Decanter November 2022

Great Britain and the United States of America may have been described as “two nations divided by a common language*”, but we are most definitely united by a love of discovering, discussing and enjoying excellent wines. The US scene is excitingly diverse, with lots to talk about, so we’ve decided to ‘lean in’, as they say over there, and increase our efforts to bring you great coverage of it. So welcome our new US Editor, Clive Pursehouse, who will be spearheading our Stateside efforts. He’ll be aided by a strong team, many of whom who you can see on page 8 of this issue, who will be exploring the US scene with great wisdom and wit. If you’re a Premium subscriber (and if not, why not?) you’ll see a greater…

TIM ATKIN MW is a Decanter contributing editor and awarded wine journalist, author, broadcaster, judge and photographer. He publishes timatkin.com, where his South Africa 2022 Special Report is available now (£20) SARAH JANE EVANS MW is an awarded journalist, author and broadcaster, a DWWA Co-Chair, and the chair of Spain’s Gran Orden de Caballeros del Vino. Her new book The Wines of Central and Southern Spain is due out in January 2023 GEORGINA HINDLE is Decanter’s Bordeaux correspondent, tasting and writing about the wines of the region where she lives, as well as editor of Decanter Premium, overseeing Decanter’s global fine wine content for online subscribers RUPERT JOY is an international consultant and former UK and EU diplomat. He has a longstanding interest in wine and has written for Decanter…

From the vineyards of Oregon on the west coast to those of New Yo rk’s Long Island in the east, the wine regions of the United States are vast and varied. And increasingly important to us here at Decanter – across not only the magazine and website, but our Decanter Premium channel online, the annual Decanter World Wine Awards and events such as our inaugural New York Decanter Fine Wine Encounter in June 2022. We strive to provide the best coverage for our international audience and so felt it was time to have a permanent Decanter representative based stateside: someone who has their finger on the pulse of what’s happening in wine regions across the country and who can oversee our growing team of US-based writers. Clive Pursehouse joins Decanter…

Figeac promotion heads revised St-Emilion ranking St-Emilion’s2022 Classification has arrived after much build-up, featuring 85 properties ranked, with the headline act being Château Figeac promoted to premier grand cru classé A status. Figeac’s upgrade, which means it joins Château Pavie in the ranking’s top tier, was widely expected. Still, the decision represents a significant achievement and the realisation of a long-held ambition at a property owned by the same family since 1892. ‘For our family and the Château Figeac team, this distinction is a recognition of the work accomplished over several decades,’ said Hortense Idoine-Manoncourt, estate president and co-manager. The family reserved a special thought for the late Thierry Manoncourt, who shaped the modern-day estate and ‘ardently wished to see Figeac “in the right place”’. No other property was promoted…

Napa Valley land once home to the historic Soda Springs resort has been acquired by RH, a luxury design and furnishings group. RH chairman and CEO Gary Friedman told an earnings call: ‘We closed on 856 acres [346ha], probably the most beautiful piece of property in all of Napa.’ He added: ‘We’ll build a guesthouse, residences and a winery.’ The group opened luxury hospitality venue RH Guesthouse New York in September. An English sparkling wine released at £195 per bottle by Gusbourne Estate is thought to be the country’s most expensive cuvée launched to date. Gusbourne produced just under 4,000 bottles of ‘Fifty One Degrees North’ from the 2014 vintage. Aged for 80 months on lees, it’s a blend of two-thirds Chardonnay and one-third Pinot Noir. ‘It’s a wine that…

I completely agree with Mr Matheson (‘Hands off my wine, please’, Letters, October 2022). It is impossible even for the most assiduous of sommeliers to provide the required degree of diligent attention in refilling glasses, even in a moderately sized dining room. We all consume wine at different rates and require refilling at different intervals. Only we know exactly when and to what level we want our own glasses refilled. Sommeliers should ask diners whether they want the bottle left on the table and this should be the norm unless diners request otherwise. Recently, as a sommelier was disappearing to a remote part of the dining room clutching our bottle, I called him back and requested the bottle be left on the table. A couple seated nearby applauded our stance…