Podd: The Wine Conversation

▻ Morey-St-Denis with Jasper Morris MW

29 januari 2025 | 11 min

✒ Kellerei Cantina Terlan Tasting

23 januari 2025 | min

Kellerei Cantina Terlan Tasting, 21st November 2024.

by Sarah Kemp

It is not at all usual to go to Bordeaux for an Italian white wine tasting, so it was one of the more offbeat invitations I have received in my career. I was intrigued, however, by the rare opportunity on offer: To taste a vertical of Kellerei Cantina Terlan (Cantina Terlano in Italian) wines going back to 1955, and to discover whether this renowned Italian white wine aged as beautifully as a great red. The tasting took place at Chateau Lascombes, where Axel Heinz has returned from Ornellaia to take charge of the 2nd growth Bordeaux château, under the new ownership of Gaylon Lawrence, of Lawrence Wine Estates, which own Heitz Cellars.

Axel is an old friend of Cantina Terlan director Klaus Gasser and winemaker Rudi Kofler, who believe that their white wines can age in a similar way to the greatest of red wines, and so he offered to put this to the test in the tasting room of this 2nd growth Bordeaux château on a very wet, windy day last November.

Situated in South Tyrol, close to the Austrian border, Cantina Terlan is one of Italy’s great white wines, today found mainly on the world’s top restaurant wine lists and in a few select independent wine merchants. It’s a winemaking co-operative, founded in 1893, and today comprises of 143 members, each with a small parcel of vine rows that totals 190 hectares. The vines range in altitude from 200 to 900 metres above sea level. The quartz porphyry bedrock is of volcanic origin, and the light, sandy-loam soils have a high quartz content. The hallmark of the wines is a distinctive saline character, and its legendary ability to age.

Terlano’s three traditional varieties are Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. The largest proportion of the blend is Pinot Blanc. Winemaker Rudi Kofler started here in 1999, and in 2002 took over the production; that year, he returned to the old style of using large oak casks. Yeast contact is very important, he told us, with 18 months yeast contact before bottling.

As the November wind blew hard outside the tasting room at Chateau Lascombes, I reflected on the narrow idea we have of varieties that are age-worthy and, possibly sometimes, the belief that a wine made by a co-operative cannot be as fine as one made by a domaine. I discovered immediately that Cantina Terlan proves this wrong. The Terlan co-operative could best be described as a group of small growers whose aim is world-class quality not quantity.

Pinot Blanc, the main component of the Cantina Terlan blend, showed without doubt that in the right place it can produce wines of exquisite complexity and age-ability. What was consistent in all the wines was a distinct sense of place, a clear identity, so was I convinced they could age as well as a great Bordeaux red? A definitive yes.

Sarah Kemp.

Wine Notes:-

Terlaner Nova Domus Riserva 2021
The Riservas are released after 2 years in bottle, and the 2021 vintage is a blend of 70% Pinot Bianco, 25% Chardonnay, 5% Sauvignon Blanc. Light gold, enticing floral nose jumping out of the glass, reminiscent of summer mountain meadows, On the palate, tight, brightly vibrant lime and citric fruit, very young, core deep, racy with acidity piercing through, needs time, saline finish, very poised but masses to give in the future. 14% abv.

Terlaner Nova Domus Riserva 2013
The 2013 vintage is a blend of 60% Pinot Blanc, 25% Chardonnay 5% Sauvignon Blanc. Luminous golden colour, summer hay on nose, complex deep core of harmonious white fruit, lots of minerality but roundness and generosity here, lyrical, with saline lick through it, very textured, powerful richness but so moreish and savoury, rising with every sip, masses of energy and still young and very vibrant. Long and persistent power on finish. 14.5% abv.

Terlaner Nova Domus Riserva 2003
Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc

A hot and dry summer produced one of the smallest harvests of the last few decades and picking took place two weeks earlier than usual. The fermentation took place half in barriques and half in tonneaux. The wine is deep gold in colour, richness on nose, fully evolved, stone fruit, slight hints of butterscotch, textured, the signature saline grip, but heat of vintage showing with flatter profile on finish. 14% abv.

Terlaner Nova Domus 1998
Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc

The 1998 vintage was a cool vintage which was difficult to sell when it was first released due to its pronounced acidity. Bottled in 2000, the wine has now found its balance. Deep luminous gold, mandarin orange rind on nose, powerful expression of orange peel, lime, with beautiful texture, that saline lick again present, a harmonious blend of fruit and acidity very direct, full and driven, still acidity driving through, with a tightness on the finish. 13.5% abv.

Rarity – Cantina Terlan only releases Rarity in outstanding vintages. After a year ageing in wooden barrels, the wine is transferred into small steel tanks where it is left to age for another 10 to 30 years. Only when the winemaker believes the wine is ready to be enjoyed at its fullest is it released.

Terlaner Rarity 2008
Pinot Blanc 85%, Chardonnay 10%, Sauvignon Blanc 5%

Whole-cluster pressing, slow fermentation at a controlled temperature in stainless steel tanks with malolactic fermentation and ageing on lees in big wooden barrels for 12 months. Further ageing on lees in steel tanks without filtering or fining for 11 years. A beautifully balanced wine, full core of vibrant citric fruit, creamy, freshness, so loads of minerality dancing across the palate. Terrific. 13.5% abv.

Terlaner Rarity 1991
Pinot Blanc 60%, Chardonnay 30%, Sauvignon Blanc 10%

The grapes were crushed in a 30-minute programme on an old horizontal Vaslin press. After fermentation and 10 months spent on full lees in a 2,500 litre barrel, the wine was left to mature on fine lees in a 2,500 metre steel tank for a further 24 years. Mid-gold in colour, orange peel and hay on the nose, very enticing, very serious, so complex, stone fruit, greengages, hints of coconut. Firm texture with lots of minerals appearing as the wine develops. Very balanced and with a delicious, persistent finish. Mesmerising. 13% abv.

Terlaner Weißurgunder Rarity 1979

This vintage is 100% Pinot Blanc and was bottled in 1991. Slow fermentation in stainless-steel tanks with malolactic fermentation, then aged on lees in big wooden barrels for 12 months with further aging on lees in steel tanks without filtering or fining. Orange-gold in colour, wet hay on nose reminiscent of a clean stable. This wine is so youthful! Rich orange with hints of caramel on the nose, very fresh, complex, deep taut core of firm autumn fruit, very emotional wine, so fluid and lyrical, beautiful fluid movement in the wine which just comes back and back with waves on the palate exposing deeper layers, fresh truffle, that signature mineral lick, and keeps its strength straight to the long finish A magnificent wine. 13.2% abv.

Terlaner 1966
Fermented in 25-hectolitre big oak barrels, the vintage blend is Pinot Blanc 70%, Chardonnay 30%, with malolactic fermentation and ageing on lees in traditional wooden barrels for 8 months. Burnished gold in colour, extraordinary explosion of fruit, glorious bramble apple, then hints of mandarin orange and lime, so ripe and full-bodied, very complex. Incredibly fresh and alive with complex layers of firm autumnal fruit and citric overtones, just goes on like an army on a march, salty, saline finish. Outstanding. 13.7% abv.

Terlaner 1955
The 1955 vintage was considered outstanding in the Alto Adige, and the Terlaner 1955 confirms that opinion. It’s 70% Pinot Blanc and 30% Chardonnay. Deep rosy- bronze colour. Slowly fermented in 25 hectolitre big oak barrels, malolactic fermentation and ageing on lees, in traditional wooden barrels for 8 months, the wine was bottled in 1956. A highly evolved nose of gently bruised apple, the wine is fully alive with acidity quite present but totally in balance, with autumnal fruit, that lime again and deep, deep core of evolving layers of firm fruit and that signature lick of saline which just invites you to drink more. High-voltage energy. Will last forever, extraordinary. 12.9% abv.

Terlaner Primo Grande Cuvée 2013
The Terlander Primo Grande Cuvée is only produced int the best vintages and vinified in a very limited edition. The blend changes depending on the vintage but is combination of Terlaner’s most representative varieties, Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Only 3,000 bottles were made, the blend is 90% Pinot Blanc, 7% Chardonnay and 3% Sauvignon Blanc. Fermentation in big oak 30-hectolitre casks, malolactic fermentation and ageing on lees for 12 months in big wooden barrels. Mid-gold, bright zesty nose, round richness of the Chardonnay showing with a huge kick of zest followed by layers of minerals on finish. Racy and powerful, like a high-speed Ferrari. 14.5% abv.

Terlaner Primo Grande Cuvée 2019
The blend is 70% Pinot Blanc, 28% Chardonnay, 2% Sauvignon Blanc. Slow fermentation in 12-hectolitre oak casks, malolactic fermentation and ageing on lees for 12 months in big wooden barrels. Mid-gold, fresh straw on nose, very intense core with massive depth of citric fruit, extremely racy, needs time to settle down, unless you like going round hair-pin bends at full speed. 14% abv.

Terlaner Primo Grande Cuvée 2021
The 2021 vintage was smaller than usual in volume The blend is 65% Pinot Blanc, 33% Chardonnay, 2% Sauvignon Blanc. Bright light gold, first impression is of the evidence of that saline lick, lots of power and structure here, spice, masses of intense citric fruit, expressive and rich with a long finish. 14% abv.

Further information:-

Cantina Terlan

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▻ Romané Basset of the Gerard Basset Foundation

15 januari 2025 | 37 min

▻ Sicily with David Gleave MW

9 januari 2025 | 12 min

▻ Omnibus XXXIV

23 december 2024 | 58 min

✒ The Most Notable Wine Books of The Year 2024

20 december 2024 | min

Reviewed by Brian St Pierre

Unaffected by adverse weather, or a lot of noise about hard seltzer and other odd beverages, or tariffs, taxes, and social-media influencers showing off, wine books had a very good vintage in 2024, with a lot of useful information well-presented informally, a welcome sort of literate climate change right across the wine spectrum. “Best” can be terribly subjective, but these certainly stood out as notable, as well as commendably accessible.

Towering, monumental:

THE AUSTRALIAN ARK, by Andrew Caillard MW It’s subtitled “The story of Australian wine,” and at three volumes of 1,710 pages, weighing in at 5.7 kg, that initial claim is staked honestly, and the follow-through (it’s extremely well-written, researched, and illustrated) can’t be challenged either. However well we may have thought we knew many of the remarkable stories of the colourful visionaries who challenged the awesome landscapes of that “strange, inhospitable, hinterland,” and whose disasters, glories, and incredible results still abound, there are more discoveries here, never before so artfully gathered and arrayed.

This is simply monumental, taking us from Captain James Cook’s first voyage to Australia in 1770 and the settlement at Botany Bay (“as dangerous during the 18th century as sending a man to the moon in the 1960s,” Caillard states) to the present, which he calls “heat and dust-ups,” graced by legendary figures like Len Evans as well as the newest generation of winemakers pushing boundaries, Kylie Minogue, sustainability, and still, perhaps inevitably, more growing pains, in every sense.

Offbeat, upbeat, and wonderful:

WHO’S AFRAID OF ROMANEE-CONTI?: a Shortcut to Drinking Great Wines, by Dan Keeling From one of the founders of a genially disruptive magazine and mini-chain of sophisticated bistros called Noble Rot, this collection of essays, useful tips and asides, jokes and pokes at conventional wisdom, and oddly angled photos may seem to traditionalists like a throw-it-at-the-wall-and-see-what-sticks hodgepodge, but it’s really just a cool approach to relaxing into the multitude of available wine opportunities, away from the old-fashioned “passive respect for hierarchy” that has made many of us feel as if we’re sitting in a hard chair listening to a rote recital instead of enjoying one of life’s greatest pleasures. For one thing, it opens the door to numerous pleasant discoveries, some of which are also bargains; for another, why shouldn’t an article on Swiss wine rest comfortably near one on vin jaune just before jostling another on the mysterious joys of Viognier, if all are up for an easy-going good time? It’s like a box of superb chocolates – dip in anywhere and be rewarded.

WINE CONFIDENT: There’s No Wrong Way to Enjoy Wine, by Kelli White And here’s that word again! The fact that “enjoy” is right there in the title is a good tipoff to its intent, as a former sommelier and fluent writer re-introduces us to wine from that angle. You might think, looking at its many sidebars, exuberant exhortations, concise “pro tips” and wealth of question-and-answer cheerleading, that you’re on a forced march to fun, but the author’s genial self-confidence and well-judged self-effacing approach thoroughly reinforce the promise of the title. It’s fundamental rather than basic, and if you’ve ever had a genial chat with a sommelier that led to a delicious step or two up, you’ll appreciate this array of pleasant reminders.

A SEASON FOR THAT: Lost and Found in the Other Southern France, by Steve Hoffman The premise is made clear from the start – as Mark Twain put it a long time ago, “The gentle reader will never, never know what a consummate ass he can become, until he goes abroad." Hoffman, a quietly inhibited tax accountant from the staid American Midwest who’s fairly fluent in French after a postgraduate stint in Paris that left him hopelessly in love with France, drags his wife and young kids off to a village in the Languedoc, on a haphazard voyage of discovery, ranging through gastronomic, emotional, and embarrassingly personal turns. In the end, he’s saved by wine, unsentimentally, literally from the ground up, pruning vines, picking grapes and getting involved in making it, sharing aches, pains, cuts and bruises--and new pleasures – with his neighbours, and us, finally becoming enlightened, often very funny company (and, eventually, an award-winning food and wine writer). It would take a heart of stone to read this book and not fall in love with wine all over again.

Terroir indeed – senses of places:

ON TUSCANY: From Brunello to Bolgheri, Wine Tales from the Heart of Italy Another first-rate anthology from the Academie du Vin Library, featuring Hugh Johnson, David Gleave MW, Andrew Jefford, Burton Anderson, Jane Anson, D.H. Lawrence, Nick Belfrage MW and many others who’ve yielded to the numerous seductions of that fabled place, and are happy to tell us why we should join them.

VINES IN A COLD CLIMATE, by Henry Jeffreys This one came out at the end of 2023, and now it’s here in paperback, an amiable, well-told tale of how a gaggle of winemakers and a few unlikely helpers, almost united by a slightly hazy sense of destiny and private definitions of topography, created something that can now be called, without irony or sarcasm, an English wine industry.

WINES OF THE LOIRE VALLEY, by Beverly Blanning MW The Loire is France’s longest river, and the valley offers an abundance of vineyards and wine, picturesque castles, glorious views and good cheer (I once got lost there, and it was a pleasant experience). Now, here’s a good guide as well. A sturdy paperback (in the Infinite Ideas series, now owned by Academie du Vin Library), it’s an excellent companion, and the timing couldn’t be better, as the region is having a renaissance, with widespread organic certification and a stronger sense of “faithful expression of their terroirs” by a new generation bringing “youthful energy and alternative perspectives” to what had become a rather staid region. Blanning captures it all quite well convincingly persuading us to take another look, and a lot of pleasant tastes.

THE WINES OF PIEMONTE, by David Way Another similar sturdy paperback from the same stable, this is something of an update and roundup of the scene in that noble art of the world; the author is an educator and writer for the Wine & Spirit Education Trust, and his approach is methodical, thorough and down-to-earth. As elsewhere, a new generation is picking up the pace of change, and of course have some of the best natural resources in the world to work with, and it’s exhilarating to see what’s being done – and to look forward to the results.

Deep dive of the year:

ONE THOUSAND VINES: A New Way to Understand Wine, by Pascaline Lepeltier The author was voted “best French sommelier” a few years ago, one of a string of awards she’s collected; she also won an award for “best French worker.” Here’s evidence of both those, although the original French subtitle – “thinking about tomorrow’s wine” – may be better proof of her intent. In many ways, this is an awesome undertaking, passionately downloading an avalanche of knowledge of wine, from the roots up (literally) to the glass that sits before us, connecting dots among history, soil, science, and joy we may not have even known existed, inviting, even demanding: “Given the distressing and stultifying environmental and political crises that are raging,” she concludes, “living wine offers joyful ways to resist a system that wishes to see us dispirited, delimited, and deprived of meaning… by educating our palate, the needed revolution will be possible.” I don’t know about you, but I’m happy to join her on the barricades. And grateful to her for this roar of reminder. Allons, enfants!

▻ Marc Hochar

16 december 2024 | 46 min

▻ Omnibus XXXIII

9 december 2024 | 61 min

▻ The Asian Wine Market

27 november 2024 | 33 min

✒ Masseto Vertical Tasting

26 november 2024 | min

Masseto Vertical, 4th November 2024

The Raffles London, Old War Office Building.

by John Stimpfig

Opportunities to taste verticals of Masseto are both rare and precious. So when an invitation to taste a range of vintages in London from 2021 back to the 1996 landed in my inbox from its owner, Lamberto Frescobaldi, and its new winemaker, Marco Balsimelli, my affirmative RSVP was by immediate return.

The last time I encountered a similar line up of wines from this Tuscan supermodel was in Shanghai in 2018. Since then, much has changed – at least in terms of the key personnel at Masseto. In particular, its high-performing estate director Axel Heinz left in 2023 to take the reins at Château Lascombes in Margaux. He was duly replaced earlier this year by the Italian-born oenologist Marco Balsimelli, who had lived and worked in Bordeaux for 17 years, most of which were spent working with Eric Boissenot. Meanwhile, the estate’s long-serving CEO Giovanni Geddes also retired in 2023 after decades of distinguished service and careful brand building. Significantly, Geddes also orchestrated the construction of Masseto’s sleek new bespoke cellar in 2018.

Masseto was famously brought to life by Lodovico Antinori some four decades ago. It emerged as a separate, seven hectare hillside parcel within the boundaries of his Ornellaia property (created in 1981). At that time, Lodovico’s consultant was the great André Tchelistcheff who identified the plot as ideal for Merlot, thanks to its blue clay soils.

Masseto’s early vintages (beginning in 1987) made an immediate impact. High quality and small production meant that it was both rarer, and pricier than Ornellaia. It quickly became a both darling of the market and a true collector’s item thanks, in part, to its ability to combine the elegance of Pomerol with the flamboyant richness of California.

The first winemaker was the Hungarian Tibor Gal. On his return to Hungary, he was replaced by the Bordeaux winemaker Thomas Duroux. By now, Michel Rolland had also joined the Masseto/Ornellaia team as its consultant, on Tchelistcheff’s retirement. Rolland still remains in post more than three decades later.

In 2005, Duroux departed for Château Palmer and was replaced by Axel Heinz who had previously worked on Bordeaux’s left bank at La Dominique. It was yet another highly successful appointment.

Masseto is not an easy wine to make for all sorts of reasons. In particular, it is a high-wire act that requires considerable skill, judgement and nerve in both the vineyard and winery. With Bolgheri’s hot summers and Merlot’s ability to ripen on the rich blue clay soils, there has always been the potential danger of high sugars and high alcohols. And certainly some over-extracted vintages in the early 2000s didn’t always get the balance 100% right between alcohol, phenolic ripeness and acidity.

Over the last dozen or so vintages that is no longer the case – despite the fact that climate change has made viticulture even more challenging. In 2018, Heinz explained why; ‘even in lush, ripe dense vintages, the finish remains fresh thanks to high acidity. This has to come from the soil, especially in hot dry years when you’d expect lower levels.’ It’s this that helps Masseto to carry its high alcohol so well – often effortlessly.

Over the last forty years, there have been innumerable experiments and incremental improvements in the vineyard. In 2012, it was converted to organic farming and for a number of years, the estate has also used bush vines which help maintain acidity and freshness in warmer vintages. These days, the estate is also entirely dry farmed. ‘Now, the work in the vines is mostly about fine-tuning small details,’ explains Lamberto Frescobaldi.

The winemaking has certainly changed considerably over time. In Tibor Gal’s day, the wine was aged for eighteen months in 50% new oak. These days it spends a full two years in new barriques. Yet, on the evidence of this tasting, you barely notice it - such is the power and concentration of the fruit. This is especially true of recent vintages where sublime fruit complexity, exquisite freshness and balance have become the new hallmarks of Masseto’s evolving style and constant search for perfection.

Marco Balsimelli is clearly set to continue this less is more approach in the vineyard and winery. ‘We try to do as little as possible to the wines,’ he says. ‘Our goal is simply to capture the essence of nature and take it to the highest level.’ That undoubtedly bodes well for Masseto and its loyal consumers.

John Stimpfig.

Wine Notes:-

2021 Masseto, Toscana IGT
The 2021 shows the current stylistic trajectory of Masseto in the direction of finesse, elegance and precision -whilst optimising the bounty of its amazing raw material from what was a warm vintage in Bolgheri. The vintage was also a return to 100% Merlot after a couple of years of flirting with 15% Cabernet Franc in the blend. Fermentation took place in concrete vats before the wine was moved to new French oak barrels for the malolactic. The wine then spent a total of 24 months in barriques prior to a year in bottle before release.

Opaque, youthful colour with a gorgeous nose of primary red fruits and seductive floral perfume. Exquisitely balanced, fresh and glossy this offers lifted fruits of juicy cherry, cassis and raspberry together with minerals and cocoa powder. The bright acidity and refined tannins give this wine an almost ethereal weightless quality. But there is power here too that is so cleverly balanced, concealed and integrated that both the 15.5% alcohol and the oak treatment remain entirely hidden, except in the wine’s sublime mouthfeel. Utterly compelling with a long dry, saline finish, this is already deliciously drinkable and will age for aeons. Extraordinary.

ABV 15.5%

Drink 2024 -2070+

Bottle Price £666

100% Merlot

2016 Masseto, Toscana IGT
The 2016 Masseto comes from a textbook vintage on the Tuscan coast with harvest beginning on August 24 and ending September 20. Once picked plot by plot, the wine was vinified in the Ornellaia cellar where fermentation took place in a mix of stainless steel, wooden vats and in small barriques. The malolactic was carried out in 100% new French barriques and then aged for a further twelve months. All the lots were then blended and then returned to barriques for another 12 months elevage.

Still deep garnet. Impenetrable colour. Violets, blackcurrant and rosemary on the nose. Sweet, lifted cherry and blackberry fruits follow through on the palate with ink and liquorice. Again you find Masseto’s hallmark elegance with its impeccable balance and controlled, effortless power. A perfect marriage of fine acidity, fleshy tannic ripeness and structure this reveals layer upon layer of flavour, texture, complexity and pleasure ending with a monumental dry finish. The wine is now only just beginning to open up but this still has decades to go. Without question a great and magisterial Masseto.

ABV 15%

Drink 2024 -2060

Bottle Price £955

100% Merlot

2015 Masseto, Toscana IGT
Another very fine vintage in the Maremma that gave birth to another magnificent Masseto. The winter was mild and rainy allowing water reserves to build up. Flowering took place at the end of May which was followed by hot dry weather in June and July. Just as fears began to mount that the vines might shut down in the heat, the rains arrived right on cue on the 10th of August, revitalising the vines and heralding cooler but still sunny weather. As a result, the various blocks and parcels of vines were picked at perfect ripeness.

Nearly ten years on there is barely any concession to age in the deep colour of this wine, while the nose presents a lovely primary aroma of cream and cassis with a slight tertiary hint that is only just beginning to emerge. A more concentrated Masseto than the 16, this has a wilder, more Tuscan feel to it with flavours of dark cherry, bramble, liquorice, smoked meat, charcoal and tobacco pouch. A fine spine of acidity and grippy tannins frame the wine which finishes with a pronounced savoury flourish. This can be enjoyed now but will continue to age and improve over the next three to four decades.

ABV 14.5%

Drink 2024 -2064

Bottle Price £879

100% Merlot

2013 Masseto, Toscana IGT
A cool start to the vintage brought about a delayed and abnormally long flowering period at the estate. However, the grapes caught up in warmer weather especially in July. Some August storms cooled things down, refreshed the vines and led to a later harvest beginning on September 12 and ending two weeks later with the last block being Masseto Centrale.

Eleven years on the 2013 is in terrific shape, still energetically holding on to its profound primary fruits comprising blueberry and blackberry alongside leather, cedar and sandalwood. The tannins are ripe and round while the fresh acidity frames the midweight structure. Although less concentrated than some in this line-up, there’s no lack of texture, complexity or pleasure in this 2013 Masseto which ends on a high with a long dry, saline finish. Just hitting its stride, this is delicious now but it also has plenty of life and development to look forward to.

ABV 14.5%

Drink 2024 -2060

Bottle Price £736

100% Merlot

2010 Masseto, Toscana IGT
A distinctly warm hot summer in Bolgheri saw frequently hot days in July and August at over 35C with little respite at night. Strong scirocco winds from Africa at the end of August and the beginning of September also aided the rapid ripening process, resulting in one of the earliest harvests on record, ending on September 10.

The 09 Masseto speaks clearly of its winemaking era and vintage being overtly more hedonistic, fleshy and seductive than its younger siblings. The fruit and flavour spectrum is more evolved and exotic with smoked meat, kirsch, coffee grind, liquorice and leather followed by hints of sous-bois and dried fruit on the mid palate. The acidity is softer and the tannins are generous and supple. It has also moved into a more tertiary phase of its development which is not to take anything away from the pleasure, interest and complexity that is very much on show – now and for the next 10-20 years.

ABV 15%

Drink 2024 -2044

Bottle Price £781

100% Merlot

2006 Masseto, Toscana IGT
Fortunately, Bolgheri experienced a wet winter coming into 2006 – because from April to August the vines saw almost no rain. At the same time, those summer months were never too hot and the vines produced a good volume of smaller-sized grapes with great aromatic potential as well as high concentrations of sugars, acids and tannins. It promised to be a memorable Masseto.

And so it was – and remains. Indeed, the 2006 is showing less concession to age than the younger 09 (above) thanks to a vibrant charge of acidity that continues to hold the wine in an almost miraculous state of suspended animation. At nearly 20 years of age, this elegant Masseto is now in a very good place with a fabulous nose and palate offering a gorgeous compote of cherry, cassis, mocha, leather, rosemary and cigar box. The palate is refined, dry, savoury and complex. The fulsome tannins have evolved and softened to perfection and there is just a hint of emerging sous-bois bottle age to add spice and interest. The dry, savoury saline finish is monumental. Drink now and for the next forty years.

ABV 15%

Drink 2024 -2060

Bottle Price £1094

100% Merlot

2005 Masseto, Toscana IGT
After an early flowering in the third week of May, the summer months of June, July and August provided just the right amount of hot dry weather and occasional rainfall for the vines to flourish. At the end of August, preliminary analyses revealed encouragingly high polyphenols and good natural acidity. September kept things going with warm temperatures and occasional showers leading to a late harvest of optimally ripened grapes across all the plots. The vintage was finally completed on September 30.

On the evidence of this tasting, the 2005 has moved from its adolescence to a comfortable and sophisticated early middle age. Hence its classy and more-ish tertiary aromas of truffle and cep, both of which continue onto the palate. Also present in the mouth are sweet brambly black fruits, coffee, cedar and a slight ginger tang. It still retains a very pleasing acidity and round, textured tannins give the wine a balanced plushness and generosity. The finish is long and tapering.

ABV 15%

Drink 2024 -2045

Bottle Price £844

100% Merlot

1999 Masseto, Toscana IGT
The 1999 growing season provided very propitious conditions throughout and featured a hot, dry summer. Harvest began in the second week of September and finished a week later in ideal weather.

Remarkably, the 1999 retains a deep colour in the glass a quarter of a century on. The nose shows some concession to age with lovely mature notes of truffle, sous-bois and balsam as well as bilberry, cassis and chocolate. An elegant, more moderately proportioned Masseto, its fine grained tannins work in harmony with the acidity and the wine has a dry, chalky finish. Now at an especially good stage of maturity, this is drinking beautifully. Equally, it still has a good decade or more ahead of it.

ABV 14.5%

Drink 2024 -2040

Bottle Price £873

100% Merlot

1996 Masseto, Toscana IGT
During the summer temperatures were warm and stable but not excessively hot. Some August rain then delayed the ripening process a little. However, temperatures then rose significantly at the beginning of September enable the grapes to ripen and be picked in perfect conditions between the 8-12th of September.

In my tasting book, this gorgeous thoroughbred red was arguably the most complete and compelling wine of the tasting – especially when poured in magnum at dinner later in the evening. It possesses an utterly sublime, complex and beguiling nose of black olive, balsam, cep and truffle. The more classically styled and lighter (medium-bodied) palate was just as fabulous with savoury herbs, sous-bois, cigar box and ripe cassis and mocha. With its superb acidity and fleshy, melting tannins this had everything you could ask for from a truly great wine that is now at or approaching its peak over the next 10 years. If you are fortunate to have this in your cellar, you are truly blessed.

ABV 13.5%

Drink 2024 -2040+

Bottle Price £884

100% Merlot

Average, ex vat bottle prices are taken from Wine-searcher.com

Further information:-

Masseto

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▻ Chablis Premiers Crus with Jasper Morris MW

14 november 2024 | 11 min

✒ Sebastian Zuccardi’s New Releases

13 november 2024 | min

There are moments in life which stay with you forever, a crystal-clear picture that is so imprinted in your brain that it could have been yesterday. One such moment which stands out in my decades of visiting vineyards was standing in a pit at the Zuccardi winery in the Uco Valley in Argentina. Sebastian Zuccardi was showing me the soil structure, but I couldn’t help but look up – fluttering above us was a row of coloured ribbons stretching along a row of vines, at odd intervals, sometimes only a few feet apart; it looked as the vineyard had been festooned for a children’s tea party.

When I enquired whether the ribbons were there to scare off the birds Sebastian laughed and said that they were his markings for where the soil composition changed. I knew from earlier conversations that Sebastian was a passionate believer in terroir, but what I hadn’t realised was that he was a borderline fanatic.

So, it was wonderful to catch up with him on his last visit to London and taste his latest releases. He was keen to bring me up-to-speed. There are four revolutions going on in Argentina, he informed me. “The first is reality, everyone is talking about place, no producer is not explaining the place where the vineyard is. The level of knowledge of the different areas is growing a lot.”

The second revolution is the way limits are breaking, with more producers looking further north, further south, further east and higher in the mountains. This is not due to climate change, Sebastian points out, but pushing the expression of the wines.

There is also a style revolution, with an increase of diversity of styles – different expressions, and with over-oaked wines fading out. The fourth revolution is with the white wines. Argentina has always been known for its reds, but increasingly it is becoming known for its whites. “The closeness to the mountains offers unique conditions for white wines, we are mountain people” Sebastian says firmly.

It has been fascinating watching Sebastian’s rise. When I first met him, his charismatic father, José, had just given him the reins. “I was lucky my father gave me the freedom,” Sebastian says, and he has taken the winery – known for producing good-value wines – to one which excites the critics and is creating more and more excitement on the international market. His drive for quality and authentic expression has led him to produce some of South America’s most compelling wines. He reveals one major reason: “We like to work with white gloves, our interpretation needs to respect the interpretation of the place.”

His philosophy is firmly rooted, literally: “I am not looking for a perfect wine, I am looking for a wine that is of its place.” It was clear from the tasting that he is achieving his goal. Here are the new vintages about to be released on the market.

Sarah Kemp.

Wine Notes:-

Fosil 2023
The first vintage of this wine was 2016. I tasted it back then at Prowein, with Sebastian’s father, José, and I remember it clearly. It was the most impressive wine at the event, showing all the finesse of a great Chablis. The wine comes from the San Paolo Estancia area – it is the closest to the mountains, at 1400 metres altitude, 300 metres from the beginning of the mountain. It is the coldest area in the Uco Valley, with granite and calcaire soil, 100% Chardonnay aged in concrete vessels without malolactic fermentation. It has an aromatic citric aroma, with vibrant complex notes of lemon, lime, hints of mandarin and pink grapefruit. Purity, depth, beautiful ripeness and good attack, grip and concentration. Minerality shines through, very long and moreish, elegant and balanced. 13.0%

Botánico, Familia Zuccardi, 2023
This wine comes from the Monasterio part of Gualtallary, the vineyard at 1360-1380 metres at the foot of the frontal range of the Andes. The soil is a compaction of calcaire, sand and gravel. 100% Chardonnay, it is aged in concrete vessels without malolactic fermentation. Rich, ripe expression of apricots and pink grapefruit. Lovely freshness and minerality driving through the wine. There is depth here and complexity. Vibrant and enticing. 13.5%

Aluvional Paraje San Paolo 2021
The Paraje range of wines began in 2008, with the Aluvional series, marking the Zuccardis’ search for a particular identity of site in the Uco Vally. The Aluvinoal San Paolo comes from the IG San Pablo in Tunuyán in the Uco Valley. It is located at 1400 metres above sea level, and has a cold climate. 100% Malbec, the wine is fermented in concrete tanks with native yeasts, then aged in concrete tanks. It has a delightful uplifted spicy herb nose, very aromatic, on the palate there’s wild herbs, a direct expression of garrique, tight black fruit, with sauvage flavours, ripe and intense black fruit, slight bitterness, wonderful grip. Reminds me of Cornas, with its vibrancy and spice and herbs. Delicious. 14.0%

Aluvional Paraje Altamira 2021
From the highest part of Altamira at 1100 metres above sea level. The soil is rich in stones from the alluvial fan with the rocks covered in calcareous material. 100% Malbec fermented in concrete and aged in concrete vessels. Inviting cocoa on nose, bags of energy, attack of blue fruit, round and generous, tightrope tension, freshness and arrows of acidity through, lots of layers, tannins holding everything in place, long and restrained power, delicious dark chocolate kick on the very long finish. 14.0%

Aluvional Gualtallary 2021
From the area in Gualtallary known as Monasterio, this 100% Malbec is fermented in concrete vessels with native yeast and then aged in concrete. Aromatic mountain herbs on the nose. On the palate, it’s suave, with silky and brilliant crunchy black fruit, concentration and deep pool of swirling flavours, bite and grip, balance and drive, very textured, so long, powerful but refined, great expression of terroir. 14.0%

Finca Las Cuchillas San Pablo 2021
Only 2,000 bottles are made of this 100% Chardonnay, whose vineyard is 600 metres away from the foot of the mountain. The word Cuchillas means blade. The soils is a thin layer of gravel covered with calcaire stones at approximately one-metre depth. The wine has an explosive aromatic nose, on the palate it’s rich, deep late-summer fruit, apricots and peaches, an elegant expression of limestone, citric mandarin notes, powerful and deep with piercing acidity, bags of energy, purity, will develop beautifully but hard to resist now. 13.0%

Finca Los Membrillos Semillon 2020
The vines were planted in 2013, a massal selection from the original 1969 vineyard in La Consulta. The vineyard is at 1060 metres above sea level and is surrounded by quince trees. Semillon was the variety that the white wines of the Uco Valley were traditionally made from. The wine is 100% Semillon, fermented with native yeasts in untoasted French oak barrels and larger foudres. Sebastian explained that as Semillon loves oxygen, the foudre was ideal. The wine has a classic Semillon nose of sweet hay and chamomile. A true fine wine, understated and elegant, purity, a Renaissance tapestry of flavours, summer herbs mixed, toasted nuts, oiliness of a fresh almond and delicious fatness on the palate, but poised, with depth and layer upon layer of enticing fruit. Very long and driving power to end. Utterly intriguing. 13.0%

Finca Canal Uco 2021
This was the first vineyard planted by the Zuccardi family in the alluvial soils of Alta Mira in the Uco Valley in 2007; 10,000 bottles are made, with 5,000 of them released on the Place de Bordeaux. 100% Malbec, 100% whole bunch, fermentation in concrete vessels with native yeasts, then aged in concrete vessels. Aromatics jump out of the glass: blue fruit, peonies, violets. On the palate, lyrical blue and red fruit, a whirlwind of flavours, layered, deep and complex with endless savoury surprises, hints of dark cocoa, very muscular and poised. Everything in balance, utter harmony. Terrific length. Hugely impressive. 14.5%

Finca Piedra Infinita 2021
This Alta Mira vineyard is at 1100 metres in shallow soils where it is harvested according to a sequence of 12 soil types. 100% Malbec, fermented in concrete vessels with native yeasts and aged in concrete. Blue notes jumping out of the glass, the wine on the palate is very mineral-driven, intense black and blue currants, deep but very direct, palate packed with minerals, very linear and needs time to relax. 14.0%

Finca Las Cerrilladas Gualtallary 2021
A brooding wine from the Monasterio hills, with the oldest soils in the Uco Valley. Las Carrilladas is from 30 separate parcels of the vineyard, surrounded by native vegetation. 100% Malbec, there are masses of power here, beautifully textured, with juicy, rich, meaty flavours, crunchy bright blue fruit, mountain herbs, all firmly gripped by fine tannins. This wine needs time, at the moment it is a revved-up robust teenager – everything there, but will reward with a few more years in the bottle. 14.1%

Finca Piedra Infinita Supercal 2021
The 0.93 hectare plot which produces this wine in the northwest sector of the Piedra Infinita vineyard is surrounded by 30% natural vegetation – biodiversity thrives here. The soils are stony, with large granite rocks covered in calcareous material. 100% Malbec, fermented with native yeasts in concrete vessels. Peonies, aromatic nose, purity Jane Austen elegance, blue fruit, very precise, layers but gently revealing themselves, depth and complex layers, like going down a tunnel, to the sea, then waves of minerals lapping, slate, iodine, freshness, very marine, interpretation of an old sea bed. 14.0%

Finca Piedra Infinita Paraje Gravascal 2021
The vineyard is planted at 1100 metres in the highest area of the alluvial fan of the Tunuyán River in Alta Mira. The wine originates from a small plot 0.73 hectares in the northwest part of the Piedra Infinta estate, where the Malbec grows on enormous gravels and granite rocks covered with calcareous material. 100% Malbec fermented with native yeasts in concrete vessels and then aged in concrete vessels. The wine has a warm, rich, inviting nose, delightful spice, bright energetic blue and red berry fruit, there is tightness and tension here and luminous purity. You can almost taste the limestone, fine chalky tannins and a very long finish. 14.0%

Further information:-

Zuccardi Wines

▻ Viva Argentina! – Part One

Wines Worth Talking About… Argentina

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▻ Philippe Guigal

31 oktober 2024 | 43 min

▻ Omnibus XXXII

22 oktober 2024 | 65 min

▻ Montalcino with David Gleave MW

11 oktober 2024 | 11 min

▻ Lenz Moser

30 september 2024 | 60 min

▻ Grape Varieties in Chile

25 september 2024 | 33 min

▻ Volnay with Jasper Morris MW

16 september 2024 | 11 min

✒ Siepi 30th Anniversary

14 september 2024 | min

A rare vertical tasting to celebrate Siepi’s 30th anniversary

The Siepi vineyard has been owned by the Mazzei family since 1435. It was listed among the properties of Madonna Smeralda Mazzei in an accounting document which is kept in the family archives at Castello di Fonterutoli. It is described as “a piece of land adjoining the house, with olive trees, vines and oaks.” Whilst it is part of the Fonterutoli estate, Siepi has always been managed as a single farm.

In 1985, Lapo Mazzei realised that the land would be perfect for Sangiovese and Merlot, and the first vintage of Siepi was born in 1992. To celebrate Siepi’s 30th anniversary of the first vintage, Giovanni Mazzei, the 25th generation and Lapo’s grandson, came to London to host a vertical tasting of ten vintages, a rare opportunity to see the evolution of the estate.

The vineyard is surrounded by dense woods, and faces south-southwest at 240-330 metres. The Sangiovese and Merlot vines are planted on Alberese limestone and Pliocene clay. The wines, Giovanni explained, are considered to lean more toward blue fruit than black or red, combining softness with power. Each plot is harvested individually, and there are between 14 to 20 vinifications during the vintage. In 2015, they introduced concrete vats, in a move to extract less. Regarding climate change, he notes happily that “the vineyard is evolving and adapting.”

Sarah Kemp.

Wine Notes:-

Siepi 2007
Highly perfumed nose, with hints of leather, rich powerful expression with bright blueberry fruit, very harmonious. Lovely savoury flavours with concentration, but arrow of delicious acidity driving through at a pace. Nice Sangiovese kick at finish. Very moreish. Long, with warmth and personality. 23,000 bottles produced with Merlot picked from August 30th and Sangiovese from September 22nd. 13.9%

Siepi 2010
Still tight, still feels very young, lots of wonderful plums and bramble fruit, tannins firm, coiled, dark chocolate, not very aromatic on nose. Structured and vibrant, but needs to be let out of its cage. Lots of energy brooding. Merlot was hand-picked from September 16th and Sangiovese from October 8th. A great vintage, but this wine still needs time to be at its peak. 14.4%

Siepi 2013
Hay on nose, Sangiovese dominating for now, powerful expression of mature ripe plums and blueberries, high acidity jumping through giving a great impression of vitality and freshness, a food wine, hazelnuts, almonds, fine tannins well integrated. Lovely expression of terroir. Long and elegant. Merlot picked from September 11th and Sangiovese from September 28th. Drinking beautifully now. 14.29%

Siepi 2015
Peony floral nose, hedonistic aromatics rising from the glass. Beautiful entrance of refined but powerful red and black fruit dancing on the palate, depth, waves upon waves of sheer pleasure, silky tannins holding everything in place. Generous and gracious, totally complete, everything in perfect balance. Never-ending length. The harmony reminds me of an Italian Lafite. Outstanding, and my wine of the tasting. Merlot picked from September 8th, Sangiovese from September 23rd. 14.37%

Siepi 2016
Quite aromatic floral nose, with hints of mint, powerful drive of complex black cherry fruit, still packed tightly, very spicy, lots of black pepper, steak juice, firm refined tannins, very serious Tuscan wine, which needs time. Elegance and power, like a Ferrari on the starting line, all there but still very contained. Merlot picked from September 10th and Sangiovese from 27th. 14.56%

Siepi 2018
Enticing mineral driven nose, Bright burst of explosive red fruit and blue plums, great energy, spice, cocoa, intense powerful drive, very structured but needs time to uncoil. Merlot picked from September 12th and Sangiovese from September 22nd. 14.53%

Siepi 2019
Lovely fresh nose, inviting, lots of intensity, dense layers of bramble fruit, plums and dried blackcurrants. Very young and needs time for the oak and the sheer mass of fruit to truly knit together. Merlot picked September 7th, Sangoivese from September 21st. 14.7%

Siepi 2020
Fresh uplifted aromatic nose, inviting, stunning entrance of beautiful fresh blue and red fruit, terroir dominating, sensational flow of kaleidoscope of flavours, mint, sage, depth, lyrical waves, still young but very vibrant and muscular, stunning length, very juicy, silky tannins, savoury, creamy texture. Terroir wine personified. Merlot picked from September 7th, Sangiovese from September 21st. 14.5%

Siepi 2021
Fresh blackberry nose, powerful and concentrated on the palate with black fruit intermingled with plums, dark chocolate, pepper, oak still present, needs time for the complex components to knit together. Merlot picked eptember 10th, Sangiovese from September 24th. 14.66%

Siepi 2022
Inviting aromatic nose, complex powerful attack of ripe red and black, depth and concentration, cloves, spice, full-throttled, powerful and extraordinary length. Finely grained tannins gripping the dense fruit. Definitely one to cellar, with much pleasure to come. Merlot picked from September 5th and Sangiovese from September 17th. 14.5%

Further information:-

Mazzei: Siepi Toscana

Let’s Talk With… Marcheses Filippo and Francesco Mazzei

Let’s Talk With… Giovanni Mazzei – The Next Generation

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▻ How to Build a Wine Empire

9 september 2024 | 29 min

▻ Omnibus XXXI

28 augusti 2024 | 72 min

▻ Sangiovese with David Gleave MW

12 augusti 2024 | 11 min

✒ Great Wines Take Time

9 augusti 2024 | min

A rare vertical of Château Grillet with Libération Tardive

As Wine Conversation listeners and readers will no doubt appreciate, the rare opportunity to taste back vintages of the legendary Château Grillet is not one to be passed up. My invitation to this tasting at 67 Pall Mall in London earlier this summer, came from an intriguingly new, not-for-profit fine wine foundation called Libération Tardive, whose aims and objectives I heartily support. Namely to address the fact that older, mature fine wines are not getting the attention they deserve – and have not done so for a number of years.

As a result, the Libération Tardive Foundation has the lofty and laudible intention of reintroducing wine enthusiasts to the value and pleasures of well-aged wine. According to its key mover, shaker and founder Dominic Buckwell, “we especially want to emphasize the fact that well aged wines offer enhanced complexity, balance and enjoyment compared to their younger counterparts.” Quite right too, IMHO…

Buckwell, a former director of Wine GB and a long-time collector, has joined forces with other oenophile warriors, (including James Belton, David Pinchard and Christopher Burr MW) to promote this noble cause. In their view, the pendulum has swung much too far towards the focus on consumption of younger wines. Indeed, to such an extent that the enjoyment of great old wines is now potentially at risk.

Encouragingly, Buckwell and his fellow aficionados at Libération Tardive have put together a practical, well thought-out programme as to how it intends to go about changing this current mindset. In particular, it wants to support and collaborate with producers, merchants and auction houses who sell and trade mature wines. Ultimately, its goal is to preserve the art and enjoyment of well-aged wines for future generations.

All the wines for this tasting came from Buckwell’s private cellar and spanned Grillet’s ownership under the Neyret-Gachet family and Artémis Domaines, which acquired Grillet in 2010. As Dominic points out, “we could have begun with an evaluation of aged port, claret or vintage madeira. But we felt that a test-drive with Grillet would be a more interesting and unusual exercise for this exceptional dry white from Condrieu.”

Did it prove the point that great wines like Grillet can and do improve with age? According to my notes, it did so in spades.

John Stimpfig. (All prices are per bottle and are the in bond market rate.)

Wine Notes:-

Château Grillet Côtes du Rhône 2018
Introduced as the second wine of Grillet since 2011 from plots not quite good enough for the grand vin, this showed gorgeous peach and apricot notes mingled with spice. Approachable and attractive now with mineral notes and hints of white flowers, it is round and textured with a gentle unctuousness. Finishes well on a savoury flourish.

14%. 100% Viognier. RRP £120. Drink: 2024-2029

Château Grillet 2018
Rich, peachy aromas. Fabulous weight and texture allied to a clean acidic thrust giving terrific mouthfeel. High-class, modern winemaking. Still young, so some puppy fat/oak still to shake off. Notes of lychee richness, lemon-oil, honey and buttered toast on the palate give way to a strong, dry, mineral, stone-fruit finish with a savoury bitterness at the very end. Very structured and concentrated at this premature stage. Needs more time to unfurl.

14%. 100% Viognier. RRP £300. Drink: 2028-2045

Château Grillet 2017
More colour than the 18, this is both exotic and exuberant on the nose and palate with power, weight and ripeness. The broad, rich stone fruit gives way to spice and savoury oatmeal on the viscous mid-palate and a long bitter finish. Plenty to admire texturally and should age well.

15.5%. 100% Viognier. RRP £290. Drink: 2024-2040

Château Grillet 2016
The 16 is a more restrained and elegant Grillet with a closed nose and some reductive struck flint notes at this stage. Gorgeous fruit comprising cream, honeydew melon, ripe peach and apricot with super balance between vibrant acidity and the fine silky structure. Very classy with fine oak integration. Still a long way to go before this reaches its peak.

14%. 100% Viognier. RRP £270. Drink: 2028-2045

Château Grillet 2015
More evolved colour, leaning to pale straw. Oxidative notes on the nose and palate are overlaid by another rich and powerful Grillet from a warm vintage. Ripe fruits and honey work alongside savoury tertiary characteristics, soft acidity and an oily viscous mouthfeel with a smokey finish.

15.5%. 100% Viognier. RRP £270. Drink: 2024-2030

Château Grillet 2014
Pale colour. Youthful fruit aromas of delicate ginger and apricot. An oily, firm, viscous palate with bright peach and pear fruit alongside honey, cream and white flowers. It’s an impeccably well-made, powerful, complex and compelling Grillet that will age effortlessy. Lots of acidity, extract, intensity and structure. Supremely balanced, this is set fair for the long haul.

14%. 100% Viognier. RRP £280. Drink: 2024-2040+

Château Grillet 2009
Unsurprisingly, more straw on the colour and an attractive, tertiary oxidative nose, with a touch of hay. This leads onto the fabulous palate with stone fruits alongside tea, oatmeal and chamomile. Wonderful texture here, considerable complexity, balance and poise. Bone dry, savoury and long. Terrific now but will keep going.

14%. 100% Viognier. RRP £270. Drink: 2024-2032+

Château Grillet 2007
Well into its teens, this delicious Grillet is ageing superbly. Lighter and tighter in style, it certainly doesn’t lack complexity and offers good primary fruit and perfume on the nose and palate with notes of lychee, stone fruit, honeysuckle and apricot. Bottle age has brought savoury depth, but the wine feels very vibrant and fresh at this stage, suggesting it still hasn’t reached its peak. Everything in balance too with good acidity, weight, presence and a long finish.

14%. 100% Viognier. RRP £250. Drink: 2024-2034+

Château Grillet 2006
The 2006 Grillet is in remarkably fine fettle. Fresh fruit on the nose with a reductive hint, this is fine and elegantly rich. In the mouth, dried apricot and ripe nectarine, floral and savoury notes mingle effortlessly with a saline edge lead on to a smokey, sappy finish that lingers on the palate. Less structured and weighty than some Grillets, this is nonetheless classically complex, pleasing and long. It is also ageing beautifully.

14%. 100% Viognier. RRP £230. Drink: 2024-2034+

Château Grillet 2004
Evolved straw colour. Similar in style and structure to the 2006, this showcases impressive freshness with tea leaf and hay on the nose. On the palate, it offers good minerality, dry herbs, oatmeal and stone fruits together with a distinct umami character. Both plush and fresh, it is drinking beautifully now.

14%. 100% Viognier. RRP £250. Drink: 2024-2034

Château Grillet 2001
The oldest wine of the tasting was showing its age with a more honeyed colour in the glass, but belied its age on the palate. An oxidative nose is prominent as are savoury bottle age characters that are coming to the fore alongside gentle apricot, dry ginger and beeswax. And at just 13.5% this also felt like less of a heavyweight Grillet with less texture and higher acidity.

13.5%. 100% Viognier. RRP £270. Drink: 2024-2030

Further information:-

Libération Tardive

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▻ Lorenzo Pasquini about Château d’Yquem

2 augusti 2024 | 38 min

▻ Gevrey-Chambertin with Jasper Morris MW

29 juli 2024 | 11 min

▻ Casa Real with Baltazar Sánchez

17 juli 2024 | 31 min

▻ Rajeev Samant of Sula Vineyards

15 juli 2024 | 60 min

▻ Chianti Classico with David Gleave MW

8 juli 2024 | 11 min

▻ The Mâconnais with Jasper Morris MW

26 juni 2024 | 11 min

✒ Connoisseur Week 2024

20 juni 2024 | min

by Sarah Kemp

I feel about Connoisseur Week the same as I do about Christmas Eve – sheer excitement, and wondering if the anticipation of what is ahead will live up to my high expectations, and more importantly, our guests.

Jane Anson and I spend hours discussing the programme each year, trying to balance visiting the great estates with a few surprises, to be sure we’ll truly give a rounded and very personal picture of “our Bordeaux.” I’m happy to report that my expectations (and, happily, our guests’) were not only met, but well exceeded. How could they not be when you are dining at a rose-strewn table at Château Latour and then hosted by the incredibly charming Thomas Duroux at Château Palmer, both in one day, and another night dining in the most desirable kitchen in the Médoc at Château La Lagune with Jean-Guillaume Prats, drinking old vintages of Léoville-Las-Cases? Then, time to go home on those high notes? No, not with more fabulous memories to come, a vineyard tour and tasting at Château Lafleur followed by dining under the stars at Château L’Evangile, drinking an unbelievable 1961 vintage in magnum with Saskia de Rothschild and her talented team. More: On the penultimate day, meeting two wine legends, Peter Sisseck at Château Rocheyron and the original bad boy of Bordeaux, Jean-Luc Valandraud, who started the garagiste movement. At that point, I think our guests were wondering what the hell would happen on the last day. Well, we had a big surprise in store, courtesy of the magician of Bordeaux, none other than François Janoueix, who had invited us to his beautiful home by the river. A horse and trap took us to the chapel of Condat, built in the 11th century and beautifully restored, followed by oysters and wine and lunch in his orangerie, where we drank vintages of great wines back to 1947. It was as close to heaven as it is possible to get! It seemed fitting that the final memory after the Michelin-starred BBQ at Château Troplong Mondot was of a brass band parading out and playing as we left, music drifting magically into the night.

Jane Anson has full tasting notes on her site, www.janeanson.com, but here are some of my favourite memories and, of course, wines.

Château Léoville-Las-Cases – a tough first night deciding which wine was my favourite, the 1996 or the 1970. The 1996 had that library nose, cedar, graphite, cassis, power but perfect balance, very long and beguiling, a truly stunning beauty. The 1970 reminded me of how often we forget how good this vintage can be. The aromatics on the nose were astonishing, wave upon wave of youthful bramble fruit, masses of energy, so vibrant and young. A fabulous pair.

Château Latour – we were blessed with one of the most eloquent guides, Katherine Cross, who took us on a two-and-a-half-hour immersive tour of the vineyard and cellar. Highlight: seeing five ladies wearing hair-nets checking each and every cork, and not just for the grand vin, but right down to their third wine, Pauillac. There were 13 buckets to put the rejects in, each marked with a different fault. The attention to detail was extraordinary. Favourite wine? Château Latour 2004 – still seems young though 20 years old, bags of energy, muscular frame holding classical cassis and lead pencil, precise and utterly moreish.

Château Palmer – possibly my favourite food and wine combination of the week. A roast lobster, peas, olive oil with herbs and flowers from Palmer’s garden matched with a rare Vin Blanc de Château, made from Muscadellle, Loset and Sauvignon Gris. Richness met richness, but the streak of fresh acidity cut through, allowing both the dish and wine to work in harmony. The 1989 Château Palmer provided a dense core of mature loganberries, leather notes, very fine silky tannins, with long lip-smacking finish. The sunset wasn’t bad either!

Château Lafleur – if there is a more passionate person in Bordeaux than Ralista Todorieva in Bordeaux I’d like to meet them. Ralista is part of Lafleur’s small team, and my memory will be of a person who was fixated that we understood every vine and what it contributed to Lafleur: A masterclass in vineyard management. Difficult to pick out a favourite as, all so distinct, but if pushed I’d choose 2015 Château Lafleur, hugely aromatic on the nose, then a seductive intensity which builds and builds, rich note of dark chocolate, wild herbs, power and finesse here, delicious now but will last for years.

Château L’Evangile – a table under the tree laden with glasses, an Argentinian chef preparing an asado with the juiciest streaks and pork imaginable, smoke rising, the smell drifting across the vineyards. Saskia de Rothschild, Juliette Couderc and Olivier Trégoat showing us the vines, 17 treatments already for mildew in a wet, wet Spring. Then dinner on a long table under the stars. Wine of the night – Château L’Evangile 1961 from magnum, in two words, beyond beauty.

Château Rocheyron – meeting a personal hero of mine, Peter Sisseck, at his 8.45 hectares of St. Emilion’s limestone plateau. As ever, Peter was full of wisdom and dry humour. Favourite wine? Hard again, so much to love but the 2016 was glorious, rich, dense core of vibrant blue and red fruit, very fine tannins, extraordinary length, power and finesse combined.

Château Valandraud – Friday night seemed to be a great night to meet the original Bad Boy of Bordeaux, Jean-Luc Thunevin with his charming wife, Murielle Andraud. First, though, a stop to where it all started in the garage in down St Emilion, before heading to the impressive château with one of the best views in St Emilion. We were all held spellbound as he talked emotionally about how he had nearly gone bankrupt and how supportive his wife had been. Favourite wine, the 2009, rich powerful core of plush fruit, great tension, layers of dark chocolate and forest herbs. Opening up in the glass, so just getting better and better, long saline finish. Delicious.

A day with François Janoueix – my strongest memory is the huge and consistent smile on François Janoueix ‘s face as he enjoyed seeing the reaction to the stunning array of great wines he produced from his cellar to celebrate each of our guest’s birth years. One guest decided he would book two spots next year, but his companion would have to be born in 1959 or 1982. The maxim of Len Evans that there are no great wines, only great bottles, was never truer. Haut Brion 1963 and 1976 Haut Bailly were not in good form, leaving the stars to be Château Bouscaut 1947, closely followed by Château La Fleur-Pétrus 1960. The 1947 had an extraordinary perfumed nose, the fruit still firm, beautiful sous-bois flavours with the silkiest of silky tannins, wave after wave of Bordeaux magic. Simply stunning. So much so, it was hard to move on. The 1955 Pichon Baron came next and was slightly overshadowed, whereas the La Fleur-Pétrus challenged the Bouscaut, with its sweet briar fruit, still fresh, with extraordinary power driving through to the final note. As a general observation, the wines from the 1970s didn’t hold up to the vintages from the 1960s, with my third favourite Château Belair 1964. A visit to the 11th century chapel at Condat, one of the great jewels of Bordeaux, which I had not visited before, completed the day. Blessed all round.

The Connoisseur Week is hosted by Jane Anson and Sarah Kemp.

For information on future Connoisseur Weeks with Jane Anson and Sarah Kemp write to [email protected].
The 2025 Connoisseur Week takes place on 3rd-8th June 2025.

▻ Omnibus XXX

15 juni 2024 | 61 min

▻ Andrew Caillard MW about The Australian Ark

15 juni 2024 | 38 min

▻ Sacha Lichine

11 juni 2024 | 43 min

▻ Sebastián Labbé – The 2024 Chilean Vintage

25 maj 2024 | 21 min

▻ Understanding the Burgundy Trade

20 maj 2024 | 11 min

▻ Wine Maps

12 maj 2024 | 22 min

▻ Bordeaux 2023 – Part Two

2 maj 2024 | 18 min

▻ Omnibus XXIX

28 april 2024 | 74 min

▻ Bordeaux 2023 – Part One

23 april 2024 | 18 min

▻ St-Aubin with Jasper Morris MW

22 april 2024 | 11 min

▻ Bordeaux 2023 – A Preview With Jane Anson

15 april 2024 | 7 min

▻ Sauternes with Jane Anson

7 april 2024 | 11 min

▻ Omnibus XXVIII

27 mars 2024 | 65 min

▻ Nuits-St-Georges with Jasper Morris MW

25 mars 2024 | 11 min

▻ Gary Boom of Bordeaux Index

18 mars 2024 | 39 min

▻ Cabernet Franc with Jane Anson

11 mars 2024 | 11 min

▻ Biondi-Santi with Giampiero Bertolini

5 mars 2024 | 23 min

▻ Marcheses Filippo and Francesco Mazzei

27 februari 2024 | 38 min

▻ Pessac-Léognan with Jane Anson

15 februari 2024 | 11 min

✒ Isole e Olena New Releases

14 februari 2024 | min

*Isole e Olena Estate Director Emanuele Reolon*

On a cold, windy February night, Emanuele Reolon met Britain’s wine press for the first time in his new role of Estate Director of Isole e Olena. David Gleave MW, of Liberty Wine renown, who had been the first person to import Isole e Olena back in the 1980s, had ensured smooth sailing by holding the dinner at The River Café, where the menu would complement the wines with authentic Tuscan flair. Reolon is in his early forties, and has worked in Chianti as well as Romania. He told me that he spoke to Paolo de Marchi, who sold the winery to the EPI Group (which also owns Champagne Charles Heidsieck and Biondi-Santi) every day. He was astounded by Paolo’s generosity: “He could have just walked away,” he said.

Reolon has an easy, open, almost boyish charm, and is thrilled to have landed at one of Italy’s most acclaimed estates – his enthusiasm and love of the property radiated around the room. The release of the latest vintage was the focus of the evening; older vintages were also shown, to demonstrate the ability of the wines to age. I will continue to bang the drum that Chianti is currently offering wine lovers the best value for money in the fine-wine market, and here is more proof. After all the work done by the Consorzio 20 years ago in recommending new clones, trellising, spacing, and better viticultural practices, the changes made are now showing in the glass. Paolo de Marchi helped lead the movement of Chianti from taverna wine to fine wine for collectors, and it was heartening to meet Emanuele, who is enthusiastically taking up the baton and continuing his great work. The three releases below were Paolo’s last vintages.

Wine Notes:-

Isole e Olena “Collezione Privata” Chardonnay 2022
I am a big fan of Isole e Olena’s chardonnays (see previous tasting notes), which match top Burgundies for complexity and subtlety, but have a distinct Tuscan profile. The 2022 did not disappoint. White flowers on the nose, the palate has a wonderful rich, powerful, energetic expression – lots of citrus zest balances the core of stone fruit, slightly tight at moment, so will reward patience either in the cellar or in the glass.

Isole e Olena Chianti Classico 2021
In terms of value for money, it is hard to beat Isole e Olena’s Chianti Classico. The 2021 release has all the bright, Bing cherries and spice you want from a great Chianti. Wonderful grip, with a focused intensity, meaty essence, and slight hint of fresh mushrooms. There is great freshness and energy in this wine. Still slightly tight on the finish, but has the potential to be one of the great vintages for cellaring.

Cepparello 2021
The first vintage of Cepparello was 1980, and the Sangiovese grapes come from the best sites on the estate. The nose intrigues with its fragrance and spice, while on the palate there is concentration and richness, a core of red fruit, luscious damson plums and cherries, and delicious refreshing acidity, which seems to get more intense as it coats the mouth. Power and elegance perfectly combined. Still tight on the finish, but definitely one to keep to watch and enjoy its magnificent core of fruit unfold.

Further information:-

www.libertywines.co.uk

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▻ Omnibus XXVII

12 februari 2024 | 61 min

▻ Edouard Miailhe

5 februari 2024 | 71 min

▻ Giovanni Mazzei – The Next Generation

25 januari 2024 | 23 min

▻ Nick Pegna of Sotheby’s

19 januari 2024 | 63 min

▻ Jean-Charles Boisset

12 januari 2024 | 75 min

▻ Michel Roux Jr

3 januari 2024 | 32 min

▻ Omnibus XXVI

29 december 2023 | 74 min

▻ Ukraine’s Champagne for Victory

21 december 2023 | 20 min

▻ The Best Books on Bordeaux

18 december 2023 | 38 min

▻ Francesco Ricasoli

12 december 2023 | 43 min

▻ Merlot with Jane Anson

1 december 2023 | 11 min

✒ Why I believe that Tuscany’s golden era is right now

27 november 2023 | min

Every wine region has its golden moment, a time when the stars align, into full brightness, and possibilities flourish. It most often occurs when a group of individuals collectively raise the bar.

Bordeaux’s golden era was the 1980s, based on the groundwork of Emile Peynaud, whose knowledge was taken up by some of the wine world’s most charismatic characters, including Jean-Michel Cazes, Anthony Barton, Christian Moueix, May-Eliane de Lencquesaing, a young Corinne Mentzelopolous, Olivier Bernard, Baron Eric de Rothschild. They produced a movement which excited wine lovers and began to transform the wine scene into the dynamic fine-wine world we know today. In the 1990s, it was Burgundy’s turn – Claude and Lydia Bourguignon drew attention to the soil, and Christophe Roumier, Jacques Seysses and Aubert de Villaine amongst others not only raised the bar, but jumped high over it. Today, I believe, it’s Tuscany’s golden turn, based on the same fundamental ingredients: Open-minded research in the vineyards, a reassessment of long-held assumptions, and a group of committed, talented winemakers responding to the myriad new possibilities.

This Tuscan wine renaissance began with the Chianti Classico 2000 project, which was conceived in the late 1980s, where everything in the vineyard was reassessed – clones, training systems, rootstock, plant density, soil management–altogether,16 years of research in collaboration with the Universities of Florence and Pisa. Today, the results are evident in the glass, with Sangiovese taking a starring role, something it was not always able to do back before 2000. Tuscany has also been blessed with a series of brilliant and committed winemakers who seized upon the research and revitalised their vineyards. One of the great natural advantages Tuscany has, especially in Chianti, is the natural woodland which surrounds and intersects the vineyards; for example, at Isole e Olena there are no contiguous vineyards, each vineyard is surrounded by trees, creating a series of subtly different ecosystems, and the beneficial results of this interplay are revealed in the glass. Now, as the rest of the world is waking up to the need for biodiversity (Cheval Blanc in Bordeaux and Harlan Estate in California are planting trees amongst their vines), Chianti is already ahead.

I recently spent a week visiting some of the region’s best-known and highly regarded producers, discovering how the standard has been elevated, and how exhilarating the vivacity and freshness of these wines can be. I have rarely returned from a region more excited. Winemakers like Paolo de Marchi, the Mazzei family, Carlo Ferrini (who was deeply involved with the original research), Francesco Ricasoli – on a one-man mission to rescue his historic estate and return it to its former glory – all are giving us wine lovers reasons to celebrate. This indeed is their time.

Probably the biggest difference from 20 years ago is the work that has been done on understanding their main grape, Sangiovese, whose fortunes have wavered considerably over time, including with its partnerships. And though there are some people who have railed against the use of international varieties, the “Super Tuscans” brought a welcome spotlight to the region, and money, at a time when Chianti’s reputation was that of a wine to be drunk with pizza or pasta in a local trattoria. Some of my favourite wines during my week’s tasting have a percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot, and I believe they have a rightful place in the hills of Tuscany, which makes it all the more puzzling as to why the Chianti Classico Gran Selezione rules restrict blends to 90% Sangiovese, and 10% native Italian varieties. It is easy to be an ideological purist about wine, but surely the thing that matters most is what is in our glass? There is no doubt that the Gran Selezione classification has brought more interest in top Chianti, but there are more discoveries from more sources in these hills waiting for wine lovers. Chardonnay from Italy, do we need it? Yes, is my answer if it is made by Paolo de Marchi or Barone Ricasoli; 100% Merlot? Yes, if it is Barone Ricasoli Casalferro (which has no mention of the varietal on the label). Best of all, these wines are still great value in fine-wine terms, with many of them under £50.

Here is a selection of my star buys:-

Isole e Olena

Cepparello 2020
In 1980, Paolo de Marchi made his first 100% Sangiovese, “Cepparello,” after tagging the Sangiovese vines in his vineyards which consistently delivered the most flavour. His contribution to Tuscany and Italy cannot be overstated. He leaves the estate at the end of the year, leaving his legacy alive in the multitude of beautiful bottles he has given his life to.
Seductive, highly perfumed nose drawing you into the glass. Layer upon layer of rich crunchy cherries, waves of plums, spice and cocoa, velvet tannins holding everything in place. Importer: Liberty Wines

Isole e Olena Chardonnay 2021
From just 5.6 hectares, this Chardonnay has a cult following; no wonder, it has the purity of a top Chablis with green-apple crispness, slate minerality, beautiful creamy texture coating the palate, very long and fine. Importer: Liberty Wines

Castello di Fonterutoli

The Mazzei family have been in Tuscany for six centuries. Today the estate is run by brothers Fillipo and Francesco Mazzei, with “Ipsus,” their new estate, run by Fillipo’s son Giovanni. The entire estate is 650 hectares in total, with 110 hectares planted to vines plus 6.5 hectares specially for Ipsus. They have just celebrated 40 years of “Concerto,” one of the first Super Tuscans, which has produced 22 vintages from Alberese soil. I enjoyed a stunning vertical, with each and every wine a choice I would like in my cellar, but these two heartbreakers stood out, and demonstrate why I believe that Chianti is one of the most exciting value for money fine-wine regions in the world at this moment in time.

Concerto di Fonterutoli 2015, Toscana IGT
Glorious floral perfumed nose, 80% Sangiovese, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, red and black fruit dancing across the palate, woodland herb, deep core of fresh vibrant fruit, everything controlled and in balance, savoury and moreish, an elegant seduction of the senses, superb. Importer: Maison Marques et Domaines

Concerto di Fonterutoli 2019, Toscana IGT
I don’t give points, but if I did there would hardly be enough for this wine, and at the price it is a total steal. Hints of coffee on the nose, then an outstanding core of wave upon wave of sensuous red and black fruit, coffee, mint, so juicy and generous, but there is precision here too. The energy in this wine is extraordinary, one of my wines of the year. Importer: Maison Marques et Domaines; Stockist: Hedonism £49.80

Ipsus

I made sure I had a double espresso before meeting Giovanni Mazzei in order to keep up with his boundless energy. Giovanni’s main passion is “Ipsus,” which comes from the Il Caggio property, which until the Marchesi Mazzei family bought it in 2006 had not been under vine. Giovanni Mazzei was struck by the full character of the wine that was made when they planted the area, and moved his young family to the property, which is situated in what has to be one of the most beautiful spots in Tuscany, with a 360-degree panoramic view of the landscape. All his energy and ambition is going into making Tuscany’s finest wine; the first vintage was 2015, and already it has become a true collector’s item.

Ipsus 2019, Chianti Classico Gran Selezione DOCG
Rich aromatic forest fruit jumps out of the glass, a generous explosion of opulent red fruit and velvet tannins – this is a dramatic wine full of tension and energy. A wonderful savoury finish, exciting. Stockists: Corney and Barrow, Honest Grapes

Ipsus 2018, Chianti Classico Gran Selezione DOCG
100% Sangiovese, beautiful uplifted rose petals on the nose, luminous crimson colour, the silkiest tannins imaginable, a core of firm fresh redcurrants underpinned by a layer of deepest dark chocolate. There is clear mint freshness to the wine, but the overall impression is a wine of tension and precision, a tightrope walker, very pure, very long, and very moreish. Stockists: Petersham Cellars, Honest Grapes

Barone Ricasoli

The Brolio Castle owned by Francesco Ricasoli is one of the potent symbols of Chianti, first documented in the family papers in 1141. Francesco Ricasoli gave up his career as a professional photographer to run the estate in 1993 and has spent the last 30 years returning the estate to its former glory (it had been sold off to Seagrams and then Hardy’s). Today, it is making some of Chianti’s finest wines.

Barone Ricasoli Torricella Chardonnay 2021
This wine was a wonderful surprise and must be one of today’s star buys at around £20 a bottle. Mid-gold in colour, purity and precision on the palate, firm core of white flowers, citric notes, harmonious and very elegant. Lovely minerality, satin texture, long and intriguing. Stockists: Vinvm, Partridges of Sloane Square, Simply Wines Direct £23.99

Barone Ricasoli Colledilà 2016 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione, Brolio
Enticing, seductive nose of perfumed musk rose, 100% Sangiovese on limestone soil, beautiful pure red fruit, with layers of minerals, hint of liquorish, silky tannins wrapping sinuously around the fruit. Elegant, long and mesmerising. Stockists: Cru London, St Swithins Wine Shippers £49.99

Barone Ricasoli Colledilà 2020 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione, Brolio
This is an exceptional wine, from an exceptional vineyard. Nose of intoxicating irises, subtle and intriguing. The 2020 vintage has a core of vertical red and black fruit, with an arrow of acidity driving through it. Dark chocolates, woodland herbs, all add to this powerful but controlled and layered wine. It is a wine which has intent, there is huge energy but precision balance too, like a Ferrari on the starting line. Stunning. Importer: John E Fells; Stockist: Cru London £69.99

Barone Ricasoli Castello di Brolio 2020 Gran Selezione
From sandstone and limestone soils at a height of 400-500 metres, the Castello di Brolio has a nose of wild strawberries lifting out of the glass. Tastes of strawberries and redcurrants cut with blackberries, extremely generous, a total celebration of lively fresh fruit, with satin tannins, like attending a house party dressed in velvet. Importer: John E Fells; Stockist: Cru London £59.99

Barone Ricasoli Casalferro 2019
This 100% Merlot has the Ricasoli’s hallmark of purity, direction and precision. From a vineyard of limestone and sandstone, fragrant nose, with wild cherries and plums on the palate, Tuscan spice, very fresh and hedonistic, great grip and controlled energy. Delicious savoury finish. Stockists: Crump Richmond Shaw, Cru London £69.99

Giodo

Carlo Ferrini is one of the most admired and respected consultants anywhere. In 2001, he found an ideal 6 hectares and started making his own wine, along with his daughter Bianca. He has channelled all his years of experience and understanding into his own wine, which clearly demonstrate his intimate understanding of the beauty of the Sangiovese grape.

La Quinta Podere Giodo di Carlo Ferrini 2021 IGT
I am a huge fan of Carlo Ferrini, who has done so much to raise the reputation of Chianti. Giodo is his own small property, which he runs with his daughter Bianca. La Quinta comes from vineyards close to the cellar, from 7-year-old vines. Carlo, who must have more experience with clones than most people, has chosen 8 for the composition of La Quinta. Highly perfumed nose of wild roses, fresh crunchy red forest fruit, dark cherries, mint, silky tannins beautifully integrated, very fresh and very pure. Importer: Lea and Sandeman

Giodo Brunello di Montalcino 2019
Very floral bouquet, on the palate an explosion of sweet juicy blue and red fruit, depth and concentration, coffee, dark chocolate, firm tannins holding all in place. A wine with a clear sense of place. Importer: Lea and Sandeman

Biondi-Santi

Biondi-Santi has been a symbol of classic Brunello, and is one of Italy’s most sought-after wines. Today, it is owned by the EPI group (who also own Charles Heidsieck and Isole e Olena). They are putting considerable investment into the estate, reminding me of the great line in Lampedusa’s “The Leopard” – “For things to remain the same, everything must change.” Exciting times for this great estate.

Biondi-Santi Brunello di Montalcino Reserva 2010
Made from vines more than 25 years old, it has a seductive floral nose, very perfumed with irises and peonies. Deep firm core of lively red fruit and Victoria plums, fresh mushrooms, bark, very layered cashmere tannins, extremely fine and elegant. Importer: Liberty Wine Stockist: Berry Brothers and Rudd

Biondi-Santi Brunello di Montalcino Reserva 1988
The words “utterly gorgeous” should suffice. An outstanding Biondi-Santi, truffles on the nose, an exuberant explosion of lovely woodland fruit, truffles and fresh mushrooms, a streak of acidity running through like an arrow, silky fine tannins, but the overall impression is a wine of harmony and exquisite balance. Importer: Liberty Wines to be released Spring 2024

Bertinga

The owners bought the three vineyards in Gaiole in Chianti from Castello di Ama. Though it’s a relatively new winery, they are focused on the individual expression of each vineyard. A winery to watch.

Bertinga Sassi Chuisi Toscana IGT 2018
This is their second vin, Bertinga, Toscana IGT being their flagship wine. 85% Sangiovese-15% Merlot. This shows delicious bright crunchy redcurrants, gently extracted, good attack and balance, very drinkable and moreish. 25,000 bottles and released later as they believe it needs time to show its true character. Not imported to the UK currently

Tenuta di Ghizzano

If dogs take after their owners, do wineries reflect theirs? It certainly seems so at Tenuta di Ghizzano, where the delightful Ginerva Venerosi Pescolini beats her own drum with her biodynamic wines. All her wines have distinct personalities – they demand attention. Based in a beautiful bowl of hills south-east of Pisa, the estate has been in her family since 1370. Today 20 hectares are planted to vines, and 20 more to olives.

Tenuta di Ghizzano, Nambrot 2019 A blend of 60% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, 20% Petit Verdot; 18 months in barrique, 12 months in bottle
Mid-ruby colour, a whiff of forest berries and cigar box on the nose, on the palate a firm grip of blackcurrants, fresh mint, plush and juicy. There is purity here and a deep firm core of delicious energised fruit, black pepper, cinnamon, with a wonderful core of acidity driving through, very long and despite the concentration of the fruit, there is lightness of touch too. Refined and elegant. Importer: Woodwinters, Scotland; Stockist: Xtrawine.com £40.20

Tenuta di Ghizzano, Mimesi Vermentino, Costa Toscana, 2022
Mid-gold colour, very distinct nose with intriguing hints of lemon sherbet, very rich intense core of Bramley apples slightly bruised, very textured, elegant, pure with a long finish. This is a serious Vermentino, not a summer day’s Vermentino. Thoughtful and intriguing. The wine, which is 100% Vermentino, spends 15 days on the skins in small amphoras. Importer: Woodwinters, Scotland.

Further Information:-

Isole e Olena
Castello di Fonterutoli
Ipsus
Barone Ricasoli
Giodo
Biondi-Santi
Bertinga
Tenuta di Ghizzano

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▻ Paolo de Marchi

23 november 2023 | 44 min

▻ Omnibus XXV

16 november 2023 | 65 min

▻ Bordeaux Courtiers with Jane Anson

6 november 2023 | 11 min

✒ The Wine Show

6 november 2023 | min

Remove a Champagne Cork with Your Teeth – Arnold Roth

Wine writing today rarely contains humour, which when you think of its Bacchanalian roots, seems like a sad omission.

So, it’s great news that we can enjoy humour a-plenty this month at The Wine Show – no, not a Prowein exposition or London wine trade marathon tasting, but The Wine Show exhibition at Chris Beetles Gallery in St. James, London, where more than 150 cartoons and illustrations on wine are to be exhibited. The Gallery specialises in traditional artworks from the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries, and holds the greatest stock of original illustrations and cartoons for sale in the world. My father was a great fan of Pont cartoons, so I have memories of accompanying him there, as he spent what seemed then an incredibly long time gazing at the diverse, wide-ranging, and amusing stock.

Among the artists on show are George Du Maurier, Michael ffolkes, Peter Cross, Simon Drew, Edward Ardizzone, Matt (a favourite cartoonist of Michael Broadbent), John Burningham and, of course, Pont. I have a particular affection for the cartoons of John Burningham, perhaps because his children’s books Cannonball Simp, along with Humbert and Mister Firkin, were two of my favourite childhood books. I was delighted to discover that late in life he wrote a book on Champagne, illustrated with his magical drawings.

All the cartoons are for sale and can be viewed on www.chrisbeetles.com.

Better still, wander down Ryder Street, St. James, and see them for yourself.

The Exhibition runs from 7th to 25th November. Monday - Saturday, 10am - 5.30pm.

Further information:-

www.chrisbeetles.com

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▻ Coravin

26 oktober 2023 | 34 min

▻ Ornellaia

18 oktober 2023 | 16 min

▻ St Julien with Jane Anson

11 oktober 2023 | 10 min

▻ Omnibus XXIV

26 september 2023 | 56 min

▻ Jean-Guillaume Prats

19 september 2023 | 60 min

▻ Margaux with Jane Anson

12 september 2023 | 11 min

▻ Eduardo Chadwick

5 september 2023 | 62 min

▻ Denise Adams

14 augusti 2023 | 64 min

▻ Omnibus XXIII

9 augusti 2023 | 76 min

▻ Wine Glasses with Maximilian Riedel

26 juli 2023 | 29 min

▻ Australia’s First Growth

26 juli 2023 | 22 min

▻ Jamie Kutch

18 juli 2023 | 67 min

✒ Remembering Jean-Michel Cazes

11 juli 2023 | min

A large void has appeared in the Medoc with the passing of Jean-Michel Cazes, a void which will not be easily filled. There are some people who are born to be at the centre and who through their own dynamic character change the course of events, and one such person was Jean-Michel.

Back in the 1970s, the majority of vineyards weren’t making any money – the stratospheric prices that the top wines fetch today would have seemed a pipe dream. It was the opening up of the US market in the early 1980s that changed Bordeaux’s fortunes, and Jean-Michel was the Pied Piper of Bordeaux who brought the US wine lovers and, later on, the Asian wine lovers to the region, and in doing so changed Bordeaux’s fortunes.

When I had the idea of starting The Wine Conversation, the very first trip I made was to Pauillac to see Jean-Michel. He and I had a long history together, and I knew he was the one person I could talk to about the fledgling project, and who would be tolerant of my inexperience with recording equipment when I interviewed him. The night before we recorded, we had dinner in Pauillac, and afterwards he drove me around the small town, showing me where his grandfather had lived, the bakery, the insurance office he worked in while trying to keep the vineyard in the family (his father had suggested selling it, as it wasn’t making money). Pauillac was his home, a rare occurrence in the Medoc, as most owners live in Bordeaux or Paris. The next day, as we were about to record, the builders began banging away, creating the new cellar, so we went to Cordeillan Bages, found a relatively soundproof room, and over the following hours, he generously unfolded the fascinating story of his life. What was to be one “Great Wine Life” programme turned into three – and we are relinking them here to listen to.

I consider him one of the greats of the wine world, not just Bordeaux. His warmth, humour, and generosity helped hundreds of people become interested in wine. When he hosted a masterclass at the Decanter Fine Wine Encounter, I overheard one attendee say as they left the room “that was the equivalent of hearing the Beatles in the Cavern Club!”

““I consider him one of the greats of the wine world, not just Bordeaux.””

— Sarah Kemp

In the first episode, he talks movingly about his father (who had been a prisoner of war) returning from the war, and how Jean-Michel had wanted to be a doctor but was persuaded to try engineering. This led to studying in the US, and when he returned to the Medoc his knowledge of English gave him a huge advantage over his neighbours when the US market opened up. In the second episode, he talks about how modern techniques in winemaking revolutionised Bordeaux, and Emile Peynaud’s huge influence in creating modern Bordeaux. He reminisces about his early wine-business trips to the US and then to Asia, where a contract with Cathay Pacific made Château Lynch Bages one of Asia’s most popular wines. In the final episode he looks back on the AXA years – where he added the responsibility of Château Pichon Baron to his agenda. He also tells how he expanded the AXA holdings to Hungary and the Douro. A truly great wine life, generous and enlightening.

Further information:-

Great Wine Lives: Jean-Michel Cazes (Ep. 1)

Great Wine Lives: Jean-Michel Cazes (Ep. 2)

Great Wine Lives: Jean-Michel Cazes (Ep. 3)

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▻ Gorgona

10 juli 2023 | 18 min

▻ Saint-Émilion with Jane Anson

5 juli 2023 | 11 min

▻ Trevor Durling of Beaulieu Vineyard

27 juni 2023 | 34 min

▻ Rare Wine Books

21 juni 2023 | 53 min

▻ Omnibus XXII

6 juni 2023 | 59 min

✒ Great Wine Education Courses Pt 2

29 maj 2023 | min

with Charlie Leary

Charlie Leary, author of the highly acclaimed Leary’s Global Wineology, looks at free online wine courses available to wine lovers in the second of our series on Great Wine Education.

Learning about wine doesn’t have to be expensive, except possibly purchasing the necessary wine for tasting, which bring lots of added benefits. As Alexis Lichine said: “The best way to learn about wine is in the drinking.” My guide to wine education programs covers the numerous scholarship and mentorship programs available (like Jane Anson’s Bordeaux Mentor Week) and the numerous online wine courses offering free or inexpensive options. These cover everything from a comprehensive introduction to wine to in-depth regional focus on particular appellations or countries. In fact, by combining courses, you can even construct your own curriculum to gain an in-depth understanding of wine, and all at your own pace.

In my book there are suggestions for course combinations that delve into California, Spanish, Portuguese, and French wines. The online option perfectly suits beginners, but can also help those who already know about wine to explore new regions. The majority of online courses are completely free, although some charge a fee in you require a certificate. New ones pop up all the time: Wines of South Africa just added a Level 2 class. Some courses require admission (usually requiring some connection to the trade or wine service).

My selection criterion include that the online course not just be a series of videos on YouTube, that it require registration, involve quizzes or exams, and that you receive a certificate at the end.

Below are two of my favorites, with no admission requirements. There are plenty more and you will find more detail on other options in Leary’s Global Wineology.

World of Wine from Grape to Glass, University of Adelaide and ED/X: This course provides an excellent introduction to wine, including viticulture, winemaking, and wine appreciation with diverse instructors and guest lecturers. The learning objectives include the ability to evaluate and communicate the various sensory attributes of wine using formal descriptive language; explain the structure, growth and development of grapevines and objectives of different vineyard management practices; and contrast the different winemaking techniques employed in the production of different styles of wine. This course has been around for a while now; I took it in 2016, and I wish Adelaide would invest in an update. Nevertheless, it’s chocked full of knowledge. I recently went back over many of the classes, and learned (or refreshed my memory on) detailed insights about how wine is made today.

School of Port Essentials and Masters Video Courses from Symington Family Estates: These two entertaining courses on Port are filled with high-quality video content and detailed explanations by experts. The Essentials course introduces the terroir as well as distinct production techniques for different Port wines; it’s an entry level class, but superb for those just starting to learn about this fortified wine and its versatility. The Masters Course uses informative interviews and still more video footage, so you really come to understand the Douro region. It provides specialist-level knowledge of Port production, regulation, ageing, barrel use, and wine styles. Symington should be applauded for developing these free classes.

So, dive in! You can register anytime and either take a leisurely pace or attack the material in a few sittings, on your laptop or your smartphone. To find out about the many other wine courses available you can buy my book which list all the options available in wine education worldwide.

Further information:-

Article: Where to learn about wine with Charlie Leary

BUY: Leary’s Global Wineology

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▻ The Royal Opera House Wine Gala

29 maj 2023 | 13 min

▻ Bolgheri with Nelson Pari and Federico Moccia

25 maj 2023 | 34 min

✒ Isole e Olena “Collezione Privata” Chardonnay

24 maj 2023 | min

“It was not a wine I produced thinking of the market,” Paolo de Marchi told me at the first vertical tasting of Isole e Olena “Collezione Privata” Chardonnay, which was held recently at Chez Bruce in London.

Isole e Olena is located on the western slope of the Chianti Classico hills, halfway between Florence and Siena; it is famed for its nuanced Chianti Classico wines and its world-renowned flagship wine, Cepparello.

Paolo moved to the family estate in 1976, and found that the vineyards had been planted with no idea of quality. “When you start with problems, you start thinking,” he said as he smiled and explained how he decided to graft over the white varietals of Trebbiano and Malvasia used for blending in Chianti Classico to Chardonnay. “We had no time to experiment,” he laughed, recalling that when he planted the Chardonnay he had no idea that it would become so sought-after in its own right. Today it has such a following that it was decided to give the varietal its own moment in the sun, with a vertical tasting of six vintages. The vines are planted on limestone and clay soils, and the first Isole e Olena Chardonnay was produced in 1987. The hallmark for me of Isole e Olena’s Chardonnays is their creamy cashmere textures and limestone elegance. These are gourmet wines in every sense.

Wine Notes:-

Isole e Olena “Collezione Privita” Chardonnay 2021
A difficult vintage, with a mild winter, heavy rains in November and a wet Spring leading to a dry summer with some rain in August. The fruit comes from 5 hectares on the north-eastern side of the estate at 400 meters above sea level, with the vines being between 30-40 years old. Light golden-green in colour, an enticing mineral-driven nose: the style is reminiscent of Puligny-Montrachet, creamy texture with a core of intense stone fruit layered with fresh vibrant green notes, very structured and precise with a long, citric finish. 14%.

Isole e Olena “Collezione Privita” Chardonnay 2016
A mild winter with perfect temperatures during the Spring and Summer. The large diurnal temperature variation has given the 2016 vintage very defined aromatics. Antique gold in colour, the nose explodes with fresh aromas of stone fruit, on the palate there’s a deep core of apricots and white peach, mint and a creamy cashmere texture, very elegant with wonderful balance and precision. 14%.

Isole e Olena “Collezione Privita” Chardonnay 2015
A favourable vintage with a very wet winter that enabled the vines to access deep-seated water reserves. After fermentation in barrel, the wine remained on the lees in one-third new oak barrels for 10 months. During the first six months, the wine was stirred in the Burgundian style to give the wine more complexity. Floral nose, rich core of ripe white fruit, oak more obvious on this vintage than the others, full-bodied and still young. 13.5%.

Isole e Olena “Collezione Privita” Chardonnay 2014
A rainy vintage which was saved by a dry September and October, which allowed for a late harvest with short days and cool nights. The 2014 is outstanding, and my wine of the vertical. Mid-gold colour, fresh uplifted nose, there is wonderful lyrical movement in this wine as it waltzes across your palate. A kaleidoscope of flavours, a firm core of stone fruit, minerals, mint, white peach, orange blossom, hints of mandarin, a direct arrow of acidity drives through the wine. Beautifully balanced with a long finish, A truly world-class Chardonnay. 14%.

Isole e Olena “Collezione Privita” Chardonnay 2012
2012 started cool with virtually no rain until May and early June. Summer was hot and dry, with rain arriving in August to revive the vines. Deep golden colour, rich marmalade notes on nose, the wine shows the heat of the vintage with an intense core of citric confit, quince, hallmark creamy texture, full-bodied, slightly dry on finish. 13.5%.

Isole e Olena “Collezione Privita” Chardonnay 2011
A warm Spring brought early budding, summer was cool to start with, but improved by mid-August. Luminous gold in colour, richly aromatic, intense core of ripe peach, orange, grapefruit, hints of mint, remarkably fresh, with creamy velvet texture. Very gourmet with a long finish. 14%.

Further information:-

www.libertywines.co.uk

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✒ A Starry Night: Wine Gala

23 maj 2023 | min

The Wine Conversation and the Royal Opera House in London are presenting a Wine Gala Dinner and Charity Auction at the ROH’s beautiful Paul Hamlyn Hall on Sunday June 11th 2023.

All proceeds from the night will benefit the Royal Opera House Covent Garden Foundation, securing the future of ballet and opera. This special evening will commence with a Champagne Laurent-Perrier Grand Siècle reception, followed by a special recital by renowned opera stars Jonas Kaufmann and Ludovic Tézier alongside the immensely talented Aigul Akhmetshina.

A special menu designed by the Company of Cooks will match world-class wines; Domaine Jacques Prieur Montrachet 2014, Biondi-Santi Brunello di Montalcino Reserva 1999, Château Lafite Rothschild 2007, and Taylor’s 30-year-old Tawny Port.

The wines will be presented by their principals; following the dinner there will be an auction conducted by Charlie Foley of Christie’s offering lots featuring exclusive world-class wine lots, and unique Royal Opera House experiences. The cultural wine event of the year!

Further information:-

[email protected]

Gabriella Wilby +44(0)20 7212 9458

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✒ Bordeaux 2022 – Terroir & Talent

16 maj 2023 | min

En Primeur is a divisive subject.

There are journalists who refuse to taste, claiming they don’t want to taste samples that are not finished, or worse, manipulated to suit certain palates. There are others who believe that journalists become embroiled in the sales system by publishing reviews before prices are announced. What is certain is that no region in the world can shine such a bright spotlight and create as much commentary and hype as Bordeaux does every April, when it opens its doors to the world to taste the latest vintage. One could be forgiven for believing during April that no other wine region exists. Even journalists who haven’t tasted the fledgling samples pitch in with an opinion, not wanting to be left out of the great theatre of En Primeur.

This year more than 6,000 of the world’s wine trade and journalists descended on Bordeaux to taste the 2022 vintage. This was the driest vintage recorded, with little rain between mid-June and harvest, and it was also the year of wildfires perilously close to the vineyards of the Southern Graves. I spent a week tasting alongside Jane Anson, who has just released her report on www.janeanson.com, a herculean effort of reviewing over 800 wines. I only tasted 300, but it was enough to confirm that it is a vintage like no other I have tasted in my career, a vintage of surprise, and a reminder the danger of judging a vintage entirely from fact sheets. All generalisations in this vintage went out of the window, it wasn’t a Right Bank year, nor a Left Bank year, not a Cabernet year, nor a Merlot year. It was a year for terroir and talent, a year where decisions made in the vineyard and the cellar were crucial – a year when the talent of the winemaker made a huge difference to the end result.

In the past, it was about to getting the grapes to perfect ripeness; this year it was how to achieve ripeness without over-ripeness and how to manage the tannins. Many producers talked about the vines becoming “battle-hardened” after several hot vintages, adapting to climate change. Jane pointed out that, while we all hope this will be the case, the proof will be if there are several years of drought, as 2022 benefited from a water reserve from 2021. What is without question is that many of the producers have become “battle-hardened” and are taking new approaches to viticulture and vinification. As Véronique Sanders of Château Haut-Bailly told me, “We wouldn’t have vinified like this 20 years ago.” It was interesting to note how several of the most successful wines had winemakers who had experience in California and South America. Fabien Teitgen from Château Smith Haut-Lafitte, who produced a brilliant red and white in 2022, told me that he was looking at vertical trellising after his time in Napa at the Cathiard’s new estate. A gentle extraction was an important key to success, as small berries and low yields led to deep colours and tannins that needed careful managing. The skin-to-juice ratio was high, so many of the most successful producers reduced the fermentation temperature from around 28°C to 26°C. Also, while there were hot days and drought conditions, the 2022 vintage had the advantage of cool nights from June to September, and I was impressed how many of the wines had retained their freshness.

Some wines which were on clay (and thus, on paper, should do well) produced tannins which were too overpowering, while certain gravel soils coped well. It is an estate-by-estate vintage. I didn’t taste the Moueix stable, Cheval Blanc or Leoville Barton on this trip (which often rank in my top wines) but out of the 300 I tasted here are my stand-outs: all the First Growths produced wines true to their terroirs, just in bigger frames. Château Margaux was particularly impressive for retaining its perfumed character in such a dry year. Lafite, Latour and Mouton all produced stunningly beautiful wines, it really is a matter of stylistic preference with these four, they are all at the top of their game. I marginally preferred Mission Haut-Brion to Haut Brion on the day, but at this point I wouldn’t read much into that, Haut Brion was coiled up, everything there, but slightly closed. Second wines have been constantly champing at the heels of the Grands Vins over the past few vintages, but not so in 2022. There was one second wine, however, which jumped out this year, it was Petit Mouton, an absolute triumph.

On the Left Bank, Nicolas Glumineau has provided us with a stunning Pichon Comtesse, another in a string of brilliant Pichon Comtesse vintages, and I was surprised and delighted by Château Batailley, which punched well above its weight. In the past I have found it rather four-square but the 2022 is probably one of the best Batailleys I have tasted at En Primeur. Down in the Graves, in two totally different styles, were Châteaux Haut-Bailly and Smith Haut-Lafitte – Haut-Bailly had classical Mozartian elegance, and Smith Haut-Lafitte showed all the energy of a rock ‘n’ roll star. Both were brilliant in totally different ways. On the Right Bank, Ch Beausejour Duffau-Lagarrosse was glorious, pure limestone elegance, but the wine of the week for me was Lafleur – heartbreakingly beautiful, and I believe will be one of the great classics of our time. I would urge readers to subscribe to Jane Anson’s site (www.janeanson.com) for a full report. Jane and I agree 90% of the time, but I am delighted to report we can happily disagree too.

So the question is whether to buy or not. My advice is, firstly, consider how old you are and when you plan to drink these wines, as this is a vintage built for long ageing. The prices are just about to come out, but with smaller yields I don’t predict prices going down, so take a deep breath and see how the prices stack up to the 2010s and 2016s, which for me are two of the greatest vintages across the board. While there is much to admire, I noticed re-reading my notes how very few wines had the word “lyrical,” my personal touchstone word for when a wine ebbs and flows like a great river across the palate but my palate will always go to elegance over opulence, energy over power. All the wines mentioned above I would be thrilled to lay down in my cellar, price permitting. It is hard to go by points anymore as everything is ranked 90+. (I was bemused to find out that one journalist has been banned from a well-known classified growth for giving their wine 94 points, so success now seems to be 95-100 points, looks like we are finally back to the five-star scale.) For a very good round-up of the vintage and different views I recommend Liv-Ex’s (www.liv-ex.com) 2022 En Primeur report, which has excellent background information.

2022 remains one of the most interesting vintages I have tasted, it is varied, it is full of contradictions, and it just might be a pointer to how Bordeaux wines will taste in the future.

Further information:-

www.janeanson.com

www.liv-ex.com

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▻ Véronique Sanders of Château Haut-Bailly

12 maj 2023 | 33 min

▻ Bordeaux 2022 – a vintage of surprise

28 april 2023 | 22 min

▻ Bordeaux 2022 – on the road with Jane Anson

25 april 2023 | 7 min

▻ En Primeur with Jane Anson

24 april 2023 | 11 min

✒ Great Wine Education Courses Pt 1

13 april 2023 | min

with Charlie Leary

Many intriguing wine education programs exist beyond the well-known levels of the Wine & Spirit Education Trust and the Court of Master Sommeliers.

My new book, a guide to wine education offerings worldwide catalogs them, and one recent newcomer particularly caught my attention (and that of Jane Anson too, when we talked last January). It goes under the somewhat lengthy sobriquet of “Diplôme Universitaire “Vers le terroir par la dégustation géosensorielle”, or University Diploma “Towards terroir by geosensorial tasting”, from the University of Strasbourg.

The intrigue in this curriculum stems from its focus on a new way of wine tasting that centers on sensations and impressions on the palate (with less emphasis on nose and color; black glasses are used) and their links to an identifiable terroir. Defined as “continuing education,” the program starts with vineyards soils and topography, being mainly under the direction of the University’s Department of Geography but also relies on the abundant Alsace domains and their fabulous winegrowers nearby.

Offered in French, the course is oriented towards viti-vini professionals, specialists in tourism, gastronomy and sommellerie, journalists as well as “informed amateurs,” in short anyone “wishing to deepen their knowledge of the terroirs and their practice of tasting.” What will you learn? Goals include comprehending the elements necessary to define a “wine of place,” “valorize terroirs,” develop a broader and new way of discussing great wines transcending “only analytical and aromatic considerations” to provide a “precise evaluation of the taste structures born of terroir,” and even apply all that to viticultural practices.

Centreplace belong to geosensorial tasting. Julien Camus, the founder of the Wine Scholar Guild, both completed the program and now helps teach it. In my “wine conversation” with him, he defined the geosensorial approach:

Ultimately, it is somewhat a return to how wine was tasted before the advent of analytical tasting as the leading model. It is a tasting method in which the focus is not placed on aromatics or on dissecting a wine’s structural components (acid, sugar, tannins, alcohol), but on what’s happening in the mouth as a whole. It is a more holistic approach.

A lot of the criteria have to do with tactile sensations. Luckily, the lexicon for tactile perceptions is rather simple and accessible to all, from beginners to connoisseurs. Is a wine thin or thick? Fluid or viscous? Tense or relaxed? Grainy, powdery, or smooth? Irritating or caressing? Firm or supple? Hollow or dense? It is surprising to see how comfortably people with no wine tasting experience can answer these questions with quite a good level of confidence. They just get it.

The University adds that the geosensorial way of tasting detects differences according to the characteristics of a place (the mother rock and soils and the micro- and meso-climates, in particular, but also all characteristics of a place). Faculty include local winemakers, and the program offers over 220 hours of instruction for around 3300 euros. Instruction is all in-person in Strasbourg with numerous field trips. One can start the application process online.

Further information:-

Article: Where to learn about wine with Charlie Leary

BUY: Leary’s Global Wineology

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▻ Omnibus XXI

5 april 2023 | 74 min

▻ Cabernet Sauvignon with Jane Anson

16 mars 2023 | 10 min

▻ Bordeaux Mentor Week

10 mars 2023 | 10 min

▻ Richard Geoffroy

6 mars 2023 | 64 min

✒ Best Recent Wine Books

1 mars 2023 | min

Recent Book Round Up

As we’ve frequently noted on The Wine Conversation, wine stories these days are often about climate change, and not always good news. There is one bright spot, however, and that’s books on wine: The climate’s improved lately, and there have been two recent good years in a row, abundant and distinguished by quality and variety, mostly thanks to two enterprising publishers: the Académie du Vin Library, a dream project of the late Steven Spurrier, and Infinite Ideas, which has created a varied range of books (including one on entrepreneurial strategy based on Game of Thrones). Their approaches are different, but complimentary – and praiseworthy.

The Académie, which lists Hugh Johnson as an advisor, leans toward the literary, as exemplified by “Drinking with the Valkyries,” by Andrew Jefford, which seems to have been nominated for every award the wine world bestows lately, and quite deservedly. He’s a fine writer and original thinker who doesn’t join the bland, gridlocked patterns that define so much of wine discourse, preferring the singular glories of off-road journeys. The title essay, for example, compares making Vintage Port to cage-fighting (“density and ferocity… unapologetic”); elsewhere, he denotes tasting without drinking as a “necessary flaw,” and a “mangrove swamp,” and demolishes the idea of awarding points from so many different, and relevant, angles that I find it hard to look at those numbers any more without laughing out loud. This is, instead, all about eloquent, open-minded, and generously inclusive wine appreciation: We’re all invited, and reminded how much there is to enjoy.

Upbeat and informative in a different way is “Oz Clarke on Wine,” an exuberant, even boisterous memoir and love letter to wine, a tour d’horizon aptly subtitled “your global wine companion.” Clarke is garrulous, opinionated, and often quite funny, whether explaining “the Spain you know and the Spain you don’t,” wondering “was Oregon ever the new Burgundy?” or relating how Mark Antony (“a bit of a lad”) tried to create sparkling wine in order to boost Cleopatra’s friskiness; few writers are as good company.

And then, speaking of bubbly, the Academie has just popped another cork, with “On Champagne,” a wide-ranging and fairly stellar anthology, mostly a state-of-the-art overview by such luminaries as Serena Sutcliffe MW, Tom Stevenson, Elin McCoy, Tyson Stelzer, Hugh Johnson, and a dozen other experts, past and present. The only thing missing is much of a sense of humour, so often a component of Champagne stories – Evelyn Waugh and Joe Fattorini are the only partygoers; perhaps more’s been held back for an anthology of wine wit?

The Infinite Ideas wine library, somewhat more down-to-earth, consists of 30 books so far, with several more in the pipeline. Overseen by Sarah Jane Evans MW, Richard Mayson, and James Tidwell MS, each volume covers a region, country or type, by authors who know them well (the list bristles with MWs and well-known experts like Anne Krebiehl MW, Stephen Brook, Raymond Blake, Evans, and Mayson). Although the look and feel of the books is somewhat utilitarian – full-sized, solid and durable paperbacks, straightforward no-nonsense formatting – the texts are quite well-written, organized, and edited, efficiently combining topography and appreciation. Two good recent examples are “The Wines of Rousillon,” by Rosemary George MW, and “Wines of the Rhône,” by Matt Walls.

Formerly known for now-unfashionable sweet wines, the dry wines of Rousillon only emerged as serious contenders about 50 years ago – a blink in the long view of wine – and then still had to fight their way from under an overbearing mismatch with the neighbouring and bulky Languedoc; it’s different, and, as the author points out, unusual and original, something of an undiscovered territory, which this book goes a long way toward remedying.

Not a problem with the Rhône, although the competing claims, myths, and charms of the region and its wines can provide a sometimes somewhat bewildering mosaic (or, as the author puts it when assessing the Southern Rhône, the “gallimaufry”). Despite its rich history, change – especially the effect of climate change – is inevitable, and Matt Walls provides a clear-eyed view of its present, and insights into the future.

The most astonishing wine book of the year – almost any year, really, is “The South America Wine Guide,” by Amanda Barnes. It’s a 528-page hardbound, well-designed volume of dense but straightforward prose, good maps and illustrations that literally opens up new territory, an achievement all the more amazing by being self-published. Barnes is an Englishwoman who’s lived and worked as a journalist there for a decade, joining the winemakers in “a period of change, retrospection, and innovation,” an assertion she proves repeatedly, as she explores winemaking in 10 countries (with some digressions on food, culture and tourism). If you think it’s all about Malbec and a few classic French varieties, you’ll have to think again, and it’ll be interesting to see the reaction when the first “natural wines” from Brazil arrive – will they be as wildly popular as they are in Rio and San Paulo?

Finally, there were two offbeat memoirs. Wine recollections are nothing unusual of course, but these are different, neither mixed bags of amiable dinners and vintages, nor jolly travelogues, but rather personal and original approaches to wine’s subtleties, joys, and epiphanies. “To Fall in Love, Drink This” is by Alice Feiring, one of the best-known advocates of natural wines and a fierce defender of the faith. This is a true autobiography, with family melodramas and the pangs of coming of age as well as a writer, but it’s also a coming-to-wine story – each chapter ends with wine recommendations, and the text is studded with anecdotes and tips; there’s also a serial killer, in person. The cover illustration is of Alice in Wonderland, and it’s apt.

“Blood from a Stone,” by Adam McHugh, takes an unusual tack: wine as redemption. The author was a hospice chaplain, helping people cope with the end of life, and eventually succumbing to compassion fatigue, “trapped in my best intentions to do good.” A trip to France, and then discovering the wine country of California’s Santa Barbara region, reveal an alternative. Some conversion narratives can be arduous, but McHugh blends his passion with logic, healthy doses of history, and deft storytelling. Celebrating life’s pleasures has always been not only an act of gratitude, he writes, but of defiance, and attentive wine appreciation is a fine antidote to boredom. More trips to France, where “there is no separation of church and wine estate,” lead to bottom-of-the-barrel work in retail shops and tasting rooms until he concludes his roundabout odyssey in the Santa Ynez Valley, working in vineyards, life finally salvaged. It’s folksy, often deadpan-funny, unabashedly romantic, and irresistible.

Further Information:-

Académie du Vin Library
Infinite Ideas Classic Wine Library
Amanda Barnes
Alice Feiring
Adam McHugh

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The Wine Conversation

Created for wine-lovers, this magazine-style podsite explores the fascinating world of wine, full of amazing people and places.

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▻ Morey-St-Denis with Jasper Morris MW

✒ Kellerei Cantina Terlan Tasting

Kellerei Cantina Terlan Tasting, 21st November 2024.

Wine Notes:-

RELATED POSTS

Further information:-

▻ Romané Basset of the Gerard Basset Foundation

▻ Sicily with David Gleave MW

▻ Omnibus XXXIV

✒ The Most Notable Wine Books of The Year 2024

Towering, monumental:

Offbeat, upbeat, and wonderful:

Terroir indeed – senses of places:

Deep dive of the year:

RELATED POSTS

▻ Marc Hochar

▻ Omnibus XXXIII

▻ The Asian Wine Market

✒ Masseto Vertical Tasting

Masseto Vertical, 4th November 2024

The Raffles London, Old War Office Building.

Wine Notes:-

RELATED POSTS

Further information:-

▻ Chablis Premiers Crus with Jasper Morris MW

✒ Sebastian Zuccardi’s New Releases

Wine Notes:-

RELATED POSTS

Further information:-

▻ Philippe Guigal

▻ Omnibus XXXII

▻ Montalcino with David Gleave MW

▻ Lenz Moser

▻ Grape Varieties in Chile

▻ Volnay with Jasper Morris MW

✒ Siepi 30th Anniversary

A rare vertical tasting to celebrate Siepi’s 30th anniversary

Wine Notes:-

RELATED POSTS

Further information:-

▻ How to Build a Wine Empire

▻ Omnibus XXXI

▻ Sangiovese with David Gleave MW

✒ Great Wines Take Time

A rare vertical of Château Grillet with Libération Tardive

Wine Notes:-

RELATED POSTS

Further information:-

▻ Lorenzo Pasquini about Château d’Yquem

▻ Gevrey-Chambertin with Jasper Morris MW

▻ Casa Real with Baltazar Sánchez

▻ Rajeev Samant of Sula Vineyards

▻ Chianti Classico with David Gleave MW

▻ The Mâconnais with Jasper Morris MW

✒ Connoisseur Week 2024

I feel about Connoisseur Week the same as I do about Christmas Eve – sheer excitement, and wondering if the anticipation of what is ahead will live up to my high expectations, and more importantly, our guests.

RELATED POSTS

▻ Omnibus XXX

▻ Andrew Caillard MW about The Australian Ark

▻ Sacha Lichine

▻ Sebastián Labbé – The 2024 Chilean Vintage

▻ Understanding the Burgundy Trade

▻ Wine Maps

▻ Bordeaux 2023 – Part Two

▻ Omnibus XXIX

▻ Bordeaux 2023 – Part One

▻ St-Aubin with Jasper Morris MW

▻ Bordeaux 2023 – A Preview With Jane Anson

▻ Sauternes with Jane Anson

▻ Omnibus XXVIII

▻ Nuits-St-Georges with Jasper Morris MW

▻ Gary Boom of Bordeaux Index

▻ Cabernet Franc with Jane Anson

▻ Biondi-Santi with Giampiero Bertolini

▻ Marcheses Filippo and Francesco Mazzei

▻ Pessac-Léognan with Jane Anson