Grape Varieties – Decanter

If you know where to look there’s value to be found in every wine region, even the most famously expensive ones like Bordeaux and Burgundy. While it’s true that both these regions are better known for their premium offerings, you can still find value-for-money bottles and enjoy something truly special without breaking the bank.

Putting our money where pour mouth is we’ve pulled together a number of wines from across Bordeaux and Burgundy, all priced under £20 a bottle. There’s something for everyone here; red, white, rosé, sparkling and sweet, and as well as wines from basic appellations such as AOC Bourgogne there are a handful from better known areas including Chablis, Haut-Médoc and Sauternes.

Some of the best value wines from Bordeaux and Burgundy can be found via well known importers such as Corney & Barrow or The Wine Society, sold under their own labels. Supermarket own brand labels are also worth looking at, and there are a few of these in our selection too.

Best value Burgundy and Bordeaux, our top picks:

Best Laithwaites wines to try this winter

Great orange wines for autumn: 12 to try

Best Sherries: Top bottles to try

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AOP Chablis 2022: Top-scoring wines

Andy Howard MW — Sun, 10 Dec 2023 11:07:27 +0000

The vineyards of Chablis.

Chablis 2022: Full vintage report and top-scoring wines

Score tables

Chablis 2022 score table – notes for the 108 wines scoring 93 points and above

Grand Cru Chablis 2022 score table

Premier Cru Chablis 2022 score table

ALSO

Individual appellation analysis and their top-scoring wines:

Grand Cru Chablis | Premier Cru Chablis | Petit Chablis

AOP Chablis 2022

Top-scoring AOP Chablis 2022

The below wines all scored 92 points or above.

Chablis 2021: Full vintage report and top-scoring wines

What happened to Chablis? Ask Decanter

Burgundy 2022: What to expect

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Expert's Choice: South Africa Cinsault – the 30 wines to try

Malu Lambert — Sat, 09 Dec 2023 08:00:15 +0000

Cinsault bush vines on the Gras En Dal farm below the Paardenberg mountains in Swartland.

Blazing a trail up South Africa’s west coast, viticulturist Jaco Engelbrecht is on his way to Skerpioen, the sprawling old bush-vine vineyard rooted on white sand-limestone soils that produces the namesake Chenin Blanc-Palomino blend made by Eben Sadie for his Sadie Family Wines label. And right next to Skerpioen, in this arid coastal desert, Engelbrecht says he’s recently planted five rows of bush-vine Cinsault for Sadie.

Scroll down for tasting notes and scores of 30 South Africa Cinsault wines to try

South Africa Cinsault: 30 to try

Cinsault: South Africa’s new star from old vines

Expert’s choice: Valpolicella

Expert’s choice: Moulis & Listrac

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Grand Cru Chablis 2022: Top-scoring wines

Andy Howard MW — Thu, 07 Dec 2023 12:10:45 +0000

Chablis 2022: Full vintage report and top-scoring wines

Score tables

Chablis 2022 score table – notes for the 108 wines scoring 93 points and above

Grand Cru Chablis 2022 score table

Premier Cru Chablis 2022 score table

ALSO

Individual appellation analysis and their top-scoring wines:

Premier Cru Chablis | AOP Chablis | Petit Chablis

Grand Cru Chablis 2022

Top-scoring Grand Cru Chablis 2022

The wines below all scored 94 points and above.

Chablis 2021: full vintage report and top-scoring wines

What happened to Chablis? Ask Decanter

Burgundy 2022: What to expect

The post Grand Cru Chablis 2022: Top-scoring wines appeared first on Decanter.

Premier Cru Chablis 2022: Top-scoring wines

Andy Howard MW — Thu, 07 Dec 2023 12:05:42 +0000

Chablis 2022: Full vintage report and top-scoring wines

Score tables

Chablis 2022 score table – notes for the 108 wines scoring 93 points and above

Grand Cru Chablis 2022 score table

Premier Cru Chablis 2022 score table

ALSO

Individual appellation analysis and their top-scoring wines:

Grand Cru Chablis | AOP Chablis | Petit Chablis

Premier Cru Chablis 2022

Top-scoring Premier Cru Chablis 2022

The wines below all scored 93 points and above.

Chablis 2021: full vintage report and top-scoring wines

What happened to Chablis? Ask Decanter

Burgundy 2022: What to expect

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Covenant: California kosher fine wine producer profile and 10 wines tasted

Jonathan Cristaldi — Thu, 07 Dec 2023 07:17:51 +0000

Covenant owner and winemaker Jeff Morgan

Covenant founding winemaker Jeff Morgan, 70, is both driven and eccentric. He favours the underdog. Take rosé, for instance. Morgan played an outsized role in jump-starting the rosé renaissance in America more than 20 years ago – long before it was fashionable.

Not only did Morgan co-found SoloRosa, the first American winery dedicated solely to dry rosé, but in 2005, he penned the first English language book on the subject as well (Rosé, A Guide to the World’s Most Versatile Wine, Chronicle Books).

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for ten Covenant wines tasted

In 2003, high-end kosher wine seemed like a long shot. But Covenant was among the first wineries to demonstrate that fine wine made with native yeast and organic grapes and without fining or filtration can also be kosher. It was a novel concept at the time.

Ten Covenant wines tasted

American Zinfandel on Zinfandel Day

Sonoma County AVAs: Overview and 10 wines to try

Signorello Estate: Meeting winemaker Priyanka French plus four current releases tasted

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Wine with pork: Advice on great pairings

Chris Mercer — Thu, 07 Dec 2023 06:00:24 +0000

Seven wine styles to drink with pork:

White wine

German Riesling
Condrieu (Viognier)
Chenin Blanc

Red wine

Pinot Noir
Grenache / Garnacha (red or rosé)
Aged Barolo (Nebbiolo)
Sicilian Nerello Mascalese

Surprise the wine connoisseur in your life this Christmas!

Red or white wine with pork?

‘Rich whites and juicy reds tend to work well’, said Decanter Rhône correspondent Matt Walls. But, there are no hard and fast rules for pairing wine with pork.

Nutritional studies class pork as a red meat, despite its relatively light appearance and a renowned advertising campaign by the US National Pork Board entitled ‘the other white meat’.

Jean-Baptiste Lemoine, dining room manager and director of wines at The Goring in London, said it’s important to consider:

the cut of the pork;
the way it’s cooked;
the sauce you are serving it with.

Wine with pork belly and suckling pig

For tender, melt-in-the-mouth suckling pig, Lemoine advised drinking lighter styles of red. These include Spanish Mencia, Nerello Mascalese from Sicily, Pinot Noir from cooler regions or Chilean Carménère.

Riesling with a touch of sweetness can work well for white wine drinkers, he said.

This is also a good option for pork belly and was listed as one of the top 25 food and wine pairings by Fiona Beckett in a previous article for Decanter.com.

‘Roast pork belly works best with a wine that has a high level of acidity plus a touch of sweetness,’ Beckett wrote.

‘Cue dry German Riesling, especially if apple is served alongside. It provides welcome freshness, cuts through the fat and doesn’t detract from the crispness of the crackling.’

She also suggested a young red Burgundy, returning to the Pinot Noir theme above.

Red wine to drink with roast pork

A combination of fresh acidity and juicy red fruit can also work well with roast pork, on the other hand.

Decanter’s Julie Sheppard previously recommended this Cabernet Franc from Mendoza, available at Sainsbury’s in the UK, for instance.

Roast pork beyond suckling pig can handle a slightly bolder wine, although fleshy, juicy fruit and bright acidity should generally work better than the sort of tannic heavyweight that might pair with a darker red meat like steak.

‘Roast pork calls for something that combines richness with acidity, whether it’s white or red,’ said Matt Walls.

As an expert on the Rhône Valley in particular, he advised turning to the Grenache heartland of Gigondas.

Can you drink white wine with roast pork?

For white wine lovers, ‘Condrieu [Viognier] can be a brilliant match for pork roasted with herbs like Oregano or Marjoram,’ Walls said.

He added that it’s also worth considering Pinot Noir from warmer climates, plus fresher styles of Chardonnay or Chenin Blanc from either the Loire Valley or South Africa.

Some styles of white Rioja can also be delicious with roast pork. Decanter’s Amy Wislocki recommended this ‘intense, toasty, oily and nutty’ example from Allende, which also shows ‘incredible length’.

Wine with pork sausages

Walls returned to the Grenache theme when considering a wine for pork sausages. ‘For a classic bangers and mash, I tend to reach for a young Grenache-based wine like a southern Rhône.’

Grenache-based blends with lots of juicy fruit and depth could be a winner with barbecued sausages too.

A high-acid red like Barbera, meanwhile, can match well with the fattiness of a sausage pasta dish, especially if tomatoes have added extra acidity to the meal.

Rosé wine with BBQ pork

Dry rosé wines could be a good bet for BBQ pork, whether pulled or cooked as a chop.

However, the meat might overpower some of the more delicate styles.

The Goring’s Lemoine suggested a Grenache rosé, particularly the more full-bodied styles from Spain, where the grape variety is known as Garnacha.

Aged Barolo wine with roast ham

Are you lucky enough to have any bottles of top Barolo, Bordeaux or white Burgundy quietly ageing away in your cellar?

Then the serving of a roast ham – whether at Christmas or any other time of year – could be a great excuse to pull the cork on a treasured bottle, said Lemoine.

He said the softer tannins and complexity of these wines after a few years of bottle age will work well with the meat.

This article was first published in 2019 and has been edited in November 2023, including with the addition of new wine reviews (below).

Reviews by our experts: inspiration on pairing wine with pork

Wine with turkey: A food pairing guide

Wine with beef: Pairing advice and styles to try

See more food and wine pairing ideas

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Wine with turkey: A food pairing guide

Chris Wilson — Fri, 01 Dec 2023 07:00:49 +0000

Classic styles when pairing wine with turkey:

Full-bodied Chardonnay, such as those from Burgundy or California
Pinot Noir
Mature Bordeaux, Rioja or Barolo
Beaujolais (Gamay)

Remember that turkey is not a powerful meat

When pairing wine with turkey, remember that this is a white meat with a low fat content, which is why it can dry out if not cooked carefully.

Your wine matches should ideally be either a full-bodied white wine or a medium-bodied red, with low or medium tannin and relatively high acidity.

**Search all Decanter wine reviews**

Do you know somebody who wants to start learning about how to pair, taste and serve your favourite wines? Pairing & serving wine: a guide for the real beginner is a new online learning course from Decanter designed to introduce the basic principles and start beginners on their journey through the fascinating world of wine. Find out more…

Pairing wine with turkey: a visual guide

Click on the turkey and wine pairing graphic below to see a full-size version.

Tips on matching turkey with wine. Credit: Annabelle Sing / Decanter

Decanter Premium: The perfect gift for a special wine lover

The basic rules of pairing wine with turkey

Let’s talk about tannins

Fine tannins are great in a balanced wine with some bottle age, but too much mouth-coating tannin could also ruin all those hours you’ve spent in the kitchen.

There is likely to be a dearth of fat on the plate in general, leaving little to soften tannins in a big, bold, young wine.

This can accentuate the harsh feeling of tannins in the mouth, eclipsing other flavours. The saltiness of the turkey can also make tannins taste more bitter.

It may seem strange that classic wine choices include those with relatively high tannin levels, such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot blends from Bordeaux.

This, however, is where several years of bottle age come into play. Tannins will soften and integrate over time in the best wines.

Embrace acidity when pairing wine with turkey

A roast turkey dinner is often full of flavours and complexity. Sides like cranberry, bacon, parsnips, stuffing and Brussels sprouts are just some of the dishes vying for attention.

A wine with medium or high levels of acidity should be able to cope better with these myriad flavours.

Red wine with turkey

Taste is personal and there are many options out there, but but Pinot Noir is often seen as a great match for turkey dinners.

Pinot Noir

Pinot Noir from bolder Burgundy crus, such as Gevrey-Chambertin or Pommard, should work exceptionally well.

If you can stretch to the Grand Cru of Chambertin then you’re in for a treat, but there are also plenty of less expensive options out there. Try looking towards Fixin or Santenay, for example.

Some lighter styles of Burgundy Pinot, such as classic Volnay wines, may be overpowered by the range of flavours on your plate.

You can also look to other relatively cool-climate regions known for great Pinot Noir. These include Central Otago in New Zealand, Mornington Peninsula in Australia, The Finger Lakes in New York State or even Essex or Kent in the UK, too.

Pinot Noir is also a good pairing with cold roast turkey leftovers, according to food and wine expert Fiona Beckett. She previously recommended ‘a riper, more robustly fruity Pinot Noir from, say, California, Oregon or New Zealand’.

Beaujolais Cru

Gamay is arguably still underrated as a grape variety and yet it can produce red wines offering delicious depth, as well as drinking pleasure.

In its Beaujolais heartland, look towards the 10 ‘Crus’, and perhaps especially those known for making slightly more powerful styles, such as Morgon or Moulin-à-Vent.

Aged Bordeaux

Cabernet Sauvignon is in a completely different universe to what we’ve just talked about, with big tannins, big acidity and lots of luscious dark fruit.

Merlot, too, carries significant weight in its classic Bordeaux Right Bank form.

Yet the delicately poised balance of fruit, acidity and integrated tannins can still work wonders with your turkey dinner, if tertiary aromas from a few years of bottle age have started to develop around the edges.

Last year, Decanter revisited the Bordeaux 2012 vintage 10 years on from the harvest, and Jane Anson selected a fine collection from the 2000s that are beginning to drink wonderfully.

Aged Barolo or Chianti Classico are other classic reds to consider with turkey.

Mature Rioja can combine those lovely, earthy, mushroomy aromas with bright red fruit and medium-weight tannins. There are also plenty of relatively good value options.

Be wary of choosing a wine with too much oak influence, however.

White wine with turkey

Chardonnay

A full-bodied Chardonnay can be an enchanting accompaniment to your turkey, especially with traditional sides like bread sauce.

The best examples exude oaky richness that can give sweet spice notes. Creamy lactic acid also really helps out with a meat that can sometimes be on the dry side. A backbone of acidity brings balance to the flavours.

Good Chardonnays, in general, are found in the similar geographical areas to good Pinot Noir.

White Burgundy will work well at almost all levels.

Those lucky enough to be able to choose a Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru or a Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru are unlikely to be disappointed.

The high levels of minerality and acidity in these wines help to cleanse the palate, allowing you to wade through all the trimmings effortlessly.

The Mâconnais is an area to explore for relative value options, particularly for anyone who enjoys riper fruit notes on their Chardonnay.

Other wonderful examples can be found in Australia, from Victoria to Adelaide Hills and Margaret River, or in California from Napa Valley to Sonoma’s Russian River Valley and Santa Barbara County.

Don’t overlook South Africa, home to this ‘fresh and spiky’ Chardonnay from Storm, or New Zealand, such as this fantastic value, ‘silky and pure’ offering from Wairarapa.

Top tip for cooking turkey:

‘Take off the legs and cook them separately from the crown,’ says Stephen Harris, chef at the Sportsman in Whitstable, Kent. ‘It’s easy to overcook the breast otherwise. I like to confit the legs in goose fat and last year I sous-vided the breast, which worked well.’

Tasting notes: Wine with turkey suggestions

Wine with beef: Pairing advice and styles to try

Wine with pork: Advice on great pairings

Wines to drink with turkey curry – Christmas leftovers

The post Wine with turkey: A food pairing guide appeared first on Decanter.

DFWE 2023 Burgundy masterclass: Corton Grand Cru wines

Charles Curtis MW — Thu, 30 Nov 2023 10:27:59 +0000

Why Corton?

The hill of Corton is an arrestingly beautiful place to even the most casual passer-by. As one arrives from Beaune, it rises suddenly to dominate the landscape.

In geological terms, the hill is an outlier, freed from the main slope of the Côte d’Or by erosion. Vines wrap almost completely around the hill, facing every direction from northeast to almost due west, making this the only grand cru in Burgundy with a western exposure.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for all 12 wines in the Corton Grand Cru masterclass

Corton Grand Cru masterclass: All 12 wines rated

FWE 2023 Ornellaia masterclass: Four decades of a Tuscan icon
Cellar Collection 2023 at the Decanter Fine Wine Encounter
Burgundy: a complete guide to Corton

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Napa Valley's Darioush: Producer profile plus 10 wines tasted

Jonathan Cristaldi — Wed, 29 Nov 2023 08:00:01 +0000

Darioush Khaledi

Many high-end producers along Napa Valley’s storied wine routes took on wine as a second (or third) career after securing their fortunes in other lucrative fields. None of them have quite the same story as Darioush Khaledi.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for 10 current releases from Napa’s Darioush

Today, Khaledi is famous for being the proprietor of Darioush, an eye-popping merger of a winery and hospitality centre he and his wife Shahpar designed.

Darioush: Tasting notes and scores for 10 current releases

Signorello Estate: Meeting winemaker Priyanka French plus four current releases tasted

Napa and Sonoma 2023: Harvest forecast

Bella Oaks Vineyard retrospective: A 15-vintage vertical

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Walls: The next step for Jaboulet’s Hermitage La Chapelle

Matt Walls — Tue, 28 Nov 2023 08:00:14 +0000

Chapelle Sante-Christophe on Hermitage hill.

Caroline Frey, owner of Paul Jaboulet Aîné, has decided to uncouple La Chapelle (and its white counterpart, Le Chevalier de Sterimberg) from the Paul Jaboulet Aîné brand by creating a separate entity, Domaine de la Chapelle, which will be the new home for these two wines.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for the 2022 Domaine de la Chapelle red and white wines

Tasting notes and scores for the 2022 Domaine de la Chapelle red and white wines:

Northern Rhône 2022: Full report and top-scoring wines

Southern Rhône 2022: Full report and top-scoring wines

Rhône 2022 en primeur diary: The north

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Regional profile: Champagne's Montagne de Reims

Tom Hewson — Mon, 27 Nov 2023 08:32:44 +0000

Verzenay Windmill

The vineyards in the northern part of the Champagne region are often sliced into three distinct areas: the Côte des Blancs for Chardonnay, the Marne Valley for Meunier and the Montagne de Reims for Pinot Noir.

Scroll down to see tasting ntoes and scores for Tom Hewson’s top picks of Montagne de Reims Champagnes

The first two can be neatly surmised: the Côte des Blancs is a single, chalky cuesta – a hill with a steep face on one side and a gentle slope on the other – that can be driven north to south in 20 minutes. The Marne Valley is a winding valley planted with an overwhelming majority of one grape variety and with hardly a grain of chalk to play with. The Montagne de Reims, though, is different.

Tom Hewson’s picks of the best Champagnes from the Montagne de Reims

Regional profile: Champagne’s Côte des Bar

A guide to non-vintage Champagne

Champagne 2013: 10 years on

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DFWE 2023: Discovery Tasting of Viña Santa Rita's Casa Real

Ines Salpico — Sat, 25 Nov 2023 08:00:25 +0000

Sebastián Labbé, premium wines winemaker at Santa Rita, presenting at the DFWE

It was not hard for Sebastián Labbé to capture the attention of an audience drawn to a tasting of multiple vintages of Viña Santa Rita Casa Real, the wine that inscribed Chile in the fine wine firmament, worthy of a place among Decanter’s Wine Legends.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for three vintages of Santa Rita Casa Real Reserva Especial

Born in Chile and trained in New Zealand and Australia, Labbé returned to his home country in 2005, aged 25, to join Viña Carmen as Chief Winemaker. In early 2017, he was given the outstanding opportunity of leading the Ultra-Premium Sector at sister estate Viña Santa Rita (both Viña Carmen and Viña Santa Rita are part of Santa Rita Estates, under the umbrella of the Claro Group). With such privilege came the big responsibility of becoming the custodian of some of Chile’s most recognised and highly-regarded labels, not least the flagship Casa Real Reserva Especial.

Before him, only two other winemakers – Ignacio Recabarren and Cecilia Torres – had held the Casa Real helm. Alongside owner Ricardo Claro (the mastermind behind the creation of Casa Real) they defined a recognisable and consistent style that quickly turned heads both in Chile and abroad. First released in 1989, Casa Real revealed the potential of an overlooked terroir and its ability to yield a very specific expression of premium Cabernet Sauvignon.

See all Decanter tasting notes and scores for Santa Rita’s premium wines

In 2021, to celebrate the release of the 30th vintage of Casa Real, Viña Santa Rita made the wine available, for the first time, through La Place de Bordeaux. The announcement represented yet another pivotal moment in the wine’s history, consolidating its status as an iconic and pioneering Chilean label.

So far, Labbé’s tenure has been shaped by this prestigious legacy but also, and increasingly, by viticultural challenges and ambitious expansion plans. His own personal journey served as the perfect narrative thread for the insightful masterclass at the Decanter Fine Wine Encounter.

Credit: Ellen Richardson

A very Chilean Cabernet

Key to Casa Real’s enduring success are its consistency and classic yet characterful style, both reliant on the particular expression of Cabernet Sauvignon delivered by the terroirs of Alto Jahuel. Labbé delved into the three key variables that define this idiosyncrasy: geology, climate and viticultural choices.

A complex accumulation of alluvial sediments deposited strata in different ways across the slopes of Alto Jahuel, with distinct textures dynamically layered at variable depths. This creates a great deal of diversity within each vineyard, producing interesting if minute variations in fruit character. The heavier soils of the Carneros Viejos block, planted in the 1970s, are responsible for the wine’s more structural components, while the more gravely Población, a block planted in the 1980s, adds finesse and aromatic nuance. All blocks benefit from the long dry growing season, with cooling night winds from the Andes causing a wide temperature diurnal range. Cool nights help to preserve a fine acidity, keep alcohol levels in check and, says Labbé, shape the distinct aromatic profile of Cabernet Sauvignon that has become synonymous with Alto Jahuel and Casa Real.

Combined, Carneros Viejos, Población and recently planted, smaller sites – all ungrafted – make up the nearly 20 hectares that supply fruit for Casa Real. Plans to plant another 20 are underway. These will use plant material from massal selections from the existing plots. Labbé is not sure, however, if all of them will be on their own rootstock.

Grafted experiments delivered promising results, questioning the need for orthodoxy. Although he does recognise that much of Casa Real’s aromatic definition and purity of fruit might be a byproduct of own-root systems, other considerations – such as ever diminishing water resources – might need to come into play.

Viña Santa Rita Casa Real discovery tasting at the DFWE 2023. Credit: Ellen Richardson

Blending to perfection

If the different plots within the Casa Real vineyards deliver such nuanced aspects of Cabernet Sauvignon, carving – and remaining faithful – to a defined style requires mindful and masterful blending. For the masterclass, Labbé brought with him barrel samples from the 2023 vintage to illustrate the wide palette of components, from separately vinified plots, at his disposal. These also offered a glimpse of the ‘epic blending sessions’ held each year, in Bordeaux, alongside consultant Eric Boissenot.

The filigreed aromatics of the Población sites and the more robust structure of the Carneros Viejos sections became apparent in the barrel samples tasted. It’s not hard to see how, upon blending, these create a balanced matrix, in which the tannic framework of Carneros holds the vibrant and perfumed details of the Población fruit. Interestingly, a sample from a more recently-planted plot (Carneros Sur, 2015) had a particular balance of its own, promising great things from new and future plantings.

The tasting closed with a selection of three vintages: 2020, 2012 and 1994 (see tasting notes below). The latter showcased the somewhat overlooked longevity of Casa Real. While ready to drink, it still displays bags of finesse, freshness and the lingering herbal savouriness which is so characteristic of Alto Jahuel Cabernet Sauvignon.

Looking ahead

Winemaking at Santa Rita has so far been, first and foremost, a way of harnessing the quality of the Cabernet fruit that goes into Casa Real. Hand-harvested grapes are gently basket pressed and vinified in more than 25 small batches (some through spontaneous fermentation). The wine is bottled without filtration and clarification.

Is this purist approach – and the recognisable style it facilitates – being questioned by climate change? Labbé explained that, to preserve balance and character, the focus will be on strategic viticultural decisions, such as harvesting earlier and increasing the use of cover crops.

He is already making minor tweaks in the cellar though: the use of new oak has been toned down (75%, down from 100%) and there’s a chance future vintages might go through gentle clarification, which Labbé believes might help the Cabernet Sauvignon fruit to shine even more. ‘I want to remain respectful to the heritage and style I had the privilege of inheriting,’ he concludes. ‘All changes are done to preserve the character that has made Casa Real such an iconic wine.’

Casa Real’s label has remained largely unchanged since its first release, in 1989

DFWE 2023: Three vintages of Santa Rita Casa Real Reserva Especial

Chile harvest report 2023: ‘A year that kept you on your toes’

September fine wine releases on La Place de Bordeaux 2023

Decanter’s Dream Destination: Hotel Casa Real, Viña Santa Rita, Maipo Valley, Chile

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Côte-Rôtie & Condrieu 2022: Report and top-scoring wines

Matt Walls — Thu, 23 Nov 2023 11:33:22 +0000

Côte-Rôtie

Young Côte-Rôties are normally fairly easy to read, but that wasn’t the case with the 2022s. Many of them appeared very fruity, with soft structures, lacking energy and aromatic detail. There were some excellent exceptions however, often from those originating from old vines grown on schist and fermented with a proportion of whole bunch.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for top-scoring Côte-Rôtie & Condrieu 2022 wines

See all 400 Rhône 2022 tasting notes and scores

Rhône 2022 full vintage report and top-scoring wines

Northern Rhône 2022: Full report and top-scoring wines

Matt Walls’ top-scoring Côte-Rôtie & Condrieu 2022 wines:

The wines below all scored 95 points or above, and are listed Condrieu then Côte-Rôtie in score order.

Walls: Côte-Rôtie 2019 in bottle

Walls’ hidden gems: Domaine Garon, Côte-Rôtie

Regional profile: Condrieu plus 12 wines to seek out

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St-Joseph 2022: Report and top-scoring wines

Matt Walls — Thu, 23 Nov 2023 09:31:47 +0000

AOC Saint Joseph

It felt like I was tasting two different vintages while working my way through more than 100 St-Josephs this year. Some of the reds were diminutive but fresh and well-balanced; others were soft, luxurious and liqueur-fruited.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for top-scoring St-Joseph 2022 wines

See all 400 Rhône 2022 tasting notes and scores

Rhône 2022 full vintage report and top-scoring wines

Northern Rhône 2022: Full report and top-scoring wines

Matt Walls’ top-scoring St-Joseph 2022 wines:

The wines below all scored 92 points or above, and are listed white then red in score order.

Rhône 2022 en primeur diary: The north

Walls: Discovering St-Joseph estate Martine & Christian Rouchier

St-Joseph 2021: report and top-scoring wines

The post St-Joseph 2022: Report and top-scoring wines appeared first on Decanter.

Cornas & St-Péray 2022: Report and top-scoring wines

Matt Walls — Wed, 22 Nov 2023 15:15:06 +0000

Cornas

It was particularly dry in Cornas, with about 100mm of rain between April and harvest, according to Pierre Clape. It’s no surprise therefore that the ripening blockages are felt more keenly here than elsewhere in the north. ‘But the leaves stayed green, in contrast to 2003,’ says Clape.

Tannins can be difficult, rough and fibrous in places, but, both here and elsewhere, sensitive use of oak has helped to paper over the cracks and add some palate weight.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for top-scoring Cornas & St-Péray 2022 wines

See all 400 Rhône 2022 tasting notes and scores

Rhône 2022 full vintage report and top-scoring wines

Northern Rhône 2022: Full report and top-scoring wines

Matt Walls’ top-scoring Cornas & St-Péray 2022 wines:

The wines below all scored 92 points or above, and are listed in order of St-Péray and Cornas in score order.

Walls: 10 exciting estates to know in Cornas

Cornas to drink now: Matt Walls’ top 20

Expert’s Choice: St-Péray

The post Cornas & St-Péray 2022: Report and top-scoring wines appeared first on Decanter.

Ontario Chardonnay: 20 cool-climate buys from Canada

Tina Gellie — Wed, 22 Nov 2023 08:00:25 +0000

Hidden Bench Vineyards, Beamsville Bench.

Telling people I was heading on a work trip to the Niagara Peninsula, in Canada’s eastern province of Ontario, the response was invariably ‘oh, for the Icewine’. Even friends from my birth city of Ottawa, Canada’s capital and a 5.5-hour drive from the heart of the winelands, were surprised that anything else would lure a wine writer across the pond.

Just as there are lingering outdated perceptions that all Sherry and German Riesling is sweet and old fashioned, it seems there’s still a way to go to convince the general public that Ontario has many (many) more strings to its winemaking bow.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores of 20 Ontario Chardonnay wines to try

While growers planted the first vinifera vines of the modern era in 1974, with the first winery licence post-prohibition registered in 1975, the Ontario wine industry didn’t really kick off domestically until the 1990s. The first wine (yes, an Icewine) didn’t hit British shelves until 2001, and by 2013 – only a decade ago – there were still only three Ontario wineries exporting still wines to the UK.

Ontario Chardonnay: 20 top wines to buy

North & South America Pinot Noir: Panel tasting results

Canadian rosé: Patriotically pink for Canada Day

Discovering Canada’s Similkameen Valley

The post Ontario Chardonnay: 20 cool-climate buys from Canada appeared first on Decanter.

Champagne alternatives: 25 great bottles to stock up on

Anne Krebiehl MW — Tue, 21 Nov 2023 17:34:55 +0000

We live in a truly effervescent world and my pick of 25 sparkling wines from around the globe proves it – and not one of them is from Champagne. They show that compelling bubbles can be made outside the world’s foremost fizz region.

My aim in selecting these wines was simple: to provide inspiration for joyful bubbles that are just a little off the beaten track.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and score for 25 sparkling wines from around the globe

I also wanted a global span and to include a few wines that stray from the usual grape varieties of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, even though these stalwarts show their mettle in numerous spots here and score highly – above all, Chardonnay.

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Champagne alternatives: 25 top sparkling wines from around the globe

Champagne: Latest autumn releases tasted

Expert’s choice: Ageing English fizz

Cap Classique: South Africa’s sparkling wine success story

The post Champagne alternatives: 25 great bottles to stock up on appeared first on Decanter.

Hermitage 2022: Report and top-scoring wines

Matt Walls — Tue, 21 Nov 2023 12:23:54 +0000

It’s an unusual style of red Hermitage this year: smaller in structure and stature than a usual year. Again, as with other appellations, it’s primarily down to problems with ripening – Guillaume Sorrel said it didn’t rain at all on the hill of Hermitage in June, July or August, and Maxime Chapoutier remembers the mercury hitting 40 ̊C as early as June.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for top-scoring Hermitage 2022 wines

Matt Walls’ top-scoring Hermitage 2022 wines:

The wines below scored 92 points and above, and are listed white then red in score order.

Grape Varieties – Decanter

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