I vividly remember the first time I tasted the Alvina Pernot wines. Burgundy was bitingly cold, and we ducked beneath Alvina Pernot and her husband Philippe Abadie’s home into their make-shift cellar, then delightfully cosy (at the time warmed just enough to encourage malolactic fermentation), and a welcome retreat from the Côte d’Or’s bracing winter weather. We squeezed into the tiny cellar, edging between the barrels crammed into the space. The wines were thrilling. Taut and pure styles of modern, pinpoint, mineral Chardonnay that were – and are – hard to resist. We were tasting the 2019s, just the second vintage from the modest operation; but they’ve rapidly established themselves as one of the Côte de Beaune’s most exciting new names. Alvina – always chic, dressed immaculately, with her gleaming green eyes and delicate features – doesn’t look like the stereotypical Burgundian vigneron. You're unlikely to spy dirt under her fingernails, and I struggle to imagine her sporting a pair of overalls. But wine is in her blood. The Pernot name is one that will be familiar to Burgundy-lovers – the family is one of the largest vineyard owners in Puligny-Montrachet (just after Leflaive), and makes some of the village’s best wines. Indeed, Alvina worked for the family estate Domaine Paul Pernot for years, but the urge to break out on her own grew over time. The Paul Pernot wines are the epitome of traditional white Burgundy, round, rich and sometimes sumptuous – and Alvina and Philippe wanted to make something of their own, a leaner style that suited their palates better. In 2017, a vineyard came up for sale – and it seemed like a sign. The plot, La Rue aux Vaches, is classified as village Puligny-Montrachet, but sits just below Premier Cru Clos des Meix and Les Pucelles. The family domaine had been farming and making wine from the site for years, and the couple knew how good the fruit was. They leapt at the chance to buy it, and the Alvina Pernot project was born. They were able to buy additional fruit from Alvina’s family, and started working on sourcing grapes from other Crus. Their first release, from the 2018 vintage, totalled 8,000 bottles. It's easy to see how challenging it might have been – going from working for the family business to setting up a separate project, and bearing the weight of their legacy. Alvina and her father have very different approaches in both the vineyard and winery, which certainly comes with its challenges, as they find the fine line between family and business, negotiating a new aspect to their relationship. “I think Alvina’s father was proud that she was starting something of her own,” Philippe says, looking affectionately at his wife. Indeed, it’s taken time for Alvina to fully step away from the family business, only officially resigning in March of this year to focus on their own label. Juggling the two estates (not to mention their son Pâris, who was born at the start of 2022) hasn’t been easy, and Philippe has – until now – had to do much of the work in the winery. Yet it’s also their family ties that have given them access to such incredible vineyards – appellations that are almost impossible to secure for most newcomers.  Five vintages in, it’s amazing to see how the project has evolved. They now produce 35,000 bottles, with the range having grown from seven to 24 cuvées. The duo are so embedded in the region and well-connected that they are able to source from some of the region’s best names, securing top sites that would be the envy of most estates. In addition to La Rue aux Vaches, they now own two further plots (both of which previously belonged to Alvina’s family): Les Noyers Brets (which is next to the couple’s home, added from 2020) and La Rue de Bois (the latter the vines that surround their winery, added in 2021). The focus is increasingly on specific sites within Puligny-Montrachet, with an ever-increasing number of Premiers and Grands Crus. In 2022, for example, they bottled three different wines from Folatières – Ez Folatières, Peux Bois and Clos des Folatières; and their Bourgogne Blanc has been divided into two different bottlings from different sites. Until 2021 the wines were made at Domaine Paul Pernot (and aged under Alvina and Philippe’s house) but the couple have now finished their own winery – giving them greater capacity, but also even greater control over the wines they’re making. From better temperature control and a broader range of maturation vessels (including both glass and amphorae, alongside oak) to reducing sulphur levels and more control over bottling, it’s allowed for even more precision. Each year, they tell me, they are pushing and doing “des petits tests”, looking to tweak and see how they can improve.  Alvina and Philippe firmly believe that almost all the work has to be done in the vineyard, with farming the three plots they own a huge part of what they do. Philippe has been doing it almost entirely himself – and is relieved that they’ve just been able to hire someone to help them. But the significance of the vineyards work is also why it is so important for them to source fruit carefully from growers with similar standards, and whom they trust. As with any small producer, the challenge when it comes to farming is not just quality, but quantity. Alvina and Philippe do almost everything by hand (indeed, they don’t even own a tractor yet – and still borrow Alvina’s father’s one when they can), and sustainability is a key focus. After pruning, it’s common in Burgundy to see the horizon dotted with smoking fires, as the cuttings are burnt; Philippe and Alvina avoid this and the resulting pollution, instead using the cuttings for a mulch to further increase the organic matter in their soils. They aren’t looking to be certified organic, but avoid chemical sprays wherever possible and are doing trials with biodynamics; the risks, and costs, are the threat, however. They can’t afford to lose an entire crop, as would have happened in a vintage like 2021, should they have refused to use anything but copper and sulphur; nor do they want to have to sell their wine for five times as much as they currently do, to allow such a philosophy. Ideals can only take you so far. While 75% of the job might be done by the time the fruit is harvested, it’s all too easy – even with the very best fruit – to ruin it all in the winery. “There’s nothing minor during vinification – everything matters,” Alvina explains. “Each tiny detail makes the difference between an average wine, a good wine and an excellent one.” Although between them the duo had plenty of experience, nothing is set in stone, and each year they feel they are learning more – as they continue to question what they do and why. “It’s also important not to be too wrapped up in our little cocoon, just the two of us, but to talk honestly each year with our expert oenologist [Pierre Fonteneau] about the wines,” Philippe explains, when it comes to the winemaking. “There are three voices in the business – Alvina, me and the oenologist – and not one counts less than the others.” It’s easy to imagine that any Burgundy producer’s goal is to be a domaine – to own a prime selection of the region’s most prized sites; but for this young couple, that’s not really the aim. Alvina is set to inherit some enviable plots, but they can’t imagine giving up the opportunity to continue working with many different parcels. “The diversity of terroirs is absolutely the most interesting part for us,” they say. It’s likely their range will continue to shift – as they get access to new, exciting parcels and discover those they really love. Ultimately, however, Alvina explains, “The aim is to make wines we love, the wines we want to drink. When people are happy to be there, to share the wines with us, and to find them, we’ve done what we set out to do.” Explore all current listings from Alvina Pernot or read more about Burgundy

We’ve been following Alvina Pernot – granddaughter of Paul Pernot – since she first struck out on her own. Sophie Thorpe sat down with Alvina and her husband Philippe Abadie to talk about the wines, their philosophy and the future

As Philippe Abadie and Alvina Pernot release their fifth vintage, we look at how this fledgling wine estate in Burgundy’s Puligny-Montrachet is evolving

Five years of Puligny-Montrachet’s Alvina Pernot

The other Pernot: Puligny-Montrachet’s Alvina Pernot

Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW has caused quite the stir. In her Bordeaux 2021 en primeur report, her first for her new publication The Wine Independent, she scored some wines below 80 points – and just 20% made it above the 90-point mark. She’s a woman on a mission, determined to bring honour and integrity back to wine criticism. The Master of Wine and Robert Parker protégée stepped down as Editor-in-Chief of the Wine Advocate – the leading fine wine publication – last year. She was tired of what had become a corporate life. Michelin took over in 2019 and her time was increasingly spent in meetings, doing reporting, looking at corporate responsibility as well as managing her team and making sure everything was going to plan – a plan, she emphasises, that was not set by her. Most importantly, her senior position took her further away from what she really loved doing – writing about wine. “I love to sit down with winemakers and capture that story that is not on their website, that is not in their marketing material. Something that is real and raw. There is not enough of that,” she tells me. Her view is that it’s the story that makes wine “more than just a drink” – and that’s why people spend hundreds of pounds on a bottle. This storytelling is what she’s looking to do with her new, small outfit, The Wine Independent. Importantly she’s partnered with Johan Berglund – a professional photographer (whose beautiful images we've used here) – to bring those stories to life, with a modern platform that is a world away from most other critics’ sites (often “a wall of words”, she says). As the name of the new publication suggests, Perrotti-Brown is making a stand against publications that she feels no longer put the consumer first. Her inspiration is Robert Parker’s original operation – the Wine Advocate started as a small newsletter shared with friends. “Essentially a mom-and-pop shop”, she explains, getting back to basics, with minimal staff and no fancy office with big overheads. For her, the goal is simple: to publish timely – and honest – reports, allowing readers to search for wines easily and helping them to discover something new. She doesn’t hold back voicing her concerns about the state of wine criticism today. She’s damning, believing there’s a trend not just to overscore, but that it’s a strategy to gain influence, helping critics be quoted by retailers and wineries – and therefore benefitting from “free marketing”. “When you see people coming in one or two points above everyone else and they hang on and wait until other people’s reviews have come out… I mean, come on, it’s definitely happening,” she says. The compaction of scores, however, is what really riles her. Everything sits between 95 and 99 these days, she suggests. “Nobody dares to go to 100 and nobody dares to go below 90.” Perrotti-Brown is outspoken about critics for whom the tiny number of 100-point scores they hand out is a point of pride. “There are a lot of critics who are just too chicken-s**t to give 100 points,” she says. “If you know a wine is 100 points, it takes a lot of bravery to put it out there.” Some critics – such as James Molesworth of Wine Spectator – don’t believe that a perfect wine exists, and therefore never give 100 points. “Which is ridiculous!” says Perrotti-Brown. “Why use a 100-point scale, if you are not going to use the top?” Her fear is that scores will lose all relevance and meaning. Indeed, she notes that retailers don’t even reference who gave the score they quote. “You go into a shop these days and look at the shelf-toppers and it doesn’t even say whose score it is – it just says 97 points. Every wine is 97 points!”  Critics should be fighting for consumers, she argues, rather than ingratiating themselves with wineries. “I know it is difficult, because we are sat there right in front of the winemaker, listening to their stories and I think the impetus is to really feel for that person, but you can’t. You always have to see it from the consumer’s perspective – it’s what Bob [Robert Parker] always told me. You are working for them.”  Hence, therefore, the broad range of scores that she felt was inevitable for a vintage like 2021. It was, she admits, a difficult vintage to assess in the evolution of Bordeaux. She’s adamant that she hasn’t changed the way she scores: “It just happens to be the worst vintage Bordeaux has had for a very long time,” she explains. Perrotti-Brown refers back to Robert Parker’s original benchmark for 90 points – an “outstanding” wine, a wine that is complex and age-worthy. For her – tasting very widely across the region – the majority of 2021s don’t meet those criteria, but she’s quick to emphasise that wines scored in the upper 80s are very good wines. “I think there has become some stigma over the wines scoring in the 80s and I don’t know why,” she says. Again returning to Robert Parker’s original scoring crib-sheet, these are “good to very good” wines and that is where, she feels, the bulk of Bordeaux 2021 wines fall.  Looking back at Robert Parker’s own en primeur scores in trickier vintages (2007, 2013, 1996), he too was awarding many wines eighty-something points, sometimes less. While Perrotti-Brown accepts the technological advances in viticulture and vinification mean you would rarely see Classed Growth wines receiving less than 80 points today, it only emphasises just how challenging the 2021 vintage was in Bordeaux. Of course, the vintage also produced some surprises. Despite everything that happened climate-wise, there were a number of wineries that produced outstanding wines, even by Perrotti-Brown’s assessment. “Some wines were absolute trainwrecks and there are other wines that are wow… you can tell these people worked their tails off,” she says.  The critic was certainly surprised and disappointed by other reports on the vintage, particularly given she’d worked and trained some of the people behind them. “When I am looking at other peoples’ scores [for Bordeaux 2021], 60% or more of the wines scored 90 points and above and that is astonishing to me,” she says, both confused and outraged. “Some of these wines, they are giving the same score ranges as the 2018 and the 2019s – I mean how is that possible?” Her report is a statement of intent. Lower scores may mean The Wine Independent isn’t as widely quoted by the trade, but what matters to Perrotti-Brown is whether consumers trust the publication. It’s a long-term game. “Eventually I hope consumers will look at all these other scores and say, ‘But what did The Wine Independent say?’” Perrotti-Brown took a huge risk stepping down from what is undeniably the wine world’s most influential publication – but she is confident she’s made the right choice. Her need for autonomy was the impetus for her to set up on her own, and she’s found freedom on her own terms. It is still early days for The Wine Independent and, for now, Perrotti-Brown is their only reviewer – although she confirms an additional critic will be announced in the coming weeks. Competing against more established publications with an extensive database of tasting notes and scores isn’t easy – but Perrotti-Brown has established herself as a disruptor in the field. She’s lain down the gauntlet – daring her peers to put the consumer back at the heart of what they do. Read more Editorial

Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW is making a stand. The ex Wine Advocate Editor-in-Chief, trained by Robert Parker, believes that critics are at risk of losing relevance – and for good reason. We talk to the wine writer about why she’s fed up of scoring strategies and set up The Wine Independent.

Why the wine critic left the *Wine Advocate* to go her own way, determined to bring honour and integrity back to wine criticism.

Lisa Perrotti-Brown on why she left Wine Advocate

The voice of independence: Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW

There are few people that get to taste Bordeaux as often or as thoroughly as the Wine Advocate Editor-in-Chief Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW. Based in Napa, her knowledge of how the Bordeaux varieties are managed – both in Bordeaux’s moderate climate and the hotter region of Napa – has become a huge asset in understanding and assessing Bordeaux in a warming climate. With such exposure to vintages past and present, being mentored by the world’s most influential critic Robert Parker, there’s no one better to consider what defines Bordeaux today.  Perrotti-Brown has a clear idea of how and why Bordeaux has changed so much in the last 20 years, while at the same time emphasising that there’s no “hard stop” to an era. An individual château’s period of change can be different to its neighbours. “It seems like every château has had its challenging period,” she says, “whether it be a dogmatic winemaker, recurring faults in the winery or even financial difficulties.” Each era of Bordeaux is not simply defined by set vintages, however – with the benefit of hindsight – she believes you can see clear, defining moments over the last two decades where the style of Bordeaux has changed. Like much of the wine world in the 1980s and ’90s, Bordeaux châteaux were still understanding the effects of faults in their wines – whether it be volatile acidity, dissolved oxygen or Brettanomyces. With increased emphasis on ripeness and new oak, these issues only increased. “Brett and other faults love new oak and higher alcohol, it was almost a perfect storm,” she explains. But as this became more of an issue in the region, it led to more research, bringing about a much better technical understanding of why these things were happening. It was this scientific awakening that Perrotti-Brown believes was the catalyst for the modern era. “Momentum for change has sped up in the last 20 years and there have been lots of triggers,” she says. “There is a better understanding of what ripeness is, precision viticulture and winemaking, the development of technology and of course there is climate change.” But outside this and perhaps the most important “trigger” behind this change, she believes, is money. “To run a château has become very expensive: 30 or 40 years ago many of these châteaux were simply operating as agriculturalists, now it is a multi-million-dollar business.” Big money has no doubt brought about big investment and Perrotti-Brown believes in many ways it has “levelled the playing field”. A lack of investment in the winery and vineyard is now a rare excuse for poor performance. “It has raised the standard throughout the region. Investment and greater precision has created a lot of diversity – more than we have ever seen before.” In terms of taste, the most positive developments in Bordeaux for Perrotti-Brown come from the vigneron’s better understanding of ripeness, both in terms of tannin ripeness and fruit concentration. “Hindsight is a beautiful thing,” she quips, “but we have seen dark periods on both sides of the spectrum in Bordeaux.” There were real issues with lack of ripeness through much of the 1970s and ’80s. High production levels saw diluted grapes harvested and simply chaptalized (sugar added) to bring up the alcohol, then at fermentation, the must was overworked to extract enough colour and tannins. Since top Bordeaux was known for its long ageing potential, this was necessary to create the structure to age – “Otherwise you were going to end up with a diluted, watery mess,” explains Perrotti-Brown. This extended maceration saw the extraction of very hard tannins – “the wrong sort of tannins that come at a later stage of extraction”. “It is better extraction techniques, only extracting quality tannins, that is a major reason behind the most recent improvements,” Perrotti-Brown explains. She points to the legendary 1982 vintage. “A lot of people at the time were saying the tannins of the ’82s were too soft, too juicy, too fruity and it just wasn’t true.” The vintage was warm, particularly for that era. “At harvest the vignerons were picking grapes with a natural ripeness to the tannins, which meant during extraction the tannins and colour came easily.” They didn’t have to overwork the grapes to extract the tannins, producing wines that were great in their youth and have since aged incredibly well. It was the quality, not quantity, of tannins that stood the 1982s in such good stead, a lesson that wasn’t necessarily learnt instantly. Overworking the musts and a lack of concentration continued to be commonplace throughout much of the ’80s and ’90s. Many wines were hugely extracted and required plenty of patience. “You compare that with now,” she says. “I was discussing the 2020 vintage with Ch. Margaux’s Philippe Bascaules – and he barely needed to touch the grapes during extraction.” At better ripeness levels (as seen in 2020), the colour and tannins extract themselves. In the mid-90s to early 2000s, however, there was “a chase for ripeness”, in Perrotti-Brown’s words. “It was the beginning of the garagiste era – with reductions in yield, later picking and an emphasis on power. You had super low yields, producing behemoth, impenetrable wines in their youth, 200% new oak etc – people were really pushing the boundaries.” It is a style that is seen by many as actively encouraged by Perrotti-Brown’s mentor Robert Parker, who at this point was arguably the most influential man in Bordeaux. The incredibly hot 2003 vintage marked a watershed moment for Bordeaux. “Bordeaux winemakers had never seen anything like it. Grapes were turning to raisins on the vine,” Perrotti-Brown says. Despite the year’s conditions which exposed the push toward ripeness, the emphasis on power continued up until the 2010 vintage. Despite the focus on ripeness and extraction, there were some exceptional vintages – but Perrotti-Brown questions how well these wines have since aged. This is, in her view, a key shift in the region. She compares tasting the 2005s en primeur, with tasting the vintages of today. While 2005 was clearly a fantastic vintage, tasting these wines so young was really difficult, with aggressive tannins. Many winemakers were, Perrotti-Brown says, “making wines by formula”. A high-quality vintage gave vignerons a free ride to push the extraction even more. The criticism often made of 2005 is that it has taken such a long time to come around. Similar issues are raised with the same vintage in Burgundy. The year was at the height of the trend for maximum ripeness and extraction, for both Bordeaux and Burgundy, and the resulting wines shut down for a long period. Perrotti-Brown accepts that people have different expectations on when to drink Bordeaux, but she loves to drink wine in its mid-life, when there is both primary fruit and tertiary development. The problem with the 2005s, she says, is that that window never really opened: the wines remained closed, only beginning to open up now, when there is little primary fruit left. “Many of the ’05s are, wow, exceptional now, but you miss that sweet fruit and it’s what I like about the modern vintages,” she says. Looking back, “Winemakers could have dealt with 2005 much more wisely.” The 2009 vintage provides an interesting contrast. Like the ’82s, the natural ripeness of the tannins meant the wines didn’t shut down in the same way the 2005s did. Of course, higher levels of alcohol also helped increase the potential tannin extraction. Alcohol is a solvent. Increased ripeness, which in turn leads to higher alcohol levels, can therefore lead to too much phenolic extraction. While this was a risk for many wines in the early 2000s, fortunately today’s winemakers know much more about how to handle riper fruit. The 2010 vintage might have been the last year of big, bold, extracted wines, it was nature rather than the Bordelais that dictated the change, Perrotti-Brown notes. The ’11, ’12, ’13 and ’14 vintages meant winemakers had to deal with cooler, more difficult vintages. It was not possible to produce bold wines in these vintages and retain balance. This was almost a period of introspection for Bordeaux and, for Perrotti-Brown, it led to a distinctive development where “the ethos of precision” took charge from the 2015 vintage. While there are of course exceptions, from 2015 Perrotti-Brown feels you started to see more plot-by-plot management of the vineyard, with picking times becoming much more accurate – picking plots and fermenting them separately, “rather than throwing everything together”. Extraction also became much more precise, focusing on only the quality tannins – a marked change from the previous era. This new ethos brought, in Perrotti-Brown’s view, a lot of “soul-searching” in the vineyard, with people like Alfred Tesseron spearheading a movement toward more sustainable practices. But overall, Perrotti-Brown notes, “There is so much creativity too and many people are doing different things. It has created a lot of diversity.” Amongst the creative changes happening in the winery and vineyard, developments in the wine’s élevage always seems to be a big talking point in Bordeaux. Oak is an integral part of the Bordeaux “recipe”, but – after an over-reliance in the 2000s – its use was becoming increasingly scrutinised. “Oak doesn’t ever go,” she says. “It settles down, integrates and evolves with the fruit, but it can push itself forward.” “Oak is absolutely necessary for giving shape and spice to the fruit, as well as tannic interest to the wine,” says Perrotti-Brown: for her, it’s about oak being used “smartly”. “Most people have pulled back on the new oak from the 2015 vintage onwards, but, like the tannins, it is not about more or less oak, but about using it more wisely. There is a much better understanding of oak today and much better quality of oak being used. What it lends to the tannin structure is a nice back up to the skin tannins and a spiciness in the background.” The new era – from 2015 onwards – is certainly contributing to Bordeaux being “on a good run”, in Perrotti-Brown’s words. But while there is great consistency today, she’s under no impression there won’t be problems ahead. “Warm, dry vintages have become the norm, but how warm and how dry before this becomes an issue? Bordeaux was lucky in 2020 that they got a bit of rain in August,” she says. While a lot has changed over the last 20 years in Bordeaux, there are no guarantees for the future. No matter the technology, Bordeaux’s fate lies in the hands of the shifting climate – and terroir, or more specifically the clay or limestone soils equipped to deal with hot, dry conditions, has never been so important. For now at least, though, Bordeaux is basking in its era of precision, with 2020 the third great vintage in a row. Let’s hope Mother Nature holds the region in her favour a little longer. Read our summary of Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW's report (including the wines she rated most highly) in our round-up of the critics’ verdict on the vintage Find out more about Bordeaux or read more Editorial 

No doubt that the style of Bordeaux has shifted over the past two decades. But what’s caused the change – and are the wines better? We sat down with one of the world’s most influential wine writers, Wine Advocate Editor-in-Chief Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, to delve into what defines modern Bordeaux

The Wine Advocate’s Editor-in-Chief Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW on 20 years of change in Bordeaux – and what defines modern Bordeaux

Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW on the Bordeaux evolution

Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW on the evolution of Bordeaux

Domaine Paul Pernot is synonymous with the appellation of Puligny-Montrachet. For the last 30 years the estate – alongside Domaine Leflaive and Domaine de Montille (previously Château de Puligny-Montrachet) – has been one of the largest shareholders in the appellation, playing a significant role in maintaining its reputation for complex, expansive, mineral-tinged Chardonnay.  Paul Pernot created his estate in the early 1950s, initially with 11 hectares, although at the time not all of it was planted to vines. It was only in the 1950s, with the invention of modern tractors, that the hard limestone rock could be penetrated for the first time, enabling more of the appellation to be planted with vines and Pernot’s acreage increased. By the early 1990s, the estate had increased its holdings to 20 hectares, including plots in the Grands Crus of Bâtard-Montrachet and Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet.  Puligny – with its 230 hectares of vineyards – is considerably smaller than its neighbouring appellations, Meursault and Chassagne-Montrachet, with notably fewer vignerons fortunate to own vines in this prestigious appellation. Domaine Paul Pernot, thanks to its relative size, is therefore in an enviable position, with its production in high demand from the main négociants of Burgundy and beyond.  The estate has historically sold significant volumes, most notably to Joseph Drouhin, while keeping the cream of their crop for themselves, typically just 40% of their production. It was this that prompted Alvina Pernot to establish her own label. “My husband Philippe and I have been wanting to make our own wine for several years. As the family estate sells part of the harvest to the negociants, it seemed logical for us to start recovering part of it.”  Alvina Pernot, (granddaughter of Paul Pernot), a young vigneron born and raised in Puligny Montrachet, grew up close to the family estate, as her father and uncle managed the domaine throughout her childhood. Despite branching out on her own, Alvina Pernot still works at the family estate, managing the commercial and administrative part of the business (allocations, customer tastings, logistics, management, etc). Until last year she was also involved in the winemaking, but this year she was not able to be there as much. “Now we have reached a point where my husband and I must be completely focused on our own wines at vinification.” The quick-ripening season of 2019 made that ever clearer, as there was a rush to get the grapes picked to retain the taut traits typical of her wines.  Growing up under the guidance of such a prestigious Puligny estate was no doubt insightful for Alvina. The most important thing she learned from her father and grandfather she explains “is that exemplary work in the vineyard allows for high quality raw material. From then on, we have all the cards in our hands to make the best wine possible.” Despite the similarities in their viticultural practices, there are notable differences in the winery. “When we started, we didn't want to make a copy and paste of the domaine, but rather try to produce a wine in our image: reflecting our own vision of wine. We love the domaine wines and share the same passion of the profession, but we also love the idea of creating something for ourselves and trying new things.”  “With the smaller production levels, an extra attention to detail becomes possible,” says Alvina. She opts to hand harvest in small crates as opposed to the traditional large containers, better protecting the grapes against oxidation. During the all-important pressing stage, Alvina opts for the more traditional vertical press, rather than the more widely used modern horizontal pneumatic presses. According to Alvina, the traditional vertical presses have a distinct qualitative advantage despite losing 15 - 20% more juice than modern presses. “It reduces oxidation, provides a greater purity of juice with naturally higher acidity and therefore freshness.”  The Alvina Pernot wines have longer ageing on the lees too, right up until bottling – 11 months. In the future Alvina hopes to extend her control of élevage further, with a soon-to-be-built new winery in Puligny, allowing her, when necessary, to age the wine on the lees even longer. She and Philippe hope to have the winery up and running by the 2021 harvest.  How each of these bespoke adjustments affect the final result in bottle is an interesting experiment to explore. No doubt the wines from Domaine Paul Pernot and Alvina Pernot are distinctly different. Paul Pernot grapes are typically picked a few days later than Alvina’s on the same site, with a style very much focused on concentration and richness. Alvina’s methodology is more focused on purity and tension. To taste the wines side by side is a fascinating contrast of Puligny’s potential.  The must-try wines from each Pernot  Domaine Paul Pernot: Puligny-Montrachet, Premier Cru, Les Folatières  The historic sites Domaine Paul Pernot retains for itself is arguably some of the most prized in Puligny. The estate is lucky enough to own vines in both the Grands Crus of Bienvenues-Bâtard Montrachet and Bâtard-Montrachet, yet it is the Premier Cru Les Folatières that Alvina believes shows the Paul Pernot domaine at its best, the most representative rendition of the Folatières terroirs. “We are the largest owner of this appellation (three hectares) and the positioning of our plots (Clos des Folatières, Peux-Bois and Folatières) within the vineyard allows us to have a wine that is a true representation of the cru.”  Alvina Pernot: Meursault, Premier Cru, La Pièce sous le Bois  Alvina Pernot’s wines come from a selection of her favoured sites, belonging to the Paul Pernot estate as well as an additional site in the Puligny-Montrachet lieu-dit of Noyers Bret. Three of the Alvina Pernot Premier Cru cuvées – La Pièce sous le Bois, Les Chalumaux and Champ Gain – are at some of the highest altitudes in the Puligny and Meursault appellations. While Alvina admits it is difficult to generalise, these higher-altitude vineyards produce wines that are less opulent and more tense. There is however a noticeable difference in the Premier Cru La Pièce sous le Bois in Meursault. While the altitude brings distinct freshness, the soil is not the same limestone rock of Puligny. It is a thicker clay more typical of Meursault. Despite the altitude, the wine therefore has weight and power, but with an added freshness unusual for lower sites in Meursault and showcases the brilliant contrast of power and vibrancy Alvina brings to the appellation.  Discover more about Alvina Pernot or read more Editorial 

The Pernot family has been making wine in Puligny-Montrachet since the 1950s – but today Alvina Pernot is striking out to forge a reputation of her own. We talked to her about the decision to break away from the family domaine, and how her wines differ from those of her father  

Alvina Pernot's family has been making wine in Puligny-Montrachet since the 1950s – but today she is striking out on her own. She tells us how and why

The Pernots of Puligny

The Pernots of Puligny: a family divided by tradition and modernity

It was the vision of Jacques Perrin in particular – who farmed the property organically from 1950 onwards – that cemented Châteauneuf-du-Pape’s Château de Beaucastel reputation. Today his sons – Jean-Pierre and François – are at the helm, with fifth-generation Marc, Pierre, Thomas, Cécile (Jean-Pierre’s children) and Charles, Mathieu and César (sons of François) also all work full-time at the estate. All seven of the children worked in wineries around the world before returning to the family estate.  A visionary estate The estate was one of the first in Southern Rhône to become organic (in 1950) and then biodynamic (in 1974), making the vineyard better prepared than most for the climate change effects over the last 30 years.  “Beaucastel is the largest Châteauneuf-du-Pape estate in one contiguous plot and it stands at the most northern limit of the appellation. It is a vineyard which is therefore very exposed to the Mistral winds, which has a huge cooling-down effect,” Emmanuel explains, protecting the vineyard from extreme temperatures.  The vineyard is based on a limestone bench covered by a rather atypical mix of clay and sand, topped with diluvium “galets roulés” (pudding stones). It is an incredible terroir that, Emmanuel explains, “allows us to combine power and finesse even in the driest vintages. It has always been considered a benchmark terroir in the area and was in fact a cru before the Châteauneuf appellation was created.”  
The biodynamically farmed old vines have also helped offset the ever-increasing drought pressures in the region. “We are extremely fortunate to have older vines,” Emmanuel says. “The galet roulés covering our vineyards also help prevent water evaporation. So all in all we’ve managed to make great wines even in warmest and driest vintages.” That hasn’t stopped the domaine, however, from continuing to adapt their methods to better cope with the ever-present threat of climate change. “We are learning more and more every year and continue to implement changes we deem necessary.” Alcohol levels in the region have undoubtedly risen, an effect that the estate looks to counter. 
When Jacques Perrin was in charge, he created a very specific vinification technique which he later patented. He would heat up the must to 80˚C, to start fermentation quickly while allowing Jacques to use less Sulphur, helping fix the colour of the wine, particularly with the Mourvèdre grape which has a tendency to lose colour with age. But this method also reduced the greener flavours in the wine, that came from less ripe grapes. 
Today’s climate, however, does not face the same issues, with consistently riper fruit. As a result François and César have phased out this technique, instead opting to whole-berry fermentation, and even whole-cluster ferments for varieties like Syrah, to naturally reduce alcohol levels. These days they also pick earlier, opting for more freshness whereas in the past it was always the goal to maximise ripeness, something that no longer is an issue for the region.  “The estate is always looking at ways to counter the issues of climate change,” Emmanuel continues. “For example, some of the younger Syrah vines are today producing very powerful wines so we are either co-ferment with some Grenache, reincorporating some of the stems in the vat or carry out whole-cluster fermenting,” helping to find better balance in
the wines. In the vineyard too, the team is constantly looking for ways to improve. “We recently tried spraying clay on leaves to limit photosynthesis,” Emmanuel says. The initial experiments have proved positive, but it is still too early to see the long-term effects on the wine
and requires further testing. 
But this experimental approach is everywhere in the property. They continuously make alternate blends that they age in the Beaucastel cellar and over time compare with their main cuvées to see how well the final blend develops versus a different potential version of
the same wine: Emmanuel states the cellars are full of these experiments. 
The domaine has also been assessing how the Beaucastel wines age with different fining techniques. “We do a lot of comparative tastings and assessing of older experimentations. For example, we recently did a horizontal of Château de Beaucastel 1996, where each bottle was fined differently, and identified which fining technique works best for ageing the wine – this is crucial in the development of our knowledge and helps us to make sure decisions taken in the moment are the best ones for the future.” 
Hommage à Jacques Perrin What is distinctive about Château de Beaucastel and the Hommage cuvée in particular is the high proportion of Mourvèdre in the blend. The Hommage is typically made up of 60% Mourvèdre. Emmanuel explains, “Hommage is from our Courrieux lieu-dit parcel, where Mourvèdre was first replanted (post-phylloxera) in 1910. As Mourvèdre is such a late-ripening
varietal, Château de Beaucastel needs an outstanding Indian summer to hope for an Hommage vintage. The decision thereafter is taken during the blending tastings. 
“When tasting the foudre of Courrieux back in 1989, François and Jean-Pierre were overwhelmed by the outstanding quality and knew that it had to be bottled on its own. Jacques Perrin’s intuition for the best blend from the estate revolved around a dominant proportion of Mourvèdre. As a tribute to their visionary father, they followed his instinct and
dedicated this unique cuvée to him.”  Production remains tiny despite the huge demand for the wine. In recent vintages, production has been around 6,000 bottles per year. The only difference in the vinification process of Hommage versus their other cuvées is an extra six months’ ageing in 4,000-litre foudres. All the winemaking is fairly hands-off, vinifying all the varieties separately apart from the Muscardin, Vaccarèse and Terret Noir which – due to the tiny quantities – are co-fermented. The reductive varieties – Syrah and Mourvèdre – are fermented in open-top wood fermenters and the remaining oxidative varieties are fermented in concrete tanks prior to the all-important blending sessions with the family.  The 2018 vintage has already been fantastically reviewed, awarded a potential perfect 100 points from the Wine Advocate, with reviewer Joe Czerwinski describing it as “full-bodied
but incredibly silky, combining great purity, richness and length into a seamless, elegant package that should give immense pleasure for decades to come.” The success of the 2018 vintage, according to Emmanuel, was “down to the perfect ripening conditions in mid-October, allowing them to bring the grapes of this late-ripening variety in at perfect maturity – 2018 was fantastic for Mourvèdre.” 
The grapes of the Southern Rhône 
Château de Beaucastel proudly uses all 13 permitted varieties of the Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation. Some even say 18 varieties, since varieties like Grenache, Terret, Clairette and Piquepoul all have a black, pink and grey clone of the variety mixed within the vineyards. “Each variety brings its own attributes that differ depending on the vintage, but also depending on the amount you use or the blend you make,” says Emmanuel. “For example, when you open a young Beaucastel, it’s very Grenache-driven, even when there is a similar percentage of Mourvèdre. It’s only few years later that Mourvèdre will finally come to the
fore, revealing game, leather and savoury characteristics. “Individually, Mourvèdre brings power and structure, but when you open an older Beaucastel it delivers freshness and silkiness. Grenache Noir brings kirsch, plum and cassis fruitiness. Syrah adds color, tannin and spices, and when blended with Mourvèdre and Grenache it
brings truffle notes.  Counoise can be considered the Pinot Noir of Châteauneuf-du-Pape and has a distinctive white pepper note. Cinsault adds freshness, Muscardin and Vaccarèse are very floral and add freshness, Terret Noir is light even in colour and adds acidity. The white varieties of Roussanne and Grenache Blanc bring elegance and freshness. Clairette is very aromatic and brings unctuosity. Bourboulenc adds tension with notes of almond and vanilla, Piquepoul richness and Picardan adds a lot of bouquet.   “For us it is very important to have all the varieties to make an elegant and balanced wine. However, above all, it is the knowledge and the art of blending, passed on from generation to generation of the Perrin family, that is the key to understanding the real expression of Château de Beaucastel terroir.” With experimentation at the heart of the Perrin philosophy, the infinite potential of blends when using so many grapes in the wine keeps the extended Perrin family busy monitoring their blending decisions as the wines develop with age. With the 2018 Hommage, it looks like
all their experimentation is paying off. Explore all current Château de Beaucastel listings or browse more Editorial 

Châteauneuf-du-Pape’s Château de Beaucastel dates back to the 16th century, but it was only after the Perrin family took control of the estate in the early 1900s that it became one of the most iconic and well-respected wine producers in the Southern Rhône.

Exploring the largest Châteauneuf-du-Pape estate, Château de Beaucastel, and how it became one of the most iconic and well-respected Southern Rhône producers

Château de Beaucastel, beyond tradition

Château de Beaucastel: Beyond tradition

With “freshness” and “structure” often the buzz words defining the best Bordeaux wines of recent warm vintages – the plush richness and suppleness brought by the Merlot variety often seems undersold compared to the role of the Cabernets in the blend.  Christian Moueix, Director at Petrus (1970-2008), Trotanoy and La Fleur-Petrus; John Kolasa of Chateau Rauzan Segla and Chateau Canon (1997-2015); Maylis Marcenat of Chateau Clos de Sarpe; as well as Pascal Baratie of Chateau Haut-Brion - the First Growth with the highest proportion of merlot in its blend - identify how global warming is affecting merlot and what this means for its long term future in the region.  We also discover why merlot became central to Bordeaux’s success and today remains much loved, providing it is grown in the right place and managed correctly. 
Managing rising alcohol levels There is no grape more synonymous with the region of Bordeaux than merlot, playing an extensive role in almost all wines of the region on both the Left and Right Banks. Whilst it plays second fiddle to the cabernet sauvignon dominant wines of Saint-Julien and Pauillac, everywhere else from Pessac to Pomerol it plays a significant role in the blend. But merlot in
recent years has become a concern for many in the region. With the rising climatic temperatures in Bordeaux, some vignerons are struggling to manage ever-rising alcohol levels, whilst trying to achieve full phenolic ripeness of the tannins in the skins and seeds.  Merlot is an earlier ripening variety than cabernet sauvignon and its sugar levels can increase quickly in hot temperatures, leaving an imbalance between sugar and tannin ripeness. The more steady the temperatures are through the summer, the more chance the sugar levels and phenolic ripeness will reach optimum levels at the same time. In a hot vintage, sugar levels rise too quickly forcing vignerons to pick the grapes before they have had time for the tannins to reach phenolic maturity, afraid that if the sugar levels become too high, there will be a drop in acidity, as well as causing serious problems at fermentation. For Pascal Baratie, vineyard manager at Chateau Haut-Brion the higher levels of alcohol have not however proved problematic for them, stating “since the 2000s, there has been a gap between phenolic maturity and technological maturity (measurement of sugar and acidity levels). Today, during the maturity checks in the vineyard before the harvest, when we taste the grapes at 13 degrees potential alcohol, we note that the tannins are still hard… so we need to wait to obtain more supple tannins and greater phenolic maturity.  The balance obtained today, is certainly different to pre-2000 levels, but we are fortunate to be on a great terroir, which produces balanced wines, with a good tannic potential even with high alcoholic degrees. The regularity of great vintages of the last 20 years lets us think that the supposed problem of alcoholic degrees is more in the head than in the glass.” However not all Chateaux are fortunate to share the same terroir as Haut-Brion. Drought in Bordeaux 
Higher alcohols are not the only concern with merlot. Drought is also becoming problematic when trying to plant young merlot vines in Bordeaux, particularly on gravel soils. Merlot requires moisture to grow and whilst the clay-rich soils of Saint-Estephe on the Left Bank and Pomerol and Saint-Emilion on the Right Bank naturally retain moisture; the gravel soils in Margaux, Saint Julien and Pauillac are becoming increasingly dry in the warming climate. John Kolasa states “this is becoming a real problem where there is deep gravel, like in Margaux.  Young merlot vines need years of root growth to break through the gravel and reach water reserves below, but in parts of Margaux where the gravel can be up to two metres deep, the roots take longer than three years to break through. Three years is the current allowance for
irrigating vines in the region. It is once this irrigation stops that these vines suffer and die. It is one of the reasons you see less merlot being planted in Margaux. If they can’t find a way for young merlot vines to survive in gravel soils, it will undoubtedly lead to a change in style over the coming years.”  Merlot's susceptibility to disease Global warming effects are not just an increase in temperatures but an increase in erratic weather episodes, leading to a heightened pressure of rot and mildew – something merlot is much more susceptible to than the cabernet varieties, due to its thinner skin.  “Merlot is a wonderful variety but it is more difficult to manage these days” states Maylis Marcenat from Saint-Emilion's Chateau Clos de Sarpe. “In 2018, our merlot suffered a lot from mildew. We lost around 40% of our production mostly on the merlot vines. The cabernet franc has a better resistance.  The weather is more uncertain these days, a lot of rain followed by a very dry season makes it difficult to predict.”  Rot is also a concern and certainly nothing new in the region, it plagued the merlot vines of the late sixties and seventies. So much so, that replanting of the variety was in fact banned in Pomerol following the disastrous 1968 vintage. Vignerons were instead strongly encouraged to plant cabernet sauvignon. Christian Moueix recalls, “I remember, of course, the terrible rot of 1968 and the desire of some researchers to find a varietal resistant to rot. I attended many meetings in 1970-1971 and protested against the banning of planting Merlot. It was a violent controversy and, in 1972, I refused to plant those new cabernets sauvignons in Pomerol.”  Moueix’s decision was justified. John Kolasa states following this ”it became very fashionable to grow cabernet sauvignon in the '60s and '70s on the wrong rootstocks!” Kolasa ended up pulling out all the cabernet sauvignon vines planted at Chateau Canon during this time, stating, “the damn things would never ripen”. The early '70s saw a bout of poor vintages for the region largely due to bad weather either just before or during harvest. The cabernet sauvignon at the time was unripe, incredibly green and it was the earlier ripening merlot that became the more reliable source. 

Kolasa outlines one theory behind the rot that plagued Merlot on the Right Bank at that time. “Much of the Right Bank back then was undeveloped, compared to the bigger estates on the Left Bank. The vineyards were also producing many other fruit and vegetables. When the vineyards were ploughed by horse and cart these fruit trees were not a problem, the horse
simply went around the tree, but with the introduction of tractors and machinery, many vignerons simply chopped down the tree.  The trouble is they killed the tree but left the roots in the ground. Similarly to roses, if you leave dead roots in the ground they become infected with fungi. These dead roots in the soil came to plague vineyards with rot at that time.” John recalls finding rotting roots all over the vineyards at Chateau Canon. His first year at the property in 1997, he made two separate cuvees, one from vines away from the tree roots and one nearby.  “I only had to put my nose in the glass of the two to know which one was which, the wine made by the affected vines smelt terrible. Following that experiment it was so clear to me. I took up all the vines affected. Pulling up old vines is never something one wants to do, knowing that it will takes decades for the new vines to reach maturity, but these vines were so infected I was left with no choice.”  Merlot as a more reliable source of ripe fruit found favour through the '70s and '80s. By the mid '90s, the influence of the American market enamoured by the plush, richness and soft texture the merlot provides in the blend, only saw more plantings of the variety.  For Christian Moueix the Americans love affair with Merlot stopped in 2005, with the release of the film Sideways which saw the main character famously state, "If anyone orders Merlot, I'm leaving, I am NOT drinking any f**king merlot!”. It is worth noting his favourite wine in the film was Cheval Blanc, a merlot blend! The damaging effects of global warming have only further put merlot in the shadows as the cabernet varieties share the limelight, but these vignerons are confident of its future in Bordeaux. 
Merlot still remains essential to the Bordeaux psyche Christian Moueix states: “Global warming has been positive for Bordeaux as everybody would admit. The rising of alcohol is almost impossible to control since it comes not only from heat and sun but from the level of CO2 in the atmosphere”. For Moueix provided merlot is planted in the right soil he is confident in its prolonged future in the region.  “We still replant merlot in Pomerol and Saint-Emilion; this is the varietal best suited to our terroirs. To manage the climate, we have adapted the canopy to avoid the direct impact of sun. This is all we can do at this point unless the addition of water becomes legal.” Baratie from Chateau Haut Brion outlines the importance of balance that both the merlot and cabernet varietals still bring to the classic Bordeaux blend. “We do not want to part with Merlot because it is satisfactory today even in hot years and for the future we want to keep its current proportion. We have to keep a balanced planting to obtain maturity on plots of
merlot and cabernets whatever the weather conditions of the year. From time to time, we have cooler years and it is interesting to have matured Merlot, when the cabernet sauvignons are likely to be harder and herbaceous. In 2011, a very dry spring year, Chateau Haut-Brion was made up of only 35% merlot, while in 2012, a more classic climate year, it was made up of 65.5% merlot. Over two successive years, the climatic conditions were different and led us to select a different proportion of grape varieties in the wine. We can see that we cannot do without merlot in one vintage like the other. Merlot brings an interesting juice, as well as sweetness, fine and supple tannins which make it essential. It may be replaceable with another grape, but at the moment we do not have the knowledge.”  The importance of terroir Despite the risks of rot, drought, mildew and high sugar levels, fantastic merlot continues to be grown in Bordeaux providing the terroir is right. Speaking with these vignerons one thing they all agree on is that the soil remains the most fundamental aspect to its success - in the past, today and in the future. “Merlot grown on clay and limestone soil can still preserve freshness as well as minimal hydric stress in my terroir.  So why not use it?" states Maylis Marcenat from Chateau Clos de Sarpe. “The merlot is still an exceptional plant. The sweetness, the complexity is unique. I think in Saint Emilion, and especially on clay and limestone, all the merlot are more creamy, tasty, with a lot of juiciness.“ At Chateau Haut-Brion, Baratie agrees, “We tend to favour merlot on grounds that are relatively well supplied with water and to favour cabernet sauvignon on gravelly soils. But we have plots of merlot on gravelly soils, little supplied with water, which give very great wines every year and we do not plan to change the grape variety on these very qualitative plots. But
in addition, we are adapting later ripening and drought-resistant rootstocks.” Intra-plot vinification, precise technical understanding of viticulture, clonal development, replanting better-matched rootstocks, has all helped Bordeaux and Merlot in particular, cope with the changing climate. But the art of blending is still vital part of the wines of Bordeaux and today has become an important measure to reduce the alcohol in Merlot-dominant wines. Cabernet Franc to the rescue Many wineries up and down the Medoc are lowering the proportion of merlot in their blends, opting more for cabernet franc. John Kolasa outlines how cabernet franc can effectively lower the overall alcohol level in the blend of a wine. “Blending just 5% of cabernet franc in with merlot can be an effective method of lowering the alcohol, as well as adding freshness. It is something Petrus did with the 2019 vintage. Look at the success of Chateau Figeac in 2019 – a third cabernet franc, a third merlot and a third cabernet Sauvignon. This is a big increase of cabernet franc in the blend and is performing better in the warming climate”. 
The future of Merlot Despite the difficulties Merlot is facing, there seems plenty of ways vignerons in the region are adapting to manage Merlot differently in this warmer climate. Marcenat of Clos du Sarpe believes “the way of cultivating must change. Less green harvesting, we no longer need too much concentration in the grapes, we must be careful with the thinning of the canopy. Merlot needs more cover crops, it benefits from keeping as much grass as possible and we must choose the right organic fertiliser. With this in place, merlot has a future”. For Baratie “The balance of the wines obtained in recent years suits us, thanks to the contribution of merlot, cabernet franc and cabernet sauvignon, so we are not worried about the future of merlot. However, thanks to our clonal selection initiated by Jean-Bernard Delmas, today we choose clones on a different criteria from those desired in the past. We currently favour two criteria: the Total Polyphenol Index (IPT) and yields that are not too low.” No doubt helping to modify concentration of alcohol and adding structural freshness
from the higher levels of tannins. Moueix too sees Merlot having a long future ahead in Bordeaux but at the same time would welcome new clones of Merlot that produce less alcohol. “Nevertheless,” states Christian, ”I dare to compare it to a vaccine: it would need a lot of experiments before taking the risk of replacing the present clones which produce wonderful wines.” Perhaps the biggest threat for the future of merlot therefore comes not from the clay-rich soils of the Right Bank but from the gravel-rich soils of the Medoc, where it remains a minority in the blend, but nevertheless an important element to the profile of these wines. If a solution cannot be found for growing young merlot vines on gravel soil, will we see alternatives varieties in the assemblage and a change in style? Browse all Bordeaux listings or explore more Editorial 

Merlot today remains the most-planted variety in Bordeaux but its dominance is waning somewhat in an ever warming climate. 

Merlot remains the most-planted grape variety in Bordeaux. We explore why it became central to Bordeaux’s success and remains so highly regarded

Merlot grapes and wines at the heart of Bordeaux 

Merlot: Part of the Bordeaux psyche

We have unearthed an absolute gem in the guise of Rosso della Centa, a 100% Merlot wine grown on just one hectare of a distinct marl clay hillside in Friuli, Italy. The wine is the creation of one of Italy’s top winemakers Nicola Manferrari who first produced the wine in 1985 and has gone on to release it only in top vintages, producing just 1200 bottles per vintage. 

As we have managed to source a small parcel of Rosso della Centa 2010, we explore the history of this incredible and rare wine.  Friuli ranks highly among Italy’s finest regions for white wine production, producing some of the most vibrant, mineral, saline whites on the planet. The global reputation of the top wines of Friuli continues to grow, gaining fans throughout the world and firmly positioning it on the global fine wine map.   Whilst more famous for their white wines, top grower Nicola Manferrari has a very special one-hectare plot dedicated to red wine. On taking over the family vineyards in 1982, Nicola was not happy with the quality of wine coming from this Merlot site. So much so he took to studying French and French winemaking to learn the secrets of Bordeaux and then apply these techniques to his own wine, to get the best out of this unique site. He states that François Champagnol’s Elements de physiologie de la vigne was one of the most intellectually stimulating reads of his life. Nicola Manferrari is one of Friuli’s original trailblazers. Along with Mario Schiopetto, Josko Gravner and Silvio Jermann, Manferrari was just one of a handful of producers in the 1980s who had the vision and courage to follow his convictions.

He experimented with the 1982,’83 and '84 vintages before he was happy with the techniques he had adopted and, matched with the perfect weather, managed to produce something exceptional, releasing the inaugural Rosso della Centa in the 1985 vintage. Nicola was confident that he could create the first world-class red wine from the region and was not swayed by his neighbouring premium sites opting to plant Cabernet Sauvignon rather than Merlot. But for Nicola he believed the Merlot was perfect for the clay and collio marl soils in which Cabernet Sauvignon struggled.   The ’85 was a critical success, described by the critics as the "First Great Friuli Red". Other greats of the region include Enzo Pontoni of Miani fame and Christian Patat from Ronco del Gnemiz have followed in his footsteps making incredible Merlots from the Friuli region.
Nicola Manferrari continued to improve the wine buoyed by its critical acclaim, further reducing the yield, increasing the vine density (more than 7000 hectares per hectare), introducing shorter pruning techniques, using no fertiliser and complete grassing in the vineyards to improve the soil health. The wine is fermented in small 12 hl wooden vats and are matured in small oak barriques for four years. Only the finest vintages are released as Rosso della Centa. 
In the summer of last year Monica Larner (Wine Advocate) had the opportunity to taste some more recent vintages of Rosso della Centa. “Looking over my scores, I can't help but notice how consistent they are across vintages and varieties. Results like these are hard to achieve, but not at Borgo del Tiglio. She goes on to describe the ’06 as “musical and operatic in character… there is complete harmony and silkiness here in another gem from Borgo del Tiglio’s cellar”.

"Nicola Manferrari and his family have been working tirelessly since the 1982 vintage to become a benchmark for winemaking in Friuli Venezia Giulia." Monica Larner, Wine Advocate 

Larner did not have the opportunity to taste the mythical 2010 but we pulled a cork on it this week to find out how the wine has developed and we were blown away by the quality. This is a superb rendition retaining everything that is great about Italian wine – the acidity, freshness, dried floral notes and herbal spice along with all the greatest assets of fine Merlot – the rich expansive multi-layered tannins that provide tremendous depth on the palate and the rich mid-palate juiciness full of black fruits and now with age a beguiling leather and earthy savoury notes. The wine has tremendous energy whilst showing handsome tertiary development and to retain so much acidity in a grape that often lacks it underscores just how fantastic this wine is. 

Nicola believes this steep southwest slope of marl and sandstone is perfectly adapted for his old vine Merlot providing a marked elegance and complexity in his Rosso della Centa. The 2010 certainly reflects this and with only 1200 bottles produced virtually impossible to find. This is a unique parcel unlikely to be seen again and is entering into a beautiful drinking window. This wine is a piece of Italian winemaking history and one for any afficionado not to miss. 

It is always difficult to put fine wine into words but Nicola Manferrari’s philosophy outlined on his website gives possibly the greatest insight into this pioneering spirit of Friuli:
“I believe that in effect, the path I have followed has left its mark on the character of my wines which have, according to many, their own maker’s trademark. Over the last twenty years, I have transformed, studied and debunked certain common beliefs and have also overcome - while allowing plenty of room for the sacrilegious power of empirical observation – some of my own personal taboos. I have observed, researched and innovated in the face of hypocrisy and prejudice. 

"Often, however, while doing this I have unwittingly renewed ties with ways of the past which were interrupted by a modernity which had lost all sense and memory. It was probably my unorthodox approach to the world of wine that has guided my choices, meaning this also includes my checkered educational history; I was at the same time a child of scientific teachings and an orphan of technology. This has taught me to take absolutely nothing for granted, and the words of Galileo, which accompany me wherever I go, have taught me to be humble when facing all situations, and to be dignified when dealing with people.” 

Explore more Editorial

Whilst more famous for their white wines, one of Friuli's top growers, Nicola Manferrari, has a very special one-hectare plot dedicated to an incredible and rare world-class Merlot, Rosso della Centa Friuli 

We explore the history of the incredible and rare world-class Merlot Rosso della Centa Friuli 

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