Wines of the Year, (Part 1)
We asked our experts from around the world, and the Decanter team, to nominate the classic, offbeat and value wines that impressed them most in 2020. Our trio of judges blind-tasted and ranked them, and here we reveal the first half of the results, as Tin
The 64 best sparkling and red wine selections, from a field of 107 candidates in all, tasted and enjoyed through 2020 by Decanter’s experts and staff
Tthere hasn’t been much to celebrate in the past 12 months. But in challenging times, great wines can always lift the spirits – and our fourth Wines of the Year tasting certainly does that.
We asked Decanter World Wine Awards Regional Chairs, key contributors and staff to nominate the wines they have most enjoyed over the past 12 months, under the categories of Classic (a premium, textbook wine style), Offbeat (unusual grape, winemaking method, region or unearthed gem) and Value (a wine that impresses at £25 or under).
They put forward 107 nominations, and here we reveal the 64 sparkling and red wines, of which almost a quarter scored 95 points or more.
Unique tasting
‘This is all about experts – who really understand the varieties and wine styles of their regions – choosing wines they love, and that makes it an unique tasting,’ explained Beth Willard. ‘We’ve had an incredibly broad range across two days of tasting: some classics, some unusual varieties, and some varieties from regions where you wouldn’t expect to find them. And in general, all of these Wines of the Year, at all price points, have broad appeal.’
Andy Howard MW enjoyed the sparkling flight. ‘The Champagnes, as you’d expect, were excellent, and the English wine with the extra ageing was an outstanding example.’ But it was the Tasmanian sparkling (overleaf) that stole the judges’ hearts with its maturity, complexity and ‘sheer deliciousness – I’d very happily drink that any day’, said Howard.
However, it was the red wines which really piqued their excitement. ‘It was fascinating to see what our fellow experts had chosen,’ said Ronan Sayburn MS. ‘Though it was often quite difficult to judge – like when you taste your first ever Moschomavro (see p40), which clearly someone thinks is great, and probably is, but you’re not trying it in context with a bunch of other Moschomavros!’
The classic wines were benchmark examples. Sayburn singled out the Pinot Noirs, including a ‘delicious, characterful’ Sancerre and ‘a fantastic IGP Pinot from the Loire – it will be interesting to know the price of that’.
Willard was impressed by the Cabernets. ‘I really enjoyed the different expressions from around the world, but the classic regions shone through: Western Australia’s Margaret River and Rutherford in Napa. I was also really excited by the Canadian Merlot blend – an outstanding red with great elegance and intensity.’
For Howard it was all about Syrah, and especially the St-Joseph: ‘This stood out for me – I always think it’s not as great as Côte-Rôtie or Hermitage, but this example was fantastic.’
But the wine of the tasting was an Amarone. ‘It was an outstanding example of the genre,’ said Howard. ‘Its age, depth, complexity of flavour and alcohol – everything was beautifully balanced.’
The judges were keen to point out to readers that prices (and the categories in which the wines were entered) were not revealed, so their scores were based purely on quality. ‘For example,’ said Howard, ‘there was an IGP Puy de Dôme red and a Vin de France Grenache that I suspect are not particularly expensive, but were just really delicious wines to drink.
‘Across the board, whether you are at the exotic end of Amarones, SuperTuscans, Napa Cabernets and Champagnes or down at that IGP level, this tasting showed the diversity of great wines out there.’
NEXT MONTH Decanter’s 43 top white, rosé, sweet and fortified Wines of the Year
3 Krug, Vintage Brut, Champagne, France 2006
95 C AH 96 RS 95 BW 95
£223-£246
Berry Bros & Rudd, Clos19, Jeroboams, Justerini & Brooks, The Finest Bubble
Salty brine on the nose. Restrained on the palate, showing lots of finesse and a soft mousse. Excellent acidity provides a freshness to allow further ageing in bottle. Long, savoury, umami-style aftertaste. Drink 2021-2028 Alc 13% Charles Curtis MW
4 Redfold Vineyards, Ambriel Classic Cuvée, West Sussex, England NV
95 C AH 95 RS 95 BW 95
£28.95
Ambrielsparkling.com, Corney & Barrow, Private Cellar
A refined, elegant style of English sparkling wine with subtle nuances of green apple and floral notes on the nose. A gentle, persistent mousse with fresh and driving acidity on the palate. Elegant finish with a hint of sweet fruit. Drink 2021-2030 Alc 11% Anthony Rose
5 Charles Heidsieck, Brut Réserve, Champagne, France NV
93 C AH 92 RS 92 BW 94 £39.99-£52.50
Liberty Wines, Nickolls & Perks, NY Wines, Waud Wines
Delicate nose with hints of white flower and salty sea air. Subtle and elegant with a lovely balance of acidity and lemony, appley fruit flavours. Firm mousse with a touch of smoke on the palate. Drink 2021-2025 Alc 12% Anne Krebiehl MW
6 Château Rives-Blanques, Blanquette de Limoux, Languedoc, France 2017
93 V AH 92 RS 92 BW 96
£ 16.30-£ 16.50 Cambridge Wine Merchants, Tanners
A great expression of Limoux sparkling with the green-apple character of the Mauzac grape coming through. Drink 2021-2026 Alc 12.5% Rosemary George MW
7 Domaine Vincent Carême, l’Ancestrale, Vouvray, Loire, France 2016
93 O AH 91 RS 93 BW 94
£24.95-£28
Berry Bros & Rudd, Streatham Wine House
Perfumed with notes of lemon peel and a touch of grapefruit on the nose, which is lively and complex. Great varietal character on the palate with melon and pear, and a creamy, seamless texture. Attractive finish, with aniseed notes. Drink 2021-2028 Alc 13% Rebecca Gibb MW