Question: What about the results of the 2024 Decanter World Wine Awards?
Answer: Yes, waited to reply to your question until the results were announced today. Also there was a most insightful Zoom seminar today about this excellent Competition held by Wine Scholar Guild with Andrew Jefford, Caro Maurer MW, and James Tidwell MS discussing the outstanding judging process. Also Logistics head Simon Wright on how they superbly organize some 18000+ entries with 4 bottles each for a total of over 72000 bottles. Totally amazing most well run credible event.
The Awards are now up on the Decanter website including the Top 50 Best in Show. Pinot Noir from Tasmania were impressive! Two Cru Beaujolais 2023 from the same producer of Domaine de Colonat made it with quite different styles according to Andrew of Morgon Les Charmes “exuberant fruit” and Moulin a Vent Les Greneriers “balanced, complex, meaty” plus a Retsina Kechris “Tear of the Pine” from Greece.
Canada did well led by an Estate Annapolis Valley Chardonnay 2021 from Nova Scotia by Blomidon Estate Winery. Lots of British Columbia recognitions led by Golds for Church and State 2020 Roussanne, Unsworth Vineyards 2021 Pinot Noir, Blasted Church Vineyards 2022 Small Blessings Sauvignon Blanc Semillon, Phantom Creek Estate 2020 PVV Cuvee Red, CedarCreek Estate Winery 2022 Estate Riesling – Value too!, and Nk’Mip 2022 Qwam Qwmt Icewine Riesling.
Great work by Decanter. Check out the just released results.
As followers of this Blog are already aware, your scribe is a big admirer of Nebbiolo aged wines from Piedmont. A particular favourite is the consistent quality produced by the amazing Societa Agricola Cooperativa of Produttori del Barbaresco. Several wonderful insightful visits to the winery and vineyards over the years with the master Aldo Vacca, the most recent one during the exciting October harvest of the marvellous 2019 vintage. Lots of references including recommendations to buy their Crus 2013 (value Paje) on July 18, 2018 linked here, and Crus 2016 on November 3, 2021 here.
Lots of avid collectors in this British Columbia marketplace and one of them is knowledgeable Joe Chaput (capably assisted by cheese expert Allison Spurrell of Les Amis du Fromage) who kindly organized on June 12, 2024 a Tasting & Dinner superbly spotlighting the 2009 vintage at 15 years of age.
A memorable evening included a detailed background information booklet and wines paired with an outstanding menu of thoughtfully chosen food courses to show them to best advantage. 2009 has a general reputation of being a hot accessible forward vintage showing riper fruit and lower acidities but with quality tannins. The wines showed better structure than expected and were aging more slowly. Approachable now but no rush for the Crus. Joe arranged the following tasting order recommended to him by Aldo:
2009 DOCG BLEND: Big production 240,000 bottles (mainly Ovello). Most accessible one with spicy notes. 14.5 abv.
2009 PORA: “The Dolce Vita Wine” Easy smooth and softer style. Lovely now.
2009 RIO SORDO: “The Silky One” Less open reluctant nose with some “silk” textures.
2009 ASILI: “A Word On Its Own” Consistent top vineyard especially showing impressive structured refined intense complexity in 2009. Outstanding balance. Singing with the exquisite rabbit course in EVOO.
2009 OVELLO: “The Tomboy” Energetic four square well selected grapes from largest 50 acres Cru vineyard on a drinkable plateau now.
2009 MOCCAGATTA: “Pristine Beauty” Seems lighter and less ripe with floral notes that are less common in this hotter year. Even better paired with the delicious pasta course.
2009 RABAJA: “Pure Breed” This high altitude vineyard is usually my favourite. Open but slightly disappointing in 2009 with a late picked roasted baked character to the fruit. Seems like it would have benefited by being picked earlier. Waiting on star years 2013, surprising 2014 (less rain than Barolo), 2015, and concentrated 2016.
2009 MONTESTEFANO: “The Barolo Of Barbaresco” Another fav that always gets the sun from full south facing vineyards. Full rich and heavier in 2009. Prefer much more the elegance of the classic 1996 in magnum and the outstanding potential of 2019.
2009 PAJE: “Evergreen” Small Cru vineyard of ever improving quality due to its cooler microclimate in times of global climate change. Fresh fruit is successful here and even more so in 2013.
2009 MONTEFICO: The Academic” Lesser known excellent vineyard is producing powerful tannic wines with tension that develop well with aging. Well structured with good potential here and shows it matched with the special lightly smoked Traeger BBQ Prime Rib.
Super finale with still developing classic vintage 1996 MONTESTEFANO in Magnum, 130th Anniversary CHINATO, and aged GRAPPA.
Question: What is your opinion on the best red Burgundy vintage between 2016 and 2023?
Answer: Interesting question as all of Burgundy is on a “hot streak”. Lots of vintage guides out there to help you choose your favourite year. In that eight vintage time range the dependable IWFS Chart only gives a top 7 rating to 2020 (both Cote de Beaune red & Cote de Nuits red) plus 2019 Cote de Nuits red – with the 2019 Cote de Beaune red at 6. Your scribe is bullish on the 2019 vintage for red Burgundy. Admire the ripe fruit that comes with better acidity and impressive structure. Some helpful localized August light rainfall in 2019 helped revive the vines for a September harvest of balanced fresh fruit – especially in Morey St. Denis. Also impressed how during August some quality producers eliminated the “burnt grapes” from heat spikes using a late green harvest technique before the Vendange started the next month.
On June 4, 2024 Alvin Nirenberg hosted with efficient backroom help from Kim Mead (both key IWFS Vancouver Branch wine aficionados & educators) an excellent tasting/dinner of 9 vintages of historic Chateau Montelena Estate Cabernet. Shown is a detailed history overview of the property that they prepared for us. Your scribe has some 50 years history with this property back to the early seventies on several visits for wine tastings and picnics on Jade Lake with GM Lee Paschich (and wife Helen) – also owners of Shades in Calistoga producing bamboo wooden window coverings. Ironic that their renowned 1973 Chardonnay produced by famous recently deceased winemaker Mike Grgich winning the 1976 Judgment of Paris used mostly Sonoma grapes about 1/2 from Belle Terre Vineyards (Alexander Valley) & 1/3 Bacigalupi Vineyards (Russian River Valley) – two designated vineyards later pioneered in the decade used by winemaker Dick Arrowood at Chateau St. Jean. Chateau Montelena was mainly red grape focused even in the early days with the oldest Zin vines being planted in 1972. Cabernet Sauvignon soon became the key variety with the first vintage in 1978 under Jerry Luper and Bo Barrett. A most important factor in their success was that the vines were planted on St. George rootstock (not the UC Davis recommended AXR1) so when the latter planted by so many wineries became susceptible to phylloxera in California during the eighties and early nineties requiring replanting the Chateau Montelena older vines were thriving. They made outstanding wines even in the rainy weather conditions of 1983 year and an excellent 1986 one followed by star vintages in 1991, 1994, and 1997.
We started with the 2018 CHATEAU MONTELENA NAPA CHARDONNAY 13.9 abv that brought back fond memories of their wonderful 1988 from 30 years earlier. Admire how they are able to bring liveliness with subtlety to the lemony stone fruits from 10 months in French oak. No malolactic fermentation helps preserve that delightful acidity. This was followed by 9 vintages of the Estate Cab served oldest to youngest with the mystery wine being the 1977. A few brief impressions:
1992 CHATEAU MONTELENA ESTATE CABERNET: No abv listed Marked by two hot August heat waves. Not big bodied but more elegant styling. Still vibrant with lovely menthol notes.
1993 CHATEAU MONTELENA ESTATE CABERNET: 13.5 Variable cooler weather made for mixed bag vintage. Looks and tastes the most mature of the first flight. Definitely drier but better matched with the delicious rabbit terrine course.
1995 CHATEAU MONTELENA ESTATE CABERNET: 14.1 Rainy early on supplied needed water reserves later during Summer heat spikes. Less intense than the 1994 tasted last year but fresher sweeter suppleness impresses. Bouquet opened in the glass with airing and warming showing riper menthol. Slight fav of first flight.
1996 CHATEAU MONTELENA ESTATE CABERNET: 13.5 Long more difficult flowering resulted in a smaller crop. Some extreme heat spikes in July & August. Variable ripeness. Younger full bodied with earthy notes but seems to combine both ripe and less ripe greener fruit. More time might help resolve it. Like the big solid fruit impressive statement of this wine. Does 1996 Left Bank Bordeaux have better ripe fruit consistency?
Four main impressions from the first flight:
-Well defined Cabernet Sauvignon varietal depth -Similar styling with balance being the key -Vintage differences but more subtle -Young still primary fruit and less tertiary development -Differences show by vintage but rather subtle
1977 CHATEAU MONTELENA ESTATE CABERNET: 13.4 Mystery wine seems older with more tertiary development. Intense flavours but shows the second drought year conditions. Drink up.
1997 CHATEAU MONTELENA ESTATE CABERNET: 14 Larger yields after smaller ones in 1995 & 1996 but crop thinning and canopy management helped some wineries. Here the dark superb cassis minty fruit is concentrated yet charming. Showing brilliantly.
2000 CHATEAU MONTELENA ESTATE CABERNET: 13.9 Selection critical in 2000 but a well done 97% Cab Sauv + 3% Cab Franc blend. Easy lighter accessible more delicate drinking currently. Singing with the tasty beef tenderloin & porcini demi glace.
2003 CHATEAU MONTELENA ESTATE CABERNET: 13.8 (believe it is higher) Big full rich black currants yet approachable. Underrated. Better than most Napa Cabs in 2003 with an encouraging future ahead of it.
2004 CHATEAU MONTELENA ESTATE CABERNET: 14.1 Smaller clusters earlier harvest giving a powerful classic style. Admirable concentration with balance and depth. Lush already but has a bright future. As Alvin put it so well” this is a much better crafted second flight from warmer years showing weight with balance & tension”.
A footnote for the remarkable tiny production (less than 1000 cases) of Berenice Lurton’s (family since 1971) 1986 CHATEAU CLIMENS of 100% Semillon concentrated botrytis with elegance.
Question: Confused about how the soil in which grape vines grow affects your perception of the taste in the resulting wine. Can you please simplify it for me?
The first explains well about TUFF (volcanic) and TUFA (calcareous) plus the grape Greco di TUFO. The second one explains well calcareous soils from CHALK in Champagne, LIMESTONE in Meursault, and MARL in Chablis. The last two are so educational on understanding better about FLINT & CLAY. Highly recommend these insightful articles that will help you a lot.
