Every now and then, the word ‘singularity’ is used to describe a particular wine that stands apart, for whatever reason, from other wines of its type. But just what is singularity, and how can wine express it? Wine writer Tamlyn Currin investigates.

What makes a wine truly singular? Tamlyn Currin explores the rare bottles that defy convention and challenge the rules of the wine world.

Searching for Singularity in wine

Searching for Singularity

A Lafite Rothschild, Antoine Granger ha detto che mentre annate come il 1986 (“ricco ma buono”), il 1990 e il 1996 stanno bevendo bene, il 2000 è “bellissimo” e il 2005 “brillante”. Potrebbe essere giovane, ma – se lo si decanta 12 ore prima – anche il più modesto 2022 Duhart-Milon si sta mostrando bene, ha osservato. Joséphine Duffau-Lagarrosse ha inoltre indicato il 2000 (un’annata “favolosa”) a Beauséjour, mentre trova che alcuni 2004 siano superbi. Ha anche recentemente assaggiato il 2005 Latour e ha detto che era “magnifique”. 
 Per Pierre-Olivier Clouet di Cheval Blanc, il 2004 è un’annata che ama. Il 1998 si beve molto bene, ha notato, ma il 2009 e il 2012 sono brillanti – non si sono mai chiusi, qualcosa che è stato confermato anche altrove. Ha appena iniziato ad affrontare il 2007, un vino che, dice, è stato “un adolescente” per molto tempo ma che ora sta iniziando a rivelare il suo potenziale. Il 2012 è anche, per lui, una nuova versione del 2011. 
 Sébastien Menut di Palmer è stato un altro a indicare il 2007 – dicendo quanto bene si stia bevendo, e una bottiglia recente di 2014 Trotanoy è stata per lui una bottiglia davvero eccezionale. 
 Per Juliette Couderc, i 2009 e 2012 di Evangile sono ancora vincenti – anche se purtroppo non ne rimane molto in giro; le piace anche il 2008, ma ritiene che il 2004 e il 2005 non siano ancora pronti, mentre annate come 2016, 2018, 2019 hanno bisogno di più tempo prima di essere affrontate. Infatti, a Vieux Château Certan, Alexandre Thienpont ha indicato il 2009 (un’annata che ritiene stia appena iniziando ad aprirsi – confermata da una bottiglia che il nostro team ha apprezzato a Bordeaux durante i primeurs) e il 2012 si beve bene. 
 David Suire di Ch. Laroque è felice di stappare quasi qualsiasi annata tra il 1995 e il 2020, ci ha detto (qualcosa di più vecchio richiede un’occasione speciale, ha scherzato), ma ha evidenziato il 2014 come un vino che sta iniziando ad aprirsi, e – sebbene ancora giovane – il 2019 è un vino molto fine e brillante, ha solo bisogno di essere decantato. E non è l’unico a godersi i 2019: Ferréol du Fou di Troplong Mondot ha bevuto molto il 2019, decantandolo per un’ora o due, mentre è stato anche particolarmente entusiasta dei 2017 – vini che ritiene si stiano bevendo bene in tutta Bordeaux. 
 A La Conseillante, Marielle Cazaux ha confermato questo – il 2019 è puro piacere, per lei, una “bomba di frutta setosa e deliziosa” in questa fase giovanile, e anche il 2017 è altrettanto gratificante. Guardando un po’ più indietro, sta ancora aspettando che il 2015 emerga, ma ama il 2012 – che combina complessità terziaria con potenza. 
 Acquista i vini o leggi di più sulla regione

Al momento tutti gli occhi sono puntati sulle nascenti annate 2024, ma tra un primeur e l'altro ci siamo presi un momento per parlare con i migliori produttori di Bordeaux delle annate da bere ora. Ecco cosa stanno tirando fuori gli esperti.

As the 2024 vintage is released en primeur, we asked Bordeaux’s top produces which vintages are best to drink now: here’s what they said 

Bordeaux: the best vintages and wines to drink now 

Le annate di Bordeaux da bere adesso

For the aperitif For Domaine Long-Depaquit’s Matthieu Mangenot it is the energy and power of Champagne Brut Nature Les Marnes Blanches from Jeaunaux-Robin, that makes it his choice at Christmas. “I can't say for sure if it is the 100% Chardonnay selection or the very elegant vinification in Burgundy barrel that is this Champagne’s (hidden) tribute to our region but there is absolutely no ‘make up‘ with this Champagne. With no dosage it is a true expression of Chardonnay and terroir. To me, it is the best sparkling to get you ready for Christmas dinner!”  Klaus-Peter Keller (Weingut Keller) and his family love Champagne Bérèche & Fils or Krug, “but we will definitely enjoy some sparkling wines from Germany too!” he adds. Gianlorenzo di Neri from Montalcino’s Casanova di Neri is also choosing something local, with a 2002 Trentodoc – Giulio Ferrari Riserva del Fondatore, as well as a family favourite, Champagne Egly-Ouriet’s Blanc de Noirs. Saskia de Rothschild (Ch. Lafite-Rothschild) breaks the mould and prefers to drink ice-cold Sauternes as an aperitif rather than sparkling wine. She is still toying on whether to go young or old, deciding between a 2017, an 2007 or 1989 from Ch. Rieussec. The whites White Burgundy seems the overwhelmingly popular choice for the Christmas table. Francisco Baettig (Viña Errázuriz, Viñedo Chadwick and Baettig wines) opting for a bottle of Pulingy-Montrachet Les Combettes from Etienne Sauzet. “I love the elegance and balance of this appellation, and the purity of the wines from this producer.” Neri is saving his last bottle of 2005 Bourgogne Blanc by Coche-Dury alongside a 1991 Terlano Rarita, a Pinot Bianco blend released 25 years after it was made, proving the incredible ageing potential of top whites from Alto Adige. Mangenot has also opted for a rarity for the special day – a magnum of 2012 Nuits-Saint-Georges Blanc from Château-Gris (Albert Bichot). Chardonnay accounts for just 2% of the Nuits-Saint-Georges appellation. “The wine has a lot of richness and a beautiful tension due to the altitude of the vineyards,” says Mangenot: he is pairing it with cod fillet and citrus cream. Keller is bucking the trend and unsurprisingly opting for dry Rieslings, specifically from the 1990s, along with an eagerly awaited bottle of 1959 Mosel Piesporter Schubertslay. In 2008, Keller (although based in Rheinhessen) took over 0.7 hectares of this incredibly steep slope in the Mosel and he is using his Christmas dinner to do some research on this Mosel site with some serious bottle age. The reds Keller is not holding back on the reds: he’s got a 1966 Ch. la Mission Haut-Brion and a 1991 Clos de la Roche Grand Cru from Hubert Lignier lined up. Gianlorenzo di Neri is also opting for a Clos de la Roche, although his is a 2006 from Armand Rousseau. At the Neri household they love to compare Grand Cru Burgundy with their Brunellos, “It should be amazing to taste our 2006 Tenuta Nuova alongside.” Beyond Brunello and Burgundy, they will also be enjoying some top Nebbiolo, but it’s not an easy choice. “For Barolo we love so many producers, Elio Grasso’s Runcot – 2008 should be delicious now – or possibly Giacosa’s 2007 Barbaresco Asili Riserva.” For Mangenot, “The middle of winter is a good period to open a bottle of sunshine like Cornas Vin Noir 2012 from Domaine du Tunnel (my wife loves it!) – concentration, density, beautiful complexity, silky tannins… And a bunch of aromas that turns your dinner into a summer journey in a convertible car with your nose in the wind!” Beattig is also opting for Northern Rhône Syrah from his favourite producer Pierre Gonon, a Saint-Joseph. “I love the complexity of aromas, the spiciness. The structure of the wine, but at the same time the polished tannins. The mix of freshness, complexity and depth... love it.” At the Rothschild household it will of course be Lafite: “1988 or/and 1996: two absolute favourites of mine these days,” Saskia explains. “The 1988 is pure Lafite, extremely complex and evolving and the ’96, thanks to its perfect balance, is just so easy to drink that you’ll finish the bottle without even noticing it.” Jean-Guillaume Prats (CEO of Domaines Barons de Rothschild Lafite) is staying pretty loyal too, opting for Pomerol’s Ch. l’Evangile 2010. To finish Finally the sweets and fortifieds: there is never a better time to open aged Ports to go with the cheese and desserts of Christmas. For Lafite’s Jean-Guillaume Prats it will be Dow’s 1977 – in his words, “perfection”. Mangenot is also going for Vintage Port: Graham’s Quinta dos Malvedos 2001, “to go with a homemade chocolate mousse, and the rest of the bottle definitely to enjoy slowly by the fire with the family… Fruits, flowers, creamy character, it is a treat for the nose and the palate I wouldn't miss it at any price.” Keller decides on the sweet wines more spontaneously: “One of our favorite combinations is matching 40 and 50-year-old Ausleses with game dishes. It can taste so great. The anticipation is already great.” If fortifieds are not your thing, then take Jean-Sébastien Philippe of Lafite’s recommendation: he’ll be having a glass (or two) of Cognac de Lafite Très Vieille Réserve. He believes it is one of the most astonishing selections of old eaux-de-vies in Cognac. Browse our full range

There’s no better time than Christmas to open a treasured bottle or two. Ahead of the big day, we asked a handful of our favourite winemakers – from Saskia de Rothschild to Klaus-Peter Keller – to tell us what they’ll be uncorking

We find out the special bottles some of our favourite winemakers and distillers are uncorking this Christmas

What winemakers are drinking this Christmas

We arranged a tasting of some of the top picks including Jean Stodden, Klaus Peter Keller, Bernhard Huber and Dr. Heger. The variety on offer just from a handful of these wines showed the incredible potential of the region for top Pinot production. With Pinot’s inherent ability to express terroir we found a huge range in structure and flavor profiles from different single vineyard sites. 

Prior to our mixed case offer of these top producers out next week, the tasting helped us map out the different terroirs in Germany as well as the typical profiles of these top producers. With such rich diversity in soils, climate and clones throughout the Pinot growing regions of Germany, there is plenty to discover, from the cooler climate, slate soils of Ahr to the richer, more opulent Pinots of Baden.  Pinot Noir’s amazing ability to express terroir is the perfect vehicle for the variety and nuance to be had from the top sites in Germany, which are dotted all around the fine wine regions of Germany including Mosel, Ahr, Franken, Rheingau, Rheinhessen, Baden and beyond. In the last 20 years there has been a quality revolution in Germany, specifically with Pinot Noir production, buoyed by the ever-increasing demand for Burgundy and the intrinsic connections the Germans have with their contemporaries in Burgundy.  Many producers have strong links with the Cote d’Or either having worked extensively in the region or from forging long-term friendships with some of the top growers. Between the two regions, there has been a real sharing of knowledge from viticultural to winemaking techniques, exploring the variations and nuance created by the distinct soils and the mix of both German and Burgundian clones being used today in Germany.   The recent trends in Pinot Noir production with a move towards earlier picking, less extraction and a reduction in oak have helped further promote the diversity of styles found throughout the German Pinot regions and allowed the top producers to really shine in recent years. Critics throughout the world have been praising the results coming out from the top producers in Germany. This Pinot Noir Revolution gripping Germany is well worth getting excited about and we are thrilled to be able to offer a range of some of the finest examples.

 Top Pinot Noir producers Jean Stodden – Ahr 
One of the longest-running wineries in Germany, the Jean Stodden estate has been producing wine in Ahr since 1578. The wines are unique thanks to their very specific terroir and incredibly cool climate and this shows in spades throughout their range of wines, producing beguiling ethereal examples that are quite unlike Burgundy but distinctly European. 

This really is cool-climate Pinot, with vineyards located 50km north of Mosel. The wines
only reach ripeness thanks to the steep south-facing slopes grown on slate soils that retain the heat in the vineyard. The Estate has just 6.5 hectares of vineyards. This soil type, steepness and slate soil offer a completely different style of Pinot Noir compared to the Cote d’Or.

On tasting, the wines have an incredible line of acidity running through them, distinctly more marked than Burgundy. There is amazing contrast here too. Tasting the Sonnenburg Grand Cru alongside the Monchberg, these wines have completely different personalities, the Sonnenburg is incredibly linear and focused on the palate with great precision and pitch. The fruit is delicate and uber-fresh – sappy cranberry, wild strawberry and earthy rhubarb flavours. This is one for all the acid heads.

The Monchberg really is outstanding, and certainly worthy of Grand Cru status anywhere in the world. Incredibly compact with tons going on. The spectrum of fruit goes from fresh red fruit right through to meatier, savoury tones. The mid-palate is striking – weighty and viscous yet still has such delicacy and finesse. The length and breadth of the wine is extraordinary and the contrast of the wine shows real terroir in action. This wine is not cheap but its is stunning. 

Both wines have quite a different tone to Burgundy but are full of European etherealism. If you can find it, the Monchberg is one not to miss. World-Class.

 Key wines:     Jean Stodden Spatburgunder Herernberg Grosses Gewachs (GG) Jean Stodden include Hardtberg Spatburgunder GG Mayschoss Monchberg Spatburgunder GG  NeuenahrerSonnenburg Spatburgunder GG What the critics say: 

“From their home village Rech, Stodden's 2016 Recher Herrenberg Spätburgunder GG shows a ruby-garnet color and an aroma of pure, fine slate but warm, ripe fruit. Lush and intense on the palate, this is a full-bodied, quite powerful and intense Pinot with a lingering juiciness and spicy slate flavor. The 2016 is still very young, but its potential is enormous. Tasted during the preview of the GG wines in Wiesbaden in August 2018."
 93 points, Stephan Reinhardt, Wine Advocate “Alexander Stodden's 2016 Neuenahrer Sonnenberg Spätburgunder GG is brighter in color than J.J. Adenauer's Sonnenberg and shows a very ripe, slightly caramelly yet pure and slatey bouquet with remarkable precision. Sweet, round and elegant on the palate, this is an intense and refined Pinot Noir with good concentration, remarkable length
and a tight finish. This 2016 is excellent, but it needs time.”
 91+ points, Stephan Reinhardt, Wine Advocate

 Markus Molitor, Mosel
 Starting from practically nothing in the early 1980s, Markus Molitor has rapidly grown into one of the world's most respected winemakers, with a list of accolades including Rising Star of the Year 1999 from Gault & Millau, Winemaker of the Year 2014 from Falstaff and raft of huge critic scores. He is also the proud owner of over sixty hectares of prime real estate that Mosel Fine Wines – an independent review of Mosel Riesling – describes as a "who's who of Grand Cru between Erden to Bernkastel and the Southern Saar."

Molitor, like all producers in the Mosel, is most well known for his Rieslings, with Pinot Noir just making up 4% of his plantings. However, his top Pinot Noirs are becoming as collectible and as respected as his whites and are rated amongst the finest in the world. He produces seven different Pinot Noir cuvees in total.

"Try the most 'simple' Pinot Noir Molitor is bottling and you are already in the upper class of German Pinot Noir. His three-starred Pinots are mind-blowing and can compete with prestigious Grands Crus from Burgundy.” Stephan Reinhardt, RobertParker.com

 Key wines:        Trarbacher Schlossberg   Brauneberger Klostergarten     Graacher Himmelreich K.P. Keller – Rheinhessen 
 Alongside Egon Muller, Klaus-Peter Keller’s wines are the world's most collected and prized wines coming from Germany, famously quoted by Jancis Robinson his Riesling has been described as the Montrachet of Germany. Whilst his Rieslings initially brought so much international fame to the winery, his Pinot Noirs today also have a strong following. His 16 hectares of vines are predominantly made up of Riesling plantings but he has a Grand Cru site for his Dalsheim Spatburgunder grown on the Burgel Grosses Gewachs site. 

This Grand Cru has a specific shell limestone soil more suitable for Pinot Noir than Riesling
production. Yields are minuscule with each vine reduced to just two bunches of grapes and each individual cluster further halved. Klaus believes this helps to increase the overall acidity allowing him to pick the grapes at full ripeness whilst retaining freshness. His global recognition in a region more famous for high yielding dirt cheap Liebfraumilch, has caused a quality revolution in Rheinhessen, with more producers following in his footsteps. 

The Keller Pinots are genuinely impressive, the wines capture the beguiling Pinot fragrance
and the finesse to the tannins are very close in style to top Burgundy. We tasted the Frauenberg Grand Cru, the last of Keller’s Pinot Noir vineyards to be harvested, being the coolest site and grown at altitude. The wine has tremendous stony minerality, very precise fruit clarity and is not without structure – think Clos de la Roche rather than Chambertin.

 Key wines      
 Dalsheimer Burgel Spatburgunder GG         Frauenberg Spatburgunder GG      Westhofen Morstein Felix Spatburgunder GG What the critics say 
Frauenberg Spatburgunder GG 2013: “From French mass selections planted in 1996 and picked with 35 hectoliters per hectare, the 2013 Frauenberg Spätburgunder trocken GG has a
clear and subtle yet aromatic bouquet of red and dark berries (raspberries, wild blackberries, cassis), along with some flinty/smoky flavors. Intense, concentrated and firm on the palate, this is a full-bodied, powerful and firmly structured Pinot.  It has a velvet texture, ripe and grippy tannins, and a persistently sweet and concentrated flavor of ripe cherries and red fruit jelly in the finish. The wine has more power and body than the Bürge, l but also needs more time to develop. It's from a cooler and windier plot, and always the last Pinot harvested at Keller. The 2013 was aged in used barrels, whereas only the 2012 was still in new barrels until the malolactic fermentation was finished.  92 points, Stephan Reinhardt, Wine Advocate “The 2014 Frauenberg Spätburgunder GG offers a ripe, yet precise, fresh, well-focused and rather coolish Pinot aroma; it shows some very discreet toast and mocha flavors highlighting the wild blackberry and dark cherry aromas. Full-bodied, ripe and concentrated on the palate, this is an intense and juicy, almost charming Pinot Noir from low-yielding vines on limestone
bedrock (21 hectoliters per hectare). The finish is intense and powerful, but well structured due to the stems on which the wine fermented for 21 days.  The finish is almost sweet, due to the ripeness (a word rarely used 30 years ago in the higher altitudes of the Frauenberg), but is also very fresh and precise; whereas the ripe tannins give the required grip and structure. This is a promising wine with delicate fruit flavors, mineral freshness and probably more power than the Bürgel; but at least at this moment, it maybe has less transparency and finesse.  
91-92 points, Stephan Reinhardt, Wine Advocate

 Bernhard Huber, Baden
 Bernhard Huber was seen as the German godfather of Pinot Noir and was one of the most
instrumental vignerons to improve the region's reputation for the varietal. Working extensively with massal selection of clones, 10 – 15 different Pinot clones exist within one vineyard. Huber’s style has always been centred around creating a “nervosity” in his wines. The vineyards share a similar climate and limestone soils of the Cote d’Or. 

The wines are distinctly smoky, meaty with both sweet cherry liqueur notes but also greenness too. The Sommerhalde Grand Cru however is a real step up from the Alte Reben cuvee (made from declassified Grand Cru grapes). Even more impressive was the Bienenberg Grosse Gewachs. You certainly get more weight in these wines from Baden. The wines have rich broad textures on the palate and the tannins more velvety and sturdy than the wines of Keller and Stodden with have more finesse.

 Key wines:     Bernhard Huber Alte Reben Spatburgunder    Bernhard Huber Sommerhalde Spatburgunder GG  Bernhard Huber Malterdinger Bienenberg Spatburgunder “R” 
What the critics say
 "Cherry red and fresh in color, the 2015 Sommerhalde Spätburgunder GG has a pure, very elegant and rather floral bouquet of fresh red fruits. Still a bit reductive on the palate, this is an elegant, silky textured, fresh and fruity Pinot Noir with firm but fine tannins and a long, complex and pretty tight finish with reduced power. It is an impressive wine but the most closed of Huber's 2015 GG Pinot quartet at this early moment. Tasted in Wiesbaden,
August 2017. 
93 points, Stephan Reinhardt, Wine Advocate
 
Bernhard Huber Malterdinger Bienenberg Spatburgundr “R” 2015 – “Julian Huber's 2015 Bienenberg Spätburgunder GG shows a lovely, vital ruby red color and opens a bit reductive still, with a clear, fresh and well-defined bouquet of red fruits, crushed stones and spicy and floral aromas. It is a full-bodied, firm, fresh and finessed Pinot Noir with a serious tannin
structure and persistent vitality. This is a terribly clear and precise Pinot, and the finish is really cleansing and stimulating. Tasted at the "VDP Grosses Gewächs" presentation in Wiesbaden, August 2017.” 
 92 points, Stephan Reinhardt, Wine Advocate 
Weingut Dr. Heger, Baden  
One of the more established domaines in Baden the winery has been in operation since 1935.
Today run by Joachim Heger who was understudy to Helmut Donnhoff, the winery has never been in better shape, producing their unique expression of German Pinot Noir thanks to the distinct volcanic soil found in their two main Grand Cru sites of Winklerberg and Achkarrer Schlossberg.  
The 2015s we tasted were stunning. Whilst perhaps less complex in terms of fragrance at
least at this point, the palate has very fine textured tannins, tremendous finesse - there is so much elegance to these wines and so much freshness, the wines leave your mouth enlivened and salivating. Is this the effect of the volcanic soils? Whilst clearly European in style this is again very different to Pinot Noir from Burgundy but certainly as interesting and ethereal. 

 Key wines:     
 Hausleboden Winklerberg Spatburgunder GG Mimus Winklerberg Spatburgunder      Achkarrer Schlossberg Spatburgunder GG      Vorderer Winklerberg Spatburgunder GG Rudolf Furst, Franken
 These days this prolific estate is run by Paul Furst who has continued to make further improvements in their already world-renowned vineyards, further increasing the planting density and replacing German clone vines with Burgundian clones. The estate comprises 20 hectares in total, of which 13 are planted on the Centrafenberg Vineyard in Burgstadter, one of the most celebrated vineyards in Germany. The site is made up of red sandstone, iron rich soils ideal for Pinot Noir production. He also produces a Pinot Noir on the very steep slopes of Schlossberg. Furst is famous for their tiny yields operating at ruthlessly low production levels in order to maximise quality.

 Key wines:       Centrafenberg Spatburgunder GG         Hundsruck Spatburgunder GG          Klingenberg Schlossberg Spatburgunder GG What the critics say: Weingut Rudolf Furst Hundsruck Spatburgunder GG The 2016 Hundsrück Spätburgunder GG is even more fine and spicy on the nose than the Centgrafenberg. The palate is lush and firm but also concentrated and very elegant, with remarkable finesse and aging potential. This is great German Spätburgunder, and I am looking forward to tasting it again with more time and more wine in my glass. Temporary score. 
94-95 points, Stephan Reinhardt (tasted in Wiesbaden in August 2018) Explore more Editorial 

We have sourced a parcel of some of the finest Pinot Noirs coming out of Germany, a diverse region that is today arguably producing the most exciting Pinot Noirs in Europe, outside of Burgundy. Top examples are world-class and offer both similarities and important differences to the Cote d’Or. 

The finest Pinot Noirs are coming out of Germany, a diverse region that is arguably producing the most exciting Pinot Noirs in Europe, outside of Burgundy. 

Exploring Germany's Pinot Noir

Beyond Burgundy: Exploring Germany's Pinot Noir

Just over 25 years ago, French fashion house CHANEL entered into the world of fine wine, purchasing the largely underperforming Margaux Second Growth estate Château Rauzan-Ségla. Two years later they acquired the Saint-Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classé, Château Canon. They have since turned these properties into two of the most in-demand fine wines in Bordeaux today. In 2019 CHANEL embraced their latest endeavour, acquiring Domaine de l’Ile, a prestigious wine estate on the French riviera on the exclusive island of Porquerolles, the largest of the “golden” islands just off the Côte d'Azur. Sharing the same philosophy as their sister wineries, they have invested in a stellar winemaking team at the Domaine, enlisting the help of Pierre Etcheberry and celebrated winemaker Nicolas Audebert (of Châteaux Rauzan-Ségla and Canon). Nicolas Audebert is in fact a local to the region, born and raised in the nearby port city and naval base of Toulon. We caught up with him to discuss returning to his roots in Provence and to find out what makes this idyllic island so well-suited to fine wine production. “I was born in Toulon. My father was a naval officer, so we used to travel a lot, living in different countries, but we would always return to Provence. Porquerolles is a very special place to me as we would spend time sailing there with friends and family.  Probably my strongest memory of when we were kids is sailing with my family and spending nights “au mouillage” on the Notre Dame beach. My brother and I would wake up early in the morning with a mission:  buying some bread in the village. We would spend the whole morning walking on the back trails, discovering the island and its incredible nature, guided by the eucalyptus perfume to finally reach the Place d’Armes, where the bakery is. By the time we were back on the boat, it was lunchtime.  As a child, Porquerolles was the epitome of nature and freedom.   My travels and the great outdoors are part of my DNA, that’s why I decided to study Agronomy and then Oenology in Montpellier. Winemaking took me to Champagne, South America, Bordeaux... Today, coming back to Porquerolles is like coming back to my roots - and making wine there is the icing on the cake.”  The history of Domaine de l’Ile The island of Porquerolles is a place of idyllic beauty with a fascinating history. First inhabited in 1820, the island was largely destroyed by a devastating fire at the end of the 19th Century, before being auctioned off in 1910. The island was acquired in its entirety by François Joseph Fournier, who as Nicolas explains, “was a man of many lives”; the son of a poor Belgian boatman, he became fabulously rich thanks to his discovery of the largest seam of gold ever found in Mexico. Fournier was the sole bidder in the auction of the island, which was a wedding gift to his wife, Sylvia. They actually established vines on the island almost immediately, planting vineyards on different strategic plains of Porquerolles. Under their visionary and watchful eye, the island reclaimed its agricultural character. It sprung back to life; an oasis in the middle of the Mediterranean. The vines populated its gentle slopes and fuelled the chatter in the village. The vineyards were in fact some of the first in the region to be classified as Côtes de Provence, due to the quality of the wine produced. In 1957, the island was divided up between the four Fournier daughters; each one received a plain. Progressively, three of them sold their inheritance to the French government, but Lélia Le Ber (neé Fournier), fought to keep her land and replanted vines on the Brégançonnet plain.  She passed on the estate to her son, Sébastien Le Ber, who managed the family business before entrusting the site to CHANEL, opening a new chapter in the story of Domaine de l’Ile.  From the Classed Growths of Margaux and Saint-Emilion to Provence Asked why CHANEL decided to invest in a new winery, and in particular in Domaine de l’Ile, Nicolas explains that it was "love at first sight" with this island vineyard in the heart of Provence, its special terroir, the Le Ber’s philosophy of Porquerolles and their unique history. “As we took over Domaine de l’Ile in early 2019, Pierre Etcheberry joined the estate’s team as Vineyard Manager. Pierre has an Agricultural Engineering degree and spent three years at Château La Fleur in Bordeaux as Assistant Technical Director.  At Domaine de l’Ile he is now in charge of the winemaking, vine growing and day-to-day management. Pierre stays in touch closely with the teams in Bordeaux, and they visit regularly whenever their support is needed.”   In the vineyard The individual parcels of Domaine de l’Ile were delimited and planted in 1957. While Porquerolles shares similarities with Provençal rosé in terms of the soils and climate, it remains unique because of the insularity specificities, explains Nicolas. “Being an island, Porquerolles has a unique ecosystem: vines grow on orogenic schist bedrock and clay soils, vines are surrounded by wild and protected fragrant flora, under a warm Mediterranean climate and are exposed to fresh saline winds.  The unique environment of the vineyard has a real influence on Porquerolles wines. Surrounded by the sea, growing on an exceptional soil under seasonal high temperatures and exposed to salty winds, the Porquerolles vines produce wines of character with a fresh tension and saline notes. Pine trees, eucalyptus and wild flowers frame our parcels, this very rich naturally odorous environment finds its illustration in our wines, in delicate flavours.” “The blend of grapes in the Domaine de l’Ile rosé is made up of Grenache, Mouvèdre, Cinsault, Syrah and Tibouren.” For Nicolas, these traditional Mediterranean grape varieties express all the uniqueness and insularity of the Domaine de l’Ile wines. “On dry and stony soils, enduring the wind, gorged with sun, the Grenache brings generosity to the blend, a reminder of the sweetness of local life. The Mourvèdre likes to watch the sea. It affirms all its character here and adds its grains of spice. A window opens on the pine forest. The white flesh fruits of Cinsault combine with the freshness and crispness of Syrah. As for the Tibouren, authentic Provençal, it is at home here, deploying its nobility on these shale soils.”  Life on Porquerolles The idyllic picture postcards of the island don’t lie; Porquerolles is exceptionally beautiful. Such landscapes are due to its protection, conservation and very real isolation. During summer, thousands of visitors discover the good life of Porquerolles, exploring the local restaurants, community and the beautiful coastline by walking, biking or sailing. But once the high tourist season ends, nature takes back its rights. Spring is sweet but autumn and winter can be difficult. To live on Porquerolles is a real philosophy of life, a desire of being out of “the continent”, a place where time flows slowly.  Finally, we asked Nicolas’ thoughts on rosé wine more generally and where and when best to enjoy it. “Rosé is the traditional wine of Provence, a region that has nothing left to prove. It designates wines of incredible diversity that can be found on the most prestigious restaurant wine lists all around the world.  From the ones to be enjoyed between friends over a simple supper, to some brilliant and complex expressions of terroir paired with more elaborate menus. For me, when spring begins to bloom, and temperatures rise, opening a bottle of a rosé wine offers you a promise, a foretaste of the coming summer. And in autumn, or even in winter, it will put a smile on your face, as an opportunity to remember the joy and pleasure of the long-gone summertime. Ultimately rosé is the ideal summer wine to share at the end of warm days." Browse Editorial

We speak to winemaker Nicolas Audebert about Domaine de l'Ile, CHANEL's latest wine venture on the island of Porquerolles, just off the Côte d'Azur

Winemaker Nicolas Audebert on Domaine de l'Ile, CHANEL's latest wine venture on the island of Porquerolles, just off the Côte d'Azur

Domaine de l'Ile, CHANEL's latest wine venture

Nicolas Audebert returns to his roots with Domaine de l'Ile

Non è mai facile scegliere un’annata preferita da bere oggi. Ma gli occhi dei produttori si illuminano quando viene chiesto loro, mentre ripensano alle migliori bottiglie – e ai momenti. Naturalmente, è tutta una questione di gusto. Ci sono collezionisti che amano i vini molto maturi, mentre altri sono molto più attratti da annate più giovani, ancora con un po’ di frutto primario. Anche la vinificazione è cambiata e – sebbene la maggior parte dei grandi Bordeaux sia fatta per durare a lungo – le annate più moderne, con una viticoltura e una vinificazione più precise, sono molto più accessibili in gioventù. Le annate più giovani da godere ora: 2017, 2013, 2009 + 2003 Come molti Pomerol, con il loro profilo di frutta opulenta e tannini morbidi, Ch. Lafleur può essere gustato giovane, ammette il cantiniere di Lafleur, Omri Ram. “Ma è come andare a un concerto dei Pink Floyd e andarsene dopo i primi 10 minuti. È brillante – ma ti perdi così tanto,” spiega. L’altro vino Pomerol di Lafleur, Les Pensées, proviene da terreni argillosi ed è proprio questo che lo rende molto più accessibile in giovane età rispetto a Lafleur, che proviene da terreni ghiaiosi. Ram ritiene, tuttavia, che il 2013 Lafleur stia bevendo magnificamente ora, nonostante la sua giovinezza. Allo stesso modo, sulla Rive Gauche, Damien Sartorius di Léoville Barton ritiene che, sebbene alcune annate siano migliori con 30 anni di età (come il 2010 o il 2016), la maggior parte, soprattutto quelle “intermedie” o “deboli”, si godono meglio giovani – e possono offrire un grande valore. “Sono molto felice di bere oggi un Lynch Bages o un Poyferré del 2013 – sono vini deliziosi e costano molto meno,” dice. Per Bruno Borie di Ducru-Beaucaillou, la scelta dell’annata da bere dipende da molti fattori: “Quando c’è il sole, mi piace bere annate più giovani. Quando fa freddo e inverno, preferisco annate mature, ma temperatura, pressione atmosferica, cibo e compagnia giocano tutti un ruolo nell’identificare quale annata bere.” Ritiene che anche un Ducru giovane come il 2017 sia bellissimo da bere ora. Sebbene pensi che l’annata sia stata sottovalutata dalla stampa, è un’annata elegante e già offre grande piacere con il cibo. Le annate più grandi, come il 2010, invece, richiedono ancora invecchiamento. Ch. Margaux, pur essendo distintamente elegante, è sempre stato un vino costruito per durare, e l’enologo Philippe Bascaules non toccherebbe nulla di più giovane del 2009 – anche le annate più leggere 2011, ’12 e ’13, a suo avviso, sono troppo giovani. Ma il 2009 rompe la tendenza in termini di approcciabilità: per Bascaules, è sempre stato piacevole. 
 È “un grande vino con una trama eccezionale, molto cremosa, opulenza, così potente ma per nulla aggressivo”, spiega. La scelta di Nicolas Audebert di Ch. Rauzan-Ségla tra le annate più giovani è il 2003. “Se i 2003 sono stati ben fatti – cioè senza eccessi – sono estremamente piacevoli da bere. Un buon terroir combinato con un’evoluzione lenta significa che dopo 15 anni in bottiglia ora si mostra magnificamente. Assaggialo alla cieca e non penseresti che sia stato un anno così caldo,” suggerisce. Sottovalutate e ottime ora: 2014, 2012, 2011, 2004, 2001 + 1999 La maggior parte concorda sul fatto che l’annata 2001 sia stata sottovalutata al momento del rilascio, oscurata dal clamore che circondava sia il 2000 che il 2003. “Il 2001 è un’annata molto bella da riscoprire,” spiega Audebert. “È scomparsa dopo l’hype del 2000, ma ha sicuramente resistito bene rispetto alle annate più celebrate.” Allo stesso modo, ritiene che il 2011 abbia condiviso un destino simile. “Dopo l’uscita del 2010, il 2011 ne ha sofferto, ma è un’annata molto bella e interessante. Non appariscente, ma molto elegante, un’annata molto intelligente e in lento sviluppo.” Come molti dei grandi vini di Bordeaux, bisogna avere pazienza con Ch. Lafite-Rothschild. “Facciamo vino per la lunga durata,” dice il Direttore Internazionale della proprietà, Jean-Sébastien Philippe. Per lui, una buona annata è un vino che sembra più giovane man mano che invecchia. Nonostante il grande potenziale di invecchiamento di Lafite, il 2004 è un vino moderatamente giovane che ritiene ottimo da godere ora. 
 “È sempre stato molto classico, ma molto chiuso e quindi sottovalutato. Con la maturità, è diventato un vino straordinario da riscoprire oggi,” dice. Bascaules ritiene inoltre che il 2004 sia una delle annate più sottovalutate di Ch. Margaux, di nuovo perché si colloca tra due anni riveriti, il 2005 e il 2003. 
 “Ma è molto meglio di quanto la gente pensi,” dice. “I tannini stanno ora iniziando ad ammorbidirsi. È molto concentrato, il naso è molto aperto. È molto complesso.” Per Bascaules, il 1999 è un altro vino che è passato inosservato ma che ora è al suo meglio. “È stata un’annata molto calda, ma non molto concentrata. Pertanto, i tannini sono molto maturi e morbidi, la trama è molto risolta, ma il naso è ancora giovane,” spiega. Ram fa eco a Bascaules nel lodare il 1999, con il Grand Vin di Lafleur al suo apice. “Si beve magnificamente ora, se riuscite a trovarlo, e proverete più piacere bevendo il ’99 che il 2000 oggi. Mostra un bellissimo equilibrio, potenza contro eleganza. Densità contro leggerezza. Tutte queste contraddizioni del vino fine si manifestano davvero bene nel 1999. Il 2000 si comporta ancora come un adolescente al confronto.” Ama anche il 2014: “È un’annata poco apprezzata, ma è l’ultima annata classica di Bordeaux – affascinante, elegante, sofisticata.” Il 2014 Ch. Canon è un esempio perfetto, si beve magnificamente ora. Sottolinea anche quanto sia stata di successo Saint-Estèphe quell’anno, con molti grandi vini tra cui scegliere e con un ottimo rapporto qualità-prezzo. Per Sartorius, c’è molto valore da trovare nel 2012: “Léoville Las Cases, Ducru-Beaucaillou, a un prezzo molto buono – sono così buoni e offrono così tanto,” dice. Al loro apice: 2000, 1996, 1995, 1989, 1986, 1985 + 1983 Per Bascaules, Margaux tra i 20 e i 30 anni è perfetto. “Il 1989 probabilmente si beve al suo apice oggi,” dice, “così come il 1990. Il naso del 1985 è terziario ma c’è ancora frutta. Mi piace che ci sia ancora un po’ di frutto nel vino. Il 1983 è un grande vino e ottimo da bere oggi.” 
 Il 1983 è stata un’annata classica in tutta l’appellazione Margaux, e molto migliore della più celebrata 1982, crede Audebert: “Il 1983 a Margaux è molto più interessante, mentre il 1982 rischia di essere troppo maturo.” 
 Spiega che un’annata matura e con alti volumi – all’epoca – era rara, e quindi spesso non qualcosa che i vinificatori dell’epoca erano pronti a gestire. Sostiene che ciò ha portato alcuni 1982 di Margaux a risultare un po’ stanchi, producendo “sapori di tapenade, metallici” e mancando di vivacità. L’annata preferita in assoluto di Ram di Les Pensées deve essere il 2000 – spiega che è stata “la prima vera matrice” per il moderno Les Pensées, quando è passato dall’essere un secondo vino a un’espressione dei terreni argillosi di Lafleur. Combina questo con il fatto che il 2000 è stata un’annata eccezionale e ottieni un vino superbo, anche simbolico. Il 1986 è la scelta di Lafite da bere ora. Per Philippe, mostra di cosa è capace la tenuta: “È l’annata che può davvero aiutarti a capire Lafite – l’emozione e la precisione,” dice. Vini per i secoli: 1955 + 1964 Ch. Canon, 1916 Ch. Ducru-Beaucaillou Mentre molti Claret raggiungeranno il loro cinquantesimo compleanno, alcune annate possono durare ancora più a lungo. Nicolas Audebert ha recentemente assaggiato Ch. Canon del 1955 e ’64, due annate fantastiche per lo château, entrambe ancora bevibili in modo splendido. Bruno Borie ha recentemente apprezzato un 1916 Ducru-Beaucaillou che era ancora in forma. È un’annata particolarmente interessante poiché è stata prodotta solo da donne, mentre gli uomini erano in guerra. 
 Una bella nota del maestro di cantina dell’epoca suggerisce che “il vino potrebbe essere troppo potente, ricco e forte per il commercio”. “Non sono sicuro che il commercio la penserebbe allo stesso modo oggi,” ride Borie. “A 104 anni, dimostra quanto sia importante produrre vini con una struttura sufficiente per superare i 100 anni. Anche oggi, il vino ha ancora un sacco di carattere.”

Abbiamo parlato con alcuni dei nomi più importanti della regione, come Chx Canon, Ducru-Beaucaillou, Lafite-Rothschild, Lafleur e Margaux, per scoprire quali annate ritengono siano al loro meglio in questo momento.

Chx Canon, Ducru-Beaucaillou, Lafite-Rothschild, Lafleur and Margaux on which Bordeaux vintages are entering their drinking window

Bordeaux wine vintages ready to drink now

Inside Burgundy – Jasper Morris MW  Jasper Morris MW’s upbeat report assures the reader not to panic about the treacherous growing season that Burgundy endured in 2021: “The wines taste much better than the weather conditions might have suggested.” While wary of generalisations, he feels the whites (what little was made) were good to very good and readers should have no qualms in following them. While the natural comparison might be to 2016 – another vintage badly affected by frosts which produced two generations of grapes – those that survived the frost and the secondary buds – the 2021s avoid the sweet-and-sour profile of that year. He also particularly highlights the wines of Puligny-Montrachet, which has rediscovered a “beguiling and refined floral bouquet” in the year.   
Quality among the reds, he feels, is less consistent, with the Pinot Noirs from the Côte de Nuits better than those from the Côte de Beaune. He highlights Chambolle-Musigny and Volnay as appellations that “show the elegance and fragrance… that has perhaps been missing for the last few years”. While far from classical, he believes many of the reds are “rather lovely in a style which we have not seen in the last few years”, thanks to the vintage’s cooler conditions.   
He compares the reds to 2014, but less “raw” than some of the wines made in that vintage, while the whites remind him of 2013. He also suggests the vintage for both red and whites has many similarities to 2010 – a vintage that received modest reviews on release, but has, with maturity, turned out to be “rather fine”.   
For him, both colours, although especially the whites “are very clear reflections of their individual sites”, and “show the hierarchical order from generic up to Grand Cru very clearly”. While he doesn’t feel they will “develop into legendary long-lived wines”, nor will they “fall over quickly”. Generally it is a vintage that is “what the French call digeste” – “accessible, easy to drink”, but he urges readers to “take the time to search out the gems which have successfully avoided any pitfalls in their path and will emerge as truly beautiful wines”.  
Read Jasper Morris MW’s full report on Inside Burgundy (subscribers only) 


Vinous – Neal Martin 
Neal Martin offers, as ever, a long report, with his trademark satirical opening. His verdict is that 2021 is “indisputably one of the most fiendishly complex, byzantine seasons I can recall” and the wines are “shockingly good in the context of an appalling growing season that pushed many to the brink, physically and mentally”.  He runs through the growing season in detail, noting the various challenges producers faced and how they responded – something which he highlights varied significantly, making it “a season without consensus”. Despite these difficulties, he finds many of the wines “blooming delicious” – noting that “the causal relationship between the vagaries of a growing season and wine quality is not as strict. Seemingly awful vintages can be studded with vinous gems and walk-in-the-park seasons can disappoint.”  Given the lack of consensus, he emphasises the variability of the year, and the need to drill down into the specifics of how each estate, and vineyard, fared – and he has offered a profile on almost each producer he visited to provide his insight. He points to the fact, for example, that the Grands Crus aren’t necessarily the best wines from each estate – and this is reflected in his scores. As for the style of the wines, he finds that the whites “sometimes convey traits of warmer vintages with traces of tropical fruit that counterpoint the acidity”, and points to Chassagne-Montrachet as a stand-out village – in his view, “the most dynamic appellation in the Côte de Beaune”. The reds he declares “a sharp return to the vivid red fruit of cooler growing seasons” – with most “far removed from the black/blue-fruited 2019s and 2020s”. “There is greater underlying mineralité, tension, and vibrancy on the palate compared to recent vintages. Tannins, at best, are finely chiselled, and the finishes often contain plenty of sapidity.”  
Overall, however, he feels that “the 2021s will offer abundant short to mid-term drinking pleasure” and are “delicious early-drinking fare”, but “only a small number will age long-term”, some wines not having “the substance to last the course”. Despite that, he’s overall positive, although notes that the tiny volumes and rising prices pose challenges: “There are gems to find. It’s just that you might not be able to buy them, and if you can, you might have to remortgage the house.”  
Read Neal Martin’s full report, tasting notes and scores on Vinous  
 Burghound – Allen Meadows 
So far Allen Meadows has published his reports on the Chablis, Mâconnais and Chalonnaise, and reds from the Côte de Nuits. His in-depth report runs through the varying meteorological considerations across the entire length of Burgundy, including for example a catastrophic hailstorm in Pouilly-Fuissé. For the whites from the outer reaches of Burgundy, he says that, “despite all of the growing season trials and tribulations, surprisingly good, sometimes even excellent, whites were made”. There are, in his view, some “cool, pure and wonderfully transparent whites that are intense, overtly saline and well-balanced” – but he emphasises that this is not a consistent vintage and selection is important, with quality varying. He feels “it’s not an easy vintage to pigeonhole” – and compares some wines to 2001 or 2013 for their exoticism, some to 2014 or 2017 for their restraint and freshness. From the Chalonnaise, he particularly highlights the wines from Joblot and François Lumpp for reds that are “lovely: fresh, energetic, reasonably concentrated, transparent and balanced”. When it comes to the Côte de Nuits, “quality is highly, even frustratingly, variable”, but “2021 is the kind of vintage that I absolutely love”. It is, in Meadows’ view, “a burg geek’s vintage par excellence" – with terroir transparency at its heart, with wines that are “strikingly refreshing and tension filled”. Many will make for “delicious drinking early on, yet be capable of amply rewarding mid-term cellaring and in a few cases, they should be as long-lived as most collectors would reasonably want” – with the caveat that some, unfortunately, are not. He highlights how work in the vineyard was key, tactics in the winery varied and picking dates too – noting that generally those who picked later fared better, but (in a running theme for the vintage) that is “far from a hard and fast conclusion”. Although most are medium-bodied, he feels that some producers shied away from extraction – with the result that some wines don’t quite have sufficient mid-palate density. With the quality varying, it’s a year to focus on “producer first, second and third rather than the commune”, although the classification hierarchy is clearly reflected in the quality of the wine. This is, most importantly, a vintage that is the opposite to 2018, ’19 and ’20, and he feels the closest comparison for the reds is 2001, with a similar 10- to 20-year arc of ageing ahead of them.  There are some wines that are underripe or herbaceous, but: “The best wines are classic Burgundies in the best sense of that term. They have something of everything in terms of a tantalizing freshness as they are decidedly very pinot in character followed by a dazzling transparency on the palate. As I noted above, the sense of terroir is at the core of each wine, and when a palpable sense of energy is added, the wines are a joy to drink.” Read Allen Meadows’ full report, notes and scores on the Burghound site Decanter – Charles Curtis MW The headline of Charles Curtis MW’s report is that there are “some excellent wines, if you choose carefully”. The “antithesis of recent years”, he anticipates that those who are selective will “be delighted by the classic style of this vintage”, which has produced “crisp, concentrated” whites and – at their best – reds that are “perfumed, elegant and structured”. He emphasises how important the harvest date was, as well as sorting once the fruit was picked. Although he found significant variability in quality – “with liltingly charming wines alternating with less successful examples” – he is clear that “the best wines are definitely worth buying”. His wines of the vintage are Domaine des Comtes Lafon’s Montrachet and Armand Rousseau’s Chambertin-Clos de Bèze – wines that, sadly, few will be able to get their hands on.  Read Decanter’s full report, notes and scores Jancis Robinson MW Jancis Robinson MW’s site offers extensive coverage of the vintage mainly by Burgundy-based Matthew Hayes and herself, with extensive tasting notes. Jancis’s own report – based on tastings mainly in London and published in early January 2023 – vouched for the quality of the fruit at harvest, and how despite “a gruelling growing season”, with the results that she had so far tasted “delicious”.   Matthew Hayes doesn’t shy away from this being a “difficult” vintage, but “quality has been unexpectedly higher than received wisdom suggested”. Beyond the challenges of the growing season, Hayes highlights how the winemaking was handled differently almost everywhere, although generally people reduced extraction. He’s wary of giving the year “the kiss of death” by declaring the vintage “merely good”, but considers how there’s more to greatness than ageability. For him it is a vintage that “will appeal to real cognoscenti of Burgundian Pinot Noir, to the absolute devotees of fragrance, limpidity and soft, ethereal tannins – that gossamer touch that normally speaking should take decades to evolve”. The wines are earlier-drinking given how open they are – a relief in some senses that you needn’t feel too guilty of “infanticide”.   Read all Burgundy 2021 coverage on jancisrobinson.com Wine Advocate – William Kelley William Kelley’s greatly anticipated report is his longest to date. He feels that the complexities of 2021 and what he sees as a pivotal moment for the region deserved the extra word-count. He runs through the year’s conditions in detail, which we won’t regurgitate, although – contrary to our findings – he suggests the Premiers and Grands Crus were harder hit by the frost. Like us and others, he highlights that strategies in the winery varied significantly and generalisations are almost impossible. He considers what “a great red wine vintage” is in the era of modern Burgundy and climate change – and whether the 2021s’ openness will work against them. They are, he says, “supple, fleshy and perfumed, at their best uniting the concentration of low yields and surprisingly good phenolic maturity with the vibrant, perfumed profiles of a cooler vintage”, “broad, open and charming” and, in his view, “unlikely to shut down”. He compares the wines to 2017 or 2000, and expects they will at least age as long as the latter.  As for the whites, he finds them “classically proportioned, pure and fine-boned, albeit sometimes a little lean out of the gates”. The closest comparison for him is 2013, although without the exoticism sometimes found in that vintage. He highlights that the wines are developing texture and flesh during élevage and will show better from bottle than barrel. Of course, he cautions readers that they will need to “buy wisely”, but highlights that, even tasting over 1,000 wines, there were “very few failures” – with the year’s results far more positive than he expected from the difficult year. Indeed, he even declares them “some of the most charming young Burgundies [he has] tasted from barrel over the last 15 years” – but, he asks, “Are they too tasty to be great?” As for the market, he notes that “the 2021s will be expensive”, but this is tied to not just demand, but land prices in the region, as well as its archaic inheritance laws and significant taxes. The inevitable result of these factors is consolidation, and while once the nobility and Church held the keys to the land, now it’s billionaires and corporations – with the future of small, family-owned domaines in doubt. His final line is one filled with a sense of urgency: “Enjoy it while it lasts”. Read Kelley’s full report, notes and scores on the Wine Advocate 

Read more about Burgundy 2021, including our full report in the vintage 

The leading critics are offering their verdict on Burgundy’s 2021 vintage – a challenging but surprising season. Here we offer a crib-sheet to what they’re saying about the year so far

The leading Burgundy critics’ views on 2021– with a summary of what Neal Martin, Jasper Morris, Allen Meadows and William Kelley’s are saying

Burgundy 2021 – what the critics are saying

Burgundy 2021: the critcs’ verdict

The knife is a descendant of the sword, that emblematic and destructive weapon of war. We learn to respect it from an early age. Though powerful and dangerous, this day-to-day working tool is the one item in the culinary arsenal used to cut flesh in the preparation of food. Fingal Ferguson of the renowned Gubbeen cheese family in Ireland, and maker of world-class knives, remembers his mother Giana in the early days of his parents’ farmhouse cheese revival in the 1970s, cutting the curds with her grandfather’s dressage sword on the side of the Aga. It was not, however, this splendid, dramatic rapier that triggered his passion for the craft, but a hobby that grew out of butchering. Ferguson’s handsome handcrafted knives, which he started making 20 years ago, come in all shapes and sizes from small paring knives to cleavers, and have acquired cult status at home and abroad. They are coveted by those who love cooking – from domestic cooks to celebrity chefs – and those who value craftsmanship and beauty, not to speak of functionality, in the tools they use. His collection, full of character, ranges from high quality satin hand-finished steel to the higher end Damascus patterned blades with handles carved from maple, beech, chestnut, bog oak, spalted poplar, alder, Micarta (a composite), carbon fibre, buffalo horn and, more unconventionally, compressed rock-hard Donegal tweed, and gemstone turquoise.  These knives are much in demand – at one point in 2017 he had 980 people on the waiting list. Francis Mallmann – the world-renowned Argentinian, Michelin-trained, Patagonia-loving chef famous for open fire cooking – declared Ferguson’s knives the best, and ordered a set of 22, one for each of the tasks in his kitchen. “He is one of my heroes as I love cooking with fire,” Ferguson reveals when we meet in his workshop on the family farm not far from the fishing village of Schull in west Cork, one sunny September morning. Located far out on the most south-westerly tip of Ireland, nestled beneath Mount Gabriel with breathtaking views across the Atlantic to Fastnet Lighthouse, Coney Island and Cape Clear, Gubbeen (which means little bite) is a 250-acre coastal farm with a 140-strong cheesemaking herd of Friesian, Holstein, Jersey and Kerry cows that graze peacefully in the surrounding fields. It is here Ferguson grew up and became in turn a farmer, cheesemaker, butcher, charcuterie-maker, knifemaker, husband and father.  “I was two and a half when mum and dad started making cheese, so I grew up with it. The farm is the backbone of everything we do, and you are either mucking about in the yard or putting on whites to clean the cheese,” he says with a smile. Tousle-haired, dressed in a bleu de travail workman’s jacket, followed by his border terrier, Mouche, he shows me around the farm where the cheesemaking is in progress, and to a barn piled high with straw bales at the entrance to his workshop. Flocks of geese and Barbary ducks patrol the yard, undisturbed. A nifty Jack Russell called Sunny makes an occasional appearance, checking out newcomers.   Grounded, thoughtful, practical and creative, Ferguson comes from pedigree stock on both sides of the family. His father Tom was in his twenties when he inherited the farm, run by four generations of resourceful Fergusons, including his great-grandfather who introduced an innovative and successful milking system in the 1880s that benefitted the whole area. Tom’s mother Mary was a founding member of the Irish Countrywomen’s Association and ran one of Ireland’s first farm guesthouses.  Tom met Giana Luke – then in her twenties, of Austro-Hungarian ancestry, and daughter of the playwright Peter Luke – when she was visiting an uncle, a writer living in Inish Beg beyond Baltimore. “I was drifting around with a dog and a tent,” she later recalled. The pair fell in love, married in 1975 and started their life together. “She was a dreamer with a fascinating culinary background, and he was a west Cork farmer and a doer. Opposites attract,” Fingal smiles, adding that his own marriage to Dubliner Ciara Rogerson, a high-powered, Oxford-educated consultant statistician, carries on the family tradition.   Giana’s grandfather, hugely influential in her love and appreciation of food, was the Eton-educated Sir Harry Luke who spent 40 years in the British Colonial Service and dined for England in far flung places like Aleppo, Tonga, Tbilisi, Sierra Leone, Transcaucasia (present day Georgia), Armenia and Azerbaijan. His 1954 book, The Tenth Muse: A Gourmet’s Compendium, is a tour de force of descriptions of the culinary cultures he encountered on his extensive travels. Fingal’s own name he attributes to his parents’ love of Oscar Wilde whose middle name was Fingal – indeed one of his own five children is called Oscar. Memories of growing up between west Cork and occasional trips to his grandfather’s house in Jimena de la Frontera, in Andalusía, Spain, were huge influences: “being immersed in Spanish food and those long tables and robust flavours and if there was no garlic, there was no menu. That Spanish influence led us to preserve food with nothing left to waste. Food preservation was logical – we either share, swap or preserve,” explains Fingal whose self-built smokehouse was a pioneering step in establishing the farm’s charcuterie business. A strong work ethic is part of the Ferguson dynamic. “I was never pushed or forced into farming,” he says. At the Quaker school in Newtown in Waterford where he was educated, “if you were crap at something you were allowed to fail, but you had to compensate somewhere else and I was drawn to hands-on learning like woodwork because I love making things and hate having nothing to do. I can take most machines apart and put them back together again.” Having become the farm’s butcher, he got into knives, and with a family connected to food, needed to learn how to sharpen the tool of his trade properly. After school, when he spent some time in New Zealand “milking 800 cows on the North Island”, he made his first knife, then did a knifemaking and bladesmith workshop with Owen Bush & Bushfire Forge in the UK. “But my real inspiration,” Ferguson reveals, “was the knifemaker Rory Conner up the road here in Ballylickey who had trained with Bob Loveless in the US, one of the world’s top knifemakers. We used to contact Rory for knives for special occasions, for wedding presents – he is a real craftsman. All this led to knifemaking becoming my hobby.” In the workshop furnished with machinery, grinders, belts and assorted tools, Ferguson gives me a lesson in knifemaking, explaining that it has two essential parts – the metallurgy “taking the steel to make a blade and how different steels make different things. And the second part is the handle which can be classic or crazy – we live our personalities in our things, so you can have a carbon steel knife with a jet-black bog oak handle sitting right next to a shiny Damascus steel knife with a vibrant multicoloured handle.” Strangely, most of the parts of the knife are named after parts of the body – the belly, the throat, the cheek, the heel and the spine. Sheets of steel of different types are stacked in a corner of the workshop. The painstaking method of making a knife begins, Ferguson carefully explains, when suitable steel is cut and drilled into the shape of the blade, and he shows me the design of the blade marked out on the steel. “It then goes into a kiln for a short specific period at temperatures as high as 1,080ºC depending on the type or process. It is at these temperatures where the magic of metallurgy takes place and we can transform it from soft into hard steel. It is then quenched or cooled rapidly as a key part of the process. After some little adventures with the tempering cycles which balance the hardness and makes the knife more useable, it is ready to become a blade, ready for more grinding and thinning out, defining the edge and then polishing ready for the handle.” Demanding skill and precision, “you could be hours making a knife – and the level of obsession will determine the outcome,” he adds. The level of workmanship in a knife can, in turn, inspire a reverence that affects how its owner wields it. Some of Ferguson’s knives are made from Damascus pattern welded steel which adds an eye-catching beauty when polished and etched – these steels can be outsourced or, as he explains, makers can go through the lengthy, highly skilled and more advanced process that involves more than 60 layers of lamination and that can take years to master. Japanese knifemakers, in particular, have embraced these skills, drawing on Japan’s great historical swordsmithing tradition; when the Samurai were forbidden to carry weapons, their swordmakers turned their craftsmanship to making cutlery instead. “One of the interesting psychological things about a Japanese-influenced knife, with its hidden tang design, is that you might treat the knife differently, use it differently,” says Ferguson. “Images will be conjured up of the precise, thoughtful and accurate knife skills of the Japanese.” In some of his work, he draws on such influences to make knives based around thinner edge geometry and around more precise use. “Western knives tend to be sturdier for more general use.”  Ferguson believes that “a knife is either practical or emotional. You can have a Damascus steel knife, beautiful to look at, but another with a broken handle may be your go-to knife. Knifemaking has to do with weight, balance, edge geometry and geometry. A knife goes through the ultimate form of abuse – every day it is wet and dry. It might be left on top of the cooker. There is a knife for every job in the world and that’s what makes our life so interesting. With all these different knives there is an element of creativity that allows for specialisation and so many elements that one can get obsessed about. One of the easiest knives for a cook to use, with an edge like a razor blade and a light handle, can be the first knife to break if used to cut up bones, so the boundaries and capabilities are endless.” His views on popular TV shows about knifemaking are interesting. “Forged in Fire is not aimed at knifemakers, just as MasterChef is not for chefs. These are shows for lay people that give you a little insight wrapped in drama, and help them learn about your world. The most important process is the attention to detail.”  He stores materials for the handles in a disused kiln and describes how they are attached to the blade with Loveless bolts. “These countersink nuts into the hole in the handle so as you tighten them, they become like a clamp. The bolster area is the most vulnerable area of the knife, so you are strengthening the bolt hole at its weakest point.” Back at his house – a beautiful building dressed in stone from Mount Gabriel, with mesmerising views of the sea – Ferguson keeps the finished knives in wooden boxes in an upstairs room away from the chaos of children’s toys and a busy kitchen downstairs. This is where orders are dispatched, packaged in heavy-duty canvas rolls, tied in a similar fashion to his charcuterie netting, and stamped with his logo: crossed knives that form the shape of a capital F. The appeal of Ferguson’s knives is stunningly obvious. But despite huge demand, his output isn’t set to increase any time soon. “After one of my knives became a viral sensation on social media, I had more than a thousand people wanting it, so I could spend the rest of my life making them. But the knifemaking side of the business has become a way in which I can channel my creativity.”  Ferguson invests a range of emotional energies into the knives he makes, each of which is a unique creation. “You can be gung-ho and vent if you are tired or emotional – or, if in a calm mood, you can be precise and careful. There is also a point where you can cut yourself or break the knife, so there is room and a role for every state of mind.” It is a delicate balance, and he feels blessed in that people want these knives, but they are not something that can be mass produced.  His profile has led to some odd demands. He has been asked for knives with handles made from the wood of a sentimental apple tree, or to be bejewelled with precious gems. He’s even been asked to work gold into the process of making a blade. “You can go to extreme lengths, and part of me wants the knives I make to go up on a wall and be displayed. You can have your haute couture of knives, and indeed the ones I’ve done now are very different; there is an evolution because I’m part of a community of knifemakers. Another part of me wants to see my knives on family tables being used every day.” While he is happy to work to specific requests from his clients, Ferguson is a man in tune with the fluidity of process, and the never-ending learning curve. “You can spend your life becoming a cheesemaker, gardener, farmer, making really good silage for the cows, but these are adaptable moving targets and as soon as you feel you know everything, you realise how much you don’t know – it is a process of continual learning and that’s how food led to the knives. The handmade knife is a tool that makes sense to a cook like a Mont Blanc pen to a writer. Carpenters respect their chisels. You don’t need to buy a handmade knife unless it is something that brings you pleasure. But you want people to enjoy the knife for what it is. Rory (Conner) always said that a good knife should be recognisable in the pitch dark – that you should know which way is up.” This article was originally published in FONDATA, Issue Two.

Fashion editor and author Deirdre McQuillan meets Fingal Ferguson to find out how butchery inspired him to become a knifemaker.


FONDATA: A Descendant of the Sword

A Descendant of the Sword 

Weingut Kanzemer Berg

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