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Marqués de Murrieta masterclass: DFWE NYC 2024

Clive Pursehouse — Fri, 14 Jun 2024 09:27:59 +0000

Vicente Dalmau Cebrián-Sagarriga, Count of Creixell, presented his family's iconic Marqués de Murrieta wines from Rioja's historic Ygay Estate.

With a soaring view looking down on the island of Manhattan, Vicente Dalmau Cebrián-Sagarriga, Count of Creixell, presented his family’s iconic wines from the historic Marqués de Murrieta estate during the final masterclass of the 2024 Decanter Fine Wine Encounter NYC.

Dalmau explained that he was eager to share his family’s historic story and wines with Decanter’s US audience, and that the American market – New York and Miami in particular – is by far Marqués de Murrieta’s most important export market.

The masterclass and the wines on display told a story of three single vineyards within the revered Finca Ygay estate. Dalmau led attendees through an understanding of the terroir and growing conditions of these singular blocks within Ygay’s 300-hectare vineyard holdings.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for all eight wines tasted at the Marqués de Murrieta masterclass in New York

DFWE NYC 2024: the Marqués de Murrieta masterclass wines

Six icon wines from Rioja

Decanter’s top tips for buying Rioja

Ramón Bilbao: Producer profile plus 18 wines tasted and rated

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Volnay's new generation takes the reins

Charles Curtis MW — Fri, 14 Jun 2024 07:00:01 +0000

Thibaud Clerget, Domaine Y Clerget

Without Volnay, there is simply no joy,’ declared historian Claude Courtépée in his 18th-century work on the Duchy of Burgundy. The delights of the wine from this village have been known since before the dukes constructed their château there in the 11th century, while today’s wine lovers are discovering them again thanks to the able work of a new generation of winemakers.

While generational change is always occurring, it seems there are currently an unusually high number of fresh faces in Volnay, including the young winemakers Clément Boillot, Pierrick Bouley, Thomas Bouley, Marc-Olivier Buffet, Thibaud Clerget and Maxime Dubuet-Boillot.

To this, one should add Clothilde Lafarge, although her parents Frédéric and Chantal are still very much involved in the family domaine.

Scroll down to see notes and scores for wines from Volnay’s new generation

Wine selections and tasting notes by Charles Curtis MW:

Alcohol levels given where available

Mercurey: A regional profile of this hidden corner of Burgundy

Best value Burgundy 2022 wines en primeur

Discovering white Beaujolais: 10 wines to try

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What does minimal intervention really mean?

Jillian Dara — Fri, 14 Jun 2024 04:00:11 +0000

Winemaker and owner Sam Bilbro of Idlewild Wines foot treading Nebbiolo grapes.

For as much buzzy jargon as there is in the world of wine – small production, sustainable, organic, New World, natural, among them – the terms are quite definitive. In the last decade, however, the increasingly popular discussion around a new phrase has caused some confusion among consumers and even winemakers: minimal intervention.

Many winemakers believe that for a wine to be considered low or minimal intervention, it all starts with vineyard practices to optimise the terroir and purity of the fruit, which is emphasised by implementing organic and sustainable practices.

DWWA results out 19 June!
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Seeking specificity

In Virginia, Maya Hood White, winemaker at Early Mountain Vineyards, views the term ‘minimal intervention’ as encompassing the whole process from farming through to the cellar; for the former, she stresses the minimisation of aggressive chemicals, mindfulness of fuel usage and tractor passes.

‘Irrigation is also an intervention that alters the essence of the fruit and then the wines,’ says Paul Sloan, winemaker at Small Vines. Their high-density planting allows Small Vines to dry farm, which translates to a ‘more pure sense of place’, according to Sloan.

While these farming practices aren’t new, the attention surrounding their influence on low or minimal-intervention wine is what’s bringing them to the forefront.

Sam Bilbro from Idlewild Wines explains: ‘If we make really good vineyard decisions, we can make very few touches in the winery because we have beautiful and healthy fruit to work with in the cellar.’

Gentle farming at Small Vines. Credit: Small Vines

There’s no wine without some intervention

This is probably where we should acknowledge that winemaking, by definition, is intervention.

‘The grapes neither jump from the vine into a vat nor from vat to barrel to bottle,’ says Maggie Harrison, winemaker at Antica Terra, about the necessary go-between of human action that’s been part of winemaking since the beginning of time.

Perhaps this is why it’s so challenging to define – with no precedent or global regulation surrounding the term, low or minimal intervention means different things to different people. ‘It’s a spectrum,’ says Hood White, much like many things in life, which makes it. ‘A delicate balance explaining what we do or don’t do in our production processes while not looking to project judgement on other producers.’

As technology and science have advanced, winemakers have realised that a subpar harvest can still be salvaged; imbalances can be solved through manipulations such as fining, filtration, chaptalisation, stabilisers and additives.

‘It is easier, cheaper and less laborious to intervene afterwards in the cellar with chemistry than to farm well in the first place,’ says Sloan. Since many wineries don’t control their vineyards: ‘The only way they can compensate for flaws is with chemistry.’

For this reason, Sloan reverts to why low-intervention practices should start in the vineyards. ‘We choose to prevent problems in advance by farming well, using proper site selection, trellis design, tight spacing and prompt harvest date decisions.’

Recognising that every wine has its challenges, Bilbro echoes Sloan. As winemakers, he says, it is their job to locate the potential problem points of each variety and mitigate those issues.

He adds that in conventional winemaking, if a wine is prone to stalling at the end of fermentation, they could add synthetic products to aid the yeast. However, in minimal intervention winemaking: ‘We could stir the wine to suspend the remaining active yeast and keep it warm (bring it out to the sun a bit each day) to help keep the yeast active through the finish.’

A fuzzy definition

Though Bilbro is aiding the process, it still fits into Sloan’s definition of minimal intervention. ‘Having the lowest amount of human-made or artificial inputs or enhancements in both the farming and the winemaking process.’

While this definition broadly summarises minimal intervention, the term can still be confusing for most consumers who don’t understand what is regulated or legal to use in farming and wine production.

This is why the term is often misused and misrepresented by consumers. ‘It is so disappointing to listen to a producer talk about their low intervention winemaking when you know the high input, commercially farmed vineyards they are purchasing their fruit from,’ says Hood White.

This is why she encourages consumers to ask questions and emphasises the message of how a lower intervention approach ‘always begins with farming’.

Harvest at Small Vines. Credit: Small Vines

Purity remains elusive

Even still, large-production wineries aren’t the only ones that ultimately might adjust their wines post harvest.

Harrison explains that if a winemaker is adding acid it’s ‘because they truly believe it will make the wine in our glass more balanced, longer-lived, more complete’. It’s part of the winemaking process, and if a winery isn’t fortunate to have estate vineyards they can meticulously watch over, decisions must be made.

As winemakers are craftspeople, adds Harrison, they shouldn’t be chastised for doing their best work, even if that includes making adjustments in the cellar.

Until minimal intervention is globally defined or regulated, each winemaker will have their personal perception and ability to label their wines based on what this term means to them and how they produce wine according to it.

For the time being, it’s up to the consumer to engage with producers they prefer to help inform their own understanding of terms like minimal intervention and what they expect in wines that use that sort of marketing or labelling.

How to read wine tasting notes – Ask Decanter

Andrew Jefford: ‘Without the younger generation we’ll lose farming as it exists here’

Andrew Jefford: ‘Biodynamically grown, artisanally crafted – and free of chemicals, of course. Not so’

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Bordeaux 2023 market analysis: Figeac drops 40% in price

Chris Mercer — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 11:08:23 +0000

Château Figeac 2023 has been released more than 40% below the debut offer for the 2022 vintage debut last year, making it one of the biggest discounts in a Bordeaux 2023 en primeur campaign that has taken place amid challenging market conditions.

Other highly prized wines released in the past 24 hours include Château Montrose, Château La Conseillante and Château Beauséjour, giving consumers plenty to ponder in the final days of the campaign.

Latest releases at a glance:

Château Figeac 2023 | 98pts (Decanter) | €150 per bottle ex-négociant, down 40.5% versus 2022 | UK price £1,788 per 12x75cl in bond (IB)
Château La Conseillante 2023 | 98pts | €150 per bottle, down 32.4% | UK price £1,788 (12x75cl IB)
Château Montrose 2023 | 98pts | €120 per bottle, down 16.7% | UK price £1,428 (12x75cl IB)
Château Beauséjour 2023 | 98pts | €108 per bottle, down 10% | UK price £1,284 (12x75cl IB)
Price data source: Liv-ex.

While Figeac’s discount is sizeable, the 2022 vintage was relatively expensive on release. A potential 100-point wine, it was the first release after Figeac’s promotion to Premier Grand Cru Classé A in the revised St-Émilion Classification.

Although it remains too soon to draw conclusions about sales, some early analysis has suggested a muted overall response to the campaign, despite several success stories among top-rated wines.

Decanter Premium members can read more analysis below.

See Decanter’s full verdict on the Bordeaux 2023 vintage, plus ratings and tasting notes on the top-scoring wines

Bordeaux 2023 market analysis: Troplong, Haut-Bailly and VCC released

See our Bordeaux 2023 scores table

Château Margaux drops price by 30% for 2023 vintage

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Sonoma County's best kept secret: Moon Mountain District

J'nai Gaither — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 08:08:34 +0000

Harvest at Hanzell Vineyards in the Moon Mountain District.

The Sonoma American Viticultural Area (AVA) known as the Moon Mountain District presents a paradox. It is both a rough-and-tumble locale with rogue characters who flout convention, and a land of pristine beauty that produces some of the finest wines in Sonoma County.

Nestled within the larger Sonoma Valley AVA, Moon Mountain District was granted AVA status in 2013. It spans just 800 hectares (of Sonoma’s 7,000ha) at elevations between 120 and 716 metres, all within a 15 kilometre stretch.

The region’s hallmarks, that helped it gain its AVA status, are its hill and mountainside vineyards and red volcanic soils. These include some of the oldest vineyards in California too, including Hanzell’s 1953 Ambassador vineyard and the storied Monte Rosso.

Scroll down to see notes and scores for selected wines from producers on Moon Mountain

Wines from four featured Moon Mountain producers

Sonoma travel guide: The perfect three-day itinerary

Sonoma County AVAs: Overview and 10 wines to try

Exploring Sonoma County’s coolest vineyards plus top wines from each

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Kanonkop’s Abrie Beeslar: What’s next?

Julie Sheppard — Wed, 12 Jun 2024 07:03:20 +0000

Winemaker Abrie Beeslar

With 23 harvests at Kanonkop Estate under his belt, winemaker Abrie Beeslar has become synonymous with the Stellenbosch estate. So it was no surprise that his decision to leave, announced in January this year, made the headlines.

‘It was, and still is, very difficult,’ Beeslaar told Decanter at the time, about his decision. Six months on, the groundwork has been more firmly laid for his succession at Kanonkop, where he is not being replaced by an outsider.

Instead the existing team at Kanonkop will continue the winemaking, with Francois Van Zyl stepping into the role of senior winemaker, alongside winemakers Christelle Van Niekerk and Ruan Van Schalkwyk. Suzaan Krige, daughter of Paul Krige, who owns Kanonkop with his brother Johann Krige, will also be joining the team as assistant winemaker.

‘I’m leaving a great team behind,’ said Beeslar. ‘The talent is there, the commitment, the love for the property and the brand –so that’s I think the most important thing. That’s also the same reason why we haven’t decided to appoint somebody outside the business; to keep that momentum going and keep that passion going. I think it was a positive decision,’ he added.

Beeslar will be officially stepping away from Kanonkop at the end of November. ‘By November most of the vineyards are pruned already, all of that work is done. November’s a good date,’ he explained.

DWWA results out 19 June!
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But he will still be staying close to the winery in an ongoing consultancy role. ‘It’s not that I said, “Listen, I want to go!” Because you don’t stay at a place for 23 years and not enjoy it. Kanonkop will always have a piece of my heart and I don’t think I will ever be not interested in what’s going on,’ he said.

‘The reason for going is just that I needed to give myself room to grow my own wine,’ he continued. ‘Kanonkop is becoming too big and is still growing aggressively so there wasn’t really room.’ Under Beeslar, production at Kanonkop increased from 300,000 bottles to three million.

Established in 2011, his personal project Beeslar Wines is a smaller operation, currently focusing only on Stellenbosch Pinotage and Chardonnay. Beeslar sources fruit from growers, using four plots for Chardonnay, but just one site for Pinotage. The latter represents a radical departure from his work at Kanonkop, as the vineyard is shale.

‘In my whole life I have only worked with granite soils. So the expression of Pinotage on [granite] I knew exactly what it was. But then with the shale, all of a sudden you had all this perfume and red fruit and beautiful expression of the varietal,’ he said.

There are currently 10 vintages of Beeslar Pinotage in the market. But there are plans to extend the red range. ‘I’m starting a Bordeaux blend that will be released at the end of this year, beginning of next year. It’s 2022 vintage and has already been bottled,’ he said, adding that the new wine does not have a name yet.

‘Then from next year, I’ll probably do a second wine as well. It might be a lighter style Bordeaux blend, it might be a Cape Blend or it might be a straight Pinotage. I haven’t decided yet.’ Watch this space…

Kanonkop Black Label Pinotage: a 13-vintage vertical of this South African icon

Wine Legend: Kanonkop Pinotage 1995

South African Pinotage: panel tasting results

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Etna Rosso: Panel tasting results

Anthony Rose — Wed, 12 Jun 2024 07:00:10 +0000

Anthony Rose, Susan Hulme MW and Jason Millar tasted 109 wines, with 3 Outstanding and 41 Highly recommended.

Etna Rosso: Panel tasting scores

109 wines tasted

Exceptional 0

Outstanding 3

Highly recommended 41

Recommended 49

Commended 11

Fair 4

Poor 1

Entry criteria: producers and UK agents were invited to submit their red wines classified as Etna DOC Rosso, Etna DOC Rosso Riserva or IGP Terre Siciliane, made using a minimum of 80% Nerello Mascalese or Nerello Cappuccio

In his Native Wine Grapes of Italy, Ian d’Agata writes: ‘Prior to 2000, nobody talked about Nerello Mascalese, or Nerello Cappuccio, its stablemate.’ Today, he says, things ‘couldn’t be more different, and the Etna area has become, without question, Italy’s single hottest wine production zone’.

Whether or not intended, there is a degree of irony in the word ‘hottest’ here, because – with all due respect to the reality of climate change – the huge Sicilian mountain attracting publicity this year for puffing volcanic vortex rings is distinctly colder and wetter than the rest of the island.

The Etna DOC was established in 1968, but it wasn’t until the ‘noughties’ that it saw the widespread adoption of indigenous grape varieties, most notably the light-coloured, late-ripening Nerello Mascalese.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores from the Etna Rosso panel tasting

Etna Rosso panel tasting scores

Wines were tasted blind

The judges

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).

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 Italy’s wine regions. Now focusing more on her writing, she is Italian editor for The Wine Independent.

Jason Millar is a freelance wine writer, consultant, judge and communicator, with a focus on South Africa and Italy. He was formerly buyer and director at retailer Theatre of Wine, and in 2016 was the top WSET Diploma graduate worldwide.

Piedmont Dolcetto: Panel tasting results

Italy’s future greats: 10 wineries from Piedmont to Campania nominated by their peers

Discover Campania: 12 wines worth seeking out from this exciting region

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Decanter Fine Wine Encounter NYC 2024: Highlights

Tina Gellie — Tue, 11 Jun 2024 12:45:40 +0000

More than 500 wine lovers visited the 50 stands in the Grand Tasting of DFWE NYC 2024 – including Tuscany's Lamole di Lamole, pictured here.

Seven hours, 60 floors up, more than 50 premium producers and four exceptional masterclasses – consumers and wineries were unanimous in heralding the Decanter Fine Wine Encounter New York City (DFWE NYC) as Manhattan’s greatest world wine event.

In its third year, DFWE NYC 2024 welcomed more than 500 wine lovers from across the Empire State and as far away as California, Washington and North Carolina.

Held at the glitzy and spacious Manhatta, which offers unparalleled views over the city, this NYC iteration of Decanter’s renowned global events series brought together 28 Gold, Platinum and Best in Show medal-winners from the Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA) as well as 180 premium wines from more than 50 world-class producers.

DWWA 2024 results out on 19 June!

Be the first to know: Subscribe to the DWWA newsletter

Each producer at the Grand Tasting brought one special wine, either an old vintage or a large-format bottle – and often both – to share with guests.

Among the highlights were: magnums of Damilano’s 1752 Cannubi Barolo 2013, Joseph Phelps’ 2006 Insignia, Château Lagrange 2003 and Château Haut Bages Libéral 2008; double magnums of T-Oinos’ 2022 Clos Stegasta Assyrtiko and Dow’s 10 Year Old Tawny Port; and a jeroboam of E Guigal’s 2016 Château de Nalys.

Other special bottles included Château Léoville Las Cases 2003, Speri’s 2003 Sant’Urbano Amarone Classico, Catena Zapata’s 2004 Nicolás Catena Zapata, Remírez de Ganuza’s 2005 Rioja Gran Reserva and Tenuta Sette Ponti’s 2005 Oreno.

Alejandro Vigil, winemaking director of Catena Zapata in Argentina, pouring his ‘special bottle’ for guests: the 2004 Nicolás Catena Zapata. Credit: Mark Reinertson Photography

And that was just the Grand Tasting. Those who snapped up tickets to one of the four masterclasses throughout the day had the rare chance to enjoy expert guided tastings of 34 cuvées from the likes of Châteaux Haut-Brion and La Mission Haut-Brion back to 1995, and Napa’s Peter Michael Winery back to 2006.

Apart from the wines, of course, the biggest drawcard to the DFWEs is the chance for attendees to speak with the winemakers and winery owners themselves.

Rhône superstar Michel Chapoutier of M Chapoutier and Count Vicente Dalmau Cebrián-Sagarriga of Marqués de Murrieta in Rioja stole the show in their masterclasses, wine lovers queuing for autographs and selfies after each session.

Coming soon: Full masterclass reports from DFWE NYC 2024

Haut-Brion, La Mission Haut-Brion & Quintus
Peter Michael Winery
M Chapoutier
Marqués de Murrieta

In the Grand Tasting, of the 13 tables spanning the length and breadth of Italy, we welcomed winemakers and owners from six estates, including Allegrini, Baricci, Barone Pizzini, Masciarelli, Tenuta Sette Ponti and Zenato.

Key figures from several US wineries were in attendance too, including Ross Cobb (Cobb Wines), Rebekah Wineburg (Quintessa), Chris Peterson (Avennia), Joanna Wells (Signal Ridge) and Olive Hamilton Russell (Hamilton Russell Oregon).

Winemakers and owners from Remírez de Ganuza, Marqués de Riscal, Montes, Santa Rita and Catena Zapata also generously took time out of their busy schedules to fly over for the event, pour wines and chat at length with guests.

José Ramón Urtasun of Remírez de Ganuza in Rioja was one of many winemakers who flew to New York especially for the DFWE. Credit: Mark Reinertson Photography

Indeed, producers remarked at the high level of knowledge and genuine interest in wine among the DFWE NYC 2024 guests compared to those at other events – making it an enjoyable experience for all.

If you attended, keep an eye out for our photo gallery, as you may be featured. Or, if you have a favourite moment you want to share with us, you could be in with a chance to win a pair of Grand Tasting tickets to next year’s DFWE NYC.

Upload your images to X (Twitter) and Instagram by 1 July, and make sure you tag @Decanter and use the hashtag #DecanterFWE.

In the meantime, if you can’t wait for June 2025, why not join us at our inaugural DFWE Singapore on 26 October or the original DFWE London on 16 November?

The DFWE NYC 2024 was kindly sponsored by Riedel. Event photography was done by Mark Reinertson Photography and Studio Smith.

Walls: Exclusive first taste of M Chapoutier’s Sélections Parcellaires 2023

DWWA 2024 results sneak peak: Styles to watch

Bordeaux 2023 market analysis: Canon and Les Carmes Haut-Brion released

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Bordeaux 2023 market analysis: Troplong, Haut-Bailly and VCC released

Chris Mercer — Tue, 11 Jun 2024 11:44:52 +0000

Troplong Mondot, Haut-Bailly and Vieux Château Certan were the latest major names to release 2023-vintage wines en primeur, on Tuesday morning (11 June).

New releases at a glance:

Château Troplong Mondot 2023 | 97pts (Decanter) | €90 per bottle ex-négociant, down 11.8% versus 2022 | UK price £1,068 per 12x75cl in bond (IB)
Château Haut-Bailly 2023 | 96pts | €90 per bottle, down 25% | UK price £1,080 (12x75cl IB)
Vieux Château Certan 2023 | 98pts | €186 per bottle, down 32.6% | UK price £2,220 (12x75cl IB)
Price data source: Liv-ex.

As the campaign nears its end, early market reports and merchant feedback have continued to suggest a mixed response from consumers to Bordeaux 2023 wines in general.

Most wines have been cheaper than the 2022-vintage releases last year, but a key consideration is also the price of other well-regarded recent vintages that remain available on the market.

See Decanter’s full verdict on the Bordeaux 2023 vintage, plus ratings and tasting notes on the top-scoring wines

Bordeaux 2023 market analysis: Smith Haut Lafitte released

See our Bordeaux 2023 scores table

Château Margaux drops price by 30% for 2023 vintage

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Walls: Chasing freshness in Ventoux

Matt Walls — Tue, 11 Jun 2024 10:34:24 +0000

The summit of Mt Ventoux

In a warming climate, there is one characteristic in wine that is increasingly coveted: freshness. This is why Ventoux, once a marginal climate for quality wines, finds itself in an increasingly strong position.

Although most of the appellation’s vineyards are at the foot of the mountain, vines are climbing ever upwards, and have now reached 550m above sea level. With Mont Ventoux’s summit at 1,912m, they’ve got plenty of room to grow.

I tasted 56 wines in ascending elevation to see when the freshness of altitude becomes discernible. I was expecting a clear correlation between height and freshness; the reality, however, is more complex.

Scroll down to see notes and scores for top picks from Ventoux

Fresh Ventoux wines

Exploring the Southern Rhône with Matt Walls

Walls: M Chapoutier Hermitage Monier de la Sizeranne vertical

Matt Walls: M Chapoutier Chante-Alouette vertical tasting

The post Walls: Chasing freshness in Ventoux appeared first on Decanter.

Bordeaux 2023 market analysis: Smith Haut Lafitte released

Chris Mercer — Mon, 10 Jun 2024 12:39:02 +0000

Decanter's Georgie Hindle tastes Smith Haut Lafitte 2023 en primeur, and other wines from the estate.

This morning’s (10 June) release of Château Smith Haut Lafitte 2023 (97-points, Decanter) maintained the trend for price cuts versus the 2022-vintage en primeur campaign last year.

Yet the wine is more expensive than some of the Pessac-Léognan estate’s back-vintages, according to Liv-ex, a global marketplace for the trade.

It reported that the wine was released at €91.2 per bottle ex-négociant, down 20% versus the 2022 release, and with a UK offer price £1,188 per 12x75cl in bond (IB). However, initial prices varied; Farr Vintners and Bordeaux Index were offering the wine at £1,080 (12x75cl IB).

St-Émilion’s Château Larcis Ducasse 2023 (95pts) was also released, with a recommended UK price of £50 per bottle (IB), according to consultancy group Wine Lister.

Both releases follow a busy week for the en primeur campaign, which saw offers for first growth Château Margaux, among many others. See our scores and prices table for other Bordeaux 2023 en primeur releases.

See Decanter’s full verdict on the Bordeaux 2023 vintage, plus ratings and tasting notes on the top-scoring wines

See our Bordeaux 2023 scores table

Château Margaux drops price by 30% for 2023 vintage

Bordeaux 2023 market analysis: High-scoring Beau-Séjour Bécot debuts

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Bordeaux 2010: Reappraising the grands crus of the Médoc

Georgie Hindle — Mon, 10 Jun 2024 09:19:53 +0000

The estate of Château Lynch-Bages.

The Bordeaux 2010 vintage stands as a landmark year, one of the most celebrated in recent memory. Superb across the entire region, red wines reached optimum maturity with bright acidity and firm tannins.

Small berries produced concentrated wines with many having increased percentages of Cabernet Sauvignon in the blends, leading to a slight advantage for the Left Bank over the Right.

Often talked about alongside the equally brilliant but contrasting-in-style 2009 vintage, 2010 offered less hedonism but more homogeneity with excellent red, dry white and sweet examples.

Scroll down to see notes and scores for our top 2010 Médoc reds

Hitting their stride: 40 top Médoc 2010 reds to seek out

Bordeaux 2004: A 20-year retrospective

Top value Bordeaux 2023 wines tasted en primeur

Bordeaux 2023 releases: Price cuts in early campaign

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Worth the wait: Rioja vintage guide

Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW — Sun, 09 Jun 2024 07:26:25 +0000

The best Rioja wines are designed to be aged, first in barrel and then in bottle, for many years. Some of these wines, produced in exceptional vintages, develop great complexity over decades and stay in pristine shape even after a century or more. Such acclaimed vintages from the 20th century include 1948, 1952, 1955, 1964, 1982, 1994 and 1995.

The 21st century began with one of the greatest vintages ever, 2001, and since then it has produced other top vintages such as 2004, 2005, 2010 and 2012. Among the most recent vintages, 2021 and, most of all, 2019, are presented as great, but we’ll need to wait a couple more years to see if that promise becomes a reality.

The vintage guide below should be considered as a general guide. The region is large and diverse, and some producers will perform very well in lesser vintages.

In praise of Rioja’s old vines

What’s the appeal of Rioja?

White Rioja: Panel tasting results

The post Worth the wait: Rioja vintage guide appeared first on Decanter.

Regional profile: Moulin-à-Vent celebrates its centenary

Andy Howard MW — Sun, 09 Jun 2024 05:16:46 +0000

Vineyards in Romanèche-Thorins, Moulin-à-Vent.

On 17 April 1924, the area which later became the Appellation d’Origine (AO) Moulin-à-Vent, was delimited – one of the very first in France. Precisely 100 years later, the stars have aligned for this historic Beaujolais cru with the submission of an application to elevate 14 of the appellation’s best sites to premier cru status.

Scroll down to see notes and scores for 30 Moulin-à-Vent wines

See notes and scores for 30 Moulin-à-Vent wines

Brits abandon Merlot in favour of Beaujolais

Discovering white Beaujolais: 10 wines to try

Beaujolais: assessing its premier cru potential

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Baudains: Italy's frizzante tradition returns

Richard Baudains — Sat, 08 Jun 2024 07:00:33 +0000

A glass of Lambrusco

In between still and spumante wine styles, frizzante used to be a staple of osterie and traditional trattorie in many regions of Italy. In Campania the bubbles softened the searing acidity of Asprinio; in the Oltrè Po they countered the harsh tannins of the Croatina grape; in Emilia they provided the perfect foil to the richness of the cuisine.

Frizzanti were traditionally made by simply bottling early with a little residual sugar and allowing the fermentation to finish in the bottle. Semi-industrial vat re-fermentation threatened to substitute artisan frizzante, but today it is making a robust comeback – ‘Pet-nat’ is trending.

One Italian online retailer lists over 200 ‘hand-made’ frizzanti, including examples from regions without a sparkling wine tradition, such as Sicily, Puglia and Sardinia.

Scroll down to see notes and scores for 10 Italian frizzante wines

10 Italian frizzante wines to try:

Baudains: ‘Natural wines don’t stink’
What’s the difference between Champagne and Prosecco?
18 sparkling wines from Piedmont’s Alta Langa

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Bordeaux 2023 market analysis: High-scoring Beau-Séjour Bécot debuts

Chris Mercer — Fri, 07 Jun 2024 12:52:27 +0000

St-Émilion’s Château Beau-Séjour Bécot and Margaux-based Château Lascombes released their 2023 wines this morning (7 June) after achieving high scores relative to previous vintages.

Pomerol-based Clinet 2023 was also released this morning, and all three estates continued this year’s theme of dropping prices versus last year’s campaign for the 2022 vintage (see more analysis below).

Three releases today:

Château Beau-Séjour Bécot 2023 | 97pts (Decanter) | €43.2 per bottle ex-négociant, down 24.2% versus 2022 | UK price £516 per 12x75cl in bond (IB)
Château Lascombes 2023 | 94pts | €49.2 per bottle, down 21.2% | UK price £595 (12x75cl IB)
Château Clinet 2023 | 93pts | €57.6 per bottle, down 29.4% | UK price £690 (12x75cl IB)
Price data source: Liv-ex.

Friday’s releases follow the launch of first growth Château Margaux yesterday (6 June). Before that, the market saw the release of châteaux Canon, Rauzan-Ségla and Les Carmes Haut-Brion yesterday, Pavie, Pichon Baron and L’Eglise Clinet on Tuesday, and Pichon Comtesse and Palmer at the beginning of the week.

See Decanter’s full verdict on the Bordeaux 2023 vintage, ratings and tasting notes for all the top-scoring wines

Château Margaux 2023 drops price by 30%

Bordeaux 2023: Our en primeur verdict and top-scoring wines

Bordeaux 2023 market analysis: ‘Brilliant’ Pichon Comtesse down 35%

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How to blind taste Bordeaux

Natasha Hughes MW — Fri, 07 Jun 2024 08:26:53 +0000

It’s a bit like one of those bad dreams. There you are, with a line-up of glasses half full of red wine laid out in front of you. You know that you are going to be asked to identify the origins of those wines. No one will give you the slightest clue. And you’ve only got a few minutes per wine to do the job.

Nightmarish as this sounds, the scenario will be familiar to anyone who’s ever sat a blind-tasting wine exam. But let’s make the task a little bit easier, shall we? Let’s assume that you’re told that the wines all come from within the Bordeaux region.

Even then, trying to pin down the source of each of them is no easy task. Nevertheless, every glass of wine contains clues – the question is, what’s the best way of making these clues add up to a strong conclusion?

Bordeaux 2023 market analysis: ‘Brilliant’ Pichon Comtesse down 35%

Bordeaux 2023: Our en primeur verdict and top-scoring wines

Bordeaux 2023 wine styles: What to expect

The post How to blind taste Bordeaux appeared first on Decanter.

Top picks for World Verdejo Day on 14 June

Chris Wilson — Fri, 07 Jun 2024 05:35:11 +0000

Three Verdejo wines from Bodega Cuatro Rayas in DO Rueda, Spain

Verdejo is one of Spain’s most planted white grape varieties. It accounts for 8% of all white grapes planted in Spain and is grown all over the country from Rioja to La Mancha and Almansa, but its home is in Rueda in the Castilla y León region.

‘It is in the expansive region of Castilla y León where the Verdejo grape reigns,’ wrote Beth Willard in the introduction to Decanter’s 2022 Spanish Verdejo panel tasting. ‘High on the windy and sparsely populated plains of the Meseta Central, north of Madrid, the variety fully develops its showy lime and tropical aromas with racy acidity,’ she added.

DWWA results out 19 June!
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World Verdejo Day on Friday 14 June celebrates the grape variety in its myriad styles; as well as its classic unoaked incarnation which offers stone and tropical fruit and refreshing acidity, you can find oaked and even oxidised versions of this versatile grape.

Here’s a handful to enjoy on World Verdejo Day, or any day for that matter, including a 98-point scoring non-vintage wine, supermarket picks and one from Mendoza in Argentina.

World Verdejo Day: Top wines to try

Expert’s choice: Ribera del Duero wines under £30

White Rioja: Panel tasting results

Xarel·lo: From Cava workhorse to white wine thoroughbred

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Bordeaux 2023 market analysis: Château Margaux drops price by 30%

Chris Mercer — Thu, 06 Jun 2024 11:18:15 +0000

Château Margaux.

Château Margaux 2023 was released this morning (6 June), alongside the estate’s Pavillon Rouge and Pavillon Blanc labels, with Gruaud Larose and Calon Ségur also joining the day’s offerings.

Releases at a glance:

Château Margaux 2023: 98pts (Decanter) | €360 per bottle ex-négociant, down 30.2% versus 2022 | UK price £4,320 per 12x75cl in bond (IB)
Pavillon Rouge 2023: 93pts | €120 per bottle, down 20% | UK price £1,440 (12x75cl IB)
Pavillon Blanc 2023: 96pts | €240 per bottle, down 9.4% | UK price £2,880 (12x75cl IB)
Château Gruaud Larose 2023: 97pts | €60 per bottle, down 13.8% | UK price £716 (12x75cl IB)
Château Calon Ségur 2023: 96pts | €78 per bottle, down 23.5% | UK price £936 (12x75cl IB)*
Price data source: Liv-ex.

Château Margaux’s appearance means that all of the Left Bank first growths have now released their 2023 wines, except Château Latour, which no longer participates in en primeur.

It follows the launch of châteaux Canon, Rauzan-Ségla and Les Carmes Haut-Brion yesterday, Pavie, Pichon Baron and L’Eglise Clinet on Tuesday, and Pichon Comtesse and Palmer at the beginning of the week.

A trend for year-on-year discounts has continued, but analysts have also highlighted potential opportunities for buyers interested in back-vintages.

See Decanter’s full verdict on the Bordeaux 2023 vintage, plus ratings and tasting notes on the top-scoring wines

Bordeaux 2023 market analysis: Canon and Les Carmes Haut-Brion released

Bordeaux 2023: Our en primeur verdict and top-scoring wines

Bordeaux 2023 market analysis: ‘Brilliant’ Pichon Comtesse down 35%

The post Bordeaux 2023 market analysis: Château Margaux drops price by 30% appeared first on Decanter.

Expert's Choice: Empordà

Fintan Kerr — Thu, 06 Jun 2024 08:46:57 +0000

View from Espelt Viticultors vineyards over the guest house area at Vilajuïga.

The 160km drive from Barcelona to the French border via Girona takes little more than 90 minutes. Driving up the efficient and clinical motorway, you’d never know you were passing through one of the most rugged, individual and below-the-radar wine regions in Spain: Empordà.

Empordà’s history, kinship, language and terroir are shared with Roussillon in southern France as much as they are with Spain. The cold Tramontana wind blows from France south across the border into Empordà – so strongly at times that anyone behaving strangely is said to be ‘tocat per la Tramontana’ (‘touched by the Tramontana’).

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