Click here to view the 2023 Exhibitors

Clive Pursehouse Decanter US Editor

Browse the Special Wines line-up

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Today, working alongside Seillan, second-generation Chris Jackson and assistant winemaker Hélène Seillan (daughter of Pierre) continue the vision of the estate, and the new winery is part of the evolution.

Like the wines, design elements pull from both France and the surrounding natural area. Nicolas Seillan (son of Pierre and brother of Hélène) is credited as the architectural creative for the project. He counts the Abbaye de Moissac in southern France as inspiration, particularly its concept of symmetry and use of cloisters.

‘This [winery] feels like it’s been here a lot longer than it has, and I think a hundred years from now, it’s going to look and feel very much the same way,’ said Jackson. The aim is to make Vérité a multi-generational wine brand. ‘Creating something that’s an architectural destination that can withstand the test of time, with that type of iconicism and that type of timelessness to it, is important.’

Design elements of the winery aim for both warmth and elegance. The stonework of both the building’s exterior as well as interior flooring is a design nod to the mineral qualities of Chalk Hill soils. At the same, the wooden beams used in the foyer’s ceiling are an ode to the surrounding forests.

The chai, the centrepiece of the winery, indeed feels like the courtyard of a European abbey – albeit enclosed – with balconies encircling the upper level. Barrels were just installed at the end of March, the final piece of the project.

Nearby, three separate cellars will store future vintages of Vérité’s signature cuvées: La Joie, Le Désir and La Muse. ‘We open and taste library wines quite often so we can advise our collectors how different vintages are evolving and showing in the current moment,’ said Hélène Seillan.

‘Library wines are an important part of our hospitality programme and our collector programme, so having a full library onsite and visually showcasing it is really important. We have a long-term vision for Vérité, so when the next generation is here making the Vérité wines, we’ll have a space to showcase and enjoy vintages going back to the beginning,’ Seillan added.

With the new building, Vérité increased its capacity for hosting guests with several tasting parlours on both the upper and lower levels. Large windows on the ground floor look out into the vineyards while infusing the front room tasting spaces with natural light. Further back, a large table on the mezzanine level overlooks the chai.

Downstairs spaces, designed to host collector events, include a dining area that can seat up to 18 guests as well as a nook intended for smaller parties.

The new building contains a large kitchen and Vérité is able to offer a culinary component to its tastings, something the winery couldn’t do before. Options range from small bites served with a flight of the current vintage to a three-course wine-and-food pairing option. The team plans to host more dinner and large-scale events as well.

Along with growing their hospitality programme, the expanded space means Jackson and the Seillans can experiment with new wines. Currently, three stainless steel eggs sit in the back of the barrel room, each containing a single variety from a single cru. Jackson and the Seillans plan to release these wines through their direct-to-consumer channel in Spring 2024 and if successful, may grow the portfolio of these mono-varietal, vineyard bottlings in the future.

Jackson wants the physical space to reflect their winemaking philosophies; timeless is an oft-used expression when speaking about the brand.

‘Everything we do in wine is thought of with decades of consideration as to where it’s going to be [20, 30, 50 years from now]. It’s more forward-thinking and multi-generational thinking, in the Old World sense,’ he said.

However, he wants the ideas of ingenuity and creativity – two markers often associated with New World winemaking – to also be expressed. ‘Vérité is also very American in the sense that, in France, we would never see apex micro crus blended together,’ he continues. ‘They’re all separate. But in Sonoma County, that’s exactly what we’re doing, by blending top sites from throughout Chalk Hill, Knights Valley, Alexander Valley and beyond. So it’s got that creativity of expression and liberty of expression at the heart of it.’

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A petition to make ‘Crystal Springs of Napa Valley’ an official AVA is being considered by the US Alcohol and Tobacco Tax & Trade Bureau (TTB), which has opened the proposal to public comments until 1 May.

If approved, it would be the first new AVA within Napa Valley for more than 10 years.

Napa Valley itself got AVA status more than 40 years ago, in 1981, and today it encompasses 16 official sub-zones, or ‘nested’ AVAs, according to Napa Valley Vintners. Coombsville is the newest of these, created in 2011.

‘The recognition of our sites with a formal AVA would make us proud and satisfied,’ said Steven Burgess, who submitted the application for Crystal Springs of Napa Valley to the TTB.

‘Our choices to be hillside vintners where expenses are higher, [and] yields are lower would be recognised,’ he told Decanter.

Topography is the key distinguishing feature of the proposed Crystal Springs of Napa Valley AVA, according to details filed with the TTB.

A northern boundary would run primarily along a 1,400-foot elevation contour, dividing the area from the higher ground of the Howell Mountain AVA, while a southern border sits at 400 feet above sea level, separating the area from the lower slopes of the valley floor and the St. Helena AVA.

‘This is a science-based AVA and would be Napa County’s only all-hillside AVA,’ said Burgess, who is planting a small vineyard in the area. He was previously president of his family’s winery, Burgess Cellars, prior to its sale in 2020, and his work on the AVA proposal stretches back several years.

He described the area as ‘frost free’, due to its location. ‘The upper bounds are at 1400 [feet], where the inversion layer usually happens. The lower bounds are at 400 [feet], where frost becomes a problem at the valley floor.’

He added, ‘The generally south-west exposure guarantees plenty of sunshine for maturity. And, being below the inversion layer, we get the famous diurnal temperature range that grapes love.’

These factors produce smaller berries and longer hang-time, aiding complexity, while wines made from Cabernet Sauvignon – the main grape variety — display classic dark fruit flavours, such as black cherry, blackcurrant and cassis.

Cabernet wines here are generally ‘darker’ than on the valley floor, with tannins that are ‘prominent but richer’ than on the mountain top, Burgess said. ‘If not picked too late, the wines can be made quite ageable too.’

The region also benefits from cooling breezes from the Calistoga Gap directly to the west, he said.

Possible confusion with other ‘Crystal Springs’ locations across the US prompted the addition of ‘Napa Valley’ to the formal AVA proposal, said the TTB. There is also a Crystal Springs Vineyard within the planned AVA, the TTB noted.

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BlockBar said today (19 April) that Jamie Ritchie will join the firm as COO in July this year, in a move that will also see Ritchie leave Sotheby’s after 32 years with the major auction house and retailer.

He is currently worldwide chairman of Sotheby’s wines and spirits, and his upcoming arrival at BlockBar marks a significant appointment for the digital marketplace, which was founded in October 2021 by Dov and Sam Falic.

The startup specialises in sourcing high-end wines and spirits directly from producers.

These are also authenticated by blockchain technology and sold on the group’s platform, with bottle owners also offered storage at its facility in Singapore, plus insurance and global shipping, as well as a marketplace on which to resell their wines and spirits, if they choose.

Every bottle sold on the platform is accompanied by a digital version – similar to a non-fungible token (NFT) – which can be sourced back to the winery or distillery and may also be resold, gifted or redeemed for the physical bottle at any time, according to the company.

Dov Falic, co-founder and CEO of BlockBar, said, ‘Jamie Ritchie is recognised worldwide as a leader in the wine and spirits industry, and we are delighted and honoured that he is joining our team.’

Falic added, ‘More people than ever are purchasing liquid assets, both for consuming with friends and for investment, and BlockBar simplifies the purchase process.

‘Based on the tremendous response to the unique bottles offered on our platform during our first year of operations, we are very confident about BlockBar’s rapid growth and we project significant revenue multiples over the next few years.’

Payments can be made via credit card or ETH, it said, referencing the Ethereum digital currency.

Ritchie said that he was ‘looking forward to a new challenge and adventure’ following 32 years of ‘being part of the team behind the growth of Sotheby’s Wine & Spirits business’.

He has helped to significantly expand Sotheby’s’ Wine and Spirits division, which saw record auction sales of $150m (£121m) in 2022.

The auction house has signed several new partnerships in recent years, such as with the annual Hospices de Beaune sale in Burgundy and Napa Valley Vintners in California, while also expanding live auctions to France and offerings wines sourced direct from prestigious producers’ cellars.

Ritchie has also been a strong proponent of digital transformation, a process that was necessarily accelerated during Covid-related social restrictions.

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I’ve had the ‘decant or not decant’ conversation countless times with wine lovers and industry insiders, and have discovered that most either love or hate these seemingly benign glass containers.

I fall firmly into the hate ’em camp, especially when it comes to decanting old wines. Aged wines are fragile, and after years of being under cork the sudden explosion of oxygen creates the worst possible shock. On impact, the wine loses aromas and flavours that will never be recovered. Decanting is like opening a novel on page 50: you lose the intro and never get the plot.

And if you want to totally destroy an aged wine, double decant it by pouring the wine first into a decanter then back into its original bottle, presumably cleared of sediment. This practice is quite common at restaurants.

I was on the receiving end of this travesty several years ago when I attended a tasting of aged Barolos at a highly esteemed New York City establishment with an award-winning wine list. The line-up included celebrated producers and stellar vintages, spanning 1964 to 1989. I had fond memories of tasting many of the same wines and vintages on other occasions and was excited to revisit them.

But that night all six Barolos were lacklustre, deprived of aromas, flavours and vibrancy. Could this have been due to poor storage by previous owners of the bottles? Yes, it’s possible. But all six? Not likely. Having a lot of experience with older Barolo, I expected a constant evolution of aromas in the glass, ranging from forest floor, tar, dried rose, tobacco and camphor that I usually find in aged Nebbiolo from the best names in outstanding vintages. I also anticipated an array of flavours such as dried cherry, cake spice, dried mint and beyond.

Yet there were none of these sensations or evolution. Not even at the end of the night after the wines would have had ample time to breathe, if that had been the issue. I asked the sommelier when the wines had been opened, and he declared they had been double decanted a few hours beforehand, which explained their vapid state.

So why does anyone decant? Sommeliers and wine lovers tell me they decant aged wines because they’re turned off by the sediment that usually sits at the bottom of bottles. Another reason is because many believe decanting is the best way to aerate wines in a short time frame.

But the risk of ruining a great old vintage outweighs the meagre benefit of avoiding sediment. If sediment is your issue, don’t drink the last ounce or two left in the bottle that would have stayed in the decanter anyway.

It’s worth noting that sediment in aged wine is perfectly normal. As the late Franco Biondi Santi used to say, it was his favourite part of tasting older vintages as it contains all the substances, including colour and flavours, that wines cede over time.

Fine wines made with Nebbiolo and Sangiovese are particularly penalised by decanting. When cultivated in the best sites, both grapes are rich in norisoprenoids. This class of aromatic compounds contributes to a wine’s varietal character, allowing the development of intense aromas in the best Barolos, Barbarescos and Brunellos that evolve throughout the years. These wines need gentle aeration or they lose their enticing aromas.

That’s why, when I pull a wine from our cellar, I uncork it three or four hours ahead of time for gradual, consistent aeration. If I’m at a restaurant, I order the older red right away, and have them uncork it at the table while I sip a young white or bubbles with my starters and first courses.

Would I ever decant a young, robust wine that could hold up to decanting? Nope. For all the same reasons: even with young, sturdy wines, I want the whole story and to watch the wines evolve. It takes time, but I’m never in a rush when it comes to enjoying fine wine.

I’m not the only Don’t Decant Diehard: nearly all Italian winemakers shun decanting, especially for their older bottles. As they say, when in Rome do as the Romans do. And in this case, even when not in Rome.

Based in Italy, Kerin O’Keefe is a wine critic, author and speaker, as well as founder of kerinokeefe.com

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Excavation of the Villa of the Quintilii near Rome unearthed ruins of the ornate ancient winery, which may once have turned the annual grape harvest into a ‘vinicultural spectacle’ for a select imperial entourage, says a study that draws on evidence about Roman wine culture and the villa’s features.

Grape treading floors partially clad in red breccia marble suggest opulence was prioritised over pragmatism, said researchers, writing in the Antiquity journal.

A nymphaeum-like design also appears to have enabled fountains to display newly made wine in full flow at the villa.

It’s already known that agricultural production and wine harvests specifically were romanticised, but this marks a particularly rare find – as well as a possible glimpse of life inside ancient Rome’s imperial court.

‘It’s really astonishing and almost completely unique,’ said Dr Emlyn Dodd, co-author of the study and assistant director of archaeology at the British School at Rome.

It’s not clear when the winery opened, although at least one section dates to around the mid-third century AD, based on [emperor] Gordian-era construction stamps, said the study’s authors.

(Fig. 8) View of the winery from the excavated western dining room with its wide doorway and perspective. Photo by E. Dodd, from Dodd, Galli, Frontoni 2023.

Only ‘Villa Magna’, another lavish winery lying around 50km to the south-east, is comparable as a venue, the study said.

‘The fountains are really remarkable,’ Dodd told Decanter. ‘This is the only place across the whole ancient Roman world certainly, and probably ancient world as a whole, that we’ve got this evidence of a fountain system for wine production.’

It’s unclear whether guests would have interacted with the fountains, such as by filling their cups, or whether the flow of wine merely provided a backdrop to festivities.

‘It’s all really speculative and conjectural, but you get an interesting twist to the usual tale of production,’ said Dodd, an expert in ancient wine who joined excavation project to help examine and interpret the winery.

The villa was once owned by emperor Commodus, who seized the property after killing previous owners the Quintilii brothers, said the study. Yet evidence suggests the winery post-dates Commodus’ reign, from around 177 to 192 AD, because part of it erased a construction from his era.

Fig. 9: The opus sectile pavement found in the excavated western dining room—misalignment clearly attests two phases of construction. Photo by S. Castellani, from Dodd, Galli, Frontoni 2023.

Roman wines

Guests were almost certainly drinking while enjoying the villa’s harvest showpiece, but there is so far little evidence about the style of wine being made or consumed. Dodd said he hoped to secure more funding to excavate the remaining half of the cellar.

Researchers and archaeologists do already have evidence about Roman wines and winemaking in general in this era. ‘We obviously know a lot about ancient Roman wine in terms of flavours and additives, adding things like herbs and spices, honey, salt water and all that kind of stuff,’ said Dodd. ‘So there would have been a range of possible wines that they were drinking.’

There’s also evidence that wine quality was something of a status symbol. ‘We know the Romans had an almost infinite spectrum of wine qualities,’ Dodd said.

‘The rich and elite would have gone out and bought expensive wines to show that off,’ he said. He cited literature from the period, through which ‘we hear about Julius Caesar and people like this being able to afford wines that were aged for 100 years, because they were so rare’.

Such stories are not considered to be true, but they ‘play on this idea of them having access to the highest qualities, and emphasising the social hierarchy in that way’.

At the same time, Dodd said that there is possibly ‘a little bit of a sense of’ emperors and elites demonstrating interest in wine and winemaking to help them appear relatable to ordinary people.

Read the full study in Antiquity.

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Today’s high-tech vintners of Israel’s Negev desert grow modern grape varieties like Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, but a new study shows the region’s desolate sand was once home to very different cultivars – relics notable for past and future alike.

Published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the study compared the genetic information of a handful of grape pips from an excavated Byzantine monastery with hundreds of modern cultivars, and wild and table grapes from Israel and beyond.

‘The Negev Highlands has an interesting story that has not been told,’ said Guy Bar-Oz, a University of Haifa archaeologist, who has been excavating Byzantine settlements in the Negev Desert for the past six years.

‘We were aware of the massive communal wine presses but we didn’t know actually what [the settlers] were growing,’ Bar-Oz added.

According to the new genetic data, one of the Negev pips dated to the eighth century and likely originated from a grape that was white.

If archaeological remains can confirm the discovery, it could be the earliest white grape documented anywhere in the world – although the study notes that previous work has suggested the white colour of some varieties have multiple origins.

It’s possible this one grape could also answer a nagging historical mystery surrounding the identity of the famous Byzantine-era vinum Gazetum, or Gaza wine.

‘There is historical reference that speaks about this sweet white wine, the Gaza wine,’ Bar-Oz said.

The delicacy was produced in the Negev and shipped through the port of Gaza, from where it reached across the Mediterranean and onto the tables of monarchs in Germany, France and Britain. A lack of evidence of white varieties from the period has been puzzling, however.

Researchers in the latest study also shed more light on Byzantine trade. As grapevines made some of the largest profits of any crop in Byzantine times, the quality varieties from the Negev were disseminated along trade routes.

Bar-Oz and his team, for example, discovered that another ancient grape was an ancestor of a modern-day red variety called Asswad Karech in nearby Lebanon.

On the island of Crete, more than 1,000 kilometres away, an offspring of Asswad Karech was used to produce yet another historical wine: Malvasia – famous during medieval times and still made on the island today.

‘It’s a 1,500-year-old east Mediterranean phenomenon that tells a very important human history,’ Bar-Oz said. ‘It shows the connectivity between the Negev and European society.’

Discoveries in the Negev aren’t only valuable to understanding our past; researchers said their work may also be relevant for climate challenges today.

While desert communities knew how to engineer remarkable irrigation systems, it was just as vital for them to select the right grapevine cultivars, in what is an unusually extreme climate for Vitis vinifera.

‘The Negev is an area that receives around 100 millimetres of rain in a good year, with very strong fluctuations between seasons,’ Bar-Oz said. ‘Still, viticulture very much flourished in this area over centuries.’

Analysing these desert grapes’ molecular and genetic signatures could reveal why they were so resilient in such an arid environment.

Modern-day close relatives of ‘archaeological grapes’ could provide a platform for future study on grapevine resilience to such conditions, the study said.

‘We need to put much more effort into learning about the diversity of the ancient [vineyards], looking specifically for those that might be more resistant in arid environments,’ Bar-Oz said.

See the full study in PNAS.

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The certification verifies that the business has demonstrated high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability.

More than 1,200 UK companies have secured B Corp certification, but very few wine producers have completed the rigorous accreditation process. Rathfinny is the world’s first sparkling wine producer that grows all of its own grapes to gain B Corp status.

Co-founder Sarah Driver told decanter.com that the certification is testament to the hard work and dedication of the entire team at Rathfinny. ‘It has been a real journey for us, and it took a lot of hard work, but the key has been bringing people with us,’ she added. ‘Staff from every area of the business have contributed, and they have been key to our success.’

Driver decided to strive for B Corp certification after a chance encounter with the marketing director for smoothie maker Innocent Drinks while on holiday a few years ago. Innocent had just secured the certification, and Driver realised that B Lab Global’s ethos meshed perfectly with Rathfinny’s approach to sustainability and governance.

‘We did it because we thought it was the right thing to do, and it chimed with what we were already doing,’ she said. ‘We felt well aligned with what B Corp is trying to achieve. We were already doing all the right things, but we were not necessarily recording or even acknowledging them.’

Nevertheless, Driver said the process has taken the business to ‘new levels’, as it has created staff committees, overhauled its job descriptions for senior management and ultimately focused on putting people and the planet on a par with generating profits. ‘It has made us question and think about every area of our business – governance, workers, the environment, customers and our community,’ she said.

Rathfinny’s journey so far

Driver founded Rathfinny with her husband, Mark – a former hedge fund manager – in 2010 after they purchased a working arable farm in Sussex.

She did not initially intend to play a major role in running the business, but she is a lawyer by training, and she found herself taking on policy and legal work, while her husband managed the vineyard and production.

As the business evolved, she focused increasingly on running Rathfinny’s thriving tourism business, while also overseeing various commercial areas, and she is now the company chair.

The first vines were planted in 2012, and the plan is to eventually have 142 hectares under vine. Rathfinny now produces 300,000 bottles of sparkling wine per year, making it one of England’s largest winemakers, and it exports to a range of international markets.

More than 60,000 tourists visit the winery each year, and they are shown around the south-facing slope in the South Downs of Sussex, which offers ideal conditions for growing Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier.

There are 45 full-time members of staff, along with 45 ‘core casuals’, who work six to eight months of the year in the vineyard. Rathfinny also hires around 200 seasonal workers for each harvest, all of whom live within 10 miles of the estate.

‘Everybody told us we couldn’t do it, but we have worked really hard to build up our local workforce,’ said Driver. She added that staff from every area have contributed to discussions and panels en route to gaining B Corp status, and ‘everyone is conscious of being mindful about waste’.

There have also been commercial benefits to achieving the certification. ‘When you sell to the monopolies in Scandinavia, you have to have these environmental credentials,’ said Driver. ‘We have just started shipping to China, and a lot of the businesses in China need it too, which is great to see.’

Aiming for net zero by 2030

The company is currently celebrating the certification, but the next goal is to achieve carbon net zero by 2030.

Rathfinny has opted to measure its carbon emissions by the strictest international standards – laid down by Washington DC-based GHG Protocol – which means it cannot gain credit for the 380,000 vines it has planted or the trees on the estate, which act as a natural carbon sink.

As such, reaching net zero will be a challenge, but the team is undeterred. It has already added 1,500 solar panels to the winery roof, which generates green energy for production and for the wider community, while Rathfinny has also applied to construct a wind turbine.

It has worked with Natural England, the National Trust and the South Downs National Park to implement a programme of improvements to enhance wildlife habitats, while reviving and reclaiming areas of natural chalk grassland and creating wildlife corridors to improve biodiversity.

The company has reduced cardboard use by 26%, and Driver hopes to see the industry move away from using gift boxes to present sparkling wines in retail outlets in the future.

It may ultimately need to explore some form of offsetting to achieve net zero, but it would only consider offsetting via a local project that it has control over.

From a commercial perspective, Rathfinny increased sales by 94% year-on-year in 2022, and it is now poured at many of the UK’s top hotels and restaurants, with listings in a variety of independent retailers too. ‘Serious restaurants now have to have an English sparkling wine, and there is a huge opportunity in restaurants around the world too,’ said Driver.

Exports are growing, from Canada to Japan, and the Drivers were delighted to see Sussex gain PDO status last year. ‘It’s a real mark of quality,’ Sarah Driver said. ‘Our ambition is that in 20 years’ time you will walk into a bar or restaurant in New York or Beijing and you’ll be asked, “would you like a glass of Champagne or a delicious glass of Sussex? I can recommend Rathfinny.”’

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Hosting a masterclass at Vinitaly in Verona – one of the wine world’s biggest wine fairs, and Italy’s most prominent – Richard Baudains presented 10 top-scoring Italian wines from the Decanter World Wine Awards 2022 to a captivated audience.

Celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2023, with judging commencing this week, the DWWA is a huge operation. Richard explained that last year, 18,244 wines were entered from 54 countries, and involved 237 experts from around the world, including 54 Masters of Wine and 16 Master Sommeliers.

Richard Baudains presenting to the trade at Vinitaly 2023

While wine competitions of old were based on analytical scoring – individual scores for each element, such as appearance, nose, palate were added up, and the final score was the average of every judge’s totals – the DWWA has always emphasised independent judgement, using what Richard described as a ‘symposium of tasters’ tasting flights of wines blind and then discussing the results. Those awarded Gold medals (95-96 points) are grouped by category and re-tasted blind by a different team of experts, and all those achieving a Platinum medal (97-100 points) are retasted by the Co-Chairs, who finally pick out the Best in Show wines – just 0.2% of the total number of wines entered.

The DWWA 2022 awards were a success for Italian wines, just pipping France to first place with 3,100 medals to 3,097. Of the 50 Best in Show wines, nine were Italian; while Italy also represented 24 of 165 Platinum medal winners and 114 of 676 Gold medal winners.

Richard noted that 44% of entries achieved a Bronze medal (86-89 points), which is ‘encouraging because it means the quality of the wines is going up and up.’

The 10 masterclass wines

The 10 wines in the masterclass were personally picked out by Richard, representing a variety of styles.

First, the Masottina RDO Levante Extra Dry Prosecco di Conegliano Valdobbiadene Superiore Rive 2021, a mouthful to say and a delicious mouthful to drink, with pear fruit brightened by flecks of apricot, apple and a mineral steeliness. Richard noted that Masottina were the first Prosecco producer to win a Gold medal, and in 2022 they achieved a very impressive Platinum medal with 97 points awarded by the judges.

The second wine, Mandrarossa’s Fiano Terre Siciliane 2021 from Sicily represents great quality for the price, achieving a 97-point score and a Best in Show award. Aromatic, juicy, vibrant and super-fresh, it’s bursting with pithy citrus peel, garrigue herbs and underlying soft creaminess. Delicious!

Going back up to the north of the country, Tiefenbrunner’s Feldmarschall von Fenner 2020 from Alto Adige is a 100% Müller-Thurgau full of focused mineral-drenched aromas and flavours: zingy green fruits, yellow plum, white pepper and bitter herbs, all wrapped up in a fresh and juicy package. It achieved a Gold medal and 95 points at DWWA 2022.

Richard picked out the next wine as he admitted he has a soft spot for the wines of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, given that he lives in the region! But Muzic’s Stare Brajde 2020 from Collio DOC makes the list on merit too, achieving a Platinum medal and 97 points at the DWWA 2022. Almost salty in character, it’s round and weighty with subtle texture and flavours of yellow plum, stone fruits and orange peel, cut through by a vein of juicy fruit. A mouthwatering finish completes this impressive wine.

Moving to Emilia-Romagna, Oinoe’s 4.0 Rea Malvasia 2020 from Colli di Parma is an incredibly perfumed white bursting with potpourri-infused white peach, and medicinal notes. Intense, textured and fresh, its sapid stone fruit character leads to a pithy finish. Only around 2,000 bottles were produced but it’s worth seeking out given the Platinum medal and 97 points it was awarded last year.

The indigenous Cagnulari variety from Sardinia takes centre stage in Chessa’s Cagnulari Isole dei Nuraghi 2020, which achieved a Best in Show medal and 97 points in 2022. Richard described it as a ‘raunchy style’, and its soft brambly fruit is certainly appealing, its ripe and flesh berries cut by very fresh acidity and finishing with a stony, earthy quality.

Tuscany achieved the most medals of all Italian regions last year, and Riecine’s Vigna Gittori Chianti Classico Gran Selezione 2019 is a great example of why this region is flying high. Best in Show and 97 points is just the start, as this will no doubt improve with ageing. Black tea and perfumed red fruit aromas lead to an intense palate with a sweet, delicate core of pretty violet and lavender, cherry and wild strawberry wrapped in well integrated wood and zippy acidity.

Another one for the cellar is Ciabot Berton’s Roggeri Barolo 2017. It also achieved a Best in Show award and 97 points. Showing all the balsamic nuance of the hot and dry 2017 vintage, it has a big, bold structure with gum-gripping tannins and some timid cherry and dried fruits, accompanied on the finish by some earthy notes and succulent acidity. Give it time and it will no doubt soar.

Yet another Best in Show and 97 points comes from Zenato in Veneto, whose Sergio Zenato Amarone delle Valpolicella Classico Riserva 2016 is an absolute stunner. Intense, spicy and complex, it showcases dried black cherry, plum, raspberry coulis and cocoa-infused tannins, with balsamic and medicinal notes. It’s of course full bodied, yet surprisingly light on its feet and incredibly fresh.

Back to Tuscany for a Platinum medal winner with 97 points, Tenuta di Capezzana’s Vin Santo di Carmignano Riserva 2014 is such a rarity that the bottles for this masterclass were kindly provided from the estate’s private stocks. Vin Santo is a classic Italian sweet wine, here made with dried Trebbiano (90%) and San Colombano (10%) grapes matured for more than five years in casks of different wood species under the winery’s loft roof. Super-bright, aromatic and nutty, it displays hints of dried fruits, apricot jam, lime juice and raisins. A truly delicious, complex sweet wine.

View all Italian wine results from Decanter World Wine Awards 2022

The post Masterclass report: Italian Showstoppers from the Decanter World Wine Awards appeared first on Decanter.

At the 2022 Decanter World Wine Awards, the world’s largest wine competition saw its biggest year to date, with 18,244 wines tasted from 54 countries. Across two weeks, almost 250 expert wine judges, including 54 Masters of Wine and 16 Master Sommeliers, awarded 50 Best in Show, 163 Platinum, 678 Gold, 5,900 Silver and 8,074 Bronze medals.

Join Decanter at our Fine Wine Encounter NYC this June, where you will have the opportunity to sample 35 of these top awarded Gold, Platinum and Best in Show wines at the DWWA winners’ bar.

The full line-up of award-winning wines comprises:

Masottina, R.D.O. Rive di Ogliano Levante Extra Dry, Veneto, Italy 2021
100% Glera
Award: Platinum, 97 points | Alcohol: 11.5%

Pommery, Blanc de Blancs Brut, Champagne, France NV
100% Chardonnay
Award: Gold, 95 points | Alcohol: 12.5%

Cantina Primavena, CI, Vino Spumnante di Qualità, Italy 2005
100% Pinot Noir
Award: Gold, 95 points | Alcohol: 12.5%

No.1 Family Estate, Rosé, Marlborough, New Zealand NV
100% Pinot Noir
Award: Gold, 95 points | Alcohol: 13%

Bodega Cuatro Rayas, Cantarranas Verdejo, Rueda, Spain 2021
100% Verdejo
Award: Gold, 95 points | Alcohol: 13.1%

Villa Maria, Single Vineyard Taylors Pass Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand 2021
100% Sauvignon Blanc
Award: Gold, 95 points | Alcohol: 13.5%

 Tickets selling fast – buy yours today

Culmina Family Estate Winery, Unicus Grüner Veltliner, British Columbia, Canada 2020
100% Grüner Veltliner
Award: Gold, 96 points | Alcohol: 14%

Weinbiet, Von Ersten Lagen Weissburgunder-Chardonnay, Pfalz, Germany 2020
70% Weissburgunder, 30% Chardonnay
Award: Platinum, 97 points | Alcohol: 12.5%

Cantina Valle Isarco, Sabiona Sylvaner, Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, Italy 2019
100% Sylvaner
Award: Gold, 95 points | Alcohol: 14%

Martin Waßmer, S W Markgräflerland Sauvignon Blanc , Baden, Germany 2020
100% Sauvignon Blanc
Award: Platinum, 97 points | Alcohol: 13.5%

Attis, Embaixador Albariño, Rías Baixas, Spain 2018
100% Albariño
Award: Platinum, 97 points | Alcohol: 13.5%

Jeff Carrel, Chatgris, France NV
100% Grenache Gris
Award: Gold, 95 points | Alcohol: 14.95%

Hacienda López De Haro, Classica Rosado, Rioja, Spain 2009
60% Viura, 40% Garnacha
Award: Best in Show, 97 points | Alcohol: 12.5%

Alicia I Josep Viticultors, Tentiber, Priorat, Spain 2019
40% Garnacha, 30% Cariñena, Cabernet Sauvignon 30%
Award: Gold, 96 points | Alcohol: 14.5%

Tolosa, Primera, California, United States 2019
100% Pinot Noir
Award: Gold, 96 points | Alcohol: 13.4%

Protos, Ribera del Duero, Spain 2018
100% Tempranillo
Award: Gold, 95 points | Alcohol: 14.5%

Bulas Cruz, Diwine, Douro, Portugal, 2020
30% Touriga Nacional, 30% Tinta Roriz, 20% Touriga Franca
Award: Best in Show, 97 points | Alcohol: 13.2%

Valli, Pinot Noir , Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand 2020
100% Pinot Noir
Award: Best in Show, 97 points | Alcohol: 14%

Peregrine, Pinot Noir, Central Otago, New Zealand 2017
100% Pinot Noir
Award: Gold, 95 points | Alcohol: 13.5%

La Palazzetta, Brunello di Montalcino Riserva, Tuscany, Italy 2016
100% Sangiovese
Award: Best in Show, 97 points | Alcohol: 14.5%

Poggiarellino, Brunello di Montalcino Riserva, Tuscany, Italy, 2016
100% Sangiovese
Award: Gold, 95 points | Alcohol: 14%

Corte Pavone, Vigna Poggio Molino al Vento, Brunello di Montalcino Riserva, Tuscany, Italy, 2016
100% Sangiovese
Award: Platinum, 97 points | Alcohol: 15%

Mazzarosa, Vere Novo, Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, Abruzzo, Italy 2020
100% Montepulciano
Award: Platinum, 97 points | Alcohol: 14.5%

Bodegas Portia, Roble, Ribera del Duero, Spain 2020
100% Tempranillo
Award: Platinum, 97 points | Alcohol: 15%

Bodegas Olarra, Clásico, Rioja, Spain 2018
90% Tempranillo, 5% Garnacha, 5% Graciano
Award: Gold, 96 points | 14%

Bodegas Ondarre, Mayor de Ondarre Reserva, Rioja, Spain 2017
90% Tempranillo, 10% Mazuelo
Award: Platinum, 97 points | Alcohol: 14%

Stellenbosch 1679, The Legacy, Stellenbosch, South Africa 2018
50% Cabernet Sauvignon , 13% Petit Verdot , 13% Cabernet Franc , 12% Merlot , 12% Malbec
Award: Platinum, 97 points | Alcohol: 14.0%

Blue Pyrenees Estate, Richardson Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Victoria, Australia 2018
99% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Shiraz
Award: Gold, 95 points | Alcohol: 14%

Yalumba, The Cigar Cabernet Sauvignon, South Australia, Australia 2018
100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Award: Gold, 95 points | Alcohol: 14%

Zenato, Amarone della Valpolicella Classico, Veneto, Italy 2017
85% Corvina ,10% Rondinella , 5% Oseleta
Award: Gold, 96 points | Alcohol: 16.5%

Château Laville, Sauternes, Bordeaux, France 2019
90% Sémillon, 10% Sauvignon
Award: Best in Show, 97 points | Alcohol: 13%

De Alberto, Dorado, Rueda, Spain NV
100% Verdejo
Award: Gold, 95 points | Alcohol: 17%

Bulas Cruz, Port, Portugal, NV
50% Viosinho, 30% Rabigato, 10% Malvasia, 10% Côdega de Larinho
Award: Gold, 96 points | Alcohol: 19.97%

Henriques & Henriques, Single Harvest Boal, Madeira, Portugal, 2000
100% Bual
Award: Platinum, 97 points | Alcohol: 19%

Sandeman, 40 Year Old Tawny, Port, Portugal NV
30% Touriga Franca, 30%Tinta Roriz, 20% Tinta Amarela, 10% Tinta Barroca, 10% Tinto Cão
Award: Platinum, 97 points | Alcohol: 20%

The Grand Tasting is at the heart of Decanter Fine Wine Encounters and will take place in the beautiful Bay Room, on the 60th floor of Manhatta featuring breathtaking panoramic views of Manhattan and its surrounding waterways. Guests can purchase tickets for the walk-around grand tasting, trying highly acclaimed vintages and mingle with top wine producers from all over the world whilst enjoying panoramic views of New York. With over 200 wines to be presented, the Decanter Fine Wine Encounter NYC is set to be a truly unforgettable day of fine wine tasting.

You will also have the opportunity to attend four exceptional masterclasses throughout the day. 

Learn from the experts at our world-class 75-minute tutored tastings:

Masterclass 1 10:00am – 11:15am – Man and Nature: The Evolution of Champagne Louis Roederer

Masterclass 2 12:15pm – 1:30pm – Three Decades of Harlan Estate  

Masterclass 3 2:30pm – 3:45pm – Five Generations of Gaja

Masterclass 4 4:45pm – 6:00pm – Château Léoville-Las Cases: from youth to maturity

Whether you are New York dwellers or short-term visitors, tickets are strictly limited so make sure you don’t miss out.

 Buy tickets today

Decanter events homepage

The post Top DWWA award-winning wines on show at Decanter Fine Wine Encounter NYC appeared first on Decanter.

No yeast; no wine. Yeast is the only ‘wine maker’ in that sense. Imagine a world in which we had to content ourselves with tasting and drinking grape juice: sweet, with no ability to alter our mood, and largely undifferentiated in sensual terms. Our interest would evaporate. Mysteriously, only yeast can unlock personality and even origin in must.

Unlock? Perhaps even that word is misconceived. Yeast is, with grape juice, the progenitor of wine. It is not neutral, abstract, a twinkly wand that transforms in a trice. It’s a complex mass of fungus chomping its way though sugar, excreting alcohol and CO2, then eventually dying and dumping its necropolis at the bottom of the vat. It’s an upheaval, a revolution. Wine is the name of a changed state.

With young, inexpensive wine, it’s possible that most of the personality of what’s in your glass is decided by selected yeasts (and other additives). These can emphasise almost any desired character, and notably the ‘thiol’ notes which tend to dominate much Sauvignon Blanc (privet and broom, passion fruit and grapefruit, citrus zest). They can magnify or restrain fruit character, too. There are red-wine yeasts designed to minimise vegetal or herbaceous notes or to underscore what we think of as ‘varietal character’ – and rosé yeasts to sustain fruit character even when the musts have been rigorously clarified and the wine fermented very cool.

Many modern selected yeasts have been engineered to have a ‘killer’ function, ensuring that the desired yeast strain is the only one fermenting the wine. This is partly because unwanted yeast strains can impart a negative character to wines (notably brettanomyces yeasts), but partly because the yeast needs nitrogen to work effectively. Nitrogen can be in short supply in fermenting must, particularly for white wine; killer yeasts ensure that the chosen strain remains well fed.

Faced with all this, you might think that the ‘wild’ or indigenous yeasts vaunted by many fine-winemakers are a more natural solution, giving the complexity of character we all desire. At best this is so – but a huge gang of different yeast strains will result in a greater number of accident-prone fermentations, and wild yeast populations will generally take much longer than selected yeasts to finish fermentation, entailing further spoilage risk.

Yeasts, remember, don’t just produce alcohol and carbon dioxide as they work; they also produce higher alcohols, glycerine, a range of acids and complex secondary aromatic compounds. This, too, is ‘personality’, for better or worse – and you never know quite what nature is going to give you.

What of the corpses? The very things we love most about certain wine styles – think of the ‘creamy, biscuity’ notes of certain traditional-method sparkling wines and Chardonnay-based wines, or the protein-like notes which bring interest to some qvevri, amber or orange wines – may be the legacy of dead yeast. There’s danger here, too, since dead yeast cells can absorb a huge amount of oxygen, leaving wines in a stinky, ‘reduced’ state; the best way to avoid this is to move them around, but that can over-emphasise their flavour print, and sometimes oxidise in turn. Yeasts produce sulphur, too – 80ppm or more, astonishingly, in some cases.

It’s easy to overlook the role of yeast since there need be nothing at all ‘yeasty’ in a finished, adequately aged or fully mature wine. Yet everything that’s in the glass, even the notes acquired during ageing and maturation, is the legacy of the revolutionary upheaval that yeast brought about. When wine speaks to us, it does so in a language it learned from yeast.

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The post Andrew Jefford: ‘Yeast: it’s an upheaval, a revolution’ appeared first on Decanter.

Champagne Telmont, a Damery-based house that is part of the Rémy Cointreau group, has recently finished trials of an 800g Champagne bottle, made in partnership with glass manufacturer Verallia, that pushes the very lower weight limits of what is technologically possible for bottle-fermented wines. The lightest standard bottles currently available are 835g.

Does shaving off a further 35g really make much difference to carbon emissions? Ludovic du Plessis, president of Champagne Telmont, thinks so: ‘Our goal is to become net positive by 2050….when we looked at our carbon footprint, 24% of it is from the bottle. We need to tackle the product,’ he said.

The 35g reduction saves a further 4% on production alone. It wasn’t easy to come by, though. ‘We couldn’t play with the bottom of the bottle as it receives too much shock,’ du Plessis addwd, so the weight loss ended up coming from the shoulders.

Telmont’s findings mirror that of Champagne’s pioneering efforts to measure its carbon footprint in 2003, which found that only about 15% of the region’s carbon emissions come from the vineyard and winemaking activities. Combine that with packaging and freight, though, and the figure is almost 50%. Since 2011, bottle weight has been reduced from 900g to 835g, already saving 8,000 tonnes of CO2 per year.

Telmont’s new bottles, made from 87% recycled glass, underwent a rigorous crash test regime that involved 3,000 units undergoing not only a full second fermentation, but also disgorgement, labelling, freighting, temperature tests and even a trial shipment to Singapore. After six months, only one bottle had broken.

Explosions were common in the 19th century, even though Champagne bottles weighed well over 1kg. Manufacturing irregularity and winemaking imprecision meant that around 5% of Champagne bottles did not survive the pressure created during the in-bottle fermentation (a number which was regularly between 20%-80% until 1836 when Champenois chemist Jean-Baptiste François invented a scale that allowed winemakers to precisely measure the amount of sugar required). Visitors to Champagne’s cellars will still see some (strategically-placed) exploded bottles, reminders of the somewhat hazardous work of the past.

A return to such risky times is clearly something the Champenois want to avoid, but Telmont’s lighter bottle is an example of how the Damery-based house appears prepared to go further than most in its ecological pledges. Its 46-page sustainability guide of January 2023 includes a commitment to ensure not only its own 25ha vineyards are organic, but the 55ha of bought-in grapes are, too; a move no other major house in Champagne has made. ‘Some of the growers don’t want to be organic, so we cannot renew their contracts. But there is a new generation in Champagne coming to us, asking to join,’ said Du Plessis.

He also pointed out that, unlike organics, Telmont sees no real benefit from the lighter bottle other than for its carbon footprint. ‘There are no patents, no exclusivity. If only Telmont end up using it, the whole exercise is pointless’, he said. Telmont’s commitment to use the bottles for all of its wines means there can be no clear glass (which uses no recycled glass, unlike the 87% used in the green bottle) and no special bottle shapes, either.

Following the trial, Telmont will be making 30,000 bottles in the new 800g shape, and the organic cuvée Réserve de la Terre will be available in these bottles from 2026.

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The post Champagne Telmont pushes ahead with lightest-ever Champagne bottle appeared first on Decanter.

Six new Peruvian wine grape varieties have been identified by researchers in the desert province of Caravelí in the Arequipa region of south Peru.

DNA tests conducted by the Instituto de Biotecnología de la Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina (IBT-UNALM) in Peru and the Instituto de Investigaciones Agropecuarias (INIA) in Chile have confirmed the identity of six new grape varieties: Jaen, Cantarilla, Ceniza (also known locally as Mulata), Negra de Caravelí, Loca and Moscatel Negra Rubío.

Each of these grape varieties is as yet unregistered with the Vitis International Variety Catalogue (VIVC).

The newly discovered Jaén grape variety

At least two of the varieties, the white Jaén (above) and the red Cantarilla (top) – both natural crossings of Negra Criolla and a local variant of Moscatel d’Alexandría – are considered to have organoleptic characteristics worthy of propagation for wine production.

In addition, Ceniza, Negra de Caravelí, Loca and Moscatel Negra Rubío – four newly identified mutations of the Negra Criolla variety – have been deemed to warrant further research.

Lead researcher Keith Díaz (below), an agronomy engineer from the Caravelí region, is now seeking registration for these varieties in the VIVC international wine grape registry. In addition, Díaz is developing a digital ‘geo-referencing’ tool to ensure traceability and quality should anyone wish to propagate them.

Researcher and agronomy engineer Keith Díaz

‘From the study carried out, it has been possible to observe that two grapes – Cantarilla and Jaén – have the greatest potential for wine due to the good levels of tartaric acidity that they achieve in the field with an early harvest,’ Diaz said. ‘This is something that Ceniza, for example, did not show on this occasion.

‘It is important to continue experimenting with these grapes to obtain more complete data.’

Though best known as a Pisco-producing nation, Peru has a long history of wine production. The Spanish colonialists arrived in the early 1500s, bringing vine material to the Americas for the first time. Historical archives indicate the sale of vineyards in Lima in 1540. Lima was founded in 1535.

Until now Quebranta – a natural crossing of Negra Criolla and Mollar Cano used in Pisco production – was thought to be Peru’s only unique wine grape variety.

Caravelí is a small, isolated wine region with a mere 70ha under vine. It is located at around 1,700m above sea level, eight hours’ drive from the nearest city of Arequipa, and around five hours’ drive from the Majes Valley, its closest winemaking neighbour.

The grape census was undertaken by Díaz with ampelographic technical support from Sebastian Debernardi. Further support was provided by Mario Casas, president of the Wine and Pisco Makers Association of Caravelí. Financing for the project was provided by the Provincial Municipality of Caravelí.

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The post Researchers in Peru identify six unique new grape varieties appeared first on Decanter.

With 5,848ha under vine Uruguay is becoming one of the most closely observed emerging wine producers in the world, with the focus here mostly on quality whites and the flagship Tannat reds.

Uruguayan wine regions are coastal, meaning that their climate is defined by prevailing winds from the Río de la Plata and the Atlantic Ocean, which usually ensure plenty of rainfall, especially in summer.

However, this wasn’t true of the 2023 harvest. Uruguay suffered from its most severe drought in 50 years and, of course, the lack of water was felt by the vineyards. The drought was coupled with severe heat that brought forward ripening times by 15 days.

This is an effect of climate change, which has in fact been somewhat beneficial for Uruguay, as the oenologist Ricardo Cabrera, president of the Instituto Nacional de Vitivinicultura – Vinos del Uruguay (INAVI) – said.

‘The 2023 harvest in Uruguay produced a 23% lower yield compared to the previous year due to the drought, which ran from September 2022, the budding period, onwards. However, it also resulted in grapes of excellent health, with good levels of alcohol and aromas, lending them unusual balance. The wines from the 2023 harvest will undoubtedly get people talking with their quality and stability. The quality makes up for the drop in yields.’

Grapes arrive at Pizzorno winery in Canelones Credit: Uruguay Wine

The value of water

Given the dry year, the availability of irrigation systems was a key factor in Uruguay. As this is a country where average rainfall has traditionally been sufficient, only more recent vineyard projects, mainly located to the east where the soils are poor and stony, are equipped with drip irrigation. In 2023 this was a great blessing.

In the historic wine-producing regions such as Canelones and Montevideo, where 75% of vineyards are located, irrigation was rarely necessary as the clay soils retain enough humidity for the roots of the vines. But this year, some water reserves were exhausted, leading to the blocking of vines during ripening. This in turn led to the drop in yields mentioned by Cabrera.

Gabriel Pisano, a producer from El Progreso, Canelones, reported: ‘In this area, because of the clay soils, the plants get along without irrigation. The clay retains more humidity and adult plants with roots that have delved deep are always able to produce nicely. But in other areas, there were significant drops in yields, as much as 30% in some vineyards.’

‘The year was a dry one throughout the growing season and irrigation was necessary in every vineyard. In normal years, you only need to irrigate in the eastern vineyards, very rarely in the south, but this time it was required shortly after budding began,’ said Eduardo Boido de Bouza at the Las Violetas winery in Canelones.

In summary, the lack of rain and high temperatures made for a healthy year in the vineyards, but a brief harvest window and lower yields.

Around the regions

In spite of the often-difficult conditions, each of the viticultural regions of Uruguay enjoyed excellent health, which will result in high quality, expressive wines – albeit in lower quantities. ‘The quality of the grapes went up a notch, we’re going to have great wines this year,’ said Santiago Deicas of Familia Deicas, which owns vineyards across Uruguay .

‘The conditions meant that we could harvest all the grapes in a lovely state of ripeness, which can be difficult sometimes in Uruguay,’ says Eduardo Boido of Bodega Bouza in Canelones. ‘I think that the whites, like the Chardonnay, are going to present excellent aromas and volume.’

Meanwhile, Pisano added: ‘We’re seeing significant concentration in the whites and reds, but they’re still maintaining their usual freshness. It was a fantastic year for the Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, with a quality that’s hard to achieve in other years. The Tannats are delicious.’

To the east of Uruguay, the ocean breezes brought some rain during the budding season, which proved to be enough to ensure good grape development. Germán Bruzzone at Bodega Garzón said: ‘We made sure we got very healthy, expressive and fresh fruit. I sense this will be a year of great wines. The low pHs mean tart acidity, the whites have good colour and the reds will have gentle tannins because we were able to let them ripen on their own time. In fact, we harvested 15 days earlier than usual.’

Tannat vineyard at Narbona winery Credit: Uruguay Wine

Varieties to watch

In the northern region, scattered rains in spring ensured good bunch development. Francisco Carrau at Cerro Chapeu is excited about the reds. ‘I was surprised by the results we’re getting with Arinarnoa, a variety we’ve been working on for years; while the Tannats are delicious with good ripeness and freshness,’ he said.

To the south, Rodolfo Bartora at Los Cerros de San Juan winery in Colonia reported that, ‘the wines that stand out are mainly the whites, which have excellent concentration and character, such as the Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewürztraminer and Riesling. The reds developed good alcohol and polyphenols. The wines will be very concentrated, with plenty of fruit and volume in the mouth. I’m enthused about the Pinot Noir, Marselan, Tempranillo, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, in addition to the Cabernet Sauvignon and Tannat’.

*Figures for 2022 from Instituto Nacional de Vitivinicultura – Vinos del Uruguay (INAVI)

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How many wines can you name that contain over 20 grape varieties? Here’s one: Château de Montfaucon’s Lirac, Vin de Monsieur le Baron. Having tasted every vintage back to 2007, I can state with certainty that it’s one of Lirac’s greatest red wines.

If this sounds like faint praise, it’s not meant to. Admittedly, Lirac doesn’t currently have the same cachet as Châteauneuf-du-Pape, but it’s just on the other side of the Rhône river and has some pockets of exceptional terroir. What’s more, while the greatest Châteauneuf might set you back £400 a bottle, you can find Vin de Monsieur le Baron for closer to £40.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for verticals of Vin de Monsieur le Baron and Vin de Madame la Comtesse

See the full verticals for Vin de Madame la Comtesse and Vin de Monsieur le Baron:

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British con artist, Casey Alexander, faces up to 20 years behind bars after he admitted guilt in a $13m fake wine and whisky scam.

Investigators accused the 26-year-old Londoner of using ‘aggressive and deceptive tactics’ to dupe unsuspecting pensioners via a series of investment companies.

Alexander has now pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud at a US District Court in Northern Ohio.

Judge Solomon Oliver Jr. accepted the guilty plea, and court records show that Alexander will be sentenced on 11 July.

He faces up to 20 years in jail and a fine of up to $250,000 when he is sentenced, although his voluntary guilty plea will be taken into account.

Alexander set up three companies – Windsor Jones, Charles Winn and Vintage Whisky Casks – which obtained the phone numbers of elderly Americans and cold-called them.

Windsor Jones’ website promised ‘the acquisition and sale’ of the world’s ‘most illustrious and pleasurable Bordeaux investment grade fine wine’.

It listed Bordeaux First Growths and included an embedded video featuring DWWA co-chair Ronan Sayburn MS discussing the best vintages. Sayburn revealed that the site used the video without his permission, and he was unaware of it.

One victim, an 89-year-old from Ohio, wired more than $300,000 to invest in rare sweet wines and to pay for a purported storage locker in France.

Another victim sent Alexander $85,000 after being promised a potential return of up to 40% by selling the wines on in China.

Meanwhile, Alexander appeared in a promotional video on the Vintage Whisky website, in which he gave viewers a tour of Diageo’s Glenkinchie Distillery.

He promised high returns from the ‘glamorous and lucrative’ Scotch whisky market, offering access to rare single malts with huge potential.

Dozens of elderly investors sent him money, but the returns were not forthcoming. When victims tried to retrieve their funds, they were ignored or given a string of excuses.

The 89-year-old Ohioan reported the matter to local police, who alerted the FBI. Investigators began to connect his case to several similar frauds across the United States, so they set up a sting.

The FBI tapped a man who had been charged in an unrelated fraud case and convinced him to pretend to be a potential investor in exchange for a lesser sentence.

They trapped one of Alexander’s employees, who said he accepted the job without conducting much research into the company.

The employee revealed that Alexander would soon be visiting Ohio, and the FBI arrested him on 14 June last year.

He has now admitted to orchestrating the scam, and the judge gave him permission to travel back to the UK before returning for his sentencing in July.

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Red wines made from Tannat are classically deep-hued and intense with a lush kernel of black fruit, from plums to black cherry and cassis, wrapped in plenty of tannins that can range from bold to fine-grained and supple, with decisions in the vineyard and the cellar resulting in varying styles.

Scroll down to see tasting notes & scores for 15 top Tannat wines

Balance is always the key, and some of the best recent examples of Tannat wines integrate the variety’s tannin content with natural acidity and bright fruit – as the examples below show.

You can also find Tannat being used to make rosé wines.

Madiran

In Madiran, Tannat’s traditional heartland of south-west France, you might find Tannat blended with Cabernet Sauvignon and/or Cabernet Franc.

Producers have been working with ways to manage tannin content in the wines to ensure a harmonious balance with other elements, according to the region’s wine body.

Lauded wine producer Alain Brumont is known for pioneering a new wave of pure Tannat wines in Madiran, launching his Château Montus Prestige in 1985.

Yohan Castaing tasted several vintages at a Montus and La Tyre vertical in 2022, including the 2000.

‘A gorgeously fleshy mouthfeel, brimming with energy, lengthening a finish that consolidates its profound substance but also reveals surprising subtlety and delicacy. This vintage joins the ranks of the great ones,’ Castaing wrote.

It’s possible to make lighter styles of Tannat varietal wines, too. This cooperative-made Madiran is 90% Tannat and shows a ‘lighter touch’ with supple tannins yet opulent fruit, according to Decanter’s Stephen Brook. 

This Plaimont, Château de Crouseilles wine is 100% Tannat. It’s ‘robust, brooding and tannic enough to pair well with full-flavoured meat dishes, but has plenty of ripe dark fruit to balance the power’, said Decanter’s Amy Wislocki. 

Beyond France, this Lake Anna Winery Tannat from Virginia in the US shows ‘dense bittersweet figs and prunes backed by fresher juicy berries and bold tannins’, wrote Jason Tesauro.

Tannat wines in Uruguay: Is this a new ‘Malbec’ story?

However, Uruguay is the country most making a name for itself with fascinating styles of Tannat.

Jane Anson wrote in 2017 that Uruguay was the only country to have taken in Tannat as its national grape, a move that inevitably invites comparisons with how Argentina reimagined Malbec.

‘Estates like Bodega Garzon – located in a coastal village of the same name, close to Punta del Este by coincidence – have produced a more contemporary-styled version that is helping to smooth Tannat’s image of rustic, hard tannins in international markets,’ Anson wrote.

Tim Atkin MW marvelled at Uruguay’s ‘great ascent’ in this article in 2020.

And he cited a ‘world-class’ example of Tannat from Bouza winery in Montevideo in his article on 30 great South American red blends, too.

His tasting note praised the wine’s ‘top notes of violet, sweet spices and cut grass [with a] palate of cassis, plum, strawberry [and] nuanced tannins’.

You’ll also find the grape variety in some other parts of the wine world.

This Shelton Vineyards Tannat from Carolina in the US stood out for its ‘density, expressive black cherry fruit, a touch of oak and herbaceous notes all captivated by chewy tannins and wrapped in a balanced, persistent finish’, noted Stacy Slinkard.

See tasting notes and scores for 15 top Tannat wines

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The post What do Tannat wines taste like? appeared first on Decanter.

A winemaker and digital team want you to imagine a virtual world where you are a vineyard owner: growing and harvesting virtual grapes and digitally filling up bottles of wine. Then, you redeem your digital bottle for actual wine – that you can drink – shipped straight to your home. This venture is part of a new project called Bored Grapes.

Oregon-based Nicholas Keeler, the winemaker at Authentique Wine Cellars and co-founder of Bored Grapes, has teamed up with a group of wine and tech experts led by Robert Haleluk. They have developed a wine approach to the world of NFTs (non-fungible tokens), creating an online wine-centered metaverse.

The project has evolved since its launch in October 2022. Keeler and his team are charting a course to initiate the first NFT model that could usher in an advanced new digital futures concept. Or, at the very least, provide an exciting new platform for consumers to buy and collect wine.

Bored Grapes launched its first NFT collection last year, offering 5,555 virtual empty bottles. This issuance process is often called a ‘mint’, where users interact with a smart contract to issue an NFT token.

The Bored Grapes team announced the inaugural ‘drop’ to their 31,000 Twitter followers and 26,000-member Discord community – an online social network. Interested users could then mint their empty NFT bottles for free. All 5,555 bottles were snapped up within half an hour.

‘The process allows us to curate special digital opportunities and unique wines from my network of winemaker friends in the industry’ said Keeler. ‘For instance, I’m planning to work with Chris Peterson at Avennia Winery for a Bordeaux blend offering, and we’re looking at curating wines from Italy, France, and California,’ he added.

The next step is for people to take those empty NFT bottles and redeem them for actual wine that Keeler and his network have produced. Over the Easter weekend, Bored Grapes will drop a new NFT collection to kickstart the next phase of its project. This new collection will allow members to mint 5,555 grape vines.

Users who have purchased grape vines will begin the experience of growing grapes at Bored Grapes’ metaverse vineyard, Vinum Estate. Each grape vine will grow a specific amount of grapes daily (these will vary). They will produce up to 112 grapes per vine at full maturity.

‘Once fully grown, users will be able to harvest their grapes and combine them with the empty bottles to produce a full bottle of wine NFT,’ explained Keeler. ‘Then they can redeem that NFT for an actual physical bottle of wine that I produce,’ he added.

The cost per grapevine is 0.10 Ethereum (ETH). However, users can pay with traditional currency (USD) by credit card. The amount charged will be based on the current value of ETH, which, as of this writing, is $1,872.50. This puts the mint price at: 0.10 ETH or $187.25 per vine.

In many ways, purchasing grape vines on Bored Grapes is akin to paying for wine futures, which is the practice of selling wine before it’s bottled.

Whereas at a physical marketplace like en primeur, where you’d buy wine futures, Bored Grapes is ‘taking an exciting new approach to doing this digitally,’ said Haleluk. ‘Even though these terms – NFT, mint, metaverse – may be complicated, this new technology is exciting. This enables creative teams to build unique experiences around products, brands, and exciting opportunities,’ he added.

‘We’re trying to make this a fun, new experience for buying wine,’ said Keeler.

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The post Bored Grapes: A virtual world of wine and NFTs appeared first on Decanter.

Producers sold 33.72 million bottles in the US market throughout the year, according to new figures released today (6th April) by the Comité Champagne.

That represented a modest 1.2% decline compared to the record 34.2 million bottles sold in 2021.

The slight decrease was attributed to a dearth of supply towards the end of the year, as stocks dwindled and producers struggled to meet the surge in demand among consumers.

However, American wine lovers demonstrated an increasing fondness for more expensive cuvées, ensuring value sales increased by almost 20%.

That left the US well clear of the UK ($578.5m) and Japan ($455.4m) as the no. 1 export market for Champagne.

Gaëlle Egoroff, director of protection and appellation promotion at the Comité Champagne, said the region has now made ‘a true and full recovery from the challenges of Covid’.

Volume sales in the US decreased from 25.7 million bottles in 2019 to just 20.8 million in 2020, after the pandemic caused lockdowns across the country.

However, they rebounded strongly in 2021, hitting a record 34.2 million bottles, and the positive momentum continued last year.

‘The strength of the US market in 2022 shows that Americans are still eager to consume Champagne,’ said Egoroff. ‘In addition, American consumers are increasingly seeking out new moments for Champagne consumption outside of celebrations or special events, contributing to this strong result,’ she added.

Officials said the surge was driven by the continued return of in-person celebrations, while Americans are increasingly enjoying Champagne at after-work happy hours and meals with friends and family.

The Comité Champagne’s figures also showed that rosés accounted for 17% of sales in the US market last year, which is the highest proportion on a global basis.

It is also confident that the region will be able to meet demand in the future. Egoroff said 2022 was ‘a remarkable harvest both in quantity and quality, which is very important, as it will play a role in rebuilding stocks going forward’.

The 2021 harvest was very rainy, so quantity was low and producers had to dip into their reserves. By contrast, 2022 saw a quick and easy growing season, with perfectly healthy grapes, leading to well-balanced acidity and aromas.

One challenge lies in educating American consumers that Champagne is produced in a specific region in France, as opposed to anywhere in the world.

Surveys suggest that just 54% of Americans are aware of Champagne’s origins, compared to 86% of adults in France and Italy, 76% in the UK and 67% in Japan.

Education is key, as exports are becoming increasingly important to Champagne producers. In 2022, domestic sales dipped by 1.7% year-on-year to 138.4 million bottles, but exports rose by 4.3% to 187.5 million bottles.

Going forward, the plan is to ensure that Champagne is ‘always available, always desirable and always exemplary,’ according to Egoroff.

To that end, the Comité Champagne will increase its annual budget by 50% over the next two years, which will boost efforts to spread awareness of Champagne’s origins. It also plans to create a new centre of research, development and innovation.

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The post Champagne sales increase by 19.4% in the US appeared first on Decanter.

As winter welcomes many wine lovers and foodies to Colorado’s ski towns for skiing, boarding, and snowmobiling, and the tipples and trends of après-ski, spring and summer in the Rockies lure visitors to the mountains with hiking, biking, rafting, horseback and edgy adventure tours.

More recently, many of Colorado’s top mountain resort towns are creating dynamic food fests showcasing world-class wines, spirits, and culinary talent throughout the Rocky Mountains. While Aspen’s Food & Wine Classic may be Colorado’s most prominent wine festival, Vail, Breckenridge, Steamboat, and others delight guests with innovative events and experiences. We’ve rounded up a few favourites.

The Taste of Vail,

The Taste of Vail is one of the nation’s premier food and wine festivals,. It runs every spring for four days in the stunning Vail Valley. With spring skiing in full swing, this legendary wine festival features daily signature events, including mountain-top wine tastings held at 3,155m, in-depth wine seminars ranging from wine and caviar pairings to terroir-driven wine tastings and lively discussions.

Vail’s top chefs debut their culinary creations along the charming streets of Vail with “grab and go” gourmet-style samples alongside 50+ wineries, distilleries, and craft brewers. Celebrating over 30 years of food and wine in the epic Vail Valley, the Taste of Vail draws visitors from near and far to experience springtime in the Rockies at one of the nation’s most famous mountain resort towns.

2023 Dates: April 5 – 8

The Breckenridge Wine Classic

The Classic welcomes international wine and spirits, fun and festive food demonstrations and live music entertainment that stretches from the iconic base of Breck’s Peak 9 to the bustling riverside streets of this epic mountain town. With a fierce focus on local foods (including spicy condiments and gourmet jams and jerky) featured a la carte to the pouring of over 300 wines from around the world, this lively foodie-focused event brings out the best of Breck through creative event experiences.

Tickets are available to jump in as “Winemaker for a Day” with a wine blending seminar based on barrel samples to joining a “Wine and Wildflowers Hike” (culminating in a 3-course paired lunch). The posh “Breckenridge Uncorked Dinner Series” features multi-course winemaker dinners hosted at some of the town’s most upscale restaurants. And yet, the laid-back, mountain casual vibe offers everyday access to industry experts ranging from Master Sommeliers to top winemakers, distillers, and glassware experts.

2023 Dates: August 24 – 26

The Steamboat Food & Wine Festival

Steamboat delivers a distinctly Western food and wine festival experience from events like “Bubbles, Bourbon and Burgers” to “Caviar Surf & Turf” and multi-course winemaker dinners at expansive mountain ranches. Taking full advantage of the festival’s location, guests are encouraged to explore this out-of-pocket Colorado gem through hands-on fly-fishing experiences, mountain biking, hikes and backcountry horseback riding.

In between there are focused wine and food tastings, film screenings, innovative seminars, chef dinners, cocktail courses and the Grand Tasting event held at the base of Steamboat Mountain.

2023 Dates: September 28 – October 1

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