Decanter May 2021

There are certain basics which experts take for granted but the rest of us puzzle over. Watch any great musician, sportsperson or artist and they’ll execute something amazing in a way that looks effortless but is actually the product of technique, skill, talent and many years of practice. One of those basics in the world of wine is tasting. You don’t just slurp and guess; it’s a precise skill with much more to it than the layperson, or even keen novice, would imagine. So we thought it was about time we investigated this dark art thoroughly, and enlisted the help of a stellar cast of experts to shed some light on the tricks and techniques of tasting. We hope that everybody can learn something from this story, whether you’re a seasoned…

Space wine tasted: an unearthly Petrus Château Petrus wines that were blasted into orbit for a 14-month stay on the International Space Station have been tasted alongside bottles that remained on earth as part of a novel research project. Twelve bottles of Petrus, Pomerol 2000 returned safely from their adventure via a SpaceX Dragon cargo craft in January, before being flown to Bordeaux. Rather than offering liquid refreshment to astronauts, the wines’ voyage was part of a research project led by start-up Space Cargo Unlimited and also involving the University of Bordeaux’s wine institute, the ISVV. Does Petrus from space taste different from control samples left behind on earth? An initial ISVVhosted event saw 12 tasters get 30ml samples of the space and earth wines. ‘The earth wine was exactly how you would expect…

SPONSORED GUIDE Exploring Hungary: around the wine regions Hungary’s wine regions (and names) can be a challenge for wine lovers to get to know. Caroline Gilby MW has been visiting the country for more than two decades, and here gives a full introduction to its five key regions, along with a snapshot view of others worth going the extra mile for. Local wine writer Dániel Ercsey shares insider knowledge on where to stay, eat and visit Hungary is a complicated country – to give it context, there are more than 62,000ha under vine, which is approximately half of the planted area of Bordeaux. There are six wine zones divided into 22 wine regions, five protected geographical indications (PGIs) and 33 OEMs (the Hungarian equivalent term for PDO: protected designation of…

Around the regions: Hungary’s fascinating smaller regions UPPER HUNGARY Bükk The volcanic slopes of the Bükk mountains give lighter wines than those of neighbouring Eger Mátra Reliable region for commercial reds and whites, especially Pinot Grigio DANUBE Hajós-Baja Loess and sand give fruity, medium-bodied reds and whites Csongrád Warm sandy soils but few wines are bottled Kunság The biggest region on the sandy Great Plain, producing fruity, easy-drinking wines such as Cserszegi Fűszeres, Generosa and Kékfrankos PANNON (South) Pécs Warm slopes around a historic city, noted for Pinot and rare Cirfandli Tolna Hungary’s youngest region, with rolling hills; most famous for Traminer, Grüner Veltliner and Chardonnay, but with fine reds, too UPPER PANNON (North) Etyek-Buda Rolling limestone hills produce fine Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and vibrant Sauvignon Neszmély Loess hills overlooking…

Champagne has made headlines after rap star and entrepreneur Shawn ‘Jay-Z’ Carter sold a 50% stake in his Armand de Brignac brand to Moët Hennessy, while Louis Roederer has announced new still wines from the region. Moët Hennessy, the wine and spirits arm of luxury group LVMH, will also handle global distribution of the brand, known as ‘Ace of Spades’. Financial details weren’t disclosed. Armand de Brignac’s ‘entry-level’ Gold Brut retails for about £250 (US$348) to £300 a bottle in the UK. The Cattier family, of Champagne Cattier, will continue to make Armand de Brignac Champagnes, said a Moët Hennessy spokesperson. Carter said he was proud to announce the Moët Hennessy deal, which ‘will give Armand de Brignac the commercial power it needs to grow and flourish even further’. Elsewhere, Cristal producer Louis Roederer is…

A luxury wine cabinet with a ‘high speed’ robotic arm to fetch your desired bottle has been launched, with prices starting from $179,000. WineCab said its temperature-controlled wine wall can be customised but includes a ‘seven-axis’ robotic arm, ‘virtual sommelier’, cellar management app ‘Delectable’ and facial recognition security that can ‘lock out important bottles from certain users’. A spokesperson said: ‘There are several units for private clients in the design process.’ Two New York fine dining restaurants have also placed orders. Photographs: Geopix/Alamy Stock Photo; PRNewsfoto/Moët Hennessy; 2Mmedia…