suntory. Today, the company is entirely owned by Edrington, who count Highland Park, The Glenrothes and The Famous Grouse among its portfolio.
THE WHISKY
Macallan differentiates itself from other whiskies largely through the particulars of its ingredients, technique and equipment. Beginning with pure Scottish water, top quality barley and yeast, Macallan produces what is known as single malt whisky.
Single malt means that the malt whisky has been produced at only one distillery, rather than being a blend from multiple locations. Macallan was one of the first to see the potential of branding its whisky as such, which it did beginning in the 1970s. The company has stayed true to this vision, opening a wildly expanded new facility in 2018 on the same estate where Macallan has always been made. Unlike Alexander Reid’s original two pot stills and a woodshed, the operation now produces 15 million litres of spirit each year, with a goal of quadrupling that output within 25 years.
Another hallmark of Macallan whisky is their use of—to use their catchphrase—”curiously small stills.” Among the smallest copper pot stills on Speyside, their unique shape and size results in more surface-area contact between the spirit and the copper of the pot. This increases the depth and richness of the distillate, helping to concentrate the rich, full and fruity flavours of Macallan. The distillery currently has 24 copper spirit stills, each holding an initial volume of 3900 litres.
From that initial batch, Macallan’s distillers will only use a tiny ‘cut’ or portion of the distillate—about 16% of the alcohol that they are evaporating—to create a clear, colourless alcohol. Macallan takes a very small cut relative to their competitors, using only the finest distillate. At just under 70% alcohol by volume, this spirit is the starting point for all Macallan products.
ABOUT THE CASKS
The casks used in the production of Macallan are a particular source of pride. Macallan employs its own Master of Wood, whose job it is to source the best oak for the 200,000 barrels required each year. The majority of Macallan’s oak is sustainably sourced from Europe and North America, with the bulk being from Spanish forests. From this wood, barrels are shaped and air-dried at a cooperage in Spain according to very particular specifications. Most of the barrels are then seasoned with Oloroso sherry for 18 months. Macallan believes that the incomparable quality of their oak casks accounts for up to 80% of the final aromas and flavours of their whiskies and is what defines their product. They note that their process is more extensive—and expensive—than that of any other distillery.
The wood of a cask not only imparts flavour but is also responsible for the colour of a quality whisky. Often, those new to the world of whisky will judge a spirit based its colour, assuming that the deeper the colour, the richer the product in the glass. Unfortunately, some producers amp up that hue using caramel colouring. Macallan skips this step, abstaining from the use of artificial coloration. All colour in a Macallan whisky derives naturally from the woodin which the spirit was matured—meaning their whiskies range from light oak to darkest mahogany. These natural colours remain ‘fixed,’ meaning that they will not fade in bright sunlight, as artificial colours will. It is the job of the master blenders at the distillery to try and keep colour as consistent as possible from batch to batch without the help of food dyes or coloring. This results in a product that is as natural as possible with tremendous stability and longevity.
WHY INVEST IN MACALLAN?
While there’s no such thing as a sure thing, the overall market for rare whisky has shown growth for nearly a decade, despite periods of economic uncertainties. The Telegraph notes that rare bottles and casks have increased in value by around 20%, with a bottle of 1926 Macallan single malt currently holding the world record price at auction.
The Knight Frank Rare Whisky 100 Index, which tracks the auction prices of fine spirits, cited whisky as the best-performing collectible throughout 2018, rising in value by 40%.
Benjamin Lancaster, a senior cask broker with the London firm VCL Vintners, explained that some of the older casks of Macallan on the market are “widely accepted to be the number-one investment-grade whisky available in the world today.”
Bottled whisky is relatively easy to store, and can be maintained almost indefinitely if kept properly—away from light and within a temperature-controlled environment.
A story to nicely illustrate the collectible value of good whisky recently emerged when a rather prescient father bought his son one 18-year-old bottle of Macallan each year for his birthday. He spent around £5,000 total, and gave strict instructions that they never be opened. The son, now 28, was able to auction this “perfect set” of bottles for around £40,000, netting himself a down payment with which to buy his first home.
There’s No Place Like Rhône
The second-largest appellation in France, the Rhône Valley has over 71,00 hectares under vine and produces more than 400 million bottles of wine per year. The area, located in the southeast of France, follows the northsouth trajectory of the Rhône River for approximately 240 kilometres on both sides of the river’s banks. The area has been under cultivation for more than 2,000 years, with the ancient Greeks being the first to plant grapevines in the region around Marseilles around 400 BC. The Romans continued the task and by the first century AD had planted vines in Vienne—modern day Côte-Rôtie.
NORTH VS SOUTH
Often divided into Northern and Southern Rhône regions, the former encompasses eight appellations and the latter 23. The Northern Rhône begins about 30 kilometres south of Lyon, in Ampuis, ending 90 kilometres south in the town of Valance. There is a 40-kilometre gap between Valance and the village of Montelimar, where the Southern Rhône begins, in which hardly any grapes are grown. The much larger Southern Rhône area produces the majority of the valley’s wine—close to 95%—and ends in the Bouches-du-Rhône, or Rhône Delta, near the Mediterranean coast.
The division of North and South is not only geographical, but expresses itself in the wide variety of soil types and microclimates, as well as in the grape varietals used. Twenty-seven unique grape varietals are grown in the Rhône. Only Syrah grapes are used for red wine in the Northern Rhône, with Viognier, Marsanne and Roussanne being primarily used for its white. The South has a wider range of acceptable varietals, with more than 15 red wine grapes being permissible, and Grenache being the most popular. The same goes for white wine, with over 15 different white wine grapes planted in the region. Red wine composes the bulk of Rhône wines at 79% of total output, followed by 15% rosé and 6% white.
The grapes that are indigenous to the area, such as Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Viognier and Roussanne, are known as Rhône grapes. When they are used in other wine-growing regions, the resulting wine is often referred to as being “Rhône-style.”
Southern Rhône vineyards are typically built on flat or gently sloping hills with rocky, sandy soils. The climate is Mediterranean, dry and very sunny with a warm, dry winter. This produces higher-alcohol wines that can be enjoyed when young. Another important component in the local terroir is the garrigue, the local scrub that is made up of resinous herbs such as bay, sage, lavender, thyme, mint, rosemary and juniper. The garrigue perfumes both air and soil, imparting highly desirable peppery, smoky or herbaceous tones to the wine.
In contrast, the steep, mineral-based slopes (think granite, limestone, and clay) of the north enjoy a cooler, wetter, more continental climate, producing a fresher, more acidic wine that often needs time to age before being ready to drink. It is often said that “Syrah likes a view,” as it prefers to grow on the shallow-soiled tops of hills. This results in smaller, more concentrated yields—emblematic of the Northern Rhône region.
View of the Bisse de Clavau vineyards in the Rhône Valley. Photo by Alain Rouiller
Prices reflect these differences, with Southern Rhône wines still offering tremendous value, while Northern Rhône wines are often scarce and more expensive. While the North boasts storied names such as Hermitage and Côte-Rôtie, the Southern Rhône is not to be discounted as the North’s more casual neighbour. The South boasts the prestigious Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation, which takes its name from the relocation of the Papal residency to Avignon, in 1309, under Pope Clement V. Appellations like Côte du Rhône, Gigondas and Lirac are also very worthwhile areas to find some incredible Southern Rhône wines.
QUE SYRAH, SYRAH
The role of Syrah plays in differentiating North from South cannot be overstated. Syrah produces a spicy, tannic, full-bodied wine that typically requires time to age. Northern winemakers work almost exclusively in Syrah, blending grapes from different terroirs and soils to create the best expression of a single varietal. In the South, winemakers blend entirely different grapes, being allowed to mix up to 15 varietals in one wine. Indeed, one of the most famous blends in the world comes from the Southern Rhône, a combination of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre. Often referred to as a GSM blend, it emblematises the Southern region. So balanced is this mix that it has been widely copied, notably in California (hello, Paso Robles!), South Australia (Barossa) and Spain (Priorat).
The Rhône is considered the birthplace of Syrah—as well as where it reaches some of its greatest heights. The Syrah grape produces some of the fullest-bodied red wines on the planet, with dark fruit flavours and a deep colour. Syrah is a front-loaded grape, with strong flavours that tend to taper off into a peppery finish, which is why it is so sublime when blended with grapes that have a lot happening mid- and post-palate like Grenache and Mourvèdre.
An interesting fact: Syrah from Hermitage—which remains some of the most expensive in the world—was brought to Bordeaux and Burgundy to improve their wines in the 1800s, bringing structure and a deeper colour to the harvest. Indeed, before appellation controls became strict, Bordeaux vintners would often add Syrah to add richness to their cabernet wines.
Château Pétrus: Bordeaux at its Finest
One of the most celebrated wines of Bordeaux, Pétrus wines are at the very top of most wine drinkers’ wish lists. The Kennedys were vocal fans. Pétrus was served at Queen Elizabeth II’s wedding. Even James Suckling can’t help but describe it as his all-time favourite wine, noting that it “has taken my breath away so many times over my more than 30 years as a wine critic.” Unfortunately for the average afficionado, Pétrus is produced in such small quantities, and is so beloved around the world, that getting one’s hands on a bottle can be a difficult endeavour. Fortunately, Waddington’s Fine Wine auctions consistently offer various vintages of this Bordeaux beauty, helping collectors gain access to this rare wine.
FROM TABLE WINE TO WORLD’S BEST
One of the earliest established vineyards in Pomerol and records date the Pétrus vineyard back to the mid 1750s. The vineyard takes its name from the hill on which it is located, which some say is named either after its early Roman owner, or simply comes from the Latin root word “stone” or “rock.” The famed Pétrus wine label, implemented in the 1940s, features St. Peter (the anglicised form of Pétrus) holding the keys to heaven.
In the 1800s, Pétrus held a reputation for producing quality wines, alongside producers Vieux Chateau Certan and Trotanoy, though all were considered well below the Premier Cru wines of the Left Bank of Bordeaux, and were not officially classified.
When the phylloxera crisis of the late 19th century devastated the entire Bordeaux region, Pétrus’ old vines were ravaged and destroyed. The estate was replanted with Merlot grapes, with a small allotment for Cabernet Franc. Cabernet Franc has been used sparingly in older Pétrus vintages, added in low quantities perhaps every 3-4 years. Over the decades, the amount of Cabernet Franc vines has dwindled, and by 2011, Merlot has comprised the entirety of the estate’s crops and bottlings. As history would prove, Pétrus’ gamble on Merlot was a sound one.
In 1929, Madame Loubat, the well-connected and savvy owner of Pomerol’s l’Hotel Loubat, became the owner of the Pétrus vineyard. In the 1940s, Madame Loubat enlisted Jean-Pierre Moueix, a local wine merchant, to distribute her wine. The two were convinced that their wine was equal to any other French wines on the market and accordingly raised Pétrus’ prices to match.
Interestingly, Pétrus’ superstar reputation was established abroad rather than at home in France. After the Second World War, the best of French wine was considered to come from the Médoc region, on the Left Bank of Bordeaux. The Right Bank, where Pétrus is grown, was seen as a sort of lesser cousin. Moueix decided to take Pétrus abroad, intuiting that foreign consumers would need less convincing about the merits of one side of a river versus another. Moueix was quickly able to build a market in the United States and the United Kingdom. The wine was served to John F. Kennedy and his wife, Jackie, noted Francophiles, who declared that they loved this special wine. The “who’s who” rushed to try the President’s choice, Pétrus’ reputation had liftoff.
Moueix and his family would consolidate their control of the Pétrus estate by 1969, buying out the remaining heirs of Madame Loubat. They would also expand the vineyard with a strategic addition of five neighbouring hectares. Moueix’s heirs would come to form one of the most important wine management firms (what is known in France as a négociant) as well as adding other vineyards to the family portfolio.
By the 1980s, Pétrus was receiving rave reviews from top wine critics, including Robert Parker and James Suckling, sending the wine stratospheric—with the prices to match. Pétrus, which had been available by the barrel only a few decades earlier, began selling for prices equal to the famous Premier Cru wines.
THE BLUE CLAY BUTTON
Located on a plateau in the eastern portion of Pomerol, Bordeaux, the 11.5-hectare (28.4-acre) Pétrus vineyard is located at the highest point of the Pomerol appellation, some 40 metres above sea level. The vineyard is positioned on a unique rise of iron-rich blue clay. This hill is sometimes referred to as la Boutonnière Pétrus, or Pétrus “button.”
This 40-million-year-old blue clay is entirely unique to Pétrus, and does not exist in any other wine-producing region in the world. Indeed, it is even exceptional within Pomerol, with surrounding plots of land containing far less of the special blue clay.
The clay subsoil is so robust that it prevents the roots of the grape vines from penetrating deeper than 60-80 cm into the ground. Vines must instead grow in a shallow, sideways fashion. When blue clay absorbs water, it becomes rock-hard, trapping moisture within. This provides the Petrus vines with access to water during the dry summer months. The resulting fruit contains the highest level of tannins in Pomerol, yet interestingly, these tannins are some of the softest.
Pétrus produces about 30,000 bottles a year. About 35-40% of the annual production is sold domestically, with the remainder sent around the world. Unlike many Bordeaux estates, there is no second, more accessible, wine produced by Pétrus. Any grapes not worthy of the year’s vintage are discretely sold to other vintners. Preserving the integrity of Pétrus wines is of central concern, which means that the producers will skip a vintage if the majority of the grapes are not up to par. The last skipped vintage was 1991.
CHARACTERISTICS AND STYLE
Famed for its rich, silky texture and arguably the most aromatically complex wine from Pomerol, Suckling refers to Pétrus as a “wonderous wine with soft and velvety tannins and a unique character of dark fruits, black olives, dark chocolate, and earth. It’s a wine that can be amazing straight from the cask as just a baby wine or 50 years later as a mature red.”
Pétrus is an extraordinarily long-lived Merlot, often best 20-30 years after bottling. If opening a younger vintage, it is suggested to decant the wine for 2-4+ hours. Older wines should be decanted only to remove the sediment. Pétrus is best served at cooler temperatures, around 15.5 degrees Celsius.
AUCTION STATISTICS
99% AVERAGE SELL THROUGH RATE 8
11,058 LOTS OFFERED 89% ABOVE INTERNATIONAL MARKET RESERVE
“WHITE GLOVE” AUCTIONS (100% OF LOTS SOLD)
TOP RESULTS AT AUCTION
Mouton Rothschild Vertical 1945 - 2000
$57,600
12 bottles of Pétrus 1995
$50,400
Jeroboam of Pétrus 1982
$40,800
12 bottles of Mouton Rothschild 2000
$26,880
Mixed lot of Domaine Leroy St. Vivant
$20,400
Fine Spirits 2020-2025
AUCTION STATISTICS
90% AVERAGE SELL THROUGH RATE
6,829 LOTS OFFERED 85% ABOVE INTERNATIONAL MARKET RESERVE
