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Baked salmon fillet with asparagus and tomato Fish is a versatile ingredient that can be cooked in different ways – and even enjoyed raw. This means there is an array of grapes and wine styles that will potentially pair with it. So where do you start?  First consider the type of fish you’ll be eating. Both texture and flavour are key …

Read about rum If you’re keen to expand your rum knowledge, a new book by global rum ambassador Ian Burrell has you covered. Published this month, Rum: A Tasting Course explores the history and culture of rum, covering everything from how and where it’s made to different styles and understanding flavours and aromas. There’s practical advice on how to taste, …

In the dynamic world of Argentinian wine, Achaval Ferrer’s Quimera has become the exemplar of a masterful blend, using meticulous, skillful oenology to create an outstanding wine. Under the direction of visionary winemaker Gustavo Rearte, the crafting of Quimera is a constant journey toward perfection. The art of the blend  When it first released Quimera, Achaval Ferrer was already earning …

Bastard Hill Vineyard, Yarra Valley, Australia There’s a new jewel in Giant Steps’ collection of celebrated vineyard sites. Bastard Hill has given the specialist Yarra Valley Chardonnay and Pinot Noir producer special cause for celebration – especially due to its gifts from a superb 2023 vintage. The famed Bastard Hill Vineyard sits in the steepest, remote upper reaches of the …

Maitén vineyard, close to the Pacific coast Ever since it planted its first vines in the Leyda Valley, Viña Leyda has been considered an expert in cool-climate winemaking – a reputation it confirms with its new release, Leyda Origin. ‘Leyda Origin 2020 reflects what we have learned about the climate and soils of Leyda as well as our extensive understanding …

Hotelier Julio Camsen has years of experience showcasing the best food – and particularly wines – that Mendoza has to offer, at Huentala Hotel. It should be no surprise, then, that Camsen, himself from a winemaking family, had long dreamt of making his own wines. After a lengthy search for the ideal location, in 2002 Camsen bought 230ha of vineyards …

Inside the September 2024 issue of Decanter magazine: FEATURES South America’s great Cabernets The continent’s wine heritage owes much to this popular red grape, as Amanda Barnes reports Massal vineyards in Argentina Dr Laura Catena on a unique genetic resource with global significance Carmenère in Chile The surprise discovery that sparked a vinous love affair. By Amanda Barnes Interview: Leo …

Hello and welcome to my weekly roundup of the wine stories that I find of interest on the web. I post them to my magazine on Flipboard, but for those of you who aren’t Flipboard-inclined, here’s everything I’ve strained out of the wine-related muck for the week. Wine Economics 101: the Three Vs of WineViticulture, Vinification, and Vending. A South African …

A global collection of wines, signed-off by respective Regional Chairs and Co-Chair. Off we go, into our third decade, and with a spring in our step. The year 2024 saw the Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA) Co-Chair team swell to five, with the appointment of accomplished wine buyer and consultant Beth Willard; we produced, for the first time, a written …

Founded in 1926 in Elciego (Rioja), Muriel has long been a force of innovation, always with a nod to tradition – as with its Viña Eguía project. Having started as a single, eponymous winery, Muriel Wines has evolved to become one of Spain’s leading wine groups, and now counts several of the country’s most recognisable estates and brands under its …

Virginia’s vineyards. In June, big news shook the Virginia wine world: the Bouygues family, owner of top Bordeaux second growth Château Montrose, bought RdV Vineyards, marking their first acquisition outside of France. RdV Vineyards, named for the founder Rutger de Vink, stood in as a ‘first growth’ for the state, with a small production of highly allocated wines asking close …

Keith Prowse offer luxury hospitality at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham Imagine this, a crisp autumn afternoon, a relaxed and cosy ambience and a delicious glass of merlot from Laibach Vineyards in hand. You’re dining on a four-course menu designed by a Michelin star chef, but there’s excitement and anticipation in the air. You’d be forgiven for thinking you were in one …

Luma Monteiro DipWSET is a judge at the 2024 Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA). Luma MonteiroLuma Monteiro Luma Monteiro DipWSET is a wine judge, buyer, and wine communicator. After ten years of working in a multinational mining company as a senior buyer, she moved to the UK in 2016 to work exclusively with wine. She has varied experiences in the …

INTRODUCTION Welcome Plus, how to read the results Reflections on the results Expect the unexpected, says Co-Chair Andrew Jefford as he shares his thoughts on this year’s roll-call of winners DWWA by numbers Key stats from this year’s competition, including a breakdown showing how medals were shared out geographically The judging process Discover how our judging panels conduct the tastings and …

Head sommelier at Restaurant Pine (one Michelin and one Green Michelin star), in Northumberland, Vanessa Stoltz was raised in Alsace. Her father worked in the trade and she picked up the family passion for wine early, developing it into a fledgling career during a season in the vineyards of Sancerre. Vanessa moved to England in 2016 to become a sommelier, …

Felipe Rutini’s journey began when he emigrated from the Italian region of Marche, where his family were winemakers and he studied agriculture. Once in Argentina, Rutini saw that his future lay in Mendoza – a place where he recognised the potential to make exceptional wines. In 1885, Rutini founded Bodega La Rural, which was to become one of the most …

l-r: Antoine, Eloi and Ostiane Dürrbach Some producers become part of the history of their region. Their romantic story, their innovative ideas, the quality of their wine. Many of these iconic estates shine for only a couple of years and burn out, few last for decades and even fewer continue to flourish with the next generation. Domaine de Trévallon is …

People enjoying Asti wines in wineyards in Asti DOCG, northern Italy Nestled in the Langhe region of Piedmont in northern Italy, Asti straddles three picturesque provinces, which were granted UNESCO World Heritage status in 2014: Alessandria, Asti and Cuneo. The area has a long winemaking heritage, with over 10,000 hectares of vineyards, and the wines of Asti have been recognised …

Criolla Chica bunches The European import Listán Prieto, known in Argentina as Criolla Chica,  joined the cast of quality red grapes approved by the country’s Instituto Nacional de Vitivinicultura (INV) in legislation published on 16 August. It joins better-known counterparts, such as Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir and Bonarda, in the list of varieties approved for the production and labelling …

Cycling across the idyllic Plateau de Valensole in Provence, where lavender fields perfume the air. In summer, Provence offers brilliant blue skies and Mediterranean beaches. The winters can be a bit wetter, but they are still relatively warm, especially by the sea, where pines and oaks give way to palm trees, vibrant purple bougainvillaea and citrus orchards. Provence’s southernmost tip, …