World’s greatest vineyards: our top 12

You could call them ‘patches of dirt’. Many do. It’s strange, though, that flippant disparagement: soil is the basis of human nutrition. No soil; no us. And vineyard soil stands at the summit of agriculture: the world’s greatest vineyards are the most prized and expensive morsels of agricultural land anywhere on our planet. This tells us two things. The first is that the chance to drink and taste great wine is a peerless pleasure for which those with resources will pay beyond reason. And the second is that only this patch of dirt will do. Only this patch makes that wine.

Great vineyards are unique; they elude duplication or substitution. We don’t yet fully understand why this is so, especially since such uniqueness is opaque in grape juice, the primary agricultural product, and only becomes apparent after the transformations of fermentation and ageing. But it is so.

Hence this feature. Why, long-term Decanter readers may exclaim, haven’t you done this before? The answer is that it’s so damn difficult. Our valiant contributors have fought their way through a blizzard of challenges to come up with this dozen, but we fully expect the list to be criticised and challenged again. We still think it’s worth doing – as a talking point, as a focus for reflection, as an incentive. And for fun.

No easy task

Lists of this sort are subjective. That was why we canvassed widely first, but our top choices are no less subjective for all that. One obstacle is that vineyard definitions vary between regions. The ideal is the Burgundian climat – and Burgundy’s long standing as ‘the vineyard region’ par excellence encouraged us to select two of its own, one for white and one for red. Bordeaux is as great, yet the fact that most of its wines are sold under the name of a commercial entity (the château), and those wines blended anew from a different selection of vineyard parcels every year, makes it problematic from a pure vineyard perspective.

Another major challenge is that a vineyard’s worth is only proved in time – half a century or more, let’s say. Many of today’s key regions haven’t yet had 50 years of close scrutiny, fastidious viticulture and limpid yet ambitious winemaking in their finest sites. We’ve made educated guesses about where greatness may lie in this case, but they are guesses which await the proof of time.

And then… meet the wily brands. In regions where vineyard identities are only slowly emerging (and this would apply as much to Champagne, the Rhône or Piedmont as it would to non-European regions), canny branding by powerful commercial entities can ‘make the case’ for a particular vineyard long before the potential of its peers has had a chance to emerge.

Are Clos des Goisses (Philipponnat), Clos du Mesnil and Clos d’Ambonnay (both Krug) truly the greatest single vineyards in Champagne? They may be – or there may be greater vineyards still hidden away in the region’s finest blends, or in the hands of growers who have yet to break through commercially or perfect their winemaking. We don’t know.

Matter of conjecture

What about accessibility? We felt obliged to set this aside in the search for absolute quality, but we’re aware that (for example) the wine of any Burgundian vineyard meriting inclusion in a list of this sort will be, by dint of price, inaccessible to almost all of us. That’s not, though, a reason for exclusion from this list of the ‘12 greatest’.

One last thing to mention: a vineyard is a human creation. The site itself rarely if ever insists on the boundaries that owners, cultivators and administrators have set. That’s happenstance. We may not, in this as in other respects, have the best of all possible worlds.

Nonetheless, and for all its failings, here it is: our world’s greatest vineyards top dozen. Not just bedrock and soil, remember, but a particular slope or altitude in a topographical context, with all its implications for the wide skies above, and the seasonal drama that is played out in those skies year after year, decade after decade. When this mass of nuance and change sets to work on a particular cultivar or cultivars of Vitis vinifera, and when its pressed juice is skilfully shepherded through vinification to bottled wine, the result is glory. In a glass.

With thanks to the following for their nominations and expertise: Sarah Ahmed, Jane Anson, Tim Atkin MW, Richard Baudains, Stephen Brook, Jim Budd, Ferran Centelles, Michelle Cherutti-Kowal MW, Phil Crozier, Charles Curtis MW, Markus Del Monego MW, Sarah Jane Evans MW, Simon Field MW, Caroline Gilby MW, Michael Hill Smith MW, Justin Howard-Sneyd MW, Andrew Jefford, Roger Jones, Darrel Joseph, Paz Levinson, Fiona McDonald, Caro Maurer MW, Thierry Meyer, Michaela Morris, Sebastian Payne MW, Barbara Philip MW, Anthony Rose, David Sly, Monty Waldin, Matt Walls and Beth Willard.

Close call: The sites and plots that just missed the list

There were some surprising near-misses in our experts’ picks. Necessarily, whole regions are absent: the Loire, Douro, Tuscany, the whole of Spain (beyond Jerez), South Africa, New Zealand, Chile, Oregon and Washington, to name but a few… Even within the regions that do make an appearance, debate was lively.

Krug’s Clos du Mesnil in Champagne was a close contender, while in the Rhône, Château-Grillet in Condrieu, La Landonne in Côte-Rôtie (E Guigal) and La Crau in Châteauneuf-du- Pape (Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe) were also on the longlist. Bordeaux was a tough one, and names mooted that didn’t make the final cut included Château Ausone and Latour’s L’Enclos – in the end, the clay soils of Petrus triumphed.

Other Old World names that just missed out included: Montosoli in Tuscany’s Montalcino (Altesino); Szent Tamás in Tokaj, Hungary; L’Ermita (Alvaro Palacios) and Mas de la Rosa (Torres) – both in Priorat, Spain; and Achleiten in Austria’s Wachau. In the New World, meanwhile, Tantalus Block 5 in British Columbia came up more than once, as did T Voetpad in Swartland, South Africa. There were many, many others nominated beyond these special mentions, but we’re confident that our final selection showcases a dozen truly great terroirs that everyone should know about – and better still, taste!

World’s greatest vineyards

Listed in alphabetical order

Clos des Goisses

By Simon Field MW, DWWA Regional Chair for Champagne

Location Mareuil- sur-Aÿ, Champagne, France

Owner Maison Philipponnat

Size 5.83ha

Altitude 80m-115m

Aspect South

Primary soils Belemnite chalk with very thin topsoil

Grape varieties Pinot Noir, Chardonnay (approximately 80/20 ratio)

‘Why Clos des Goisses?’, I ask Charles Philipponnat. ‘This vineyard is exceptional,’ the 15th-generation head of the family producer says, ‘due to a combination of three factors taken to their extreme: a chalky base of great purity; a steep 35°-45° slope; and a full southern exposure.’

History and statistical data are happy to confirm this; long known as the ‘Grand vin des Goisses’, it was the 1951 vintage from this vineyard that was the first in Champagne to be sold bearing a ‘Clos’ label (some three decades before Krug’s Clos du Mesnil, its first vintage being 1979); and year in, year out, its average temperature is a full 1.5°C warmer than elsewhere in the region. The proximity to the river Marne means the sun reflects onto its imposing slopes (pictured) and allows an atypically thick shard of pure belemnite chalk to work its magic.

Thereafter, all is straightforward; a significant percentage of the wine is barrel-fermented, its sheer power and almost tannic rigour more than a match for the wood, and any inclination to a malolactic fermentation is denied. Intervention is not necessary as all the hard work has already been done in the vineyard, the precipitous slopes worked by a combination of winches, caterpillar carriers and an exceptionally fit and dedicated team! The wine rewards this effort with its sheer power (Pinot Noir dominates) and unparalleled longevity. Only the best of its 14 plots, all vinified separately, make the final cut.

But hang on a moment… it’s not a grand cru, so how can it possibly be the greatest vineyard? Charles is completely unfazed by such an observation, citing the fact that Champagne awards its crus to villages rather than specific sites, and that while Mareuil-sur-Aÿ is more than worthy of its premier cru status, there is one vineyard which sits head and shoulders above the rest, and that vineyard is Clos des Goisses. Nowhere else in Champagne does nature inspire nurture with such alchemical benevolence, thereby fully justifying the vineyard’s hard-earned reputation as the best of the best.

Philipponnat, Clos des Goisses Extra Brut 2012 £200 (in bond)-£270/75cl Acker, Bordeaux Index, Millésima

Philipponnat, Clos des Goisses Extra Brut 2008 £241.67 (ib)-£324 Bordeaux Index, Christopher Keiller, Cru, Lay & Wheeler, Mann Fine Wines, The Finest Bubble

Hill of Grace

By David Sly, specialist food and wine writer and editor, Adelaide

Location Keyneton, Eden Valley, South Australia

Owners Stephen and Prue Henschke, Henschke Wines

Size 8ha

Altitude 400m Aspect North through west to south

Primary soils Silty alluvial and red clay-rich loams atop Cambrian-period schist (540-485 million years ago)

Grape varieties Shiraz, Riesling, Semillon, Mataro

Gnarled 162-year-old Shiraz vines on Henschke’s Hill of Grace vineyard carry a vinous story like no other. Planted on original rootstock, their trunks thick with ancient wood that comprise only 25% living tissue, these fragile sentinels in Barossa’s Eden Valley are among few surviving relics to have avoided phylloxera – and they endure to produce fruit of extraordinary intensity and unique character.

Winemaker Stephen Henschke and his viticulturist wife Prue treat this 8ha vineyard with reverential care. Dry-grown on rich alluvial soils, the oldest vines, planted in 1860, are now so delicate that grapes can only be picked and pruned by hand. Prue’s careful organic composting and mulching ensures maximum microbial activity in the soil and optimal vine health.

Only half the vineyard is planted to Shiraz, with the six oldest blocks (planted in 1860, 1910, 1951, 1952, 1956 and 1965) included in Hill of Grace Shiraz. Each block is picked at different times around the full moon at Easter (later, significantly, than neighbouring Eden Valley and Barossa vineyards), yielding only about 2.5 tonnes of tiny berries per hectare (average yields for all varieties across Eden Valley in 2021 reached 5.0t/ha, according to Wine Australia’s November 2021 ‘snapshot’ report).

The site’s fragility – and Henschke’s exacting quality regime – saw no Hill of Grace produced in 2000 or 2011, just one barrel in 2003, and extremely tiny vintages in 2013, 2014 and 2020. But through this journey there are monumental peaks, including the phenomenal 2010 and 2015 vintages, capturing characteristic dried sage, Chinese five spice and black pepper notes atop vibrant blackberry, dark plum and juicy cranberry.

To ensure the site’s preservation, the Henschkes have successfully nurtured cuttings from the ancestor vines onto a nursery block, established in 1989. In 2011, they issued Hill of Roses Shiraz from these ‘new’ heritage vines and the results are exciting, showing many characteristics that make Hill of Grace Shiraz so notable.

Henschke, Hill of Grace Shiraz 2016 £545-£675 Cambridge Wine Merchants, Handford, Harvey Nichols, Liberty Wines, Oz Wines, Philglas & Swiggot, Vinoteca

Henschke, Hill of Roses Shiraz 2017 £362 Hedonism

Les Bessards

By Matt Walls, Decanter contributing editor and DWWA Regional Chair for the Rhône

Location Hermitage, northern Rhône

Owners Bernard Faurie, Cave de Tain, Delas, Domaine Jean-Louis Chave, Domaine Marc Sorrel, M Chapoutier, Paul Jaboulet Aîné

Size 19.9ha

Altitude 130m-260m Aspect Southeast, south, southwest

Primary soils Granite

Grape varieties Syrah 19.2ha, Marsanne 0.5ha, Roussanne 0.2ha

The northern Rhône is a tale of granite, found almost exclusively on the west bank of the river. There is however a small outcrop on the east bank that was scythed off by the angry waters long ago. As other rocks became fused to it over time, the hill of Hermitage was created.

Only the westernmost quarter of the hill of Hermitage consists of this primordial granite, and most is encapsulated within one lieu-dit: Les Bessards. This conical section runs down from beneath the iconic Hermitage chapel down to the foot of the hill, mostly facing south. There’s little topsoil, just a gritty sand composed of weathered rock. When a vine finally takes hold, the roots run deep.

Given the diversity of soils across the appellation and the different nuances they bring, the tradition in Hermitage has always been to blend wines from different lieux-dits. Le Méal contributes power and richness, Les Greffieux lower down adds fruit and elegance. What Les Bessards brings is a vertical spine.

Caroline Frey, owner of one the appellation’s largest vineyard holders Paul Jaboulet Aîné, owns a parcel that she blends into her La Chapelle Hermitage: ‘Les Bessards demonstrates year after year that it’s one of the greatest terroirs. Even in the grapes, you can recognise the tannic texture you then find in the wines: fine, powdery and structured, with infinite length.’

There aren’t many producers that bottle a pure example of Les Bessards, but they deliver an unmistakably upright, tense and saline expression of Hermitage. To drink Les Bessards is to drink liquid rock.

M Chapoutier, Le Pavillon Hermitage 2010 £237.50-£312 (ib) Goedhuis & Co, In Vino Veritas

Delas, Les Bessards Hermitage 2012 £99.17 (ib)-£145 Cru, Handford, Ideal Wine Co, Lay & Wheeler, Seckford Wines, VinQuinn, WoodWinters

Macharnudo

By Sarah Jane Evans MW, Decanter Spain expert and DWWA Co-Chair

Location Jerez, NW of the city

Owners Valdespino (Grupo Estévez), Harveys (Fundador), González Byass, plus others

Size 800ha

Altitude 9m-136m

Aspect Various

Primary soils Albariza: predominantly calcium carbonate, with clay and other elements

Dominant grape variety Palomino Fino

No question about it, Macharnudo is the great historical vineyard of Spain. It’s a word of Arabic origin, meaning ‘house on a naked hill’, so-called because the purity of the chalky soils meant it was only good for vines and olives. (Vine-growing for wine here dates back at least to the 13th century). Jerez is famed for this gleaming white albariza soil. It reaches its summit, in both senses of the word, in the legendary hill of Cerro del Obispo (136m) in Macharnudo.

The contemporary historians of the Marco de Jerez region and its traditions are winemakers Willy Pérez (from Jerez) and Ramiro Ibáñez (Sanlúcar de Barrameda). Pérez describes how, like a spider, eight ‘arms’ slope down from the Bishop’s Hill, each with one or more grand cru parcels. In the 19th century, Pedro Domecq named the central and northern sections as Macharnudo Alto (the southerly, Macharnudo Bajo). Pérez says: ‘The northeastern slopes [Alto] – which are cooler, fresher, with a little more clay – give fuller-bodied, more oxidative styles; wines from the more chalky, stressed, southern slopes [Bajo] have the electricity of Amontillado.’

At the heart of Macharnudo Alto are the Castillo de Macharnudo Finca el Majuelo vineyards (the medieval tower still remains). ‘Majuelo was one of the great vineyards of the Old World. Other vineyards in Spain may have become known in the 20th century, but for 300 years Majuelo has been the best in Spain.’

Today you will find outstanding wines from producers across Macharnudo, including Bodegas Luis Pérez, Callejuela, Equipo Navazos and Valdespino. Newest entrant Peter Sisseck has purchased 2ha to create a single-vineyard amontillado. Here’s to the next 300 years.

Bodegas de la Riva, Vino de Pasto Macharnudo 2018 [Finca El Majuelo vineyard] £50 (2019) Fortnum & Mason, Thorne Wines

Valdespino, Inocente Fino [Botaina vineyard] £16-£21.99 Brigitte Bordeaux, Cambridge Wine Merchants, Carruthers & Kent, Hic, Lea & Sandeman, NY Wines, Quercus Wines, Slurp, The Oxford Wine Co, The Whisky Exchange, The Wine Reserve, Vino Gusto

Harveys Very Old Amontillado VORS [Finca El Majuelo vineyard] £48.98-£50.45/50cl Harvey Nichols, Master of Malt, The Drink Shop, The Whisky Exchange

Montrachet

By Charles Curtis MW, Decanter Burgundy expert and DWWA Regional Chair for Burgundy

Name of vineyard Montrachet (in Puligny); Le Montrachet (in Chassagne)

Location Côte de Beaune, Côte d’Or, Burgundy, France

Size 8ha (half in Puligny, half in Chassagne)

Altitude 255m-270m

Aspect East-southeast (Puligny); south-southeast (Chassagne)

Primary soils Marl over limestone

Grape varieties Chardonnay

Principal owners Puligny The Marquis de Laguiche (2.06ha, produced with Maison Joseph Drouhin); Bouchard Père et Fils (0.89ha); Domaine Boillereault de Chauvigny (0.80ha, produced with Maison Louis Latour); Domaine Ramonet (0.26ha); Chassagne Domaine Baron Thenard (1.83ha), Domaine de la Romanée Conti (0.68ha); Domaine Jacques Prieur (0.59ha); Domaine des Comtes Lafon (0.32ha); Domaine Marc Colin (0.11ha); Domaine Guy Amiot (0.09ha); Domaine Leflaive (0.08ha); Domaine Fontaine-Gagnard (0.08ha); Domaine Blain-Gagnard (0.08ha); Mlle Claudine Petitjean (0.05ha, farmed by Domaine Lamy-Pillot); Domaine d’Eugénie (0.04ha); Domaine Fleurot- Larose (0.04ha)

Montrachet grand cru remains an enigma. Without fail, it excels over its peers. Why are the wines so much richer, more complex, more intense – so much better – than even its most illustrious neighbours? The soil is relatively homogenous, composed of thin, brown soil atop a layer of calcium-rich marl underpinned by Bathonian limestone. The vineyard is split almost equally between the Puligny commune in the north and Chassagne in the south.

Montrachet is located right where the Côte begins to turn into the valley that leads up to the Hautes-Côtes. The vines of Montrachet begin facing east-southeast in Puligny, but as one crosses into Chassagne they are facing due south. This means the wines from Chassagne are usually richer and denser than those of Puligny, which can have more racy elegance and finesse.

The wines produced in Chassagne are known as ‘Le Montrachet’, while those of Puligny are known simply as ‘Montrachet’. The vineyard takes its name from the rocky, fallow slopes above Chevalier-Montrachet. This hill, known as Mont Rachez since the 13th century, plays an important role in sheltering the vineyard from adverse weather conditions. The vineyard itself is located at mid-slope, which means that there is a perfect amount of soil (from 0.5m-1.5m), more than Chevalier-Montrachet (which can be slightly severe) above it, and less than Bâtard-Montrachet (which can be a bit heavy) below.

These minor differences are filtered through the lens of a diverse array of winemakers (see above). You will find a lengthier explanation of each of the five Montrachet appellations in our in-depth article from the October 2021 issue. Whichever Montrachet you choose will likely provide a remarkable consistency of absolute top quality that confirms Montrachet’s reputation as the nec plus ultra of white wine.

Bouchard Père et Fils, Montrachet GC 2019 £700 (ib)-£858 Albany Vintners, Hedonism, IG Wines, Millésima

Comtes Lafon, Montrachet GC 2018 £2,610- £2,800 (ib) Cru, Farr Vintners, Ideal Wine Co, VinQuinn, Wineye

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Montrachet GC 2019 £13,943 (ib)-£19,400 Cru, Hedonism, Turville Valley Wines, Wineye

Drouhin Marquis de Laguiche, Montrachet GC 2018 £608-£625 (ib) Bordeaux Index, Goedhuis & Co

Ramonet, Montrachet GC 2018 £3,400-£3,700 (ib) Farr Vintners, IG Wines

Musigny

By Charles Curtis MW, Decanter Burgundy expert and DWWA Regional Chair for Burgundy

Name of vineyard Musigny (lieux-dits La Combe d’Orveau, Les Musigny, Les Petits Musigny)

Location Côte de Nuits, Côte d’Or, Burgundy, France

Size 10.86ha

Altitude 260m-280m

Aspect East

Primary soils Clay with limestone pebbles over oolitic and Comblanchien limestone

Grape varieties Pinot Noir (10.20ha), Chardonnay (0.65ha)

Owners Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé (7.12ha); Domaine Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier (1.14ha); Domaine Jacques Prieur (0.77ha); Maison Joseph Drouhin (0.67ha); Domaine Leroy (0.27ha); Domaine de la Vougeraie (0.21ha); Maison Louis Jadot (0.17ha); Domaine Joseph Faiveley (0.13ha); Domaine Drouhin-Laroze (0.12ha); Domaine Georges Roumier (0.10 ha); Domaine Tawse (0.09ha)

Finesse, elegance and expressive fruit have always been the traits that argue for the supremacy of Burgundy. The diverse region produces many superb wines, some quite powerful; however, some will say that the essence of Burgundy is not concentration but the combination of delicacy, seductive aroma and silky texture in a wine that can age for decades. The vineyard that most expresses this platonic ideal of Burgundy is the grand cru Musigny.

Stretching over three lieux-dits, the vineyard is not homogenous. Les Musigny at the northern end is the largest portion (nearly 6ha), overlooking Les Amoureuses to the east. At the top of the slope is white marl over oolitic limestone: Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé uses 0.65ha here to produce a white wine, the only grand cru white in the Côte de Nuits. Below this is a band of gravel made of hard Comblanchien limestone mixed with silt and clay that helps the vineyard drain. The bottom portion of the vineyard lies on this soil over fairly solid Comblanchien limestone.

To the south lies Les Petits Musigny. This entire lieu-dit is a monopole of de Vogüé, meaning it owns more than 65% of the appellation. Petits Musigny sits directly above the Clos de Vougeot on nearly pure slabs of Comblanchien stone. Adjoining Petits Musigny is a small section of Combe d’Orveau that is classified as grand cru. This section is a monopole of Domaine Jacques Prieur, added to Musigny in 1929 after a court case demonstrated that this wine had always been sold as Musigny. The Combe d’Orveau is a valley cut into the slope of the Côte d’Or that is cooler and located on alluvial soils washed down the valley over time. Vines in Combe d’Orveau can vary from grand cru to premier cru, village-level, and regional-level (‘Bourgogne’) appellations.

With its diverse terroirs, a focused but diverse group of producers, and the unique Côte de Nuits grand cru white produced from its soils, Musigny is a vineyard that richly merits a place in the list of the world’s greatest vineyards.

Comte Georges de Vogüé, Musigny Blanc GC 2019 £1,175-£1,760 (ib) Berry Bros & Rudd, Goedhuis & Co, In Vino Veritas

Faiveley, Musigny GC 2016 £3,722 (ib)-£4,320 Berry Bros & Rudd, Crump Richmond Shaw, In Vino Veritas, Morgan Classic

Georges Roumier, Musigny GC 2018 £20,536-£21,760 (ib) Cru, Ideal Wine Co, Wineye

Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier, Musigny GC 2014 £2,600 (ib)-£4,250 ASB Wines, Fine & Rare, Hedonism, Lay & Wheeler, Nemo Wine Cellars, Richard Dawes

PerSe

By Amanda Barnes, author of The South America Wine Guide and DWWA judge

Location Monasterio, Gualtallary, Uco, Argentina

Owner Monasterio del Cristo Orante Size 4ha

Altitude 1,450m

Aspect The hill has vineyards planted on south-, east- and north-facing slopes

Primary soils Calcium carbonate (<48%), sand, silt

Grape varieties Malbec (2.8 ha), Cabernet Franc (1.2ha), Chardonnay (<0.3ha)

Surrounded by trees, high in the Andean foothills, is the solitary monastery of Cristo Orante, where monks have lived in silence since 1988. ‘El Monasterio’ stood alone and isolated for a decade, until vineyards began to creep closer in this high-altitude region of Gualtallary. The monks, too, planted a small vineyard in 2009, to make Malbec for their Mass.

It was the silence and spiritual retreats, rather than the Malbec, that first attracted winemaker David Bonomi and agronomist Edy del Pópolo. But in 2013, while scaling a hillside beside the vineyard, a prophetic revelation struck del Pópolo: ‘I immediately fell in love with the soil… it was unlike any I’d seen in Argentina before – white!’ With up to 48% calcium carbonate, the chalky soils of this hill are unique. ‘I knew we had to plant vines there.’

Together, del Pópolo and Bonomi made a covenant with the monks – they would make the monastic wine and manage their valley floor vineyard in return for a chance to plant on the hill. And so was born PerSe… a pioneering vineyard planted on steep slopes with high-density gobelet-trained vines of Malbec and Cabernet Franc.

That distinctive soil profile, in combination with the cool yet luminous mountain climate, yields wines of tension with chalky tannins, crunchy acidity, and intensity yet finesse. But PerSe’s sophistication is about more than a discovery of a great terroir. The wines also reflect the deep connection between del Pópolo and Bonomi, who have worked together for more than 20 years, and their collective and profound journey with Malbec in the Uco Valley.

‘David and I know each other by heart,’ summarises del Pópolo. ‘Most of the time when we are working together in the cellar, we don’t even need to speak. . . our work is in silence.’

It is that intuition, that connection, that silence, which will ensure the wines of PerSe transcend over time.

PerSe, Iubileus 2018 £105-£110 Highbury Vintners, Honest Grapes, NY Wines, The Sourcing Table

PerSe, La Craie 2018 £135-£139 Highbury Vintners, The Sourcing Table, Vin Cognito

Volare del Camino 2018 £51.50-£58 Elementary Wine Co, Highbury Vintners, Honest Grapes, JN Wine, NY Wines

Petrus

By Georgina Hindle, Decanter regional editor for Bordeaux

Location Pomerol, Bordeaux, France

Owners Famille Jean- François Moueix 80%, Alejandro Santo Domingo 20%

Size 11.5ha (10.5ha currently under vine)

Altitude 40m-46m (6m from the highest point to the lowest)

Aspect South

Primary soils Iron-rich smectite blue clay

Grape varieties Merlot 100%

One of the most famous, and expensive wines in the world, Petrus is as synonymous with prestige and quality as it is with the terroir and grape used to make it. A small plot composed entirely of one soil type with one grape might not necessarily shout ‘greatest vineyard in the world’, but Petrus is unique in no uncertain terms.

Firstly, the soil: sticky, iron-rich blue clay dating back to an earliest estimate of 40 million years. It’s the same as is found beneath gravel soils elsewhere in the region, says Olivier Berrouet, estate director, but he adds: ‘Petrus is one of the few places where it’s both deep and at the surface. It shouldn’t actually be there.’ He describes it as an ‘anomaly’, albeit ‘a beautiful one’.

A top ‘plough’ layer of organic rich brown clay gives way to a secondary layer of the famous blue clay interspersed with red veins from oxidation of reduced iron elements in contact with ‘breathing’ vines. In dry conditions, this dense clay contracts and creates thin sheets through which roots can penetrate. Wet conditions then cause a rapid expansion, forcing the development of a ‘fishbone’-like root system that, rather than penetrating down, spreads out over a wider area, effectively increasing the potential exchange surface of the roots to a greater degree than in traditional deep-rooted vines.

Secondly, the mono-cépage nature of the vineyard contrasts with Bordeaux’s tradition of blending. ‘Here we have a direct expression of both the place and the potential of the vintage,’ Berrouet affirms. ‘You must deal with the only ingredient you have to make the best wine possible. There is no safety net to save you if you have an issue with the soil or variety.’ Strict selection plays its part, guaranteeing a certain level of quality, with roughly 70% of production making it into the grand vin.

There is a replanting programme at Petrus – about two-thirds of the current Merlot vines were planted in the 1950s, predating clonal selection, while the 1980s saw the introduction of massal selection for new vines (propagating cuttings from the best existing vine stock); however, vines are generally allowed to reach between 70-80 years of age before they are removed. Replanting is now at a higher density of 7,600 vines per hectare, compared to the previous level of 6,000.

Berrouet remarks on the speed with which the younger vines develop at Petrus, noting that ‘we are always amazed by the quality of the grapes after a few years’, and putting it down to the combination of Merlot and clay. The vines are proving to be very resilient, with even the younger plants appearing not to suffer during the heat of 2022, the wines retaining freshness and complexity. This may be down to the vines adapting to the new conditions, Berrouet speculates, perhaps in combination with changes in working practices such as shallower ploughing in the vineyards, selection of new vines to deal better with the warmer climate, and increased height of vine training. Half a hectare of Cabernet Franc that was uprooted after the 2010 harvest will be reintroduced from 2023, though it will be planted on a different plot.

Vineyard and winery efforts as a whole are dependent on vintage, with a tendency for less intervention. Petrus never seeks to ‘go too far’, and potential quality is judged by taste at the time of harvest, aiming to find ‘the right balance between aromatics and the structure to match the flesh and aromatic potential’ during vinification. The wine is typically aged in 50% new oak – each barrel steamed then filled with water for two weeks to reduce its impact – but the length of ageing can vary, according to how the vintage is tasting.

‘The luck of Petrus is the soil,’ says Berrouet. ‘It’s crazy, because even in wet or cool years there is flesh and structure to the wines. You never find an underpowered or unstructured Petrus. But also, it’s never aggressive.’

Petrus, Pomerol 2002 £2,667-£3,231 (ib) Cru, Crump Richmond Shaw, Wilkinson Vintners, Wineye

Petrus, Pomerol 1998 £3,875-£4,480 (ib) Bordeaux Index, Cru, Crump Richmond Shaw, Farr Vintners, Morgan Classic, Seckford Wines, Wilkinson Vintners, Wineye

Rangen

By Stephen Brook, Decanter contributing editor and DWWA Regional Chair

Location Thann, Alsace, France Owner Zind-Humbrecht, Schoffit, Wolfberger

Size 22ha

Altitude 320m-450m

Aspect South and southwest

Primary soils Compacted volcanic ash

Grape varieties Pinot Gris 57%, Riesling 32%, Gewurztraminer 10%, Muscat 1%

Rangen is the most southerly of the Alsace grands crus and also the steepest, overlooking the small town of Thann in the valley below. Its volcanic graywacke soils retain heat, but there is also a good deal of rainfall, which sometimes sparks off infections of oidium. The presence of springs within the vineyard ensures that water stress is rare.

As one would expect, the higher sectors are cooler, the lower ones more prone to botrytis provoked by moisture from the river Thur below, and thus this is the source of some of the region’s greatest sweet wines alongside dry wines that are mineral and powerful. Pinot Gris is usually planted higher up, giving the wines their welcome acidity. The soils are also rich in minerals, with abundant magnesium and potassium. Those elements lie deep in the soil, and Olivier Humbrecht maintains that the vines need to be at least 15 years old to draw out those nutrients.

Vineyards have been documented here since the 13th century. Zind-Humbrecht is the largest proprietor, with its 6ha monopole the Clos Saint Urbain. But Schoffit is also a significant owner, with the slightly smaller (5.5ha) Clos Saint Théobald, which is planted to a density of 9,000 vines per hectare (regulations specify a minimum of 4,500 for Rangen). These enclosed vineyards are surrounded by dry stone walls that need constant maintenance. The Wolfberger cooperative in Eguisheim is also fortunate enough to control holdings of 4.5ha.

Rangen’s small size and yields that rarely exceed 40hl/ha mean that its wines are usually among the most expensive to be found in Alsace.

Schoffit, Clos St Theobald, Pinot Gris Rangen Sélection de Grains Nobles 1995 £54.59/50cl Seckford Wines

Zind-Humbrecht, Clos St Urbain, Pinot Gris Rangen Sélection de Grains Nobles 1998 £100-£125 (ib) Christopher Keiller, Farr Vintners

Scharzhofberg

By Stephen Brook, Decanter contributing editor and DWWA Regional Chair

Location Wiltingen, Saar, Mosel, Germany

Owners Bischöfliche Weingüter Trier, Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt, Scharzhof, Van Volxem, Vereinigte Hospitien, Von Hövel

Size 28ha

Altitude 180m-310m

Aspect South

Primary soils Deep grey/red slate

Grape variety Riesling

This majestic and steep hill rises to a lofty height, while at its foot stands the elegant manor house of the Scharzhof estate, which has belonged to the Müller family since 1798. Despite its renown, the hill was not planted until the mid-18th century. Egon Müller is closely associated with the vineyard, and his father, of the same name, established that the site was capable of producing trockenbeerenausleses and eisweins of extraordinary quality. These are among the most prized wines in Europe, and bottles of the TBA regularly fetch more than £10,000 (2010, £12,000 Corney & Barrow).

Scharzhof is easily the best-known producer here, with its 8.5ha, but superb wines are also made by Kesselstatt, Van Volxem, and sometimes by some of the other owners, too. In vintages with botrytis, the wines combine intense sweetness with racy acidity, and despite their ethereal structure can live for decades. The best sectors are mid-slope, as the highest sectors can be too old, and lowest ones too fertile.

Until 1971, the site consisted of just 18ha of vines, but was expanded to its present surface, which may explain why some sectors are less highly esteemed. Egon Müller admits he is at a loss to understand why Scharzhofberg is quite so exceptional, and modestly explains: ‘It’s a combination of small things.’ For Scharzhof itself, these include high-density plantings, many ungrafted vines, little water stress and blocks of vines far older than those belonging to its neighbours.

Although Scharzhofberg produces dry Rieslings of distinction, few would dispute that its most glorious wines are nobly sweet.

Egon Müller Scharzhofberger, Goldkapsel Riesling Auslese 2018 £2,110 Hedonism

To Kalon

By Jonathan Cristaldi, Decanter’s Napa Valley correspondent, based in California

Location Oakville, Napa Valley, California, USA

Size 339ha, with 274ha planted to vine

Altitude 43m-81m

Aspect Primarily 1°-2° (east to northeast), total range 1°-5° (southeast to north)

Primary soils Bale loam, bale clay loam, Coombs gravelly loam, and cobbles

Grape varieties Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon

Owners Constellation Brands Inc (177ha);

Opus One Winery (41.27ha); Beckstoffer Vineyards (33.59ha); Detert Family Vineyards (7.28ha); MacDonald/Horton (6.07ha); University of California, Davis (5.26ha); Napa Valley Grapegrowers (0.32ha); Wilsey/Traina (0.08ha)

The legacy of California’s To Kalon vineyard, situated in Napa Valley’s Oakville appellation, is intertwined with that of Hamilton Walker Crabb, who, in 1853, ventured west from Ohio to California’s goldmines. Unsuccessful at prospecting, in 1868, he hit paydirt with the purchase of the first parcels that would become the ‘To-Kalon’ vineyard (Greek for ‘the highest beauty’).

Graeme MacDonald, co-owner, winemaker and historian at MacDonald Vineyards – owner of a portion of To Kalon – points to the experiments conducted in To Kalon to find an American rootstock resistant to phylloxera as evidence of its history of national interest. MacDonald also notes that the wines Crabb produced won global accolades no matter the grape variety. Echoing MacDonald, grower Andy Beckstoffer says: ‘What proves a vineyard’s worth and exceptionality is when world-class wines are made year after year, not just by one winemaker.’

Despite shifting owners, legal disputes and differences in farming and winemaking, the Cabernet-based wines from To Kalon are consistently top-scorers. Andy Erickson of To Kalon Vineyard Company says the geological cocktail of volcanic, oceanic and alluvial soils lend classic Cabernet notes of ‘soft, velvety textures, dried herbs, cassis and blackberry’. Geneviève Janssens, chief winemaker for Robert Mondavi Winery, says the wines possess ‘a dynamic mouthfeel, with freshness and salinity’, owing to Napa’s Mediterranean climate and oceanic fog.

Schrader Cellars partner-winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown says: ‘At the Yountville-Oakville border, wine profiles go from red-fruited and savoury to more dark-fruited and structured heading north. To Kalon sits in the cross hairs, making the wines incredibly complex, with all elements amplified, but all in equal proportion.’

Schrader Cellars, RBS Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 US$475 Widely available through US retailers

Schrader Cellars, RBS Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 £275 (ib) Fine & Rare

Cliff Lede, Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 £195 Four Corners

Robert Mondavi Winery, The Reserve To Kalon Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 £123-£139 Christopher Keiller, The Fine Wine Co, Vinvm

MacDonald, Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 £842-£862 Hedonism, Vintage California

Tor, Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 £319 (ib) Crop & Vine

Vignarionda

By Michaela Morris, Decanter Italy expert and DWWA 2022 joint Acting Regional Chair for Tuscany

Location Serralunga d’Alba, Barolo, Piedmont, Italy

Size 10.24ha

Altitude 260m-360m

Aspect South to southwest, with a small portion facing west

Primary soils Calcareous marl

Grape varieties Nebbiolo >98%, Dolcetto 1%, Barbera 0.5%

Owners Anna Rosa Regis, Ettore Germano, Figli Luigi Oddero, Giacomo Anselma, Giovanni Rosso, Guido Porro, Luigi Pira, Massolino, Poderi e Cantine Oddero, Terre del Barolo (Arnaldo Rivera)

If there is one site that is simultaneously the quintessence of Barolo’s power and longevity yet equally singular in its expression, it is Vignarionda (also written Vigna Rionda). Firm, unwavering tannins come with majestic refinement. And its signature austerity is countered by achingly haunting perfumes.

While not recognised as one of Barolo’s top historical ‘crus’ on Renato Ratti’s 1976 Carta del Barolo map, Vignarionda gained renown through Bruno Giacosa’s single-vineyard négociant bottlings labelled Collina Rionda. Today, its 10.24ha are divided between 10 proprietors.

According to Sergio Germano, winemaker at Ettore Germano, calcareous marl imparts imposing structure while the presence of sand lends aroma. However, Vignarionda boasts a similar soil and altitude as other predominantly south-facing MGAs of Serralunga d’Alba, making it difficult to pinpoint what truly distinguishes it.

‘It is one of the mysteries of wine,’ declares writer and cartographer Alessandro Masnaghetti, who has painstakingly mapped the vineyards of Barolo (see enogea.it). He explains that Vignarionda ripens relatively early compared to other MGAs as it is protected by the frontal hills of Perno and Castelletto. Above all, Masnaghetti characterises Vignarionda as one of Barolo’s most uniform MGAs for its size, which explains the recognisable and distinct style across estates.

Moreover, the greatness of Vignarionda isn’t limited to a particular vintage or the age of the vines. The vineyard triumphs in challenging years, as shown by transcendent examples coming from hot and arid 2017 as well as wet and cool 2014. It yields impressive wines even from young vines, such as those of Ettore Germano and Guido Porro, while old-vine bottlings such as Giovanni Rosso’s Ester Canale and Poderi e Cantine Oddero capture the soul and profundity of this hallowed hill.

Giovanni Rosso, Ester Canale Vigna Rionda, Barolo 2016 £266.67-£326.67 (ib) Berry Bros & Rudd, Mann Fine Wine

Massolino, Vigna Rionda Riserva, Barolo 2014 £154.99 Berry Bros & Rudd, Cru, Cult Wines, Fortnum & Mason, Liberty Wines, North & South Wines

Poderi e Cantine Oddero, Vignarionda Riserva, Barolo 2013 £178.50 Asset Wines, Astrum Wine Cellars, Bordeaux Index, Christopher Keiller, Cru, FalconVintners, HonestGrapes

Greatest vineyards: a snapshot of the Decanter dozen

Locations below are not ranked in any particular order.

Clos des Goisses

Location: Mareuil- sur-Aÿ, Champagne, France

Owner: Maison Philipponnat

Size: 5.83 hectares (ha)

Grape varieties: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay (approximately 80/20 ratio).

Hill of Grace

Location: Keyneton, Eden Valley, South Australia

Owners: Stephen and Prue Henschke, Henschke Wines

Size: 8ha

Grape varieties: Shiraz, Riesling, Semillon, Mataro.

Les Bessards

Location: Hermitage, northern Rhône

Owners: Bernard Faurie, Cave de Tain, Delas, Domaine Jean-Louis Chave, Domaine Marc Sorrel, M Chapoutier, Paul Jaboulet Aîné

Size: 19.9ha

Grape varieties: Syrah 19.2ha, Marsanne 0.5ha, Roussanne 0.2ha.

Macharnudo

Location: Jerez, NW of the city

Owners: Valdespino (Grupo Estévez), Harveys (Fundador), González Byass, plus others

Size: 800ha

Dominant grape variety: Palomino Fino.

Montrachet

Name of vineyard: Montrachet (in Puligny); Le Montrachet (in Chassagne)

Location: Côte de Beaune, Côte d’Or, Burgundy, France

Size: 8ha (half in Puligny, half in Chassagne)

Grape varieties: Chardonnay

Principal owners: Multiple domaines. Biggest landowner in Puligny is The Marquis de Laguiche (2.06ha, produced with Maison Joseph Drouhin). Biggest landowner in Chassagne is Domaine Baron Thenard (1.83ha).

Musigny

Name of vineyard: Musigny (lieux-dits La Combe d’Orveau, Les Musigny, Les Petits Musigny)

Location: Côte de Nuits, Côte d’Or, Burgundy, France

Size: 10.86ha

Grape varieties: Pinot Noir (10.20ha), Chardonnay (0.65ha)

Principal owners: Multiple domaines. Biggest landowner is Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé (7.12ha).

PerSe

Location: Monasterio, Gualtallary, Uco, Argentina

Owner: Monasterio del Cristo Orante Size

Size: 4ha

Grape varieties: Malbec (2.8 ha), Cabernet Franc (1.2ha), Chardonnay (<0.3ha).

Petrus

Location: Pomerol, Bordeaux, France

Owners: Famille Jean- François Moueix 80%, Alejandro Santo Domingo 20%

Size: 11.5ha (10.5ha currently under vine)

Grape varieties: Merlot 100%.

Rangen

Location: Thann, Alsace, France

Owner: Zind-Humbrecht, Schoffit, Wolfberger

Size: 22ha

Grape varieties: Pinot Gris 57%, Riesling 32%, Gewurztraminer 10%, Muscat 1%.

Scharzhofberg

Location: Wiltingen, Saar, Mosel, Germany

Owners: Bischöfliche Weingüter Trier, Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt, Scharzhof, Van Volxem, Vereinigte Hospitien, Von Hövel

Size: 28ha

Grape varieties: Riesling.

To Kalon

Location: Oakville, Napa Valley, California, USA

Size: 339ha, with 274ha planted to vine

Grape varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon

Owners: Constellation Brands Inc (177ha); Opus One Winery (41.27ha); Beckstoffer Vineyards (33.59ha); Detert Family Vineyards (7.28ha); MacDonald/Horton (6.07ha); University of California, Davis (5.26ha); Napa Valley Grapegrowers (0.32ha); Wilsey/Traina (0.08ha).

Vignarionda

Location: Serralunga d’Alba, Barolo, Piedmont, Italy

Size: 10.24ha

Grape varieties: Nebbiolo >98%, Dolcetto 1%, Barbera 0.5%

Owners: Anna Rosa Regis, Ettore Germano, Figli Luigi Oddero, Giacomo Anselma, Giovanni Rosso, Guido Porro, Luigi Pira, Massolino, Poderi e Cantine Oddero, Terre del Barolo (Arnaldo Rivera).

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