South Africa is one of the most exciting wine-producing nations right now. A new generation – led by the likes of Eben Sadie, the Mullineux, Chris Alheit and many more – has put the Cape firmly on the fine wine agenda. Its pinpoint Chenin Blanc, serious Syrah and laidback winemakers have made it the darling of the industry – yet this modish group of surfer-cum-winemakers seems a world away from the sweet wines of Constantia.  “Constantia Wyn” was South Africa’s original vinous export – savoured by the good and great of the 18th and 19th centuries. Bismarck, Frederick the Great, Louis XVI and George Washington are all noted to have enjoyed it, while Napoleon had vast volumes shipped to him in exile on St Helena (drinking up to a bottle a day) – and it was supposedly the only thing he wished to consume on his deathbed. The wine is mentioned by Dickens, Dumas and Baudelaire, with Jane Austen’s Mrs Jennings in Sense and Sensibility famously recommending it for “its healing powers on a disappointed heart”.  How, then, did such a legendary wine fall from grace? Economic downturn in the second half of the 19th century, followed by the arrival of mildew and phylloxera in the Cape, and the subsequent dominance of the KWV – the state-run cooperative – saw it vanish.  But in 1985, the Klein Constantia property was bought by Duggie Jooste. He replanted the vineyards, built a new winery and worked on overhauling the long-neglected estate. In 1986 he and winemaker Ross Gower produced the first vintage of Vin de Constance – their tribute to “Constantia Wyn” – released in 1990. It was made with Muscat de Frontignan (a particularly thick-skinned clone of Muscat) left to raisin on the vine, producing a luscious sweet wine, with no botrytis influence. It was an instant success – but quality and style was inconsistent, and Vin de Constance was just one wine in the range, rather than a focus.   It was only in 2012 that Klein Constantia embarked on a new chapter. The property had been for sale for a while and, as Vice Chairman Hans Astrom told me, it was “a bit dusty” and severely in need of attention. It changed hands in 2011, with Zdenek Bakala – an American-Czech billionaire – and British banker Charles Harman taking over, merging a year later with the Stellenbosch estate Anwilka, part-owned by Duggie Jooste’s son Lowell Jooste, Hubert de Boüard (of Ch. Angélus) and Bruno Prats (previously of Cos d’Estournel). Matthew Day – who had worked at the property since 2008 – took over as winemaker. While the estate still produces a full range of whites and reds, Vin de Constance is its flagship.  Now, a decade on, the importance of this shift is shining through. Being a “legacy winery” used to be “what got us in the door”, Day explains, but Klein Constantia is no longer trading on its past. The wines made between 1986 and 2012 were experimental, Day notes – with bottlings ranging significantly in sweetness (from 80 to 180g/l residual sugar) – but they were “vital in figuring out where we are going”. His favourites from that era are the 1987, 1991, 1995, 1996 and 2001 (“with 1991 and 1987 being at the top of that list”), but he’s more excited about the wines he’s producing today. “The older Vin de Constances are more in the style of being sweet wines, whereas the newer vintages are just wines,” adds Day.   Since 2012, they have gradually evolved the style, striving for balance and freshness, with increased precision. For Day, the aim is to make “a sweet wine that doesn’t taste sweet”.  The first shifts were in the vineyard, which since the mid-2000s has been farmed sustainably with some organic and biodynamic practices. The team planted more bush vines that ripen and raisin earlier in the season, therefore retaining more acidity. While they used to pick parcels from January to have high-acid components for blending, now – with the bush vines – they can pick a more uniformly ripe crop, yet not sacrifice acidity.  The end goal remains to have as many components as possible for blending, with the harvest team picking in passes and bringing between one and five kilograms of grapes in per day. While the wine used to vary in alcohol and sugar level, they now aim for around 165g/l residual sugar and 14% alcohol – where they think the best balance is found, varying slightly according to vintage.   The 2016 vintage was the first to be made in a new cellar – a practical and hygienic space. As for what actually happens in the cellar, the key changes have been around skin contact and élevage. The must now spends a week on skins, inoculated with a non-saccharomyces yeast to protect them from biological contamination and the development of volatile acidity, extracting all-important flavour compounds, but not phenolics. They then inoculate for alcoholic fermentation, which lasts between one and three months. They also started re-introducing the use of foudre for ageing the wines in 2016. From 2019, the wine will spend its first 1.5 years in new 500-litre barrels (encouraging the evolution of secondary flavours), before being transferred to older foudre for another 1.5 years (giving oak influence but without the ageing effect of micro-oxygenation).   Tasting the 2012 alongside the 2019 highlights the differences. The two vintages were similarly cool, both picked in April, and although the residual sugar is almost identical, the 2019 feels significantly fresher – with a pithy, textured freshness that offsets its sweetness.   This whimsical wine of yore might feel like a counter to the nation’s new wave, but it’s not so, says Day. “For me, Klein Constantia has always been at the forefront of the movement, but in a completely different way. We might not be as trendy as some of the newer producers, but we like to think the work we have done with Vin de Constance over the past decade has shown the world that South Africa has the potential to compete with the best of the best in the world.”   Browse all current listings from Klein Constantia or browse more Editorial

Loved by Dickens, Austen and Napoleon, the sweet wines of Constantia were legendary in the 18th and 19th century. But Klein Constantia – the estate revived in the 1980s – is done with looking back. Sophie Thorpe caught up with winemaker Matthew Day to find out what lies ahead 

Klein Constantia’s winemaker Matthew Day on the evolution of Vin de Constance, South Africa’s most iconic and historic sweet wine

A new era for Klein Constantia’s Vin de Constance

A constant evolution: Vin de Constance

The red wines are simply brilliant: most of what I’ve tasted so far has been beautifully balanced, combining a seductive depth of fruit with very classical levels of acidity; and nor is there any coarseness or rusticity, even if the wines have the structure they need for the long haul. At this early stage, 2019 appears to number among the most compelling red Burgundy vintages of the millennium. The wines might be thought of as combining some of the depth and seriousness of the 2005 vintage with some of the generosity and charm of 2009; but I think site differences are more clearly defined than in either of those years, and that the wines are livelier and better defined. Another comparison would be with the depth and concentration of 2015 with the charm and perfume of 2017. If 2019 must clearly be numbered among what the French call "solaire"
vintages (ie those shaped by warm, sunny conditions), it also remains very classically Burgundian. For white Burgundy, 2019 is a vintage of concentration and maturity, along the lines of 2015, and some producers adapted to it better than others. While the wines are inherently rich and muscular, in many cases acidities are higher, and pHs lower, than in for example, the 2018 and 2015 vintages.  While some wines are almost exaggeratedly rich, I’m being impressed by how chiselled many 2019s remain despite their huge levels of concentration, and I suspect that those who pursue longer élevage will find that their wines gain in tension after a second winter on the lees. There’s certainly a stylistic contrast between these wines and the supple, open-knit, and sometimes somewhat dilute 2018s. Overall, the 2019 white wines will be more heterogenous than the red, but I’ve tasted some great bottles in the making. With the caveat that they’re more heterogenous, making analogies harder to draw, the white wines of the Côte de Beaune share some characteristics with 2015 – a muscular, powerful vintage with an important presence of dry extract from thick-skinned grapes – and even the 2012 vintage, which was also defined by low yields and produced textural, almost unctuously concentrated wines, albeit in a very different growing season. I’d venture that the whites are harder to read at this stage than the reds: many are still on their lees, some have been racked, and most received some sulphur dioxide before harvest. Revisiting them in bottle will thus be especially important. Spending half the year in Burgundy, William Kelley is the Wine Advocate’s Burgundy correspondent. His full Burgundy 2019 report, notes and scores will be published on the Wine Advocate in January 2021. Read more about the 2019 Burgundy vintage 

Ahead of the publication of his full report in January 2021, the Wine Advocate’s Burgundy critic William Kelley offers his initial thoughts on the 2019 vintage

The Wine Advocate's critic William Kelley on the Burgundy 2019 vintage 

William Kelley on the 2019 Burgundy vintage 

The world’s fine wine regions famously exist where the climate is just warm enough for grapes to reach ripeness. The ever-warming climate, however, has greatly increased this likelihood, with good-to-great vintages now convincingly outweighing the poorer ones.  Despite this, vintage variation remains an important factor in fine wine and when contrasting 2016, 2017 and 2018 in Piedmont, you see there are still strong variations in climate. The pitfalls of a vintage could arguably be even greater, in that these regions are no longer only concerned by wet, cooler conditions but also by the perils of excessive heat and drought. While hotter conditions can drastically affect yield and quality, the 2017 vintage in Piedmont seems to show that – despite these risks – vines are better at handling the heat. 
Following on from an almost perfect 2016 growing season in Piedmont, 2017 was always going to play second fiddle. The 2017 and 2018 vintages were certainly not as straightforward and – in fact – the two together offer completely contrasting growing seasons which produced totally different results, with 2017 hot and dry, 2018 cool and wet. Despite initial concerns regarding the heat in 2017, the wines – now in bottle – are surprisingly fresh, yet with richly concentrated fruit. Giuseppe Vaira sums it up best: “2017 is a vintage that defies logic.  It was the driest vintage on record and the earliest picking dates of the last five years. Yet, the wines are surprisingly vivid, fresh and still introverted: the opposite of what you would expect from a warm year.” For Giovanni Angeli at Massolino, the 2017s are similar to the 2015s, but with more “energy and freshness”, a pleasant surprise considering the year’s hot, dry conditions. Visiting Piedmont in early 2018, I remember how concerned winemakers were about the past summer. They were shocked by the extreme conditions, registering as the hottest and driest summer since 2003; yet, as Ferruccio Grimaldi and Giovanni Angeli noted, alcohol levels remained normal – particularly for the Nebbiolo.  Grimaldi believes this is because the vines shut down during the hottest period and stopped producing sugar. More surprising was that acidity remained high, something Grimaldi attributes to low levels of malic acid in the grapes. This might sound counter-intuitive, but it is the tartaric acid in grapes that provides freshness, while malic acidity in fact lessens the sense of freshness. For Grimaldi, low malic acidity signifies two things: the grapes reached an excellent degree of ripening, while also retaining healthy levels of tartaric acidity. Grimaldi also noted that, despite the heat in the day, the nights were cooler than other hot vintages – potentially another factor that helped preserve the acidity and freshness in the wines.  Emanuele Baldi from Prunotto pointed out that another possible saviour of the vintage – albeit to the detriment of the year’s yield – was frost. A mild winter prompted early budbreak, meaning vines were significantly advanced when the region was hit by frost. This led to huge losses particularly for the white varieties Moscato and Arneis, but also for lower-lying plots of Nebbiolo, where frost pockets formed.  The fruit that escaped was all from the higher vineyards, sites which naturally preserved more acidity thanks to their altitude. For Vajra, there were three key factors to 2017’s success: the diurnal temperature swing, the lack of rain (which caused a limited intake of potassium and thus better retention of acidity), and a gentle, fresh September which set the stage for Nebbiolo’s tannins to fully ripen. The biggest threat for the season was the lack of water, the risk being that without adequate water the grapes would become shrivelled and overripe. Massolino tried to counter the drought by not trimming the canopy (providing shade) and breaking off superficial roots, forcing the remaining roots to go deeper in search of water.  “We learned a big lesson from this vintage,” says Angeli. “The vines are much more flexible than we imagined.” Moreover, the season highlighted the region’s marl soils important role as a water regulator. “They are like a big sponge that’s able to catch the water during winter and spring, and release it slowly during the rest of the season avoiding stress to the vines,” explains Angeli. The region was blessed again with welcome rain in late August and September, allowing the vines to find equilibrium, completing the full cycle of vegetative growth while also the fruit to ripen fully (both in terms of sugar and phenolic ripeness). While Nebbiolo production was down by around 15 to 25% for some producers (due to the spring frosts and drought), the grapes that survived were beautifully ripe. The 2017 vintage will be remembered for its early harvest, but the results are excellent. “The 2017 Barolo are rich, fresh and fruity wines,” says Grimaldi, “and more ready to drink now compared to 2016 vintage.” Massolino’s Angeli agrees: “The wines already have soft, smooth tannins with a complex and sweet mid-palate.” For Baldi, the wines have fantastic concentration and, more importantly, they are not flabby.  They may not have the structural prowess of the 2016 and will not age as well, but Baldi believes they will drink beautifully over the next 10 to 15 years. Vaira notes the warmth of the year gave the wines “an extra layer of density and mid-palate richness… but what I love about these wines,” he says, “is the quality of the texture and almost a sappy freshness that keeps everything in balance.” Particularly from Vajra’s cooler sites, Giuseppe believes the top 2017s will have sensational ageing potential, especially in comparison to other similarly warm vintages. The 2017 vintage might have been challenging in terms of heat and drought, but such conditions are likely to be more prevalent in the years to come. The good news is that the vines seem to be adapting to these warmer vintages and vignerons are learning how to cope with them – producing some excellent wines that defy logic, remaining remarkably fresh and age-worthy. 
The vintage in brief: Hot and dry conditions – yet the wines have surprising freshness Yields reduced by frost and drought particularly in lower-lying sites Supple tannins that make the wines approachable already Ripe yet fresh wines that offer good medium-term drinking Browse all Barolo or read more Editorial 

With the release of the 2017 Barolos fast approaching, Gavin Smith spoke to some of the region’s leading producers – Giovanni Angeli from Massolino, Giuseppe Vaira from Vajra, Emanuele Baldi from Prunotto and Ferruccio Grimaldi – about the vintage, its extreme conditions and the surprising results

The Barolo 2017 vintage is beyond all expectations. We explore the year that defies logic and the wines are surprisingly vivid, fresh and introverted

Barolo 2017 vintage report 

Barolo 2017: vintage report

The 2023 vintage in the Rhône was – like elsewhere in France – hot and dry, but not as hot as 2022. The preceding autumn was wet, but from January through to March 2023 there was practically no rain (indeed, not a drop fell between 21st January and 21st February).  Rain arrived in mid-May and there were frequent, small showers until the end of June, providing just enough water to avoid major water stress. Flowering and fruit-set took place without any issues, but as the rain showers continued, the threat of downy mildew and black rot arrived – and needed managing to avoid damage to the crop.  Late August brought a new challenge, with a heatwave that saw temperatures hit 40-42°C, lasting two weeks. There were reports of blocked ripening and young vines dying, but fortunately the weather cooled off and September offered a substantial diurnal swing in temperatures, helping retain aromatics and acidity in the run-up to harvest. The whites were largely brought in in August, before the heatwave had finished, while the red harvest took place over an Indian summer, with the last fruit in around mid-October.  The Northern Rhône faced additional challenges, with hail in Cornas, Crozes-Hermitage and Saint-Joseph, then on 18th September torrential rain – with over 100mm falling in one night. The northern part of the appellation avoided this deluge, with just 20mm.  Here’s what the critics are saying about the wines.  Jeb Dunnuck  Jeb Dunnuck is gradually releasing his reports on Rhône 2023, starting with Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Gigondas.  In Châteauneuf-du-Pape, 2023 is “another solid vintage”, he writes, offering “a bevy of ripe yet not excessive, pure, charming wines with loads to love”. He finds them darker-fruited and cooler than “the sunny, exuberant 2022s”, with a “soft, plump elegant style, and beautiful overall balance”. They are not intensely concentrated, he says, but “shine for their balanced, layered, seductive style”. They combine freshness and depth, and are “on a par, if not slightly superior to, the 2022s”, says Dunnuck, feeling they’ll also be longer-lived than the 2022s – comparing them stylistically to the wines from 2020, 2018 or 2012. While it may not be “truly great”, drinkers will find “a wealth of beautiful wines”.  As for Gigondas, he finds the wines “pure, elegant, beautifully balanced” – reminiscent of 2020 or 2012, “fresher and more elegant than the 2022s”. The vintage was the first in which whites were permitted in the appellation, and these come highly recommended – “beautifully fresh, focused, yet concentrated whites that show the limestone, mineral-like character of the appellation”.  Explore Jeb Dunnuck’s reports, notes and scores on his site (subscribers only)  Drink Rhône – John Livingstone-Learmonth  So far, John Livingstone-Learmonth has only published thoughts on the Northern Rhône in 2023, where he feels it is “good” if not “spectacular”. The reds have “reasonable levels of tannin”, while the whites are, he writes, “a definite buy”. In Cornas, he writes, the wines have an approachability, but don’t have “great stuffing or structure to match the really long keeping vintages such as 2015 or 2019”. He feels the wines will appeal to a modern audience, balanced with refined tannins and the best set to drink over 20-plus years, although selective buying is advised. In Crozes-Hermitage, this is particularly true, Livingstone-Learmonth advises, highlighting both mildew and hail, even if the best are impressive – with “snug tannins” and “stylish content”, and potential five-star ratings. The 2023s of Côte-Rôtie seem to stand out in the line-up, aromatic with moderate alcohols, even if not overtly structured. The results are, in Livingstone-Learmonth’s mind, “very satisfying”, with “appealing exuberance and plentiful fruit” – wines he expects to drink for a good 25 years or so. Explore John Livingstone-Learmonth’s full report, notes and scores on his site (subscribers only)  Decanter – Matt Walls  Both in the north and south of the region, the vintage earns a modest 3.5 out of 5 rating from Decanter’s Matt Walls. He emphasises how the rain showers that arrived in May and June were “crucial” in the otherwise hot, dry year, even if they also brought disease pressure.   Unlike other recent vintages, Walls highlights how approachable the 2023s are – perfect for drinking while waiting for other vintages (including the 2022s) to come round. He says the wines are perhaps comparable in quality to the 2022s, although are much more open. Both in the Northern and Southern Rhône, he finds the whites more consistent than the reds – offering “intensity, freshness and energy”.  The reds are more mixed in quality. In the south, you’ll find “a clutch of juicy, approachable and early-drinking wines”,  he says, “ripe with soft tannins and gentle acidity”, but “nonetheless displaying detailed terroir expression”. He found that, while Châteauneuf-du-Pape was heterogenous (with some wines lacking in acidity and marked by alcohol), Vinsobres, Lirac, Beaumes de Venise and Rasteau all excelled this year. He advises looking out for wines with Mourvèdre in the blend, bringing “welcome sinew”.  In the Northern Rhône, things were trickier. Hail struck Saint-Joseph, Cornas and Crozes-Hermitage, and there was a huge rainstorm on 18th September – so heavy that it damaged vines and resulted in some dilution. Côte-Rôtie, Condrieu and northern Saint-Joseph dodged the storm (receiving 20 versus 100mm elsewhere) and made some “excellent” wines, according to Walls. While much of the Northern Rhône produced fresh, supple reds, there is some “very fine Côte-Rôtie” and Cornas offers “strict, mineral and refreshing” wines that are “distinctly herbal”. Walls notes that there are many vibrant, fresh whites, particularly in Hermitage – where the whites are set to outlive the reds.  Explore Matt Walls’ full report, notes and scores on the Decanter site (subscribers only)  Wine Advocate – Yohan Castaing  Yohan Castaing hasn’t yet released his full coverage of the 2023 vintage in the Rhône, but has offered two reports on the whites of Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Gigondas, where it is the first vintage for white wines within the appellation rules. Generally, he finds the Southern Rhône whites in 2023 “aromatic and elegant, with bright acidities, a well-defined core and good aging potential”. In Châteauneuf, the aromatic profiles are, for him, reminiscent of 2022 and he considers the wines very good to excellent, with acidity that “balances the natural power and typically high pH levels of Southern Rhône grape varieties”. He attributes this in part to greater precision in the vineyard and winery, although some wines, he writes, still lack “dymanism and tension”.  The first whites to bear the Gigondas appellation name (coming from around 12 hectares of white vineyards) offer “a promising glimpse” of what lies ahead. He favours the pure Clairette expressions of Gigondas’s complex soils, even if the grape still represents a minimum 70% of the blends. Nevertheless, the 2023s, in Castaing’s words, have “remarkable freshness, tension and complexity”, exemplifying “the elegance and purity that Gigondas Blanc strives for, balancing structure with vibrancy”.   Explore Yohan Castaing’s full report notes and scores on Châteauneuf-du-Pape whites and Gigondas whites on the Wine Advocate (subscribers only)  Vinous – Nicolas Greinacher  In Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Vinous’s Nicolas Greinacher finds that 2023 “promises to be a delightful year for both reds and whites”. In his coverage of the growing season, he notes that sites with more clay fared better than sandier soils, able to retain key moisture during the year’s warm weather. He feels the reds in this leading appellation are good to very good, more approachable than the 2022s, and “although generally not set to be as long-lived as the 2022s, the finest 2023s are built to last”. He finds many of them “alluring”, “perfumed” and “juicy”. As for the whites, he finds them generous in style – matching the reds for quality, and offering brighter acidity versus the 2022s.  In the Northern Rhône, the reds are – he writes – “surprisingly fresh, calm and balanced”, with ripe fruit and “gentle tannins”. They aren’t as structured and long-lived as the 2022s, much more open and accessible in youth, but there are “standout wines in every appellation that are sure to endure”. He finds that Côte-Rôtie stands out this year for its “hauntingly elegant” wines, while Cornas offers wines of “granite-based austerity, fleshiness, boldness and elevated flavor concentration” (even if they’re “not blockbusters”). Saint-Joseph is more mixed, while the whites of Condrieu are mostly “lively, fresh and expressive, albeit not as precise and elegant as in 2021”.  Explore Nicolas Greinacher’s full reports, notes and scores on Châteauneuf-du-Pape and the Northern Rhône on Vinous (subscribers only)  jancisrobinson.com – Alistair Cooper MW and James Lawther MW James Lawther MW has covered the Northern Rhône and Alistair Cooper MW the Southern Rhône for jancisrobinson.com. In the north, Lawther finds 2023 “more elegant and approachable” versus the power and concentration of vintages like 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2022. The reds are generally low in alcohol, with a maximum 13%, he says, and relatively high pHs, yet they feel very fresh, with supple tannins and “juicy, gourmand” fruit – offering a much more “classic” profile, he finds. Côte-Rôtie has produced some of the vintage’s best wines, and is more consistent than those of Cornas, Crozes-Hermitage (with hail in both) or Saint-Joseph, full of “balance and charm even if they are not destined for excessively long ageing”. In the south, the story is rather different, as Cooper reports – the year defined by its warm and dry conditions. Although Châteauneuf-du-Pape produced some “extremely high-quality red wines”, selection is key, with some wines jammy and high in alcohol, although the best are excellent, offering power and concentration. The appellation’s best whites offer freshness and minerality, although some drift into flabbiness, with picking dates key. Cooper found quality in Vacqueyras and Gigondas more variable – for the latter, he attributes this in part to its sandier soils (less able to retain water in the dry year). Generally, however, he found the southern crus “largely turned out good-quality wines” – with Cairanne, Lirac and Rasteau in particular home to “balanced and attractive wines aplenty”. Explore the full reports, notes and scores on jancisrobinson.com (subscribers only) We’ll be adding to this feature as other reports are released.    

The 2023 vintage was far from easy in the Rhône Valley – but has clearly produced some charming wines. As the critics publish their reports on the year, we round up what they’re saying about the vintage and its wines, from Châteauneuf-du-Pape to Côte-Rôtie  

As the Rhone starts to release its 2023s, here’s what the world’s leading critics–Jeb Dunnuck, Decanter, Vinous, the Wine Advocate–are saying about the wines 

Rhone 2023 – what the critics are saying 

Rhône 2023: the critics’ verdict 

2019 Meursault, Premier Cru, Gouttes d’Or, Louis Jadot Gouttes d’Or is one of the cooler Premier Cru sites in Meursault and therefore excels in warmer vintages. It was certainly one of our picks from Louis Jadot in 2019. It has a beautifully rich golden colour and a lovely expressive florality on the nose. It is pure opulence on the palate, full-bodied, exhibiting huge, spherical breadth which fills the palate. Honeyed melon, yellow plum and white peach fruit are in abundance but the wine tightens up nicely on the finish. This is a wonderfully intense and serious Chardonnay. 2019 St Aubin, Premier Cru, La Chatenière, Joseph Colin The talented Joseph Colin (brother of Pierre-Yves Colin Morey) continues to impress with his superb range of whites. This dry, stony plot gets an hour less sun, shielded from the rising sun by the slopes of En Remilly/Dents de Chien – an hour that makes a huge difference in the resulting wine, which was a stand-out from the range. On the nose, it’s pretty, floral, dainty and mineral, while the palate is soft and supple, with the most  extraordinary silken texture. By contrast, the flavour profile is tightly wound, with a mineral line, concentrated citrus and subtle white blossom. Ethereal yet powerful, it will be a joy to watch this evolve. 2019 Puligny-Montrachet, Premier Cru, Clos de la Mouchère, Domaine Henri Boillot Guillaume Boillot is particularly pleased with the 2019s – with their perfect balance and, for the whites, a real floral character that runs through the range. The four-hectare monopole vineyard Clos de la Mouchère is always a favourite – this sub-section of Perrières producing a particularly honeyed expression of the site. There’s a real roundness to the wine in 2019; it’s soft, intense and long. Vibrant citrus fruit and minerality drives the wine, but there’s a suppleness that surrounds a core of real energy. With air, notes of white nectarine, acacia honey and freshly cut hay emerge – adding richness and weight. Particularly concentrated and fine. 2019 Vosne-Romanée, Premier Cru, Les Suchots, Domaine Lamarche Nicole Lamarche has no doubt made some of the most ethereal reds in the vintage. Picking at least a week earlier than most of her neighbours, all her wines sit comfortably below 13.6% alcohol. Her winemaking is reliant on her continual tasting of fruit, must and wine to dictate her vinification processes. Every cuvée is approached differently. Despite this bespoke approach, the consistency across the board is commendable. It makes it difficult to pick a favourite in the range but her Suchots is incredibly serious – competing with wines 10 times its value. It is an endorphin-releasing Pinot Noir in which the purity of fruit and exceptional balance leaves you forgetting about flavour and thinking about feeling. It reminds you how good red Burgundy can be with fantastic terroir and an adept hand. 2019 Clos de la Roche, Grand Cru, Domaine Georges Lignier Benoît Stelhy believes 2019 is “amazing”, the vintage of his career – or at least he did until 2020 arrived. No less, the 2019s here are superb, although there’s sadly not a lot of them – with yields down by up to 50%. His Clos de la Roche really shone at our tasting. Delicate florals combine with crunchy red fruit to make a truly delicious wine. It’s intense, with the tannins building subtly in the mouth – they’re round and soft, yet coat the cheeks and gums. The sweetness of the new oak (40%) coats the dark fruit, while the palate has a savoury freshness thanks to the whole-bunch (30%). It finishes long, with a chalky line and redcurrant bite. 2019 Beaune-Grèves, Premier Cru, Le Vigne de l’Enfant Jésus, Bouchard Père & Fils Frédéric Weber at Bouchard thinks 2019 is “a huge vintage for the future” – and the domaine’s iconic Vigne de l’Enfant Jésus is case in point. This section of Les Grèves Premier Cru is the “filet mignon” of the vineyard – the most desirable section, right in the middle of the slope, with well-drained gravelly soil which tends to ripen earlier. The resulting wine has a distinct spicy, floral nose – think black pepper, cloves and violets, with a toasty edge. There’s real richness and weight, with a luxurious creaminess to the wine on the palate, which is laden with muddled black berry fruit, cut by chalky minerality and juicy raspberries. Vibrant, balanced and concentrated with seamless tannins, this is superb. 2019 Chambertin Clos-de-Bèze, Grand Cru, Olivier Bernstein The wines of Olivier Bernstein are a masterclass in dynamism. The wines feel so alive when you taste them. It’s hard not admire Olivier Bernstein’s honesty when he says how each of his cuvées take it in turns to show up: one week the Clos de la Roche might be flexing its muscles, another week it is the Mazis-Chambertin. The Clos de al Roche was one of the highlights of a spectacular set of Grands Crus in 2018, a vintage Bernstein believes to be his best, but another favourite was the Chambertin Clos-de-Bèze which effortlessly ticks all the boxes for what you want in a Grand Cru. The tannin structure is built like a cathedral, so detailed and compact, while at the same time fleshing out on the back-palate and providing so much breadth. The berry fruit remains precise and fresh, and distinctly red-fruited, while the finish is sapid and saline. It is truly a magical wine. 2019 Vosne-Romanée, Premier Cru, Les Malconsorts, Domaine du Clos Frantin, Albert Bichot The Albert Bichot wines continue to improve under Alain Serveau’s stewardship. They are the largest owners of Malconsorts, with 1.76 hectares of this excellent Premier Cru. In 2019, there’s something almost imperial about the wine – both sophisticated and opulent. The nose fills with a richness of red cherries, complemented by a touch of plum. The palate is intense and tight, the tannins fine and supple. Laden with ripe, bright red berry fruit and juicy acidity, it’s a gorgeous wine in 2019. 2019 Corton, Clos des Cortons Faiveley, Grand Cru, Domaine Faiveley Faiveley today is the sixth-largest domaine in Burgundy and, despite its expanding size, the wines are only getting better – most notable with a change in winemaking from 2006, shifting to a much lighter touch during extraction. The renovation of their magnificent winemaking facilities in Nuits-Saint-Georges has also improved their ability to find detail and distinct personality in each of their wines. With huge barrel cellars, they are also able to have extended élevage to 16 to 18 months, creating wines with great volume and integration. The true star of their extensive collection of vineyards in the Côte d’Or must be the monopole Clos des Cortons Faiveley Grand Cru. The detail on the nose is extraordinary – dried aromatic tea interspersed with pristine red berry fruit, blood orange and a gorgeous vinosity. The spectrum of flavour is staggering, whie remaining succulent and generous in both breadth and concentration. It’s another remarkable wine in a fantastic vintage for the estate – albeit with 30% less made this year. 2019 Clos des Lambrays, Grand Cru, Domaine des Lambrays Domaine des Lambrays’s flagship site is almost but not quite a monopole, with an ouvrée – less than 0.2 of the total 8.84 hectares – at the bottom of the clos belonging to Taupenot-Merme. Yields here were down to a measly 15hl/ha in 2019 – although winemaker Jacques Devauges assigns this partly to their ongoing conversion to organics, but the quality is clearly there. Most of the vines (71%) date from between 1898 and 1935, while the lowest section of the vineyard is 40 years old, and 3% of the vines are spritely 20-somethings. It was fascinating tasting the three sections of this large Grand Cru separately and then as a blend, seeing how each one contributes its own character.  There’s the exoticism of the side near Clos de Tart; the more angular, structured and firmer top section; and the intense, vibrant fruit of the lowest part of the vineyard. Combined, the wine has remarkable concentration – much more than a sum of its parts, building gradually on the palate with layer upon layer of bold, blueberry fruit and sweet-savoury spice, yet plenty of the vintage’s moreish acidity. As Jacques said rather modestly, “You want to drink it.” We might be inclined to go a little further, given the quality and ageing potential on show here – but it’s hard to resist now. Explore all current Burgundy listings 

There was no shortage of brilliant Burgundy wine in 2019 – and narrowing down a list of favourites from the many superb wines we tasted wasn’t easy. These 10, however, stood out in the year's enviable line-up

There was no shortage of brilliant Burgundy wine in 2019. These 10 wines stood out in the year's enviable line-up

Our favourite 2019 Burgundy wines

Burgundy 2019: our favourites

The state of Indiana is probably best known as the home of the 200-lap motor race, the Indy 500, but it is little known that it is home to America’s first commercial winemakers: a group of French-speaking Swiss settlers, who made their way from the Vaud to the not-yet-a-state of
Indiana in the late 18th century.  Unfortunately, the past two centuries has been unkind to the wine ambitions of the early settlers despite being home to vast swathes of vine-loving limestone; instead, the Hoosier state is more interested in corn and soybeans than grapes and it was in this rural farming environment that a young Jeb Dunnuck grew up, far from the burgeoning winelands of the western seaboard.  Raised in a non-wine drinking family, his late start in wine was clearly no handicap: in 2013, the world’s most important wine critic hired him. “I knew I’d found a younger version of myself,” wrote Robert Parker at the time. Parker had been a lawyer that turned his hand to writing wine reviews in the late 1970s. Dunnuck was a baby when The Wine Advocate was first published but in a similar vein to Parker, he had another career before wine paid the mortgage.  An aerospace engineer by training, he caught the wine bug while working for the listed security and aerospace firm Lockheed Martin in upstate New York. He was – and remains – an outdoorsy type and at weekends he would drive three hours to go rock climbing; en-route he stumbled across a wine store, which led to the start of another hobby and a new career. “I would always stop at this tiny, eclectic wine shop that had a great selection of Bordeaux. I think that was where I probably bought my first bottle of wine, “he says. “My wife Traci was a teacher, and we didn’t make much money at the time, but I still remember hiding $20 to $30 a week so I could buy a different bottle every Friday. Some of the first wines I purchased in any quantity were 1990 and 1996 Bordeaux.” Now firmly ensconced in Boulder, which is to mountain bikers what Bordeaux is to wine lovers, Dunnuck recounts how he went from being an aerospace engineer saving up to buy a single bottle of wine at the weekend to respected wine critic. “In 2008, I created the TheRhoneReport website and started writing professionally about wine. I was lucky that I knew web programming, so I designed an online database and built the original site over a weekend. I still use the same database today,” he says. “I would work during the day at Ball Aerospace, then write for The Rhone Report from about 8pm to 2am every night. I did that for five years.” His work ethic and output clearly impressed: in 2013 an email appeared in his inbox from Robert Parker, asking Dunnuck to work for him and you don’t say no to Parker.  
The Parker Years The remit at The Wine Advocate included California, Washington and southern France, including the Rhône, and his lively tasting notes made a refreshing change. “It’s funny you say that, as I truly can’t stand flowery prose,” says Dunnuck.  “I approach the job with an engineering viewpoint as opposed to that of a writer; I’m here to solve problems and the purpose of JebDunnuck.com is to help subscribers find wines they like. You do that by tasting as broadly as possible, writing straightforward vintage reports, and doing your best to
describe and give candid opinions on the quality of the wines. That is the goal”.  But in 2017, just four years later, Dunnuck handed in his notice and went solo. “I loved working at The Wine Advocate, particularly in the early years, when Parker was heavily involved. However, I disagreed with the direction of the company and management, and thought it wasn’t a good fit for me as time went on,” he explains. Within months of
handing in his resignation, JebDunnuck.com was launched.  He retains the principles of an Advocate reviewer, basing his business on a subscription model and paying his way rather
than relying on wine associations or producer groups to fund his trips. 
Dunnuck Drinks 
While he might be known for his love of all things Rhône-related, he has now included Bordeaux into his roster of regions and publishes major reports, which include reviews of up to 1000 wines at a time, as well as smaller articles on other regions and individual producers.  But what we all want to know is what’s in his personal cellar? “I’m a Francophile so my cellar is mostly Rhône and Bordeaux,” he says, revealing he’s just bought a case each of the 2017 Janasse Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Vieilles Vignes, 2016 Château Sansonnet from Saint-Émilion, and the 2017 Domaine du Pegau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée, “but I drink plenty of wines from California’s Central Coast, Sonoma, Napa Valley, Washington, Italy and Spain.” What Rhône vintages should FINE+RARE’s clients be opening? In the Syrah-dominant 
northern Rhône, the wines of the noughties are all ready to be opened. “For lovers of young wines or those with little patience, 2014 is an early drinking, moderately concentrated vintage that has lots of upfront charm. I think one of the greatest vintages ever for the Northern Rhône, the 2015s are massive and structured wines that will reward bottle age. However, Crozes-Hermitage, some Saint-Joseph, and some Cornas are approachable today. Meanwhile, the 2016s are classic, elegant wines that will have early appeal as well yet also age
gracefully.” Vintage-wise, it’s not such a different story in the southern Rhône, home to the appellations of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Gigondas and more. If the label states 2009 or earlier, the drinking window has opened up and you should start enjoying; yes, you can open your 2010s but
there’s no rush. “Looking at younger vintages, the 2015s and 2016s should probably be held for a few more years, although there are plenty of 2016s drinking nicely, albeit in a youthful sense. 2016 is a great, great vintage for the southern Rhône, and the top wines are going to reward bottle age.” Dunnuck’s vintage is 1975. He’s clearly entered his working window in the past 10 years but will continue to hold and potentially improve for another 20 to 30 years. Based on the history of his home state’s wine scene, it’s clear he is already one of Indiana’s finest wine
exports.  Non-trade subscribers, can sign up to JebDunnuck.com for US$99 annually, which includes all reports, articles and reviews and Wine-Searcher listings. Cellar Tracker users can link their
cellared wines to Dunnuck’s reviews. In 2019, he reviewed 10,000 wines. 
Bordeaux 2019 En Primeur As the 2019s from Bordeaux begin to release, Dunnuck gives his picks for lesser known producers in the region. Looking in Bordeaux on the Right Bank and stepping outside the well-known names, some gems would be Château Badette, Château Sansonnet, Tour Saint-Christophe, Quinault l’Enclos, Château Barde-Haut, Château Ripeau, La Dominique, Clos Saint Julien, and Clos de Sarpe, among others. I absolutely love Jeremy Chasseuil’s Pomerol from Château Feytit-Clinet, and Château Laroque, under David Suire, has taken off as well.  On the Left Bank, some estates on the uptick would be Chateau Pédesclaux, Château Gloria, and Château Saint-Pierre in Saint Julien. I think Château Rauzan-Ségla is making their best wines ever while Château Labégorce and Marquis d’Alesme Becker, both under the helm of
Marjolaine de Coninck, are making brilliant wines today. Some other hidden gems would by Château Charmail, Clos Manou, Château Le Coteau in the Arsac region of Margaux, and Château Marojallia, just to name a few. While the US consumer doesn’t like second wines, given the incredible selection being made by the top estates, I’d wager the second wines today rival the grands vins of the past. The ship might have sailed already, but people should jump on the wines of Les Carmes Haut-Brion. Guillaume Pouthier is doing an incredible job there and is making world-class wines. I also think the dry whites from Olivier Bernard’s Clos des Lunes, which are based on Sémillon from old vines in Sauternes, don’t get the recognition they deserve.  Discover all Bordeaux listings or read more Editorial

Aerospace engineer turned wine critic Jeb Dunnuck talks to FINE+RARE about his trajectory from discovering wine to becoming one of the world’s leading voices on the Rhône, California and Bordeaux. 

Wine critic Jeb Dunnuck on his trajectory to becoming one of the world’s leading voices on the Rhône, California and Bordeaux. 

Jeb Dunnuck on finding his space

Jeb Dunnuck: Finding his space

When Jean-Marie Fourrier bought legendary Australian estate Bass Phillip in early 2020, he envisaged being there a lot – even being there for the 2020 harvest. “But ‘a small virus’ can make things very challenging very fast,” he said, raising an eyebrow. With the arrival of Covid-19, Australia promptly shut its borders – and the winemaker has only been able to visit his new domaine via conference call.   Fourrier is one of Burgundy’s superstars. Since taking over his family estate at the age of just 23 in 1994, his wines have rapidly become some of the region’s finest and most desirable. Based in Gevrey-Chambertin, he crafts wonderfully elegant, pure expressions of Pinot Noir – wines that, given the significant demand, are strictly allocated each year.   When news broke last year, however, that he was venturing Down Under, it was unexpected. In his youth, he did a stint at Domaine Drouhin, Oregon. And while many Burgundy producers have set sail for the US (De Montille, Méo-Camuzet, Drouhin and Lafon, to name but a few), there is something culturally improbable about a Frenchman taking to Australia. (Although it’s not the first Franco-Australian project – with Australian Andrew Nielsen’s Burgundy micro-négoce Le Grappin and Jane Eyre two others.)  Even more unusually, perhaps, he hasn’t set up his own project, but taken over an existing one – and one with quite the legacy.  Bass Phillip – in Gippsland, Victoria – is one of Australia’s iconic wineries. Phillip Jones planted the first vines in Leongatha in 1979, an unlikely choice given, at the time, the area was known for its dairy production rather than viticulture. The first wines were released in 1991 – and established the producer’s reputation for outstanding, age-worthy Pinot.   Phillip Jones has been running the show here ever since. Now 74, and with no children to take Bass Phillip on, he started the search for a successor several years ago.  Enter a consortium led by Soo Hoo Khoon Peng (a Singaporean wine importer and former owner of the Wine Advocate) and Kent Ho (a Hong Kong entrepreneur) who approached Fourrier three years ago. For Fourrier, it seemed like fate, having consulted for the winery briefly in 2002.   “Sometimes you can see the stars aligning,” Fourrier tells me. “I wasn’t specifically looking for Bass Phillip, but it came on my desk, after 20 years.” The deal was signed officially in March 2020.  It was, in Fourrier’s words, “a turning point” in his life. Having already added a négociant arm to his Burgundy operation in 2011, he was looking to expand further – but even for a grower of his success, Burgundy land prices are prohibitive.  “If you don’t expand, you see the next generation fighting over a small company,” explains Fourrier. With two children, an inheritance plan is key to preserving what he has worked so hard to build. This combined with the threat of climate change – excessive heat and frost, and associated yield fluctuations – made diversification to other parts of the world the obvious way forward, providing a sustainable way to preserve the family business.   Australia offered the “possibility to make wine twice a year… and the chance to be a student again,” Fourrier says – his eyes lighting up at the potential.   Some of the appeal was the boutique size of the operation, as well as the age of the vines (planted in 1979 and 1986, and all massal, rather than clonal, selections – something Fourrier is insistent on). He also has a man on the ground – with his brother-in-law Adam Francis, who worked several vintages with Fourrier in Burgundy. Francis, along with his family, has relocated from Adelaide to take on the role of General Manager, handling the day-to-day at Bass Phillip.  While the property’s reputation is for Pinot Noir, Jones initially planted Cabernet Sauvignon – with Ch. Ducru-Beaucaillou the original inspiration behind his Gippsland vineyard. After becoming enamoured with the wines of Henri Jayer (whom, coincidentally, was one of Fourrier’s mentors), Jones switched to Pinot Noir, later planting Chardonnay and small plots of other varieties (including Gewürztraminer, Nebbiolo and Gamay).  To this day, Bass Phillip remains unusually isolated given its success – surrounded by dairy farms rather than other vineyards. This cool corner of Victoria is lush and green, cooler and wetter than Burgundy – Fourrier compares it to the climate of Burgundy in the late 1980s and ’90s. “It’s why [the wines] have this purity and character,” Fourrier explains. With water becoming an increasingly precious resource, the site’s 1,000mm of annual rain (compared to 750mm in Burgundy) is a major asset, and the vines have always been dry-farmed.  But with Fourrier at the helm, what lies ahead? “Evolution not revolution” is the philosophy here – and not to imitate Burgundy, Fourrier emphasises, but continue Jones’s work and take Bass Phillip to the next level. In that spirit, much of the original team is staying on – including Senior Winemaker John Durham and Vineyard Manager Mick Kelly.  The winery needs some attention and Fourrier wants to change the trellising of the vines, but the first priority is ensuring that every bottle released performs as expected. “I think Bass sometimes could be a bit inconsistent, a bit bumpy,” Fourrier says. “If I’m not happy to drink a bottle at home with my friends, I’m not happy to sell it. Everything has to be spotless.”  The Burgundian has already started addressing this with the soon-to-be-released 2019s. While he didn’t make the wines, he made the selections for bottling – selling off a third of the volume made and reducing the range significantly. There will now be only four tiers to the range of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay: Since 1979 (the newly named entry-level cuvées), Estate, Premium and – the top bottlings – Reserve.  He is also going to change the closures – to help ensure the wines age as well as they should. Corks will – as of 2020 – be courtesy of the same supplier he uses in Burgundy, and foil will be switched for wax (something he feels balances the natural variation in cork).  Otherwise, he plans to gradually reduce the use of new oak (“I don’t like to see the waste of oak, a natural resource”), focusing on the fruit and terroir of Bass Phillip, and he’s examining the philosophy in the vineyards – which are currently farmed biodynamically.  The Burgundian bought the estate just after the 2020 harvest and, with travel impossible, Jones agreed to stay on to make the vintage. The 2021s will be the first wines over which Fourrier had complete control, from vineyard to winery – albeit from afar (“My first digital harvest,” he says, laughing). He’s in constant conversation with the team, talking every couple of days (more during vintage), and very happy with the 2021s. “For me, I can really see the step up of where we want to go,” he says.  Australia’s borders are set to reopen in November and Fourrier plans – restrictions allowing – to be physically present for the 2022 harvest. With his son now 16, he plans a six-year transition in Burgundy so that he can spend more time at Bass Phillip, but he’s also exploring options in the US (he does, after all, have not one but two children). “For whatever reason, I have a secret dream: to make Chardonnay and Pinot in Burgundy, the US and Australia…” he confides. He has concerns regarding the Californian climate, with recent fires and excessive heat troubling his mind, but is considering higher elevations to combat this threat.  The Burgundian has big ambitions – but, fortunately, the talent to match. The world and these new terroirs are, for Fourrier, just “a way to diversify my passion to places I love”. He’s certain he’ll make mistakes along the way – that’s the nature of running a business – but, as he tells me, “Imperfections make the beauty of wine.”  Find out more about and browse listings from Bass Phillip, Domaine Fourrier or Jean-Marie Fourrier. 

Jean-Marie Fourrier is already one of Burgundy’s leading names, but the winemaker is restless. We caught up with him to hear about his new venture in Australia – and why he’s always got one eye on the horizon 

Burgundian winemaker Jean-Marie Fourrier on his new venture in Australia – and why he has always got one eye on the horizon

Jean-Marie Fourrier – from Burgundy to Oz

Jean-Marie Fourrier: from Burgundy to Oz

Everyone remembers their first bottle of Soldera, such is its impact on the senses. Speak to anyone lucky enough to have tasted it and watch their eyes glaze over as they are immediately transported back to the moment, the friends they shared it with and no doubt the food it accompanied. It is one of those rare wines that has a way of imprinting itself on the memory. Such is the magic at work in seemingly every bottle of this special Tuscan red that it’s not just the first bottle, but every bottle that you remember. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the founding of this enigmatic estate set in the hills of Montalcino. In its comparatively short existence, the wine has built a considerable reputation, yet after founder Gianfranco Soldera passed away in 2019, the property finds itself at an interesting crossroads. Right up until his death, Gianfranco Soldera had very much been the face of the estate. His personality and strong opinions made him a memorable character – and a man not beyond controversy. He was a leading voice against the Brunello consortium’s handling of the Brunello-gate scandal in 2008 and fiercely believed that Brunello should be 100% Sangiovese. In 2012, his winery was the victim of sabotage, in which large volumes of wine (from vintages between 2007 and 2012) were lost – simply poured down the drain. After the attack, the Brunello consortium offered to help club together and replace the wine, but Soldera rejected the offer and soon left the consortium (although the exact reasons behind his resignation or expulsion are unclear). After this incident, Soldera simply labelled his wine as Toscana IGT (today IGP), to make a point that his wine was and will always be 100% Sangiovese. Despite his polarising nature, ultimately Soldera let his wines do the talking. He was incredibly ambitious from the start, setting out to produce a wine that would compete with the world’s finest – a feat he achieved remarkably quickly, considering he started the vineyard from scratch – replanting the vineyards in their entirety when he arrived at the estate in 1972.  While Gianfranco was the face of Soldera, he did not work alone. The estate has always been a family affair. Both Gianfranco’s son Mauro and daughter Monica, along with her husband Paolo Franco, have worked at the estate for many years. It is Monica’s husband who has since taken charge of the winemaking at Soldera, after working alongside Gianfranco for 16 years.  As we sit down to taste through seven vintages of Soldera that span 21 years, Monica introduces her husband, on what is his first visit to the UK as Soldera’s winemaker. She makes the point that before joining the family business, Franco was in fact a skilled silversmith – requiring a keen sensibility of the hands, eyes and mind. Skills, she believes, are ideal for working at Soldera, and perfectly attuned to her father’s perfectionist mentality. Gianfranco was by all accounts not an easy man to work with. “It’s a difficult job,” Monica laughs. “We are not him, but we try our best.”  Monica also explains that, despite her father’s headstrong approach, he was always open to advice and frequently invited university students to the estate, experimenting with vines on the property, exploring ways to bring out the best in the grapes and vines. Monica believes that science is the key to making wine more naturally. “The more we study, the more natural our processes become,” she says. Working with students has allowed them to fine-tune what they do, keeping the vines healthy in the shifting climate. The 2017 vintage – the penultimate wine made under Gianfranco’s watch – is due to be released later this year. It was a very difficult vintage in Tuscany, with a ferocious heatwave in the summer of 2017. There were concerns that it might be similar to 2003, when their vines were badly affected by the high temperatures. But to their surprise, the vines showed no signs of water stress, the leaves remained green and rich in colour. Soldera felt this was down to the vines’ deep roots and higher trellising, something they introduced after 2003.  Despite the lack of water in 2017, the team was still able to work with a bigger canopy – meaning more leaves to shade the grapes. The intensity of the summer saw them harvest the grapes a whole month earlier than is typical, starting on 26th August. “To lose one month is extraordinary,” says Monica. Production was also down to 11,000 bottles, versus a normal 15,000. Technically they are allowed to produce as many as 50,000, giving an idea of how much they are prepared to sacrifice to maintain their high standards. Tasting the 2017, there is only a hint of the heat that severely marked the vintage for many of Soldera’s neighbours. The wine still has the trademark perfumed aromatics of old rose and the sinewy tannins that flex beautifully on the palate. It is easily one of the most elegant wines produced in Montalcino in 2017. The 2017, however, was always going to struggle to live up to its predecessor, the 2016– a vintage that is amongst the very best in the region. Monica noted just how easy 2016 was in terms of the growing season; everything was just right, right up until harvest. The sheer amplitude of aromas is really quite extraordinary, with strawberry fruit, old rose perfume, fiery earthy, irony, ferric tones and a wild floral note. The energy on the palate is wonderful and thick, tender, with almost elastic-like tannins that make the mouth water. The wine has such vibrancy and a really long finish. The 2015 as a vintage sits somewhere between 2016 and 2017 in style. While it was very warm, the vines were less affected and produced wines of great concentration. The wine does not have the aromatic amplitude of the 2016 and is nuttier in its aromas rather than perfumed, but seemingly the signature of Soldera – those tender tannins, like silk, bring so much energy and emotion to the wine. The 2014 is perhaps a surprise highlight of the flight. It was a difficult vintage, with lots of rain. For Monica, it proved very tough and required lots of sorting and fruit selection. In the end they got just 400kg of fruit from one hectare, making just 8,400 bottles. The dried rose, perfumed scent is matched by earthier, ferric tones. I get tomato leaf – which is often considered negative in tasting notes – but here it adds a wild, lifted, herbal tone that brings more complexity to the wine, complementing the sweeter rose notes and savoury, dried-stone aromas. The breadth on the palate is where the magic really is. It stretches right across the palate and brings such effortless depth too. The tannins are still tight but just starting to ease up, and there is so much freshness too. It really is in a wonderful place. A 10-year gap and the 2004 is the wine of the flight. Despite the bottle age, the scented Pinot Noir-esque perfume is still there in abundance, matched again by an earthy ferric richness. The tannins have eased up as you would expect, developing more mid-palate richness, making the wine incredibly juicy. The tannins are still elastic and bring a huge lift to the palate. It is a mesmerising wine. It was a great vintage in Tuscany, albeit with moderate temperatures for Montalcino, and it has matured beautifully. Some argue that Soldera excels in more moderate vintages – something that shines through in the 2004 and 2014.  The 1999 is another great vintage in Brunello and the next wine in the line-up. Distinct tertiary notes are now showing on the wine, with blue cheese, roasted walnut, dried cherry, sage and light herbal tones mingling together. There is still so much vibrancy to the wine. The tannins are not quite as silky as the younger vintages, but the acid is still so striking. It definitely feels like a wine of its age and, despite the minimal approach at Soldera, the framework suggests extraction levels were higher back then, in keeping with the trends of the time. It is a lovely wine, but not as ethereal as others. Finally, the 1996: at 26 years of age still holds on to those wonderful, scented aromatics as exuberant as ever. Again, matched with more tertiary notes, blue cheese along with dried cherry fruit, lots of dry extract, the tannins as structured and sinewy as ever, but still very fresh. It’s an unforgettable flight of some of Montalcino’s top vintages, but it’s Soldera’s ethereality that emerges – with that heady mesmerising scent and tender tannins consistent across the wines. Soldera might thrive in cooler vintages, but the quality of this wine rarely drops below outstanding. Even without Gianfranco at the helm, it’s clear that – under the watchful eye of Monica Soldera, Paolo Franco, and the rest of the Soldera family, not to mention their research team – the estate has a very exciting future ahead. Huge thanks to Zubair at Raeburn Fine Wines for organising the event. Discover the history of Soldera and all current back vintages available

It’s 50 years since Soldera – the iconic Tuscan estate that crafts some of the region’s finest Sangiovese – was established. To mark the occasion, Gavin Smith caught up with Monica Soldera to taste through back vintages and talk about what lies ahead for the remarkable property

Soldera is the iconic Tuscan estate who crafts some of the region’s finest Sangiovese wines. We caught up with Monica Soldera to taste through back-vintages

Soldera: tasting 50 years of a Tuscan wine icon

Defining Soldera: tasting 50 years of a Tuscan icon

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Collection times are between 8:30am - 12pm & 1:30pm - 4:30pm, Monday to Friday. Wines at Will Call, that are not picked up within 10 business days, will be transferred to storage and subject to a $1.50 per bottle stocking fee.

Items to be sourced and shipped to our state-of-the-art fine wine storage facility for the best possible safe-keeping where you can arrange collection from our warehouse address in Napa.

Will Call (Napa)

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We're in the final stages of upgrading to our brand-new trading platform. As part of this transition, we're currently migrating all customer-owned inventory to ensure a smooth and seamless experience.

Our new and improved platform will be ready for you on Friday, April 4.

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Sign in to your {name} account to buy, store, value and sell fine wine and spirits, and track your order history and account details.

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Please note: delivery, duty and VAT charges may apply

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About description for demonstration purposes

shows all the items you currently store with us. These items can be sold, delivered or transferred.

At {shortName}

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Your pre-order item will be deleted. Are you sure you want to continue?

Your delivery request will be cancelled. Are you sure you want to proceed?

represents all the wines that are in your possession and have been consumed.

This is the price you paid for this item.

Cost price

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The lowest price you're willing to sell at. If the net price goes below this value your listing will be removed.

shows all the items that you have pre-ordered, including en primeur wines, and all the items on your watchlist.

Futures

You can set a floor price on items you're selling based on a % of current unit net value.

You can set a market price on items you're selling based on a % of current unit net value.

shows all the actions that you have taken on items in your Portfolio.

groups every action by type - Purchase, Sale, Delivery, and Inbound Transfer - so it's clear at a glance what happened to each item.

History

shows all the items that are currently in transit to or from {shortName}.

In transit

Local delivery is free for orders over HK$1,800 (to a single location). For orders below this value, delivery is HK$150 for up to four cases and HK$50 per case thereafter.

Shipping starts from €15 within Italy and €45 to Switzerland and the rest of Europe for up to 48 bottles (75cl). Costs vary by destination. Larger shipments can be quoted on request.

The date shown below is when your order will ship from our local warehouse. Your final delivery date, along with full tracking details, will be provided once our team has processed your request.

You can arrange collection from our Retail store on 22nd Floor, 8 Wyndham Street, Central Hong Kong.
Collection times are between 9:30am-13:00 and 14:00-18:00pm, Monday to Friday. We are closed on public holidays.

You can arranged collection from our warehouse STI INTERNAZIONALE SPA, on Viale del Lavoro, 57, 37051 Bovolone, Verona.
Pick-up hours are between 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM and 1:30 PM to 5:30 PM, Monday to Friday. We are closed on public holidays.

This is the current estimated market value for this item.

Manually set prices will be overwritten. Already listed wines are not affected.

Updates all unlisted wines to current market price.

Set all at market

represents all the wines you currently have in your Portfolio that aren't stored with us. Press the

My cellar

Name

Net price

New portfolio available

New portfolio

You do not have any invoices at this time.

shows all the items from your Portfolio that are currently on the market.

On sale

shows all the items you currently have in your Portfolio. You can perform individual actions on them from this page.

Overview

shows any items that are currently awaiting user action.

Pending

This is the dynamic market price of the item with trading margin removed.

This is the amount of profit you will receive if your listing sells.

Pre-authorised payments enable automatic transactions on your behalf, ensuring seamless and hassle-free payments. This allows recurring charges, subscriptions, or scheduled payments to be processed without manual approval each time.

The number of cases you wish to place on sale

Your catalogue item will be archived. Are you sure you want to continue?

Your catalogue items will be archived. Are you sure you want to continue?

Before you request delivery, you can adjust the quantity for each item in your selection below.

*Market price is dynamic and may change. At time of sale a 10% trading fee will be deducted from the final sale price.

Total market price*

The fixed custom price you wish to sell each item for.

Split into {caseSize} individual {bottleSize}cl bottles.

Title

shows all the items you currently store with us. These items can be sold.

Available for sale — items stored with {name} eligible to be listed on the marketplace.

Profile

This item is at FINE+RARE, available for storage, transfer or delivery.
 Most UK deliveries can be made within 3-5 working days, with next day delivery for London;
 an exact date will be available when arranging delivery.
 International deliveries have longer lead-times, please contact us for details.

This item is at FINE+RARE HOME Hong Kong, available for delivery or local pickup. Most Hong Kong deliveries can be made within 3 working days, an exact date will be available when arranging delivery. International deliveries have longer lead-times, please contact us for details.

Wines sold en primeur will be released from the producer after bottling, typically 18 months after the so-called campaign ends. Your wine will then be stored by FINE+RARE in a bonded warehouse until you decide to take delivery.

We will source this item at the guaranteed price from our network of suppliers and arrange expedited shipment to FINE+RARE.
 The lead-time depends on many variables, but 2-4 weeks is typical for expedited sourcing.
 Once your order is confirmed, we'll keep you updated on its ETA.
 Every item is checked on arrival by our expert team, with photographs available on request (please note that charges may apply).

We will source this item at the guaranteed price from our network of suppliers and arrange shipment to FINE+RARE.
 The lead-time depends on many variables, but 6-12 weeks is an average estimate.
 Once your order is confirmed, we'll keep you updated on its ETA.
 Every item is checked on arrival by our expert team, with photographs available on request (please note that charges may apply).

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