Argentina's Red Wines
STEVEN SPURRIER didn’t expect his first trip to Argentina to fill him with ‘unbounded enthusiam and admiration’. But the quality and value of the country’s reds have left him in no doubt as to its bright future
Decanter’s consultant editor Steven Spurrier joined the wine trade in London in 1964 and later moved to Paris where he bought a wine shop in 1971, and then opened L’Academie du Vin, France’s first private wine school in 1973. Spurrier staged the historic 1976 blind tasting between wines from California and France, the Judgment of Paris, and in the 1980s he wrote several wine books and created the Christie’s Wine Course with then senior wine director Michael Broadbent, a veteran Decanter columnist. In 1988 Spurrier returned to the UK to focus on writing and consultancy, with his clients including Singapore Airlines. He has won several awards, including Le Personalité de l’Année (oenology) 1988 for services to French wine and the Maestro Award in honour of California wine legend André Tchelistcheff (2011) and is president of the Circle of Wine Writers as well as founding the Wine Society of India. He also produced his own wine, Bride Valley Brut, from his vines in Dorset. Spurrier passed away in March 2021.
STEVEN SPURRIER didn’t expect his first trip to Argentina to fill him with ‘unbounded enthusiam and admiration’. But the quality and value of the country’s reds have left him in no doubt as to its bright future
This was an average and variable vintage, as one might expect. A constant battle was waged against mildew but the ultimate problem was bringing the grapes to full maturit
Madiran’s fighting bull
Could sparkling wine replace Pimms as England’s favourite home-grown drink? The signs look so good to Steven Spurrier that he’s planning on making some himself…
2006 is better than 2001 and 2004, says Steven Spurrier, but this is not a vintage to buy ‘off the peg’...
Which is more important – terroir or style?
To decant or not to decant? How? What? When? There are no hard and fast rules, says STEVEN SPURRIER, but a little decanting never hurt a wine
A remarkable (beer) tasting
Anthony Barton: a life in wine
Steven Spurrier's Column: The togetherness of tasting
When you worship at the altar of Bordeaux, it’s easy to dismiss the New World’s big, brash style as heresy. Steven Spurrier tries not to…
The State vs the king of Beaujolais
STEVEN SPURRIER, chairman of the DWWA, says the third year saw the Awards come of age
Assorted palates and the importance of colour
With 2003 overhyped, and 2005 overpriced, the classic, overlooked 2004 offers stunning value. A smug steven spurrier bought widely.
Mooching around Mouchão
Even we don’t drink crus classés evey night of the week. So which are the best everyday drinking wines for consistently delivering character, reliability, and value? Six of our leading experts, led by STEVEN SPURRIER, each pick 10 wines at £5–£15 that do just that��
A very successful commune, with most châteaux going to the maximum to preserve the marvellously ripe Cabernet fruit. The 2005 vintage is definitely a Pauillac year. Steven Spurrier
In the hope of a hot summer, we asked five of our contributors from around the world to recommend five easy-drinking summer whites for the garden – plus one special occasion white – with a twist: no Chardonnay allowed. STEVEN SPURRIER (UK), RICHARD BAUDAINS (Italy), HUON HOOKE (Australia), NORM ROBY (US) and CH’NG POH TIONG (Singapore) select 30 wines ready to drink now, for those lazy afternoons.
The 2004 vintage in Pomerol is clearly better than 2003. There was little or no heat stress and the harvest, although later, took place in ideal conditions towards the end of September/beginning of October before the rain. As in the rest of Bordeaux, work in the vineyards to curb yields was obligatory, otherwise dilution and lack of ripeness were the pitfalls for less successful producers. The best wines have deep colour, a racy fruit character, lively acidity and solid tannic frame. They lack the intensity and complexity of great years (1998, 2000) but appear to be in the good/classic mould of a vintage like 1996. If the price is right they’ll provide sound medium-term drinking. James Lawther MW
Bordeaux is often labelled exclusive and expensive. But when we asked six experts to let us in on their best value châteaux (no crus classés allowed), we were spoilt for choice. Here we profile the top 50 names for great, affordable drinking. Additional research by Melissa Zehnder.
From the first taste of the lowly appellation Bordeaux Rouge at Le Cercle Rive Droite’s presentation at Chateau Laroque on March 28th, to the last sip of Chateau Smith–Haut–Lafitte 1961 – purchased at Christie’s by the the Cathiards – at lunch on April 1st, I don’t think I have had a more interesting en primeur experience. Even on the Right Bank, where the drought conditons had burnt out many parcels of Merlot, producers were raving about the quality of their Cabernet Franc. In the Graves, the white wines were fabulusly ripe, Sauternes had notched up another great vintage and in the Medoc, the further north one went, the better the wines. 2003 was an exceptional vintage in weather terms and will be one of the most interesting vintages for the Bordeaux lover. SS
The first official classification of the Médoc’s crus bourgeois has been unveiled, amid much controversy. STEVEN SPURRIER explains why the classification came about, who supports it, and why some are questioning the fairness of the results
STEVEN SPURRIER, PETER MCCOMBIE MW and CHRISTELLE GUIBERT tasted a huge selection of wines, all widely asailable across the UK, and selected their top 50 reds and top 50 whites - all costing less than £10 and with £26 at less than £6
Decanter's consultant editor Steven Spurrier reports on a hectic week of tasting and dinner parties during Vinexpo 2003.
A little under nine years since its purchase by François Pinault from Allied Lyons, returning the château to French ownership after a hiatus of 31 years, Château Latour has emerged from a period of quiet renovation. This was highlighted by a magnificently successful sale at Christie's London in May, to be followed by similar sales in the US later in the year.
A little under nine years since its purchase by François Pinault from Allied Lyons, returning the château to French ownership after a hiatus of 31 years, Château Latour has emerged from a period of quiet renovation. This was highlighted by a magnificently successful sale at Christie's London in May (2003), to be followed by similar sales in the US later in the year.
Bordeaux 2001 shouldn't be overlooked in the stampede for 2000s, says STEVEN SPURRIER. He tastes wines from the Left Bank, while JAMES LAWTHER MW takes the Right
Carlo Ferrini, one of Tuscany's top consultants, is adamant that the key to great wine lies in the vineyard. STEVEN SPURRIER meets him