Wine thrives in the picky bits flavour matrix

There’s a magic to summer eating that resists formality. It’s less about specific courses and more about moments: sun-warmed tables, clinking glasses and that irresistible sprawl of picky bits that somehow becomes the entire meal.

And if there’s a drinks partner that truly rises to the occasion every time, it’s wine. Not in a stiff, ceremonious sense, but as a fluid, flavour-led companion to the joyful chaos of grazing.

In my latest book The Picky Bits Sommelier, I explore a diverse and flavoursome array of wine styles and their perfect savoury counterparts.

It’s a journey in which I endeavoured to plot some of the much-loved classic picky bits – everything from mini pork pies, Cornish pasties and Scotch eggs to tempura prawns and vegetable samosas – into a distinct, four-part flavour matrix, making wine pairings a more enjoyable and accessible experience.

Picky bits, by their very nature, invite diversity. A grazing platter might swing from ‘Simple & classic’ – salted crisps, olives, chunks of cheddar and fish goujons – to ‘Complex & spicy’: harissa hummus, chorizo in oil and chicken satay skewers.

Then there’s the irresistible push and pull between ‘Salty & savoury’ and ‘Tangy & sweet’: cornichons, cured meats and ripe sundried tomatoes against creamy burrata, onion rings and barbecue hot wings.

It’s a flavour matrix that’s less linear, more kaleidoscopic – and that’s precisely where wine thrives.

Keeping it simple and classic

Start at the simpler end of the spectrum. Classic, uncomplicated snacks call for wines that refresh rather than overwhelm.

A bright Sauvignon Blanc works beautifully with mini goat’s cheese tarts; a zippy Albariño pairs beautifully with sweet and sharp pickled onions or gherkins.

The acidity cuts through salt, resetting the palate and helping to keep things lively. It’s the vinous equivalent of a sea breeze: clean, invigorating and quietly addictive.

Getting more complex: Think chilled reds or rosé

As things get a little more complex – say, grilled prawns, herby dips or charcuterie – you can begin to layer in wines with a touch more texture and nuance.

Think a chilled, light-bodied red such as a Pinot Noir with meatier picky bits, including pork pies, or Gamay with a classic melted camembert, straight from the oven and ready to dip with hunks of fresh bread.

Conversely, a dry rosé will have enough backbone to handle meat, shellfish and veg.

These wines bridge gaps effortlessly, weaving between flavours without stealing the spotlight, working with anything from prawn lollipops to tomato and mozzarella arancini.

Fresh, fruity wines to match picky bits with spice

Then we arrive at spice. Summer loves a bit of heat, whether it’s smoky paprika, chilli oil or a punchy salsa.

Here’s where many wines falter, but the trick is to dial down tannin and lean into fruit and freshness.

Off-dry Riesling is a classic for a reason: a whisper of sweetness soothes spice, especially when paired with vegetable samosas, while its acidity keeps everything in balance.

Alternatively, a juicy, low-alcohol red served slightly chilled can take the edge off heat while amplifying flavour.

Wines for salty & savoury picky bits

The ‘Salty & savoury’ quadrant is where indulgence really kicks in. Anchovies, cured meats, hard cheeses – these demand wines with either cleansing acidity or bold structure.

Fino Sherry, if you’re feeling adventurous, is sensational here, its saline tang echoing the food.

Otherwise, a mineral-driven white or a structured red such as a young Tempranillo will do the job with aplomb.

Pairing wine with 'tangy and sweet' elements

And let’s not forget the ‘Tangy & sweet’ elements: the pickles, chutneys, sun-ripened tomatoes and peppers that punctuate a summer spread.

These can be tricky to pair with, but also thrilling. Sparkling wine is a brilliant all-rounder: its acidity and bubbles dance happily with both sweetness and sharpness.

Sparkling rosé brings zest and zing to crispy tempura prawns. A lightly sweet Moscato or a fragrant Gewürztraminer can elevate more Asian-inspired cuisine, such as hoisin duck spring rolls, without feeling heavy.

Spirit of exploration

Ultimately, wine and picky bits are the perfect summer indulgence because they embrace informality without sacrificing pleasure. There’s no rigid rulebook here, just a spirit of exploration.

Whether you’re sprawled on a picnic blanket or hosting a garden gathering that drifts lazily into dusk, the combination invites sharing, discovery and a little bit of delicious excess.

And really, what more could you want from summer?

Wine with picky bits: Top pairings to try

Provolone cheese & smoked prosciutto rollitos

Pair with: Prosecco

The light, crisp notes and charismatic green orchard fruit strike a chord here.

Olives with rosemary & black pepper

Pair with: fino or manzanilla Sherry & tonic

The Sherry brings out the touch of sweetness in the olives and blends superbly with the warmth of the black pepper.

Caperberries / cocktail cornichons

Pair with: Albariño

A great Albariño brings additional intensity to the pairing: it will bring out sweetness in anything pickled.

Bocconcini mozzarella balls and/or Serrano ham croquettes

Pair with: Chardonnay

The creamy oakiness and subtle spices enhance the richer flavours of cheese and that touch of smokiness in the ham.

Cream cheese-stuffed cherry peppers

Pair with: Sangiovese

The fresh fruitiness of the peppers is accented beautifully by the softer red fruit in the wine.

Barbecue chicken wings

Pair with: Zinfandel

The stickiness of the wings and their sweet and sour sauce are the perfect playground for a big, bold Zin.

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Sunny summer days mean it’s time for seafood, but which wine to choose? Here are some golden rules – and refreshingly offbeat pairing suggestions.

How to choose a wine to pair with seafood: Advice from sommeliers

Remember the sauce

Chablis with fish, claret with meat – haven’t we come a long way since then? The seafood and wine pairings on offer from sommeliers these days range from Junmai Daiginjo sake to fino Sherry and from Georgian orange wines to bright, cherry-packed Sicilian Frappato.

There’s method in their madness, of course, with tried and tested matches adding another layer of complexity and flavour to your seafood feast, each enhancing the other – or at least that’s the theory.

There are some rules to follow, of course. There’s no point ruining a fine white Burgundy with a fat Hebridean scallop dressed with a vinegar-spiked beurre blanc when an off-dry Riesling will deliver just the right zingy balance, the sweetness riffing with the sauce.

So, there’s rule number one: match the wine with the sauce rather than the protein.

Think about acidity, weight and texture

Riffing with wine and food is something Fabio De Nicola embraces. The sommelier at Italian seafood restaurant Baccalà near London Bridge often likes to create balance through contrast.

‘For example, using high acidity to cut through richer or oily fish, or saline and mineral notes to highlight freshness and natural sweetness,’ he says, while pairing a vibrant yet creamy 2020 Verdicchio di Matelica Riserva from Casa Lucciola with a main of grilled prawns and squid with black lime and bitter greens.

Charlie Edwards agrees. Until recently the food and beverage director at Tom Brown at The Capital in London’s Knightsbridge, which was awarded its first Michelin star this year for its creative menu, Edwards believes you should always consider acidity when it comes to matching seafood and wine.

‘Acidity keeps things clean and bright,’ he says. ‘Shellfish and meatier fish often sit beautifully with wines that have a bit more body and mineral tension, like a Chardonnay from Burgundy, whereas lean white fish really shines alongside crisp, aromatic styles.

‘And look at the weight and texture of the dish,’ he adds. ‘Lighter, delicately cooked seafood tends to work best with fresh, precise wines that won’t overwhelm it, while richer dishes – whether that richness comes from the fish or the sauce – can take something with more depth.’

How has your seafood been cooked?

Another thing to consider is the cooking technique, says Marcello Colletti, sommelier at London’s swankiest new seafood restaurant opening, Lilibet’s in Mayfair.

‘If your fish is grilled, that introduces a smoky element, so think light reds such as Chilean País, Jura Poulsard or Oregon Pinot Noir. Or if the fish is pan-fried in butter, then look at rich Chardonnay or Chenin Blanc.’

Seafood with sake

And when you’re struggling to find that perfect match for your seafood dish? Consider sake, suggests Michele Orbolato head of wine and sake at London Japanese fine dining restaurant Luna Omakase.

‘Certain styles of sake contain umami, which gives them broader and more flexible pairing options with seafood,’ he says. ‘This allows sake to complement textures and flavours that can sometimes challenge wine.’

The preferred pairing for Luna’s ambrosial signature dish O-Toro tartare – bluefin tuna belly tartare, aged wasabi and caviar? A sparkling sake. ‘Masumi’s Origarami works beautifully with the dish, offering delicacy, freshness and gentle palate-cleansing qualities,’ enthuses Orbolato.

Keeping it simple

Want to keep it simple? Then stick to the well-trodden path of pairing coastal wines with seafood dishes – hello, Txakoli and the like. And if you’re stuck with what’s on offer at the local supermarket, there’s always good old Albariño – it works every time.

Five great wine and seafood pairings to try

Native oysters with vintage blanc de blanc Champagne

The richness of the Chardonnay matches the meatiness of the oyster, while the oxidative qualities of the ageing contrast with the salinity.

Fish & chips with manzanilla Sherry

You can’t beat a light, fresh manzanilla Sherry with fish and chips – served chilled, its bone-dry, salty, zesty profile cuts through the rich batter and even stands up to the vinegar

Grilled sardines with Assyrtiko

A punchy fish, especially when barbecued and doused in lemon, needs a punchy coastal wine with lots of citrussy acidity to cut through the oiliness and smoke – step forward Santorini Assyrtiko.

Turbot pil-pil with Godello

A recent discovery – high-acidity, minerally, aromatic Galician Godello easily stands up to the now-popular rich, garlicky Basque sauce.

Seafood platter with English sparkling wine

With its racy acidity and distinctive flinty minerality, English fizz shines served with towering tiers of simply cooked seafood.

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An hour from the hubbub of Melbourne’s Central Business District, turning off the freeway and heading into rolling hills, the suburban sprawl falls away in the rear view mirror and the Yarra Valley opens before you like an oil painting.

The landscape is bucolic, the terrain undulates as it does in Tuscany, and birdsong supplants the distant din of the metropolis.

Not only is the Yarra Valley one of Australia’s most celebrated wine regions, chiefly famed for its Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, it is also one of its most accessible, with more than 80 cellar doors, award-winning restaurants and accommodation to suit most budgets, all a short hop from the country’s second biggest city.

Officially a cool climate region, there’s an abundance of varieties, from Italian grape émigrés to Bordeaux blends and a fresh, modern style of Shiraz.

The Yarra Valley is Victoria’s oldest wine region, but it has succumbed to the vagaries of fashion over its history.

Vines were first planted in 1838, but less than a hundred years later they had all gone, falling victim to the trend for fortified wines from warmer climes and making way for more lucrative crops.

The region’s renaissance began in the early 1960s, with the revival of heritage properties like Yeringberg, alongside new wave wineries including Yarra Yering.

Broadly divided into the Upper and Lower Yarra, based on the path of the Yarra river, the relaxed pace, Mediterranean flavour and spectacular scenery reward a few leisurely days touring, though it is perfectly possible to make a day trip from Melbourne, should time dictate.

Once in the valley, distances between wineries are short and there are handsome small towns, such as Healesville and Yarra Glen, to while away time over a flat white.

Wineries to visit:

Giant Steps

Established in 1997 by drinks industry pioneer Phil Sexton and named after his favourite John Coltrane album, Giant Steps has forged a reputation for single-vineyard Chardonnay and Pinot Noir that showcases a profound sense of place.

The tasting room sits on the main street in Healesville, the team are lovely, booking is encouraged, though walk-ins are welcome.

Yarra Yering

A pioneer of the Yarra Valley renaissance, established in 1969 by an eminent botanist, Dr Bailey Carrodus, the winery’s first Merlot cost more than Penfold’s Grange at the time of its release.

These days the winemaker is Sarah Crowe, who crafts a mostly Bordeaux-inspired portfolio of wines that balance power, structure and understated finesse.

Ten minutes from Healesville, the tasting room is cosy so book ahead.

De Bortoli

The Yarra Valley outpost for a family-owned winery, run by Leanne De Bortoli and her winemaker husband Steve Webber.

The portfolio is impressively broad, with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir rubbing shoulders with newer arrivals such as Gamay and Grenache.

Located at Dixon’s Creek, there’s a large tasting room with commanding views and a popular Italian restaurant, ‘Locale’.

Levantine Hill

If money is no object then you can choose to fly to this state-of-the-art winery by helicopter from central Melbourne.

Most will choose to drive the 10 minutes from Healesville for a tasting flight or classy wine-paired lunch.

Veteran winemaker Paul Bridgeman oversees a prestige portfolio showcasing the elegance and finesse that defines the Yarra Valley’s fruit.

Soumah

Set up by a hospitality veteran, Brett Butcher, the theme is Mediterranean, the colour scheme a blazing azure, while every detail seems to have been meticulously thought through.

The wines are an eclectic and compelling range of mostly Italian varieties, including some Decanter medal winners and there’s a top notch trattoria, so food pairing is a no-brainer.

My perfect day in the Yarra Valley:

Start the day the Aussie way, with a flat white. It’s almost impossible to find bad coffee in these parts, but I’d recommend Montesanto Coffee Roasters in Healesville, where owner Mario knows his beans.

For the best introduction to what the Yarra Valley has to offer, head across the road to Giant Steps for a plot-specific, premium tasting flight, focused on the region’s signature varieties, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

A short drive along the Maroondah Highway, treat yourself to an al fresco lunch at Levantine Hill Estate, with a Mediterranean-inspired menu and paired wines against the backdrop of the valley’s rolling hills.

Book an afternoon tasting at Yarra Yering, just five minutes away, to experience some of the region’s modern history and award-winning cuvées in its homely tasting room.

For a brief diversion, head back into Healesville for a tasting and tour at the famous Four Pillars gin distillery on the edge of town.

Continue the Yarra-meets-the-Med theme with delicious pasta or wood-fired pizza at Soumah, an Italian specialist nestled on a knoll in the Warramate foothills, and stay the night in one of its well appointed vineyard cottages.

Where to stay:

Soumah: Four luxurious cottages and the four bedroom Villa Sophia sit alongside the vines at this Italian-inspired winery near Gruyere.

Chateau Yering: Step back in time at this grand Victorian mansion set amidst a 250 acre estate, with stunning views over the Yarra Valley and 32 suites.

Yarra Gables Motel: A restored farmhouse-turned-motel, with friendly, wine-loving owners, set in beautiful manicured gardens on the edge of Healesville.

Where to eat:

Jayden Ong: Locally-sourced dishes are served alongside the barrels at this Healesville winery and restaurant, which also has a seasonal outdoor barbecue.

Soumah: The culinary theme is Italian at this relaxed trattoria tribute featuring a pizza oven and pasta, while the vineyard views are sublime.

Levantine Hill: High end Mediterranean cuisine, with wine pairing, in a swish restaurant boasting beautiful views of the Yarra Valley from the outdoor terrace.

How to get there:

Melbourne is the nearest international airport, served by Qantas and (from January 2027) by British Airways, around one hour’s drive from the Yarra Valley.

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Lambrusco, Emilia-Romagna’s sparkling red wine, is on-trend for being pairable, chillable, and more complex than once presumed.

But besides Lambrusco (and Sangiovese), there's another grape worth considering – the region's signature white grape, Albana.

Albana has long been overlooked due to its primary application in sweet, late-harvest passito wines, which has obscured the grape’s true potential.

Yet did you know that Albana di Romagna DOCG was the first white wine in Italy to receive DOCG designation, in 1987?

Capable of making dry and sparkling styles as well as the more ubiquitous sweets, the golden hued grape's versatility hinges on attention to terroir and technique.

So here are three reasons to pick up a bottle of Albana this summer.

1. Authenticity

Many winemakers in the region are commited to Romagna’s indigenous varieties, including Trebbiano, Sangiovese, and of course Albana.

This ensures that a sense of true identity and authenticity can be found in the bottle, tied to microclimate and soils for true terroir expression.

Open valleys support some maritime influence from the Adriatic Sea and abundant sun exposure, while inland sites offer a greater balance of clay in the soil for water retention.

Albana thrives in a composite of calcareous, sandstone, and clay soils, where it expresses acidity, salinity, and minerality.

For example, Elisa Valpiani – co-owner of Marta Valpiani in Castrocaro Terme – applies low-intervention winemaking in ‘Delyus’, a bright white with a lovely salty freshness, grown on south-facing slopes 500 metres above sea level.

2. Versatility

Full in body and with a plush texture, Albana's dry wines typically express savouriness and freshness, with tension and equilibrium between citrus, stone fruit, herbal and floral notes.

Notes of honey complement sweeter wines.

Albana’s thick skins lend phenolic structure, which makes it particularly suited to orange/ skin contact expressions, as well as supporting sweet wines.

The grape's natural acidity is beneficial for making sparkling wines, and also perfectly counterpoints the residual sugar in botrytis and late-harvest sweet styles.

Vinification in concrete or stainless steel preserves Albana's dynamism, while the use of oak brings out more complexity and enhances texure.

Lees stirring is used for even more weight and texture.

3. Food friendly

With phenolic structure, acidity and freshness, Albana is a fantastic white wine for the dinner table.

Dry versions in particular are substantive, full-bodied counterparts to the region’s signature pasta dish, cappelletti, as well as structured seafood, pork, and poultry dishes.

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Pizza and wine pairing: Beyond the usual suspects

On a balmy evening at Bar Bucce in Miami, a slice of New York-style pizza bigger than my head is delivered at the bar with a glass of aged sake.

There's no way this works, I think, but I'll try just about anything – even something as odd as this.

‘I am always trying to break the stereotype that sake only goes with sushi,’ says Jacqueline Pirolo, beverage director and co-owner at Bar Bucce.

‘The aged sake, known as “koshu”, tends to have an oxidative, vermouth-like quality. The earthy, savoury, nutty notes play off the umami in the pizza perfectly. I only wish I had thrown a few mushrooms on your slice!’

Pizza has thrived on reinvention. It moves easily from casual street food to fine dining pies topped with caviar, eaten standing up or served on linen-draped tables.

Wine pairings, too, are evolving beyond the predictable glass of Chianti. Today’s diner wants finesse without the fuss, and pizza and wine combinations are just the thing.

'Cold Lambrusco with hot pizza is magic'

For Brent Kroll, owner of Pop Fizz Bar and Maxwell Park wine bar in Washington, DC, the secret to pairing pizza is a one-and-done deal.

‘I bang the drum for Lambrusco all the time,’ he says. ‘People still assume it’s sweet, but dry Lambrusco is one of the best wines for pizza. You’ve got fat, salt and richness, and the wine brings fruit, freshness and bubbles. It’s a classic sweet-and-salty combo.’

Kroll’s Detroit-style sourdough deep-dish pizzas at Pop Fizz – fermented in Ford automotive pans inspired by the style’s industrial origins – take creative liberties, with pies topped with ‘Big Mac’ beef, and Buffalo chicken and ranch dressing.

Sparkling reds work particularly well, he explains, because they can shapeshift with a glossary of flavours, carbonation refreshes the palate and the subtle tannins grip fatty toppings such as pepperoni and other cured meats.

‘Cold Lambrusco with hot pizza is magic,’ he says. ‘Temperature matters as much as flavour.’

A drizzle of hot honey, now nearly ubiquitous on American pies, finds balance in Lambrusco’s lower alcohol and ripe fruit character.

Through fruitiness and perceived sweetness, even dry versions soften heat from ingredients such as the kimchi that tops one of Kroll’s pies.

Kroll has even started an annual Lambrusco week at Maxwell Park, where he shares multiple producers and education with diners.

‘Pizza is communal,’ he says. ‘It’s relaxed. Wine should feel the same way.’

Complex and casual

Across the Atlantic, Michele Pascarella, chef-owner of Napoli on the Road in London’s Soho, sees pizza’s future firmly rooted in craftsmanship, which is increasingly aligned with fine wine.

‘Pizza is, at its core, a simple dish. But creating it perfectly, getting the dough, the cooking, the ingredients just right, is incredibly complex,’ he says.

His award-winning Ricordi d’Infanzia (‘childhood memories’) pizza, for example, is layered with 12-hour slow-cooked Neapolitan ragù and 24-month Parmigiano Reggiano cream.

Pascarella says it calls for Campanian red variety Pallagrello Nero, its dark fruit and liquorice notes mirroring the pie’s richness.

For the Carciofi e Patate option – topped with a delicate combination of parsnip cream, fior di latte (cow’s milk mozzarella), grilled artichokes and sliced potatoes – Pascarella prefers either a Greco di Tufo white, where the citrus and mineral tension cuts through the creaminess, or a lightly sparkling red such as Gragnano, which offers red fruit and lift.

Fermentation, fermentation

Back in Miami, Pirolo’s sake pairing shows that pizza can be a natural match with many fermented beverages.

At Bar Bucce, pizzas are New York-style (thin crust) with an Italian spirit, from a shrimp pie layered with stracciatella to a crisp marinara finished with anchovy oil.

To go with the shrimp pie, Pirolo pours Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo – a dark Italian rosé with zesty acidity and herbal notes.

The anchovy oil-finished pie gets a brut Franciacorta pairing, ‘hopefully in magnum form to make a party of it with a group of friends’, she says. ‘Bubbles and pizza were my original love before sake and pizza.’

Effervescent drinks, from sparkling wines to makgeolli (Korean lightly sparkling rice wine), beer and spritz cocktails, thrive because they refresh the palate.

Chilled reds echo pizza’s informality while preserving complexity.

Oxidative styles, whether aged sake or brioche-scented, traditional-method wines, amplify umami and browned crust flavours.

Lounging at Bar Bucce, the sake glass empties faster than expected; another hot slice is on the way. The nutty sake works with the yeasty dough, and the deep umami notes make the Pecorino cheesier.

With the sun setting over Miami palms, I chuckle at the revelation of a seemingly impossible pairing.

Three surprisingly great pizza and wine pairings to try

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'No city does hotel cocktail bars like New York'

No matter the type of traveller, most cocktail-loving jetsetters agree that nothing beats a classic hotel bar.

Posting up with a strong drink in a cozy hotel space brings a welcome sense of comfort and relaxation, whether visiting from out of town or simply exploring the scene in your home base—and no city does hotel cocktail bars like New York.

Home to some of the world’s most storied spaces, New York’s hotel bar scene offers a myriad of treasures to be discovered, though knowing where to settle in—and of course, what to order—is key.

Check out eight of our go-to Manhattan hotspots here, from longstanding institutions to newly-opened lounges and beyond.

Eight of the best hotel bars in New York City

Bemelmans Bar at The Carlyle

35 E 76th St, New York, NY 10021

Few hotel bars exude old-school glamour as well as Bemelmans. Located on New York’s Upper East Side, this iconic cocktail bar has welcomed the likes of celebrities and politicians alike, including JFK and Paul McCartney.

Known for its live jazz and photo-worthy wallpaper – handcrafted by Ludwig Bemelmans himself, who took residency in the hotel for around 18 months during the mid-1940s – the bar’s strong martinis and unmatched ambiance help to justify the premium prices.

Pro tip: With just 69 seats, the bar fills up quickly, so plan to wait—or better yet, arrive early / during off times for your best shot at a spot (we recommend between 3pm and 4pm).

Monkey Bar at The Hotel Elysee

60 E 54th St, New York, NY 10022

Monkey Bar has long been a New York City staple, hosting the company of carefree creatives, Don Draper-like ad men, and Midtown finance professionals for nearly 100 years.

Known for its Art Deco dining room and signature wraparound mural highlighting Jazz Age icons (think everyone from Frank Sinatra to Dorothy Parker) – as well as its gold and wooden monkey figurines scattered throughout the interior – the bar’s dimly lit ambiance and energetic vibe make it the ideal place for throwing back a few bourbon smashes or stiff gin-based drinks.

For top-tier people watching with an old school flair, look no further than this landmark cocktail joint.

Club Room at Soho Grand

310 W Broadway, New York, NY 10013

Drink, dance, or dine—why choose? At the Club Room at Soho Grand, you can truly have it all. Known for its 'uptown elegance with downtown edge,' this two-room supper club is open Wednesday through Saturday, offering live music, a full dinner menu, and late-night DJs.

Clad with velvet banquettes, two-top tables, and 18-foot mirrored ceilings, this Art Deco-inspired lounge also features a dedicated bar area and separate parlour space, perfect for accommodating whatever type of night you’re looking to have.

Note: There’s a cover charge of $25-$35 ($25 Wed-Thu, $35 on weekends), though access is complimentary for Soho Grand hotel guests.

Lobby Bar at Hotel Chelsea

226 W 23rd St, New York, NY 10011

For a high-end lobby bar with an equally decadent history, look no further than the Chelsea Hotel.

Reopened in 2022, the bar’s curated cocktail menu highlights thoughtful signature drinks and elevated small plates, with the 884 Martini (gin, cedro lemon, vetiver, Spanish olive oil) as one of its most revered libations.

The landmarked hotel has housed the likes of Bob Dylan and Patti Smith, further adding to its trademark Bohemian charm.

In addition to the Lobby Bar, which operates as the hotel’s 'living room', the space also opens to an airy garden terrace, perfect for enjoying drinks al fresco, should the weather permit.

Ty Bar at The Four Seasons

57 E 57th St, New York, NY 10022

Art Deco is a recurring theme amongst New York’s hotel bar scene, though few do it as well as Ty Bar.

Tucked within the Four Seasons in Midtown, this cozy red-hued room serves up bespoke cocktails that pay homage to the city’s historic past—think the New York, New York Sour, Ty Manhattan, and Brooklynite, made with Appleton 8 Year Rum, Planteray 3 Stars Rum, lime, local honey, and Angostura bitters.

Outfitted with floor-to-ceiling windows, a warming fireplace, and exclusive views of the hotel’s grand lobby, there’s really no bad seat in this storied space—it’s simply a matter of preference.

Best of all, Ty Bar features complimentary live music every Thursday from 6pm to 9pm.

Sloane’s at The Manner Hotel

58 Thompson St, New York, NY 10012

For top-tier drinks and a glamorous downtown vibe, check out Sloane’s in The Manner Hotel.

A rather new-to-the-scene bar (opened September 2024), this jewel-box lounge brings a welcome addition to the already trendy neighbourhood, and is the perfect place to grab a pre- or post-dinner drink.

Known for its signature drinks and elevated bites – caviar-topped chicken nuggets included – the space regularly features live jazz, though music or not, the vibes are always on point.

We recommend springing for the London Calling, made with Fords London Dry Gin, fino sherry, grapefruit, bergamot, and orange bitters, or grab the simple Dirty Martini, prepared with olive brine sherry vermouth, sea salt, and an optional caviar bump to boot.

Lounge on Pearl at The Wall Street Hotel

88 Wall St, New York, NY 10005

Martinis are having a renaissance, and Lounge on Pearl is one of the best places in the city to drink them.

Known for its high ceilings and airy ambiance, this downtown hotspot highlights a menu entirely dedicated to the drink, including customisable dry, dirty, and espresso options, as well as a handful of unique riffs – think the Manzanilla, made with Bombay Sapphire Gin, Valdespino Sherry, and an Almond Stuffed Olive, as well as the savoury Mushroom Martini, made with ​​Grey Goose Vodka, shiitake, and dashi.

The lounge also offers a Martini Frites special, featuring a martini of choice and side of fries for $32, as well as a number of signature cocktails and by-the-glass wine pours.

The bar also houses a small library area with a number of art books and newspapers, making it a great place for a zen moment downtown.

The Rum House at Hotel Edison

228 W 47th St, New York, NY 10036

World-class cocktails and Times Square may sound like a contradiction, though The Rum House consistently defies all odds.

Known for its wood-panelled room and – you guessed it – speciality rum cocktails, this vintage-inspired bar offers a desirable reprieve from the chaos of Midtown.

The bar’s wood-panelled walls and distinct copper accents create a retro, 1970s-inspired vibe, making it the perfect backdrop for nightly live piano and jazz music with a strong drink in hand.

Classic rum cocktails, including the Painkiller, Rum Punch, and Mojito are perfectly executed, though we recommend also springing for a signature libation, such as the Hotel Nacional, made with Plantation Dark Rum, pineapple, lime, Giffard Abricot du Roussillon, and Angostura Bitters.

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Unlike blended Cognac, vintage Armagnac can express the character of one particular year – making it a natural choice for wine lovers to explore.

Why vintage Armagnac goes its own way

Spirits like order. Scotch whisky has age statements neatly stacked into a ladder, reassuring the drinker that time equals value.

Cognac’s alphabet soup of VS, VSOP and XO provides a rough guide to age progression, even when the liquid itself is the product of extensive blending. In both cases, age provides a framework for expectation.

Armagnac sits adjacent to these systems. Officially, it has its own classifications: VS (one year), VSOP (four years), XO or Hors d’Age (10). They exist, and many producers use them.

Yet when Armagnac is discussed with any seriousness, the conversation almost inevitably turns to vintages.

The reason is partly structural. Unlike Cognac (built on a handful of large houses that age and blend, rather than cultivate and harvest), Armagnac is often made in smaller volumes by growers distilling once a year from their own wines. Blending across years is possible, but less central.

How vintage Armagnac expresses individual years

Where Cognac smooths variation, Armagnac allows the character of a single harvest to endure. Here, vintage is not decorative, but declarative: the growing season is captured and preserved in spirit.

This invites a question more familiar in wine: can one vintage be better than another?

In Armagnac’s case, the answer is yes; though ‘different’ is a more useful word. Each harvest shapes the style of the eaux-de-vie that emerge from the still.

A warm season may produce a rich, broad spirit; a cooler year, something firmer, more tensile.

Maturation complicates matters further. A lighter vintage might be ready sooner and won’t need to be smothered with oak; more powerful years need time in barrel to be tamed.

What emerges isn’t a ranking, but a series of expressions, each year shaped by its own conditions and complete in itself.

In a spirits world obsessed with ladders of age, of price, of prestige, Armagnac’s attachment to vintage feels quietly resistant, showcasing postcards from the past where age isn’t a promise of quality or complexity, but a snapshot of a moment in time.

One to try

Château de Lacquy, Armagnac 2007, Bas-Armagnac, Southwest France

Where to buy it: £113/70cl, The Whisky Exchange

Château de Lacquy, Armagnac’s oldest family-owned estate (producing since at least the early 1700s), farms 22ha of vines for its Armagnac, all of which are harvested, vinified, distilled and aged by individual plot and variety.

Slow distillation in a 1939 wood-fired still has given this 2007 vintage a rich, full-bodied nose of strawberry jam and dark chocolate.

The palate has figs, poached pears and orange blossom, with a cinnamon powder finish. Alcohol 48%.

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Bari Vecchia: Like walking through a film set

Bari, capital of southern Italy’s Puglia region, is a seamless blend of ancient and contemporary, with a vibrant buzz.

The medieval old town, Bari Vecchia, is an astonishing maze of white stone alleys and arches, pristine and well lit.

Strolling around Bari Vecchia is like walking through a film set. At regular intervals, the narrow alleys open onto spacious piazzas with soaring monuments such as the Basilica di San Nicola and the Romanesque cathedral, which features a fascinating underground archaeological area including ancient mosaics that largely date as far back as the sixth century.

There are plenty of outdoor tables from which you can enjoy the atmosphere, along with local wines: perhaps a refreshing white Verdeca frizzante or the increasingly popular, aromatic Minutolo, accompanied by olives or crunchy taralli snacks (traditional Pugliese savoury bites).

The old town neatly fills a rounded peninsula, edged west and east by a 12th- to 13th-century castle and wide city walls that overlook the glittering Adriatic.

A short promenade stroll away is Molo San Nicola, a historic pier where fish is sold fresh from the boats each morning and Bari-style breakfasts of sea urchins and other raw seafood are prepared by the fishermen.

Local heroes: Food and wines to try

Bari is a gastronomic gem

Like the rest of Puglia, Bari is decidedly food-centric and there’s an abundance of street food spots and bakeries selling fragrant speciality focaccia drenched in luscious local olive oil.

On the celebrated Via delle Orecchiette, women make and sell orecchiette pasta outside their homes; try it with ragù or the winter classic, cime di rapa greens.

Bari’s most popular pasta, however, is spaghetti all’assassina, cooked until deliciously charred in a spicy tomato sauce; a local rosé pairs perfectly.

Bari's wines: Reds and rosés

Bari is one of Italy’s top rosé wine areas and all of Puglia’s favourite native red grapes (Primitivo, Negroamaro, Nero di Troia and Susumaniello) are used for fruit-filled rosatos, along with rich, velvety red wines.

Bombino Nero, a red variety here made only as rosé, has a dedicated DOCG around the striking Castel del Monte castle, west of Bari near Andria city, which is also home to creamy burrata.

Meanwhile, PDO-certified mozzarella is the star cheese of the town of Gioia del Colle, about 35km south of Bari, at the heart of Puglia’s vast Murgia plateau, where some of the city’s favourite Primitivo wines are made.

Bari wine tour: Two nearby wineries to visit

I Parieti estate

Matteo Santoiemma’s small I Parieti estate, named for the area’s characteristic dry-stone walls, lies at 400m with stony soils and constant breezes and stronger winds.

Coming from a commercial career with a number of top-tier wineries, Santoiemma has brought a fresh and experimental outlook to his wines. Tastings under the olive trees are memorable, surrounded by wild flowers, herbs and rocks, and overlooking trulli (distinctive, circular dry-stone dwellings typical of nearby Alberobello).

Along with skin-contact Minutolo, perfect with cheese, his wines include a mineral-infused rosé and an elegant red, both from 67-year-old alberello-trained Primitivo vines.

Tenute Chiaromonte

Nearby at Acquaviva delle Fonti, former equestrian pro Nicola Chiaromonte runs Tenute Chiaromonte, having picked up skills from his winemaker mother and olive oil-producing father.

Classical music plays all day at the gleaming white winery, where bedrooms, a restaurant, pool and labyrinthine underground cellars are due for completion in time for the 2026 bicentenary celebrations.

Chiaromonte’s diverse wines range from an exuberant Chardonnay-Minutolo spumante to intense Primitivos with soaring alcohol levels, including award-winning cru Muro Sant’Angelo Contrada Barbatto.

Bari address book: Where to eat, drink and stay in the city

Accommodation

Palazzo Calò

With contemporary design complemented by centuries-old stone, this stylish hotel has 12 spacious bedrooms. Coffee machines and kettles are standard, and some also feature kitchens and balconies. The stunning rooftop bistro is open to non-guests for drinks and dinner, with a menu that features Asian and local specialities.

Eat and drink

Deli delights

Visit Casa.Ro early to watch mozzarella and burrata being made, then book a cheesemaking workshop or enjoy a tasty lunchtime treat. In Bari Vecchia, Nicola Lapesara serves platters of charcuterie and cheeses at his historic Antica Salumeria deli.

Enoteca del Centro

Gianluca De Napoli favours small producers for the 700-plus labels at his wine bar-shop among the smart stores of Bari’s newer centre. The evening menu has gourmet bites such as seafood carpaccio and braised beef.

La Uascezze

An atmospheric corner of Bari Vecchia with stone arches outside and in; the name – dialect for ‘convivial cheer’ – sums up the vibe. The menu features pulses, stews and traditional classics such as potato, rice and mussels. Wines, all from Puglia, include a softly sweet Primitivo amabile – an ideal way to finish your meal.

Mostofiore

An enoteca with an appealing bottle-lined interior, specialising in natural wines. Order what’s available by the glass or ask to try something different. Food includes oysters and slow-cooked artichoke with fried basil.

PerBacco

A member of the Slow Food Cooks’ Alliance, so quality ingredients are fundamental here. Choose from a selection of olive oils and enjoy dishes including twice-cooked octopus and burnt-wheat pasta. The restaurant interior is charming, with doily settings on wooden tables designed by the owner, architect Beppe Schino, who also selects the wines.

Visit

Gioia del Colle

While transport or a guide (try Puglia To Be) is needed to reach the wineries, Gioia del Colle itself is well connected by train. Its castle has superb archaeological finds from nearby Monte Sannace. Bar-restaurant Trattoria Pugliese, opposite the castle, is run by Vittoria, sister of Matteo Santoiemma of I Parieti (see p107) and her chef husband.

Insider's tip: Visiting the beach

Although central Bari is located by the sea, the nearest beach, the oddly named Pane e Pomodoro (‘Bread and Tomato’), is a half-hour seafront stroll away. Facilities are scarce there, so pick up some focaccia from Panificio Fiore and wine to go with it from Enoteca Cucumazzo.

For picturesque seaside scenery, the town of Polignano a Mare is roughly 30 minutes by train.

During my workday I confess to occasionally procrastinating and daydreaming.

Being a wine lover, much of this idle time is spent shopping for wine to have at home, since at the end of a long day writing about wine, I love to unwind with a glass of the same.

Each wine that I drink at home is bought with a different audience in mind. The most important audience is my wife, and I cook for her most evenings.

Home comforts

It's not always elaborate, and at least once a week, it is a simple roast chicken and salad. It's important to have a workhorse wine to pair with a frequent meal.

This week, it has been a delicious white Burgundy for which I paid the princely sum of $15. The wine was Domaine Thevenet Mâcon-Pierreclos 2023, made from grapes grown at an elevation of 350 metres, and vinified without oak.

The site and the winemaking deliver a wine of almost shocking purity. Even in the warm 2023 vintage, there was an abundance of lemony fruit, a hint of minerality, and no heaviness at all.

This uncomplicated, everyday wine is delicious on its own but also stands up to food.

Host with the most

When friends come over, an côte de boeuf is another favourite – a double-thick, bone-in rib of beef, roasted in the oven with root vegetables and served with haricots verts.

If my friends are knowledgeable about wine, I will reach for something from a ‘name’ producer. A recent success was the Passetoutgrain ‘l’Exception’ from Domaine Michel Lafarge.

The grapes are from Gamay and Pinot Noir vines planted together in the same plot, nearly 100 years ago, between Volnay and Meursault, which the Lafarge family farms biodynamically.

The extraction is gentle, and the wine is aged in well-used casks, yet they coax a wine of resonance and depth from the old vines that goes beyond its regional appellation and makes for a memorable meal, all for $32.

On the town

As a New Yorker, I also love dining out. One of my favourite venues with wine friends is a Cantonese restaurant in Chinatown called Wu's Wonton King.

Proprietor Derek Wu has made a specialty of wonton soup and fresh seafood, much of which comes from the meticulously clean tanks lining the walls.

Live king crab, sea eels, lobster, and steamed whole fish all make an appearance, along with the occasional roast suckling pig.

Cuisine this varied demands a versatile wine, and I will often choose a dry Riesling.

Recently, I have been regaling my friends with magnums of J.B. Becker Wallufer Walkenberg Auslese Trocken 2015, which is just beginning to hit its stride, redolent of apricots, lemon peel, and floral notes, and something deeper as well – a hint of earth and iodine, a suggestion of petrol and funk.

With Auslese-level ripeness fermented to dryness before long ageing in neutral casks, this Rheingau beauty shows both power and finesse, transforming a trip to Chinatown into a festive meal.

See what other bottles Charles is drinking at home each week on his website here.

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Champagne is big, covering 150km from north to south and 120km from east to west. If you’ve got just one night in the region, then it’s best to stay focused.

You won’t get the whole picture in 24 hours, but whether you’re in it for a serious Champagne crash course or a relaxing escape, these two itineraries make a perfect first trip.

Itinerary one: Reims, Epernay and a 24-hour Champagne crash course

When it comes to sights, evenings out and general buzz, the city of Reims holds all the cards over smaller Epernay, and it’s here that you should stay overnight.

There are sound and comfortable budget options, but for one night only it’s worth heading centrally to options such as La Caserne Chanzy or Hotel de la Paix for amenities.

Drop your bags and head for Reims Cathedral in the daylight for a dose of history before the Champagne starts flowing.

An impressive 33 French kings were crowned here between 81 and 1825, although visitors today head for the stunning stained glass windows, ranging from 13th century originals to Marc Chagall’s famous 1974 replacements for glass lost during the Second World War.

Champagne celebrated 10 years as a UNESCO world heritage site in 2025, so combine history and bubbles with an essential stop in the chalk crayères to the south of the city.

Several fine Champagne producers use kilometres of cellars built around Gallo-Roman chalk pits to age their wines, with Ruinart, Taittinger and Pommery open for visits.

Both Taittinger and Ruinart offer impressive, recently renovated facilities that include tasting and hospitality, with Ruinart offering a series of rare cuvées by the glass to tempt visitors into the striking new pavilion designed by Japanese architect Sou Foujimoto.

Leave at least two hours to complete a tour and tasting from the centre.

Downtime and on to Epernay

Take your time to soak up Reims in the evening. Head to Place du Forum, and the excellent Wine Bar by Le Vintage, for interesting grower Champagnes by the glass, or sit out in the square in the summer to catch regular free concerts.

Dining options range from Michelin star splashes such as l'Assiette Champenoise, Domaine Les Crayères or newly starred Arbane, to lo-fi options such as Sacré Burger or Au Cul de Poule.

On day two, head to Epernay (travel light if you’re on the trains – there is no left luggage in either Reims or Epernay station).

Brush up on some Champagne essentials at the Musée du Vin de Champagne et d’Archéologie Régionale on the Avenue de Champagne (or the intriguing Pressoria in nearby Aÿ, also home to some famous names in Champagne and a couple of good dining options).

Of the Grands Maisons on or near the Avenue itself, Boizel, Moët et Chandon, Leclerc-Briant, Gosset and Perrier-Jouët all either offer full tours and tastings or fine hospitality.

Epernay is tourist-centered, and dining options are a little thin on the ground here – book ahead to Sacré Bistro for modern dining, or local favourite La Grillade Gourmande.

Itinerary two: Tune out and take it slow in the vineyards

The region has finally caught up with the demand for comfortable escapes in the vineyard landscape itself, from where it’s easy to arrange visits to Champagne producers you may not have had the chance to see from the main centres of Reims and Epernay.

The glitz and glamour of the five-star Royal Champagne is hard to beat, although it’s by far the most costly option in the region.

Located 10 minutes drive from Epernay, it has everything you’d expect from a hotel of this size and grandeur, with one of the region’s top Champagne lists in the Michelin-starred restaurant.

More affordable, though, is nearby Loisium, whose main attraction is a heated outdoor pool, spa and comfortable rooms (although dinner options in nearby Aÿ are better).

There are fine boutique stay-and-dine options in the attractive Château de Sacy and Champagne Palmer’s Domaine du Chalet on the Montagne de Reims, as well as Domaine Jacques Sélosse’s Les Avisés in the Côte des Blancs.

If you are out in the vineyards, don’t miss the opportunity to visit smaller grower-producers.

Top hotels can arrange this for you, but beware the fact that they may have commercial agreements to send guests to certain producers – it’s best to do your research first (read our various regional guides and reports).

Tour companies such as Sparkling Tour or A La Française offer small group tours of independent growers, or you can even arrange a private tour with companies such as Instants Champagne or Delectabulles (who focus on independent women-led Champagne houses).

If you’re arranging your own visits, bear in mind that smaller producers always need visits booking in advance, and will be unlikely to accept visits during August and harvest season (normally September, depending on the vintage).

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Another Hendrick's makes debut

Launched in 1999, with its distinctive dark apothecary bottle, Hendrick’s Gin helped drive the premium gin renaissance of the early 2000s.

Master Distiller Lesley Gracie also created higher-proof Orbium, released in 2017, as well as a series of special limited editions. But the brand now has its first new permanent addition in almost 10 years: Another Hendrick’s (Alcohol 41.4%, £33-£41.99/70cl Sainsbury’s, Selfridges, The Whisky Exchange).

Packaged in a striking white bottle, the new expression showcases orange blossom and cacao botanicals.

‘Another Hendrick’s is the complete opposite of what we’ve been doing for the past 25 years,’ said Gracie. ‘After experimenting with different elements from the Hendrick’s Gin Palace’s tropical greenhouse, I discovered this brilliant profile featuring a depth of flavour, hint of sweetness and lift of freshness that is completely distinctive.’

There’s a bright orange citrus lift to the aromatics, some orange blossom and sweet notes of white and milk chocolate.

The palate is velvety, with a driving line of crisp juniper and citrus, layered with notes of milk chocolate, white pepper and an appealing satsuma finish.

How to drink it

Enjoy it in a G&T garnished with a twist of orange peel or in a Spritz serve with 35ml each of Another Hendrick’s, apple juice and Prosecco, plus 50ml soda and one barspoon of cherry liqueur.

What do drink now: Garden cocktail

From: Britannia Bar, Trondheim, Norway

Trondheim’s Britannia Bar boasts a carefully curated aquavit collection, spanning rare, historic and contemporary expressions that highlight Norway’s distilling heritage – and its creative cocktail menus put this spirit to good use.

‘The Garden is a vibrant, herbaceous and citrusforward cocktail from our award-winning menu: A Spirited History,’ says Øyvind Lindgjerdet, executive bar manager.

‘It is built around the un-aged Lysholm Blank No52 Aquavit and Cocchi Americano. Fresh lemon juice brings brightness, while our house-made Orangerie Bitters and a syrup made from local, fresh marigold flowers add an aromatic, herbaceous lift.

'The result is vibrant, structured and slightly funky, with a layered botanical profile that unfolds sip by sip.’

Ingredients for the Garden cocktail

• Glass: Rocks
• Garnish: Sweet potato sprout
• 30ml Lysholm Blank No52 Aquavit
• 20ml Cocchi Americano Bianco
• 20ml marigold cordial
• 20ml lemon juice
• 2 dashes Orangerie Bitters. Angostura Orange Bitters can be used as a substitute for the bar’s bespoke bitters.

How to make the marigold cordial

• Put 1L of water and 1kg of sugar in a pan.
• Add the zest and juice of two oranges and lemons, then bring to the boil, stirring until the sugar is fully dissolved.
• Add 1kg of marigold stems, leaves and flowers, and allow to infuse for 10-15 minutes.
• Strain thoroughly.

How to make the Garden cocktail

• Combine all ingredients and shake until your hands are cold.
• Strain into a rocks glass filled with ice cubes and garnish.

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Lamb is to Easter as turkey is to Christmas – the automatic go-to for a festive family lunch.

Perversely, it’s largely based on the idea that you’re going to be cooking the first of the season’s spring lamb.

In fact, unless you live in Spain or France, where milk-fed lamb is a delicacy, it’s unlikely that you’ll be dining on spring lamb, which is certainly a very different beast from lamb from more mature animals such as hogget (a sheep between one and two years old).

It’s also quite likely that it won’t be the slightly overcooked Sunday roast of my parents’ and grandparents’ generations.

Ready for an adventure?

All this means that the go-to wines with lamb – and let’s face it, lamb goes with almost any classic red, from Bordeaux to Rioja – might not work if you become more adventurous with your cooking method and seasoning, the most useful question to ask yourself being, how hearty is the dish?

Heading into spring, as we are, your lamb could be a rosy-pink rack, the perfect foil for a delicate red Burgundy or other Pinot Noir but, should you want to be more adventurous, you could also pair it with rosé Champagne or an English sparkling rosé.

Should you decide to marinate your lamb with olive oil, oregano, garlic and lemon, grill it and serve it Greek style with a scattering of feta, I’d be inclined to go for a citrussy Greek white such as Assyrtiko rather than a red, adding another element of citrus rather than red berry or plummy fruit.

Come autumn, you might decide to slow cook a shoulder of hogget with Middle Eastern spices – a definite candidate for a red, surely, but you could equally well serve an orange or skin-contact wine, or an appassimento red, especially if pomegranate molasses is involved.

And while a hearty winter dish such as a lamb boulangère (cooked on top of sliced potato and onions) definitely calls for a red, it doesn’t have to be French. What about a Chilean Syrah or a South African Rhône blend?

Side effects

It’s also a question of the sauces and vegetables you serve on the side. If you’re a classic mint sauce aficionado, you might want to echo those flavours with a Coonawarra Cabernet, but make it a salsa verde and it’s hard to beat a Chianti.

The kind of spring vegetables you’d find in a navarin of lamb (classic slow-cooked stew) would be better with a Rhôneish white – as indeed would a lamb korma curry, with which a Viognier is usually a reliable pairing.

Summery lamb with peas? It’s as much about the peas as the lamb, but Pinot Noir works with both.

Aubergines? Yes to reds again, especially with a dish such as moussaka, but if chickpeas or hummus are involved, I’d be more inclined to go for orange wine, which also pairs well with a lamb and quince or apricot tagine. (It’s always worth thinking about the fruit you might serve with lamb to give you a clue as to the kind of wine that would work.)

Then, is the lamb hot or cold, or rather tiède – served at room temperature? (Cold lamb never sounds particularly appetising.)

I’ve mentioned sparkling rosé, but high-quality still Provençal rosé such as a Bandol rosé works, especially if accompanied by typical Mediterranean vegetables such as courgettes and peppers.

Purists might baulk, but I guarantee you’ll enjoy it.

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Dirty Martini: Surfing the savoury wave

Just like a classic car or fine watch, a fabulous Martini has always been in style. But in bars worldwide, the drink’s popularity has recently skyrocketed – and for many Martini-sippers out there, the dirtier, the better.

‘There’s definitely been a shift towards savoury, umami-led drinks,’ says Andy Loudon, director of bars at Rosewood London, ‘and the Dirty Martini delivers that in a way that feels both concise and familiar. It hits the savoury note without needing explanation, which makes it approachable while still feeling classical.’

Umami-rich and pickled flavours – from Korean kimchi to American dill pickle – have entered the food zeitgeist.

Coupled with a revival of simple-butpunchy classic drinks such as the Manhattan and Negroni, they’ve arguably fuelled the trend for this savoury cocktail.

Cult drinking holes across the globe, such as Long Island Bar in Brooklyn, New York, have created their own ultra-savoury, creative versions to keep up with consumer demand for dirty.

The dirty debate: choosing your spirit

Like a standard Martini, a Dirty Martini contains gin or vodka and vermouth, but with the added salinity of olive brine; or, in some interpretations, muddled olives.

‘I prefer to get the “dirty” character directly from the olive itself,’ says Luca Harchay of London’s Quo Vadis. ‘[This] gives a more natural, oily and controlled salinity, rather than the sharpness of brine. After stirring [with ice and vermouth], I fine-strain so the cocktail stays clean but layered.’

The debate around a Dirty Martini’s ‘correct’ spirits, ratio and mixing method are as old as the cocktail itself, though most bartenders I spoke to preferred a classic London Dry gin for the base (Tanqueray was name-checked).

The reason? Its strong juniper backbone can stand up to the salinity and flavour of olive, where more delicate gins may become overwhelmed.

Alternatively, if you really want olive to be the star flavour – or if you’re experimenting with more nuanced olive brines, from bright and tangy Gordal olives, for example – you might find a smooth, earthy potato vodka to be the ideal partner.

This will provide a clean-tasting but weighty canvas to let the brine shine.

Getting creative with your garnish

Your garnish should, of course, be an olive, but there’s also a trend for creativity on this front.

For example, Rita’s in London’s Soho serves its version with a blue cheese-stuffed olive, anchovy and jalapeño Gilda – a signature Basque Country pintxo skewer; undeniably dirty, undeniably delicious.

How to make a Dirty Martini

Ingredients

• Glass: Martini
• Garnish: Skewered olive
• 75ml gin or vodka
• 15ml dry vermouth
• 10ml olive brine (or to taste)

Method

• Put all of the liquid ingredients in a stirrer with ice.
• Stir continuously until extremely cold.
• Strain into a chilled glass and garnish. Drink immediately.

One to try

Four Pillars Olive Leaf Gin, Australia

£36.95-£39.50/70cl Drink Finder, Hic, The Great Wine Co, The Tipple Cellar

Made with olive oil and olive leaf tea from Cobram Estate in Victoria, this modern Mediterranean-style gin has a profile made for Dirty Martinis. Savoury, herbal and buttery. Alcohol 43.8%.

See also: Best gins for a Dirty Martini: eight to try

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Modest beginnings

Malaysian food is essentially family food, with the nation’s beloved dishes derived from home-cooked recipes.

As this simple fare made the leap to restaurants, its robust flavours of coconut, chilli, shrimp paste and dark soy remained prominent, making it a challenging cuisine in the minds of many wine drinkers.

However, while most Malaysians instinctively reach for whiskey on ice or brandy at the dining table, wine is surprisingly sympathetic to Malaysian dishes – especially exotic styles, from sparkling red wine to Nebbiolo rosé.

In Australia, Malaysian flavours were a primary inspiration for the innovative fusion food scene born in the 1980s.

Chef Cheong Liew was instrumental in forging this cultural embrace at his seminal Adelaide restaurants Neddy’s and The Grange, combining ideas and techniques from his Chinese-Malay heritage with myriad other influences – which was seen as a unique crosscultural mix, to Liew’s surprise.

‘Malaysian food is fusion food already, because it’s such a melting pot of different cultures – Malay, Chinese, Indian, Nyonya,’ he says. ‘It’s all present in the favourite Malaysian dishes, and that’s why the flavours are so gutsy.’

Big flavours

Former MasterChef Australia contestant Emily Yeoh, who won a legion of fans for presenting Sarawak laksa in one of the rounds on the TV program, has found that many sommeliers incorrectly presume that her Malaysian dishes are difficult to pair with wine.

‘It’s not so complicated, and surprisingly versatile in which different wines work well with the big flavour combinations,’ she says.

At Emily Yeoh restaurant in Brisbane, she likes to match the peppery Sarawak laksa with Gewurztraminer or German Riesling (which blend a note of sweetness with a firm spine of acid), while luscious Malaysian curry laksa is better suited to a dry Grenache rosé.

She also suggests a few surprising matches, such as full-bodied and fruit-forward Chardonnay with chilli crab, and rich, complex Champagne (she likes Louis Roederer) with the thick and creamy Nyonya chicken curry.

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New launch in focus: Brunette Clear Coffee Liqueur

Bordeaux Distilling Co has claimed a 'world first' with the launch of its Brunette Clear organic transparent coffee liqueur, helping to tackle waste in the coffee industry.

Brunette Clear Coffee Liqueur (Alc 22%, £30.75/70cl The Whisky Exchange) is made from a base of organic French wheat and uses two by-products of the coffee-making process: cascara (the de-pulped coffee cherry) and coffee blossom.

These are macerated in wheat spirit for two weeks, before being distilled.

They are then blended with a third distillate created from the filtration process of the company’s Brunette Organic Cold Brew Coffee Liqueur.

How it tastes

Lower in sugar than conventional coffee liqueurs, Brunette Clear is light enough to sip as a digestif, with a combination of dried fruit and floral notes, plus a delicate coffee cream flavour on the silky palate.

It also works well in a Clear Espresso Martini: simply stir equal parts Brunette Clear and vodka over ice and strain into a chilled Martini glass.

What to drink now: 'Lumen' Champagne cocktail

Lumen Cocktails and Cuisine, The St Regis Rome, Italy

For a drink that dazzles as much as the Eternal City, look no further than the Lumen.

A simple combination of Italicus, bitters and Champagne, this sparkling libation is as satisfying to drink as it’s easy to make.

Fabio Borro, director of food and beverage at The St Regis Rome hotel, explains that the cocktail was created to capture the spirit of its namesake bar: bright, elegant and rooted in the spirit of Rome.

He adds that the Lumen cocktail unites Italian craftsmanship with classic hotel cocktail culture.

What's in the Lumen cocktail?

‘What makes the Lumen cocktail truly special is how simple yet expressive it is,' says Borro.

'Italicus [Alc 20%, £27.99-£42/70cl Widely available] gives the cocktail a fresh, bergamot-driven lift that feels distinctly Italian, while Peychaud’s Bitters [Alc 35%, £11.50/148ml Gerry’s, Spiritly] adds depth and a subtle nod to old-world mixology.’

The Champagne finishes the drink with brightness and ease, making it feel effortlessly celebratory without being showy.

How to make the Lumen cocktail: What you'll need

• 30ml of Italicus
• 2 – 3 dashes of Peychaud's Bitters
• Champagne (chilled)
• Glass: Champagne coupe
• Garnish: Lemon peel (if desired)

Method

• Add the Italicus and bitters to the coupe glass
• Gently top with chilled Champagne to maintain balance and effervescence
• Add lemon peel garnish (if desired)

Climat and lieu-dit might seem like inconsequential words sometimes seen on wine labels.

But in Burgundy, they’re heavy with meaning. Let's keep things simple...

The crucial thing to understand is this: climat is linked to wine. Lieu-dit is linked to land.

Now for the long version...

What is a climat?

The Burgundian term climat refers to a precisely defined vineyard site whose grapes produce wines that have shown a consistent, distinct character over time.

The defining elements include all of the characteristics of the site: topsoil, subsoil and bedrock; the aspect (which way the vineyard faces), the elevation, and the slope.

In Burgundy, even the way cold air drains down valleys carved by retreating glaciers is crucial, as it can impact ripening.

Over centuries, grape growers noticed the differences in the wines, and gave the sites names. Many of these climats have now been known by these names for centuries.

In 2015, UNESCO recognised the importance of climats and inscribed the landscape of Burgundy on its World Heritage Convention.

It recognised 1,247 climats in the Côte d'Or, although there are of course climats in Chablis, the Côte Chalonnaise and the Mâconnais as well.

This rich patchwork of vineyards helps explain the diversity of wine styles and qualities.

UNESCO points out that it is the interaction of people and grapevines with this landscape that produces the unique result of Burgundy wine.

This is the essence of terroir.

What is a lieu-dit?

A lieu-dit simply means a ‘named placed’.

It comes from the French land registry – the cadastre – introduced under Napoleon Bonaparte in 1807 to better organise taxation by having a register of places divided up by crop type.

The divisions in the land registry are known as lieux-dits.

This doesn't just refer to vineyards. The whole of France is divided into lieux-dits.

And this is where it gets confusing.

In many places in Burgundy, sometimes the name of the climat and the lieu-dit are the same.

Sometimes one climat contains several lieux-dits (for example the Echézeaux climat contains 11 lieux-dits).

Other times, only part of a lieu-dit qualifies as a climat (the Clos de la Roche climat includes several lieux-dits, but excludes parts of others).

While lieux-dits can refer to any land in France, the concept of the climat is uniquely Burgundian.

Simply put, lieux-dits are for the tax man, while climats are for the vigneron.

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Clive Pursehouse speaks for the Willamette Valley in Oregon

As cool-climate Pinot Noir regions go, I think the Willamette Valley in Oregon is without peer in the United States.

I love the wines of the West Sonoma Coast, with their freshness and lift, but the classical elegance of the Willamette, marked by its unmistakable forest floor character and sweet, fresh red fruit, swings it for me.

The Willamette Valley has become a New World answer for lovers of classic Burgundy.

The biggest stigma that the Willamette Valley faces is that it’s not in California. As more than 80% of the country’s wine comes from the Golden State, people often have a hard time imagining American fine wine coming from anywhere else.

While Burgundy aficionados love the region’s Pinot Noirs, the average American wine consumer is still unaware of the Willamette Valley, considering this well-established region, with more than 700 wineries, a sort of ‘Wild West’ outpost.

Despite this, the region that was pioneered in the early 1970s has risen in just 50 years to be recognised as one of the world’s premium Pinot Noir-producing appellations.

American upstarts such as Adelsheim, Coury, Lett and Ponzi have been followed there by French names like Drouhin, Jadot and Lafon.

Unlike the West Sonoma Coast, which I do love for its beautiful wines, the Willamette isn’t a sub-appellation and has a singular identity, known for crafting elegant Pinot Noirs with fresh fruit and a deep, evocative ‘underbrush’ aspect, all while allowing for 11 nested AVAs within it to offer a diversity of expression.

You can’t see the ocean from any of the Willamette Valley’s vineyards – it sits about 65km west as the crow flies – but its maritime influence has a constant impact on the wines of the region.

Earthy richness

The cooling power of the Pacific makes the Willamette Valley the exceptional cool-climate region it is.

As the temperature rises in the valley during the warm summer months, cold air from the Pacific rushes into the Willamette through a gap in the Coast Range, cooling the region in the late-afternoon heat.

The latitude of the Willamette Valley, much farther north than Northern California, also means it has a shorter growing season and lower UV intensity.

The signature of Oregon Pinot Noir for me is the rich, Pacific Northwest forest floor, whether it’s turned soils, undergrowth or mushrooms: what the French call sous bois – the deep evergreen forests blanketed with ferns.

This provides a sense of depth and umami richness that frames the fleshy, bright berry fruits – be they strawberries, raspberries or riper Oregon blackberries – finishing with a saline character deriving from the region’s temperate Mediterranean and maritime climate, crisp and balanced acidity and often a flinty minerality.

Taken together, these elements create an elegance evocative of the Pinot Noirs of Burgundy.

However, in my view, the calibre of the wines, particularly for the price, exceeds what’s available in both Burgundy and the West Sonoma Coast.

Ana Carolina Quintela speaks for the West Sonoma Coast

American wine is no longer aspirational – let’s agree on this much before anything.

Pinot Noir, especially, has been thriving across different regions in the country, comfortably so.

Inevitably, at this point. The only interesting question isn’t whether the US can make great Pinot Noir, but where it speaks most compellingly.

More often than not, the answer circles back to the same two regions: Oregon’s Willamette Valley and the West Sonoma Coast of California.

While these two regions are often grouped together as cool-climate Pinot territory, in practice the resemblance only goes so far.

For me, the California coastal wines pull ahead, and the West Sonoma Coast’s biggest trump card is the Pacific ocean.

The ocean isn’t just a backdrop. The marine fog layer rolling in and out of the vineyards, spilling through winding roads, isn’t a special effect. The sudden rise in elevation isn’t scenery. The wind isn’t occasional, either.

Put it all together and those elements shape the wines that carry that imprint of salinity, etched acidity and a lift that goes beyond freshness.

It reads as energy. I’m comfortable calling it power.

Not ripeness, not weight, not authoritarian force. I mean the power of carrying a unique identity with confidence and a touch of defiance.

A power that doesn’t just sit on top of the wine, but holds it up from underneath. Pinot Noir is, by nature, an elegant grape, but elegance doesn’t have to be polite or appear fragile.

On the West Sonoma Coast, Pinot is elegant and unapologetically powerful.

A sense of scale

Part of what makes the West Sonoma Coast so compelling is also what makes it challenging for consumers to understand. This isn’t a region you cross through casually.

Vineyards are few and far between, because the land resists them with its steep ridges, isolated pockets, thick redwood forests and roads that remind you, pretty quickly, of how demanding it is to grow wine there.

There is a sense of scale: nature, larger than life, that shows in the glass.

I think it’s also fair to say that the Willamette Valley benefits from a built-in point of comparison to Burgundy.

Its geographic position (about 45°N latitude, compared to West Sonoma Coast’s 38.3°N) and climate make that parallel feel intuitive, and over time it has helped give the region a clear, legible identity, especially among collectors.

The West Sonoma Coast hasn’t had the same luxury.

As a younger AVA (American Viticultural Area – it was given TTB approval in May 2022), it has spent years labouring under the generic weight of ‘California Pinot’, or fighting for the visibility it deserves, which says more about how the two regions are framed than about the wines themselves.

I do love many of the wines from the Willamette Valley, but its more inland geography does leave it facing greater pressure as warming trends become harder to ignore.

And the longer you spend thinking about climate change, the more the coast starts to feel like insurance.

If great cool-climate Pinots are the ones that can keep their edge and balance, the appeal of places where the ocean still has a clear say feels obvious.

More top US Pinot Noir? For many more recommendations of top-quality Pinot Noirs from around the US, including Oregon and Sonoma, head to Decanter Premium

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• Rethinking ripeness in Napa Valley: A fresh perspective on the region’s evolution

Having tasted extensively across the contrasting 2022 and forthcoming 2023 vintages of Napa Cabernet – the former early-drinking, riper with softer tannins, and the latter a cellarworthy year marked by vivid, fresh fruit and structured tannins – it made me consider the concept of ‘ripeness’

I asked a handful of Napa’s top winemakers to reflect on their approach and perspectives on ripeness in any growing season.

I wanted to know what it means to achieve ripeness today. How do farming choices shape ripening, whether ripeness is measured beyond numbers, and what does it mean in the context of balance?

What emerged was a familiar wine-world paradox: everyone agrees that achieving ideal ripeness – and ultimately a balanced wine – is paramount. Yet no one agrees on any fixed definition of that ideal.

‘The American palate has evolved towards less sweetness and more appreciation for acidity, bitterness, and a diversity of flavours,’ says Julien Fayard, of Fayard Wines, Covert, and Gemstone.

‘Culturally, as the food in our country changes, so do the wines. Napa is following a slower path, but reinventing and re-adjusting itself to better align its wines with what we’re eating today.’

For Aron Weinkauf of Spottswoode, it’s more personal and subjective. ‘I appreciate more subtlety, beauty, and freshness than I did 25 years ago,’ he says, echoing many others interviewed for this article.

Across conversations, the notion of achieving an ideal ripeness reveals no straight line to a target number. Instead, it follows a curving path, with overlaps between freshness and richness, hedonism and restraint, lab numbers and intuition – shaped by farming decisions, soil, vine material, climate, and stylistic preferences.

Evolution of the Napa style

From the higher-acid, tannic, long-lived wines of the 1970s, to the full-bodied, lush, sweet-fruited, richly oaked wines of the early aughts, and back toward a more nuanced middle ground today, the winemakers I spoke with consistently traced Napa’s ripeness conversation to historical planting decisions in the vineyard.

Rebekah Wineburg of Quintessa points to the 1990s as a defining moment: ‘The phylloxera crisis forced wide-scale renewal of vineyards,’ she says, explaining how it brought new clones and rootstocks selected to enhance physiological ripeness and bold flavour development.

At the same time, she continues, winemakers were ‘rejecting the vegetal flavours’ of earlier wines and seeking a style aimed at pleasure and immediate appeal.

By the 2000s, vineyard design and winery tools reinforced that shift. ‘Winemakers were chasing concentration, and the path to it seemed clear: lower yields, later picks, and absolute selectivity,’ Wineburg says. Advances in cellar technology made later harvesting feel safer – and, for a time, stylistically rewarding.

The alcohol fallacy

Rarely was ripeness framed in terms of potential alcohol levels.

Matthew Crafton, President and Winemaker of Chateau Montelena, explains: ‘I’ll see a picking window where the potential alcohol is in a good place, and the flavours are really nice’, explains , ‘but wait a day or two, and those numbers shift, and so do the flavours. You’re not measuring alcohol for balance—you can’t use alcohol as a proxy for ripeness.’

Meanwhile, Jean Hoefliger, of JH Consulting and AXR asserts: ‘You can’t be fooled into thinking a wine should always sit at a specific alcohol level.’

‘One of the greatest wines ever made – the 1947 Cheval Blanc, which came in at 14.4% ABV. Which was over two points higher than was typical for that wine. As for Napa Cab, in the late 1990s and early 2000s, consumer desire for more immediately approachable, pleasurable wine led to picking late, no acid or tannin additions, and ultimately to higher-alcohol, flabbier wines. That trend is now in reverse.’

Weinkauf emphasises how changes in vine material alone have altered ripening dynamics. ‘Today’s vine structure and vine vigour are very different. Trellis and vineyard infrastructures have changed.’

He notes that vertical shoot positioning differs radically from California sprawl or head-trained vineyards, with implications for yield, flavour concentration, and tannin development.

Climate change has added further complexity. Since 2015, Napa has experienced three of its warmest vintages on record. Nile Zacherle of David Arthur Wines argues that growers must adapt structurally, ‘rethinking row orientation and canopy architecture so wines are not shocked by climatic swings’.

Tasting ripeness

Despite access to unprecedented amounts of data, none of the winemakers describe ripeness as something determined solely in the laboratory, either. ‘Ultimately, it still comes down to taste,’ says Celia Welch of Scarecrow fame, and Celia Welch Consulting, with winemakers leveraging data as ‘checkpoints,’ above all else – as Rebekah Wineburg put it.

‘I literally ask myself: Do I want to eat this grape? Is it delicious?’ says grower, winemaker, and winery owner Steve Matthiasson.

As Aron Weinkauf explains, ‘we do measure sugar per berry,’ but he stresses that those numbers are weighed alongside ‘evaluating vine health, watching the weather, and tasting.’

Grapes growing on the vine give tangible cues such as ‘firm clusters versus limp, flaccid ones’, says Zacherle, ‘and a healthy canopy is one that provides dappled sunlight,’ for even-keeled ripening, ‘as harvest approaches.’

Wineburg describes ‘brown flavours’, bruised fruit, and a loss of freshness in grapes that are overripe.

By contrast, Jonah Beer of Pilcrow Wines (pictured above) frames under-ripeness biologically, suggesting that until the vine believes the seed can survive, ‘the vine keeps the acid high and sour’ in grapes.

Farming towards balance

‘Vines are pretty great at adapting to and reading their environment,’ says Weinkauf, ‘but our actions as the farmers can confuse them.’ He avoids early watering and excessive intervention, preferring to ‘guide rather than control’.

Matthiasson describes a season-long approach – cover crops, compost, pruning, shoot thinning, leaf thinning, irrigation – designed to deliver fruit that ‘makes the winemaking job easy’ and improve wine quality ‘without having to harvest later at higher potential alcohol’ (his Cabernet-based wines usually come in around or under 13% alcohol).

Chelsea Barrett talks of site-specific decisions. ‘In high-vigour blocks, we may plant permanent cover crops and [grow] larger canopies’, to control ripening, while ‘in lower-vigour sites, we might drop down to one cluster per shoot’, aiming at finding balance.

Fayard, by contrast, notes that, ‘we have been steadily lowering our alcohol by picking slightly earlier’. He adds that increasing yields at certain sites has improved hang time, slowed sugar loading, and led to ‘lower alcohols and better refined tannins’.

As an example, Fayard cited his Les Vins Julien line of wines, which are made with deliberately lower alcohol levels (as low as 11%).

Pendulums, preferences, and diversity

At a broader level, Napa’s ripeness story follows more of a pendulum swing. From pre-Parker elegance to power-packed Cabernets, now veering back toward a newer version of balance, based on how the growing season shapes a vintage. ‘There is no wrong or right, just diversity of style and taste,’ says Beer.

‘Remember those crazy-ripe Cabernets that had alcohols in the high 16% range?’ asks Welch, echoing Hoefliger that: ‘In recent years, the trend seems to be in the opposite direction.’

Continuum’s Tim Mondavi describes how smarter farming has changed the equation. He says: ‘In the past, we harvested late, in order to ameliorate the harshness of the wines.’

But better farming has allowed him to achieve ideal ripeness earlier in the season, thereby mitigating pressure from potential late-season extreme heat or fire.

‘Harvest is unpredictable,’ says Chelsea Barrett, ‘you make the best decisions you can with imperfect information,’ which is why better farming often comes with some capital-intensive technological improvements.

During the major heat event of 2022, wineries that had spent money to install vineyard misters kept canopy temperatures 15-20 degrees cooler on extremely hot days, thereby limiting sugar spikes and staving off higher potential alcohol levels.

‘We observe various movements – organic, biodynamic, regenerative farming, natural winemaking, on and on – but we do not commit to any single philosophy,’ concludes Fayard. ‘Instead, we prioritise transparency and customising our farming approach to each site.’

Wineburg summarises the collective mood best: ‘Ripeness is important, of course,’ she says, ‘but the intent has shifted.’

And that recalibration – toward balanced wines, expressive of site – suggests Napa Valley will never abandon its signature ripeness so much as refine it, just as regions such as Bordeaux and Burgundy did over generations.

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Classic red wines to pair with lamb

Here are six key grape varieties behind some of the most popular red wine styles to pair with lamb:

• Pinot Noir
• Tempranillo
• Cabernet Sauvignon
• Syrah / Shiraz
• Grenache
• Sangiovese

Cabernet Sauvignon-driven red wines are commonly considered a classic match with roast lamb served medium or ‘well done’, bringing a sumptuous balance of cassis fruit, tannic structure and acidity to the table.

There’s also something alluring about a comforting lamb stew on a cold, wintry evening with a bottle of hearty red. Alternatively, young lamb served pink might take you into Pinot Noir territory.

Choosing a wine to drink with lamb

Food and wine pairing can divide the room, of course. This is a highly subjective pursuit, and even wines from well-known grape varieties and regions will vary in character according to winemakers’ decisions.

Caveats aside, it’s useful to consider the intensity and make-up of the dish.

‘Lamb has quite a delicate texture, but is also quite rich and fatty,’ said master sommelier Kathrine Larsen-Robert MS, head of wine for Europe at members’ club 67 Pall Mall.

‘As such, pairing with a wine which has nice acid structure is important. Depending on the cut of lamb, and thus how full in flavour it is, I would go for a wine which is light to medium in body.’

Wine with slow-cooked lamb shoulder

Larsen-Robert said some Pinot Noir wines at the riper end of the fruit spectrum pair well with the richness of slow-cooked lamb shoulder.

‘With a slow-cooked roast lamb shoulder, I would go for something with lots of acidity to cut through the rich sauce, but also with lots of fruit sweetness. This could be a Pinot Noir from New Zealand, for example.’

Speaking to Decanter in 2024, Larsen-Robert added: ‘I really like Felton Road Block 3 Pinot Noir, from a young vintage such as 2018 – great sweetness and fruit concentration, [and] great acidity to cut through the juicy texture and richness of the lamb.’

Decanter experts have also previously recommended Grenache blends, such as those of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, with a slow-roast shoulder of older lamb. If you have them in the cellar, wines with a few years of bottle age may sing alongside the meat’s gamey character.

Herbaceous notes of ‘garrigue’ on some Syrah / Shiraz or Grenache wines, from southern France to South Australia and California, may add extra depth to a dish with lots of Mediterrean herbs, like thyme, rosemary and sage, too.

Wine with a rack of lamb and lamb chops  

‘A rack of lamb is a more muscley, firmer cut, but it also has a fuller flavour because it is close to the bone,’ said Larsen-Robert.

‘Thus, I would pair with something fuller in structure and flavour, such as a Pauillac [from Bordeaux’s Left Bank].’

Individual lamb chops can offer a rich, fatty cut that is also full in flavour by virtue of being close to the bone, Larsen-Robert said.

‘I would go for a juicy wine with strong tannic structure, but that also possesses good fruit purity and freshness, such as Barolo or Barbaresco.’

‘You could also choose a more traditional style of Brunello [di Montalcino] without too much oak or extraction.’ Examples include ‘a Sesti from 2015 – a vintage showing good evolution now but which also has nice fruit concentration’.

A study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry in 2021 found that fatty molecules known as lipids, found in various foods including meat and cheese, interact with tannins to reduce the sensation of astringency on the palate.

Rioja with lamb: perfect harmony

Rioja is often lauded as a great match for lamb. This Spanish wine region is known for grilled lamb cooked over an open fire made from vine cuttings.

‘It’s extraordinarily good – the meat is young and tender and harmonises perfectly with the local Tempranillo-based wines,’ wrote food and wine expert Fiona Beckett in this Decanter article on pairing Rioja with food.

Tempranillo is also a driving force behind the great red wines of Ribera del Duero, where it’s also known as Tinto Fino.

‘Lechazo asado (suckling lamb roasted in a clay dish in a wood-fired oven) pairs well with hearty crianzas and reservas from Ribera del Duero,’ wrote Noah Chichester in his food and wine lover’s guide to the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route.

Vega Sicilia and Pingus are two Spanish wine icons here, but there are plenty of other producers to watch.

Cabernet Sauvignon with roast lamb served medium to well-done

Roast lamb served medium to well-done will be richer in flavour and not quite as tender. Cabernet Sauvignon is often considered a strong choice, with many wines delivering bright fruit, tannic structure and a backbone of acidity.

In Bordeaux, Frédéric Braud, chef at Château d’Issan in Bordeaux’s Margaux appellation, previously recommended the estate’s 2010-vintage grand vin with a slow-cooked roast leg of lamb.

Some ‘second wines’ from the top-rated 2016 vintage at Médoc grand cru classé estates have entered their drinking windows, while the Cru Bourgeois classification can be a source of great-value options.

Good Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot blends are found across the globe. Regions to look for include:

• Hawke’s Bay – New Zealand
• California – USA
• Coonawarra & Margaret River – Australia
• Stellenbosch – South Africa
• Argentina and Chile – South America

Syrah / Shiraz wines are also good options for roast lamb. Some wines will offer a touch of pepper spice in the glass that can also work beautifully with the texture of the meat.

Decanter recently revisited the highly regarded 2015 vintage in the Northern Rhône, a Syrah heartland. Not only does the vintage deserve the hype, but many wines are ‘opening up and drinking well already,’ wrote Rhône correspondent Matt Walls.

Alternative wines to pair with lamb dishes

There are plenty of other potential pairings across the wine world, and discovering new styles is all part of the fun.

Decanter's regional editor for Italy, James Button, recently reviewed this good-value Nero di Troia red wine from Puglia. 'Mid-weight, textural and with some grippy tannins, it's a perfect match for beef or lamb,' he wrote.

Rosé wines with lamb

Some fuller-bodied rosé wines can work well with lamb dishes, depending on the ingredients accompanying the meat.

Food and wine expert Fiona Beckett explored this concept with chef Michel Roux Jr’s recipe for spiced lamb shoulder, recently featured in Decanter’s perfect pairing series.

Gastronomic rosé Champagnes are also an option for the table. ‘Pink Champagne is versatile when it comes to food pairing,’ wrote Natalie Earl, Decanter’s regional editor for France. ‘Richer styles can stand up to bigger flavours and richer foods.’

Five offbeat wine and lamb pairings to try this weekend

By Fiona Beckett | As featured in Decanter magazine April 2026 issue

• Vintage rosé Champagne or English sparkling rosé with rack of lamb, served pink
• Assyrtiko or Greco di Tufo white wine with grilled lamb marinated in garlic and herbs
• Crianza or Reserva Rioja with Rogan Josh lamb curry
• Orange wine with slow-cooked lamb with Middle Eastern spices
• Tavel rosé with grilled lamb

See the full pairing suggestions, and read more about uncommon wine and lamb combinations, in Fiona Beckett's article: Offbeat wines to pair with lamb.

Best wine with lamb: Bottles tasted by our experts

The following wines cover a range of price-points and have been tasted by Decanter’s experts.

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The second Thursday in November marks International Tempranillo Day, a well-deserved accolade for this versatile and popular grape.

Tempranillo is thought to have originated in the neighbouring regions of Rioja and Navarra in northern Spain.

It can make good-value, fruit-forward and approachable wines. Of a Decanter panel tasting of value Spanish Tempranillo earlier this year, judge Andy Howard MW commented: ‘From virtually no other country could mature, expressive and well-made wines be found at values even vaguely comparable to these.’

But it’s also a mainstay in some very high-end, ageworthy examples. Its thick skins often translate to wines with deep colour, and young wines may have notes of red fruit (think: an abundance of strawberries), developing notes of vanilla, liquorice and tobacco with oak ageing.

Tempranillo grows widely throughout Spain but perhaps most famously in Ribera del Duero (where it is known as Tinto Fino) and Rioja. In Ribera del Duero, home to Spanish icon Vega Sicilia, many producers vinify it as a single varietal wine, whereas in Rioja it is more likely to be blended with Garnacha, Mazuelo, Graciano and Viura.

It’s also an important player in Navarra, Toro (as Tinta de Toro) and Valdepeňas (as Cencibel). In other regions around Spain it also answers to Tinta Madrid, Tinta del País and Ull de Llebre.

Tempranillo is also a variety which can be found in Portugal (as Aragonez and Tinta Roriz), southern France, Mendoza in Argentina, as well as California and Washington State in the US.

In terms of food matching, its versatility lends itself to many dishes. Decanter contributor Fiona Beckett recently commented that inexpensive Tempranillo would be a good pairing for ‘sausage and mash, shepherd’s (and cottage) pie, even mince on toast’.

‘Older vintages, which might be regarded as more of a treat, are great to bring out with a Sunday roast or a pot roast or pheasant casserole, making the best of the last of the season’s game,’ Beckett added.

Related articles

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The damning line ‘I am not drinking any f***ing Merlot!’ from the 2004 film Sideways has a lot to answer for. Already on something of a down-turn in fortune, Merlot suffered a further reduction in popularity due to the shun. A sort of early noughties ‘cancellation’.

On the other hand, some of the finest Merlot-based wines have an almost cult following and have long-since fetched prices among the highest in the world. So what are the characteristics of this grape of mixed reception?

Its fruity profile – think red plum and cherry, and black fruit in warmer vintages – touch of chocolate and typical soft tannins, lend themselves to easy-drinking wines approachable in youth. It’s also capable of producing wines for long ageing, and performs well in blends.

While you won’t find it in all wine-growing regions, Merlot is very widely planted, earning it something of an international reputation. Its true home, and one of the places it is most-highly regarded, is Bordeaux, where it performs particularly well in the damp and cool clay soils of the right bank. It is used either in a blend with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and/or Malbec, or as a single varietal. Legendary Pomerol estate Petrus, for example, uses 100% Merlot (since 2010).

Another notable region for high-quality examples is Tuscany, where famous names such as Ornellaia and Massetto have put the grape on the map for Italy. Californian and Chilean examples are also well-worth seeking out.

As wine styles differ greatly, so too do food pairing options. You may like to drink a fruit-forward mid-week quaffer with a simple tomato-based pasta dish or grilled chicken while more robust styles will hold up well to steak, pork and earthy mushroom dishes.

Related articles

• South American Merlot: Panel tasting results
• US Merlot: Panel tasting results
• Left and Right Bank Bordeaux: What is the difference?

International Carignan Day is celebrated on the last Thursday of October in appreciation of this once-shunned variety.

According to sommelier Daniel Illsley, things are looking up for the former ‘ugly sister to Grenache and Syrah’. ‘Tasting a good vintage of mature Cariñena is the only epiphany any doubter needs,’ he adds.

Don’t miss the ultimate wine experience – book your tickets now for the Decanter Fine Wine Encounter London 2025

Thought to have originated in Aragón, north-east Spain, Carignan is a late-ripening variety which needs very hot conditions to flourish.

It was – and to a lesser extent, still is – widely planted in the south of France, specifically in the Languedoc and Roussillon, and as a result gained a reputation as a grape for bulk wine.

However, high-quality Carignan comes from old, lower-yielding bush vines, particularly in Spain’s Priorat. The grape performs well there in the famed llicorella soils which have low levels of nutrients and poor water-holding capabilities, forcing the roots to grow deep.

Naturally high in acidity, tannin and colour, Carignan also makes a useful blending partner – often used to complement Syrah, Grenache and Mourvèdre. Some winemakers choose to use carbonic maceration to soften its qualities and promote its fruit-forward characteristics.

Found in many regions of the world it follows that it’s a grape of many names. In Spain it’s known as Cariñena, Samsó (in parts of Catalonia) and Mazuelo (in Rioja), and in Italy as Carignano (and Bovale Grande in Sardinia). In the US it’s referred to as Carignane. It can also be found in Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Mexico, South Africa and Israel, among other places.

In the glass, characteristics depend on methods of course, but good examples may show notes of dark berry fruit, red cherry, herbs, chocolate, earthiness and spice.

Related articles

• Priorat: An enthralling new wave arises
• Walls: Roussillon’s old vines are its best drought defence
• The winemakers behind ‘post-modern’ Rioja

A complex white Burgundy, majestic Rioja Gran Reserva or silky, bright Pinot Noir wine from one of several key growing regions can all be fantastic choices to drink with turkey.

Classic styles when pairing wine with turkey include:

• Full-bodied Chardonnay, such as those from Burgundy or California
• Pinot Noir
• Mature Bordeaux, Rioja or Barolo
• Beaujolais (Gamay)

Decanter Premium: The perfect gift for a special wine lover

Basics: what kind of wine goes with turkey?

Turkey is not a very powerful meat and its relatively low fat content means it can dry out quickly during cooking. 

Great wine matches with turkey include relatively full-bodied white wines or medium-bodied reds with low-to-medium tannin levels and high acidity. 

Turkey’s lack of fat means there is little to dampen down prominent, mouth-coating tannins associated with some younger, bolder red wines.

Bold tannins could eclipse all that hard work in the kitchen. Yet tannins generally soften over time, which is why a few years of bottle age can change the picture.

That said, ‘classic’ styles can vary in the glass according to winemaking decisions and vintage conditions.

Food and wine pairing is also highly subjective. Personal taste is always important, as expert Fiona Beckett recently wrote in defence of the concept.

Search all Decanter wine reviews

Pairing wine with turkey: a visual guide

Click on the turkey and wine pairing graphic below to see a full-size version.

Pairing wine with turkey at Christmas

Roast turkey for Christmas or Thanksgiving tends to arrive with an entourage that demands attention. 

‘As turkey has quite a subtle taste and a soft texture, the style of the wine will depend essentially on what accompanies the fowl at Christmas,’ said master sommelier Matthieu Longuère MS, wine development manager at Le Cordon Bleu London culinary school.

‘The classic trimmings that tend to be eaten alongside turkey for Christmas lunch are: a mountain of roasted potatoes, stuffing, carrots, parsnips, pigs in blankets, red cabbage, Brussel sprouts, cranberry sauce, and an ocean of gravy,’ said Longuère.

‘This variety means that your choice of wine needs to be a good all-rounder. It should not be too tannic or it will clash with the sweetness of the cranberry sauce and root vegetables, and the sweet and sourness of the cabbage. 

‘Also, it cannot not be too heavy or too full-bodied, as it will overwhelm the soft turkey meat,’ he said, speaking to Decanter in 2024.

Acidity can help to refresh your palate as you wade through the array of dishes on the table.

Is red or white wine better for a turkey dinner?

An expert Decanter panel named white Burgundy as the best pairing with turkey back in 2011.

This beat Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Bordeaux blends, Pinot Noir and Californian Zinfandel in a tasting.

Longuère said it should be possible to find a wine in every colour that fits the bill, however. That’s good news if one of your fellow diners only drinks rosé, or white, red or orange. 

Red wine with turkey

Pinot Noir

Pinot Noir often delivers wines of bright red fruit and refreshing acidity, albeit with varying levels of structure, and can be a great red wine choice for turkey. 

It’s still possible to find ‘value’ options in Burgundy, if you know where to look.

That said, premier or grand cru wines from top producers would likely deliver a memorable experience for anyone with access to them.

Decanter’s Burgundy correspondent, Charles Curtis MW, recently reviewed several Richebourg Grand Cru wines from Domaine Anne Gros.

Longuère recommended a good, five-year-old Pinot from Burgundy, Germany or also the UK, as well as from regions outside Europe.

Delicious Pinot Noir wines can be found across the world, from Mornington Peninsula in Australia and Central Otago in New Zealand to Oregon’s Willamette Valley in the US and Walker Bay in South Africa.

Some styles may be too lightweight. Decanter’s 2011 panel found a Volnay wine from Burgundy’s Côte de Beaune was ‘overwhelmed by the food.’ 

Younger reds can work, too. Longuère said ‘New World’ styles tend to be more approachable in youth, but also that decanting can help to ‘soften up’ younger wines in general.

Cru Beaujolais, produced from Gamay, is another fitting option, said Longuère. He advised looking towards lighter crus like Fleurie or Brouilly.

One feature of cooking turkey during the festive season is that the meat can last beyond the big day.

For cold roast turkey leftovers, food and wine pairing expert Fiona Beckett previously advised looking towards ‘a riper, more robustly fruity Pinot Noir from, say, California, Oregon or New Zealand’.

Mature red wines with turkey

Many wines built for long-term ageing have prominent tannins when young, although the character of these tannins can vary.

Nebbiolo (Barolo) and Cabernet Sauvignon are two grape varieties able to produce highly prized, long-lived wines that are generally high in tannin and acidity.

Tannins soften over time in the best bottlings, integrating into layer-upon-layer of delicious primary fruit and ‘tertiary’ flavours to offer a real treat at the table.

Longuère said: ‘If one is going for it, [I’d suggest] a 20-year-old Haut-Médoc or Barolo when they become really complex, with aromas of tobacco, autumn leaf and sweet oak, and feel like pure silk on the palate.’

Bordeaux’s brilliant 2005 vintage turned 20 years old in 2025, but don’t write off years that didn’t make quite so many headlines.

Charles Curtis MW recently explored the the charm of Bordeaux’s undervalued class of 2006.

Some vintages and wines evolve quicker than others, of course.

Bordeaux 2014 is a good place to look for relative value and wines offering drinking pleasure now. Several top names from the well-regarded 2015 vintage are also showing well in the glass a decade on from harvest.

Rioja with roast turkey: ‘a slam-dunk match’

Longuère also suggested Rioja Gran Reserva wines at least 10 years old as a potentially great match for turkey.

These wines are released with some bottle age and are often relatively good value in the fine wine world, he noted.

Wine writer Olly Smith is also a fan. ‘Turkey with all the trimmings and a high-end Rioja Gran Reserva is a slam-dunk wine match for Christmas day,’ he previously wrote for Decanter.

Read our Rioja wine buying guide

White wine with turkey

‘Barrel-fermented or barrel-matured white wine more than five years old would be ideal,’ said Longuère. 

He said examples include: ‘New World Chardonnay or Burgundy from Meursault or Chassagne-Montrachet, White Rioja Reserva or Gran Reserva, Sémillon-based white Pessac-Léognan in Bordeaux, [or] Chenin Blanc-based blends from South Africa.’

Chardonnay

A relatively full-bodied Chardonnay can be an enchanting accompaniment to your turkey, especially with traditional sides like bread sauce. 

Well-judged oak can bring some sweet spice notes, while creamy lactic acid may add depth alongside fruit flavours ranging from lemon and honey to ripe pear and quince. 

A backbone of acidity brings balance to the richness and should carve a path through all of those trimmings.

Good Chardonnays are often found in similar geographical areas to good Pinot Noir.

For those with the means and looking for something extra special, Decanter Burgundy correspondent Charles Curtis MW recently revisited the 2014 vintage in the grands crus of Chassagne- and Puligny-Montrachet.

Rosé and orange wines with turkey

Rosé needn’t just be for summer sipping. Longuère said fuller-bodied, more complex styles of rosé wines can be a hit with turkey at Christmas. 

Decanter’s Champagne correspondent, Tom Hewson, also wrote: ‘The [Christmas] main meal is tailor-made for Champagne’s deep and dark rosé de saignée.’ 

Many orange wines can be a great dining partner, wrote Ines Salpico, Decanter’s regional editor for Spain, Portugal and South America.

‘They usually have a herbal, savoury edge that brings a meal’s flavours to life, supported by gentle tannins and firm acidity.’

Search all Decanter wine reviews

This article has been updated in October 2025, including with new wine recommendations from Decanter experts.

Tasting notes: Wine with turkey inspiration

Examples of wines reviewed by Decanter experts at a range of different prices.

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Are you feeling the need to pull away from the supermarket safe bets?

Perhaps you’ve been to one party too many where that wine with the farmyard bird on the label is all anyone brings?

There is a cure, however, for the ill-fated wine fatigue: the independent wine merchant.

The fabled ‘Independent Wine Merchant’ isn’t that rare at all, even though it might seem that way if you haven’t yet discovered your local one.

Or, perhaps you do know of a wine shop nearby, but you’re too wary of going in, fearing astronomically priced wines, snobbery and judgement. And you feel you wouldn’t know what to ask for, anyway, even if you did go in.

Ditch the fear and don’t stress, as I’ve got top tips on how to buy wine like a pro at an independent wine shop.

1. Say hello!

It sounds ridiculously simple, but establishing a connection straight away will put any nerves at ease and will avoid the awkwardness of them not noticing you, should their head be in a spreadsheet (which is quite likely).

2. Ask for their help

‘I was wondering if you could help me’ is music to a wine merchant’s ears. They want to help you!

These people love wine and want to share their knowledge.

Long days in a shop can be boring, so most merchants will be desperate to chat about their favourite subject on earth. And, helping customers is literally their job, so there’s no need to feel weird about asking.

3. Say what you’re looking for

Even if you don’t know exactly what you want, narrow it down. Are you after a red or white; rosé or sparkling?

Is it for an occasion? Are you cooking something specific? After initially thinking you don’t know what you’re after, you’ll be surprised to learn that you know more than you think about what you want (or don’t want).

4. Establish your budget

This is not strange. There should be no power-play about how much money you have to spend. Be honest and say up front: ‘My budget is £X’. It will save you both time and effort.

Even if you have a very small budget, most merchants will have something to suit. A great advantage of visiting an independent wine merchant is they sometimes have a ‘bin end’ section.

What does ‘bin end’ mean?

Bin end wines are the last few remaining bottles of a particular wine that the merchant needs to shift in order to make way for new vintages or labels. These are perfectly good wines sold at reduced prices. Don’t be embarrassed about asking if they have any bin ends – you’ll be doing the merchant a favour and you should get a bargain!

5. Talk about what you usually drink

This is precious information for a wine merchant to find out about your tastes. Don’t worry about wine-speak and using fancy words – the simpler the better.

Do you like heavy reds, for example, or lighter reds? Do you like richness or freshness?

You can even mention the exact wines that you usually buy, like this brand of Chilean Merlot or that brand of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.

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This year’s International Pinotage Day, the second Saturday in October, marks an extra-special celebration for the grape, as it turns 100 years old (although the jury is out on whether the centenary reflects the date of crossing or planting (see below)).

Back in 1924, Professor Abraham Izak Perold of Stellenbosch University crossed Cinsault (then often referred to as Hermitage) and Pinot Noir, planting the first seeds the following year. The variety now makes up around 6% of vine plantings in South Africa.

Don’t miss the ultimate wine experience – book your tickets now for the Decanter Fine Wine Encounter London 2025.

It’s a grape that has had a bad (ahem…) press over the years, with some critics dismissing its wines as bitter, boozy and with a burnt rubber undertone. But increasingly there are great examples which ‘put the Pinot into Pinotage’, according to Decanter’s South Africa Editor Julie Sheppard. Some of the most highly-prized expressions come from old, low-yielding bush vines.

A single-varietal red wine may showcase plum, strawberry, red and black cherry and blackberry, sometimes with a hint of banana. Spice, chocolate, smoke and coffee notes can develop with oak-ageing. It’s also a variety used to make fruit-forward rosés.

The grape has become synonymous with the term ‘Cape blend’, establishing itself as the USP of South Africa’s red blends. Proportions used in the mix vary widely – from 30% to 70% – and since 2019 there has been a requirement for Pinotage to be the major component.

Outside South Africa, small amounts are grown in other wine producing regions including California, New Zealand, Australia and even England.

Pinotage is a great match for barbecued meat, burgers, venison, beef stews and heartier vegetable dishes such as spiced, stuffed aubergine and mushrooms.

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Like Sleeping Beauty, Carmenère has long slumbered in vineyards across pockets of Northern Italy. But, more recently, it has begun to stir.

More than a restoration or viticultural correction, it’s a story of the revival of a variety, finally finding a sense of belonging in Italian soil.

Just as Carmenère was mislabelled as Merlot before blossoming into Chile’s flagship variety, Italy has its own tale to tell of this hard-to-identify variety.

How did this Bordeaux expatriate find a new home in Italy’s vineyards, and why is it one of the country’s best-kept secrets?

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The fade

Carmenère originates from the Médoc, the result of a natural crossing between Cabernet Franc and the rustic southern French variety Moural (Lacombe et al. 2013). Until this recent discovery, Gros Cabernet was considered to be a parent variety.

Mentioned as early as 1784, Carmenère was never widely planted, often mixed in with Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc – and blended with them as well.

Known for its deep colour and aromas of blackberries, black pepper, chocolate, and leather, it gained popularity at the beginning of the 18th century.

However, its fate in Bordeaux was sealed in the late 19th century, when phylloxera devastated much of Europe’s vineyards. Susceptible to disease and slow to ripen, Carmenère was abandoned in favour of more reliable Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Yet the grape didn’t vanish entirely.

Against the odds, one of the places Carmenère found refuge was along the base of the Italian Alps – around the Colli Berici in Veneto, as well as in historic vineyards at the foot of the Lessini Mountains in Trentino, with smatterings across northeastern Italy, and even in small plots that share real estate with sparkling Franciacorta.

Carmenère’s arrival in Italy

The timing is debated, but Attilio Scienza, scientific advisor for Vinitaly International Academy and Professor at the University of Milan, claims that the most convincing hypothesis is that Carmenère arrived in 1820 via Piedmont – 40 years before the arrival of phylloxera.

José Vouillamoz, leading authority on the origin and parentage of grape varieties through DNA profiling, agrees. In 1820, the Conte di Sambuy – anticipating the Super Tuscan trend by more than a century – was convinced that his terroir of Valmagra (northwest of Turin) was very similar to that of Médoc, and so he purchased Cabernet Sauvignon vines directly from Bordeaux.

‘However, a few vines of Carmenère were mistakenly present among the plantlets of Cabernet Sauvignon,’ explains Vouillamoz. This mix-up was just the beginning…

In the mid-19th century, under the House of Savoy, Piedmont looked to France for direction. Napoleon III’s support in liberating northern Italian territories from Austrian control only deepened the bond, making France the model not just in politics and the economy, but in viticulture as well.

‘For this reason, they began to cultivate grape varieties from France, particularly from Bordeaux,’ says Scienza. ‘In Piedmont, Carmenère was called Carmenera or Cabernella, and was valued for making good wine.’

While Piedmont had the first vines, Carmenère became more prominent across the eastern regions. But was it the soils that saved Carmenère in Italy, or was its preservation merely a result of confusion over its true identity?

According to Vouillamoz, who, in his new book, Grands Cépages d’Origine Française, outlines Caménere’s family tree and identifies Cabernet Franc as its parent, it was the latter.

‘In France, Carmenère was confused for a long time with Cabernet Franc, and it was even considered by some as a degeneration of Cabernet Franc. When introduced in Italy, the mistake persisted, and Carmenère was propagated and labelled as Italian Cabernet Franc for over a century,’ he explains.

Carmenère’s survival in Italy was largely due to mistaken identity, yet the country’s diverse terroirs provided a lifeline. Notable is Veneto’s Colli Berici, where unique microclimates, soils, and long growing seasons offered the conditions it needed, allowing for full ripening and complexity.

The result is an Italian Carmenère that minimises the vegetal notes typical of cooler regions and instead showcases its hallmark flavours of dark cherry, spice, black pepper, and cocoa.

The awakening

Its true identity blurred by names like Carmenera, Cabernella, Bordeaux Nero, and Cabernet Vecchio, Carmenère often remained hidden and confused for other varieties.

In 1903, Salvatore Mondini, renowned for his scholarly contributions to viticulture, noted that Carmenère had white shoot tips, while Cabernet Franc’s were pink, but it wasn’t until the late 1970s that the Experimental Institute for Viticulture of Conegliano and the Catholic University of Piacenza formally distinguished the two.

Further research and DNA studies by Attilio Scienza, Antonio Calò, Jean-Michel Bourisquot and others led to a stunning revelation in the mid-1980s: the ‘Italian Cabernet Franc’ was indeed Carmenère.

And by 2007, Carmenère received official recognition in Italy’s national registry of grapes.

Trentino

A captivating story of this mix-up originates from the historic Tenuta San Leonardo estate in Trentino, which has been producing Bordeaux-style reds featuring Carmenère for generations.

‘Carmenère, as we know it today, has been growing on the estate since the 1940s, likely planted by my great-great-grandfather,’ says Anselmo Guerrieri Gonzaga. ‘It’s the soul of San Leonardo — authentic, rooted, and deeply connected to our land.’

However, until the late 1990s, they believed they had been cultivating Cabernet Franc.

In 1988, Anselmo’s father, Marchese Carlo Guerrieri Gonzaga, ordered vines from their French supplier and noticed differences, such as variations in leaf colour the following winter. A friendly tip during Scienza’s visit revealed they had been growing Carmenère all along.

San Leonardo had traditionally produced red blends, but Anselmo secretly created an all-Carmenère wine and gifted it to his father, claiming it was from France. After tasting it, Carlo remarked, ‘Hmmm, it’s very good, but it tastes like our Carmenère!?’

This year, Gonzaga began a massal selection on the estate’s 75-year-old Carmenère vines to capture the genetic character of their heritage vineyard.

‘It’s a long-term investment, but we believe it will bring something precious: more authenticity, more depth, and greater longevity to our vineyards,’ he notes.

Franciacorta

In Franciacorta, sparkling wine producer Ca’ del Bosco grows Carmenère alongside classic French varieties. In 1990, it imported what it believed were Cabernet Franc cuttings, but testing subsequently revealed they were actually Carmenère.

The winery released its first Carmenère in 1997 as a table wine, gaining Rosso del Sebino IGT status in 2008. The label, featuring a wolf shedding a lamb’s fleece, symbolises the way it managed to pass for something it was not.

‘Carmenero’ comes from two organically-farmed hectares of 30-year-old vines, with special bottlings from standout vintages since 2006.

‘Our Carmenero stands out for its fruity character and light spiciness’, says winemaker Stefano Capelli, adding that Franciacorta’s morainic soils enhance the grape’s floral and fruity traits.

Colli Berici

In the Veneto, renowned Soave Classico producer Stefano Inama was motivated by his love for Bordeaux to plant a black variety. By happenstance, he discovered Carmenère.

He recalls an eye-opening moment after tasting an unlabelled Carmenère wine that his friend offered.

‘I immediately loved it!’ Inama says. ‘It turned out to be from the Colli Berici, and this is what I wanted to do.’

Inama and his family, who now own 14 hectares of 20- to 30-year-old vines, say that what started as a passion evolved into a mission. He believes Colli Berici is the variety’s spiritual home, lying close in latitude to Bordeaux.

The Colli Berici area enjoys warm days and fresh nights with microclimates influenced by nearby woodlands. These conditions allow grapes to reach ripeness, developing signature berry, spice, black pepper, and chocolate notes while minimising green herbaceous flavours.

Furthermore, Inama points to the distinctive geology shaped by underground magmatic pressure (bradyseism), which formed an ancient marine limestone ridge topped with cool, red, iron-rich clay. In 1997, his first Carmenère blend, ‘Bradisismo’, was named after this geological phenomenon.

In 2009, Carmenère was officially recognised as a grape in the Colli Berici DOC, with Inama’s ‘Oratorio di San Lorenzo Carmenère Riserva’ being the first DOC wine made from this grape – a milestone for Italian wine.

Inama also champions the relevance of traditional varieties in the Veneto, with Michele Milani leading the project alongside other producers. ‘Our goal is to create clarity about how varieties like Carmenère arrived in Italy, and today are being reinterpreted with quality and vision,’ says Milani.

Serendipità contro strategia

Carmenère is predominantly planted in the Veneto and neighbouring northeastern regions covering 10,503 hectares, as reported by Kym Anderson’s census (University of Adelaide Press).

It is ocassionally discovered in field blends from ancient vineyards. In 2011, for instance, Vouillamoz performed DNA profiling on some of the oldest vines from Alois Lageder’s vineyards in Alto Adige that produce the ‘Löwengang’ bottling.

‘It turned out to be a field blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and some Merlot. It’s interesting to note that many of the oldest vines are Carmenère,’ says Vouillamoz.

Carmenère’s Italian story is less about strategy but more about serendipity.

The variety found a foothold tucked away among its Bordeaux kin in vineyards that didn’t even know it was there.

Yet those very mix-ups become part of a patchwork of wine culture, leaving Italy with its own chapter in the curious case of Carmenère.

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Ask someone to name a grape that makes red wine and there’s a high chance they’ll name Cabernet Sauvignon.

One of the most-planted red grape varieties in the world, it can be found making some of the world’s most prestigious wines as well as those found in supermarkets at bargain prices.

20 of the best Cabernet Sauvignons recently tasted by Decanter are listed below

Origins and characteristics

The offspring of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon seems to have emerged in south-western France – likely around Bordeaux – in the 17th Century.

It is often noted that the grape was first expressly planted and produced at the Pauillac estates of Château Mouton Rothschild and (now stablemate) Château d’Armailhac.

Cabernet Sauvignon grows happily in a variety of climates, its thick skins protect it reasonably well from rot and it can give high yields.

Like Chardonnay, these attributes as well as the prestige of the variety in its native region, have seen Cabernet Sauvignon planted worldwide.

Although it is used to produce wines at every price level, Cabernet Sauvignon is of course renowned for its star turns in regions such as Bordeaux, Napa, Bolgheri and elsewhere.

It shares several key traits with its parents. Like both of them, it has high levels of pyrazines, which give it tell-tale herbaceous aromas of green bell pepper.

Outside of Europe, the usually riper expressions of Cabernet are known to exhibit notes of mint or eucalyptus.

A late-ripening variety, it is capable of giving a great deal of colour and tannins, with aromas and flavours of ripe black fruit.

It’s full-bodied nature often sees it undergo oak ageing, especially in new oak, which can last from 1-2 years and sometimes even longer. This treatment gives it additional aromas of vanilla, cedar, tobacco and smoke.

Its inherent qualities make it very well-suited to ageing. At their apex, wines made from Cabernet Sauvignon can be among the longest-lived table wines, capable of ageing for many decades, even a century or more.

Team player

Occasionally made in glorious isolation – usually in warmer non-European regions such as Napa Valley, Coonawarra or Maipo – Cabernet Sauvignon is more often found with a supporting cast around it.

In its ancestral home of Bordeaux’s left bank, Cabernet Sauvignon is usually found with its frequent dance partner Merlot, its parent Cabernet Franc with an occasional sprinkling of Petit Verdot and even Malbec.

This is the famed ‘Bordeaux blend’ – occasionally known as ‘Meritage’ in North America – which has become a standard for fine wines of its type on nearly every winemaking continent.

There are also local twists. In Australia, for example, Cabernet and Shiraz form a potent pairing.

Sometimes Cabernet takes a minor role such as in Penfolds Grange. Sometimes its the lead variety, such as Yalumba’s The Signature blend.

In the Cape, meanwhile, there’s a spin on the Bordeaux blend where Cabernet might find itself paired with Merlot, Syrah and Pinotage.

And, in Italy, Cabernet often forms the base of many Super Tuscans, where it might find itself given a little extra local flavour blended with Sangiovese – such as in Tignanello.

Below are a selection of 20 of the top-rated Cabernet Sauvignon wines – both mono-varietal or where it comprises at least 50% of a blend – that have been tasted by the Decanter team and our expert contributors in the past year.

Click here to see more than 10,000 reviews of Cabernet Sauvignon by Decanter

Decanter Cellar: 20 of the best Cabernet Sauvignons

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Do all wine bottles have a punt?

Not really – you may have noticed that many of the slim and tall ‘flute’ bottles are flat-bottomed.

The traditional German ‘Hock’ Riesling bottle lacks a punt, says fine wine importer Justin Knock MW.

‘The reasons are largely historical and hark back to different bottle-manufacturing technology in Germany, the homeland of Riesling, though the bottle shape and lack of a punt have persisted across the world today for these wines.’

What is the wine bottle punt for?

In the age of handmade (mouth-blown) wine bottles, the indented bottom was believed to be originally crafted to help stabilise the bottle as it stood and to strengthen its structure, especially for sparkling wines, which must withstand high internal pressure.

‘Some saw them as advantageous for reds, enabling better sediment separation for decanting,’ adds Knock. ‘Puntless bottles need less glass and are therefore cheaper to manufacture and transport.’

In the case of flute bottles, ‘it may simply be that the creators of the Hock bottle in Germany had more sophisticated glass-manufacturing technology, with its global adoption most likely driven in an era when Hock-style wines were more highly prized.’

But with today’s manufacturing technology, punts are now more a matter of design and branding.

Quality and the wine bottle punt

The heavier weight of bottles with a punted base – much like the use of natural cork – may give a psychological impression of luxury and quality, especially for consumers who are just beginning to explore wine.

While opinions differ on the usefulness of the wine bottle punt versus its aesthetic tradition, most critics agree that a wine’s quality cannot be judged by the size of the punt.

If any correlation exists, it’s that crafting the punt requires more glass, leading to higher production costs. On this basis, it could be argued that premium wines are more likely to adopt such a design.

However, as the Riesling example above shows, this is far from a universal rule – and would be a blunt instrument for anyone attempting to measure quality.

Today, the overwhelming trend of sustainability and reducing carbon emissions in the wine industry is also leading to less use of punted bottles, as their added weight contributes to a larger carbon footprint. For producers, choosing lighter bottles nowadays has increasingly become a signal of their commitment to environmental responsibility.

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Is there a more divisive word in the restaurant world than ‘corkage’? Few topics draw a sharper line between diners and restaurants. The conversation is often framed as us versus them: restaurants feel shortchanged when guests bring their own bottles; consumers believe they offer low-overhead revenue for minimal service.

But it is worth asking why collectors bring bottles at all. Often it is about taste – mature vintages from a home cellar, bottles with personal meaning, or wines that simply cannot be found on a restaurant list. Stocking a cellar like that is costly, and understandably beyond the scope of many programmes.

Some years ago, I sourced a pristine bottle of 1951 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti La Tâche. I brought it to a favourite local restaurant to share with friends. The energy of the room, the conversation, the food – those are things that elevate a wine in a way that cannot be replicated at home. I am happy to pay for that setting, as are many collectors.

Corkage is not about cutting corners. It is about context.

After years of dining out with my own bottles in Los Angeles – home to many corkage-friendly restaurants – I have developed five guiding principles that have helped ensure I am welcomed back.

Bring something thoughtful and unique

Avoid bringing a bottle that the restaurant already offers. Grabbing a current-release or mass-market wine from a local shop is the quickest way to wear out your welcome. Corkage should allow you to enjoy something the restaurant cannot provide. Age, rarity or sentiment are fair reasons. Saving money is not.

Early in my wine journey, a guest at our table showed up with a BevMo bag and pulled out a bottle he had just purchased – something widely available and already on the list. No one said anything, but the moment felt off. It taught me early on that corkage involves an unspoken etiquette.

Everyone makes the occasional mistake. Some lists are unexpectedly deep or unavailable in advance. But if you are bringing something with intention – something unlikely to be replicated – you are doing it right.

Do not linger

Collectors tend to take their time – and I am no exception. But while we may order more food than the average table, it is not always enough to justify taking up a table all night. One of the most common complaints about corkage guests is that they overstay.

Consider booking the first or last seating if you expect a more extended dinner. It gives the restaurant more flexibility, without cutting into your time.

Be mindful of the restaurant’s resources

Corkage does not entitle you to stemware flights, endless decanters or dedicated sommelier service. Unless it disrupts other guests, pour your own wine. If a sommelier chooses to engage, that is a kind gesture – not a given.

At one recent dinner, we knew we needed more glassware than the restaurant could comfortably provide. We rented stems from a local vendor and cleared it with the team in advance. The result was seamless for everyone involved.

Ultimately, enjoy your wine – but not at the expense of the service around you.

Take care of the staff

Bringing your own wine almost always requires more effort from the team. Tip accordingly. If a sommelier is helping, consider ordering something off the list – or do both. If that feels unreasonable, perhaps you should enjoy your wine at home.

Most importantly, do not expect the fee to be waived. I have heard collectors argue that generosity or bottle quality should reduce the charge. But corkage is a policy, not a reward. If it is waived, consider it a gesture – not an entitlement.

Share, but do not push

Offering a pour to the staff is a kind and often appreciated gesture, but it is not a substitute for a tip. And if they decline, respect that. They may not be interested in the Domaine de Chevalier you brought, or simply be following restaurant policy.

When offered with tact, sharing can create a moment of real connection. But it should always be an offer, never an obligation.

These rules are not guarantees for a hassle-free experience. Some restaurants may never allow corkage, no matter how respectful the guest. But in my experience, the dynamic changes when collectors approach corkage with care and humility. Conversations open up. You are invited back – not just as a diner, but as someone who understands what brought us to the table in the first place.

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The Cannonau grape variety is local to the Italian island of Sardinia, where it is one of the principal grapes used to produce the island’s deeply coloured, full-bodied red wines such as Cannonau di Sardegna DOC.

A thin-skinned, late-ripening variety, Cannonau is best suited to hot and dry conditions. The wines it produces are typically full-bodied and high in alcohol, with soft acidity, light tannins, and generous red fruit flavours. You can also find some floral and white pepper notes.

Cannonau’s origins

Cannonau has thrived on Sardinia for centuries in isolation, however DNA analysis shows that it is genetically identical to Grenache. It is thought that the grape arrived in the 14th century, when the Kingdom of Aragon conquered Sardinia.

The variety is grown in a number of different locations but the majority can be found on the east of the island encompassing both the coast, from Orosei to Bari Sardo, and the mountainous interior around the Nuoro, Ogliastra and Cagliari provinces.

‘Of the 41 grape varieties planted in Sardinia, the Cannonau di Sardegna DOC represents the largest vineyard area, at a little more than a quarter of all plantings,’ said Anthony Rose in 2022.

Three smaller sub-regions have been officially identified as producing quality Cannonau including Nepente di Oliena, reserved exclusively for wines made in the town of Oliena, in the eastern Nuoro province; Capo Ferrato comprises the communes of Castiadas, Muravera, San Vito, Villaputzu and Villasimius in the island’s southeastern corner and finally, Jerzu, which applies to the Jerzu and Cardedu districts.

In addition to Sardinia, Cannonau can be found in other parts of southern Italy, including Sicily,

Cannonau’s style

‘How would I describe the character of Cannonau, versus Grenache? For me, it has more freshness, and more red berry flavours, because Cannonau is harvested earlier than many Grenache wines,’ winemaker Antonella Corda told Decanter in 2020.

Higher altitudes can help to mitigate the natural high alcohol of Cannonau, as well as bolstering the low acidity and emphasising its floral character thanks to large temperature fluctuations between day and night. For this reason, the wines of Mamoiada in the hilly centre of the island are gaining traction.

The Cannonau di Sardegna DOC

The Cannonau di Sardegna DOC was established in 1972 and covers the entire island, producing both red and rosé wines from the Cannonau grape. The red wines may be produced in three styles; dry, sweet or fortified.

The dry reds must be a minimum of 12.5% abv. They can also be produced in a riserva style with strict regulations controlling ageing requirements and minimum alcohol levels – these wines must have at least 13% abv and an obligatory ageing period (known as affinamento obbligatorio) of two years, including at least six months in barrels, of which oak and chestnut are the more popular options.

The sweet style is known as passito and must have a minimum of 13% abv while the fortified expressions, produced in both sweet and dry styles, are labelled as liquoroso. The dry liquoroso ‘secco’ must have a maximum residual sugar level of 10g/l and a minimum 18% abv while the sweet Liquoroso dolce must have a minimum residual sugar level of 50g/l and a minimum 16% abv. Both the passito and liquoroso styles have have a minimum one-year ageing requirement.

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Looking for value in Burgundy? There’s no doubt, it’s a challenge.

‘In the grand scheme of the world of wines, value is pretty much nonexistent from Burgundy at this point,’ says Jonathan Eichholz MS, co-owner of New York City restaurant pop-up Aftergold and educator at GuildSomm International.

Indeed, a decade ago, stellar expressions of Burgundy’s top sites and winemakers could be found in the $30-$50 (£30-£38) range from US merchants.

Today, says Eichholz, prices for quality Burgundy begin at $60-$80, a reflection of both skyrocketing demand and scarcity.

Nonetheless, you can still find relative value in Burgundy. Lesser-known villages in the shadow of the Côte d’Or’s star appellations still offer reasonably priced wines, particularly in the outer fringes, where the warming climate has widened the margins for fine winemaking.

The region’s historic négociant networks and large domaines provide opportunities to find value, too.

And according to Arnaud Tronche, director of Paris wine store and restaurant Legrand Filles et Fils, a new wave of boutique producers and micro-négociants also offer potential contenders.

Here are 10 tips for discovering the value that still exists in Burgundy today.

1: Head for the heights

The warming climate has made thrillingly mineral, fresh-fruited wines a hallmark of the higher-altitude Hautes-Côtes de Beaune and Hautes-Côtes de Nuits, appellations that extend to the west above the Côte d’Or.

An influx of prominent producers such as Méo-Camuzet, Olivier Leflaive and Domaine Thibault Liger-Belair gained early attention.

Since then, young independent wine-growers and micro-négociants such as Chanterêves, Maison A&S and Marthe Henry Boillot, drawn here by the affordable, distinctive terroir, have brought new energy to this evolving region, says Tronche.

2: Hone in on Chablis and Grand Auxerrois

‘Barring famous names like Dauvissat and Raveneau, Chablis remains quite affordable,’ says Eichholz. Indeed, excellent premier cru Chablis can still be found for less than a basic Bourgogne from top producers.

Outside Chablis, climate change has elevated wines from the Grand Auxerrois (for more detail, see our recent feature on the Grand Auxerrois), particularly village appellations such as Irancy for Pinot Noir or Vézelay for Chardonnay.

Regional bottlings of Coteaux Bourguignons, Bourgogne Chitry and Bourgogne Tonnerre offer further value. Eichholz highlights Domaine Louis Michel & Fils for classically steely Chablis, or William Fèvre for a richer style, while properties such as Domaine Alice et Olivier De Moor represent ‘an exciting new school of Chablis’, he says.

In the Kimmeridgian limestone soils of Irancy, producers such as Gabin and Félix Richoux, and Christophe Ferrari at Domaine St Germain are standouts. In Vézelay, Domaine de la Cadette excels.

3: Delve into the fringes of the Côte de Nuits

Marsannay and Fixin, the northernmost villages of the Côte d’Or, along with the Côte de Nuits Villages, a regional appellation that encompasses the southern and northern edges of the Côte de Nuits, offer rare value within this otherwise pricey part of Burgundy.

Marsannay, still without any premier cru vineyards despite long-promised promotions, remains a great source of value.

Just north of Gevrey-Chambertin, Fixin boasts not only a similar geology but also a structured, focused style reminiscent of its more famous neighbour (see our ‘Burgundy’s underrated premiers crus’ feature).

Sylvain Pataille, renowned for his Marsannay, whether red, white or rosé, is a top pick for Eichholz, along with Bruno Clair, who has deep roots in Marsannay, too.

In Fixin, Domaine Berthaut-Gerbet is a standout, along with Domaine Denis Mortet and Méo-Camuzet for excellent entry-level wines throughout Marsannay and Fixin. Look out for Côte de Nuits Villages bottlings from Didier Fornerol and Camille Thiriet.

Tronche’s tips #1

Bypass the huge markups that have inflated prices in foreign markets by buying and enjoying Burgundy in France.

4: Look beyond Volnay and Meursault

Similarly overlooked, due to the star power of neighbouring Volnay and Meursault, are Monthélie, Auxey-Duresses and St-Romain, a trio of villages that extend to the west of Meursault in the Côte de Beaune.

Monthélie (bordering both Volnay and Meursault) is best known for Pinot Noir with a floral, supple character reminiscent of Volnay. Auxey-Duresses produces both white and red wines that echo Volnay and Meursault, but are leaner and nervier in style.

Here, too, particularly for the higher-elevation St-Romain, the warming climate has allowed for reliably riper wines.

Standout producers include Douhairet-Porcheret in Monthélie, Domaine Lafouge Jean & Gilles in Auxey-Duresses and Domaine Henri & Gilles Buisson in St-Romain.

5: Uncover villages in Corton’s shadow

Off the beaten path in the shadow of the grand hill of Corton, the villages of Savigny-lès-Beauneand and Pernand-Vergelesses offer rare value in the heartland of the Côte d’Or.

In cooler times, these neighbouring appellations were known for rustic, often unripe wines.

Today’s warmer climate and the influence of some of Burgundy’s most dynamic wine producers – including Simon Bize, Chanterêves and Domaines Jean-Marc & Hugues Pavelot, Chandon de Briailles and Guilbert-Gillet (Tronche’s pick, particularly for masterful Aligoté) – have flushed the regions with wines of increasing finesse and pleasure.

6: The secret’s out on St-Aubin

St-Aubin, tucked away behind Puligny-Montrachet and Chassagne-Montrachet, was once a hidden gem for fans of white Burgundy seeking top-tier quality without top-tier pricing.

At its best, St-Aubin delivers wines of stony intensity and opulence that rival those of its more famous neighbours.

But St-Aubin hasn’t been a secret for well over a decade now and prices for star producers such as Marc Colin, as well as his sons Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey and Joseph Colin, have soared.

Jacques Bavard and Domaine de Montille offer more approachably priced options.

7: Chalonnaise

With no grand cru appellations, the Côte Chalonnaise, just south of the Côte de Beaune, was known historically for easy-drinking, fruity wines.

But quality has surged in recent decades, particularly in the prime villages of Bouzeron, Mercurey, Givry and Montagny, which share the limestone soils of the Côte d’Or.

Mercurey and Givry in particular offer perfumed, seductively spiced Pinot Noir with longevity that can rival that of better-known appellations.

For Chardonnay, Montagny offers accessible options for premier cru bottlings. Bouzeron is the only village in Burgundy devoted to the Aligoté grape.

Domaine de Villaine, based in Bouzeron, is a star of the region, but producers such as Camille Giroud, Olivier Leflaive and Faiveley offer consistent value.

Domaines Feuillat-Juillot and Berthenet are noteworthy in Montagny, as is Domaine du Cellier aux Moines in Givry.

Tronche’s Tips #2

Generic Bourgogne bottlings, typically blends sourced from across the region, can provide accessible introductions to a producer’s or négociant’s house style.

Look to classic domaine producers such as Lafarge or négociants such as Bouchard Père & Fils, Maison Joseph Drouhin or Louis Jadot for honest expressions of unique terroir at fair prices, or seek out small producers from lesser-known and emerging regions, and micro-négociants such as Antoine Lepetit de la Bigne and Les Horées.

8: Mâconnais

‘The search for inexpensive white Burgundy is an endless game of Whac-a-Mole,’ says Eichholz. ‘Discover an unknown village or producer and prices skyrocket the next day.’

Amid this struggle, the Mâconnais, the southern gateway to Burgundy, has become a bastion for terroir-focused value alternatives to Meursault or Chassagne.

Indeed, its exceptional terroir has made the Mâcon one of Burgundy’s most dynamic regions, attracting renowned producers such as Puligny-Montrachet’s Domaine Leflaive.

Eichholz points to the Bret Brothers/La Soufrandière as a source for extraordinary bang for your buck.

9: Explore the southern fringe of the Côte d’Or

Santenay, at the southernmost edge of the Côte de Beaune, was historically a source for easy-drinking but rustic wines, typically blended into inexpensive Bourgogne.

But the appellation can produce lavish, perfumed Pinot Noir of substance and charm – especially from its 12 premiers crus – that still delivers excellent value.

Notable producers abound in Santenay, including Caroline Morey, David Moreau and Domaine Bachelet-Monnot.

Meanwhile, Bachelet-Monnot and Tronche’s pick, newcomer Domaine de Cassiopée, are among the many young, innovative wine producers who’ve made Maranges, a little west of Santenay, a recent hotbed.

10: Outside the box: Aligoté and Passetoutgrain

Far more than a forgotten cousin, Aligoté is ‘an open, aromatic grape with distinct varietal character – a more extroverted version of Chardonnay’, Eichholz says.

While still a relative bargain, it’s increasingly prominent across Burgundy. Standouts include Sylvain Pataille’s single-vineyard expressions from Marsannay and Ramonet’s Bouzeron.

A more approachable option, however, is Michel Lafarge’s Bourgogne Aligoté Raisins Dorés.

For juicy, uncomplicated reds, the regional Bourgogne Passetoutgrain appellation, with its blends of Pinot Noir and Gamay, often co-planted and co-fermented, can be delightful.

‘Emmanuel Rouget is an especially fancy producer who makes the best Passetoutgrain in all of Burgundy,’ says Eichholz, but producers such as Lafarge, Domaine Robert Chevillon and Domaine Marquis d’Angerville make consistent, more-affordable examples, too.

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Peking duck: what’s the authentic way to enjoy it?

As one of the best-known Chinese dishes, Peking duck was once an imperial cuisine dating back to the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644).

Roasted duck, with its crispy, golden-brown skin and rich fat, is the heart and soul of this iconic dish. It is commonly served with wafer-thin pancakes, shredded cucumber and green onions. For condiments, hoisin sauce and, indeed, sugar.

If you are enjoying Peking duck in an authentic Chinese restaurant, the chef will skillfully slice the piping hot duck in front of you – giving you ample time for photos – and place the well-browned skins and juicy meat, sometimes separately (and arranged meticulously) in a single layer on a plate.

The traditional way is to dip the golden, fatty skin in sugar and enjoy the sweet and crunchy texture on its own first. Once happy with that, take a few slices of the skin, meat and vegetables (but not too much), add a dab of hoisin sauce, wrap them up with the pancake, and now – take a generous bite.

The succulent flavours of the juicy duck, the sweet and umami-rich sauce, and the freshness from the greens are gift-wrapped in a thin layer of dough – a satisfying mouthful guaranteed.

Is Pinot Noir the only answer for pairing?

If you ask a wine professional what to pair with Peking duck, Pinot Noir is almost always the default answer – for its delicate fruit, fine tannins, and medium body.

Indeed, if we were pairing wines with roasted duck alone, the task would be relatively straightforward. A Burgundian Pinot Noir, a peppery Syrah, a rosé Champagne or an oaked Chardonnay, all with fresh acidity to balance the richness and cut through the grease, would work beautifully.

Also read: Non-vintage rosé Champagne – Panel tasting results

However, with Peking duck, the equation changes. If you were to set aside the hoisin sauce and sugar, these classic choices are still perfectly valid. But once the condiments come into play, a more nuanced approach is needed.

‘Despite its popularity, I don’t believe in pairing Pinot Noir with Peking duck,’ says Jennifer Docherty MW, the first ethnically Chinese and Mandarin speaking MW.

The Hong Kong-based expert added that Pinot Noir is quite linear and thus doesn’t necessarily hold up to the greasy and rich mouthfeel.

Spätlese Riesling, instead, is Docherty’s top choice. ‘Nice acidity with more residual sugar should go perfectly with the duck and the sauce.’

In the realm of red wines, Docherty suggests a ripe Clare Valley Shiraz or a ‘nicely balanced’ Crozes-Hermitage Syrah – fine tannins and non-assertive acidity are key.

How about Chinese wines?

A sweet, juicy Chinese Merlot, Syrah/Shiraz, or Malbec (avoiding the more robust, oaky, and tannic options) from sun-baked wine regions such as Ningxia and Xinjiang could pair nicely with the plummy hoisin sauce.

Marselan is a rather topical option if it’s on the wine list – the French crossing of Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache is considered by many to be the next ‘signature’ grape of Chinese wines. Again, opt for the less oaky, more fruity bottles.

If you’re feeling adventurous, try a bottle of Chinese icewine – especially those from Huanren in Liaoning province, Northeast China.

Produced in considerable quantities but rarely exported, these precious nectars tend to have a complex, rich flavour profile and brilliant elegance. When properly chilled, they’ll melt the greasiness and elevate the entire experience.

*Read more about Chinese wines in Decanter’s 2024 China supplement.

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We take a deep dive into the role of lees, a byproduct of wine fermentation which consist of dead yeast cells and other particles. ‘Gross lees’ are heavier sediments removed quickly, while ‘fine lees’ are smaller particles that may be left in wine to enhance complexity and texture. ‘Aged on the lees’ means wine is left in contact with these cells, which then decompose and release substances that enrich the wine’s mouthfeel and flavour. The length of lees contact can vary, with some wines such as Champagne having legal minimums. Lees can impart flavours like brioche and biscuit and contribute to the wine’s balance and ageing potential.

What are lees in wine?

Essentially, lees are a byproduct of fermentation, during which yeast converts sugar into alcohol and carbon dioxide.

As fermentation comes to an end, the yeast dies and sinks to the bottom. These dead yeast cells, along with other solid particles such as grape skin and insoluble salts, collectively form what we know as lees.

‘Gross lees’ refers to the coarser, heavier sediment that forms in the wine after fermentation. Gross lees tend to naturally fall to the bottom of the winemaking vessel and are generally separated from the liquid quite quickly, although not always.

Fine lees, which winemakers and connoisseurs speak about more often, are smaller particles that settle more slowly in the wine. While they can be filtered out, some winemakers choose to leave them in for varying periods to enhance the wine’s complexity and weight.

Some winemakers might stir the lees to encourage the development of extra texture and aromas in their wines – a method also known as bâtonnage in French.

What does ‘aged on lees’ mean?

Leaving wine in contact with dead yeast cells might not sound too appealing on paper, but lees ageing can be used to develop certain aromas or add more body and texture to wines when winemakers deem it necessary.

The main reason for the texture change is that dead yeast cells decompose naturally or ‘autolyse’, releasing mannoproteins that enrich the wine’s mouthfeel. At the same time, the nutrients in the lees can support malolactic fermentation, during which the sharper malic acid is converted into softer lactic acid, imparting creamier flavour profiles.

This technique is particularly useful when a white wine or a base wine for sparkling wine is relatively lean and simple – given that isn’t the intended style – if the lees are filtered out immediately.

How long does it take?

Depending on the producer’s preferred style, lees contact can last anywhere from a few weeks to several years.

By law, a non-vintage Champagne must be aged for 15 months in bottle and spend at least 12 months on lees, according to the Comité Champagne.

A vintage Champagne must be aged on lees for three years minimum, although in reality many houses age wines for longer than this baseline threshold.

A Cava de Paraje Calificado (the premium terroir-oriented category of Cava) also requires 36 months of lees aging. A ‘Riserve’ Franciacorta need to be aged on lees for at least 60 months.

Some traditional method sparkling wines produced in other part of the world (such as many English sparkling wines) may not have such strict ageing regulations, but producers often value extended lees ageing and may highlight this information on the back label.

Can you taste lees in wine? 

In her latest recommendation piece on Muscadet, Decanter’s Natalie Earl described Domaine de la Pépière’s Briords Cuvée Vieilles Vignes Sur Lie 2022 as ‘silky, with some weight and a crème pâtissière richness, followed by a soft-cotton mouthfeel’ – a vivid depiction of the impact of lees ageing (or Sur Lie in French) on a still white wine.

With traditional method sparkling wines, like Champagne, autolysis of yeast cells happens in bottle during second fermentation.

Lees ‘give the wine its complexity and add finesse to the bubbles’, according to the Union of Champagne Houses.

We can taste the ‘autolytic’ flavours such as brioche, biscuit or bread in the finished sparkling wine. Almond, hay and yeasty flavours can also be associated with a wine spending some time aged on lees.

Meanwhile, lees help limit oxidation and create a generally reductive environment for wines to develop.

Therefore, extended lees ageing in bottle for sparkling wines (i.e. late disgorgement) is sometimes associated with greater ageing potential and more complex aromas, while also helping to preserve freshness for longer.

The richness and extra texture from lees contact can also contribute to the overall balance of a wine.

This is especially true for cool-climate English sparkling wines, as their base wines tend to have spiky acidity and a linear, mineral profile, often benefiting significantly from lees ageing to enhance texture and make them more palatable.

Deciding whether to leave a wine ageing or resting on lees, versus actively stirring the lees, often comes down to the stylistic choice of the winery, said Jean-Charles Thomas, winemaking director at Louis Latour in Burgundy, in a Decanter article in 2017.

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Robert Mondavi coined the term Fumé Blanc in the late 1960s to differentiate a style of Sauvignon Blanc, particularly one aged in oak, in California and Washington State.

The varietal has a history in California dating back to the 1880s, but by the 1960s it was seen as a bland variety. Mondavi’s term was an attempt to rebrand it and denote an oak-aged style. The term wasn’t trademarked, allowing others to use it.

While originally associated with oak aging some wineries, like Dry Creek Vineyard, produced unoaked versions.

Today Sauvignon Blanc and Fumé Blanc are considered synonyms in US law, and fewer wines are labelled Fumé Blanc due to changes in the market.

The oldest Sauvignon Blanc plantings in the Americas are at the Robert Mondavi Winery in To Kalon Vineyard.

Sauvignon Blanc in the United States

Plantings of Sauvignon Blanc date back to the early 1880s in California’s Livermore Valley. Charles Wetmore planted the variety on his estate Cresta Blanca Winery; allegedly, the vines’ source material came from the legendary Château d’Yquem. Wetmore’s first release, from 1884, was a dry white wine from Bordeaux varieties that won a grand prize at the 1889 Paris Exposition.

Sauvignon Blanc made its way to Napa Valley around the same time. Plantings at Inglenook in the 1880s, and Beaulieu Vineyard in the early 1900s created early examples of quality wines throughout California’s burgeoning wine country. The white varietal had roots at the famous To Kalon site as early as the 1890s.

The rise of Fumé Blanc 

By the 1960s, Sauvignon Blanc had fallen on hard times in America’s commercial wine sector. By this time, it was considered a bland variety, mainly used for sweet wine production to feed consumers of mass-production wines.

In an effort to separate his wines from this negative connotation, Mondavi coined the term Fumé Blanc. Mondavi’s riff on the Loire designation, Blanc Fumé was an effort to connote a new style of American-made Sauvignon Blanc, aged in oak barrels.

Mondavi took the French word ‘fumé’, referring to a smoke-like vapour or substance, which is also enshrined in the name of Pouilly-Fumé of the Loire Valley, and the French word for white, as in ‘blanc’.

He did not trademark the term, making it possible for other wineries to label their wines similarly, and created a category in the process.

Ageing Sauvignon Blanc with oak

In order to differentiate his Sauvignon Blancs from the American versions that were made at the time, Mondavi chose to age the wines in barrel, the toasted oak lending a hint of smoky character to the wines, thus the ‘fumé’. The style became popular.

More producers started ageing their dry Sauvignon Blanc in (old and new) oak barrels and selling it as ‘Fumé Blanc’. While the name has been more commonly associated with oak-aged Sauvignon Blanc from the US, it’s not a requirement. The lack of regulation around the term, primarily created for marketing, means it’s open to interpretation.

Robert Mondavi ‘only intended to find an alternative name for Sauvignon Blanc, without any indication of the production method and style,’ according to the winery.

Currently, the terms ‘Sauvignon Blanc’ and ‘Fumé Blanc’ are deemed synonyms in US law. In the Sonoma region, Dry Creek Vineyard was among the first to produce a ‘Fumé Blanc’ in California without using oak.

Inspired by the mineral, lean and fresh Sauvignon Blanc from Sancerre of the Loire Valley, the owner, David Stare, decided to make an unoaked ‘Fumé Blanc’ in 1972, according to the winery.

Is Fumé fading?

With New Zealand creating a global demand for fresh, dry styles of Sauvignon Blanc, the associations that Mondavi had hoped to avoid have largely become a thing of the past. As a result, you see fewer wines labelled as Fumé Blanc in the current American marketplace. While the designation still exists, its numbers have dwindled.

The world’s greatest Fumé Blanc, though, is still made by Robert Mondavi Winery from the iconic I block in the famous To Kalon Vineyard. The old, gnarly, head-trained vines planted in 1945 are considered the oldest planting of Sauvignon Blanc in the Americas.

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Serving red wine too warm can accentuate its alcohol and diminish its acidity, while chilling lighter reds can be beneficial. To help you get it right, from misconceptions about room temperature to wine style, we highlight some key things to consider if you’re looking forward to enjoying a glass of red. We also outline suggested temperature ranges for light, medium and full-bodied offerings.

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A quick guide to the best red wine temperatures

• Light-bodied, or ‘chillable’ reds: Serve these reds slightly chilled. Aim for around 12-13°C (54-56°F), but some can go down to 10°C, too
• Medium-bodied reds: Serve between 14 and 16°C (57-61°F)
• Full-bodied reds: Serve between 16 and 18°C (61-64°F) (cooler is probably better)

What does ‘room temperature’ mean when serving red wine?

The conventional way of thinking about serving red wine has long been the somewhat vague guidance: ‘room temperature’. The problem with this notion is two-fold. One is that it’s awfully subjective. Merriam-Webster dictionary defines room temperature as ‘a comfortable temperature that is not too hot or too cold’.

The thermostat in a given household could differ between one and 10 degrees from its neighbours, so while the definition may have a sort of ‘Goldilocks’ sentiment, ‘just right’ means different things to different people.

Another popular notion that might steer drinkers away from the term ‘room temperature’ is that these guidelines come from a different era. Think of an old country château, its thick stone walls, a fire burning in the hearth. This is a far cry from central heating.

According to Go Compare, the average UK household temperature in 1966 was 12°C (54°F), but these days, it’s 18°C (64°F). In the US, the Department of Energy recommends thermostats be set at 68°F (20°C). In both cases, these current temperatures are in excess or at the upper end of the acceptable serving temperatures for red wine, so using ‘room temperature’ as a guideline will result in a less-than-desirable drinking experience.

Are you serving red wines too warm?

When wines are served too warm, the heat can accentuate some of the wine’s harsher elements. The foremost issue is that the heat accents the wine’s alcohol, giving it a ‘hot’ feeling, which in extreme cases can feel akin to drinking spirits.

In addition, the freshness and acidity that balance the wine’s weightiness and ripe fruit can appear subdued in a warm wine. Wine is a question of personal taste, but these are considered undesirable qualities.

Many of us have probably experienced a ‘soupy’ red wine at one time or another, whether on holiday in a warm climate or in a restaurant without a wine cellar under control. Sticking the wine in the refrigerator or an ice bucket for 10 to 20 minutes can help bring the wine into balance and make for a much more pleasant drinking experience.

Can you serve red wine chilled?

Generally, lighter styles of red wine can be served at lower temperatures. These include red wines that are lighter in style and typically see little to no oak fermentation in the production process. Cool climate varieties like Pinot Noir, Gamay, Schiava and Zweigelt come to mind immediately.

Some light-bodied red wines benefit from chilling, too.

When recommending lighter summer wines for Decanter magazine, Peter Richards MW wrote that ‘good summer reds should be served at 10°C-16°C (50°F-60°F)’.

He added, ‘That’s significantly cooler than many a summer’s day, so don’t be afraid to pop them in the fridge for 30 minutes before serving.’

It can be hard to generalise about particular wines or grape varieties due to variations in winemaking styles. However, Beaujolais (Gamay) and Valpolicella Classico (Corvina) are typically found at the lighter, chilled end of the serving temperature spectrum.

The below graphic from Decanter’s archive shows how Pinot Noir would generally range from light to medium-bodied, with some styles of Rioja (Tempranillo) in the mid-range and then the Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant and Syrah/Shiraz wines of this world in the full-bodied band.

How can you get the serving temperature right?

A wine fridge with pinpoint temperature control is the gold standard for dialling in your serving temperature, but a simple wine thermometer can also help. It might also be helpful to know the room temperature you’re in.

Trust your gut instinct, too. ‘I can’t recall the last time I used a thermometer either at home or in a professional environment,’ sommelier Xavier Rousset told Decanter.

Aside from obvious faults, how balanced does the wine taste?

If a red wine needs warming up slightly, you can always cradle the glass in your hands to improve the experience.

Watch out for temperature changes during drinking, though. ‘The temperature of wine rises dramatically in the glass, so your classic 18ºC Bordeaux becomes (depending where you are) 22ºC or more in the glass very quickly,’ said Rousset.

‘The hardest thing by far is to maintain the correct temperature throughout the time of consumption or over the course of your meal.’

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Beneath the towering Himalayas, the realm of the Gods, a new wine country has been born.

On 21 October, Bhutan – ‘Land of the Thunder Dragon’ – officially joins the global stage with the release of its first vintage.

This beautiful, secluded Buddist kingdom, graced by dramatic mountains, lush valleys, roaring rivers, shimmering lakes and an ancient yet ever-evolving culture, is now home to a pioneering wine venture.

Founded by American dreamers, Michael Juergens and Ann Cross, in partnership with the Bhutanese government, the Bhutan Wine Company aspires to capture the essence of the Thunder Dragon’s terroir.

Known for its commitment to Gross National Happiness (GNH) and its pristine environment, Bhutan might seem an unlikely candidate for wine production.

Yet, these very qualities have given rise to what could become one of the world’s most intriguing wine regions.

The genesis of this venture is a tale of serendipity and vision. Juergens, a business consultant and aspiring Master of Wine, and his wife Cross, a brand management expert with a WSET Diploma, first visited Bhutan in 2017.

Bottling Bhutan

What began as a bucket-list trip soon evolved into a pioneering enterprise.

‘I looked at it and said, this place has the potential to make some of the world’s greatest wines,’ Juergens recalls.

‘Everything that you eat [in Bhutan] is the most flavourful thing you’ve ever tasted. So I figured you could probably grow some interesting wine grapes.’

Captivated by Bhutan’s diverse microclimates and pure environment, Juergens drafted a proposal for the Bhutanese government, outlining how a wine industry could align with the country’s development goals, GNH policy, and status as the world’s only carbon-negative nation.

Recognising the potential for an entirely new, high-value, low-volume product that could showcase Bhutan to the world, while promoting sustainable agriculture, preserving cultural heritage, and generating income opportunities for rural communities – all key pillars of GNH – the response was enthusiastic.

By 2019, the first vines were in the ground. This merging of American entrepreneurialism with Bhutan’s adaptive cultural framework has given rise to a unique venture that respects local traditions while pushing viticultural boundaries.

Karma Choeda, chief operating officer of the Bhutan Wine Company, emphasises the cultural significance: ‘For the people and the country, it will be a matter of pride to say that we are able to grow grapes and produce wine in Bhutan.

‘Being a small country sandwiched between two giant nations [India and China], we have always placed great importance on our identity.

‘And to be able to capture and promote the essence and identity of Bhutan in a good bottle of wine will make the Bhutanese people very proud indeed.’

A mandala of microclimates

Bhutan, slightly smaller than Switzerland, offers a remarkable diversity of microclimates within its tropical lowlands, high-altitude valleys and abundant river and lake regions.

The venture has identified four distinct climate zones and two primary soil types – alluvial sand by the rivers and red clay on the hills.

Currently, about 80 hectares of vineyards span the country, cultivated across nine sites.

This diversity allows for an extraordinary range of grape varieties. ‘We’re going to have the Loire Valley equivalent here, doing Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc, the Rhône equivalent there doing Syrah, Bordeaux over there doing Bordeaux varietals, and we’ve got Burgundy Pinot Noir,’ Juergens enthuses.

‘We’ve got the microclimates to do all of that. We’ve just got to figure out which is which.’

Unlike the French appellation system, however, there are no rules. With no prior history of viticulture, Bhutan is a vinous blank canvas.

Monkeys in the vineyard

High altitudes, with some vineyards reaching up to 2,700 metres, contribute to intense UV exposure and significant diurnal temperature variations.

Combined with Bhutan’s famously pure water and unpolluted air, viticultural conditions are optimal.

Pioneering an entirely new wine country is not without its unique challenges. Wildlife management tops the list, with monkeys, cobras and leopards posing threats in the vineyards.

‘We don’t have red blotch [a vineyard disease], but we have monkeys!’ Juergens exclaims, highlighting the need for innovative solutions like electric fences and anti-venom protocols.

Matt Brain, the company’s Californian winemaker and a professor of oenology, shares his perspective on the challenges: ‘Growing world-class grapes in the country with no prior experience will take some time.

‘Vineyard teams will need to learn best practices in a variety of environmental conditions. And we will need to continue to explore the suitability of different varieties in different soils, altitudes and weather patterns.’

A new harvest

Adapting to local agricultural practices has been another hurdle. Bhutanese farmers, accustomed to maximising yields for other crops, are gradually coming around to the counterintuitive practice of reducing yields to enhance wine quality.

The diverse terroir and long growing season – harvests span from June to October due to altitude differences – allow for experimentation.

With 16 varieties in the ground, early results have been promising across the board, with Pinot Noir, Syrah, Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling showing particular promise.

Juergens describes the Pinot Noir as ‘the darkest you’ve ever seen, and at the same time the lightest, most ethereal you’ve ever tasted’.

Brain adds: ‘It is too early to say where our chosen varieties will excel best, but we are seeing different varieties beginning to show a great deal of promise at these early stages.’

As one might expect from a country without a single fast-food chain or traffic light, the aim is not for globalised ‘recipe’ wines.

Rather, the venture has set its sights on terroir-driven wines that reflect the unique characteristics of each microclimate and soil type.

As Bhutan pours its first wines, there’s a palpable sense of excitement and pride among its citizens.

The wines were presented first to the kingdom on 12 October, ahead of the global release on 21 October.

Building a wine culture

The project has been embraced as an opportunity to showcase Bhutanese culture and values to the world through the universal language of wine.

In the capital, Thimphu, a wine bar and tasting room has been established to foster a local wine culture, doubling as an educational hub.

The venue offers a rotating selection of international wines and the company’s Ser Chem range, featuring bottles adorned with Bhutan’s dragon symbol.

The name ‘Ser Chem’ refers to the traditional ritual of offering alcohol to the gods by dipping the left ring finger into the glass and flicking droplets into the air – the Bhutanese equivalent of ‘cheers’.

Bridging tradition and innovation, this Buddhist kingdom may well become the rising star in the world of wine.

The dragon awakes.

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Four wine styles to consider for a risotto recipe:

• Aromatic whites, such as Sauvignon Blanc or Bacchus
• High acid Italian white wines, such as Pinot Grigio or Pecorino
• Unoaked Chardonnay
• Light red wines, such as Gamay or Pinot Noir

The first rule when making risotto is to avoid using cheap cooking wines, says food writer Pete Dryer. He’s talking about those sub-£7 supermarket wines with not much detail about providence or grape variety.

‘At best they won’t add anything to your finished dish, and at worst they’ll actively make it unpleasant,’ he says.

At the same time, when cooking with wine, don’t dig out one of your best bottles from the cellar either. ‘It won’t be bad but really good wines are wasted on cooking in general,’ adds Dryer.

All rules are meant to be broken occasionally though, just ask Fiona Beckett who recommends Champagne for a risotto recipe in her book The Wine Lover’s Kitchen. She uses a blanc de noirs in her recipe for Champagne and mushroom risotto, arguing that this style of wine adds just the right amount of toasty richness.

‘It might seem wantonly extravagant,’ writes Beckett, ‘but you need only a glass and the bonus is that you can drink the rest with the risotto.’ Fair point.

In general, Dryer advises trying a crisp, dry, unoaked white wine. ‘Pinot Grigio is really versatile – also Sauvignon Blanc; those are the two I would reach for first, and unoaked Chardonnay is fine,’ he says.

‘If you have a dry Vermouth knocking about in a cupboard somewhere, that will also work surprisingly well – you want something that will give you a nice balance of sweetness and acidity.’

He advises against using oaked Chardonnays, wines with lots of body or anything sweeter than off-dry as they may overpower the risotto.’ Balance in key in this dish,’ says Dryer.

‘Sweeter wines can give you a sickly sweet flavour that clings to your palate too.’

What about using red wine in risotto?

Don’t assume that red wine is out of the question; again in her book, Beckett has a recipe for a Pinot Noir and beetroot risotto.

‘You might not think of pouring red wine into a risotto but with beetroot it works beautifully.’

Dryer agrees. ‘It seems a bit weird, but it can work with flavours that traditionally accompany red wine – for example, mushroom risotto can work with red or white wine.’

If you do try a red wine in your risotto, stick to light and dryer styles over fruity and sweet wines. Think Gamay, Pinot Noir and Valpolicella.

Six wine recommendations to use when making risotto

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Pizza is one of Italy’s great culinary gifts to the world, with traditional pizza-twirling in Naples enshrined by UNESCO as a skill of intangible cultural heritage.

Beer is sometimes seen as a classic go-to for pizza night, but there are many mouthwatering wines that can work brilliantly with a range of toppings if you’re planning to celebrate ‘the art of the pizzaiuolo’.

Scroll down to see tasting notes for 15 wines to pair with pizza

Wine and pizza pairing: The basics

For a classic, wood-fired Napoletana pizza with tomato, mozzarella and simple toppings then think about a wine with good acidity and lots of bright fruit that will balance nicely against the acidity of the tomato.

If you’re keen to go for Italian reds, then that could be Barbera d’Asti, a lighter style of Sangiovese or even Frappato from Sicily.

You could also consider Gamay, either from Beaujolais or from other corners of the wine world, such as Oregon or Stellenbosch.

Pizza sets a relaxed tone and pairings can work best if you pick a wine ‘that isn’t trying too hard’, according to Helen Johannesen, a sommelier who runs the ‘Helen’s’ wine component of Los Angeles restaurant Jon & Vinny’s Italian.

‘I love pairing lighter reds like Gamay, rosé made from interesting varietals like Montepulciano, and even skin-contact wines (aka orange wines),’ she told decanter.com.

‘Obviously you can ball out with some killer Barolo or lusciously rustic Rosso di Montepulciano, but I think the ease and comfort might be lost.’

Prosecco: Sparkling wine with pizza?

‘I enjoy bubbles with pizza,’ said Emily O’Hare, sommelier, wine writer and Decanter contributor based in Siena, Tuscany.

‘Col fondo Prosecco works a treat,’ she said, suggesting Malibran and Ca’ dei Zago as producers to look out for.

O’Hare, who also runs retreats and courses accredited by the Wine & Spirit Education Trust, added, ‘Pizza is chewy (the dough) and creamy (the cheese) and topped with acid (the tomato sauce), so something crisp and textured and savoury makes the combination so refreshing.

‘It’s important to feel refreshed so as to keep on going with the eating.’

Wine with pepperoni or sausage pizza

A spicier topping such as pepperoni will dominate the pizza’s flavour and may be able to handle a wine with a bit more attitude.

A juicy Grenache/Syrah blend could be great, but watch out for too much tannin and oak.

In Tuscany, O’Hare said, ‘If I stayed regional and red I’d look for a young Chianti or Chianti Classico Annata and put it in the fridge or outside to chill, and I’d go for a pizza with sausage meat to handle the more tannic wine choice.’

Fruit-driven styles of Nero d’Avola, particularly from Sicily, have become a mainstay on several pizzeria wine lists in the UK and have the weight to pair with meat-based pizzas – although some poorer-made examples can lack balance, especially if served too warm.

‘White’ pizza with ricotta or mushroom

White pizzas change the nature of the pairing, because the acidity of the tomato is no longer an issue.

Fresh, dry white wines can work a treat. ‘I love having our “white lightning” pizza, with pickled jalapeños & ricotta, with white wines grown in the volcanic soils of Sicily or Campania,’ said Johannesen.

It doesn’t have to be white wine, however. ‘My favourite pizza we make is the “super shroom”, that is a mushroom pie highlighted by raschera cheese,’ said Johannesen.

‘It’s drops a slightly funky beat, begging for some high acid Carignan or Zinfandel, or even a pet nat rosé with a tiny touch of residual sugar.’

Wine with pizza and lots of garlic

Garlic can be a very strong flavour. If you’re combining this with basil on a pizza, how about experimenting with skin-contact white wines, such as those made from Vermentino? They would ordinarily match up well with green pesto.

With so many toppings involved, wine and pizza can be a great avenue to explore and experiment with new pairing ideas.

Best wine with pizza: All-rounders

Barbera / Gamay / Sangiovese / Frappato / Nero d’Avola / Fiano / Prosecco

Best wine with pizza: 15 to try

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Tartrate crystals form due to the natural tartaric acid in grapes reacting with potassium, particularly when wine is exposed to cold temperatures.

While industrially-produced wines often undergo tartrate stabilisation to prevent these crystals, higher-quality or ageworthy wines may not, as the stabilisation process can affect flavour. The presence of crystals does not affect the aroma, taste or quality of the wine, and they can be removed by decanting or filtering if desired.

Have you ever opened a bottle of wine to find white or red crystalline deposits stuck to the bottom of the cork, glinting at the base of the bottle, or even floating in the wine itself? Did you feel unsettled or not sure whether you should drink it? Hopefully you did enjoy your bottle with abandon.

Sometimes colloquially known as ‘wine diamonds’, these small crystals are not only harmless but also a possible indicator of quality. ‘Some equate their presence as a mark of quality, in that the wine has not been overly manipulated in the cellar,’ said the late, great Gérard Basset OBE MW MS in response to a Decanter reader query in 2016.

Tartrate crystals in wine – what are they?

‘Many people think these clear crystals floating in the wine or stuck to the cork are salt, sugar, sediment or even broken glass,’ continues Basset.

The main component of these deposits is potassium acid tartrate, the potassium salt of tartaric acid. Traces of other elements – pulp, dead yeast cells, tannins, pigments – contaminate, and potentially colour, the potassium acid tartrate crystals. This is why in white wines the crystals are mostly colourless and perfectly-shaped, while in red wines – and to an extent orange wines – tannins and pigmented tannins make the crystals reddish brown, smaller and irregularly-shaped (and more likely referred to as ‘sediment’).

So where does the potassium acid tartrate come from? It all starts with tartaric acid, one of the three main acids – along with malic acid and citric acid – responsible for the tartness in both grapes and wines. Malic acid is partially or fully converted to the creamier-tasting lactic acid during malolactic fermentation. Tartaric acid, on the other hand, is chemically more stable and remains dissolved in the finished wine, contributing to the wine’s final pH levels and resistance to microbiological spoilage.

Tartaric acid compounds are less soluble on alcohol and water solutions, such as wine, than in water or grape juice. While it may remain in a supersaturated state in the final wine, it will likely crystallise at some point, mostly due to temperature fluctuations that change solubility levels. This is called tartrate instability – not an issue in itself except for the alarm caused on perplexed consumers. The pressure, from consumers and retailers, to avoid these unexpected findings led the industry to develop multiple techniques to ensure tartrate stabilisation.

How are the crystals formed?

The solubility of tartaric acid compounds increases with temperature. Colder temperatures therefore cause crystals to form. ‘When exposed to cold temperatures, the tartaric acid naturally found in grapes binds with potassium to form a compound called potassium bitartrate,’ explains Basset. ‘It’s the same as cream of tartar used in cooking.’ And in fact, nearly all commercial cream of tartar is collected from wineries.

If you find crystals in your wine at home, Basset said, ‘once formed they’ll never disappear, but they won’t affect the aroma, taste or quality of the wine.’

Tartrate stabilisation

Most industrially-produced, mass-marketed wines will undergo tartrate stabilisation to avoid the unpredictable formation of crystals. The most common process is cold stabilisation: the wine is refrigerated for several days before bottling to between -5 and -10℃ which causes the tartrate crystals to precipitate. These are then filtered out and the wine is brought back to cellar temperature. The final tartrate levels are low enough for it to be very unlikely for more crystals to precipitate in a customer’s fridge, restaurant’s cellar or supermarket stock room. Other methods include the addition of mannoproteins that inhibit tartrate precipitation or electrodyalisis, a sophisticated, very selective, membrane filtration process.

Because many of these processes can have a negative impact on the flavour and structure of the wine – mostly because they will also remove other components and, because the pH increases, the wine will be microbiologically more unstable – higher-quality and/or age-worthy wines will likely avoid tartrate stabilisation. Hence why you will likely find sediments of some sort in aged bottles of renowned wines.

How a wine is stored will determine how and where the crystals will cluster – and whether they will be noticeable at all. Tartrate crystals will typically gather and stick to the cork – and therefore removed when the wine is opened – if a bottle is stored upside down. If stored upright, the crystals will settle at the bottom and likely be poured out with the last glass. If a wine is on screwcap, the crystals will either accumulate at the bottom and sides of the bottle or float in the wine, as they don’t adhere to the closure.

Instead of being alarmed, you should view the presence of crystals as a sign of savvy, lower-intervention winemaking in which the preservation of the wine’s full character and its longevity have taken precedence over reassuring predictability. ‘If you find [the crystals] unsightly,’ concludes Basset, ‘you can either decant the wine before serving or filter it through a muslin cloth.’

This article was originally written by Gérard Basset OBE MW MS in response to a Decanter magazine reader query, and published online in 2016. It has been updated with new copy in August 2024.

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We take a look at top wine pairings for scallops, as recommended by expert sommeliers. Cooking methods and sauces can have a big influence on the ideal wine match so be sure to take these into consideration.

While raw scallops or ceviche pair well with Riesling or Sake, seared scallops may better suit Vouvray, white Rioja, Lugana or Savatiano. Baked scallops go nicely with Champagne, skin-contact Grüner Veltliner or Xarel·lo. You may be surprised to learn that light red wines, such as Trousseau, St-Laurent, Zweigelt and Spätburgunder, can also work.

Scallops are some of the most delicate and versatile shellfish, beloved by chefs from different backgrounds and across cuisines. Their affinity with multiple cooking methods gives sommeliers a wide range of pairing possibilities – to be considered mindfully lest they spoil the fine balance of scallop-based dishes.

We reached out to leading sommeliers and asked for their tips on how to elevate your scallop and wine game.

Scallops – pairings to try:

• Raw scallops or ceviche: Riesling, Sake
• Seared scallops: Vouvray, white Rioja, Lugana, Savatiano
• Baked scallops: Champagne, skin-contact Grüner Veltliner or Xarel·lo 
• Reds: Trousseau, St-Laurent, Zweigelt, Spätburgunder

Search our database of expert wine reviews

Matching wine with scallops is likely to lead you more towards white wines. This is due to the delicate nature of this prized ingredient and the many ways it can be approached in the kitchen – but it is also a matter of habit and tradition. There are also exciting pairing possibilities involving rosé, light red and orange wines.

With scallops, perhaps more than with any other seafood, the key thing is to understand how the cooking method changes the meat’s structure and how seasoning and accompanying sauces contribute to the overall character of the dish.

Scallop ceviche and raw scallops

For Eugenio Egorov, head sommelier at five-star London hotel The Stafford, it’s important to underscore the aromatic delicacy of raw scallops, without obscuring it. If served raw, Egorov therefore favours a New World, bone-dry Riesling which, he says, ‘adds lifting acid alongside delicate aromas’ that don’t overpower the main ingredient. But if there’s a citrus, acidic element to the dish, in a ceviche or carpaccio for example, ‘an off-dry version, such as a Mosel Kabinett will be a good option,’ complementing the zesty acid with more luscious aromas. He mentions Henschke’s Peggy’s Hill Eden Valley Riesling and JJ Prüm’s Wehlener Sonnenhur, as his go-to options.

However, for Egorov, the ideal companion to raw scallops is Junmai Daiginjo Sake. ‘It’s just a perfect match; the sake’s umami really underscores the structure of the scallop,’ he explains. The premium sake category, with a minimum milling ratio of 50%, is known for its purity of flavour and delicate framework. A slight, subtle oiliness also helps underscore the scallops delicate, buttery fleshiness.

Seared scallops

Searing scallops, especially with butter (simply salted or flavoured with garlic and/or herbs), can create delicious caramelised flavours while keeping the fresh delicacy of the inside. Seared iterations lend themselves to more complex wine partners – with the caveat that these should never obscure the purity of the scallops’ meat.

This calls for a good balance between acidity and weight, imparted either by oak or lees ageing. ‘A Muscadet with some time on the lees, for body and structure, is a great option,’ says Egorov. ‘And if the [seared] scallops are served with a sauce – so there’s the sauce’s flavour adding to the smokiness – I’d recommend a fresh non-oxidative white Rioja. Among my favourites is the Remírez de Ganuza Blanco Reserva.’ He also suggests looking across the Mediterranean for a Greek Savatiano, which offers an ideal combination of flavour, weight and body.

For Melania Bellesini, head sommelier at The Fat Duck, the pairing exercise is more complex. ‘We serve seared scallop alongside a tartare. So the wine needs to complement both the smokiness and the creaminess of the dish.’ She hones in on the different possible garnishes (hazelnut, seaweed, white chocolate) to decide on the best pairing companion. If saltiness and/or nuttiness dominate she goes for an ‘off-dry Riesling with a bit of age to round off the acidity’ (Donnhoff Kabinett is a go-to option). If, on the other hand, the dish gives toasted flavours centre stage then Bellesini will opt for an off-dry Vouvray: ‘Chenin Blanc’s low, soft acid and good body work really well with the smokiness of the dish.’

But there’s room for more creativity, when daring garnishes call for it. ‘We once had a scallop dish served with white chocolate mousse and almond milk. It was perfect with Cà dei Frati’s Pratto, a blend of Trebbiano [di Lugana], Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc – it had great vibrancy along with a rich, buttery character. Worked really well.’

Baked or roasted scallops

Egorov highlights that white Riojas, especially older vintages, are also great companions to the creamy opulence of baked scallops. ‘But you can’t go wrong with some bubbles with a bit of oak influence. I currently have the [Champagne] Nicolas Maillart’s Jolivettes Grand Cru – 100% Pinot Noir vinified in foudres – and it works superbly.’

Thinking a bit outside the box it might be worth considering an orange wine with a good balance of tannin and acid, such a skin-contact Austrian Grüner Veltliner or Xarel·lo from Catalonia.

Red wines with scallops

Speaking of tannins, it’s wrong to assume that red wines cannot be paired with fish and seafood, especially if served slightly chilled.

Trousseau and St-Laurent are grapes to look out for if serving roasted scallops. ‘Or even a chilled Zweigelt,’ says Egorov. ‘Another great option is a Baden Blauburgunder [Spätburgunder], which has ideal juiciness, acidity and soft tannins.’

Are your scallops sustainable?

The Marine Conservation Society’s Good Fish Guide, which assesses the sustainability rating of fish and seafood sources, warns against buying wild-caught scallops captured via ‘dredging’ the seabed. Also known as ‘bottom dragging’, this is a particularly destructive method for sea habitats.

Hand-dived scallops are a better option. However, these are increasingly hard to find and significantly more expensive due to the cost and risks of this capture method. Still, there can be significant impact on population stock and, consequently, on the overall sea eco-system.

The most sustainable source has become off-bed (suspended) farming. These are scallop aquacultures, with little environmental impact, that do not need commercial feed and very rarely require the use of chemical treatments. While currently no independently certified sustainable scallops are available, your fishmonger should be able to tell you the origin and capture method of his produce.

Wine with scallops: 10 to try

Wines grouped by style and ordered by descending score.

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Crémant sparkling wines can be a delicious, affordable alternative to Champagne, and the wines are produced in a similar way, although the reputation of Champagne houses and growers for making some of the world’s most complex and long-lived styles is unrivalled.

We take an in-depth look into the similarities and differences between these two sparkling wine types in terms of geography, winemaking, flavour profile and age-worthiness. We also recommend 10 wines to try.

Geography

Champagne can only come from designated vineyards within the Champagne region in northern France; its intricate web of vineyards and miles of underground cellars sit on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

Crémant sparkling wines can only come from specific regions too, although many are more famous for producing still wines. They include:

• Crémant de Bourgogne
• Crémant de Loire
• Crémant de Limoux
• Crémant de Jura
• Crémant d’Alsace
• Crémant de Bordeaux
• Crémant de Die – in the Rhône Valley
• Crémant de Savoie.

Beyond French borders, you can also find Crémant de Luxembourg.

The method

Champagne and Crémant wines get their sparkle from the ‘traditional method’, which involves creating the conditions for a secondary fermentation inside the bottle. You might have seen this referred to as the ‘Champagne method’.

Prosecco, for example, is better known for using the ‘tank method’, also known as the Charmat method.

Bottles of Crémant and Champagne must also be aged ‘on lees’ for minimum periods, which can bring extra body and complexity to the wines.

Lees, which are essentially dead yeast cells left over from fermentation, can also bring those brioche and bread-like aromas to a sparkling wine.

Rules stipulate at least nine months of lees ageing for Crémant in many cases, although there are variations and some wineries choose to extend the process, too. The ‘Eminent’ and ‘Grand Eminent’ tiers for Crémant de Bourgogne wines involve extended lees ageing.

In Champagne, non-vintage styles must be aged for at least 12 months on lees. The minimum ageing period for vintage wines is three years, according to the Comité Champagne. In reality, many of the best Champagnes are aged for much longer.

Taste

You’ll find lots of variation in house styles, not to mention climates, but the use of different grape varieties can affect flavour.

Champagne is mainly all about Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier.

Many Crémant wines tend to reflect grape varieties grown in their home regions, as Amy Wislocki explains in more detail in this article about Crémant de Bourgogne.

Decanter’s Tina Gellie recently praised the ‘crunchy herbal freshness alongside ripe red berry flavours’ of this Crémant de Bordeaux rosé, made from Merlot and Cabernet Franc, for example.

While a number of regional Crémants use Chardonnay and/or Pinot Noir to a greater or lesser extent, you can expect see Chenin Blanc or Cabernet Franc exerting their influence in the Loire Valley, Clairette in the Rhône, or Trousseau with some Savagnin in Jura, too.

In Limoux, Crémant is predominantly Chardonnay and Chenin, with Mauzac in support. However, Blanquette de Limoux, another traditional method sparkling wine, is where the local Mauzac grape dominates.

Crémant de Bourgogne has a natural bias towards Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, its principal grape varieties for Burgundy’s world-famous still wines, although others are cleared for use. There can be up to 20% Gamay in rosé, for example.

Do Crémant wines keep in the cellar like Champagne?

Not all Champagnes improve with age, and some vintage Crémants can age for years. Robin Kick gave this 2020-vintage Crémant de Bourgogne from Bruno Dangin a drinking window of up to 2030.

However, vintage Champagne is renowned as one of the world’s most complex and long-lived wines. Crémant does not currently rival Champagne in terms of the sheer number of ageworthy wines that are widely available from different houses and growers.

‘Like Blanquette de Limoux, Crémant de Limoux should be enjoyed preferably within two years of purchase and chilled to 6 or 7°C,’ says the Limoux producers’ union.

Rob MacCulloch MW previously told Decanter that Crémant wines did not generally age as well as Champagne.

‘Crémants generally have a higher pH and phenolic content than Champagne, with low levels of both being crucial for longevity in sparkling wine,’ he said.

Champagne and Crémant: 10 wines to try

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If you like your food hot and spicy, does that mean you have to miss out on a wine to enjoy with it? Not necessarily… Although spice is one of the trickier food-matching challenges, there are plenty of wine styles that can work well with the heat and complex flavours of spicy dishes.

There is a key choice to make before you start. Do you want to amplify the heat or tame it?

Chilli thrill-seekers could meet the heat head-on with what experienced sommelier Matthieu Longuère MS, wine development manager at Le Cordon Bleu London, describes as a ‘spice booster’ wine.

If you’re less excited by the Scoville heat scale, you’ll want a wine that mellows out the dish – without compromising the flavours of course. Off-dry white wines are a good option here, because their slight sweetness can help to reduce the heat.

Spice boosters

Bold and fruity reds – such as Syrah/Shiraz or Grenache/Garnacha, which have spicy notes on the palate – are a good option if you want to ramp up the spice in a dish. Look for examples that have plenty of fruit rather than high tannins, as too much tannin is the worst enemy of spice.

Winemaking regions in the warmer southern hemisphere are a good place to find fruitier styles of spicy red wines. Think South America’s signature red grapes, Malbec and Carmenère or Pinotage from South Africa. Brambly, spicy Zinfandel from the US is another red that can work well with spicy dishes such as chilli con carne.

Andrés Rangel, former sommelier at top Indian restaurant Gymkhana in London, suggests that it can be fun to think about matching spicy wines to specific spicy aromas and flavours in a dish. ‘Some of the herbs and spices used [in Indian cooking], such as cardamom, ginger, pepper, clove and coriander, are present in the flavour and aromatic profile of wine,’ he explains.

Cool customers

If you want to contain the heat of a spicy dish rather than amplify it, Rangel recommends off-dry aromatic white wines as ‘safe’ options. This means grape varieties such as Gewürztraminer, Viognier, Muscat, Pinot Gris and Riesling. While Alsace is a good place to start hunting, these varieties can be found all over the wine world. Argentina’s signtaure aromatic white grapes Torrontés, with its peachy fruit is another variety to look out for.

‘For me, off-dry wines only work if there is also an element of sweetness in the spicy food,’ says Anne Krebiehl MW, widely published wine writer and author of The Wines of Germany. ‘For example, there’s usually palm sugar in Thai dishes along with lemongrass and mild chilli heat. Here, an off-dry, light-bodied Riesling – but not sweet – would be perfect, just to echo that nuance of sweetness.’

She adds: ‘Look out for the term “feinherb” (off-dry) on the label and aim for anywhere between 11-13% abv.’

Rosé and orange wines

Food and wine matching expert and Decanter contributing editor, Fiona Beckett, thinks fuller-bodied rosés stand up well to spice. ‘Rosés from the New World tend to be riper and sweeter than their European counterparts, and this is not necessarily an off-putting quality when they are paired with spicy food,’ she explains.

Italy’s Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo is another deeper rosé style that can pair brilliantly with some spicy dishes. Or seek out dark pink Spanish rosados made from Garnacha, a grape that’s naturally low in tannins. These punchy rosés will work particularly well with Caribbean jerk seasoning.

Both rosé and food-friendly orange wines are a good choice for Eastern Mediterranean and North African dishes, featuring spices such as sumac, harissa and ras el hanout. A lamb tagine or spicy aubergine would also pair well with lighter reds such as Beaujolais, which can be served chilled.

Sparkling success

Finally, don’t forget fizz. For Rangel sparkling wines with a creamy mousse are a reliable choice with spicy food – especially if you’re looking to reduce the heat. He advises thinking about the texture of the dish. Is it a creamy curry or a dry-spiced deep-fried snack?

‘The most effective way to match wine and spicy food is balancing weight by weight, and contrasting flavours,’ says Rangel. ‘For example, in Indian food, we find rich and fatty dishes, made with cream or yoghurt. So we need wines with enough body to support those dishes and at the same time ripe fruit flavours to create a pleasant contrast with the spices.’

Krebiehl adds that sparkling wines can work particularly well with seafood dishes that carry just hint of heat. ‘I love to drink fizz and find that a rather creamy and really mature Champagne goes well with chilli-accented dishes; like soft-shell crab or squid fried in a cayenne-spiced batter,’ she says.

It’s not just about whites either; sparkling reds can also work with certain spicy dishes. ‘I am a big fan of Chinese five spice, with its warm redolence of clove and cinnamon. Rounder, gutsier Pinot Noirs that border on plummy fruitiness work well here, but so does sparkling Shiraz,’ adds Krebiehl

Top five wine styles for spicy food 

• Off-dry Riesling 
• Off-dry Pinot Gris
• Full-bodied rosés
• Syrah/Shiraz 
• Grenache

Wines to pair with spicy food: 12 to try

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For meat lovers, an evening with a succulent, juicy steak and a delicious bottle of wine is one of life’s great pleasures. The big meaty flavours of a steak demand an equally big wine with plenty of tannins – and the good news is there are several red grapes and wine styles that fit the bill.

As with any food pairing, it’s also useful to consider the other ingredients on your plate. Are you serving steak with chips or a salad? What sauce is on the side? Read on to discover go-to wine styles for steak, tips on pairing with particular cuts of meat and other things to consider if you’re preparing a special steak dinner.

Malbec and steak: a match made in heaven

There are several classic wine pairings for steak and top of the list is the Malbec grape. With their lush dark fruit and naturally high tannins, Malbec wines and blends are a safe choice if you’re unsure what to buy.

Two main regions should be on your radar. First is Argentina, the New World country that has become synonymous with quality Malbec at all price points. The region of Mendoza has more Malbec planted than anywhere else in the world. It’s home to 76% of Argentina’s vineyards and Malbec plantings here account for one-fifth of the total Malbec in the country. So look out for the name on wine labels.

Since Argentina is also famous for the production of high-quality beef, it’s no surprise that steak and Malbec have found a perfect partnership here. The classic style of Argentinian Malbec is an oaked wine packed with layers of dark fruit and spice. But it’s also worth considering fresher styles.

‘I tend to choose a “new wave” Malbec, one with less oak, fresher fruit and better acidity,’ says South American wine expert Patricio Tapia, editor of the annual Guida Descorchados. ‘Especially ones coming from places like Altamira and Gualtallary in the Uco Valley, towards the Andes Mountains.’ he added. ‘Always keep in mind that the main task for a glass of wine is to refresh the food.’

The other region to seek out for top Malbec is the grape’s French homeland of Cahors. Although this region in southwest France doesn’t produce as much Malbec as Argentina, it can be a good source of value bottles, with styles ranging from the traditional gutsy and full-bodied to light and fruity.

Cabernet Sauvignon: a classic choice

Another great option if you’re looking to pour a full-bodied red wine, is Cabernet Sauvignon. A winning combination of dark fruits, tannin and naturally high acidity makes Cabernet and Cabernet-dominant blends a successful partner for steak.

The most classic of Cabernet regions is Bordeaux, whose red wines are also known as claret. More Cabernet Sauvignon is planted on the Left Bank, so these wines will be richer in style. Right Bank Bordeaux is Merlot-dominant so the wines will be more supple. But both varieties are planted throughout Bordeaux so claret is usually a blend of the two.

France isn’t the only source of Cabernet Sauvignon however. This adaptable grape is successfully grown all over the world from Australia and China to South Africa and California. ‘A powerful California Cabernet Sauvignonwith a grilled steak is pretty hard to beat,’ says US wine expert Karen MacNeil in her 10 rules to food and wine pairing.

Syrah to Pinotage: more red options

‘I’d urge people to look beyond the traditional matches of Malbec or Cabernet Sauvignon with steak,’ says wine writer and DWWA judge Peter Richards MW. ‘The risk with steak is to think big meaty flavours equals big wine,’ he adds.

‘How about a nice lively Cabernet Franc? Or may even a Carignan, Cinsault or cool-climate Syrah? Even a full-bodied but elegant rosé can work well on a warm day,’ says Richards.

With its spicy black pepper notes, Syrah – also known as Shiraz – is a particularly good match for the smoky flavours of steak cooked on a barbecue. Generous Australian Shiraz is a reliably good pairing. While classic examples from the Rhône Valley in France will often have a delicious savoury smoky bacon note too.

South Africa is also a source of great Syrah/Shiraz for steak – look out for examples from Swartland. While smoky South African Pinotage is another natural fit for flame-grilled steaks.

If you’re keen to experiment, there’s a long list of native grapes from countries around the world that would suit steak. Portugal’s gutsy Douro Valley reds are usually field blends of local varieties such as Touriga Nacional and Tinta Roriz. Or how about Sangiovese from Italy?

Four classic red grapes for steak

• Malbec
• Cabernet Sauvignon
• Syrah / Shiraz
• Pinotage

Does Pinot Noir go with steak? 

Most Pinot Noir wines tend to sit at the light- to medium-bodied end of the flavour spectrum. So its profile is often therefore paired-up with lighter meats sand white meat. Yet Pinot Noir’s natural acidity and bright, red berry fruit can work with your steak dinner, depending on the style and the cut.

In general, think about trying Pinots with leaner cuts of beef, such as fillet, which are cooked rare to medium-rare. Steak tartare will go nicely with a Pinot Noir for example.

Ribeye or fillet steak?

‘The easiest way to pair wine with beef is to think about matching the flavour intensity of your wine with your beef,’ says Mark Quick, wine director for the Hawksmoor group of steakhouse restaurants, in this in-depth article about pairing wine with beef.

Consider the fat content in your meat, for example. ‘More fat equals more intense beefy flavour,’ says Quick.

Food-and-wine-pairing expert and Decanter contributing editor, Fiona Beckett agrees. She recommends pairing a ribeye steak with its relatively high fat content with a Syrah-based Côte-Rôtie from the Northern Rhône or a SuperTuscan Italian red – ‘both generous, ripe and full-bodied’.

Meanwhile she recommends riper, more fruit-driven styles of red for steak cooked well-done.

What sauce? 

Serving a sauce with any meat will influence the wine pairing. Common choices for steak include béarnaise, peppercorn sauce, spicy South American chimichurri, mushroom sauce or mustard.

‘Sauces and sides will also be just as important when it comes to the choice of wine,’says Richards. ‘Creamy sauces like béarnaise can go well with an oakier wine. Syrah can work well with peppercorns.’

‘For peppercorn sauce, as it’s so rich I would suggest a plummy and fruity Malbec, a Bordeaux, a reserva Rioja or a nice medium- to full-bodied Douro red,’ adds Alberto Almeida, head sommelier at Lainston House. ‘With béarnaise, maybe something with a bit more acidity and tannin, such as a Brunello di Montalcino made with the Sangiovese grape.’

Lorenzo Tili, head sommelier at The Goring agrees. ‘Bérnaise sauce requires a red wine with pronounced flavour intensity, full body, good tannins and enough acidity to cut through the sweet meat and creaminess given from the sauce. Sangiovese will always deliver very well. He suggests Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Riserva and Chianti Classico Gran Selezione from Tuscany, or Torgiano Rosso Riserva from Umbria.

‘With spicy sauces like chimichurri, we want to pair a smooth red with round tannins. But pay attention at the abv,’ warns Tili. ‘If the alcohol is too high, it will increase the spicy sensation of the food on the palate – in particular with red hot chilli – and the result won’t be pleasant!’

White wine with steak?

If you aren’t a fan of red wines, can you pair steak with white wines or rosés? The answer is yes, as long as you go for fuller-bodied examples. Think oaked Chardonnay or Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo, a characterful Italian rosé made from Montepulciano, with cherry and savoury flavours.

Discovery is, after all, one of the most exciting things about the wine world. Experienced sommelier Matthieu Longuère MS, wine development manager at Le Cordon Bleu London, suggests mature white Rioja in his article about pairing white wine with red meat.

‘To pair with steak, I would go for a deep rosé, made with Malbec, Shiraz or Merlot grapes,’ says Almeida. ‘The dark colour shows more contact with the skins, so we’ll have a more robust and tannic wine to help the protein of the steak.’

‘Look for a wine characterised by full body and good structure,’ agrees Tili. ‘A blend from the Southern Rhône appellation of Tavel (mainly Grenache and Cinsault with other local varieties) would certainly be one of the best options. Alternatively a rosé made from Aglianico and Sagrantino grapes, which are very rich in polyphenols, from Central and Southern Italy would also perform very well.’

If you’re still undecided on which wine to choose, here are some recommendations from the Decanter team, to suit every pocket and occasion – from special celebrations to budget mid-week suppers.

Best wines for steak: 12 to try

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However you spell or pronounce them, Syrah and Shiraz are the same grape variety – but often made in distinct wine styles. Our definitive guide explains what they are, which regions produce the most iconic bottlings, and recommends 18 must-try examples to seek out.

South Australia and South Africa, Rhône and The Rocks AVA in Walla Walla Valley: one red grape rules supreme.

Whether labelled Syrah or Shiraz, the wine inside the bottle is from the same grape. The styles, however, may be quite different.

Syrah and Shiraz: the different styles

France’s Northern Rhône is the spiritual home of Syrah, from Côte-Rôtie through St-Joseph, Hermitage, Crozes-Hermitage and down to Cornas.

As a general rule, wines from elsewhere in the world labelled as Syrah will follow this Northern Rhône style. Think fine-grained tannins, higher acidity and a lean fruit profile with moderate body and alcohol. And, if matured in oak, that oak will be French.

South Australia, meanwhile – particularly in the Barossa and McLaren Vale – is the home of Shiraz, which was how the Syrah grape became known Down Under.

Many countries use the Shiraz name for wines that share that traditional Aussie style. This is generally richer and ripe-fruited, and fuller in both body and alcohol. Maturation is often in American oak.

Scroll down for tasting notes and scores of 18 great examples of Syrah and Shiraz wines around the world

These distinct styles first emerged as a natural consequence of the different growing conditions and climates (ie, the grapes in South Australia getting more baked from the sun and reaching higher potential alcohol than their Rhône counterparts). But winemaking decisions also influence the style of wine.

This is why producers in South Australia and beyond – particularly South America, South Africa, the US, Canada and even southern France – might choose to call a wine Syrah or Shiraz to easily denote its style.

Whatever the style, this grape can produce wines of great elegance that age beautifully. Some of its distinct characteristics are intense black fruit, savoury tapenade and distinct pepper spice, and medium to high tannins. There are often herbal liquorice notes as well as a violet lift.

Syrah/Shiraz is shown to contain more of a compound called rotundone, responsible for peppery aromas in wine.

The grape’s birthplace

The origins of Syrah were once a matter of much debate, many speculating it might hail from Syracuse in Sicily, ancient Persia (the city of Shiraz in ancient Persia, modern-day Iran, being the reason for its Australian name) or descend from an ancient Rhône variety known to produce fine wine in Roman times.

But in 1998 DNA profiling confirmed the variety’s parents as the white grape Mondeuse Blanche and the black-skinned Dureza. These rare varieties are local to the Rhône-Alpes region of France.

Studies also show that, with great probability, Pinot Noir is a great-grandparent of Syrah, and both Viognier and Mondeuse Noire seem to be closely related to Syrah, too.

Some northern Rhône growers distinguish between a small-berried, more concentrated version of Syrah, which they call Petite Syrah, and the larger-berried Grosse Syrah. Most ampelographers reject this distinction.

Petite Sirah (spelled with an i, not a y), on the other hand, is a crossing of Syrah with the obscure Rhône-Alpes grape Peloursin and popular in California for its robust, tannic, earthy nature. Petite Sirah is also known as Durif, notably in Australia.

France – home of Syrah

Until the 1970s, French Syrah plantings were mostly concentrated in and around the vineyards of the Rhône Valley. Since then, however, Syrah has had an extraordinary surge in popularity throughout southern France, particularly in Languedoc-Roussillon, and it now is the country’s third most planted red wine.

Syrah is the queen grape of the Northern Rhône where it makes the muscular, deep-coloured, ageworthy, savoury and peppery wines of Hermitage. In Côte-Rôtie it makes more perfumed, slightly floral and refined wines, namely when co-fermented with a small percentage of Viognier.

Crozes-Hermitage, St-Joseph and Cornas are other appellations worth looking at, offering earlier drinking and great-value examples.

While Grenache is usually the key grape in Southern Rhône reds, Syrah also plays a key part, particularly in Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

Australia – home of Shiraz

In 1832, James Busby, the ‘father of Australian viticulture’ took cuttings of Syrah (then called Scyras) to Australia from Montpelier. It flourished in the new colony of New South Wales and from there across the whole country. Shiraz eventually became Australia’s most planted variety.

Langmeil, in South Australia’s Barossa Valley, has the world’s oldest surviving Shiraz vines, planted in 1843.

Of all Australia’s Shiraz wines, the most renowned might be the traditionally rich, intense, ripe wines from the Barossa.

The Barossa (comprising the Barossa Valley and Eden Valley) is considered by many to be the ‘spiritual home’ of Australian Shiraz, much due to the iconic status of several historic producers including Penfolds, Henschke and Yalumba.

An Eden Valley Syrah won a Best in Show gong for the grape at the 2024 Decanter World Wine Awards.

McLaren Vale, especially old-vine pockets in Blewitt Springs, as well as up in the cool Adelaide Hills are also known for their elegant Syrah styles.

Syrah/Shiraz as an international variety

Syrah/Shiraz is the sixth most planted grape in the world.

It was enthusiastically planted in California in the 1990s by the so-called Rhône Rangers, a group of winemakers determined to demonstrate that it may be even better suited to California than Cabernet Sauvignon. Today there are myriad styles from blockbuster examples from Paso Robles to ethereal elegance from Santa Barbara and Sonoma.

Elsewhere in America, Washington State also produces fine, bright examples, notably from the Walla Walla Valley, and its unique AVA of The Rocks of Milton Freewater which straddles Washington and Oregon.

Syrah is arguably South Africa’s most exciting grape, having risen to star status over the past 15 years thanks mainly to dynamic producers in the Swartland region. Now there are world-class Syrah and Shiraz styles throughout the Cape winelands.

In New Zealand, Central Otago, Waiheke Island and Hawke’s Bay, particularly its pocket of Gimblett Gravels, are the home of the country’s top Syrahs. Even though the variety represents just 1% of plantings, the quality is exceptional and worth seeking out.

While Argentina has more planted, Chile is South America’s Syrah star, thanks to high-altitude and/or cool-climate coastal vineyards. The wines represent excellent value too.

Italy, Spain (mostly in Castilla-La Mancha) and Portugal (Alentejo) make some notable Syrahs. And there are fine examples as far afield as Israel, Greece, Mexico and China.

Syrah/Shiraz: 18 great examples from around the world

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Cirò, pronounced CHI-roh, is a historical town which gives its name to a DOC for red, white and pink wines made in the Crotone province of Calabria, close to the Ionian coast at the toe of the Italian boot.

The Greeks who began colonising the region in the 8th century BC named the area ‘Oenotria’, and the locals ‘Italoi’. By the time of the Romanisation of southern Italy in the 2nd century BC, ‘Italoi’ had become the term to describe all local people in the south of the peninsula, eventually encapsulating those in the north too, giving us the foundations of the modern name, Italy.

Roman, Byzantine, Norman, Spanish, French and Italian hegemonies all shaped the region of Calabria in the following centuries, but Cirò remained largely feudal in structure until relatively recently, only modernising after World War II due to radical government land reforms.

In 1952, the coastal settlement of Cirò Marina was created, attracting the peasant class away from the historical hill town of Cirò, located in the foothills of the Sila mountain range, which, as noted in Cirò, Cirò Marina: Storia, Cultura, Economica (Rubbetino, 1997), had traditionally been a haven against pirates and malaria.

Cirò DOC

Cirò and Cirò Marina today form the heartland of Cirò DOC, which has the largest production by volume of any DOC in Calabria.

The DOC was created in 1969, encompassing Cirò, Cirò Marina, Melissa and Crucoli. Wines made only from vineyards in Cirò and Cirò Marina are entitled to the Classico designation.

Wines must be a minimum of 11% for Cirò Bianco DOC and 12.5% for Cirò Rosso and Rosato DOC.

Wines of DOC status of 13.5% or more may be classified as Superiore, and wines of 13.5% or more which are aged for a minimum of two years may be classified as Superiore Riserva.

Cirò Classico has been approved for elevation to DOCG status since autumn 2023, which will make it Calabria’s first DOCG.

Area Cirò DOC 1,500ha; Cirò Classico DOC 500ha

Wineries 65, with 300 winegrowers in the Consorzio

Production 31,550hl (five-year average) – approx. 4 million bottles/year

Plantings 50% Gaglioppo, 30% Greco Bianco, 20% other varieties

Production 40% red, 30% white, 30% rosé

Cirò Bianco DOC: Minimum 80% Greco Bianco plus 20% other authorised grape varieties

Cirò Rosso/Rosato DOC: Minimum 80% Gaglioppo plus 20% other authorised grape varieties, of which only 10% may be Barbera, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot or Sangiovese.

The climate of Cirò DOC is Mediterranean, with long, warm summers and mild, wet winters. The region has low rainfall and both the Sirocco and Tramontane winds assist in creating dry conditions, helping to combat vine diseases such as downy and powdery mildew.

Proximity to the sea helps to moderate the heat of the summer, and harvest typically lasts from late September into October.

The two most important grape varieties are Gaglioppo and Greco Bianco. Other varieties including Barbera, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Sangiovese are also permitted in small quantities.

Gaglioppo

Gaglioppo is the foundation of both Cirò Rosso DOC and Cirò Rosato DOC. It has thin skins but marked acidity and chewy tannins that require ageing to soften. It is often pale and orange-tinged in the glass, spicy and aromatic on the nose, encouraging comparisons with the Nebbiolo of Barolo.

Genetically, Gaglioppo is descended from Sangiovese, perhaps emerging as a natural crossing between Sangiovese and Mantonico. According to Ian d’Agata in Native wine grapes of Italy (University of California Press, 2014), ‘This means that Gaglioppo and Frappato are most likely siblings.’

The wines can have a dried fruit, leather and savoury character even when matured in concrete or steel. Some of the most interesting examples of Cirò are only released after significant ageing in producers’ cellars.

Greco Bianco

Greco Bianco is a local variety which forms the backbone of Cirò’s white wines. It’s unrelated to Greco from Campania, or — confusingly — the Malvasia di Lipari used in the nearby sweet wine DOC of Greco di Bianco.

The wines are generally fruity with floral notes, although the best can develop in bottle.

The Cirò revolution

Some international varieties were added to the Cirò DOC regulations in 1996. While larger wineries have generally been in favour of their addition, a number of smaller producers have resisted, leading to the foundation of the Cirò Revolution by Azienda Agricola Sergio Arcuri, A’ Vita and Tenuta del Conte.

Members of this organisation agree to use only 100% Gaglioppo, and no barriques in the ageing of the wines. There are 11 members as of 2024, and their eye-catching logo is a fist holding secateurs.

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A guide to ‘wine legs’, also referred to as ‘wine tears’ or ‘cathedral arches’, exploring whether they indicate wine quality or if this is best assessed through smell and taste. Wine legs are formed by the Gibbs-Marangoni Effect, a physical phenomenon related to alcohol evaporation and surface tension. They are more prominent in wines with higher alcohol, tannins or sugar and are affected by temperature, humidity and the glass.

‘In all the tastings I host, I get more questions about wine legs than any other topic,’ says Matt Walls, Decanter World Wine Awards’ Regional Chair for the Rhône. ‘It’s surely one of the most mythologised aspects of wine drinking.’

Believed by many to be a sign of quality, wine legs are in fact the innocent outcome of a physical phenomenon, determined by the wine’s chemical composition and affected by external factors such as temperature, humidity and pouring vessel.

What are wine legs?

Wine legs are droplets that form on the inside of a glass after you’ve swirled and liquid resettles to the bottom.

Some believed that the glycerol and the viscosity of the wine contributed to wine legs, but scientists have proven that alcohol plays a far more important role in forming these trickles of liquid.

What happens is, that a thin film of liquid is attached to the inside surface of the glass once swirled. When the alcohol, with a lower surface tension than water, starts to evaporate from this liquid veil, water and other molecules (such as tannins and sugar) form drops that then fall back into the glass forming the trail described as wine legs.

As Jane Anson puts it in a previous Decanter Magazine article, ‘When you swirl wine in your glass, alcohol will first gather at the sides, then start to evaporate, while the water (and other molecules in the wine) will turn into droplets that will crawl back to the glass, like raindrops on a window.’

This is known as the Gibbs-Marangoni Effect, named after the 19th-century physicists Carlo Marangoni and Josiah Willard Gibbs, who first studied the phenomenon and provided a theoretical explanation.

Scientists describe it as ‘the mass transfer along an interface between two fluids due to a gradient of the surface tension’ – essentially, when there are differences in surface tension across a liquid surface, the liquid tends to flow from regions of low surface tension to regions of high surface tension.

Walls explains that ‘tears are formed due to a combination of different forces – surface tension forces and intermolecular forces’ – which means that there are opposing forces between the evaporating molecules of alcohol and the heavier molecules of water, sugar and other components in wine which, pushed against the glass’s surface by the evaporating alcohol, bind with each other to form drops.

‘The reality is that wine legs tell you relatively little about the wine, and nothing about the quality of what’s in the glass’, says Walls. ‘The only information that legs offer to the wine lover is that your wine contains alcohol. But you don’t need legs to tell you that’.

Wines with higher alcohol content, therefore, will form tears more easily. As will wines that contain a larger number of heavier molecules – such as tannins and sugar – which explains why tears are more likely to be seen in heavy reds and/or sweet wines. However, none of these factors are definitive indicators of quality.

Moreover, many external factors condition whether and how the tears will form. Temperature and humidity are the most obvious influencing factors, given that they directly affect the alcohol’s evaporation rate.

The shape and texture of the glass also play a key role in changing the evaporation/condensation surface area and the way particles interact with each other.

Therefore, the legs may look different for the same wine depending on environmental conditions and the vessel used.

You can see “wine legs” as an indicator of some of the wine’s structural characteristics, but not of its quality. The more reliable way to accurately assess the quality of a wine is through smell and taste (the colour may provide some hints too, but it is not decisive either).

Ultimately, a wine’s quality is determined by whether all its different elements – aromas, acidity, alcohol level – are in balance.

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We take a deep dive into vegan wine and recommend 10 wines to try.

In 2024 around 2.5 million people in the UK were reported to be vegan, versus 1.4 million the previous year, according to information service website Finder. This is a staggering 79% rise year on year, showing that veganism is rapidly gaining ground.

The increasing move to eschewing the consumption of all animal products may be founded through people’s concern for animal welfare, their own health or climate impact.

Whatever the reasons behind it, many consumers are now looking to have higher levels of clarity in terms of what is in their glass.

What defines a vegan wine?

Given that wine is the product of grapes and yeast, some may assume that all wines would be appropriate for vegans, but this isn’t always the case.

Some products used in traditional fining (removing undesirable elements which have an impact on appearance or flavour) or stabilising processes (protection from various changes post bottling) are animal derived.

Examples include egg whites or casein (a protein found in milk), which can be used to remove tiny particles of sediment in a wine that cannot be removed by filtration.

However, there are other ways of carrying out these processes.

‘Vegan wines are made without animal products, so winemakers either leave the particles to sink naturally to the bottom of the wine, or use non-animal fining products, usually bentonite, a form of clay or pea protein,’ said former Waitrose & Partners wine expert, Matt Johnson.

Other animal products used in wine production may include beeswax (used to seal bottles) and agglomerated corks (which use milk-based glues).

Where to find vegan wine

In response to a growing market, many restaurants, wine bars and retailers are now highlighting vegan-friendly wines.

Majestic Wine previously told Decanter.com that it defined vegan wine as those that ‘will not have been fined, filtered or come into contact with anything derived from an animal or dairy source’. It currently stocks over 290 wines listed as vegan, compared to just 39 in 2018.

At the time of writing, Waitrose Cellar has almost 400 wines listed as vegan on its website.

Decanter’s Weekday Wines also shows which wines are labelled vegan and vegetarian, as well as those that are organic and biodynamic.

Ten vegan wines to try

The following vegan wines were recommended by Decanter experts. 

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Experienced tasters often maintain that this is not only the finest Cheval Blanc of the 20th century but one of the finest clarets of that century. Yet it’s a wine that doesn’t conform to the model of fine Bordeaux: it is rich and Porty, high in alcohol and volatile acidity.

This weight and opulence may have been atypical of Cheval Blanc, but few tasters have been able to resist its lush texture and voluptuous flavours. Yet its success was in a sense freakish, as no modern winemaker would set out to live so dangerously as to produce a wine in this style.

It was also made against the odds. France was still recovering from the Second World War, the Nazis having plundered the country over four years of occupation. Cellars were bare, barrels were old and scarce, even finding fresh hoops to replace rusty ones was a challenge and even basics such as bottles, corks and labels were in short supply.

Grapes were still sent to the winery in baskets on ox-drawn wagons. And yet, despite this, as French wine writer Michel Dovaz remarked: ‘1947 Cheval Blanc defies the laws of modern oenology.’

Wine Legend: Château Cheval Blanc 1947, St-Emilion, Bordeaux, France

Number of bottles produced: 110,000

Composition of blend: 50% Cabernet Franc, 50% Merlot

Yield (hl/ha): 37.4

Alcohol content: 14.4%

Release price: 15-50 ‘old’ francs

Average price today: £16,887 ex-tax (source: Wine-Searcher)

Looking back

The present-day vineyards of Cheval Blanc once formed part of Figeac, but two substantial parcels were sold in the 1830s to the Ducasse family. A Ducasse daughter married Jean Laussac Fourcaud in 1852, and the family (their name evolved over the decades into Fourcaud-Laussac) owned and managed Cheval Blanc until its sale in 1998 (see below).

The wines were always respected but only began to fetch prices comparable to the Médoc first growths in the 1960s.

The people

In 1947 Cheval Blanc was in the hands of the Fourcaud-Laussac family that had owned the property since the early 19th century. It was managed at the time by Jacques Fourcaud-Laussac with Gaston Vassière as winemaker.

The family’s ownership would continue until 1998, when it was acquired by the present owners Bernard Arnault, CEO of luxury goods group LVMH, and Belgian tycoon Baron Albert Frère.

The vintage

The summer was exceptionally hot, with unblemished weather from early April to October. The harvest at Cheval Blanc began on 15 September – two weeks earlier than usual for the time – when temperatures were still above 35ºC. It continued until 4 October, all the while under a ‘torrid sun’ as Madame Fourcaud-Laussac wrote in her diary.

These hot conditions meant that Bordeaux wines, especially on the Right Bank, achieved atypically high natural sugar levels, resulting in opulent wines that in some cases lacked stability. The crop was also generous, far beyond the legal limits allowed in many appellations today.

The terroir

For a property with only 37 hectares of vines, the soils are diverse and perhaps more typical of Pomerol, which Cheval Blanc borders, than of St-Émilion. There are three soils types: gravel over clay (40%), deep gravel (40%), and sand over clay (20%).

The clay soils tend to give the highest sugars but can result in low acidity wines. Vines planted are 58% Cabernet Franc, 42% Merlot.

The wine

Although the hot weather had delivered grapes very high in sugar with some raisining, this was a mixed blessing in 1947, as most châteaux had difficulty controlling the fermentation. In an era before mechanised temperature control, the only method – practiced at Figeac as well as Cheval Blanc – was to cool the must by adding ice cubes to the vats.

No doubt this prevented a fermentation meltdown, but even with the addition of ice the final wine was (in an era when 11.5% or 12% were the norm) very high in alcohol. Moreover, the wine did not ferment to complete dryness, leaving around 3.5 grams per litre of residual sugar, which accounts for the impression of portiness that many tasters have remarked on.

Until 1952 much of the wine was sold in cask and bottled by purchasers – what few examples still remain are sometimes from one of these merchant bottlings – so there may well have been bottle variation.

The reaction

Michael Broadbent opines in Vintage Wine that the 1947 ‘is one of the greatest wines of all time’. Tasted in the mid-1960s, he found that it ‘knocked Lafite and Margaux out of court’.

By the 1980s the wine, he says, was at its peak, with fabulous concentration’ yet lacked charm. By 2000, he noted: ‘faultless yet – dare I say it – unexciting’.

David Peppercorn MW in 1986 also commented on the wine’s, ‘Port-like’ character, admitting that it was ‘almost a freak’.

Present-day director of Cheval Blanc Pierre Lurton concedes, that the 1947 is ‘an accident of nature’.

More Wine Legends:

Wine Legend: Dom Pérignon 1975

Wine Legend: Domaine Rousseau 1993

Wine Legend: Meerlust, Rubicon 1995

Roasted, grilled, fried, poached… However you like to enjoy your chicken, there will be a wine to match it. This versatile ingredient takes centre stage in a whole host of dishes from casseroles and tagines to salads and stir-fries. It can make a simple mid-week supper of grilled chicken skewers or a lavish Sunday lunch of roast chicken with all the trimmings.

When it comes to pairings, the first thing to note is that it’s not all about white wine. While it’s true that white wine with chicken – especially Chardonnay in its various guises – is a classic match, the rule isn’t as concrete as you might think. Rosé and orange wines can also make a winning partner for chicken dishes; the skin-contact that gives these wines their colour can also give them food-friendly texture.

If you’re a rosé fan, look out for the darker pink styles, which usually have more tannin and structure than their pale pink cousins, making them more gastronomic and better for food pairing generally. Following the same principle, lighter red wines with good acidity can also work well with chicken dishes.

Look for grapes such as Pinot Noir, Gamay and Garnacha, which can produce lively, fruity red wines with good acidity, that can even be enjoyed chilled. Even reds with a little more body can work with heavier dishes, such as a casserole or chicken pie.

The basic principle is that you don’t want to overpower the meat, or the dish. A wine with a bigger kernel of luscious fruit and decent acidity could match up well with a richer dish. But too much tannic structure risks masking the flavours.

Roast chicken 

Chicken is often roasted with seasoning and a medley of herbs, as well as perhaps some garlic, lemon and butter or olive oil. Chardonnay is a classic match here. Choose an oaked style that carries a little more weight on the palate or a New World option with a riper fruit profile. 

As food and wine pairing expert Fiona Beckett points out in her article Sunday lunch wines: 25 perfect picks, roast chicken adapts to the seasons. ‘In the heat of summer, I actually like to cook the chicken earlier in the day, let it cool to room temperature and serve it with a gratin or salad, in which case a good Provence rosé would make an ideal accompaniment,’ she says.

Matthieu Longuère MS, wine development manager at Le Cordon Bleu London, agrees and also suggests an Austrian Grüner Veltliner, with a touch of spice to pair with a summery roast chicken with lemon and herbs. ‘Because of the acidity of the lemon and the pungency of the herbs and garlic, a ripe aromatic white wine or a full flavour rosé would be perfect,’ he notes.

For a more autumnal dish of roast chicken with morel mushrooms, Beckett suggests a vin jaune. A speciality of the Jura region in France, this is a part-oxidised dry white made from the Savagnin grape and aged in barrels for more than six years. For a less adventurous choice Beckett recommends a good white Burgundy or other cool-climate Chardonnay. ‘The same style of wine would also work a treat with a chicken pie,’ she adds.

Chicken in Asian cuisine

Alongside pork and shellfish, chicken is a mainstay of many Asian cuisines from Thai and Malaysian to Japanese and Chinese. But while chicken is ubiquitous in noodle, rice and dumpling dishes, it can be tricky to pair due to the complex herbs and spices commonly used in those food cultures.

Opt for aromatic white wines featuring grapes such as Riesling and Gewürztraminer to complement complex Asian flavours. Regions to look out for include Alsace and New Zealand. Torrontes from Argentina can also work well.

Aromatic white varieties can also be paired with minced chicken dim sum or sesame chicken. The distinctive characteristics of these aromatic grapes – not to mention a touch of sweetness at times – work well here. For spicier dishes, such as Thai chicken curry, Riesling again is a go-to, particularly off-dry styles with some residual sugar.

Fried chicken with Champagne

One of the ultimate comfort foods, fried chicken is an enduringly popular dish. As well as matching the flavour of the chicken, your wine pairing needs to have enough acidity to cut through the fattiness of the frying. Sparkling wines that combine signature high acidity with a good dose of freshness are an ideal option here.

There are plenty of styles to choose from, ranging from Spain’s signature sparkler Cava to South Africa Cap Classique. Though avoid lighter styles of sparkling such as Prosecco, which won’t have enough body to stand up to big flavours.

For Chris Gaither, sommelier and co-owner of San Francisco wine bar Ungrafted, there’s only one choice. ‘Who doesn’t like fried chicken? And who doesn’t like Champagne?’ he says. ‘I’m a big fan of creole spiced fried chicken with a vintage blanc de blancs Champagne. It has great texture, on the slightly lean side, but enormous complexity and a hint of creaminess in the mid-palate with a citrusy twang.’

Gaither also suggests English sparkling wine; other cool-climate New World styles such as Tasmanian fizz would also work well.

Styles to consider when matching wines with chicken:

• Chardonnay
• Grüner Veltliner
• Riesling
• Champagne
• Pinot Noir
• Beaujolais
• Spanish Garnacha

Coq au vin and chicken casserole dishes

Few things are more mouthwatering than the hearty aromas of a chicken casserole wafting through from the kitchen. Red wine drinkers could try uncorking a Pinot Noir, with Burgundy being the most classic choice. Within Burgundy, great value can still be found in slightly lesser-known areas such as the Côte Chalonnaise to the south of Beaune, for example.

Le Cordon Bleu London’s Longuère suggests looking beyond Burgundy. ‘A soft, low-tannin, red cherry flavoured, cool-climate New World Pinot Noir would be perfect,’ he says. He suggests the coastal region of Limarí in Chile as a good choice. You could also look to Mornington Peninsula in Australia, Oregon, New Zealand or California’s Santa Barbara County, to name just a few. 

Pinot isn’t the only red wine to pair with chicken, of course. In general, look for fruit-forward wines with low tannins and relatively good acidity to help lift the dish.

Regional flavours

As with other meat dishes, successful wine pairing depends on how you cook and serve chicken. But a useful rule – particularly if you’re preparing an international style of dish – is to choose wines from its country of origin.

For example, an Italian chicken and pesto dish packed with vibrant basil flavours would point you towards a citrusy Vermentino with a bit of skin-contact for extra depth and texture.

Similarly Spain’s Garnacha will pair with Spanish-style chicken dishes prepared with sweet or smoky paprika or bravas sauce.

However you enjoy your chicken, here are a few wine choices to give you inspiration.

Chicken winners: Our experts select the best wines to pair with chicken

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Claret is a term historically linked with Bordeaux red wines, especially in Britain. While it’s often used informally to describe Bordeaux reds, it’s also a protected name under EU law. Originally, claret referred to lighter red wines, but it has evolved to describe darker, full-bodied Bordeaux reds. The term’s usage has declined in the 21st century but is still occasionally used to describe classic red Bordeaux wines.

Is claret the same as Bordeaux?

It may be relatively rare to see someone ordering a glass of ‘claret’ these days, but the term has for many centuries been linked with Bordeaux – particularly for British wine lovers.

Claret is mostly used as an unofficial way to describe Bordeaux red wines, although it’s a protected name under EU law and there is reference to it in Bordeaux’s appellation rules.

The UK government has recognised claret’s status as a registered ‘traditional wine term’ within the Bordeaux PDO, as an ‘expression used to designate a pale red wine’.

Is claret good wine?

This is an impossible question to generalise, given its use as an unofficial umbrella term. It is like asking if ‘Chardonnay is good?’ or ‘Is Spanish wine good? It’s just too broad.

However, the late, great wine writer Steven Spurrier once suggested that claret can convey a certain reassurance to the buyer, as well as a stylistic hint.

‘What is claret?,’ asked the late Steven Spurrier in a 2007 article on the ‘claret lover’s guide to New World Cabernets.’

He continued: ‘The red wine from Bordeaux, of course, but for the claret lover it is much more than this: an address book of well-known names, whose faces (or châteaux) are immediately recognisable, whose background and character, changeable with the years, is well known and well defined, on whom one can rely.’

Spurrier wrote that elegance, ‘fragrance of bouquet’ and ‘lift’ were among the central tenets of a good claret.

When Bordeaux was English

It’s believed to be linked to the French term ‘clairet’, and originally referred to very light red wines – possibly closer to dark rosés – from Bordeaux.

Award-winning wine expert Oz Clarke noted in his ‘History of Wine in 100 Bottles’ that Bordeaux fell into England’s possession after the marriage of King Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine in 1151.

When most of the English Crown’s lands in France were retaken by the French king in the early 13th century, a much reduced Aquitaine was all that remained of the old ‘Angevin Empire’.

Bordeaux’s wine was an important trade commodity, much in demand in Britain, while English cloth and grain were just as important to the good burgesses of Bordeaux.

This influenced a strong trade relationship, culminating in great convoys of ships transporting huge quantities of Bordeaux ‘claret’ into ports across the British Isles.

The capture of Bordeaux by the French at the end of the Hundred Years War brought this trade to an end; but only for a short while and claret has continued to flow to Britain ever since.

Claret today

Over time, the term claret was used to describe increasingly darker and full-bodied Bordeaux red wines than the style being quaffed in medieval England.

Throughout the late 17th to 20th centuries, it was one of the seminal wines drunk in both Britain – and around the world.

However, some have questioned claret’s staying power in the vocabulary of 21st century wine lovers.

‘Claret has slipped from unfashionable to almost irrelevant for most drinkers now,’ said Jane Anson in 2017, during her time as Bordeaux correspondent for Decanter.

‘Very few will even associate it with red Bordeaux. So perhaps it is ready for a revival?’

Inspired by this historical pedigree, claret has occasionally been used to to reference red wines made elsewhere with a classic Bordeaux blend of grape varieties, such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

As mentioned above, though, it’s a protected name under EU law which has largely stopped this practice; just as it did with the ‘port’, ‘sherry’ and ‘champagne’ once made globally (largely for British tastes as well).

The terms are not entirely gone. A wine agreement between the US and EU in 2006 covered certain labelling terms which prevented US wineries from using several names, including Champagne, Chianti and Claret, unless the bottle label was registered before the deal was signed.

Good drinking claret

The term ‘a good drinking claret’ is still occasionally used today. Usually this is to describe a red Bordeaux, with a certain sense of ‘classicism’ that closely adheres to Spurrier’s description above.

If you’re looking for examples to try for yourself, Decanter recommended several under US$30 a little while ago, while Andy Howard MW offered a selection of his own under £20.

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• The birth of claret 
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