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.
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
Comic Relief wines
Decanter's editor Amy Wislocki and tastings manager Christelle Guibert have made these recommendations from the wines offered by UK supermarkets in aid of Comic Relief. All the retailers and brands have agreed to donate 10% of the retail price of the wines to Comic Relief during the promotion, which starts on 1 February and finishes on Red Nose Day, 11 March. All money raised will go directly to Comic Relief to help poor and disadvantaged people in the UK and Africa.
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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