South America’s finest Argentina and Chile have rapidly become hotspots for fine wine. Offering high-altitude sites with glorious sunshine, and varied soils, it’s no surprise that some of Bordeaux’s top estates have ventured into the two nations. Cheval Blanc's Argentinian collaboration with Terrazas de los Andes, Cheval des Andes, is unsurprisingly impressive. The estate works with high-altitude sites to produce a Malbec-based blend. The 2018 that is set to be released this year has already been rated highly by James Suckling (98 points), who wrote, “This will be a great wine indeed.” First Growth Ch. Mouton Rothschild works with Concha y Toro in Chile’s Maipo Valley to produce Almaviva – a wine that has, in Suckling’s words, become “a benchmark for the reds of the Andes”. He awarded 97 points to the 2019 and describes it as “extremely perfumed… vertical and integrated”. Bodega Catena Zapata – one of Mendoza’s leading names – will release the 2018 vintage of its top wines, Nicolás Catena Zapata and Adrianna Vineyard Mundus Bacillus Terrae. The latter is a Malbec from a 1.4-hectare plot which sits at almost 5,000 feet, while Nicolás Catena Zapata is the estate’s flagship wine – and Argentina’s first “Grand Vin”, made with the finest fruit from ungrafted vines on the family’s high-altitude sites. Both have earned high praise with the Wine Advocate’s Luis Gutiérrez describing the 2018 as “among the finest vintages for the Mundus Bacillus Terrae” (98 points). The Chadwick family – who own Errázuriz – will also release the 2019 vintages of their top cuvées, Seña and Viñedo Chadwick. Made by Francisco Baettig, these are incredible wines – earning 98 and 99 points from James Suckling, respectively. Last but not least is Clos Apalta, the Chilean estate that produces the finest expression of Carménère in the world. The 2018 is another excellent release, with 98 points from James Suckling. Super Tuscan stars The 2018 vintage in Tuscany was stunning – producing wines of elegance and freshness. While some of the Super Tuscans have already been released, a handful will be available via La Place this month. Masseto – the cult Ornellaia breakout star, described as the “Pétrus of Italy” – and the third vintage of its second wine, Massetino, will be released. Produced in tiny volumes, these extraordinary expressions of Merlot will be in unsurprisingly high demand. Solaia – Tignanello’s sibling from the Antinori stable – is set to be similarly popular, as ever. Giving it 98 points, Antonio Galloni of Vinous wrote, “I can't remember ever tasting a young Solaia with this much sheer appeal and balance in the early going.” The month will also see the latest releases from Bibi Graetz. The artist-turned-winemaker works with old vines and indigenous varieties to produce elegant expressions of Chianti. The 2019 Colore received 99 points from James Suckling who described it as “old-vine magic”, finding the 2019 Testamatta serious and structured (97 points). Cult California September sees a flurry of the Golden State’s most illustrious names hit the market. Opus One – the joint venture between Mondavi and Ch. Mouton Rothschild – is consistently in demand, and no more so for the 2018, with 98 points from Wine Advocate’s Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW and 99 points from Suckling. Having tasted it ourselves – we can vouch for the elegance of the vintage. It’s also worth paying attention to the new release of Overture (also based in the 2018 vintage), which is undoubtedly the best to date. Keep an eye out for the top-scoring 2018s from Vérité (100 points for La Muse, 98 points for La Joie and 97+ for Le Désir from Wine Advocate); the latest release of Joseph Phelps’ Insignia, the original Napa Valley proprietary red (2018 – with 97+ points from Wine Advocate); the 2019s from L’Aventure – the Pasa Robles estate run by Bordelais expat Stephan Asseo; and the 2017 vintage of Dominus (97+ points from Wine Advocate) – the cult wine from Christian Moueix of Pétrus. The new vintage from Maya Dalla Valle – who trained at Pétrus, Latour, Masseto and more, and is now heading up the family estate, Dalla Valle – is guaranteed to fly. The 2018 Maya has already got a smattering of top scores, with 100 points from Wine Advocate’s Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, who wrote, “As cerebral as it is downright hedonic, this Maya is simply jaw-dropping.” This year will also see the latest vintage of Beaulieu Vineyard’s Georges de Latour Private Reserve – Napa’s first cult wine, and only its second release via La Place. The 2018 has 98 points from both Vinous and Suckling, with Antonio Galloni describing it as “sensational”. Ex-château classics The September Series isn’t limited to the New World – with a handful of estates in Bordeaux and the Rhône joining in, including the annual release of a ready-to-drink vintage of Ch. Latour, after the First Growth left the en primeur system. This year sees a star-studded vintage, 2005, emerge from the cellars. A vintage that needs little introduction, this wine has unsurprisingly high scores; tasting it earlier this year, Antonio Galloni gave it a perfect 100 points, describing it as “life affirming”. Ch. Palmer will also release 2011; while a less illustrious vintage, Robert Parker described it as the wine of the vintage in Margaux. Cheval Blanc, meanwhile, will release the 2019 vintage of Le Petit Cheval Blanc, the property’s highly desirable white. While normally Ch. d’Yquem would also release a vintage of their sweet wine, they are holding back the 2019, so this year sees only the 2020 vintage of Y d’Yquem (the estate’s dry white) released. Looking across to the Rhône, Ch. de Beaucastel will release the 2019 vintage of their Hommage à Jacques Perrin. This cuvée comes from ancient Mourvèdre vines and is made in tiny volumes. Alistair Cooper MW of jancisrobinson.com describes it as “a powerful thoroughbred”. Top wines from further afield A handful of wines from South Africa and Australia have also made their way onto La Place. The 2018 vintage of Klein Constantia’s Vin de Constance – the iconic sweet wine with a long and fabled history – will be released this year, perhaps a comfort to sweet wine fans who won’t be getting their fix with Yquem. Only scored so far by James Suckling (98-99 points), he rightly acknowledges it as a “unique wine”. Two names from Down Under get their second release via La Place this year. The 2017 vintage of Jim Barry’s The Armagh Shiraz – a Clare Valley legend – will be joined by 2018 Wynns John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon, a standard-bearer for Coonawarra. New this year This year sees several new names join the September Series. First up is Peter Michael Winery: founded by Sir Peter Michael CBE in the 1980s, this estate has been championing single-site, elegant wines from its corner of the Knights Valley, on the border of Napa and Sonoma, ever since. The 2018 vintage of the property’s Cabernet blends Les Pavots (from a single plot on the original Knights Valley estate, 97 points from Jeb Dunnuck) and Au Paradis (from a site in Oakville, purchased in 2009, 98 points from Jeb Dunnuck). While Robert Parker has spent much of his time rating wine, he also invested in a property in Oregon with his brother-in-law Michael Etzel. The result is Beaux Frères, now part of the Henriot stable, in Ribbon Vale, which produces world-class Pinot Noir. The 2019 vintage of the two top cuvées – from the Beaux Frères Vineyard and Upper Terrace Vineyard – will hit La Place this year. For the first time, Australia’s most famous estate, Penfolds, will release one of its wines, Bin 169 Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon. A classic expression of this grape on the region’s terra rossa soils, the 2018 is described as “impressive” by Suckling (97 points). Recently announced is the first vintage of Yjar – a new ultra-premium Rioja from Telmo Rodríguez. It’s described as an “outstanding first bottling” (James Suckling, 97 points) and “a wine that transcends the vintage” (Luis Gutiérrez from Wine Advocate, 96 points). Learn more about La Place de Bordeaux and the September Releases or read more Editorial

September sees the latest vintages from some of the world’s top estates released via La Place de Bordeaux. Ahead of the 2021 releases, we run through the vintages and properties that you’ll want on your radar

Exploring the top 2021 wines released by some of the world’s top estates via La Place de Bordeaux.

Top 2021 estate releases via La Place de Bordeaux

September Series: the 2021 edition unpacked

Each September, the new vintages of an exclusive group of fine wines are released via La Place de Bordeaux. Amongst the new additions this year are three exciting wines from Australia and California – giving many consumers their first chance to buy these iconic names. Find out more about our pick of the new wines below. Beaulieu Vineyard's Georges de Latour Private Reserve: Napa’s original cult Cabernet Founded in 1900 by Georges de Latour and his wife Fernande, Beaulieu Vineyard is one of the most historically important wineries in Napa Valley. Not only is it one of the longest continuous-running wineries in California (as one of the few that ran throughout Prohibition), it was also home to the most legendary figure in California wine history, André Tchelistcheff, who made the wine here for 40 years. The property’s Georges de Latour Private Reserve is seen by many as Napa Valley’s first “cult Cabernet”. The wine was originally made exclusively for the family’s personal consumption, but when André Tchelistcheff arrived at the estate in 1938 and tasted the 1936 vintage, he insisted that it was bottled and sold as the winery’s flagship bottling. It was released in 1940, named in honour of Georges de Latour who had died earlier that year. It soon became one of the region’s most famous and desirable wines, recognised as an example of the quality that was possible in Napa and in particular Rutherford. Today Georges de Latour Private Reserve is made in its own dedicated winery. The fruit is selected from vineyards originally planted by Georges de Latour in the early 1900s, hand-picked and fermented in 50% new oak. This year the wine will for the first time be released via La Place, with the 2017 vintage – the 81st for this cuvée. Jim Barry The Armagh: a Clare Valley icon Jim Barry is one of Australia’s winemaking legends and a pioneer of the Clare Valley – a region now firmly recognised for its fine wine credentials. He was the valley’s first qualified winemaker, graduating from Roseworthy in 1947 and establishing Jim Barry Wines with his wife Nancy in 1959. Over the years the estate has been rightly widely praised, most recently being named James Halliday’s 2020 Winery of the Year. The Armagh is the property’s flagship cuvée, made with 100% Shiraz, first produced in 1985. Barry wanted to produce a wine that would compete with other Australian icons such as Wendouree (a neighbour and inspiration behind the wine), Penfolds Grange and Henschke’s Hill of Grace – which it undoubtedly does. It is one of the few wines classified as “Exceptional” by Langton’s – the definitive guide on fine Australian wine. Sourced from a single low-yielding vineyard planted in 1968, the fruit is hand-harvested in several passes. The wine is matured in a combination of French and American oak for 15 months, creating a wine that is plush and supple, with rich layers of fruit and great structure that prepares it for decades in the cellar. The 2016 made its début on La Place this year – a wine rated 99 points by James Suckling, who described it as “one of the most impressive releases to date”, while Joe Czerwinski of the Wine Advocate declared it “my pick of the recently bottled vintages”. It’s without a doubt one to watch. Wynns John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon: classic Coonawarra John Riddoch first planted vineyards in the Coonawarra’s famous terra rossa soils in 1891; today Wynns is the region’s most famous winery, and one of Australia’s best known. The attention to detail at this estate is exceptional, monitoring individual vines and studying the soils with a precision that places them firmly amongst an elite group of Australian wine producers. The resulting wines have remarkable balance and complexity. For over 20 years, the partnership of Sue Hodder and Sarah Pidgeon in the winery, and Allen Jenkins in the vineyards, has pushed quality even higher. Their flagship cuvée is the John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon, named after the region’s pioneer and first made in 1982. It is only produced in exceptional years, with a blend of the best Cabernet parcels that vintage – representing less than 1% of the estate’s top Cabernet grapes. It tends to spend between 16 and 20 months in oak (around 30% new, a combination of barrels and hogsheads). Like Jim Barry’s The Armagh, it is one of the few wines to be listed as “Exceptional” in Langton’s Classification. This year sees the release of the 2016 vintage via La Place – a wine that James Halliday describes as “a cabernet of the highest class”, awarding it 98 points. Read more about the rise of the September releases and how La Place works

The list of fine wines released via La Place de Bordeaux each September grows each year. Here, we introduce three of the most exciting wines joining the line-up in 2020: Beaulieu Vineyards Georges de Latour Private Reserve, Jim Barry The Armagh Shiraz and Wynns John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon.

New La Place de Bordeaux: Beaulieu Vineyard Georges de Latour Private Reserve, Jim Barry The Armagh Shiraz and Wynns John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon.

New La Place de Bordeaux wine releases

This week saw the release of the Wine Advocate’s first report on 2016 Brunello di Montalcino, written by Monica Larner. It’s only a first look rather than full review, as – with the current restrictions on travel, some producers have preferred to hold back their samples until early
next year – so the report doesn’t include the full line-up of releases. This is the third major report to be released on the vintage in the last few weeks, following on from the Vinous (courtesy of Eric Guido) and James Suckling reports earlier in the month. All are in agreement, 2016 is an exceptional vintage. Perhaps the most exciting thing about 2016 is the huge range of excellent wines. The sheer scope and variety between them could keep a collector very happy for a very long time. There is universal agreement that the younger generation of more open-minded Montalcinesi are bringing real excitement to the region. Their impact has only become more evident in the region’s most recent yet completely contrasting vintages. 2015 showing off the fantastic concentration and fruit purity. 2016 its precision, structure and elegance. With 2017 looking like a much more difficult vintage – it’s worth making hay while the sun shines, and it has never shined brighter in Montalcino than today. 
2016 versus 2015 
For Monica Larner and Eric Guido, 2016 eclipses the hugely successful 2015 vintage. For Guido, who was a lot less taken by the 2015 vintage, there is little comparison to be made – 2016 is by far the better vintage in terms of typicity, precision and aging potential. For James Suckling, 2015 and 2016 are the best vintages ever made in the region and he is well-equipped to make such a statement, having tasted Brunello extensively back to the early 1980s. For Suckling, the 2015 just pips the 2016s to the post, but largely due to their approachability, stating that the 2016’s “intense tannins” make then a lot less accessible at this early stage. Eric Guido’s views of the two vintages are more polarised. In his 2015 report, he felt the exuberance and warmth of the 2015 vintage in the wrong hands could produce wines that were made “simple” by their ripeness, questioning their potential for “serious evolution”. He states that the 2015s do not compare with the other great modern vintages of 2004, 2006, 2007 or 2010 – yet 2016 certainly does, stating, “They are like a well-muscled black stallion in its prime. They are dark yet radiant, expressive, nearly explosive at times, yet pure, poised and structured… I frankly cannot remember the last time I tasted young wines from Montalcino that possessed such symmetry from start to finish.” Monica Larner feels there is less between the two vintages when it comes to quality, although she admits a personal preference to the style of the 2016s, stating. “I prefer the classic purity and linearity of the slightly cooler 2016 vintage to the more exuberant and texturally generous wines from the warmer 2015.” She actually believes the 2015s generally are “more even keeled” than the 2016s, where the “transparency” of the vintage has exposed both the highs and lows of the vintage. Despite this, she believes the power and elegance is greater in 2016 overall. Although too early in the wines’ evolution to directly compare with the 2010s, she believes it certainly is up there in terms of quality in the best examples. For James Suckling, it is the consistency of quality that marks out a great vintage – and both 2016 and 2015 tick that box: “I learned a long time ago as a wine critic that great years are years when everything is outstanding from the lesser-known properties to the most prestigious ones. The 2016 and 2015 vintages certainly achieved this, making this pair of years the greatest ever for Brunello di Montalcino.” He concludes that 2016 Brunello is the ideal vintage for laying down and enjoying over the long term, whereas 2015’s open-knit style makes them already approachable and enjoyable now.  

 The rise of the crus Larner makes the points that 2016 has certainly been a vintage that has showcased the rise of the Crus in the region, with many of her favourite wines coming from single vineyards. Most notably, she awarded Il Maronetto’s Madonna delle Grazie 100 points, but also Casanova di Neri’s Cerretalto and Tenuta Nuova both featuring in her top 10. A winery that has championed the concept of single vineyards in Brunello since the early days, first releasing the Cerretalto with the 1981 vintage. Eric Guido believes that this is still early days for the region’s Crus and we should expect many more over the coming vintages, with many producers registering names for future releases. The fact that all the top Crus in 2016 – Ciacci Piccolomini d’Aragona’s Pianrosso from Castelnuevo dell’Abate, Casanova di Neri’s Crus from Canalicchio and Il Maronetto’s Madonna delle Grazie from central Montalcino – are situated in very different parts of
Montalcino bodes well for the potential and variety set to develop as more producers start producing single-vineyard wines. Eric Guido points out that to produce a Cru wine, by law producers must reduce their yields from Brunello’s nine tonnes per hectare to seven. This means that these single-vineyard wines are about more than just terroir, the lower yields adding more intensity and concentration to the wines. Larner says, “Over these past six years, there has been a significant shift to
single-vineyard and so-called “Selezione” wines. This signals an important change in perspective and illuminates the very way the ilcinesi see themselves: not as a monolithic wine region but as a complex and fluid assembly of various moving pieces and parts. This self-awareness is key to Montalcino’s future success in an increasingly competitive marketplace.” 
Top-rated wines There’s no shortage of high scores this year – and many are already on the market. Here’s a short-list those that are well worth looking out for. Casanova di Neri Few producers have been so universally well scored than the single vineyards of Cerretalto and Tentua Nuova from Casanova di Neri. The Cerretalto 2015 Riserva being awarded 100 points from Suckling and 98+ points from Larner. Their Tenuta Nuova 2016 awarded 97+ points from Larner, 96 points from Guido and 99 points from Suckling. Their wines remain some of the most seductive and complex and consistent of the region. Poggio Antico Poggio Antico in terms of price-to-quality ratio also seemed to fare very well across the critics. Although the Altero might not be for the traditionalists, it is an outstanding wine and both their 2015 Riserva and straight 2016 Brunello are exceptional. Altesino Altesino’s straight Brunello, priced at just £185 per case of six in bond and awarded 95+ points from Larner, seems an absolute steal. Giodo Carlo Ferrini’s Giodo was also a fantastic hit for both Suckling (100 points) and Larner (98 points). Larner described it as a “career-defining wine from this proud Sangiovista”. With just over 800 cases produced, it will be a rare find in years to come. Gianni Brunelli Gianni Brunelli’s wines have been remarkably successful in 2016 and remain well-priced for the quality, although availability will likely become difficult, particularly for their Le Chiuse di Sotto, which Larner awarded 100 points – the only 2016 wine other than Il Maronetto’s Madonna delle Grazie to receive a perfect score. Any wine from Brunelli including their 2015
Riserva is well worth seeking out. Other great-value buys include Baricci, Livio Sassetti, Il Poggione and Castiglion del Bosco – all of which received glowing reviews

The 2016 vintage in Montalcino is one of the best we’ve tasted – and the critics have now had their say. Here’s an overview of the Wine Advocate, Vinous and James Suckling's reviews – and the wines they rate most highly

Our round-up of the reports from Vinous, Wine Advocate and James Suckling on the 2016 wine vintage in Montalcino. And it is one of the best we’ve tasted

What the critics are saying about Brunello 2016

Brunello 2016: what the critics are saying

Brunello di Montalcino is so well-established in today’s world of wine that it is hard to believe how relatively young its international reputation is. This pure expression of Sangiovese, from the vineyards around the hilltop town of Montalcino in Tuscany, was first produced in the 1860s, named by Ferruccio Biondi-Santi (of Biondi-Santi). The name Brunello di Montalcino comes from the supposedly superior clone of Sangiovese identified by Ferruccio’s father, Clemente Santi – known as Sangiovese Grosso or Brunello. Prior to 1968 (when Montalcino was first awarded DOC status), however, there were just 11 producers operating in the region, working around 60 hectares of vines. It was these pioneering wine-growers who went on to set up the Brunello Consorzio (consortium), determined to promote and protect the region’s vinous heritage. By 1980, when Montalcino was granted DOCG status, that number had grown to 53. Today there are over 250 producers, with more than 2,000 hectares under vine, and Brunello di Montalcino is one of Italy’s most famous appellations. As the vineyards have expanded, so has the range of styles, showcasing the varied terroir and distinct characteristics of single vineyards or Crus. Made exclusively with Sangiovese, Brunello di Montalcino is released a minimum five years after the vintage, spending at least two of those in oak. Riserva wines are aged an additional year prior to release. Producers generally also make a Rosso di Montalcino, with an additional 500 hectares classified for Rosso di Montalcino production. These wines can be released after just one year, with any vessel permitted – producing a softer, earlier-drinking style of Sangiovese. The famous Brunello clone long thought to define the wines is a myth, and various clones are planted in the region today. Subzones or crus? Despite the climatic differences in Montalcino, the concept of subzones within the region is still in its infancy and not without controversy. Some producers are reluctant to endorse a terroir-specific identity to Montalcino because many have vineyards throughout the region. They use this to their advantage, identifying how certain sites perform better than others in different vintages, allowing them to play around with their blends when designating what becomes their Brunello and what is relegated to their earlier-released Rosso di Montalcino. Another reason for their reluctance is that there is plenty of variation even within these subzones – with microclimates varying dramatically, most notably in altitude. It is the altitude of the site that, for many Brunello producers, is the central factor in determining the style and in many cases the quality of the wine. If this is the case, high-altitude vineyards could have more in common with each other than neighbouring vineyards lower down the slope that sit within the same subzone. For this reason, single vineyards or Crus could be a more accurate way to divide and break down Montalcino’s terroir. Subzones may not tell the whole story, but it is easy to understand why producers with vineyards located in a specific subzone with a distinct identity are keen to highlight this area – a village, so to speak, rather than single vineyard or Cru. The north-south divide The Montalcino vineyards are positioned in a circle around the eponymous hilltop town. At the simplest level, the sub-zones to the north of the town are cooler than those to the south. Producers in the northern regions of Montosoli and Canalicchio tend to pick their grapes later than those in the south. In the 2016 vintage, for instance, lower sites in the south were picked three to four weeks earlier than those in the north. However, altitude and prevailing winds also play an important role in the microclimate of a site. The vineyards in the hottest region of Montalcino in Castelnuovo dell’Abate are also some of the closest vineyards to Mount Amiata, which – at 1,740 metres’ altitude – is large enough to create its own weather patterns. This is hugely beneficial, creating a larger diurnal shift in temperature. While each of the sub-zones (particularly Montosoli) has a distinct flavour profile, the important factors of altitude, picking dates and winemaking techniques all play a role in influencing the region’s rich and varied tapestry of wine styles. The North Montosoli Directly to the north of Montalcino sits the Montosoli hill, perhaps the most distinct terroir in the region and certainly the sub-region that most strongly champions the sub-zoning of the appellation. Montosoli is distinct not just because of the cooler climate but also because of its soil, a distinct calcareous galestro. Wines from Montosoli have a finesse to the tannins as well as heightened aromatic capacity. The galestro rock brings a sapidity and mineral salinity to the wines. Despite the notable elegance, the wines also match the power and intensity of some of the other great sites within Montalcino. Altesino was the first producer in the region to produce a separate exclusive Montosoli cuvée in 1978. Baricci (one of the founding fathers of Brunello), however, has only ever had vineyards in Montosoli and has long been aware of the qualities of the subregion, claiming that it has been legendary for wine production for hundreds of years. Key producers: Altesino, Baricci, Caparzo, Livio Sassetti, Canalicchio di Sopra, Valdicava Other wineries based in the north of Montalcino, outside Montosoli, make some of the region’s best single-vineyard Crus, including Il Marroneto’s Madonna delle Grazie and Castiglion del Bosco’s Campo del Drago. Torrenieri To the far northeast lies Torrenieri; here the compact clay soils create more tannic, burly examples of Montalcino. Key producers: Sasso di Sole, Citille di Sopra Central + The South Tavernelle Tavernelle is home to some of the most famous producers in Italy. Soldera’s Case Basse vineyard is situated here, alongside neighbouring Pieve Santa Restituta, the Brunello estate owned by the Gaja family. For Gaja, Tavernelle is in a particularly privileged position, facing south and southwest with an altitude ranging from 320 to 350 metres, characterised by an extremely windy, dry, and bright microclimate. The wind protects the vineyard from damp, alleviating disease pressure, while the altitude slows ripening, allowing the grapes to gain flavour complexity but retain freshness. Poggio Antico is also based in Tavernelle and has some of the highest vineyards in the whole of Montalcino, with an average elevation of 480 metres. At this height, the soils are rockier and more calcareous, providing good drainage for the vines while the vineyards are exposed to sea breezes coming from the Tyrrhenian Sea, extending the ripening period and creating more flavour complexity in the grapes. Key producers: Soldera, Pieve Santa Restituta, Poggio Antico Sant’Angelo in Colle To the southeast of Tavernelle, these south-facing vineyards feel the full effect of the localised weather patterns caused by Mount Amiata. Here lies an historic part of the Montalcino appellation with many of the original founders of the consorzio based here, including Lisini, Il Poggione, Talenti, Argiano and Col d’Orcia. This region is known for producing the most muscular and powerful styles of Brunello. Key producers: Lisini, Giodo, Talenti, Il Poggione, Argiano, Col d’Orcia
 Castelnuovo dell’Abate Castelnuovo dell’Abate – the warmest subzone in the appellation – expanded considerably in the 1980s and 1990s. Here the wines – such as those of Poggio di Sotto and Mastrojanni – are known for their balance between elegance and power. Alongside its two vineyards in Central Montalcino, Le Ragnaie also has a vineyard in the region. The slopes are south-facing, however their warmth is moderated by the cooling winds of Mount Amiata, which are particularly noticeable at night. This diurnal shift slows ripening, retains acidity and allows for more complex aromatic and flavour components to develop in the grapes. The mountain also acts as a protector, helpfully diverting storms from the region and protecting it from hail. The varied altitudes within the subzone can produce contrasting styles of Brunello: Poggio di Sotto, for instance, will harvest its vineyards on lower slopes four to five weeks before their higher vineyards. Key producers: Poggio di Sotto, Le Ripi, Mastrojanni, Le Ragnaie Central Montalcino + Le Croce The central vineyards, located directly to the southeast of the town of Montalcino, are home to some of the most traditional styles of Brunello, known for their ageing potential. Both Fuligni and Salvioni have southeast-facing vineyards that sit between 380 and 450 metres above sea-level on soils of chalk, schist and stony marl – and Salvioni in particular argues that this altitude is key to producing the best Brunello. Further south in the Croce subzone, Cerbaiona has become a cult name in Montalcino, offering a unique expression of the appellation largely due to its distinct patch of terroir. The vineyards of Cerbaiona are located on limestone shale and sandy soils, which – combined with a gentle touch in the winery – produces a particularly elegant style of Brunello. Of course, Le Croce is also home to Biondi-Santi – the estate that started it all. The original Il Greppo property is situated at 480 metres above sea-level and, despite the high altitude, the estate likes to pick early, opting for a distinctly fresher, structured Brunello that is austere in youth but built to age for decades. Key producers: Biondi-Santi, Cerbaiona, Fuligni, Salvioni Read more about Italy or explore all current Brunello di Montalcino listings

Arguably the ultimate expression of Sangiovese, the Brunello di Montalcino appellation produces some of Italy’s finest wines – but the region is hugely varied. Here, we examine its subzones – one of the keys to deciphering the wines – and highlight the top producers in each

Exploring Brunello di Montalcino – these special Sangiovese wines and the appellation’s varied terroir, and the varied styles it produces

Your guide to Brunello di Montalcino wines

Your guide to Brunello di Montalcino

The 2018 vintage in Montalcino is certainly one to get excited about – particularly for those who love fresh, floral vintages packed with tension. Vintages like this are becoming ever rarer in today’s warming climate, and therefore all the more precious. Despite the pleasing results, the growing season was far from easy. A very wet and then humid spring and summer made it very demanding for vignerons – but the results are much better than expected, with some stunning wines.  While it might not have the power of 2015 or the structural intensity of 2016, the wines have fantastic energy and elegance, and plenty of acidity making it a versatile vintage that can be enjoyed in its youth or will age well. “I will certainly be cellaring many bottles of 2018 myself,” says Canalicchio di Sopra’s Francesco Ripaccioli, a vigneron but also a Brunello collector, who always gives an insightful description of the vintage. Ripaccioli believes that this “fresh” vintage might be overlooked by critics looking for power, but he sees many similarities with 2008. That vintage passed with little fanfare on release but proved to mature into a stunning year that aficionados just can’t get enough of these days. Certainly, for Ripaccioli, the 2018s share 2008’s purity and, while it doesn’t have the structure of his favourite overlooked vintage 2013, it has many similarities to this year as well.
 For Riccardo Talenti, 2018 is “a classic year” reminiscent of the Brunello of the 1990s. “The wines have excellent acidity, well-built and persistent tannins with a very fresh base of fruit.” For Sabina Sassetti (Livio Sassetti), the vintage produced wines with “extremely soft, elegant tannins and great aromatic extraction”.
 There is a lovely transparency to the vintage and single-vineyard sites really prove their mettle – offering very distinct interpretations dictated by terroir. Argiano’s single-vineyard Vigna del Suolo, Canalicchio di Sopra’s Vigna Casaccia and Casanova di Neri’s Tenuta Nuova are all outstanding examples.
 Giacomo Neri was surprised by the 2018 Tenuta Nuova’s “quality of tannic texture, depth, persistence and the salinity”, something he believes “has been manifesting for some years in an increasingly intense way”, and really came to the fore in 2018. For him, the wines are “not wide but long, fresh, with great scents, complexity, elegance and have great ageing potential”. For Poggio di Sotto, the wines are “rich in aromas and structure, very recognisable and characterful with good acid and alcohol content”. 
 The season started with plenty of rain in the winter months which was much needed following the drought conditions of the blistering 2017 summer. This helped re-balance the water reserves in the soil and the cold winter allowed the vines to reach adequate dormancy. Budburst and flowering all happened with little mishap, and yields looked very healthy. Spring and summer remained moderate in temperature with just one heat spike in July where temperatures reached 35-36˚C. From mid-June to the end of August temperatures sat around, but rarely exceeded, 30˚C, keeping the vine in good health with no shutdown, encouraging the berries to reach full phenolic ripening and no scorching of berries.
 Cerbaiona’s Matthew Fioretti emphasised how the rainy spring and humid weather that followed resulted in downy mildew which would go on to cause difficulties in the vineyards right up until harvest. And there was a lot of rain. Poggio di Sotto’s Maarten Leereveld noted that by the end of May they had already exceeded the rainfall for the whole of 2017. Sabina Sassetti highlighted that great attention was required in the vineyard to maintain concentration. If there was any concern it was the combination of high yields and moderate temperatures that meant grapes could struggle to achieve full sugar ripeness – so most producers did a green harvest in August to offset this.  Ripaccioli is a firm believer that a vintage is best judged by the last 30 days prior to harvest and, despite ambient weather for much of the year, two significant rainstorms on 1st and 17th September impacted the harvest. Unlike in 2017 where the dehydration of the berries was a problem, the grapes swelled following the rain, with dilution of flavour and structure a danger. While it no doubt had some impact, it was heavily moderated by strong westerly winds that blew throughout September. In fact, Ripaccioli explained how the grapes lost 30% of their berry weight in the two weeks prior to harvest thanks to the wind’s dehydrating effect.  
For Giacomo Neri of Casanova di Neri, the distinct diurnal temperature shifts leading up to harvest resulted in a slow and constant ripening of the grapes. It meant the wines built up aromatic complexity and retained high levels of acidity, giving the wines a lovely freshness. 
With its high-altitude vineyards, the strong, warm, westerly winds in September were very welcome for Biondi Santi, really helping dry out the vines and grapes following the rain. Biondi Santi was able to start harvesting as early as 16th September. 
For many, harvest was typically delayed by around five days to encourage the grapes to reach full ripeness. Berry-by-berry selection was necessary to ensure optimum results for what was potentially a large crop with uneven levels of ripeness. Despite the potentially high yields, the final numbers in terms of production throughout Brunello saw 2018 volumes among the lowest of the last six years, around 25% below 2016 and 2017, and similar to 2019 (set to be released next year). Green harvesting and extensive selection at harvest was clearly adhered to. At Canalicchio di Sopra this meant 10% of grapes were removed at sorting – compared to just 1% in 2016.   
 Sassetti Livio Pertimali 
Sassetti delayed harvest until 10th October. They felt the mild September and later harvest enabled them to bring in very healthy grapes that had “finally” reached perfect ripeness.
With all the grapes in, the numbers were impressive – both alcohol and pH levels were the same at Canalicchio di Sopra as they were in 2016. It is a pH level that is one of the lowest in recent years – giving the wine a great level of freshness and huge ageing potential. The Canalicchio wines sit at 14.5% alcohol – as is typical – thanks to the removal of more dilute berries at sorting.  Tasting a wide range of 2018s, the wines generally have an immediate appeal. The texture is noticeably elegant and there is lovely clarity to the fruit. The wines are medium-bodied, making them immediately seductive and, in some, there are lovely floral, perfumed, almost Pinot-Noir-esque aromatics. The best wines are full of energy. This is certainly a vintage of sophistication, creating wines with transparency, fine textural elegance, plenty of tension and impressive length. Producer styles and picking dates (from fresh to raisined fruit) still tend to dominate over and above vintage influence. Those who managed to balance the freshness with concentration and keep the oak in the background, produced excellent wines. Very few were lacking concentration and the best have great length, a tensile, racy appeal and beautiful, lifted aromatics. The 2018s will bring lots of drinking pleasure.  Brunello di Montalcino 2018: the vintage in brief A reference vintage for high-quality, cooler, fresher Brunello Great aromatic flair with strong floral and spice notes Polished, elegant, resolved tannins make the wines approachable fairly young A versatile vintage with high acidities providing long ageing potential Riservas were typically not made, meaning the best fruit will be found in the normal Brunello bottlings The opposite in style to the riper, more powerful 2015 and 2019s (released next year) Similar in character to 2008 or 2013 Our favourite 2018 Brunello di Montalcino wines so far Poggio di Sotto, Poggio Antico, Canalicchio di Sopra, Altesino, San Polo, La Fiorita, Cortonesi, Talenti, le Potazzini, Argiano 
Browse all Brunello di Montalcino listings or read more Editorial

The 2018 vintage in Montalcino was challenging for producers, but the wines have exceeded all expectations. After extensive tastings of the wines and conversations with producers, we explore the growing season, what defines 2018 Brunello di Montalcino and share our favourite wines

Exploring the challenging 2018 vintage in Montalcino that produced wines that have exceeded all expectations

Vintage guide to 2018 Brunello di Montalcino

Brunello di Montalcino 2018: elegant and age-worthy

Wine writer Tamlyn Currin is well known for her love of off-the-beaten track wines, in particular wines from Germany. FONDATA asked her to consider why it is that Riesling fans (of which she is most certainly one) are so much more zealous than fans of other grape varieties.

Examine Riesling's authenticity as a terroir ambassador and its varied styles. Dive into its global celebration and why it's cherished by enthusiasts. 


FONDATA: Exploring Riesling's popularity

Riesling, it’s a tribal thing

The most famous vineyard in Argentina is named after Dr Adrianna Catena, who is the youngest daughter of pioneering vigneron Nicolás Catena Zapata. As well as her viticultural endeavours at Catena Zapata and her partnership with Alejandro Vigil as co-founder of the cult Argentine winery El Enemigo, she is a practicing historian.  Her area of interest is the 15th and 16th century Americas – a time when wine (and the vine) were first introduced to the continent following the Spanish conquest. The pivotal role of wine in Catholic ritual, and the dangers associated with drinking fresh water, she believes, would shape the development of wine production in the Americas. For Catena, the intimate relationship between wine and water continues to play a central role in shaping Mendoza’s social landscape.  The history of water and wine in South America is a fascinating topic for Catena. Although her PhD thesis focused on the trade in indigo dye from the Americas to Europe, her attachment to wine – as well as the very real concerns of water scarcity in Mendoza – are subjects important to her as a historian and as a vigneron. Through the Catena Institute of Wine (CIW), the Catena Zapata winery has pioneered research in viticulture across a broad rand of topics. It includes ground-breaking work on terroir, ageability, and soil biodiversity, as well as in depth studies on extreme elevation vine growing in a context of changing climatic conditions – but some of their most pressing work centres around water preservation.  “Water preservation is one of our most important areas of research today,” says Catena. “Organic farming is easier in the very dry climate of Mendoza, than in Bordeaux, where higher rainfall and relative humidity mean vineyards will be more susceptible to fungal diseases – for us, when it comes to a sustainable future and regenerative farming, water preservation is key.” Catena Zapata’s head viticulturalist Luis Reginato is nicknamed “the water guy” at Catena – such is his obsession.  “He’s always trialing new, experimental ways to save water.” But she notes, the region has a long successful history of water management for Reginato to tap into. “The irrigation systems developed by the native Huarpe people before the arrival of Europeans were key to successful agriculture in the region, and these systems are still in use today,” says Catena.  For centuries, irrigation channels and aqueducts have diverted water from the Andes mountains to terrace lower Andes farmlands, bringing fresh drinking water to the cities. The Incas, Catena says, whose power extended briefly to this region, were quite unique among early modern empires in the quality of their nutrition and a notable absence of famine – made possible by terraced agriculture on the Andean slopes and complex irrigation systems.  While advanced water networks had been essential to pre-Hispanic and later colonial agriculture, Europeans treated drinking water with caution. “Up until the last century, it was a common belief that water, especially in exotic or tropical regions, could be bad for your health,” says Catena. “Contaminated water could (and can still) kill you and was considered extremely dangerous.” Wine in many parts of Europe (and the Americas, following the Spanish conquest) along with ales and beer, was often considered a safer option. Where they felt there was no access to clean water, wine became an essential part of the diet.  Wine was a key European import in the early days of the Spanish conquest, notes Catena. And for the Spaniards, it was not without its health benefits. “During this period, medicine was humoral, people believed everything you ingested would affect your mood, health, and disposition,” she explains. “In one claim from the time, ‘vino‘ (wine) came from the word ’vena‘ (vein) – it was considered nourishing, and closely resembles blood and was associated with this. Some believed it fortified the veins.”  But, as Catena explains, wine was more than a health benefit for the conquistador. “Wine was also an essential symbol of Christianity and Christianity was a moving force in the Spanish conquest.” The conquest of Mexico would roughly coincide with the start of Luther’s Reformation.  The Spanish, for their part, wanted to secure a triumph for Catholicism, and in the inhabitants of the new world, saw millions of souls to fill their ranks against the Protestants. “It was the conquistador’s mission,” she says. “Behind the conquest was a big effort to convert the native population.” Catena explains how wine – as with wheat – was a highly symbolic food for Christianity, representing the blood of Christ.  “If you are trying to convert an entire native population to Catholicism, rituals will be fundamental,” she says. Wine had always held a central role in religious ritual and was key to the religious side of the Conquest. Conquistadors, she explains, had to build a church on their land after being awarded territory by the Crown for their service – and they were also made responsible for converting the indigenous population. “In this quest, as one historian put it, to advance the religious and territorial conquest – the two basic foods the Spanish needed were wheat and wine.” Initially, all wine was imported from Europe, but vines were swiftly introduced and acclimated. By the 1570s vineyards had been planted all over South America, albeit under strict regulations. Priests, for example, were allowed to plant vineyards – but there was a lot of legislation over who could and couldn’t grow grapes. By the 1570s vineyards had been planted all over the Americas.  For health, religious and cultural reasons, everyone drank wine in 16th and 17th century South America – it was part of the diet, explains Catena. But as the influence of humoral medicine waned following the Enlightenment – and better sanitation practices were discovered – the perceived symbolic benefits of wine declined. As the population grew exponentially in the 19th century, so did wine production in Argentina. Italian and Spanish immigrants arrived on the continent, leaving behind their famine-stricken homelands. “Wine consumption reached extraordinary levels,” says Catena, “particularly with the development of the railways.” This new technology enabled the speedy, efficient transportation of wine from producing regions to the Argentine capital of Buenos Aires. Nicola Catena was one such immigrant, who arrived in Mendoza in 1898 at the age of 17, planting his first vineyard in 1902. A native of Le Marche, from a family of vinegrowers, it was not so surprising that Catena went into wine production.  While Mendoza is much like a desert with very little rainfall (between 200 and 400 mm per year), the irrigation channels developed by the indigenous Huarpe people (a nation periodically under Inca rule), were used to divert snow melt from the Andes, enabling farmers to flood farmland when required, making viticulture possible. By the time Nicola’s son Domingo Catena took over, the family had become renowned winemakers in Mendoza. In more modern times, wine and water’s relationship has changed considerably. Wine in many instances has become a luxury and no longer an essential part of the diet – although Catena says that culturally wine remains a common sight at every meal in Argentina.  Under the guardianship of Nicolás Catena and now his daughter Laura, Catena Zapata has become among a growing number of quality-led producers in Mendoza whose wines compete with the finest in the world. Their top wines – Mundus Bacillus Terrae and Nicolás Catena – led the charge in putting Mendoza on the fine wine map. Water too is no longer viewed with as much caution, but nor is it taken for granted. It barely rains at all in Mendoza – with the region effectively a high-altitude desert. Without snowmelt from the mountains, agriculture here would be impossible, but glacial reserves in Argentina are decreasing. With climate change, water in these parts will no longer be simply available at the turn of a tap. “The preservation of water has become an important concern of winemaking in Mendoza. This is one of the most urgent questions for our region today,” says Catena. Ongoing research at Catena includes many water-saving experiments. “More than a decade ago we transitioned all our vineyards from the traditional, but wasteful system of flood irrigation, to drip irrigation. Since then, we’ve created reservoirs to capture rainwater, and set up water stations to measure and restrict irrigation to the bare minimum in our family vineyards.” For Catena, “these small changes can have a large and lasting impact.” The goal at Catena is to manage a regenerative and sustainable agricultural cycle. Catena notes how the Incas were able to transform their environment without causing irreparable damage to it. “We can inhabit this earth without being parasitical,” she says. As members of a larger viticultural community, Catena hopes to share the lessons it has learned from its research, to enable this region that has been shaped by water and wine to continue making high-quality wine centuries from now. Optimistically she says, “We believe we are at a tipping point, and the mindset is gathering momentum here more than ever before.” Since wine was introduced to the continent in the 16th century, there have been huge cultural changes. But the irrigation systems that allowed those first vines to grow remain in use, feeding the countless vineyards, often centuries old. Without water, there will be no wine. With Argentinian wine so popular around the world today, a lot rides on Catena Zapata’s research. The hope is that they can lead the charge, shaping a bright future for this region. Browse all listings from Catena Zapata and El Enemigo or read more Editorial 

Dr Adrianna Catena – of Catena Zapata and El Enemigo – is not just a winemaker, but a practicing historian. We sat down with her to talk about how wine shaped South America’s social landscape and how water conservation and sustainable irrigation practices will secure its future.

Dr Adrianna Catena from Catena Zapata and El Enemigo on the historical importance of water and wine in the Americas.

Talking to historian and vigneron Adrianna Catena

How water and wine shaped a civilisation: Adrianna Catena

Saint-Emilion has been hitting the headlines. And not in the way it would like to. In July, just after the region’s châteaux submitted applications for the 2022 classification, two of the region’s four Premier Cru Classé A estates – Chx Cheval Blanc and Ausone – announced that they would be withdrawing from the classification system. This week sees a dispute over the 2012 classification enter the courts – with accusations that the results were fixed. The Médoc’s leading names were ranked in 1855 – with but one change (Ch. Mouton Rothschild's promotion) in 1973. The classification was uncomplicated, with no fussing over terroir, tastings or winemaking talent; it was based purely on price. It’s hard to believe that it remains relevant today – but, while of course there are properties that stand out, it’s more or less accepted, and reflective. Across the river in Saint-Emilion, they wanted something different. Something fairer. A system that flexed with an estate’s waxing and waning. The ambition was – and is – laudable. The reality, well… The classification is overseen by the Institut National des Appellations d’Origine (INAO) – the body responsible for France’s appellation system. The concept was mooted in the 1950s, with the first list published in 1955. The idea was that it would be re-drawn every 10 years – both to be more democratic and provide an incentive for long-term quality. Unlike the Left Bank’s system, it would assess terroir and include a tasting of the wines. The aim was, and is – as a spokesperson for the INAO told me, to help consumers distinguish between the region’s many properties and help “maintain a level of excellence”. The classification is based on a scoring system out of 20, with the breakdown of scores different to qualify for Grand Cru Classé (requiring a minimum 14 points) versus Premier Grand Cru Classé (requiring a minimum 16). In 2012, the possible points for Premier Grand Cru Classé were broken down thus: 30% based on the quality of the wine – with a tasting of 15 vintages; 30% on the estate’s terroir; 35% on the property’s renown (both national and international), promotion and distribution; and the remaining 5% on viticulture, vinification and traceability. Even the first, 1955 list was disputed, changed just three years later, then again two months later, before settling on 63 Grands Crus Classés and 12 of the elite Premiers Grands Crus Classés. The very best of this latter group were named “Premier Grand Cru Classé A” (the rest Premier Grand Cru Classé B) – with just two making the cut, Chx Ausone and Cheval Blanc. Since 1958 the region’s wines have been re-classified regularly – if not quite on the 10-year cycle forecast, in 1969, 1986, 1996, 2006 and then 2012. But there has always been an undercurrent of discontent. In 2006, five properties filed lawsuits and the ruling was declared invalid, with the 1996 classification reinstated. For the 2012 classification, the INAO seemed determined to clean things up. The tastings and site inspections were, for the first time, outsourced by the INAO, with wine professionals from other regions (Burgundy, the Rhône, Champagne, the Loire and Provence) roped in – including Marcel Guigal and Robert Drouhin. A company called Qualisud was to handle the tastings, while Bureau Veritas would take on visiting the estates. These independent authorities would, they thought, make it indisputable. The result was two new Premiers Grands Crus Classés A estates – with Chx Angélus and Pavie; while Larcis Ducasse, La Mondotte, Pavie Macquin, Troplong Mondot and Valandraud all promoted to Premier Grand Cru Classé B, and significant changes to the Grands Crus Classés (with a new total of 64 estates). But of course that wasn’t the end of it. Enter Chx Corbin-Michotte, Croque-Michotte and La Tour du Pin Figeac. The latter two had applied for and hoped to be promoted to Grand Cru Classé, while Corbin-Michotte was demoted in the 2012 rankings. They argue that the decision against them was “incomprehensible”, challenging the criteria for classification and insisting that two individuals – Hubert de Boüard (of Ch. Angélus) and Philippe Castéja (of Ch. TrotteVieille) – had “undue influence” with their roles within the INAO. It’s alleged that de Boüard was “present at all stages of the process elaborating the 2012 classification” (with it implied he influenced the ranking not only of Angélus but seven properties for which he consulted), while Castéja “pulled strings” to guarantee TrotteVieille’s Premier Grand Cru Classé status. The case went to administrative court, however the plaintiffs lost in 2015. They appealed, but lost again in 2019. And now they’re taking it to the criminal courts, with jail time and a fine of up to €500,000 on the cards for the accused. When I asked Frédéric Castéja – Philippe’s son and General Director of Borie Manoux – about the accusations, he told me: “I can only tell you that the Attorney General has dropped all accusations against [my father] and stated that he was not concerned at all with this so-called ‘influence’.” “When it comes to a public ranking, the level of controversy is as high as the stakes,” the INAO told me. It’s unsurprising, perhaps, given the impact the classification can have on an estate’s bottom line. After their promotion in 2012, Chx Pavie and Angélus saw instant price hikes: 2012 Angélus was released at 30% more than the 2011 en primeur, while Pavie went up 58%. That’s big bucks. And beyond the actual wine, it’s the land prices that really rocket. It wasn’t just these three (relatively minor) properties that seemed dissatisfied. Rumour has it that each year, the Médoc’s First Growths, Cheval Blanc, Ausone and Pétrus (“the group of nine”) all meet to taste the latest vintage. After Pavie and Angélus became newly minted First Growths, the group reportedly preferred to restrict the group to the original set. And in 2012 Ch. Ausone quietly removed the classification from its labels – a hint at what was to come. Eric Morain – one of the lawyers representing the three disgruntled estates – has commented that the classification has become “a system that sells the brand and no longer the grape”. La Revue du Vin de France’s 2021 Man of the Year, the attorney is a specialist in the world of wine and has earned a reputation for standing up for the little guys. He was instrumental in establishing the Syndicat de Défense des Vins Naturels (which introduced the Vin Méthode Nature trademark last year – a formal definition for natural wine in France), and has defended several wronged natural wine producers, such as Olivier Cousin and Alexandre Bain. Morain’s latest crusade, however, is against two goliaths – with connections and deep pockets. “The classification was thought out and developed and judged by people who had a direct interest. The rules were not the same for everyone,” Morain said on email to me. De Boüard and Castéja should have recused themselves, he argues. For Chx Corbin-Michotte, Croque-Michotte and La Tour du Pin Figeac (“They aren’t notable, just winegrowers who do their job well,” Morain says), this isn’t about money. They just want someone to admit they were wronged, unfairly excluded from the ranking. “Will they be convicted?” Bordeaux expert Jane Anson pondered, “I would imagine not, but I guess we will all have to wait and see...” For her, the drama is an unnecessary distraction “from the excellence of the wines and the entire classification”. In the meantime, the process for the 2022 classification has been rumbling on, with applications submitted this summer. Some changes have been made, again trying to make the classification – once and for all – watertight. Independent third party Bureau Veritas is now in charge of both tastings and site inspections, and the weighting of the tasting element has been increased for the Premiers Grands Crus Classés (bringing it in line with the weighting for the Grands Crus Classés) – worth 50% of the score (previously 30%) – while the portion for a property’s terroir has been reduced to just 10% (previously 30%). The puzzle is why the criteria remain different for a Premier Grand Cru Classé versus a Grand Cru Classé – something for which I haven’t been able to find an answer. Given estates need to score 17 for the heralded Premier Grand Cru Classé A, 16 for Premier Grand Cru Classé B and 14 for Grand Cru Classé, why make things even more complicated and declare that, for example in 2022, the quality of terroir has more significance for a Grand Cru Classé than a Premier Grand Cru Classé estate (20% versus 10% for the latter)? To make it into the upper echelons of the Premiers Grands Crus Classés, reputation is considered key – and this is a sticking point for many. While reputation, promotion and distribution represents 20% for the Grands Crus Classés, it stands for 35% of a property’s score for Premier Grand Cru Classé status. Including elements such as wine tourism, social media, PR and the accessibility of an estate, it has prompted remarks that the size of a winery’s car park has more relevance than the quality of its soils. The INAO emphasises that the criteria are very similar to those of the original classification in the 1950s. Reputation has always been included, they argue – they are simply adapting this to the modern day. Either way, it’s a minor element, they assure me – with, for example, social media representing just 0.3 points, or 1.5% of the final score, while wine tourism makes up a mere 1%. This hasn’t soothed the worries of the region’s two original Premiers Grands Crus Classés A properties, Ausone and Cheval Blanc. News broke soon after applications for the classification closed on June 30th that the prestigious estates had not submitted anything. When I spoke to both estates ahead of en primeur (April this year), the responses were interesting. Pierre-Olivier Clouet, Technical Director at Ch. Cheval Blanc, noted it was “a touchy question” before he continued. “We believe it’s quite difficult in 2021 to classify the wine like in 1855. This is not the same period this is not the same price per hectare, it is not the same price per bottle… Producing an outstanding wine is difficult on paper,” he said. “We don’t produce wine for the critics, for the classification – we make wine for the wine lover. Premier Grand Cru Classé A, Premier Grand Cru Classé B, Grand Cru Classé… we are Cheval Blanc, that’s it.” When I enquired whether he felt a wine’s distribution should have as much weighting as its terroir, he shrugged and smiled: “The answer is in the question.” Pauline Vauthier of Ch. Ausone was less willing to broach the topic, not wanting to be embroiled in the debate. “What counts is the quality of the product,” she said – making very clear that that is where the estate’s focus lies. “There are many classifications and they’re difficult for the public to understand. Ausone prefers to communicate about the quality of its wine.” She added: “[The 2012 classification] created much controversy, and that will certainly be the case with 2022.” When the news broke in July that both estates were withdrawing (along with sibling estates, La Clotte and Quinault l’Enclos), Pierre Lurton (Director of Ch. Cheval Blanc) and Clouet told Terre de Vins that there wasn’t enough emphasis on “the terroir, the wine, the history”. Edouard Vauthier (Ch. Ausone) explained, “Since 2012, some criteria added are not linked into the wine itself anymore. Some people apply for the classification for economic reasons more than quality and the respect of the terroir.” He highlighted that many of their customers hadn’t even noticed that “Premier Grand Cru Classé A” was no longer on the label. Indeed, why would they? Interestingly, these estates agree with Eric Morain on this. For Morain, the tasting component should represent much more – and as long as it counts for so little, “the classification will mean nothing”. The two behemoths are their own brands – brands that are much stronger than that of Saint-Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classé A. The loser, sadly, is set to be the classification itself, and its top-tier properties – which will no longer benefit from Cheval Blanc and Ausone’s halo effect. Of course, the INAO was keen to emphasise that – whether classified or not – the two estates would always be closely associated with the region, and that there were plenty of other estates that eagerly submitted applications. “Ausone and Cheval Blanc have always been driving forces behind the appellation and I hope will remain so,” Frédéric Castéja told me. “The risk is that at the next occasion other top estates (meaning other First Growths) do the same, then if too many leading estates leave, the classification is meaningless.” Morain – unsurprisingly given his campaign against the classification – is damning about its fate. Ausone and Cheval Blanc’s departure is, for him, “a symptom of a system on its last legs”. So is the 2022 ranking set to be the Saint-Emilion classification’s swansong? Perhaps – the more important question is maybe if it matters. “Saint-Emilion has so many châteaux (by far the most of any of the prestigious appellations) that there is a definite benefit to have some way of distinguishing the best wines,” Jane Anson said. “I fully agree with the principles, in fact think the idea of a renewable classification is very much consumer-driven and provides an incentive to estates to keep investing etc, but I think it has become unworkable.” And that is the problem – the theory is excellent, but how can it be put into practice? While the classification sounds helpful in principle, for most people, I suspect it isn’t. There’s too much confusion with Grand Cru, Grand Cru Classé and Premier Grand Cru Classé A or B. Unlike the Médoc’s straightforward numbering of First to Fifth Growth, it is not – to the uninitiated – immediately clear which is meant to be better than the other. Price and branding of an individual estate will be the more important differentiator. Talking to other producers in the region, few have answers – and few wish to champion the system’s survival. I asked Noëmie Durantou Reilhac – of Denis Durantou estates – whether she’d ever wish to see something similar in Pomerol. The answer was a firm no (“definitely”). “What really saddens me is seeing some plots in Saint-Emilion Grand Cru that are truly devastated,” she tells me. When I ask Nicolas Glumineau at Pichon Comtesse in Pauillac – a producer with a little distance – about his thoughts on it, he’s quick to quip: “That’s why we have an 1855 [classification] that we never move.” More seriously, he thinks the decade cycle is problematic. “I have this feeling that one classification every 10 years is probably too fast, too frequent. Probably 25 years – one generation could be enough.” Of course applying for the classification is voluntary – and not everyone does. Ch. Tertre Rôteboeuf, notably, has never played the game – despite the high quality of its wines. (The property is also renowned for handling its own distribution, outside the négociant system.) Ch. Haut-Brion owner Prince Robert of Luxembourg recently highlighted a benefit to being outside the classification – announcing his plans to expand Quintus with vineyards from the recently bought Ch. Grand Pontet. And this really gets to the point of what could make the Saint-Emilion classification work. As Anson said to me, “Saint-Emilion is the only classification in Bordeaux that includes the notion of terroir (and in fact taste) and that is also linked to a specific piece of land.” A classified property can’t automatically include new vineyards – unlike estates on the Left Bank. The classification is admirable in many ways – but how can you really quantify excellence? Is it ever really possible to pin down the true quality of a wine, or estate, with such exactitude? Is the picture not more nebulous than points can ever paint? “All classifications are correct as long as all players clearly know the rules,” Frédéric Castéja noted. “One must remember that classifications are always the picture of the past, but of course confirm the potential of the estate.” For Saint-Emilion, even the past feels in flux – discussed and debated. What the future holds is hard to say – but, for now, we’ll wait to see what’s in store for the class of 2022. Read more about Editorial  Since this article was published, Hubert de Boüard was found guilty of having undue influence in the 2012 Saint-Emilion classification. He was fined €40,000 and has not appealed the charge. Two properties, Ch. Croix de Labrie and Ch. Tour Saint-Christophe, are taking the INAO to court over their applications for the 2022 classification. In January 2022, Ch. Angélus announced it too was leaving the Saint-Emilion classification, stating the system had become a "vecteur d'antagonisme et d'instabilité". This leaves Ch. Pavie as the only remaining Premier Grand Cru Classé A estate. September 2022: the new classification has been unveiled, with Ch. Figeac promoted to Premier Grand Cru Classé A, alongside Ch. Pavie.

Saint-Emilion’s classification is in crisis – embroiled in court cases and controversy. But why? And does it matter? Sophie Thorpe investigates

Saint-Emilion’s classification is in crisis after leading names abandoned the system. We talk to Ausone, Cheval Blanc, Angelus and more about the controversy

Investigating Saint-Emilion's classification

Class act: Saint-Emilion

Antica Terra

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Due to the quantity requested for collection, it is not possible to define a collection date at this stage. Our team will liaise with the warehouse and contact you directly to confirm a suitable pick-up date.

For orders with a high value, we recommend shipping with a third party carrier. Items shipped with third parties will remain in banded OWCs.

Due to the quantity requested, you won’t be able to select a collection date. Please submit your request, and we will liaise with our warehouse and confirm the collection date with you directly.

Due to the quantity requested, you won’t be able to continue the purchase. Please select third party, or change the quantity (maximum 48 is allowed).

Due to the quantity requested, you won’t be able to select a shipping date at checkout. Please submit your request, and we will liaise with our warehouse and confirm the delivery date with you directly.

For up to 499 bottles in storage, the rate is 39¢/bottle per month or a $50 minimum monthly charge (this covers up to 142 bottles). For over 500 bottles, the storage rate is 35¢/bottle per month.

Standard storage rate

By selecting third-party shipping, you will take full responsibility for all aspects of legal compliance and authorize Vinfolio to transfer the items to the party specified in your instructions. Items shipped via third parties will remain in their original packaging.

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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The lowest price you're willing to sell at.

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

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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 €25 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.

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.

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This item is at Vinfolio, available for storage or shipping. For more information on shipping and handling visit vinfolio.com/shipping

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. Upon arrival your wine will be stored at Vinfolio in our temperature-controlled warehouse until you decide to take delivery.

When a wine is on "pre-arrival", it means that we have a confirmed order on the bottles from our supplier and we are simply waiting for the winery or distributor to ship the wine to us. The delivery timeframe for pre-arrival wines varies significantly, depending on where the wine is coming from. We will notify you once they arrive at our warehouse and, at that point, you can decide to arrange shipping or list them for sale.

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