Top ten wines for Valentine's Day
Love is in the air! Valentine's Day is just around the corner and with more snow on the way it's the perfect opportunity for cosying up indoors with a great bottle of wine. Whether she - or he - is into sparkling, white, rosé or red, we've selected ten wines that are sure to make your sweetheart melt.
Top ten March panel tasting wines
Our March issue panel tastings set out to find the best of both worlds. First, Old World Chateauneuf-du-Pape and the 2007 vintage which has been showered with praise. During the tasting's two days, our experts found plenty of wines to get excited about but doubted whether the hype was fully deserved. Next stop, Australian Pinot Noir from the cool-climate regions of Tasmania and Victoria, both states at the forefront of the varietal's development in the New World (though far behind New Zealand in terms of exposure, of course). Result: a hat full of gems, with Victoria edging ahead.
Ten best red Burgundy
To celebrate the release of the new Burgundy vintage this month in London and while you wait for the 2008 to hit the shop shelves, here's 10 newly released red Burgundies for you to buy now - from straightforward AC Bourgogne Pinot Noir to more serious premier cru Nuits-Saint-Georges.
Bugundy 2008: the Côte d'Or
As in 2007, the Burgundian summer was awful in 2008, writes Stephen Brook. Then in mid-August the skies cleared, a north wind blew and the grapes swiftly ripened, while cool nights kept acidities fresh. Yet not all growers went on to harvest impeccable wines. The wretched summer had brought disease and later rot, and while the wind dried rotten bunches, many were unusable. Success depended on how well growers managed their wounded vineyards, and their ruthlessness in discarding mediocre fruit.
That said, the vintage is far better than most expected, almost as good as the more uniformly glorious 2007s. Chablis and many Côte d'Or whites are brilliantly fresh and rich, and there are Chassagnes and Pulignys with piercing freshness, racy acidity, and discreet structure. Others, though, are scrawny, with too much acidity and insufficient fruit. As for the reds, the best show a remarkable purity of fruit and great finesse. They are not hugely tannic or structured, but they are balanced by fine acidity - generally better than the
2007s or 2004s, and more stylish than 2006s. Most often, it's the Village wines that disappoint; perhaps their more modest prices couldn't justify the costly vineyard work and bunch selection required to make outstanding wines in 2008.
Chateau Palmer tasting in Washington DC
Identified as a Third Growth in the 1855 Médoc Classification, Château Palmer in Margaux has long surpassed its official status, and is counted among the very top echelon of Bordeaux estates. Its 120 acres of deep gravely stone, ideally situated near the Gironde River, create an excellent microclimate for plantings of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Rather unusual for the Médoc, Merlot accounts for at least 40% of the blend, and sometimes makes up the majority, such as in the 1998. Petit Verdot is also a significant component.
On 13 January, 17 of the Château's wines, ranging from 1978 to 2005 vintages, were presented to professionals in Washington DC. The event was hosted by Palmer's winemaking director Thomas Duroux, who summed up the Palmer style as standing for 'purity, delicacy and femininity'. The wines were double decanted two hours before tasting, and were presented in five flights. Tasting notes by Panos Kakaviatos.
Burgundy 2008: Chablis, Chalonnaise & Mâconnais whites
The words 'miracle vintage' were used at almost every en primeur tasting I attended, writes Steven Spurrier, and while this is more than true for the reds, which needed the hang time from mid-September when the rain stopped to give the skins a proper colour and the northern winds to clean up the rot, it was clear from the growers present that they had not expected their whites to turn out so well. The Côte-Chalonnais white wines, often over-whelmed by those of the Côte d'Or and generally under-valued as a result, combined for me fruit, charm, acidity and length, showing fine individuality of each appellation. Further south, the Mâconnais had an excellent vintage, clearly better than 2007 and a little tighter than the ripe and quick-maturing 2006s. As for Chablis, although Hew Blair from Justerini and Brooks describes it as 'the best vintage for years', many growers are content to just say it is the best since 2005.
Ten best white Burgundy
Every January, the release of the new Burgundy vintage is enthusiastically awaited, and this year was no exception - as witnessed last week when more than 150 Burgundian producers presented the 2008 vintage in London. Though the wines are available to buy 'in bond' through Burgundy specialists, the majority will only hit the shop shelves in the next six to 12 months. Which is why we have compiled a selection of 10 great value white Burgundies that are available for you to enjoy now.
Champagne Lanson masterclass
In anticipation of Lanson's 250th anniversary this year, a celebratory masterclass covering 21 years from 1976-1996 (with varying dates of disgorgement and dosage) was held at Christie's Education last December. It was given by the world's acknowledged Champagne expert Tom Stevenson.
Lanson is France's third oldest Champagne house after Ruinart (1729) and Moet (1743), and is distinguished by the fact that its base wines do not undergo malolactic fermentation (MLF). Thus far, only Krug and Gosset do the same, while Roederer uses a blend of both MLF and non-MLF styles. Actually fermentation is misnomer for although the process releases carbon dioxide, MLF simply converts the stong 'green apple' malic acid of young wine to more rounded lactic acid, enabling Champagne to be marketed earlier.
Earlier last year, Lanson hosted a blind tasting, attended by several of the UK's leading palates, to compare MLF and non-MLF Champagnes. The results made clear that MLF, or rather its absence, has a marked influence on Champagne's taste profile, with non-MLF styles scoring higher marks for zestiness, flavour intensity, complexity and length. MLF began to be widely used in Champagne the 1950s, but perhaps its days are now numbered. In the last 30 years global warming has seen Champagne acidity fall by 2g/l on average, and avoiding MLF is beginning to look like an attractive option to preserve freshness. Tom Stevenson - who in his 2009 Wine Report states that 'for the past two years Lanson Black Label has been the best and most consistent non-vintage Champagne from any of the big Grandes Marques' - is himself convinced non-MLF is the future way for Champagne to retain its individuality.
Top 10 wines to go with Christmas lunch
It's Pinot Noir with turkey, right? Not necessarily! We've put together a selection of 10 classic and
exciting fine wines to enjoy with your Christmas lunch.
The Sampler's 'iconic' Christmas tasting
If you're looking for a special treat in the run up to Christmas, then The Sampler, in London's Islington, is the place to visit. The winner of the 2009 Decanter Independant Wine Merchant of the Year has put together an amazing line-up of wines for you to try during the festive period. If your budget's unlimited, then you could even treat yourself to a £1400 bottle of Grands Echezeaux from DRC, but otherwise there are a dozen or so icon wines available as tasting samples at a much more inviting price. A sample of the magnificent 1982 vintage from Chateau Lafite, for example, costs £79 (bottle price £1900). It's an incredible opportunity to taste mythical wines that would otherwise be beyond reach. (Tasting notes by Christelle Guibert)
Château Latour: vertical tasting
The Beau-Rivage, the oldest family-owned hotel in Geneva, has one of the richest wine cellars in Switzerland and it’s the home to some of the rarest vintages of Bordeaux.
With the exception of the châteaux themselves, it is probably the only place in the world where you can still find a large stock of Château Cheval Blanc 1911, 1921 Château Haut-Brion, Chateau Latour 1947 and 1945 Château Lafite.
Jean-Christophe Ollivier, the chef-sommelier of the Michelin-starred Chat Botté, buys Bordeaux En Primeur and stores the wines for a decade before they reach the wine list.
That list offers verticals from all the first growths: 13 vintages of Château Latour, from 1945 to 1999; 11 vintages of Château Mouton Rothschild going back to 1947; 17 vintages of Château Lafite from 1999 to 1918; 10 vintages of Château Margaux - the oldest being 1928; and 15 vintages of Château Haut Brion from 2000 to 1921.
The wines have been kept in the cellar since the day of purchase. They are all in perfect condition, with intact labels and a high level of ullage on the older vintages.
The tasting – now in its third year – was followed by a 6-course dinner at Chat Botté.
Ten best sherries
From bone dry Finos to unctuous PXs, sherry runs the gamut of the flavour spectrum and goes fantastically well with all kinds of food. Here we bring you the our top ten from a recent tasting put on by the Sherry Institute of Spain at the Spanish Embassy in London. By Lucy Shaw
Christie's Christmas auction: Pichon-Lalande tasting
A vertical tasting of Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande wines was held at Christie's London this week, in advance of an auction on 10th December. The wines were presented by the château's technical director Thomas Dô Chi Nam, and Beverley Blanning MW was there to taste them.
Top 10 Fairtrade wines
In the last 4 years, Fairtrade products has increased noticeably; today 70% of the population recognise the Fairtrade mark compare to only 57% in 2007. The quality has improved too; in the past 5 years, some investments have been made to improve the vineyards as well as winemaking techniques. Today, Fairtrade wines not only make a remarkable difference to the lives of others but also offer a great glass of wine at a fantastic price. We have picked the 10 best’s from this week’s Fairtrade event.
Bordeaux 2007: Union des Grands Crus tasting
The vintage, writes Steven Spurrier, is renowned for being saved by a remarkable change in the weather at the end of August. After a cold, rainy, mildew-ridden summer, the sun came out and continued to shine more or less constantly until the beginning of November. Châteaux with the means to combat three months of mildew resisted picking for as long as possible, with the result that Left Bank Cabernets were picked at between 12 and 12.5 abv, slightly higher even than the very concentrated 1961s, while final tannin content was higher than any great vintage of the last century. Less well-off châteaux, though, had to pick at the first hint of ripeness, with predictable results.
Deprived of long, slow ripening, even the best wines will tend to show well just a year or two after bottling, and this was borne out at the recent UCG tasting in London. Similarly, white wines stood out: a cool summer favours Sémillon and particularly Sauvignon Blanc grapes for dry whites, while Barsac and Sauternes, regular beneficiaries of 'comeback' vintages, finished their harvests in triumph.
The en primeur tastings in spring 2008 were surprisingly positive: slightly less good than 2004, better than 2002, and to be drunk waiting for the 2005s and 2006s to reach maturity. But it was an expensive vintage to produce - around half of the already mildew-reduced crop was rejected in the cellar, and the proportion of 'grand vin' from the top classed growths was the lowest ever. As such, the hoped-for 30% reduction in prices did not materialise and the sales campaign was drawn-out and sluggish. Interest virtually collapsed with the arrival of the credit crunch and a healthy 2008 vintage.
Now, though, prices have come down substantially, and despite the weak pound, some of the wines may represent good value. While there's no rush, it would be a pity to ignore this vintage, but buy for drinking, not investing.
Here are the best wines of the tasting, with notes by Steven Spurrier and Stephen Brook.
Top 10 Decanter panel tasting wines
The clutch of panel tastings we've conducted here at Decanter have been an eclectic bunch. From dry rosé through Greece, to Burgundy, Alsace and the Médoc, the results have revealed wines that are simply outstanding and others where it is debatable whether the liquid should have been bottled in the first place. It truly highlights what a wide, eclectic world of wine there is out there. Here's a selection of the best performing wines.
Top 10: pick of The Bunch
Our ten best wines selected from The Bunch - a group of seven of the UK's leading independent wine merchants...
40 years of Échezéaux tasting – Robersons Wine Merchants, Kensington
Following on from the Legends of Southern France Tasting - for anyone who gets excited by grand cru red Burgundy, this was a tasting that was always going to be special, even without the Domaine de la Romanée-Conti finale. As with all good tastings, there was plenty of room for debate - and a stellar line-up of wines awaited veteran critics including Jancis Robinson MW and Michael Broadbent.
Tasting notes by John Abbott, deputy editor, decanter.com
Bordeaux 2002 - Farr Vintners tasting
To see how Bordeaux's underrated 2002s are faring seven years on, Farr Vintners, the UK's largest traders in Bordeaux, recently held a blind tasting of 118 classed growths and their equivalents. Steven Spurrier was among the 17 writers and merchants invited to give their verdict: here's his top 25.
Decanter Sake Tasting with Philip Harper (Sept 09)
We tasted a variety of different sakes in various styles, including a number of sakes specially shipped for the occasion from Philip Harper's brewery Tamagawa in Osaka and from Wakana Omija's brewery Akashi. Anthony Rose selects his top 10...
Legends of Southern France Tasting at Roberson Wine Merchants
By Adam Lechmere. Robersons, in Kensington High Street, is one of London's most dynamic specialist wine shops, with a varied and fascinating list. It runs regular tastings - with renowned winemakers and producers such as Anthony Barton of Château Leoville Barton - and with the well-informed in-house tasting team.
This was a relaxing, informative and fun evening, with the esteemed Mark Andrew, one of the buying team, providing just the right amount of serious commentary, and fielding a good deal of questions from the dozen or so participants. I can't see how Robersons makes money from such tastings – they cost £50 a head, but then the wines are typically expensive and in this case mostly extremely rare.
Top Ten Wines from Decanter's Tastes of Argentina
At Vinopolis in London, at the beginning of September Decanter showcased a selection of the very best wines from Argentina, with 32 of the country's best wineries, superb food from top restaurant Gaucho, and the finest tango...
Here we present ten great wines from the event
Ten best 'Erste Lage' German wines
Freddy Price selects ten of Germany's best 'grand cru' 2008 dry whites and 2007 Pinot Noirs from the recent VDP tasting held at Wiesbaden on 24/25 August 2009.
Ten best BBQ wines
10 great wines for simple outdoor dining, and they're available on the High Steet.
10 best picnic wines
Make the most of summer of sunshine with these light, juicy, fruity perfect picnic wines.
The newly-launched Chêne Bleu Vin de Pays wines
There's a roll call of big names behind Chene Bleu, the Vin de Pays du Vaucluse wines launched last week in London. The estate is owned by Xavier Rolet, CEO of the London Stock Exchange, who has engaged the services of eminent soil experts Lydia and Claude Bourguignon, and international winemaker Zelma Long. Decanter's tastings director Christelle Guibert takes a sip.
Ten best beers for summer drinking
A rare departure from grape to grain this month as the Decanter.com team embarked on a tasting of British beers ideal for summer sipping.
Ten best varietal wines from South Africa
A baking summer's afternoon in south-west London was the setting for a South African focus tasting, concentrating on Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon, Pinotage and Rhone varietals. On the white side, the Chenins showed an interesting range of styles, from crisp and light, to rich and full, and the Sauvignons boasted a bit of diversity as well. While 28 degree heat is not the ideal environment for tasting big, New World reds, there were some really quite good Pinotages on show, and South Africa is clearly still going great guns with its Syrah.
Ten best new wave Spanish Wines
Spanish wine is undergoing a glittering renaissance at the moment. Five years ago nobody would have expected to see the surge in popularity of such regions as Navarra and Valencia, and the wonderful new styles that are coming out of Rioja. And that's not to mention Rueda, Ribeiro, and the fabulous Priorat...
Here we bring you a selection of superb Spanish wines, showing wonderful variation of taste and style.
Decanter panel tasting (Apr 09): Rioja Reserva 2004
Something for everyone, said our experts, extolling the virtues of both modern and traditional styles and lauding the region's value for money. Here are the 111 wines that were awarded 15 points or more.
German Quality Wine: pick of the 2008 vintage
Selected by Freddy Price
In our German Whites 2008 vintage report in the August issue of Decanter, we inadvertently printed the stockist code of WBa for The Wine Barn. The correct code is WBn. The Wine Barn is a German wine specialist based in Basingstoke. Please call 01256 391 211 or email iris@thewinebarn.co.uk for more information.
Bordeaux 2008 en primeur
The tendency in Bordeaux is to treat each vintage as favouring either the Left or Right Bank. In 2008 it is by no means clear and the great difference will be between those estates that oversaw every aspect of their vineyards during the problematic growing season, who could pick each plot at the optimum moment, and those who did not and were obliged to harvest early. The smallness of the crop benefited the Merlot, the lateness of the harvest favoured the Cabernet Sauvignon, and since the Left Bank is a blend of both grapes - the higher up the scale you go, the more Cabernet dominates - the vintage here was surprisingly successful. Its hallmarks are very dark colours, a vigorous fruit combining flesh and firmness, a freshness of acidity and strong but not hard tannins. The weather did not dominate the vintage, as it did in 2003, for it allowed the vines to recover and the grapes to ripen and reflect their terroir.
On the Right Bank, there was consistency and excitement, the Merlot and Cabernet Franc providing seductive aromas and flavours combined with structure and concentration as well. Like the unexpected quality, the style of the wines was a surprise. Late harvested vintages (like 2007) usually mean softer, earlier drinking wines but the 2008s have a compelling fragrance and texture combined with acidity and ripe tannins for ageing. The wines are ripe and modern, richer than 2004 and 2006, not far from 2005 but less powerful all the same.
Ten best French wines
The following wines were chosen by Steven Spurrier from the France Under One Roof tasting at Lords Cricket Ground, a tasting that confirmed, overall, quality and value from France has never been better.
Top 10 Wines from the specialist merchants
It might sound like the dullest of wine trade conventions but the Specialist Importers Trade Tastings (SITT) showcase some of the most interesting wines on the shelves in the UK today. Here Decanter's tastings director Christelle Guibert chooses 10 wines that won't break the bank
Top 10 wines from the Decanter Great French Fine Wine Encounter
Nearly 900 wine lovers came through the doors of London's Landmark Hotel for the Decanter Great French Fine Wine Encounter on Saturday 21 February.
Guests had the choice of 65 stands from every great wine region of France: Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, Loire, Provence, Languedoc, Rhone, Alsace, and Corsica.
Here we present the Top Ten wines from the event, chosen by Decanter's tastings director Christelle Guibert
Tuscany Vintage Report - in full
Tom Maresca selects the best wines from Tuscany's three top regions: Chianti Classico, Brunello di Montalcino and Vino Nobile di Montalcino.
Bordeaux 2007
Tasting notes by Steven Spurrier, David Peppercorn MW, James Lawther MW and Beverly Blanning MW
Wines of Australia tasting
Tasted and rated wines from this year's Wines of Australia tasting, held on 31 January at the Emirates Stadium, home of Arsenal Football Club. All tasting notes by Decanter tastings executive Mark O'Halleron
Burgundy 2006: vintage review
Sarah Marsh MW and Christelle Guibert sip their way through the 2006 vintage to select their top wines, while Mark O'Halleron adds his favourtie Chablis. A complete appraisal of the vintage can be found in February's Decanter magazine, on sale now.
The best of: Alsace
Freddy Price chooses his top ten new releases and his ten favourite best value buys.
Decanter panel tasting: White Friuli
Friuli is capable of producing some of Italy's greatest white wines, though the variable quality on show in this tasting disappointed our tasters. Blends made from native grape varieties scored best.
The best of: Tasmania
Huon Hooke selects top new releases and best value Rieslings, Pinot Noirs, Chardonnays and more from Australia's beautiful island state
Decanter panel tasting: Cahors and Madiran
Cahors and Madiran are on the up: one is fine-tuning Malbec for the 21st century, while the latter makes modern, fruit-driven styles from its difficult Tannat grape. Our experts were both surprised and delighted by the standard of wines they found
Tuscany on a budget
Great Tuscan wines for under £20 a bottle? Our experts selected just 24 from the 100 or so tasted.
Refreshing summer wines
Joanna Simon, Margaret Rand and Sarah Jane Evans MW choose their favourite white, red and rosé wines - respectively - for summer lunching...
The best of: Maconnais
Clive Coates' selects his favourite new wines and 10 best value buys from Burgundy's Maconnais region.
40 best buy Bergeracs
Jane Anson selects 40 red, white and rosé wines from France's value-for-money southwest region.
The best of: Priorat
Stephen Brook selects his favourite new realeases and good value buys from Spain's most exciting region
The best of: Colchagua
Peter Richards selects his favourite new releases and good value buys from Chile's most dynamic wine region
Red Burgundy 2005: vintage preview
You'll find a full review of the red Burgundy 2005 vintage in the March issue of Decanter magazine, but in the meantime here's a sneak peek at what the experts say.
Wines to woo your Valentine
From romantic reds to wonderful whites and lovely bubblies, here's 30 wines that are sure to impress your Valentine
Vintage report: White Burgundy 2005
The high quality of this vintage is apparent from the generic level upwards, making this a wonderfully good value choice. The wines will be available from January 2007.
Really fabulous Rioja
Tasters were delighted at the quality of wine in one of the most compreshensive Rioja tastings ever. Steven Spurrier picks out some personal favourites.
Great Autumn wines
30 fantastic wines to see you through the autumn, from deliciously warming reds to mellow and fruity whites.
60 great value wines
Great wine needn't be expensive, you just need to know where to look. Our experts point the way.
French celebration
They lost the World Cup - undeservedly many say - so what better time to commiserate than Bastille Day? We've selected 30 wines that represent the best of France, so choose a bottle or six, and celebrate 14 July in style. Allez les Bleus!
The best of: Alba
Best new releases and and best value wines from Italy's northwestern region of Alba
Bordeaux 2005
Two things stood out during the 2005 en primeur tastings. The first was the absolutely outstanding quality of the wines right across the board and the second was no talk whatsoever of price. The concentration, the precision, the freshness, the exuberance, the harmony, even the perfection of what we were tasting meant that commercial questions were left to another day. At Chateau Margaux, Paul Pontallier described his 2005 as 'a wine that until now we have only dreamt of achieving', while Pontet-Canet's Alfred Tesseron summed up 2005 as 'the best Bordeaux vintage ever'. On the right bank, Pierre Lurton at Cheval Blanc used just one word: 'exceptional'.
Already 2000 and 2003 are suffering in comparison, for they were not perfect, despite the hype. 1990, 1989 and 1982 were mentioned, but 1961 and 1949 came nearer, yet the quality of vineyard management and winemaking in those days was nothing like it is today. Nature and man appear to have created something truly wonderful.
Here was a vintage winemakers felt they didn't need to 'make' and as long as it was kept on the rails technically, intervention was unnecessary. Alcohols and tannins were at record levels, but acidity remained fresh, Chateau Palmer pointing out that 'it wasn't in the numbers, but in the balance'. On the sorting tables very little needed to be eliminated; in the cellar there was no saignée and no artificial concentration. Everything remained as nature had provided. The 2005s are not to be missed. Steven Spurrier
Around the World in 100 Wines
The top 100 wines at the latest Decanter Fine Wine Encounter, selected by Christelle Guibert, Matthew Hemmings, Guy Woodward and Adam Lechmere.
Martinborough: the best of
Bob Campbell MW selects his favourite new releases and best value wines from New Zealand's Martinborough region
Sauternes 2002 & 2003
Stephen Brook assesses the underrated elegant 2002 and the powerful, rich 2003 vintages
Decanter panel tasting: Corbières 2003
The hot vintage did not lead to the high alcohol some tasters feared, and most wines in this large appellation showed a consistent level of quality. These are great-value wines of character.
20 Great Tuscan New Releases
Michelle Shah and Ernesto Gentili select their top 20 riservas from the latest releases of Chianti Classico, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and Brunello di Montalcino.
Saint-Emilion Smart Buys
James Lawther and Christelle Guibert tasted over 100 wines to bring you the best Saint-Emilions - for drinking now or in the near future
Best Burgundy under £15
45 reds and whites for between £5 and £15, selected by Beverley Blanning MW, Freddy Price, Steven Spurrier and Patricia Stefanowicz MW.
Northern Rhône 2003
The best of Hermitage, Crozes-Hermitage and Saint-Joseph from this exceptionally hot vintage
Mendoza: the best of
Best new releases and best value wines from Argentina's ever-improving Mendoza region
White wines for summer
The best white wines for summertime drinking, selected by Steven Spurrier, Richard Baudains, Huon Hooke, Norm Roby and Ch'ng Poh Tiong. No Chardonnay allowed...
Bordeaux 2004
The latest tasting notes from en primeur.
En primeur tasting team: Steven Spurrier (the Médoc including Cru Bourgeois); Serena Sutcliffe MW (Saint-Emilion Grand Cru) James Lawther MW (Pessac-Leognan, Graves, Pomerol & remaining Right Bank) and David Peppercorn MW (Sauternes & Barsac)
Burgundy 2003
The full experts' guide to the best buys from the newly released 2003 Burgundy vintage appears in Decanter magazine's May issue, on sale 6 April. Here we present 10 recommended wines from each region
The best of Beaujolais 2003
Andrew Jefford selects his favourites from the splendid 2003 Beaujolais vintage - an outstanding vintage despite crops being halved by extreme heat and hail.
Best of Chile
Top whites and reds from one of the world's most dynamic wine regions
German Riesling 2003
Stephen Brook selects his favourite wines from what's being hailed as a truly great vintage
Insiders' Buying Guide
An insiders' guide to what wines to buy now from Bordeaux, Burgundy, Rhone, Australia and Italy
Victoria: the best of
Stephen Brook rounds up the Australian wine region's best new releases and great value wines
Rioja: the best of
John Radford recommends the best new releases and best value wines of the region
Loire 2002
Jim Budd recommends his top wines from the best Loire vintage since 1997
World's 50 best buys
Some of the world's foremost wine experts select 50 wines worth three times their price
Bordeaux 2003
The latest tasting notes from en primeur.
En primeur tasting team: Steven Spurrier (Left Bank/Cru Bourgeois); James Lawther MW (Right Bank) and David Peppercorn MW (Sauternes and Barsac)
Burgundy 2002: top buys
A must-buy year for its delicious whites and long-lasting reds - here selected by Clive Coates MW, Rosemary George MW, Stephen Brook and Steven Spurrier.
Affordable Italy
45 must-try Italian wines chosen by Richard Baudains, Nicolas Belfrage and Michael Palij
New World Reds
Five New World wine experts select their 10 most exciting red wines of 2003
Christmas Wines
A selection of sweet wines, red wines and Ports for the festive season.
Wines tasted by the Decanter team
This is a collection of wines, all tasted by the editorial team at Decanter and decanter.com. They range from the old and presitigious to the young and everyday.
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