Beyond Claret: 30 great alternatives to snap up
Winemakers the world over hold up the red wines of Bordeaux as the benchmark for quality and style. But where to start? Andy Howard MW recommends 30 great reds to try if you’re keen to discover the world beyond your default claret option…
Ask anyone, expert or not, to name a famous wine region, and I suspect the majority will say Bordeaux. For more than 850 years, since the time of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine, this part of southwest France has been very closely linked with fine wines, and for a style known as ‘claret’. Although claret was markedly different from the Bordeaux wines of today, the two names have become inextricably linked. Claret described wines from the region which tended, as a result of the cool, maritime-influenced climate, to be relatively light in colour and flavour. In fact, for many years Bordeaux was improved after being ‘beefed-up’ with the addition of wines from areas such as Cahors and Gaillac.
Scroll down for Andy Howard MW’s top 30 Claret alternatives
Today it’s a very different story. Bordeaux is made up of almost 10,000 wine-producing properties, with average volumes over the 10 years to 2016 close to 750 million bottles per annum. The area benefits from warm summers, which encourage late-ripening varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon. The region is also marked by the influence of the Atlantic ocean, which in certain vintages has proved a challenge to winemakers. Merlot dominates production, with Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc accounting for a further third of the total. A key foundation for winemaking in Bordeaux has been the art of blending, allowing producers greater control over vintage and grape variations.As a general rule, Bordeaux wines should combine elegance and precision, a structure to promote ageing, good acidity and fruit flavours ranging from red berry through plums to intense blackcurrant. Tannins will be evident in most examples, and ageing in wood will be used in most premium wines to provide extra support for ageing, and to add complexity of flavour. A distinguishing feature of most Bordeaux is a feeling of ‘coolness’ on the palate: a character drummed into me while studying for the MW examination.There are many producers around the world who use top Bordeaux wines as a model, aiming to make their own interpretation of the claret style. Most favour similar blends to Bordeaux producers, although other varieties can yield excellent results. In my piece on Chablis alternatives (April 2018 issue), my conclusion was that although many producers aspired to make wines like Chablis, despite being high in quality none of them quite ‘ticked all the boxes’.The wines recommended here exhibit many similarities to Bordeaux, coming from diverse areas such as Bolgheri in Italy, Salta in Argentina, Maipo in Chile, Australia’s Yarra Valley and Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley. Ability to age, refinement and the elusive ‘cool’ character were key requirements. some really do tick all the claret boxes, with top south African wines showing perhaps the greatest similarity.Andy Howard MW is a Decanter contributing editor and DWWA judge. He runs his own wine consultancy Vinetrades, and was formerly a retail wine buyer for 30 years
See Andy Howard MW’s top 30 Claret alternatives
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Te Mata, Coleraine, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand, 2016
Probably New Zealand’s most ageworthy red. Set up by the Buck family in 1974, today Nick Buck maintains its tradition of precision Bordeaux-style winemaking. With time this will blossom into a great Pauillac equivalent. 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 47% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc.
2016
Te Mata
Anthonij Rupert, Cabernet Franc, Western Cape, South Africa, 2011
Just 12 barrels made, all in new French oak for 24 months. Fine-grained, with great complexity. Dark red and black fruits, firm but glossy tannins, pure, fresh and long. Sourced from Franschhoek and Somerset West.
2011
Anthonij Rupert
Craggy Range, Sophia, Gimblett Gravels, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand, 2014
Fresh, leafy, slightly peppery Merlot blend from deep gravel soils. The pebbly soil and moderate heat help to maintain an understated style, cool and elegant on the palate with ripe damson fruits and no hint of greeness.
2014
Craggy RangeGimblett Gravels
Cullen, Diana Madeline, Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia, 2013
A low yielding year of 4 tons per hectare, owing to hail and storms during the ripening period. The grapes were harvested between 20 February and 7 March and the wine was aged for 17 months in oak, 60% new. Sleek blackcurrant and richer crème de mure and cassis flavours are interwoven with mulchy rose petal, bitter chocolate, charred radicchio, earth and iodine notes. Fine-grained tannins underpin the whole, demonstrating terrific structure and complexity.
2013
CullenMargaret River
Gabriëlskloof, The Landscape Series Cabernet Franc, Walker Bay, South Africa, 2015
Gabriëlskloof champions biodiversity. Amazing purity. Woody, leafy red fruits are balanced by spicy mineral notes. Winemaking team Peter-Allan Finlayson and Donovan Ackermann have done an exemplary job.
2015
Gabriëlskloof
Capezzana, Villa di Capezzana, Carmignano, Tuscany, Italy, 2015
Mainly Sangiovese. Has an enticing nose with ripe red and black fruits and a floral perfume. Firm tannins but a lovely texture and understated oak. Plenty of future.
2015
CapezzanaCarmignano
Giant Steps, Harry’s Monster, Yarra Valley, Victoria, Australia, 2013
This shows restraint, with cool characters on the nose and palate. The full and fleshy palate is packed with dark, slightly sour fruits, reined in by lovely tannins. Yarra Valley is not normally associated with Bordeaux blends, but this breaks the mould.
2013
Giant StepsYarra Valley
Chateau Musar, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon, 2011
A challenging and unusual vintage in Lebanon has given this Musar additional Bordeaux style, with mulberries, cherry, spice and rounded tannins on the palate.
2011
Chateau Musar
De Martino, Alto de Piedras Carmenere, Maipo Valley, Chile, 2015
Originally from Bordeaux, Carmenère has made a new home in Chile. Full-bodied, with dark fruit, evident tannins, beautifully integrated wood, plus a slight (positive) green character. A lovely alternative to Cabernet.
2015
De Martino
Kilikanoon, Blocks Road Cabernet Sauvignon, Clare Valley, South Australia, Australia, 2013
This area is more famous for its Rieslings, but the warm daytime temperatures and cool evenings make for concentrated, intense and elegant Cabernet. Plenty of ripe cassis-like fruit, with a core of firm tannin and cleansing acidity. Hand- harvested from 42-year-old vines and basket-pressed.
2013
KilikanoonClare Valley
Klein Constantia, Anwilka, Stellenbosch, South Africa, 2014
Anwilka is 7km from the coast in the Helderberg region of Stellenbosch and is now merged with Klein Constantia. Impeccable quality is still the objective. 52% Syrah, 37% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Petit Verdot. Layers of dark fruit, hints of chocolate, supple and elegant tannins on the palate. One of the Cape’s best-value fine reds.
2014
Klein Constantia
Vergelegen, GVB, Stellenbosch, South Africa, 2012
A sumptuous blend, GVB is one of Vergelegen’s top wines. Although quite weighty, there is a tiny thread of greenness which is reminiscent of some richer Bordeaux wines. Boasts a glossy, luxurious feel: fine Stellenbosch Cab.
2012
Vergelegen
Château Ksara, Rouge, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon, 2015
Ksara sits between 1,100m-1,600m in the Bekaa Valley. Mainly Cabernet Sauvignon, with Merlot and Petit Verdot; old vines have created a blend with purity, focus and elegance. Maturation for 18 months in new and old oak adds extra subtlety. This is youthful and drinking well now, yet will age many years.
2015
Château Ksara
Chateau Ste Michelle, Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, Washington, USA, 2015
The dash of Syrah and other Bordeaux varieties in the blend here add fleshy richness to a well-structured, tannic Cabernet spine. Creamy vanilla-spiced oak from 14 months in barrel doesn't dominate the rich plum pudding-like fruit palate, kept fresh by balancing acidity and a Darjeeling tea-like finish.
2015
Chateau Ste MichelleColumbia Valley
El Esteco, Fincas Notables Cabernet Franc, Calchaquí Valley, Salta, Argentina, 2015
From a 3ha vineyard at 1,800m in the Cafayate region, this shows what can be achieved with Cabernet Franc in this part of Argentina. Crisp, crunchy tannins, lovely integrated oak, leafy dark berry fruit notes but with freshness and vitality to finish.
2015
El EstecoCalchaquí Valley
Fontodi, Chianti Classico, Tuscany, Italy, 2015
100% Sangiovese, fermented in stainless steel and matured for 24 months in French oak barriques. This is one of Tuscany’s under-the-radar wines, as Giovanni Manetti treats this classico as a riserva in all but name. A cool, elegant, built-to-last style, which has all the hallmarks of great claret.
2015
FontodiChianti Classico
Tenuta San Guido, Guidalberto, Toscana, Tuscany, Italy, 2016
From near the Bolgheri coast, this shows San Guido’s trademark elegance. Spices, leather, floral notes; ripe, pure cassis and glossy tannins. A great-value alternative to Sassicaia.
2016
Tenuta San GuidoToscana
Waterford Estate, Cabernet Sauvignon, Stellenbosch, South Africa, 2015
This 49ha estate is located between the Simonsberg and Helderberg mountains. A fine Cape Cabernet; restrained yet intense, with blackcurrant leaf on the nose and cassis on the palate. A firm tannic grip will encourage ageing for up to 10 years.
2015
Waterford Estate
Constantia Glen, Three, Constantia, South Africa, 2014
Vineyards in the Constantia mountains overlooking False Bay. A challenging vintage resulted in a long ripening period and late harvest. Hints of fynbos, spice and herbs; the palate is plush, with evident but smooth tannins. Slightly earthy on the finish.
2014
Constantia Glen
Domaine Rotier, Renaissance, Gaillac, Southwest France, France, 2015
Consistently one of the best Gaillac producers, Domaine Rotier is sited on very gravelly soils on the left bank of the Tarn river. Local grape Duras provides bright red fruit character to balance the darker Syrah and structured Cabernet. Refined and smooth on the finish.
2015
Domaine RotierGaillac
Lowerland, Die Verlore Bokooi, Prieska, Orange River, South Africa, 2016
A touch of smoke on the nose and plenty of tannin on the first sip quickly settle to reveal an elegant blend, with some Syrah adding just a touch of plushness and black cherry. Slightly dusty on the finish but lots of character.
2016
LowerlandPrieska
Rustenberg, John X Merriman, Simonsberg, Stellenbosch, South Africa, 2016
Claret-like structure with a little extra ripe red fruit. Quite serious, with granular tannins, lively acidity, pungent cassis and restrained oak.
2016
RustenbergSimonsberg
Yamantiev’s Vineyard, Marble Land, Thracian Valley, Southern Region - Thracian Lowland, Bulgaria, 2015
Recommended by my MW colleague and expert on the wines of Eastern Europe, Caroline Gilby. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah, matured in French barrels for 12 months. Firm and full on the palate with dark fruits, hints of chocolate and a framework for long ageing.
2015
Yamantiev’s VineyardThracian Valley
Zuccardi, Pologonos San Pablo Vineyard Malbec, Uco Valley, Gualtallary, Mendoza, Argentina, 2016
Although 100% Malbec, this Uco Valley version is very different to those made closer to Mendoza. Located above 1,300m, intense light and cool nights give plushness and grip on the palate. Dark plum flavours.
2016
ZuccardiUco Valley
Viña Los Vascos, Colchagua Valley, Chile, 2016
If anyone should know about Bordeaux, it’s Domaines Barons de Rothschild (DBR). Typically bright, plum and cherry Chilean Cabernet fruit, with balancing Old World structure on the palate and smooth tannins.
2016
Viña Los Vascos
Journey’s End, Kendal Lodge, Stellenbosch, South Africa, 2016
A great-value Bordeaux blend from Journey’s End, with its commanding views over False Bay. Made from 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 23% Cabernet Franc. Plenty of claret-like structure with ripe, spicy dark redcurrant fruit and light, integrated oak. Finishes with a cool feel on the palate.
2016
Journey’s End
Longview Vineyard, LV Shiraz-Cabernet, Adelaide Hills, South Australia, Australia, 2016
Sourced from a single vineyard just outside Macclesfield in the Adelaide Hills, this shows mint and eucalyptus, leafy dark cherry fruits and a seasoning of black pepper. There is some Australian ripeness to the fruit, but the tannins, leathery finish and spice add a lot of Old World nuances.
2016
Longview VineyardAdelaide Hills
Recanati, Merlot, Galilee, Israel, 2017
This 100% Merlot comes from vineyards located at 400m, with some whole-berry fermentation used and eight months in French and American oak. Bright, with some lively spicy characters, there is a great combination of crisp acidity, leafy tannins and red berry fruit on the palate.
2017
Recanati
Te Mata, Estate Vineyards Merlot-Cabernets, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand, 2016
This blend of 45% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Cabernet Franc spends eight months in French oak. Leafy notes, with dark berries on the palate. Great acidity and a tannic framework. Lacks the complexity of Coleraine, but still lovely.
2016
Te Mata
Château de Tiregand, Clos Montalbanie, Pécharmant, Southwest France, France, 2015
Pécharmant is rarely seen in the UK, but this is a classy Bordeaux substitute from the right bank of the Dordogne, made from 55% Merlot, with Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec. A fine balance of ripe fruit in an understated package.
2015
Château de TiregandPécharmant
