From humble beginnings in Beaujolais in the 1980s, the natural wine movement has become a global force. But what influence has it had just north in Burgundy’s long-established, terroir-focused appellations? Simon J Woolf explores the blurred line between classical and natural winegrowing

From Beaujolais to Burgundy, how has the natural wine movement shaped a terroir-driven region? For FONDATA Simon J Woolf explores the changing landscape.

Natural Wine’s Influence on Burgundy

Nature vs. Nurture: The quest for Burgundy’s true identity

In March this year, Opus One announced that they’d hired Meghan Zobeck as Director of Winemaking. It’s the first step in the transition as longtime winemaker Michael Silacci looks to step away from the business over the next five years. Silacci has been at Opus since 2001 and is a bonafide legend in the valley today – finding a suitable successor is no small task.  Zobeck wasn’t necessarily the obvious choice. She’s risen rapidly through the ranks of Napa’s winemaking elite – but only moved into the world of wine in 2012. That move was a leap of faith for Zobeck – an unlikely one for someone immersed in the world of NFL.  Zobeck grew up in Greeley, Colorado – “a cowtown” in her words, but one that happened to be where the Denver Broncos held their training camps each year. Throughout high school, she spent her summers working for the team – as many locals did. She went off to college (then pre-med), but kept working for the Broncos, moving to full-time while she studied for her MCATs.  In her senior year of college, she did an internship with the team, working with the scouts and sitting in the “war room” on draft day. “I loved the action, the fast pace of it,” she says. At around the same time, she realised that medicine wasn’t for her – instead she took a role negotiating player contracts for the Broncos, becoming one of only a handful of women in the job, and loved it.   It was a weekend trip to Los Olivos in the Santa Ynez Valley that sparked her interest in wine and – more specifically – winemaking. Back home, she found an ad in a local magazine for a homebrew shop – offering the chance to buy grapes during harvest. Soon she was experimenting, fermenting batches of wine in her basement and having bottling parties with friends. “I just saw how it really brought people together,” she says. She travelled to more wine regions and fell for the way wine combined science, creativity, history and community. The NFL had served her well, but it was time to take that leap and leave the Broncos behind.  She did her first vintage at Clos Apalta in 2012, and didn’t look back – doing harvests in Piedmont, Bordeaux and the Barossa, before zoning in on Napa – first at Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars and Screaming Eagle, then taking a job with star consultant Philippe Melka. Most recently, Zobeck was winemaker at Burgess Cellars – where she had free rein to shape the wines, from the vineyard through to the winery.  Zobeck first met Michael Silacci at Premiere Napa Valley – her first showing barrel samples from Burgess. Silacci came over to taste and then – in a clear display of approval – kept sending others her way. Zobeck was focusing on a fresher style of wine, a return to the Burgess of yesteryear, but was also working towards a regenerative approach in the vineyard – and soon discovered that the Opus One team was doing similar experiments. She and Kimberlee Marinelli – Assistant Winemaker & Viticulturist at Opus One – connected and started discussing everything from pollinators to native ferments. Zobeck was struck by the clear lack of complacency from a property that had no need to prove itself further. Little did she know that Silacci was observing what she was doing with particular interest – and decided she could be the heir to his throne.  “It’s a job you never, in a million years, think is going to become available,” says Zobeck of the moment she was approached about becoming Opus One’s Director of Winemaking. There was no way she was turning down such an opportunity – especially not when she would have the chance to work with Silacci for several years.  Zobeck will take on Silacci’s legacy at Opus One – an estate that has been constantly evolving during his tenure. Organic farming has been the norm at Opus for over two decades, although they only sought certification in 2021. For over a decade, Silacci trialled biodynamics but found the vines became too vigorous. He abandoned the approach before launching into regenerative farming from 2022. The estate now works with permanent cover crop between the vines, helping lower temperatures in the canopies, retain water in the soils and lengthen the ripening period, without increasing sugar levels. Silacci has been experimenting with dry farming since 2007 and reducing irrigation across the estate, although it remains essential for now. The team hopes, however, to be able to dry-farm a new site in Oakville once the vines are established. This work is all reflected in the wines being produced today.  “Opus One is not the stereotypical Napa of the early 2000s,” Zobeck emphasises. “It’s a fresh style, and to keep that we have to farm differently.” Silacci is famous for saying he doesn’t want his footprints in the vineyard or fingerprints on the glass, but Zobeck notes how you can see his influence on Opus One over the years, especially from 2004. From 2019, however, she feels the wine has evolved further – with greater transparency of the site. The 2023 has just been bottled at a modest 13.5% alcohol – indicative of the estate’s current approach, one that she intends to continue.  Silacci plans to stay for at least three years, working alongside Zobeck as Chief Winemaker. A transition period of this length is testament to Opus One’s long-term view – looking not just at the next vintage, but the next decade and beyond. Zobeck’s excitement for the role is clear – as well as her admiration for the existing team. As in the NFL, a good captain is key, but it takes more than one player to win a game – and Zobeck completes an already impressive line-up. It’s one hell of a hand-off.  The 2022 vintage of Opus One is released on 1st September 2025. Browse all current listings of Opus One or read more about California 

Originally a joint venture between Robert Mondavi and Ch. Mouton Rothschild, Opus One is one of Napa’s most famous estates – and it now has a new Director of Winemaking. We sat down with Meghan Zobeck to find out more about the ex-NFL powerhouse taking over from Michael Silacci

Meeting the new woman at the helm of Napa’s Opus One – Meghan Zobeck, who is taking over from Michael Silacci to make some of the valley’s most famous wines 

Opus One’s new Director of Winemaking: Meghan Zobeck 

Draft pick: Opus One’s Meghan Zobeck  

Sitting plum in the middle of the Côte d’Or, the hill of Corton is hard to miss. Its wines, especially the whites, however, are all too often overlooked. We sat down with some of the region’s leading producers to explore the pedigree and potential of this site and its powerful, long-lasting wines

Discover the pedigree and potential of the hill of Corton’s whites – the fine Chardonnay from Corton-Charlemagne, Charlemagne and Corton Blanc 

Exploring Corton-Charlemagne, Charlemagne and Corton Blanc 

Corton-Charlemagne: the Grand Cru of the future?  

At Lafite Rothschild, Antoine Granger said that while vintages like 1986 (“rich but good”), 1990 and 1996 are drinking well, the 2000 is “beautiful” and the 2005 “brilliant”.  It might be young, but – if you can decant it 12 hours in advance – the more modest 2022 Duhart-Milon is also showing well, he noted. Joséphine Duffau-Lagarrosse also pointed to 2000 (a “fabulous” vintage) at Beauséjour, while she finds that some 2004s are superb. She also recently had tasted 2005 Latour and said it was “magnifique”.   For Pierre-Olivier Clouet at Cheval Blanc, 2004 is a vintage he loves. The 1998 is drinking very well, he noted, but the 2009 and 2012 are brilliant – having never shut down, something echoed elsewhere. He’s just starting to broach the 2007, a wine which he says was “a teenager” for a long time but is now starting to reveal its potential. The 2012 is also, for him, a new sort of 2011.  Palmer’s Sébastien Menut was another to point to 2007 – saying how well it was drinking, and a recent bottle of 2014 Trotanoy was a real standout bottle for him.   For Juliette Couderc, the 2009 and 2012 Evangile are still winners – although there isn’t that much left around, sadly; she likes the 2008 too, but feels the 2004 and 2005 aren’t yet ready, while vintages like 2016, 2018, 2019 need more time before broaching. Indeed, at Vieux Château Certan, Alexandre Thienpont pointed to 2009 (a vintage he feels is just starting to open up – reenforced by a bottle our team enjoyed in Bordeaux during primeurs) and the 2012 is drinking well.  David Suire at Ch. Laroque is happy to uncork almost any vintage between 1995 and 2020, he told us (anything older requires a special occasion, he joked), but highlighted the 2014 as a wine that is starting to open up, and – although still young – the 2019 is a very fine wine that is brilliant, it just needs decanting. And he’s not the only one to be enjoying the 2019s: Troplong Mondot’s Ferréol du Fou has been drinking the 2019 a lot, decanting it for an hour or two, while he was also particularly enthusiastic about the 2017s – wines which he feels are drinking well from across Bordeaux.  At La Conseillante, Marielle Cazaux echoed this – the 2019 is pure pleasure, for her, a “silky, delicious fruit bomb” at this youthful stage, and the 2017 is similarly rewarding. Looking back a bit further, she’s still waiting for the 2015 to emerge, but loves the 2012 – which combines tertiary complexity with power.   Shop the wines or read more about the region 

All eyes may currently be on the nascent 2024s, but in amongst primeurs, we took a moment to talk to Bordeaux’s top producers about the vintages to drink now. Here’s what those in the know are pulling the cork on

As the 2024 vintage is released en primeur, we asked Bordeaux’s top produces which vintages are best to drink now: here’s what they said 

Bordeaux: the best vintages and wines to drink now 

Bordeaux vintages to drink now  

Bordeaux is changing. The Left Bank, in particular, has long been a region of labels – of grandiose estates, polished winemakers and the bottles they produce – the vineyards a backdrop to their impressive châteaux and new state-of-the-art wineries. Of course, vineyards have mattered, as much as they’re the source of their grapes, but they’ve rarely been the focus for conversations with trade or consumers. But now, perhaps influenced by the meteoric rise of Burgundy – and an approach to wine echoed around the world, terroir is stepping into the spotlight. Behind the scenes, the Bordelais may always have been looking underfoot, but now they are talking about it too.  Nowhere is this more true than at Ch. Montrose – a property that announced a significant change when releasing its 2023 vintage. The property has always made some of Bordeaux’s finest wines, but over the past 15 years (under the Bouygues’ ownership) quality at this Saint-Estèphe estate has reached new heights. Long known for its austere age-worthiness, there’s now a modern polish that softens its stern style – without sacrificing its classicism and longevity. Each vintage seems to reveal a new level of precision and finesse. From 2023, Montrose announced that its Grand Vin would only come from Terrace 4 (T4). If that doesn’t mean much to you, I’m not surprised.  The Médoc and Graves’s six gravel terraces were uncovered by Pierre Becheler in a series of studies in the 1980s and ’90s. Each terrace dates from a different period and has its own distinct soils, with Terrace 1 (T1) the oldest and Terrace 6 (T6) the youngest – and argued to be a defining factor in the Left Bank’s terroir. T3 and T4 are widely regarded as the best for wine-growing, and Becheler found that, at the time of their classification in 1855, over 80% of the Classed Growths sat on these two distinct geological strata.  In the last decade, these gravel mounds have become a key part of Bordeaux’s story, explaining the estates’ terroir. Despite widespread understanding that the terraces are integral to the quality of wine, there still isn’t a comprehensive map of the Left Bank’s terroir – showing which vineyards sit on which soils (the best are those created by Jane Anson and Kees van Leeuwen for Anson’s book Inside Bordeaux). Most studies have been undertaken by individual estates, as at Montrose – who engaged Becheler himself to uncover the specifics of their site.  It's remarkable that, without knowing anything about the region’s subsoils, Montrose was so fortuitously placed – although it has of course survived thanks to its prestigious site. The property’s first vines were planted – all on the fabled T4 – in 1815, by Etienne Théodore Dumoulin, who had purchased the land from Nicolas Alexandre de Ségur (of Calon Ségur). The land had been covered in heather, its pink blossom covering the gentle slope come autumn, and sailors passing along the Gironde estuary used to call it the pink hill – or “mont rose”, giving the property its name.  It was only 40 years after the first vines went in the ground that the estate earned its place as a Second Growth in the 1855 Classification. By 1861, when Dumoulin passed away, the estate comprised 95 hectares – but its borders have shifted over the years. It was later purchased by an Alsace factory owner, Mathieu Dolfus, who invested heavily in the property. He was a visionary – offering free healthcare, profit sharing and accommodation on the estate for his workers. He even used a wind turbine to flood the vineyards, staving off the impact of phylloxera as long as he could.  Montrose was managed by the Charmolüe family between 1896 and 2006, with Jean-Louis – who ran the estate from 1960 – key in building its modern reputation. It was under him, in the 1970s, that vines were planted on lower-lying land close to the estuary, which sits on T5. These humid, sandy parcels are now used for La Dame de Montrose, the château’s second wine.  It was in 2006 that brothers Olivier and Martin Bouygues (of the eponymous telecoms company) acquired the property. In 2010 they bought an additional 22 hectares from Phélan Ségur, land which had historically been part of Montrose. These vineyards, wooded on either side, sit on the sandier T3, but importantly also brought the total vineyard area back to 95 hectares – as under Dumoulin – and all sitting in one block (something which is relatively rare in Bordeaux).  The Bouygues brothers hired Vincent Decup as the estate’s Technical Director in 2014. Decup instantly set about getting to grips with the estate and its soils. When he arrived, they had a map detailing 16 different soil types across the vineyards – but he soon commissioned further studies, uncovering an additional 10 soil types. This gave them, Decup tells me, “the possibility to explore and separate” parcels, diving into the detail of the site with a Burgundian, rather than Bordelais, vision. From 2017, the team started delineating the parcels – vinifying plots in 93 separate tanks (over twice the 40 that had been used just three years prior), adapting the winemaking to each. Looking at the Cabernet Sauvignon on T3 and T4, he explains how they gained a “new level of precision and comprehension of Cabernet on each terrace”.  “The Cabernet Sauvignon of Montrose naturally gets lots of power,” Decup tells me. “We have to be careful with the extraction.” Especially for fruit from T3, he explains, it can easily become overly austere. T4 has always represented the majority of the blend for the Grand Vin at Montrose – and in Decup’s mind it is not just the property’s historic DNA, but what gives the wine its identity. He tells me how there is something magical about the way Cabernet ripens on these parcels, developing technical (sugar), aromatic and phenolic ripeness all at once. It produces wine that is “powerful, voluminous, demonstrative – a lion in a cage”.  In 2022, the same year that Charlotte Bouygues took over as President and Pierre Graffeuille became CEO, the team started focusing more on T4, and from 2023 the Grand Vin comes exclusively from this prized terrace. Coming from the Delon estates, Graffeuille knew the potential of these soils, shared by Léoville Las Cases. The 2022 vintage was pivotal – earning four potential 100-point scores, with four firm 100-point scores in bottle – and the 2023 followed in its footsteps, with three potential perfect scores to its name.  The gravel terraces rise and fall through the region. T4 surfaces in Saint-Estèphe, running under Meyney and Montrose, disappearing until the southern edge of Pauillac, reappearing around Latour, then running through much of Saint-Julien (including the three Léovilles – Las Cases, Barton and Poyferré – and Ducru-Beaucaillou), rising again throughout Margaux and then again under Haut-Brion and La Mission Haut-Brion, with small pockets further south.  The defining factor of T4 is an iron pan beneath its sandy gravels. The sandy gravel topsoil allows young vines to develop roots easily, before they hit the compact iron layer – forcing the vines to spread horizontally rather than vertically. That compact layer is cool and retains water, feeding the vines in hot years. Decup explains how in July the topsoil might be hot, but if you dig down you can feel the chill of the iron layer – something that is perfect for Cabernet Sauvignon. At Montrose, T4 sits between 12 and 16 metres’ altitude, while elsewhere it reaches a maximum 22 metres. T4 tends to run close to the Gironde, which provides a moderating influence – especially so at Montrose, where the estuary is 4.5km wide (notably protecting the estate from frosts, such as in the brutal 1991 season – a year when Montrose produced the wine of the vintage).  As with T4, T3 runs beneath many Classed Growths – notably Cos d’Estournel, Mouton and Lafite. With sandier gravel topsoil, the key difference is that T3 doesn’t have the iron pan of T4 – the topsoil instead sitting directly on clay-limestone subsoil. Slightly higher in altitude (15-18 metres at Montrose, but generally 20-26 across the Médoc), the soils are very deep and the vines’ roots drive straight down, up to three metres or so at Montrose, Decup tells me. With less clay in the topsoil, the soils are particularly free-draining, and the vines reach down in search of water. “In terms of expression, it is not the same at all,” says Decup. He explains that while it also produces bold Cabernet Sauvignon, it’s got particular energy and length, an austerity – but “positive austerity”. Vines on T3 particularly thrive in hot, dry years, he tells me.  Montrose has an impressive 45 hectares of vines on T4, 12 on T3, a swathe on what the team describes as an “intermediate soil” – somewhere between the two terraces, and a small portion on T5. So what now of the property’s vines on T3? While the château isn’t openly confirming it, a separate bottling of T3 is set to be released – likely hitting the market in 2026, if rumours are to be believed. The rest of the fruit goes into La Dame de Montrose, and a small portion into a third wine, Tertio de Montrose (previously known as Saint-Estèphe de Montrose), which is exclusively for those working at the estate. All in all, the Grand Vin now represents circa 36% of production at Montrose – down from closer to 45%.   “T3 and T4 are, in our opinion, the terraces that produce the best viticultural results,” says Pierre Becheler, when it comes to the Médoc and Haut-Médoc. Interestingly he explains that in the Graves it’s very different, and T2, which is almost non-existent in the Médoc, produces some stunning results. He can’t fully explain why one terrace works better for wine than another, but one reason the terraces are so important is their influence on water availability. With varying proportions of clay and sizes of gravel, it’s a key element in viticulture and, eventually, wine quality. Although he has spent much of his career diving into these gravel beds, however, he’s very clear that the terraces are one very important piece of the puzzle – but will never provide the entire picture. Some terraces are the best in certain appellations, he says, “but we don’t really know why or how”.  The complexities of Bordeaux’s terroir are manifold – and some argue that the bedrock, from richer clays to hard limestones, are more influential than the gravel terraces that lie over them. On top of this, slope exposition, proximity to the Gironde, and many other elements influencing microclimate, not to mention the human influence, all contribute to the concept of “terroir”. It’s exciting to see site pushed to the fore, especially alongside an increased focus on sustainability in the vineyard. The conversation is evolving – and, if Montrose’s 2023 is anything to go by, it’s only going to push quality in the region higher than ever before.  Explore all current Montrose listing (including a special selection of ex-château stock) or read more about Bordeaux 

While long a leading estate, recent vintages of Ch. Montrose have earned sky-high scores. We sat down with the property’s Technical Director Vincent Decup to find out how the team is taking the Saint-Estèphe titan to new heights – all by looking underfoot  

Sitting down with Ch. Montrose’s Technical Director Vincent Decup to talk about its terroir, terraces and perfect-scoring vintages of the Saint-Estephe wine 

FINE+RARE: Talking terraces and terroir with Ch. Montrose 

What lies beneath: talking terraces and terroir with Ch. Montrose  

Walking into the cooperage at Ch. Smith Haut Lafitte is like stepping back in time, filled with the smell of seasoned wood, an open fire and the same tools that barrel-makers have used for centuries. Few estates have the luxury of an in-house cooper. While producers inevitably work closely with the tonnelleries (barrel-making firms, such as François Frères, Stockinger and more), having an artisan on-site, working alongside the winemaking team to craft casks exclusively for your specific terroir is different. “It’s very important for the precision of the wine,” explains Cellar Master Yann Laudeho.  Florence and Daniel Cathiard, owners of the Pessac-Léognan estate, built a cooperage on-site almost 30 years ago, in 1995, and their current cooper, Yann Dez, has been working here since 2021. The Bordeaux native’s father was a metal worker, and Dez fell into the world of barrel-making entirely by accident – having a friend who was a tonnelier, and a job opening at an opportune moment. Before he knew it, Dez had learnt the trade from some of the best coopers in the country (including one who now makes the barrels at Ch. Margaux), and spending 15 years working under Didier Fesil. Fesil was the Cathiard family’s first cooper back in 1995, who went on to create his own small tonnellerie (Tonnellerie Bordelaise), and has been named the nation’s best “Master Cooper” – twice. Indeed, Fesil is still very involved with the estate, helping choose the wood for barrels and advising on all things oak; and it was Fesil who put Dez forward for the role at Smith Haut Lafitte.  “There are no books,” Dez says, when I ask about the art of barrel-making. “It’s passed on from tonnelier to tonnelier." The first evidence of coopering as a trade dates back to 900BC – with the craft passed down the generations ever since. “I continue the tradition,” Dez says, clearly with a sense of pride in this ancient, artisanal skill. But with the dust, noise and physical labour involved, tonnellerie schools, Dez tells me, are struggling to recruit young people. It’s common for coopers to have issues with their shoulders and ears (from the non-stop hammering) – and Dez himself has broken an elbow.  In theory, the process can be mechanised – but Dez is clear on how important it is to work by hand, and not just to preserve this ancient art. “I hear the nose, I feel the resistance,” he says. Each barrel, he explains, is different – with a slightly different number of staves and slightly different shape, all adapted according to the wood he’s working with. Selecting the right wood is key – “reading” it, he explains, looking at the grain to see where potential weaknesses are, understanding where will take the most pressure and placing each stave accordingly, ensuring not a drop can seep from the finished barrel. “It’s a job that is both physical, and at the same time requires thinking,” says Dez – and this combination is much of its allure for him.  Hearing the way Dez talks about barrels is fascinating; for him, they each have a unique personality. When I ask Dez how he knows he’s made a really good barrel, he shrugs: “On le sent.” (“You feel it.”) As you toast a barrel, he tells me, the scent of the smoke changes, releasing different aromas – something I smell as he works in front of me. Knowing when it’s spent the perfect amount of time over the fire is the secret – and it’s about more than just the smell, it’s a gut instinct that he can’t quite explain.  Smith Haut Lafitte sources oak from a range of forests, and are always trialling wood from different forests, toasts and doing blind tastings, although – after over 25 years – they know what works for their wine, and terroir. Cellar Master Laudeho explains that, for him, Tronçais and Jupilles are the best – “diamonds” that flawlessly complement their site. And that balance is key; the wood works for the wine, not the other way around.  It seems like a lonely job, I comment, hammering away in his tower – but it’s not something that bothers him. “I’m a bit of a perfectionist,” he tells me. Having only himself to depend on, and knowing that he can ensure each barrel meets his exacting standards, suits him. Indeed, he doesn’t even settle for standard tools – making most himself, custom-designed to suit the way he works. He talks me through a specific hammer that he made, and how it allows him to work better and more precisely, the wooden handle almost silken from the hours of use, shaped to his hand.   The lone electronic technology to have earned a place here are noise-cancelling headphones and a Marshall speaker. He’s a musician in his spare time, and an additional perk of working alone is that he gets to spend all day listening to music. “All the barrels I’ve made,” he says, “are made with music.” He avoids anything too modern or electronic, favouring old jazz, with some reggae, ska jazz and funk in the mix, depending on the day. While he doesn’t feel the music he listens to influences his coopering, he suspects his mood does – and music is a big part of that.  Woodwork is much more than a job for Dez. I spy a beautiful chest alongside his speaker, and it’s one that he made. He has a workshop at home too, spending his free time making everything from guitar stands and toys to chandeliers – anything, he says, that isn’t straight, and therefore can’t really be done by a machine.  It’s amazing watching him work – in the same way as coopers have for centuries – with a natural intuition, ease and precision. There’s definitely something musical to it, a craft that has its own rhythm. He makes around 300 barrels a year, and they may not be soloists – but each one contributes their own note to that year’s symphony.  Explore all current listings of Ch. Smith Haut Lafitte or read more about Bordeaux 

Wooden barrels line most of the finest wine cellars around the world – and many are made by hand. Continuing our series taking you behind the scenes in Bordeaux, we ducked into the cooperage at Smith Haut Lafitte to find out more about this special craft

We visited Pessac-Leognan’s Smith Haut Lafitte to talk to the wine estate’s master cooper, Yann Dez – and find out all about the art of barrel-making

Meeting Smith Haut Lafitte’s Master Cooper

Working to the beat: Smith Haut Lafitte’s Master Cooper

As we commented in our 2022 report, vintages in Napa are, it seems increasingly defined by extreme conditions. The 2023 harvest, however, was – as Neil Bernardi MW, COO at Colgin described it – “remarkably unremarkable”.  “It was a calm and collected vintage,” said winemaker Cathy Corison, who has been making wine under her eponymous label since 1987. “There was nothing that forced your hand. It wasn’t too cold, it wasn’t too hot, it wasn’t rainy. We had the luxury of time.” For Corison, it was an exemplary vintage, easily one of her favourites – although she’s not quite ready to declare it the best vintage of her career (yet, at least). Corison is not alone in such praise: throughout the valley, whispers about 2023 have been growing louder, with the vintage felt by many to be one of the best in recent history.   Weather during the year was unusually cool at times, but largely uneventful. Looking back to the months before the growing season kicked off, however, Northern California received historic levels of rainfall. With a classic Mediterranean climate, the winegrowing regions of California experience warm, dry summers, with most rain falling between October and April.  In the drought years of 2020 and 2021, Napa received a scant eight and 10 inches of rain respectively. The 2022 vintage brought welcome relief, with 26 inches of rain measured in Oakville – just about average as measured against the past 10 years. Records were smashed in 2023, however, with an astounding 58 inches of rain measured between the close of the 2022 and start of the 2023 harvest. Local reservoirs were filled to the point of overflowing, and many vineyards in lower-lying areas were under water at points during the winter.   The rain stretched into May, punctuated by heavy fog and, with soaked soils and overcast skies, budburst was delayed by about two weeks. Although most winemakers on the valley floor reported excellent fruit set, resulting in higher-than-average crop loads, this was not the case everywhere. Up on Spring Mountain at Philip Togni Vineyard, winemaker Lisa Togni explained that incoming rainstorms reach this part of Napa first, and heavy cloud cover often lingers at peak level. Humidity and wind can hinder pollination, lowering the number of berries on each cluster. Yields at Togni, while not historically low, were much lighter than average in 2023. In stark comparison, Sam Kaplan, winemaker for Arkenstone and Memento Mori, reported having to thin “aggressively” during the growing season, with higher-than-normal potential yields thanks to large, perfectly formed clusters.   Springtime temperatures were cooler than average, a trend which would continue through the summer. In June and July, temperatures never exceeded 90°F (32°C) – highly unusual compared to every vintage in the past decade, and, while August warmed up slightly, there were zero major heat events. “Bad things can happen in the first week of September,” noted winemaker and viticulturalist Steve Matthiasson. Most Napa winemakers collectively hold their breath around Labour Day weekend, now notorious for heatwaves and wildfires. In 2023, however, extreme weather never materialised. Moderate, slightly lower-than-average temperatures persisted throughout September, and as the weeks ticked by, the fruit remained on the vine, slowly and steadily accumulating sugar and flavours.   For many producers, the biggest challenge of 2023 was being patient. Given the heat spikes in recent years, Togni said she was fully prepared for harvest by 15th August. Twice she scheduled pick dates only to call them off at the last moment when additional sampling showed that the ripeness was still not at the desired level. Finally, harvest began at Togni on 2nd October – a huge difference from 2022, when harvest started on 23rd August.   As the harvest season stretched on and temperatures remained steady, the potential for rain became worrisome. With fruit projected to be hanging in mid-October and even later depending on site, the chance of rainfall increased. This also did not happen. “Everything was just perfect,” said Myriad winemaker Mike Smith, noting that while the vintage conditions were certainly unusual for recent history, in many ways, they were a return to an earlier version of normal. “No one under 40 has probably ever seen a vintage like this. They’re more used to heat and drought,” he explains.  Smith started harvesting for Myriad on 5th October, which is about three weeks later than recent vintages. He wonders, though, if perhaps other winemakers kicked off harvest too early, which is something Kaplan pondered as well, citing a lack of mid-palate density in some of the wines he’s tasted – perhaps a result of looking at the calendar too intently, especially given recent harvest trends in Napa. Picking was still underway in early November at some addresses. At Colgin, Bernardi says that their patience paid off. “When we harvested, we felt like each vine was at the absolute apex of what it could give,” he said. “The alignment of sugars and phenolics was phenomenal.” He added that, at Colgin, the vine leaves started yellowing almost immediately after harvest, confirming their hunch that the fruit was fully developed and the vines ready to go dormant.   There were no concerns over yield – the plentiful water and cooler growing season not reducing crop size, and most brought in an above-average yield, especially on the valley floor. The quality of the fruit once harvested was uniformly reported as healthy, with multiple winemakers citing fresh, natural acidity levels and ample tannins. Smith loves the colour and density of 2023, noting that extraction was quick and easy, and the fermentation smooth. For Kaplan, a challenge was maintaining the body of the wine – handling the ferments in the winery to extract enough fruit to match the structure of the wine.   Many winemakers also praised the aromatics of 2023. In a hotter vintage like 2022, many of the delicate notes can be “baked out” of the wines, explained winemaker Tony Biagi of Patria and Hourglass. In 2023, Biagi said, the combination of red and black fruit, along with floral notes, has created highly perfumed wines. In his view, the 2023s offer “spectacular power and finesse”, with all “the stuffing” to be “a superlative vintage” – producing wines that will age for at least 30 years.  What may set the 2023 wines apart is the high level of “finesse and elegance,” as described by Andy Erickson of Favia. While he believes that 2023 may not be the most Californian vintage — at least by modern standards – the wines have a lithesome quality on the palate, balancing power and grace. This was a sentiment echoed by Bernardi, who praised the “sense of weightlessness” of the wines produced at Colgin, something he says only the greatest vintages can achieve.  Comparing the vintage to any other proves challenging. More than a few, including Matthiasson, said the weather during the growing season was reminiscent of 2011 – that is, without the October rains that ultimately caused a difficult harvest that year. Lisa Togni feels 2023 is more of a classic Napa vintage with moderate conditions, seemingly cool perhaps only because of the severity of the heat in recent years. Kaplan believes that the purity of fruit in 2023 is comparable to 2018, but even more pronounced. “The wines just jump out of the glass,” he said, “They’re so perfumed and aromatic.” For Corison, the very high level of quality of 2023 is reminiscent of 2001, which she said was similarly elegant and continues to evolve gracefully.  But is 2023 the vintage of the century, as the rumours might have it? Overall, the quality in 2023 is very high. After tasting through dozens of barrel samples, it’s clear that 2023 is a vintage where it was likely more challenging to make bad wine than good wine.  While we’re already looking ahead to 2023, more than a few winemakers lamented the quick dismissal of other vintages – perhaps overlooked in a rush of quick generalisations and soundbites. Quintessa’s Wineburg believes 2023 is undeniably a great vintage, however 2022 was also great – each year has its own personality that will appeal to different palates. For Erickson, the nascent 2024 wines (a vintage he’s particularly excited about) are more typically Californian in style with density and power, while 2023 will be defined by its finesse and restraint.  The 2023 vintage is outstanding – and the wines will appeal particularly to those with a classic palate. Given the late and long, cool growing season, many – if not most – of the wines have a distinct Bordelais quality, balancing pure Californian fruit with fresh acidity and elegant, nimble body – with “a sense of weightlessness” as Bernardi put it. The tannins seem poised to integrate well into the finished wines, and there’s a sense of restraint to many of the wines that is reminiscent of older Napa. The quality in 2023 is far more homogenous – in a positive way – than in recent challenging vintages, where site specificity and the ability to make quick decisions widened the field between those that faltered and those that excelled. “We’ve seen so much awfulness,” said Togni, referencing the challenges of 2020 and 2022, “but this was a nice reminder that not every year will be difficult: 2023 was a classic, great vintage – a storybook vintage.”   Napa 2023: the vintage in brief   Heavy rain over winter and through to spring replenished water reserves, with a long, cool growing season and late harvest  Yields were generally higher than average, especially on the valley floor  Quality largely consistent across the region  Cooler season with extended hangtime produced wines of elegance and finesse  Wines combine perfumed aromatics, fresh acidity and fine tannins, with a classic style reminiscent of the Napa of yesteryear  A top vintage – one of, if not the best in recent history  Keep your eye out for the first releases of Napa’s 2023 vintage. In the meantime, read more about California or browse all current Napa 2023 listings 

Since the fruit came into the winery, Napa’s winemakers have been quietly confident about the 2023 vintage – with murmurs of greatness. Now, as the first wines from the year are released, we find out whether the vintage is as good as the rumours suggest 

Is 2023 the vintage of the century in Napa? We talk to Corison, Colgin, Arkenstone, Tony Biagi, Steve Matthiasson and more about the year and its wines 

Discover the wines of the 2023 vintage in Napa, California 

Napa 2023: vintage report   

Bordeaux 2023  Unsurprisingly, our coverage of the latest Bordeaux vintage was top of the most-read list this year. From our first look, our full report and breakdown of the year by commune to our round-up of what the critics were saying about the vintage, there’s no doubt that Bordeaux 2023 caught your attention.  Read all our coverage of the vintage here  Burgundy  The allure of the Côte d’Or and its expressions of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir don’t look set to fade. With the release of the latest vintage from Burgundy always straddling New Year, our most-read features included coverage of both 2022 (with our summary of what the critics thought of the year) as well as our first look at the 2023 vintage, which we’re currently immersed in, as well as Jasper Morris MW’s feature for FONDATA on eight domaines to watch and our essential guide to the region.  Read all Burgundy features  Advocating for change: William Kelley  In under a decade, William Kelley has gone from an unknown academic to one of the wine world’s most familiar faces and influential voices. Now in situ as the Wine Advocate’s Editor-in-Chief, we sat down with the wine critic and winemaker to talk about his accidental career and his plans for the publication.  Read more  Rino Fontana: a collector like no other  Named by Antonio Galloni as his Wine Personality of the Year in 2023, Rino Fontana is a collector like no other. He has been squirrelling away Piedmont’s treasures since he started visiting the region’s wineries in the 1980s. But he has eyes only for one grape: Nebbiolo. We sat down to talk about his journey into wine, extraordinary cellar and obsession with this regal variety.   Read more  Telmo Rodríguez: the eternal battle  Over the last three decades, Telmo Rodríguez has relentlessly fought for Spain’s vinous heritage, forging a new face for the nation’s wines. We caught up with the indefatigable winemaker to talk about his eternal battle to right previous wrongs and Matallana, his most ambitious project to date.  Read more  See what was popular last year or read more Editorial 

From in-depth vintage reports to interviews with the industry’s leading names, we’ve published a whole host of features over the course of 2024. Of it all, however, these were the stories that proved most popular

The most popular wine and spirits features we published in 2024 – as chosen by you, from detailed vintage reports to deep-dive interviews 

The biggest wine and spirits stories of 2024 

The biggest stories of 2024 

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