• Wine Legend: Kanonkop Pinotage 1995

    Wine Legend: Kanonkop Pinotage 1995
    Why it makes the Decanter hall of fame...Kanonkop Pinotage 1995
    Bottles produced 58,000Composition 100% PinotageYield 42hl/haAlcohol 13%Release price N/APrice today £49.20
    A legend because…
    Pinotage is a grape variety that divides critics and consumers alike, but Kanonkop’s version, championed by long-term winemaker Beyers Truter, has always been hailed as a benchmark by those who believe Pinotage demands to be taken seriously. Kanonop is a Stellenbosch estate now run by the f
  • Decanter's rare finds: A journey through Italy's lesser-known varieties

    Decanter's rare finds: A journey through Italy's lesser-known varieties
    On Sunday 14 April in Verona, Michelle Cherutti-Kowal MW hosted a Decanter masterclass highlighting some wines made from rarer Italian grape varieties.
    Cherutti-Kowal made her selection of 10 wines from those awarded Gold or Platinum medals at the 2023 Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA), and presented them to a packed room during the annual Vinitaly trade and consumer event.
    Below you can find my tasting notes for all 10 wines presented by Cherutti-Kowal. The masterclass really highlighted the ca
  • Decanter meets: Marco Balsimelli, production director for Ornellaia and Masseto

    Decanter meets: Marco Balsimelli, production director for Ornellaia and Masseto
    In March 2023, Decanter reported on Axel Heinz’s departure for Château Lascombes in Bordeaux, which unintentionally kickstarted a reshuffle at Ornellaia and Masseto.
    Ornellaia’s winemaker, Olga Fusari announced her intention to leave in August, lured to a new project in Bolgheri. This was followed by the announcement in September that Ornellaia’s CEO, Giovanni Geddes da Filicaja, would be retiring imminently.
    This latter announcement was big news. Geddes had been the arch
  • Decanter luxe list: Spring 2024

    Decanter luxe list: Spring 2024
    Taste South African wines and explore the ice caves of Antarctica. Credit: Christoph Hoebenreich.Every year is worth celebrating, but 2024 is one for the books, filled with major milestone moments saluted in the most lavish of ways.
    Spring feels like a global fête with everything from pop-up parties by lauded wineries in major metropolises around the world to super-exclusive wine-pairing dinners in legendary cellars and private estates that will have you living out your Bridgerton or Downt
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  • Over the line: The complexities of US cross-state-border AVAs

    Over the line: The complexities of US cross-state-border AVAs
    Hors Catégorie Vineyard, in Milton-Freewater, Oregon, less than 15km from the Washington border.At the end of 2023, the United States was home to 269 American Viticultural Areas (AVAs). These are meant to denote a specific sense of place – and, arguably, quality. Winemakers see these boundaries as a key piece of their marketing message.
    However, when the AVAs cross regional political borders, does that impact consumers’ understanding of them and muddle any clarity that convers
  • Walls: Exploring Côtes du Rhône Villages Massif d'Uchaux

    Walls: Exploring Côtes du Rhône Villages Massif d'Uchaux
    An awful lot of wine is made under the generic Côtes du Rhône appellation. Around 167 million bottles in 2022, to be precise. And while much of this is pretty average, a small proportion transcends the appellation. The greatest of all is Château de Fonsalette.
    It’s one of the three estates owned by Emmanuel Reynaud. The most famous of the three is Château Rayas in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. And although Fonsalette is not as well known, the wines are still extremely
  • Achaval Ferrer releases the 2020 vintages of its acclaimed single-vineyard Malbecs

    Achaval Ferrer releases the 2020 vintages of its acclaimed single-vineyard Malbecs
    Achaval Ferrer captures the distinct terroirs of its three flagship vineyards in its Malbec de Fincas collectionOn 14 April, Achaval Ferrer released the 2020 vintages of its Malbec de Fincas range, three wines that capture the individual personalities of the winery’s century-old ungrafted vineyards in Mendoza.
    ‘Achaval Ferrer’s ideology is based around determining what the vines want to express and bottling it in as pure a way as possible. It’s a constant quest to achieve
  • City guide to Amsterdam for wine lovers

    City guide to Amsterdam for wine lovers
    Image: The canals of Amsterdam. The Netherlands might not be synonymous with wine culture: both its northerly latitude and the fact that much of the country is below sea level make it a little difficult to grow vines (although the southernmost regions are increasingly home to many of the same grapes as Germany). But that doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of satisfied wine lovers in Amsterdam, the country’s vibrant capital.
    Amsterdam punches well above its weight in many respects
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  • Aldo Fiordelli: ‘Deep historical reasons connect Italians to the bitter taste in wine’

    Aldo Fiordelli: ‘Deep historical reasons connect Italians to the bitter taste in wine’
    Sorì Tildìn in BarbarescoLydia is a reliable source and an authoritative and respected figure worldwide, who has been a consultant for Zanella for 10 years.
    Her statement, perhaps taken for granted by some experts, struck me and resounded in my ears for days, prompting me to delve deeper. There are no doubts about the truth of the first part of what she said: the best Italian agronomists agree with the highly regarded French consultant. ‘The abundance of magnesium is a conseque
  • Pernod Ricard to acquire 280-hectare Provence estate

    Pernod Ricard to acquire 280-hectare Provence estate
    In 2022, the French conglomerate became the majority shareholder in Côtes-de-Provence producer Château Sainte Marguerite.
    The Fayard family, which had owned the estate since 1977, maintained a minority stake in the company following the sale.
    Château Sainte Marguerite has more than 200ha under vine, and it produces popular wines such as Symphonie, Fantastique and Marguerite en Provence.
    The company has now announced plans to snap up Aux Terres de Ravel, which is located approxi
  • Researchers identify the cause of rotten egg smell in canned wine

    Researchers identify the cause of rotten egg smell in canned wine
    After conducting extensive tests, the team determined that the molecular form of sulphur dioxide (SO2) is the culprit.
    Winemakers regularly use it as an antioxidant and antimicrobial, and it does not cause any issues when wine is stored in glass bottles.
    However, SO2 interacts with the aluminium cans in different ways, and it can lead to the dreaded rotten egg smell.
    Producers tend to use an ultra-thin coating inside the can to keep the wine and the aluminium apart, but it is often not enough to
  • Sonoma Coast: 2021 vintage report and 2022 preview

    Sonoma Coast: 2021 vintage report and 2022 preview
    A foggy morning at Littorai.
     ‘The 2021 vintage was a beauty for the Sonoma Coast winegrowers. These are wines with great freshness and intensity.  The benchmark producers, who are making some of the best Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in the world have found briliant conditions and are crafting collectible bottles from 2021. ’The 2021 vintage is one filled with gratitude for winemakers on the ‘true’ Sonoma Coast. An incredible rebound from the disastrous and deadly
  • DWWA Market Guide: A helping hand in the competitive UK wine market

    DWWA Market Guide: A helping hand in the competitive UK wine market
    Despite significant challenges on many fronts, the UK is still one of the largest wine-consuming nations. Total market value was estimated at £14.5bn in 2023, according to research group Mintel. A wide diversity of styles contribute to this, from orange wines to homegrown cuvées and mature claret.
    Reports of declining total volume sales, however, only further emphasise the importance of producers choosing the right path for them.
    This year, a new initiative from Decanter World Wine
  • Domaine de Courcel: Producer profile and 10 wines tasted

    Domaine de Courcel's Grand Clos des Epenots vineyard in Pommard.Fashion is funny. It ebbs and flows, sometimes in both directions at the same time. Domaine de Courcel seems like an enigma, popular and well-respected in France, while often ignored or damned with faint praise in the anglophone press.
    Recent visits with estate manager Yves Confuron have convinced me of the need to put this to rights. Confuron is a breath of fresh air, with his wry sense of humour and readiness to follow his vi
  • Lugana white wines: Panel tasting results

    Lugana white wines: Panel tasting results
    Susan Hulme MW, Vincenzo Arnese and Sara Bachiorri tasted 46 wines with 16 Highly recommended and 26 recommended.
    Lugana white wines: Panel tasting scores
    46 wines tasted
    Exceptional 0
    Outstanding 0
    Highly recommended 16
    Recommended 26
    Commended 4
    Fair 0
    Poor 0Entry criteria: producers and UK agents were invited to submit their Lugana DOC dry white wines, either from the 2022 vintage or, if a Riserva, from the most recent vintageLugana is a white wine from the southern shores of Lake Garda. Crad
  • Straight Talk Episode 21: Salvestrin Winemaker Natalie Winkler, Plus … the World's Strongest Wine Thieves?!

    Straight Talk Episode 21: Salvestrin Winemaker Natalie Winkler, Plus … the World's Strongest Wine Thieves?!
    Salvestrin Family winemaker Natalie Winkler struck a chord when the 2018 Salvestrin Dr. Crane Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon earned a spot among Wine Spectator's Top 10 Wines of 2021. But it all started with a bottle of Oregon Pinot Noir, she tells host James Molesworth in the newest episode of Wine Spectator's Straight Talk podcast.Winkler represents a new breed of California wine pros specializing not just in winemaking or vineyard management, but in both, and she tells us why winemakers sho
  • Domaine Belargus: Les Treilles, exceptional single-vineyard Chenin

    Domaine Belargus: Les Treilles, exceptional single-vineyard Chenin
    The steep, south-facing slope of the Les Treilles vineyard.Domaine Belargus was created by Ivan Massonnat in 2018. Born in Savoie, Massonnat spent his childhood in his grandfather’s vineyards developing a passion for wine.
    ‘Initially I concentrated on Burgundy, which was then still affordable,’ he says, ‘chasing the dream of one day becoming a wine producer making cool-climate wines from a single varietal. My aim was to be an active winemaker – this was not to be a
  • Sustainable cocktails: The future?

    Sustainable cocktails: The future?
    Silo in London E9 describes itself as ‘a restaurant without a bin’. Ditching the plastic straws. Taking out the recycling. Beyond the basics, though, what are today’s top bars doing to minimise their eco-footprints? We spoke to four representatives from forward-thinking bars to see what sustainable cocktail-making looks like in their trailblazing venues.
    There’s no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to making green(er) drinks, but there are some common practices and
  • Perfect Pairing: Chicken with grapes, olives & sage

    Perfect Pairing: Chicken with grapes, olives & sage
    For those of us who were fans of Russell Norman’s restaurants, his book Brutto has a particular poignancy. Sadly, he died shortly after its publication, but it remains the perfect tribute to both the man and his simple but always stylish cooking.
    Norman was a passionate Italophile with an eye for design, which enabled him to recreate not only the food of a city or region (he’d written a similar book on Venice) but the authentic feel of its restaurants. Brutto, which is also the name
  • ‘Electronic tongue’ finds white wine faults before human panel

    ‘Electronic tongue’ finds white wine faults before human panel
    The electronic tongue or "e-tongue" housed at the Washington State University Sensory Science Center.An ‘electronic tongue’ has outperformed human senses in a test on how soon signs of faults or spoilage can be detected in white wine, said researchers in a new study. 
    An experiment at Washington State University (WSU) found the e-tongue picked up signs of certain microorganisms within a week of contamination – four weeks before a human sensory panel reported changes to som
  • Marco Felluga, White Wine Visionary in Italy’s Friuli, Dies at 96

    Marco Felluga, White Wine Visionary in Italy’s Friuli, Dies at 96
    Marco Felluga, who made exquisite white wines that helped put the Collio area of Italy’s Friuli-Venezia-Giulia region on the global wine map, died April 3. He was 96.“Friuli and the Collio region have suffered a great loss,” said fellow winemaker Silvio Jermann of Jermann winery. Jermann says that Felluga, along with fellow vintners Count Douglas Attems and Mario Schiopetto, led the drive to elevate wine quality in the Collio region, to advocate for the appellation’s prom
  • Best wine shops in Atlanta

    Best wine shops in Atlanta
    Wine shops in Atlanta are gathering spots for residents. Orchestrated tastings, winemaker visits and food and wine pairing events have made these shops in vogue in the city. Many carry natural and biodynamic producers, while others hoard a stockpile of collectable wines.
    To understand the city’s intricacies, one must explore its distinct neighbourhoods and the wine shops among them. Inman Park claims an eclectic population with local restaurants and bookstores. Buckhead is home to the city
  • Must-try Sauvignon Blanc wines: 25 top scorers starting from £10

    Must-try Sauvignon Blanc wines: 25 top scorers starting from £10
    Sauvignon Blanc wines, whether oaked or unoaked, are a great choice for pairing with cheese or salads.If you love white wines with racy acidity, pungent tropical and citrus fruit aromas and flavours as well as grassy green notes, then chances are you’ve had a Sauvignon Blanc or two in your life.
    And over the past year, Decanter’s experts have tasted hundreds of the world’s best examples – from the grape’s homeland of the Loire in France, to popular styles from New Z
  • Andrew Jefford: ‘Without the younger generation we’ll lose farming as it exists here’

    Andrew Jefford: ‘Without the younger generation we’ll lose farming as it exists here’
    ‘I worry about the younger generation,’ Gallica owner and winemaker Rosemary Cakebread said to me a few hours later. ‘It’s difficult for young people here in Napa even to buy a home, let alone a vineyard.
    ‘If you have any instinct to be a solo proprietor, you’ll need family money or people who believe in you. But without the younger generation we’ll lose farming as it exists here.’ She’s right. When the hedge-fund and tech billionaires buy up
  • Lettuce Entertain You and Evan Funke Open Tre Dita in Chicago

    Lettuce Entertain You and Evan Funke Open Tre Dita in Chicago
    Who’s behind it: Tre Dita and the adjoining Bar Tre Dita are new endeavors from Evan Funke, the chef behind Los Angeles restaurants Felix Trattoria, Funke and Mother Wolf. Funke focuses primarily on Italian culinary traditions, particularly handmade pastas, and is the author of 2019 cookbook American Sfoglino. For the Tuscany-focused Tre Dita, he is collaborating for the first time with leading hospitality group Lettuce Entertain You, which oversees a portfolio that includes Wine Spectator
  • Italian restaurant offers free wine for ditching phones

    Italian restaurant offers free wine for ditching phones
    Diners can choose to have their phones locked in a box during their meal.Recently opened Al Condominio restaurant in northern Italian city Verona said it was offering ‘a bottle of good wine’ to diners who temporarily part with their mobile phones in order to ‘dedicate themselves to the pleasure of the table and company’. 
    A ‘digital detox’ special offer promises a free bottle of wine in return for allowing staff at the Verona restaurant to lock phones in
  • Polkadraai Hills: Regional profile and 10 top wines rated

    Polkadraai Hills: Regional profile and 10 top wines rated
    The vineyards of De Toren in the Polkadraai Hills.Soon after he bought his 2 hectare farm in the Polkadraai Hills, renowned South African winemaker Bruwer Raats got talking to another well-known producer on the Helderberg, widely considered one of Stellenbosch’s most prestigious sub-regions. His interlocutor was incredulous. ‘You’re kidding me, right? If the Simonsberg is the head of Stellenbosch and the Helderberg its heart, then the Polkadraai Hills are its arse.’
    That
  • Napa Valley Versus Napa Valley

    Napa Valley Versus Napa Valley
    It may be hard to imagine, considering Napa's moniker as the preeminent luxury wine region in the United States, but it wasn't that long ago that the valley was a small agricultural area populated with bootstrapping farmers.Today, the valley is renowned for its premium wines and grand estates. Four million tourists visit annually. While many visit the gleaming tasting rooms and cellars of corporate-owned wine brands, plenty of small family wineries still make up the fabric of the valley. In 2015
  • No room for Bordeaux en primeur price rises, says report

    No room for Bordeaux en primeur price rises, says report
    Bordeaux’s 2023 vintage is still to be tasted by many journalists and critics, yet there has already been price speculation ahead of an en primeur releases campaign expected to begin in May. 
    ‘Further price increases are off the table,’ said Liv-ex, a global marketplace for the trade, citing market conditions in a new report focusing on Bordeaux en primeur. 
    Debate about en primeur release prices is hardly new, and top Bordeaux can look relatively good value versus sm
  • Italy's future greats: 10 wineries from Piedmont to Campania nominated by their peers

    Italy's future greats: 10 wineries from Piedmont to Campania nominated by their peers
    Matteo Santoiemma of I Parieti stands among the vines on his family farm.Italian wine is in full swing. While the leaders of the quality revolution of the 1980s and 1990s are progressively passing the baton to the next generation, new faces are also rising to prominence.
    Whether they are modernising family businesses or starting from scratch; whether they have studied oenology or have a different background – for all of them, the challenge today is the market, unstable and moody, marked by

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