Decanter June 2021

Don’t pretend you’ve never done it. Relaxing, eyes half-closed, quite possibly after a very pleasant lunch, thinking ‘what if that beautiful little vineyard I visited recently came up for sale?’ Imagine how tranquil and pleasant your life would be – waking up to birdsong, a morning stroll around your vines, lunch with some good friends over a few bottles of your very own wine, afternoons by the pool... Then, of course there’s the reality. It’s a business, and can be a very tough one. Even if you manage to make it financially viable, there are still everyday problems and unforeseen catastrophes to deal with, such as disease, infestation, floods, fires or, of course, frosts – and all of our hearts go out to those affected by this month’s devastating weather in Europe. But…

Welcome Don’t pretend you’ve never done it. Relaxing, eyes half-closed, quite possibly after a very pleasant lunch, thinking ‘what if that beautiful little vineyard I visited recently came up for sale?’ Imagine how tranquil and pleasant your life would be – waking up to birdsong, a morning stroll around your vines, lunch with some good friends over a few bottles of your very own wine, afternoons by the pool... Then, of course there’s the reality. It’s a business, and can be a very tough one. Even if you manage to make it financially viable, there are still everyday problems and unforeseen catastrophes to deal with, such as disease, infestation, floods, fires or, of course, frosts – and all of our hearts go out to those affected by this month’s devastating…

Late frosts devastate French vineyards French winemakers have warned that widespread spring frosts look to have damaged parts of the 2021 vintage in its infancy. Social media channels were filled with images of candles burning in vineyards in April, as winemakers in France and other parts of Europe sought to prevent sub-zero temperatures damaging young buds. Yet there were initial reports of serious frost damage in many French regions, from Bordeaux and Burgundy to Languedoc, Rhône and the Loire. France’s government pledged financial support from its ‘agricultural disaster’ fund to help wineries, which have already felt the economic impact of Covid-19 and US tariffs in recent months. Producers were still trying to assess damage as Decanter went to press, but Bordeaux’s wine council, the CIVB, said: ‘It’s already certain that the spring frost will severely…

The art of wine A new perspective Franciacorta, Italy The owner of Ca’ del Bosco, Maurizio Zanella, had a vision of asking internationally renowned photographers to interpret the world of wine through their lenses. Many famous photographers visited the estate, including Helmut Newton, Don McCullin, Franco Bonetti, Ralph Gibson and Japanese photographer Eikoh Hosoe, who took this witty shot. As far as we know, no vineyard workers were harmed in the process... Photograph: Eikoh Hosoe, from the book 11 fotografi 1 vino (published by Skira, 2004)…

Convicted wine fraudster Rudy Kurniawan has been deported to his native Indonesia following his release from prison, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement have confirmed. Kurniawan, once nicknamed ‘Dr Conti’, was sentenced to 10 years in prison in 2014. His counterfeits of world-renowned wines conned wealthy collectors out of millions of dollars. Napa Valley’s Bill Harlan has announced a generational handover. His son Will has become managing director of family wine operations, overseeing Harlan Estate, BOND, Promontory and The Mascot. Cory Empting is now MD of wine-growing. ‘I shall continue in the role of founder and chairman,’ said Bill Harlan, adding that he’s spent 10 years helping ‘to set a course for the next four decades’. Cybersecurity experts have warned of a rise in ‘malicious’ wine-themed web domain registrations. Most threats…

Cellar strategies I thought I would share with your readers how I have built a mixed cellar, based on independent reviews, with the help of Decanter. I started subscribing 20 years ago and decided then that each month I would buy a few bottles rated at 95 points or above (then 5 stars), for the cellar – or under the stairs at that time – setting myself a price limit of £x per bottle. At the same time, I would purchase a few bottles of ‘weekday wine’ for the kitchen rack, rated at 90-94 points (4 stars), with a lower price limit. While Bordeaux, Burgundy and Italy perhaps dominate, as a result of this approach I now have an eclectic cellar of white, rosé, red and sparkling wines, and have just added…