Top single-varietal wines to try
Blends are great, but if you're after the character of a specific grape you'll need to go single-varietal...
Many great wines have made a success of blending different grape varieties: think Bordeaux, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, the majority of Rioja, most Super Tuscans…the list goes on.
But for wine lovers, some of the most pleasurable moments can be derived from single-varietal wines – which brings us into the realms of Burgundy, Barolo, Californian Cabernet, German Riesling and Hermitage – among many others, of course.
See also: Multi-vintage blends – A wine of many years
The selection
Below are some of the best single-varietal wines to have impressed our experts recently, from Hunter Valley Semillon, South African Chenin Blanc and barrel-fermented Assyrtiko, to Santa Barbara Pinot Noir, McLaren Vale Grenache and single-vineyard Barolo.
Top single-varietal wines to try, tasted by Decanter experts:
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David & Nadia: Swartland’s finest Chenins?
Californian premium Rhône-style reds
Clemens Busch, Marienburg Fahrlay-Terrassen Riesling, Grosses Gewächs, Mosel, Germany, 2016
This is one of the increasingly common late releases from the hands of biodynamic pioneer Clemens Busch in the Middle Mosel. This rarity comes from...
2016
Clemens BuschGrosses Gewächs
Greywacke, Wild Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand, 2016
Greywacke (pronounced ‘Greywacky’) is the Marlborough label of Kevin Judd, one of the region’s pioneer winemakers after having directed the first 25 vintages at Cloudy...
2016
Greywacke
Stella Bella, Chardonnay, Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia, 2017
Sourced from Stella Bella's five vineyards, the Chardonnay from each site is vinified separately in mostly old Burgundian oak, spending 10-12 months maturing in barrel,...
2017
Stella BellaMargaret River
Domaine Ponsot, Aligoté, Morey-St-Denis, 1er Cru Clos des Monts Luisants, Burgundy, France, 2016
The world’s only premier cru Aligoté, from vines nearly 110 years old, with 24 months in old oak. This is pure and vivacious, lemon and...
2016
Domaine PonsotMorey-St-Denis
Domaine A, Lady A Fumé Blanc, Tasmania, Australia, 2015
Domaine A's 11ha holding, Stoney Vineyard, is the oldest vineyard in the Coal River Valley. The long sunshine hours are tempered by the cool, maritime...
2015
Domaine A
McGuigan, Bin 9000 Semillon, Hunter Valley, New South Wales, Australia, 2018
Since it was first made in 1995, this incredible Semillon (and others in the McGuigan portfolio) has won a swathe of awards – particularly when...
2018
McGuiganHunter Valley
Neudorf, Moutere Albarino, Nelson, New Zealand, 2018
The warm sea breezes of Nelson (compared to Spain’s Atlantic Coast) have tamed Albarino’s acidity while retaining its classic saline minerality, Neudorf’s organically farmed vineyards...
2018
Neudorf
Vassaltis, Barrel Aged Assyrtiko, Santorini, Aegean Islands, Greece, 2016
This is the second vintage of Yannis Valambous' oak-treated Assyrtiko. While the non-oaked version is vinified in stainless steel - giving a waxy, pithy white...
2016
VassaltisSantorini
David & Nadia, Chenin Blanc, Swartland, South Africa, 2018
Sourced from seven vineyards planted between 1962 and 1982, the fruit for this core Chenin Blanc is from a mixture of soil types and locations. Its...
2018
David & Nadia
Domaine Yann Chave, Hermitage, Rhône, France, 2010
Olive and dark cherry aromas with a touch of oak. Full bodied, with firm tannic grip and good fruit concentration. Long finish.
2010
Domaine Yann ChaveHermitage
Vega Sicilia, Pintia, Toro, Castilla y Léon, Spain, 2014
2014 was a good vintage, not excessively hot, and this is a really elegant expression of Toro that will continue to develop - Pintia showing...
2014
Vega SiciliaToro
Realm Cellars, Beckstoffer Dr Crane, Napa Valley, St Helena, California, USA, 2016
We take a step toward freshness with Realm's bottling of St-Helena’s Beckstoffer Dr Crane Vineyard. I found this to be the most well integrated wine...
2016
Realm CellarsNapa Valley
Domaine Henri Gouges, Nuits-St-Georges, 1er Cru Clos des Porrets St-Georges, Burgundy, France, 1999
This Nuits came after a run of characterful but sometimes confronting Côte de Beaune reds, and the aromatic authority of this fine vintage in the...
1999
Domaine Henri GougesNuits-St-Georges
Podere Brizio, Rosso di Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy, 2016
Established in 2013 by the Alejandro Bulgheroni Family Vineyards Group, the Podere Brizio estate sits on the South-West facing Montalcino hills, in a unique setting...
2016
Podere BrizioRosso di Montalcino
Domaine de la Côte, Memorious Pinot Noir, Santa Barbara County, Sta Rita Hills, California, USA, 2016
Sashi Moorman and Rajat Parr focus on terroir-oriented Pinot Noir. This marries earthy Burgundian characters with some Californian warmth. Elevated aromatics are complemented by fine...
2016
Domaine de la CôteSanta Barbara County
Thistledown, She’s Electric Old Vine Single Vineyard Grenache, McLaren Vale, South Australia, Australia, 2018
This uses 50% whole-bunch, old-vine Grenache giving a plush, soft, luscious red-berry/cherry palate. Spices, a touch of pepper and bright acidity keeps this elegant and...
2018
ThistledownMcLaren Vale
Pio Cesare, Ornato, Barolo, Serralunga d’Alba, Piedmont, Italy, 2009
2009 was a very hot vintage with virtually no rainfall through the summer, although water reserves built up the preceding winter and spring helped the...
2009
Pio CesareBarolo
