Claret alternatives
Winemakers the world over hold up the red wines of Bordeaux as the benchmark for quality and style. But where to start? Andy Howard MW recommends 30 great reds to try if you’re keen to discover the world beyond your default claret option
Andy Howard MW selects 30 great reds for lovers of the iconic Bordeaux style
Ask ANyoNE, ExpERT or not, to name a famous wine region, and I suspect the majority will say Bordeaux. For more than 850 years, since the time of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine, this part of southwest France has been very closely linked with fine wines, and for a style known as ‘claret’. Although claret was markedly different from the Bordeaux wines of today, the two names have become inextricably linked. Claret described wines from the region which tended, as a result of the cool, maritime-influenced climate, to be relatively light in colour and flavour. In fact, for many years Bordeaux was improved after being ‘beefed-up’ with the addition of wines from areas such as Cahors and Gaillac.
Today it’s a very different story. Bordeaux is made up of almost 10,000 wine-producing properties, with average volumes over the 10 years to 2016 close to 750 million bottles per annum. The area benefits from warm summers, which encourage late-ripening varieties such as Cabernet sauvignon. The region is also marked by the influence of the Atlantic ocean, which in certain vintages has proved a challenge to winemakers. Merlot dominates production, with Cabernet sauvignon and Cabernet Franc accounting for a further third of the total. A key foundation for winemaking in Bordeaux has been the art of blending, allowing producers greater control over vintage and grape variations.
As a general rule, Bordeaux wines should combine elegance and precision, a structure to promote ageing, good acidity and fruit flavours ranging from red berry through plums to intense blackcurrant. Tannins will be evident in most examples, and ageing in wood will be used in most premium wines to provide extra support for ageing, and to add complexity of flavour. A distinguishing feature of most Bordeaux is a feeling of ‘coolness’ on the palate: a character drummed into me while studying for the MW examination.
There are many producers around the world who use top Bordeaux wines as a model, aiming to make their own interpretation of the claret style. Most favour similar blends to Bordeaux producers, although other varieties can yield excellent results. In my piece on Chablis alternatives (April 2018 issue), my conclusion was that although many producers aspired to make wines like Chablis, despite being high in quality none of them quite ‘ticked all the boxes’.
The wines recommended here exhibit many similarities to Bordeaux, coming from diverse areas such as Bolgheri in Italy, salta in Argentina, Maipo in Chile, Australia’s yarra Valley and Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley. Ability to age, refinement and the elusive ‘cool’ character were key requirements. some really do tick all the claret boxes, with top south African wines showing perhaps the greatest similarity.
1 Te Mata Estate, Coleraine, Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand 2016 96 £43.75 (ib)-£68.70 Christopher Keiller, The New Zealand Cellar
Probably New Zealand’s most ageworthy red. Set up by the Buck family in 1974, today Nick Buck maintains its tradition of precision Bordeaux-style winemaking. With time this will blossom into a great Pauillac equivalent. 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 47% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc. Drink 2019-2035 Alcohol 14% 2 Anthonij Rupert, Cabernet Franc, Western Cape, South Africa 2011 95 £40.95-£45.99 AG Wines, Berry Bros & Rudd, Christopher Keiller, Fields Morris & Verdin,
WoodWinters Just 12 barrels made, all in new French oak for 24 months. Fine-grained, with great complexity. Dark red and black fruits, firm but glossy tannins, pure, fresh and long. Sourced from Franschhoek and Somerset West. Drink 2019-2026 Alc 14% 3 Craggy Range, Sophia, Gimblett Gravels, Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand 2014 95 £31.25 (ib)-£51.25 Christopher Keiller, Exel, Farr Vintners, Hailsham Cellars, ND John,
The New Zealand Cellar, The Wine Society Fresh, leafy, slightly peppery Merlot blend from deep gravel soils. The pebbly soil and moderate heat help to maintain an understated style, cool and elegant on the palate with ripe damson fruits and no hint of greeness. Drink 2019-2025 Alc 14% 4 Cullen, Diana Madeline, Margaret River, Western Australia 2013 95 £57 (ib)-£94.99
Bancroft, Berry Bros & Rudd, Carruthers & Kent, Hailsham Cellars,
Hedonism, Highbury Vintners, Liberty Wines, Oz Wines, The Australian Cellar, The Secret Cellar, The Wine Reserve, Tim Syrad, Villeneuve This balances intense cassis fruit, plum and mulberry notes with violet, liquorice and fine tannins. It has the elegance and stuffing to be a real alternative to top Haut-Médoc. Drink 2019-2032 Alc 13% 5 Gabriëlskloof, The Landscape Series Cabernet Franc, Walker Bay, South Africa 2015 95 £27.15-£32.99
Carruthers & Kent, Define Food & Wine, Exel, Liberty Wines, Noel Young,
Scarlet Wines, Thorne Wines, Waitrose Gabriëlskloof champions biodiversity. Amazing purity. Woody, leafy red fruits are balanced by spicy mineral notes. Winemaking team Peter-Allan Finlayson and Donovan Ackermann have done an exemplary job. Drink 2019-2030 Alc 14% 6 Tenuta di Capezzana, Villa di Capezzana, Carmignano, Italy 2015 95 £23.53-£30.90 AG Wines, Carruthers & Kent, Exel, Harrogate Fine Wine Co, Hedonism,
Liberty Wines, New Street Wine Shop, The Fine Wine Co, Vinvm, Whole Foods Market Mainly Sangiovese. Has an enticing nose with ripe red and black fruits and a floral perfume. Firm tannins but a lovely texture and understated oak. Plenty of future. Drink 2019-2027 Alc 14%
7 Giant Steps, Harry’s Monster, Yarra Valley, Victoria, Australia 2013 94 £21.55-£29.30
Widely available via UK agent Liberty Wines
This shows restraint, with cool characters on the nose and palate. The full and fleshy palate is packed with dark, slightly sour fruits, reined in by lovely tannins. Yarra Valley is not normally associated with Bordeaux blends, but this breaks the mould. Drink 2019-2028 Alc 14% 8 Chateau Musar, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon 2011 94 £24-£31.95 Exel, Jeroboams, JN Wine, Mr Wheeler, Mumbles Fine Wines, Museum Wines,
Noble Green, Roberson, Sandhams, Slurp, Soho Wine Supply, South Downs Cellars, T Wright, The Drink Shop, The Wine Society, Thos Peatling A challenging and unusual vintage in Lebanon has given this Musar additional Bordeaux style, with mulberries, cherry, spice and rounded tannins on the palate. Drink 2019-2030 Alc 14% 9 De Martino, Alto de Piedras Carmenère, Maipo Valley, Chile 2015 94 £19.95-£27.95 Berry Bros & Rudd, Carruthers & Kent, Christopher Keiller, Exel,
Joseph Barnes, The Smiling Grape Co, Vinvm Originally from Bordeaux, Carmenère has made a new home in Chile. Full-bodied, with dark fruit, evident tannins, beautifully integrated wood, plus a slight (positive) green character. A lovely alternative to Cabernet. Drink 2019-2030 Alc 13% 10 Kilikanoon, Blocks Road Cabernet Sauvignon, Clare Valley, South Australia 2013 94 £17.05-£19.95
Exel, Hailsham Cellars This area is more famous for its Rieslings, but the warm daytime temperatures and cool evenings make for concentrated, intense and elegant Cabernet. Plenty of ripe cassis-like fruit, with a core of firm tannin and cleansing acidity. Handharvested from 42-year-old vines and basket-pressed. Drink 2019-2030 Alc 14% 11 Klein Constantia, Anwilka, Stellenbosch, South Africa 2014 94 £22.90-£25.99
Exel, Roberts & Speight Anwilka is 7km from the coast in the Helderberg region of Stellenbosch and is now merged with Klein Constantia. Impeccable quality is still the objective. 52% Syrah, 37% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Petit Verdot. Layers of dark fruit, hints of chocolate, supple and elegant tannins on the palate. One of the Cape’s best-value fine reds. Drink 2019-2028 Alc 15% 12 Vergelegen, GVB, Stellenbosch, South Africa 2012 94 £29.50-£46.40 Christopher Keiller, Hedonism, Roberts & Speight, The Drink Shop,
The Wine Society A sumptuous blend, GVB is one of Vergelegen’s top wines. Although quite weighty, there is a tiny thread of greenness which is reminiscent of some richer Bordeaux wines. Boasts a glossy, luxurious feel: fine Stellenbosch Cab. Drink 2019-2026 Alc 15%
13 Chateau Ksara, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon 2015 93 £17.60-£21.25 Exel, Great Wines Direct, Hallgarten Wines, Strictly Wine
Ksara sits between 1,100m-1,600m in the Bekaa Valley. Mainly Cabernet Sauvignon, with Merlot and Petit Verdot; old vines have created a blend with purity, focus and elegance. Maturation for 18 months in new and old oak adds extra subtlety. This is youthful and drinking well now, yet will age many years. Drink 2019-2027 Alc 14% 14 Chateau Ste Michelle, Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, Washington State, US 2015 93 £13.91-£17.95 Carruthers & Kent, Exel, Fareham Wine Cellar, Great Western Wine, Great
Wines Direct, Hailsham Wine Cellars, Hic, Majestic, Slurp, The Fine Wine Co A 50th anniversary special bottling, this has a touch of Napa Valley about it in the rich palate, balanced with Left Bank structure, tannins and restrained oak influence. Drink 2019-2026 Alc 14%
15 El Esteco, Fincas Notables Cabernet Franc, Calchaquí Valley, Salta, Argentina 2015 93 £17.65-£20.95
Carruthers & Kent, Exel, The Fine Wine Co, Winedirect
From a 3ha vineyard at 1,800m in the Cafayate region, this shows what can be achieved with Cabernet Franc in this part of Argentina. Crisp, crunchy tannins, lovely integrated oak, leafy dark berry fruit notes but with freshness and vitality to finish. Drink 2019-2024 Alc 15%
16 Fontodi, Chianti Classico, Tuscany, Italy 2015 93 £23.99-£28.10
Widely available via UK agent Liberty Wines
100% Sangiovese, fermented in stainless steel and matured for 24 months in French oak barriques. This is one of Tuscany’s under-the-radar wines, as Giovanni Manetti treats this classico as a riserva in all but name. A cool, elegant, built-to-last style, which has all the hallmarks of great claret. Drink 2019-2027 Alc 14% 17 Tenuta San Guido, Guidalberto, Tuscany, Italy 2016 93 £30-£40 Armit, Handford, Hard to Find Wines, Harrods, Harvey Nichols, Jeroboams,
L’Assemblage, Latimer Vintners, Majestic, Roberson, Seckford, Twelve Green Bottles, Uncorked, WoodWinters From near the Bolgheri coast, this shows San Guido’s trademark elegance. Spices, leather, floral notes; ripe, pure cassis and glossy tannins. A great-value alternative to Sassicaia. Drink 2019-2028 Alc 14% 18 Waterford Estate, Cabernet Sauvignon, Stellenbosch, South Africa 2015 93 £29.99-£30.50 AG Wines, Berry Bros & Rudd, Fields Morris & Verdin, WoodWinters This 49ha estate is located between the Simonsberg and Helderberg mountains. A fine Cape Cabernet; restrained yet intense, with blackcurrant leaf on the nose and cassis on the palate. A firm tannic grip will encourage ageing for up to 10 years. Drink 2019-2029 Alc 14%
19 Constantia Glen, Three, Constantia, South Africa 2014 92 £20.95-£23.17
Blanco & Gomez, Carruthers & Kent, Twelve Green Bottles,
WoodWinters Vineyards in the Constantia mountains overlooking False Bay. A challenging vintage resulted in a long ripening period and late harvest. Hints of fynbos, spice and herbs; the palate is plush, with evident but smooth tannins. Slightly earthy on the finish. Drink 2019-2024 Alc 15% 20 Domaine Rotier, Renaissance, Gaillac, Southwest France 2015 92 N/A UK
www.domaine- rotier.com Consistently one of the best Gaillac producers, Domaine Rotier is sited on very gravelly soils on the left bank of the Tarn river. Local grape Duras provides bright red fruit character to balance the darker Syrah and structured Cabernet. Refined and smooth on the finish. Drink 20192024 Alc 13% 21 Lowerland, Die Verlore Bokooi, Prieska, South Africa 2016 92
£21
Chesters Wine Merchants, Corkage Bath, Palmer St Bottle Shop, Red Squirrel, Thirsty
Cambridge A touch of smoke on the nose and plenty of tannin on the first sip quickly settle to reveal an elegant blend, with some Syrah adding just a touch of plushness and black cherry. Slightly dusty on the finish but lots of character. Drink 2019-2025 Alc 14% 22 Rustenberg, John X Merriman, Simonsberg, Stellenbosch, South Africa 2016 92 £14.09-£15.99
Great Grog, Lea & Sandeman, Waitrose, Majestic, Martinez,
Promotion Wine, D Byrne & Co, The Wine Centre Great Horkesley, Whitebridge Wines Claret-like structure with a little extra ripe red fruit. Quite serious, with granular tannins, lively acidity, pungent cassis and restrained oak. Drink 2019-2024 Alc 15% 23 Yamantiev’s Vineyard, Marble Land, Thracian Valley, Bulgaria 2015 92 £19.90
Vaskovino Recommended by my MW colleague and expert on the wines of Eastern Europe, Caroline Gilby. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah, matured in French barrels for 12 months. Firm and full on the palate with dark fruits, hints of chocolate and a framework for long ageing. Drink 2019-2025 Alc 14% 24 Zuccardi, Poligonos San Pablo Vineyard Malbec, Gualtallary, Tupungato, Uco Valley, Argentina 2016 94 £16
Majestic, Morrisons Although 100% Malbec, this Uco Valley version is very different to those made closer to Mendoza. Located above 1,300m, intense light and cool nights give plushness and grip on the palate. Dark plum flavours. Drink 2019-2025 Alc 14%