Italian-born Giuseppe D’Aniello was recently named ‘The Best Sommelier, UK 2023’ by the UK Sommelier Association. His 10 years’ experience in the industry includes a period as head sommelier at London hotel The Lanesborough before joining The London Edition and Berners Tavern, where he is director of wine.

I still remember the boring, high-yield Cabernet Franc that characterised the grape’s presence on the market just a decade ago. This grape variety was largely unfamiliar to consumers, and typically used in small percentages to complete a blend of better known international grapes. It is one of the grapes that was underestimated in the past, for sure – but is now becoming fashionable. And that is something to be thankful for!

Inevitably, Cabernet Franc has been overshadowed by the more famous Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot grapes in Bordeaux, where it is added into many blends to amplify a wine’s freshness and tannins. But it is the star of the show when vinified alone, as in the Loire appellations of Chinon or Saumur. You’ll also come across varietal examples from the US and Italy; and you’ll even find it made into icewine in Canada! These myriad expressions are what makes the Cabernet Franc grape so fascinating to me.

Perfume & power

In the last few years, Cabernet Franc producers have started to focus more on quality rather than quantity, leading to a significant shift in styles. It can be elegant and fresh, showing lovely red fruit aromas, when made in cool-climate areas such as the Loire valley; or robust and bold with black fruit notes when hailing from warmer climes such as California or Tuscany. In terms of structure, the variety has naturally high tannins (even if less than Cabernet Sauvignon), and the acidity is usually high and zesty, making the grape so versatile when it comes to food pairing.

My favourite expression of Cab Franc is the one coming from the Loire – and more specifically from Saumur-Champigny. The Cab Franc from here has red fruit aromas such as wild strawberry and sour cherry, notes of dried roses and spice aromas, with the high acidity and firm tannins that make the wine suitable for ageing. It’s savoury and earthy but at the same time delivers amazing perfumes – it’s a winning combination, and just gorgeous to drink, with or without food. If you are looking to pair it, I love to serve it with pasta cooked simply with tomato sauce, or with lamb cutlets served with tenderstem broccoli.

Discover Cabernet Franc: D’Aniello’s three to try

First, a varietal wine from the Loire: Fabien Duveau’s Les Bas Poyeux, Saumur Champigny 2020 (£19.49-£20.75 All About Wine, Cellar Selected). The greater Les Poyeux vineyard is home to some of the finest red wines in all of the Loire valley, its limestone and clay soils producing wines with a particular minerality. Aged in concrete and large casks, this wine has a lovely purity, showing a mix of black berries with a very integrated earthy component and touch of spice.

For a New World expression of the variety, head to California. La Jota Vineyard’s Howell Mountain Cabernet Franc 2017 (US$90-$112 Atomic Liquors, Dogwood Superstore, MyWinePlus) is made using fruit from some of Napa Valley’s oldest Cabernet Franc vines. It produces a structured wine, with black cassis, notes of liquorice and some sweet spice.

Last but not least, something for the sweet-toothed among you: red icewine. Leading icewine producer Inniskillin manages to preserve the earthiness and savoury notes of the grape variety, alongside the red and tropical fruit flavours, in its opulently sweet Cabernet Franc Icewine 2019 (£63-£74.50/37.5cl Drinks Direct, Hic, The Fine Wine Co, Vinvm), from Canada’s Niagara Peninsula.

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After the annual Greek wine fair Oenorama in March, I darted from Athens to Central Greece to the Valley of the Muses before swooping down to eastern Crete. The surging feeling of energy across the Greek wine scene is so potent right now that if you offered me a Greek passport I’d change my name to Giorgos in a heartbeat.

From the front line of Greece’s deep-rooted vineyards, I bring my very own blueprint for the Ten Commandments of Greek Wine…

1. Old vines are big news

From Mouhtaro in the Valley of the Muses to Savatiano in Central Greece to the familiar veneration of Assyrtiko in Santorini, old vines are extensive in Greece and there are plenty more to discover, promote and celebrate.

2. It’s not all about sunshine

Greece is a land of snow-capped mountains, abundant hillsides, lakes and endless coastline. Sun-drenched islands may be the familiar poster campaign, but there is so much more – you’ll find cool-climate vineyards in regions from Epirus in the northwestern mainland, where it often snows, to the breezy Valley of the Muses and the high Ziros plateau in Crete. Warmth in Greece is often mitigated by wind, water and altitude.

3. Assyrtiko is the flagship white

Beyond Santorini, plenty of contrasting styles of Assyrtiko are marching across the mainland and islands. But after Assyrtiko, the next superhero white grape is waiting in the wings. Savatiano has widespread planting and quality. But Kidonitsa, albeit in small quantities, deserves to be leading the charge.

Assyrtiko vines growing in traditional basket style on the island of Santorini

4. Savatiano is the Chenin Blanc of Greece

If you haven’t tasted aged Savatiano, please put it at the top of your must-try list – it’s capable of great and fascinating diversity. When it evolves, the aromas are compellingly
Chenin-meets-Riesling; the flavours as deep as a citrus canyon echoing to Iggy Pop’s boldest growl.

5. The Greek wine industry has a fresh face

Young wine-growers, plenty of female winemakers, siblings, friends and international experience are all reinforcing an industry which now feels bonded by camaraderie. This is a game-changer. From Tselepos to Skouras to Gaia to Monemvasia, as old rivalries fade, the next generation is creating a new legacy by youthful revolution.

6. Dark rosé should become a trend

In Greece, I found it can be deeply fruity, dry, or even have an appetising touch of sweetness. Deeper colour seems to allow a more faithful iteration of local grapes – in my view, Greece can deliver much more range and complexity by not worrying about the current obsession with pale rosé. Samartzis Winery’s Mouhtaro One 2022 (Alcohol 13%) is one of my favourite deeper rosés (think strawberry meets pomegranate) and, alas with no UK importer, currently is available from botilia.gr for €15.60 – even with clobbering import taxes outside the EU plus shipping fees, I ordered myself a case [check with the retailer before finalising purchase].

7. The most recent vintage is not necessarily the best

Greek wines, both red and white, take time. While it can deliver fruity flair in youth, Xinomavro benefits hugely from bottle age and I’m pleased to see big names such as Boutari, as well as the wizard of Xinomavro himself, Apostolos Thymiopoulos, holding back vintages before release. Liatiko can similarly be wonderful when young, with urgent fruit twisting into a sour cherry tang, but with a few years of bottle age it unwinds into strata of compelling savoury finesse. Ageing Greek white wine, however, is the hidden headline here. When I had the chance to taste the Papagiannakos, Honores Savatiano 2015 (Alc 12.5%) at the winery I nearly fell off my chair, I felt so deeply stunned and delighted by its confounding riddle of everlasting complexity. And even more everyday whites can perform miracles in the bottle, such as Toplou’s Assyrtiko 2019 (Alc 13%) from Crete; a wine which sells locally for just over €10 on release, it ages into a vortex of beeswax, nuts and evocative evolution.

8. Xinomavro is superb and deserves to be the flagship red grape

But beyond the wave of international appreciation for Xinomavro, I am convinced that Limniona and Mouhtaro are both capable of leading the vanguard as the next hero status red wine legends of Greece.

9. Blends are only just beginning

My advice to producers is ‘Be bold!’. Muses Estate’s entry-level Clio white (Alc 12.5%) is perfectly balanced, fused from Assyrtiko, Roditis and Savatiano, and oustanding
value in the UK (2022, £15.95, Strictly Wine). And while I adore a varietal Malagousia white, it too performs gentle aromatic miracles as part of a blend. While I mostly eschew international grape varieties in Greek wine (Avantis Estate Syrah Collection 2019 being a notable exception), they can prove useful for blending.

10. Dessert wines are stellar and a huge part of Greek wine heritage

Samos is famous, Santorini’s vinsanto is legendary, but I would urge you to take another look at top-quality aged Mavrodaphne. I’m a particular fan of the work of Parparoussis Winery, and for a mind-blowing balance of sticky zing its white Muscat de Rio Patras 2018 is available from Cava Spiliadis UK for £28.50/50cl. It’s a world-class wine that every dessert wine fan simply must taste.

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Ronan Sayburn MS, Eugenio Egorov and Ben Gubbins tasted 105 wines, with 9 Outstanding and 32 Highly recommended.

USA Chardonnay: Panel tasting scores

105 wines tasted

Exceptional 0

Outstanding 9

Highly recommended 32

Recommended 50

Commended 8

Fair 6

Poor 0

Entry criteria: Producers and UK agents were invited to submit their latest-release, still, dry white wines made from 100% Chardonnay, from any region in the US.

Chardonnay: The chicken of the wine world. A blank canvas upon which winemakers can draw their own style. And just like artists, some draw well, and some draw badly. As a winemaker, there are many tools that can be used to give flavour to Chardonnay. Inherently it is a neutral-tasting grape variety that’s high in acidity. So the flavours can be manipulated in the winery.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores from the USA Chardonnay panel tasting

USA Chardonnay panel tasting scores

The judges

Ronan Sayburn MS is CEO of the Court of Master Sommeliers European chapter and runs his own consultancy and wine training company, RS Wine Academy. A previous winner of the UK Sommelier of the Year competition, he is also one of four DWWA Co-Chairs.

Eugenio Egorov is head sommelier at AA five-star The Stafford in London. Born in Ukraine, he began his hospitality career in restaurants in Italy and Florida, USA, before moving to London in 2014, where he rose through the ranks as a sommelier at the likes of 45 Park Lane and The Dorchester.

Ben Gubbins is general manager and WSET wine educator at Vagabond Wines in London. A native of Chile, he previously worked as UK & Europe sales director for Dos Andes Wines before joining Vagabond in 2013.

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Auction houses have been upbeat on recent buyer demand for top California wines, but the global market picture for this US region looks mixed in 2023.

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In the last 20 years, that landscape has changed. The finest wines are now luxury goods: tokens of exclusivity. Exclusivity means exclusion. The high peaks are sealed off by fencing; only extraordinary wealth will get you through the gates. What used to be said of yachts (to move our metaphor offshore) is now true of grand cru Burgundy or luxury Champagne. If you have to ask how much it costs, you can’t afford it.

Is there any duty on fine-wine producers to ‘be accessible’ in some way or other? Luxury-goods executives would chortle. There are no cheap Ferraris or Rolexes. François Pinault’s Artémis Domaines exemplifies this approach: a glittering diamond necklace of fine-wine properties (Château Latour, Domaine d’Eugénie, the Bouchard domain, Clos de Tart, Château-Grillet, Eisele, Jacquesson), each new purchase deepening the moat between it and its peers. Even William Fèvre was, it seems, not quite glittering enough, and has been disposed of. Poor Chablis.

I don’t doubt the search for quality at Artémis is unremitting. Few wine lovers, though, can do more than peep through this particular fence.

Maybe, though, there’s another way. A Bordeaux first growth whose owners also sell $10 Chilean wine, Entre-deux-Mers and Corbières? Yes, it exists: Lafite.

After visiting its Corbières property Château d’Aussières to get the latest updates for Decanter Premium, I chatted to Saskia de Rothschild, the now 36-year-old president of Domaines Barons de Rothschild, about Aussières itself, her family’s approach and ‘the money problem’ in the fine-wine world.

‘We’ve never,’ she said, ‘looked at shiny things or things that have already been done.’ Aussières was in ruins when Saskia’s father bought it in 1999. Almost a quarter of a century later, it’s achieved organic certification, and will debut on the Place de Bordeaux in September 2023. The family is just beginning to talk about it. ‘We have this motto,’ said Saskia. ‘Silent until proud.’

A Rothschild proud of a Corbières? ‘We love the fact,’ said Saskia, ‘that we have a balance between icons and more accessible wines. It’s interesting, it allows us to reach people and to tell stories. And keeps us humble. If we were only in charge of Château Lafite, we might become big-headed. Los Vascos in Chile is almost 700ha. We don’t have to be ashamed of it. It doesn’t have any effect on Lafite. The key is to clearly identify each of these estates and their story. The wine lover of tomorrow wants to be told stories.’

It’s no coincidence, this concern for narrative: Saskia formerly worked as a journalist for the New York Times International Edition (having studied journalism at Columbia) and has written a strange but skilfully narrated novel called Erable (2015). Can storytelling keep wine real?

‘That’s my absolute obsession,’ she says. ‘I’m with you on the marketing of luxury via mystery. We’re not trying to be mysterious; we’re trying to communicate shared values. We’ve banned pack shots on our social media; we’re only showing what’s behind the scenes. We even created characters for our properties for en primeur this year: Lafite was the oddball grandma.

‘People probably think we’re insane. For sure the négociants think we’re insane. But how do we stop Lafite being just the wine of the ultra-privileged? To me there’s an answer. Make it the wine of a moment – when a child is born, turning 18, for a wedding – a wine of family and of transmission. If someone buys Lafite just once in their life, I’m happy.’

Even once, of course, is a big ask for most of us – but at least there’s Château Duhart-Milon, Los Vascos and Aussières.

By the way, guess who stepped in to acquire the Chablis domain of William Fèvre from Artémis? Domaines Barons de Rothschild.

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White beaches, Amazon rainforests, Rio carnival, football. It’s fair to say that wine isn’t the first thing that springs to mind when you think of Brazil. But this vast country is making significant headway into the global wine scene.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for 10 wines from Brazil to try

The beginning of Brazil’s wine story isn’t an auspicious one. Although vines first arrived in 1532 with Portuguese explorer Martim Afonso de Sousa, early plantings failed. It wasn’t until Brazil gained independence from Portugal in 1822 – a move that coincided with a gold rush and subsequent flood of European immigration – that wine culture took root.

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Winemakers in South America are embarking on a new era – one of quiet self-confidence and curious self-discovery, bringing forth some of the most exciting and individual wines yet.

Distinctive regional personality is at the core of this new movement and it highlights a strong departure from the varietal- and style-driven wines that dominated the South American wine scene in the early 2000s. As the role and influence of foreign consultants diminishes, there’s a new breed of ‘flying winemakers’ on the ascent – natives who are shaping the wines and industry in South America, and beyond.

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The ideal environment for enjoying well-aged Burgundy wine is quite often at home. The wine’s cellar conditions, provenance and service are assured and – given current market prices for Burgundy – it’s bound to be a bargain if you’ve cellared it yourself. These advantages beg the question, however, of what to cook to accompany it. I recently set out to experiment with friends in our apartment building. I love to cook. My wife and I met while studying at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris 30 years ago. I finished a few internships at Michelin-starred establishments in Paris and worked as a chef for 13 years in California, the Caribbean and Boston before hanging up my toque to pursue a career in wine in New York City. Despite taking on amateur status, however, I have never lost my desire to cook, and uncorking a great bottle of Burgundy from my cellar often provides the occasion to up my game a bit.

I have concrete thoughts about pairing Burgundy with food. I started my deep dive into the topic 15 years ago while working on my book The Original Grand Crus of Burgundy. It has, if anything, only accelerated since becoming the Burgundy correspondent for Decanter. While it is often true that the wine from a particular place goes well with traditional dishes from the same region, not every delicious Burgundy needs to be paired with a classic of the regional cuisine. Of course, I enjoy jambon persillé, escargots and boeuf bourguignon as much as anyone, but the greatest wines need something more than even the best renditions of these bistro classics.

I feel using fresh seasonal ingredients is essential, and when asked what we’re having for dinner, I usually respond, ‘I’ll know once I see what they have at the market’. Like many New Yorkers’, my kitchen is tiny, and I shop nearly daily for food. I have my preferred fishmongers, butchers and speciality stores, and New York is fortunate to have the Union Square Greenmarket for vegetables. On a recent evening, I made the rounds and persuaded my friends to let me cook in their well-appointed kitchen.

The right white wine

White Burgundy is incredibly versatile, but keep in mind the great diversity of styles. A crisp, mineral Chablis is perfect with shellfish or oysters, but to pair the same with a rich, buttery Meursault would be less than ideal. The dense, slightly oaky opulence of the Meursault (or Puligny, or indeed Chassagne-Montrachet) would be more suited to a roast Bresse chicken or sole meunière. However, the wine I had chosen for dinner on this occasion was none of the above.

I have long been partial to the Morey-St-Denis 1er Cru Clos des Monts Luisants from Domaine Ponsot. It’s from ancient Aligoté vines (see Charles’ feature on Aligoté), planted in 1911 just up the slope from grand cru Clos de la Roche. Ponsot harvests the meagre yield and vinifies them in older, neutral oak casks. The Aligoté grape retains a lively acidity that needs some time to come around. I purchased a case of magnums of this wine and had cellared it for more than a decade. A recent magnum shared convinced me it was drinking at its peak.

I opted to pair the 2008 vintage Monts Luisants wine with large, wild-caught sea scallops. These exotics are three times the price of the smaller ones dredged from the ocean floor, but they are worth a splurge. Luxurious last-of-the-season white asparagus matched the richness of the scallops. Still, the two rich ingredients needed something clean and fresh to accompany them, so I devised a broth to use the stalks and trimmings from a bulb of fennel, reserving the centre for another dish. A pinch of saffron gave the broth an interesting twist. The slightly exotic aroma of saffron responded to the aged character of the Ponsot. The wine was still youthful and mineral but showed developed aromas of dried apricot and candle wax. By way of contrast, I pulled a young Bourgogne Aligoté – the 2019 vintage from Goisot (2021, £20.95 Sip Wines) – to have with dinner tonight, as its laser-beam freshness will cut through the rich tuna tartare with avocado.

In general, bright, high-acid whites such as Chablis (eg Chardonnay from the higher elevation vineyards of Puligny and Chassagne) will respond well to shellfish and white fish that is steamed or poached, such as a classic steamed Cantonese grouper with ginger and chives. Fuller-bodied versions of Chardonnay, such as a premier or grand cru from lower on the slopes of Puligny or Chassagne (or a Corton-Charlemagne), would be delightful with richer dishes, particularly with cream sauce – think of quenelles of brochet (pike) with crayfish sauce, roast pheasant, braised sweetbreads or even lobster poached in butter, topped with Oscietra caviar.

Time to shine

Credit: Ilie Mitaru

Similar considerations apply to red Burgundy, where the effect of age can be even more pronounced. I purchased a case of magnums of the 1996 Volnay Champans 1er Cru from Marquis d’Angerville at auction over 15 years ago. Over time, I had worked my way through the entire case save one. Some of the magnums have been a bit tired, but the best of them shone with luminous beauty. A top Volnay in its youth will have velvety richness with black plum and cherry aromas. At a quarter-century removed, the flavours are more profound and earthier, with savoury notes of game, truffle, smoke and iron.

A few of the magnums had tipped over into soy sauce and mushroom, but on the evening concerned, we had a stroke of luck, and this was perhaps the best magnum of the entire case.

‘There are no great wines, only great bottles’, as collectors are fond of spouting, and this was undeniably among the greats. It was developed and mature, but with reserves of power to assure me that had I waited longer, I still would have had a pleasant surprise. The maturity I had noted convinced me we needed game, so I hunted (well, among several different butchers) until I found a couple of brace of squab. The rich, earthy meat of the young pigeon complemented the mature aromas of the wine; using dried cep mushrooms heightened this effect. If the wine were five years of age instead of 25, I would have suggested a seared duck breast with a blackcurrant sauce rather than the gamier, long-cooked squab. Mature Pinot needs a dish with abundant umami to do its best, in my view. I tend to like earthy, gamey flavours; fatty meats can also fit the bill. With the d’Angerville Volnay, other possible matches might include unctuous braised pork belly or, for a more traditional take, braised mutton chops with sauteed escarole. Roast meats such as the mutton or roast or grilled beef steaks, such as ribeye, could also show quite well with a slightly younger wine.

There are horses for courses and dishes for wines, but the most critical element of pairing mature Burgundy and food is to drink the wines you’d like to drink with the food you’d like to eat. If you follow that simple rule, you will always enjoy your dinner; ignore it at your peril.

Charred diver scallops & roast white asparagus, fennel broth & saffron

Credit: Ilie Mitaru

Serves four

Ingredients

• 12 large diver scallops per person
• 12-20 spears white asparagus, depending on size
• butter
• salt and pepper
• olive oil for frying

For the broth

• one fennel bulb
• three star anise
• 25ml anise-flavoured liqueur or absinthe
• mirepoix (chopped carrots/ onion/celery)
• bay leaf
• salt and pepper
• a small pinch of saffron

Method

1. Prepare the broth. Trim the top branches of the fennel bulb and coarsely chop. Save the rest for another use. Reserve a few sprigs from the top for garnish (or use other herbs on hand). Cover the chopped fennel, mirepoix and bay leaf with cold water and bring to a boil. Simmer for half an hour, strain, season with salt and pepper. The broth can be made ahead to this point. Before serving, soak the pinch of saffron in a small amount of the broth and incorporate at the last minute with anise liqueur.
2. Roast the asparagus. Peel the asparagus if needed and trim. Melt 10g butter in a pan and add the white asparagus, seasoning with salt and pepper. Roast (without blanching) it at 180°C/350°F/gas 4, turning occasionally to brown on all sides.
3. Finish. The scallops take just a moment. Remove the muscle from the side of the scallops and season with salt and pepper. Heat a teaspoon of olive oil over very high heat. Add the seasoned scallops and sear well on the top and bottom; remove from heat. Place the white asparagus in a shallow bowl with the scallops on top and serve, pouring a bit of the hot saffron broth into each bowl.

Wines

Domaine Ponsot, Morey-St-Denis 1er Cru Clos des Monts Luisants Blanc 2008 (2015, US$170 Total Wine & More)

Other possibilities:

Domaine Michel Niellon, Clos de la Truffière, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Chaumées 2010 (2020, £81.68-£105 Christopher Keiller, Four Walls, Private Cellar)

Domaine René et Vincent Dauvissat, Chablis Grand Cru Les Preuses 2014 (2018, £315 Crop&Vine,TurvilleValley)

Squab braised with endive and ceps

Credit: Ilie Mitaru

Serves four

Ingredients

• four squab

For the braising liquid

• Mirepoix (chopped carrots/onion/celery)
• bay leaf
• salt and pepper,
• a dash of Cognac (optional)

For the garnish

• 50g dried ceps (porcini)
• eight Belgian endives (generally known/sold in the UK as ‘chicory’)
• fresh seasonal green vegetables
• 100ml inexpensive white wine for cooking
• butter
• salt and pepper

Method

1. Prepare the squab by trimming the neck and the wing tips. Remove the breast meat and the thigh and leg (keeping these two together). Chop the bones and reserve.
2. Heat the oven to 180°C/350°F/ gas 4 and braise the squab: in a sauté pan, brown the bones briefly in butter with a small amount of mirepoix and the bay leaf. Sear
   the meat on a high heat. Flambé with Cognac if desired. Reserve the breast meat; add the wine to the pan and reduce slightly before topping up with water halfway up the meat. Reduce to a simmer, cover with parchment paper and cook in the oven for 20 minutes.
3. Prepare the garnish: while this is cooking, cover the mushrooms with boiling water and let stand for 15 minutes. Drain, reserve the soaking liquid and coarsely chop. Cut the endives in half, sear in butter and roast cut side down in the oven. Prior to serving, cook the ceps in butter. Combine the squab meat, endive and ceps. Reduce the braising liquid if necessary, and strain over the squab and the garnish. Heat through, ensuring that the breast meat is cooked to your liking, and adjust seasoning. Serve with seasonal green vegetables – we used sautéed fiddlehead ferns (available in the spring in the US) from the market.

Wines

Domaine Marquis d’Angerville, Volnay 1er Cru Champans 1996 (2016/2018, £145 Handford)

Other possibilities

Domaine Thibault Liger- Belair, Nuits-St-George 1er Cru Les Saint-Georges 2015 (£170 Nemo Wine Cellars)

Domaine Méo-Camuzet, Clos Rognet Corton Grand Cru 2009 (2014, £230-£328 Bordeaux Index, Crump Richmond Shaw, Seckford Wines)

Credit: Ilie Mitaru

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In the 1960s, Viognier nearly died out completely. Many Decanter readers would be horrified by this scenario, but certainly not all – it is, after all, one of the most divisive of grapes. Its birthplace is Condrieu, and the new president of the appellation, Pierre-Jean Villa, is under no illusions. ‘People either like it or they don’t.’ he says. ‘It’s not universally enjoyed like Chardonnay.’ But those that like it, love it. To him, ‘Condrieu is magic – but fragile’. In the face of climate change, he’s helping a new generation of winemakers adapt their winemaking to create a fresher style of wine.

Scroll down to see Matt Walls’ selection of 12 Condrieu wines to try

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Buzzing about biodiversity

James Button

Up high on the west side of the Trentino valley, one of Ferrari Trento’s organic vineyards I visited in April had been home to a handful of beehives – until a bear wandered down from the steep wooded slopes above and smashed them all up in search of honey. Today, the replacement hives are protected by a solar-powered electric fence: those bees are an important part of the site’s biodiversity. All of Ferrari’s estate vineyards have been certified organic since 2017. The company also holds ‘Biodiversity Friend’ certification, issued by the Worldwide Biodiversity Association.

In addition to its own holdings, Ferrari buys grapes from 600 grower families in the region, many of whom work to organic principles but are not certified. Chardonnay specialists they may be, but Ferrari’s predominantly Pinot Noir Giulio Ferrari Rosé (2008, £216.87 Spirits24) is off-the-charts good. One of Italy’s finest sparkling rosés, it channels Burgundian elegance. The Perlé range, meanwhile, is a great starting point for fizz aficionados. Perlé Bianco Riserva (£37.45 Vinvm) is a 100% Chardonnay extra brut with seven years on its lees. It’s intense and juicy, while the mid-palate is incredibly sapid and saline, ending with exotic hints of mango, spices and peach, along with some customary brioche notes.

Lenz Moser: Benchmarking drinking pleasure

Ines Salpico

It would have been easy for Laurenz (Lenz) Maria Moser V to sit back, relax and enjoy the wealth and recognition that his earlier projects – not least the successful management and eventual sale of the eponymous estate in Krems and the establishment of Robert Mondavi’s European operation – granted him. His restlessness, creativity and competence, however, left little time for indulgence or contemplation. Today, Lenz Maria Moser Wine Affairs is the umbrella under which myriad exciting projects and collaborations keep the prominent Austrian busy, not only in his home country but also in China, Hungary, Portugal and Australia.

At the epicentre of all his endeavours is the acknowledgement of other people’s talent and potential, as well as a conscious effort to keep his palate well aware of what makes an ‘exciting, memorable and enjoyable’ wine. For this he does regular benchmark tastings, which place his own creations alongside some of the wines that excite him most as a drinker. In early July, Moser visited London to share one of his benchmark tastings with UK professionals. A truly memorable experience, during which notable bottles such as Ridge Vineyards, Estate Chardonnay 2020 (£69.99-£72.99 Banstead Vintners, Selfridges) from California, Franz Hirtzberger’s Rotes Tor Grüner Veltliner Smaragd, Wachau 2021 (£42 Lay & Wheeler), or Antinori’s Cervaro della Sala, Umbria 2021 (£90-£110 Hedonism, Mother Vine, South Downs Cellars, Toscanaccio) did not overshadow Moser’s own MM5 Dry Furmint from Tokaj in Hungary, or the Austrian LenzMark, New Chapter Grüner Veltliner, Niederösterreich 2021.

Many shades of pink

Amy Wislocki

A quartet of rosés, as we’re still (just about) in summer. First to London’s Covent Garden for the launch of Ladurée’s summer collection in association with Château d’Estoublon’s delicious Roseblood (featured in July’s ‘Weekend wines’): blush-pink macarons served with blush-pink Provence rosé. Chatting to the export director, I learned that the château is about to launch its prestige rosé in the UK: 1489 Roseblood has subtle oak influence and like the regular rosé will be stocked by Majestic. (It has also just launched a white wine made from the Rolle – aka Vermentino grape – which may hit UK shelves next year.)

Meanwhile, two rosés stood out at The Wine Society’s summer press tasting. The Society’s Corsican Rosé 2022 is pale and Provençal in style, and cracking value at just over a tenner a bottle; meanwhile, the Thymiopoulos, Rosé de Xinomavro 2021 from Macedonia, Greece, excites with its deeper colour and oxidative complexity (£13.50). Both are must-buys. Finally, off duty, the discovery of a perfect pairing: Kent winery Chapel Down’s English Rosé (2022, £15-£16.99 Chapel Down, Grape Britannia, Majestic) served with spicy tandoori chicken and prawns. It’s a dry but full-flavoured and fruity style of rosé, which worked like a dream.

Looking back at Catena Zapata

Julie Sheppard

Dr Laura Catena joined her sister Adrianna Catena in London recently for a lively retrospective comparative tasting of Nicolás Catena Zapata and Catena Zapata Malbec Argentino, with vintages stretching back to 2006. These great wines were tasting beautifully, and it was fascinating to delve into the unique ageing qualities of Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon from their Argentinian terroir. ‘With classic Cabernet Sauvignon Bordeaux winemaking, you are always trying to soften the tannins,’ said Laura. ‘Then our winemaker Alejandro Vigil and I went to Burgundy one year and he said, “You know this is silly – why are we making Malbec like Cabernet?” And that changed everything. Because, with cool-climate Malbec, we are excited about the florals, the fruit, the acidity and these incredibly soft tannins.’

From a stellar line-up, including 2010 and 2019 vintages, my star of the show was Nicolás Catena Zapata 2019 (97pts, £61 Berry Bros & Rudd), a seamless blend of 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Malbec and 28% Cabernet Franc, harmoniously layered, with stunning purity of fruit, poise and presence.

Finding finesse in Paso Robles

Clive Pursehouse

From Peachy Canyon on the MAHA estate’s organic and biodynamic vineyards in West Paso Robles come the wines of Villa Creek. They are a study in the power and depth of Paso Robles, yet are crafted with an eye towards cultivating minerality and floral elements in this warm growing region. The Villa Creek wines show that there is ample complexity to be had in these warm hillside vineyards 20km from the Pacific ocean. ‘While finesse can often be elusive in Paso Robles, our proximity to the ocean, the limestone soils we find in our vineyards and our approach to farming – just letting the vines do what they want – has allowed our wines to show the finesse and elegance that they do,’ says winemaker Cris Cherry.

The Villa Creek, 3 Syrah 2020 is a powerful, deeply hued, yet restrained varietal wine. While certainly broad-shouldered, its emphasis is on stony minerality and purple florals, with notes of crushed stone and violets, along with a hint of bay leaf. The Villa Creek, Garnacha 2020 offers smoked sea salt and gamey smoked meat notes wrapped around a core of pure purple fruits. All of these wines would benefit from eight to 10 years of patience, but particularly the Syrah and the Garnacha.

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Amanda Barnes, Vincenzo Arnese and Ben Gubbins tasted 149 wines, with 5 Outstanding and 61 Highly recommended.

American Cabernet Franc: Panel tasting scores

149 wines tasted

Exceptional 0

Outstanding 5

Highly recommended 61

Recommended 69

Commended 8

Fair 6

Poor 0

Entry criteria: Producers and UK agents were invited to submit their latest-release dry, still red wines made from a minimum of 75% Cabernet Franc grapes.

Cabernet Franc is undoubtedly a rising star of the Americas. Although still niche, it has been steadily rising in the ranks and playing a greater role in each of the major wine countries. Its leafy, peppery, fresh, fragrant style can offer the ideal counterpart to the richer styles of heavyweight champion varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Tannat and Merlot.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores from the American Cabernet Franc panel tasting

American Cabernet Franc: Panel tasting scores

The judges

Amanda Barnes is a writer and presenter specialising in South American travel and wine. A DWWA judge, she is author of the award-winning South America Wine Guide (£35 southamericawineguide.com)

Vincenzo Arnese is the director of wine at Raffles London at the OWO. Born in Naples, he specialised in sommellerie at hospitality school, then worked at top hotels in Italy, Switzerland, and Australia, as well as Dinner by Heston Blumenthal and Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester

Ben Gubbins is general manager and WSET wine educator at Vagabond Wines in London. A native of Chile, he previously worked as UK & Europe sales director for Dos Andes Wines before joining Vagabond in 2013

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Grassy and citrussy. Clean and fresh. Floral and fruity. They’re words you might associate with a characterful blanco tequila, the white spirit made with blue agave. But they’re also qualities often found in white rum – a category long underappreciated by spirits connoisseurs due to widespread preconceptions about its quality and profile.

‘Rum is the most diverse spirit category there is,’ says Lewis Hayes, owner of Black Parrot, a London specialist rum bar listing more than 700 bottles. ‘Yet inevitably in the UK, if someone is asking for a white rum, they have one expectation: a light alcohol that may as well be vodka in terms of flavour. It’s often just something to mix with cola.’

Yet despite white rum’s uninspiring image, premiumisation is slowly underway. Thanks to new producers focused on flavour and transparency, increased availability of global bottlings and wider consumer interest in traceability, there is more to draw white spirits lovers to the category than ever before. As the prices of coveted blanco tequilas soar, could quality white rum provide an affordable yet interesting alternative?

Conjuring up complexity

Renegade’s Hope sugar cane farm in the southeast of Grenada

What Hayes says is true: rum is perhaps the single most complex spirit category there is, with colour only providing a fraction of the picture. There are myriad different production methods, stylistic profiles and local regulations at play. Rum can be made from molasses, fresh sugar cane juice or sugar cane syrup – or some combination of all three – and using many different cane varieties and yeast strains. It can be distilled using both characterful pot stills and more neutral column stills, and blended across different countries as well as different age statements. And unlike, say, Scotch whisky, it can be distilled anywhere in the world. ‘I make an overproof white rum with sugar cane syrup and a long fermentation – it’s off-the-charts full in flavour,’ remarks Hayes, who distils in Britain through his brand Dropworks.

We tend to think of white rums as being unaged but that isn’t necessarily correct. While some never see cask ageing, many others are aged for short periods in wood – typically a few months – to mellow any sharp edges. Others are aged for years before being charcoal-filtered to remove traces of barrel-imparted colour, much like a cristalino tequila. And others still combine unaged rum with small quantities of darker rum to achieve a very pale tint. For example, British B-Corp brand Hattiers blends five- and eight-year-old Barbados, Australian and Trinidad rums with three unaged Jamaican rums to create its honey-hued Eminence Blended Aged White (available from Drink Finder, Hattiers, Spirits Kiosk).

However, most connoisseurs would agree that at the root of white rum premiumisation – the style that most excites spirits purists – is unaged sugar cane juice rum. Unlike molasses-based rums (which represent the majority of the market) these are true agricultural products, made seasonally with freshly harvested cane that must be processed quickly before spoilage, much like grapes for wine. Many consider unaged sugar cane juice rums as the most authentic form of the category; a true reflection of the land.

Terroir expression

La Mauny distillery in Martinique. Credit: Robert Harding / Alamy Stock Photo

‘White rum is the purest expression of terroir you can get,’ says Devon Date, head distiller at Renegade Rum, a farm-to-bottle distillery in Grenada. ‘Then once you put it in the barrel you get all these different permutations.’ Founded by Mark Reynier, a whisky industry veteran, Renegade started out in 2020 to make aged sugar cane juice rums from half-a-dozen cane varieties specially imported and planted across the island. But the team soon realised they didn’t need to wait years for the rums to age; even pre-cask the spirits were tasting hugely characterful, with bold grassy, vegetal and tropical fruit notes.

‘Even though Grenada is small, it’s a volcanic island, where huge topographic changes are compressed; within a kilometre you can travel through almost five different climate zones going from sea all the way up to the mountains,’ says the brand’s marketing & sustainability manager Jane Nurse. ‘Because we were building everything from
scratch we had no preconceptions,’ notes Date. ‘We formed our own philosophy of production.’

The result so far has been eight incredibly characterful ‘pre-cask’ fresh sugar cane juice rums, made with single varieties of cane and both pot and column stills. For example, Renegade Cane Rum Pre-Cask Hope is a pot still rum made from Cain sugar cane grown on iron-red clay, boulders and alluvial soils in the humid southeast. Up by the mountains of St Andrew, a plot planted with Lacalome Red sugar cane is used to produce two different Dunfermline pre-casks – one column still and one pot still. ‘We wanted to compare the same terroir under different distillation expressions,’ says Nurse. ‘And interestingly, different markets prefer different profiles. The German market really enjoyed the pot still: a more intense, funky rum. But the French went for the column still: lighter and more floral. Same terroir, same sugar cane, but a different result.’

What Renegade is doing feels like a fresh take in the English-speaking rum world, and Nurse admits when first trying the range many people are ‘blown away by the richness in such a young spirit’. But a number of French overseas territories in the Caribbean and Indian Ocean have been making characterful unaged sugar cane juice rums for centuries. Rhum agricole blanc, as it’s called, has strict AP protection in Martinique dictating yields, irrigation technology, planting areas and juicing methods; distilleries such as La Mauny, Neisson and Trois Rivières are lauded among Gallic enthusiasts.

Markets outside France have been slow to discover rhum agricole, but the recent rise in online spirits retail has widely increased their availability for interested audiences. Take a look at Parisian retailer Excellence Rhum, for example. Persistence Market Research in the US projects almost a 60% rise in the value of the rhum agricole market over the next 10 years to nearly $2.4m, driven by a number of factors including e-commerce. But a wider climate where consumers increasingly want to know about sourcing is also to thank. Because unlike molasses rums, which can often have opaque supply chains, sugar cane juice rums are highly traceable in nature; the cane rarely grows far from the distillery. ‘People want to know what they’re drinking, what’s in their glass,’ says Date, ‘and we believe in transparency.’

Fresh drinking horizons

Takamaka distillery in the Seychelles

As every bartender knows, if a spirit is going to get widespread attention it needs a delicious serve that captures hearts and minds. Traditionally in the Caribbean, many white rums are often drunk neat at room temperature. Renegade suggests drinking its offerings with just ice and a bit of water, like a whisky. For most drinkers – even loyal spirits fans – this can be a stretch, but the good news is that white rum already has the perfect recognisable cocktail – and it’s not so different to the trendy tequila-based Margarita…

‘The ultimate white rum serve is the Daiquiri,’ says Hayes. ‘With just rum, lime and sugar, there’s nothing to hide behind. Some people use darker rums, but to my mind this is a drink that should be fresh and crisp, so flavours from wood-ageing can clash.’ Hayes says that if someone is interested in white rum in his bar, he’ll typically serve them a little of the spirit neat alongside the Daiquiri so they can still experience its pure character.

Some quality white rums are being designed explicitly with cocktail-making in mind. Jamaica’s respected Hampden Estate, which grows its own sugar cane, sells a 63% Rum Fire white overproof to provide backbone to cocktails. Meanwhile, a blend of column and pot still rum from the Seychelles, Takamaka Rum Blanc, has bartender followers across the globe.

So, does white rum have what it takes to convert agave fans? The terroir-driven character is there and the price point is also appealing in the current economic climate; the cost of even the most artisan white rums is typically below half that of a premium blanco tequila. But education is still a barrier. ‘People know how to drink white rum on the continent, but in the UK we still struggle to even know the terminology, even within the trade,’ says Hayes. ‘But I do see more of an interest in flavour. It’s not a big leap to put an agricole in front of someone who already enjoys a fuller-flavoured white spirit such as tequila.’

So what’s needed is a drive in awareness, with more category champions to convert spirits enthusiasts. Because, as Nurse says: ‘White rums really deserve to be respected in their own right.’

Six excellent white rums to try

Hampden Estate Rum Fire

Jamaica

No shrinking violet, this punchy and aromatic Jamaican overproof rum clocks in at 63% abv – yet it still manages to have finesse. The full-flavoured and fruity profile of
overripe bananas, stone fruits and roasted pineapple makes this rum a perfect ingredient in fruity cocktails.
Alcohol 63%

Le Rhum Agricole Blanc Par Neisson

Martinique

A prime example of AP Martinique rhum agricole blanc made from fresh sugar cane juice. Light and grassy, it’ll capture the attention of drinkers of elegant tequila blanco.
Alc 52.5%

Renegade Dunfermline Column Still Rum

Grenada

If you thought rum didn’t have terroir, try this. A remarkable bottling that showcases the character of single-origin Lacalome Red canes in northeast Grenada. Citrussy and
lightly herbal.
Alc 50%

Takamaka Rum Blanc

Seychelles

A cracking, easy-drinking quality molasses rum, distilled using both column and pot stills. Clean and crisp with flavours of peaches and baked apples; great for cocktails. Takamaka also grows some of its own sugar cane, which it distils onsite.
Alc 38%

That Boutique-y Rum Company Signature Blend #1

Martinique & Jamaica Blend

Combining unaged rum from Martinique with a richer bottling from Jamaica, this enticing blend boasts freshness and depth in equal measure. Try it served with tonic to draw out the banana, pineapple, grass and caramel notes.
Alc 42%

Veritas White Rum

Barbados/Jamaica Blend

This project from rum industry legend Luca Gargano is a blend of unaged pot still rum from Jamaica’s Hampden and two-year-old from Barbados’ legendary Foursquare. Full-bodied, rich and aromatic, it’s everything you never thought white rum could be.
Alc 47%

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There are said to be about 880 bodegas in Mendoza, ensuring that Argentina’s elevated western province has long been a destination of choice for wine lovers. Vineyards here range from about 430m to 2,000m altitude, and while Malbec rules the roost, an ever-growing cast of varieties such as Semillon, Pinot Noir and the Criolla grapes (principally Torrontés, Criolla Chica, Criolla Grande and Cereza) means there’s plenty for wine-curious travellers to savour beyond the headline-act red.

Whether it’s horseback riding over the Andes or matching chocolate with wine, 300 days of sun and exciting wine-related activities keep visitors returning to key wine regions Maipú, Luján de Cuyo and Uco Valley. Late summer (early March) welcomes the arrival of the Fiesta Nacional de la Vendimia grape harvest festival, while in winter (peak season July to September) powder lovers can hit Las Leñas’ slopes, and après-ski on Malbec.

Fiesta Nacional de la Vendimia

Languid paired tasting menus have long tempted foodies, but Mendoza’s dining scene has rocketed over the past few years to claim the title of Argentina’s most diverse food region (after capital Buenos Aires). Celebrity chef Francis Mallmann (@francismallmann) has long been associated with Mendoza, his open-fire techniques creating a show of their own. While the asado (barbecue) experience is guaranteed t0 please, a new wave of chefs is captivating palates putting wine first and showcasing star local products such as heirloom tomatoes and Andean native potatoes; veggie-led menus are finally in fashion.

A slew of restaurants has opened – and not just in bodegas. The glorious Andes range lends itself to outdoor dining experiences at restaurants such as Cundo (@cundoaltamira) and Ruda (@ruda.cocina) in Uco Valley, and Chirivia (@_chirivia) in Potrerillos. But 2023’s most anticipated launch was Angélica – Cocina Maestra at Catena Zapata.

There’s more good news given that this surge in dining spots is being matched by hospitality. Recent openings include acclaimed winemaker Susana Balbo’s SB Winemaker’s House & Spa Suites in Chacras de Coria and La Morada in the Uco Valley; these offer comfy accommodation to suit all budgets.

One of the global Great Wine Capitals network and the host in October 2022 of the World’s Best Vineyards awards, Mendoza should be high on your list of must-visit wine destinations. With the five-day guide that follows, travellers can visit both traditional and contemporary bodegas while soaking up the ultimate in wine lifestyle…

Day 1: Maipú

To the south of central Mendoza city, the eastern department of Maipú is where European varieties Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec began to be cultivated in the mid-19th century, spurred on by a surge in immigration, particularly from Italy from the 1880s onwards: Maipú and Luján de Cuyo together are known as the Primera Zona (‘first zone’). While it’s usually considered that Mendoza produces mountain wines, Maipú is its lowest-elevated district, topping out at a relatively rather lowly 700m-940m above sea level.

While Maipú is often overlooked for being distant from downtown Mendoza, its quiet country roads lined with peach orchards, olive groves and vineyards are a breath of fresh air. Open farmlands mean wineries aren’t rubbing elbows; it can take half an hour to drive between them, so hire a car (Mendoza’s signage has come on significantly in the past three years), or even a driver, as taxis can be scarce. If you’re staying in Mendoza city, you can hop on the Metrotranvía tram; alight at Gutiérrez station – just across the road is the well-located Wine and Ride, where you can hire bikes and staff will help to plan a tour of local vineyards and wineries to suit your agenda. Another alternative is the hop-on, hop-off Bus Vitivinícola, which offers half and full-day options.

Bike tours from Wine and Ride in Mendoza city

Among its cluster of at least century-old bodegas, just a handful in Mendoza still use foudres of 40,000 litres or more – close to the tram station, Bodegas López, founded in 1898, is one of them. Fourth-generation winemaking director Carlos López and his brother Eduardo, general manager, respect tradition by continuing to create cask-aged Bordeaux-style reds, while driving forward with a line of daily drinkers including Sauvignon Blanc.

A top seller is Montchenot, a range of old-vine blends dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon, with bottlings cask-aged for five, 10, 15, 20 years or more. A free guided visit makes for a fascinating history lesson, while other tour and tasting packages are available, from about £5-£50; for an additional class, visit the Museo del Vino y la Vendimia museum a short distance away along Calle Ozamis. Other top Maipú tastings include Bodega Trapiche, housed in its impressive 1912 Florentine-style building along Calle Nueva Mayorga, while Luigi Bosca, further out along Ruta 60, recently converted its centenarian Finca El Paraíso property into a restaurant, headed by chef Pablo del Río. Mil Suelos (@milsuelos) is also due to open a parrilla experience – cooking large cuts of meat on a metal grate over an open wood fire – later this year.

Santa Julia’s story is more contemporary but no less legendary. When José Zuccardi developed a new irrigation system, he began cultivating vineyards in eastern Maipú district Santa Rosa in 1963 to showcase it. Taking up the baton from his father, José Alberto began to cultivate high-quality grape varieties such as Tempranillo in 1982, naming that project after his daughter.

Today, Julia Zuccardi is responsible for tourism and hospitality, while her brother Sebastián is winemaking director at the certified organic winery. Aesthetes will enjoy browsing works by Mendoza-based artists, while the more active can tour the estate by bike. It counts two restaurants: enjoy a picnic or a full-blown asado experience at Casa del Visitante; its empanadas (filled pastry pockets) were named Argentina’s best in 2018. Meanwhile, Pan y Oliva uses extra virgin olive oil in every dish, the ideal vehicle to showcase Zuelo, youngest sibling Miguel’s line of liquid gold.

Where to eat

Choose from one of nine El Enemigo pairings to accompany a three-course lunch or dinner at Casa Vigil close to the Mendoza river near El Paraíso.

Where to stay

Well-appointed suites and log fires await at Hotel Club Tapiz, a delightful former governor’s home built in 1890.

Trapiche, to the southeast of central Mendoza

Day 2: Luján de Cuyo

The western side of Primera Zona, Luján de Cuyo lends its name to one of two denominación de origen controlada (DOC) zones in Mendoza, while harbouring sub-districts including the Geographical Indications (GI) Agrelo, Las Compuertas and Vistalba. Its central hub is Chacras de Coria, former vineyards and farms gobbled up by private housing estates.

Regardless, Luján is home to a wide array of bodegas, such as vigneron Carmelo Patti’s authentically rustic cellar door on San Martín, where you can sample Bordeaux-style blends, or the recently opened Anaia Wines in Agrelo, about 20 minutes by road south on San Martín – here, in a tribute to the national tea drink, the producer has developed the first mate gourd-shaped concrete fermentation tanks.

Given the urban proximity, activities are located closer together, so those looking to burn off a few wine calories can pedal to tastings. Elevation is very gradual, so there’s no real need for a mountain bike; maps guiding you to the likes of Alta Vista, Clos de Chacras and Viamonte are provided when you rent from Vistalba Bikes on Embalse Potrerillos.

Luján is home to a second Mendoza bodega that focuses on traditional winemaking. Though its building was constructed in 1890, the Weinert family takes pride in the art of cooperage, restoring old casks at Weinert Bodegas y Cavas, which was founded in 1975. After visiting the red-brick cellars and beautifully crafted toneles casks, enjoy a vertical tasting that, if you’re in luck with your timing, could even include a 1977 Malbec.

At the other end of the winemaking spectrum you’ll find Riccitelli Wines in Las Compuertas on the western edge of Luján. Matías Riccitelli is both playful and serious, sourcing old-vine Chenin Blanc and Merlot from Río Negro, Patagonia, while also creating the low-intervention and pét-nat range Kung Fu, which gets snapped up by the Buenos Aires hipster drinking set. Book a tasting and a table at the bistro, helmed by passionate seed collector Juan Ventureyra, whose plant-focused lunch menu is a refreshing break from asado.

Recent restaurant-in-bodega openings include chef Francis Mallmann’s outdoor dining experience Ramos Generales at Kaiken off Roque Sáenz Peña; La Jamonería at Vistalba, nearby, further along the main road; and in the same area, new for 2023, enjoy charcuterie pairing at Mauricio Vegetti’s La Bodeguita at Lui Wines (@luiwines).

Planta Uno food hall in Godoy Cruz, Mendoza

As many wineries only open for lunch, Brindillas restaurant in Chacras is great intel for a dinner date, while a 15-minute drive north in Godoy Cruz is Planta Uno. Here, Bodega Lagarde’s Sofía Pescarmona overhauled a former metals factory to create a well-curated indoor food hall that includes wine bars and small eateries, avoids big brand names and, importantly, opens until 1am.

Where to eat

At 5 Suelos – Cocina de Finca in Las Compuertas, chef Patricia Courtois recounts Argentina’s history paired with the Durigutti brothers’ wines on her 14-course Menú Historia.

Where to stay

A welcome massage and in-room sauna is the first step to relaxing bliss at SB Winemaker’s House & Spa Suites, Mendoza’s most illustrious 2022 hotel opening, which includes La VidA restaurant.

La VidA indoor dining room at SB Winemaker’s House & Spa Suites

Day 3: Agrelo

Cross Ruta 7 – the road linking the Atlantic ocean with the Pacific – to Agrelo, in the southern part of Luján de Cuyo. Home to a host of big-name wineries located at about 950m elevation, take your pick of fabulous vintages in a vineyard-to-glass situation, because the options are numerous and the wineries again in relatively close proximity, mostly off Ruta 7. You can opt to tuck into a paired lunch at Ruca Malen, a picnic at Espacio Crios, farm-picked pistachios at Caelum, a bubbly bistro lunch at Chandon, or a biodynamic tasting at Chakana. Remember all bodegas require advance reservations.

Two Agrelo top guns are Viña Cobos and Catena Zapata – named World’s Best Vineyard 2023 – located a 10-minute drive away. There are two carefully curated tastings at Paul Hobbs-run Cobos, now on its 25th vintage: and now Angélica – Cocina Maestra gives it some architectural competition in the shape of a majestic Italian-style villa complete with watchtower and basement distillery. Throwing open its mighty glass and steel doors in February 2023, the Catena family’s many award-winning vintages take centre stage at its first venture into hospitality beyond tastings – fourth-generation managing director Laura Catena and winemaker Alejandro Vigil join forces to challenge chef Iván Azar to match dishes to wine.

Relaxed tasting area at Viña Cobos in Agrelo

Other recent Agrelo openings include Quimera (@quimerabistro), just off Ruta 7, from Achaval Ferrer, whose culinary approach combines a farm-to-table concept with fire. If you’re keen to squeeze in more tastings and eat on the hop, grab a home-cured ham sandwich at the food truck where Ruta 7 meets Cobos street. An unexpected experience is Las Palapas, housed next to vineyards and the scenic Potrerillos dam, a cool Sunday afternoon electronic music party that attracts internationally reputed DJs.

Where to eat

Enjoy a hands-on dining experience picking your salad and crimping empanadas before savouring the lunchtime fine dining menu at Zonda.

Where to stay

Book a luxurious villa among vineyards then chill at the spa after a hard day’s tasting at Cavas Wine Lodge, Mendoza’s only Relais & Châteaux property.

Day 4: Uco Valley

From Chacras de Coria, it’s a 60- to 90-minute drive south to Tupungato, Tunuyán and San Carlos, the Uco Valley’s three principal departments, where snow-capped mountains dominate the landscape. Seeing the 6,570m-high Tupungato volcano means Uco is within reach and a chance to get closer to nature – and the Andes.

Grapes and orchard fruits have long been cultivated in the valley and Salentein was a pioneer in making wine at high elevation in Tunuyán in the late 1990s; located on Ruta 89, the bodega boasts majestic architecture to complement its world-class Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Malbec. Within the estate, stop by Killka gallery, whose exhibits bring together Argentinian and Dutch artists.

A five-minute drive from Salentein is Domaine Bousquet, a certified organic bodega that also produces kosher Malbec; ask to sample it on the one-hour guided visit. As sustainability is Domaine Bousquet’s main philosophy, the seasonal menu at its restaurant, Gaia, is strictly organic, chef Adrián Baggio sourcing many ingredients from the winery’s orchard.

In nearby Gualtallary, winemaker Matías Michelini’s Sitio La Estocada is a lesson in biodynamic agriculture. Helped by grazing animals, Matías’ family tend the vineyards from which he sources grapes for his Passionate Wine range. An experiential gem is the lunar cycle dinner, on full and new moon nights.

The Vines of Mendoza, in Los Chacayes, Uco Valley

Half an hour’s drive away on Ruta 94, The Vines of Mendoza has grown so exponentially since conceiving its private vineyard project – enabling members of the public to realise their dream of owning a vineyard and making premium-quality wine – it now houses successful spin-off winery projects spawned from the original idea, namely Corazón del Sol and SoloContigo. SuperUco, the joint Michelini brothers project, is also based here; all three are open to the public. A recent addition to the Vines project is Mitre Fortín distillery, the producer (in a different location) of Principe de los Apostoles, Argentina’s first premium gin brand.

A lovely wining and dining alternative is to mount a four-legged friend for a mountainous expedition. The gauchos from the Cabalgatas de la Quebrada del Cóndor (@quebradadelcondor) lead small groups through cattle pasture and into the Andes on relaxed steeds that might huff and puff on steeper slopes. The view from the top is incredible, proffering a true feel of the valley’s breadth. Ride it or trek it – if you’ve worked up an appetite, asado (and a glass of vino) awaits at the log cabin.

Where to eat

Breathe in fresh mountain air while clapping along to contagious live folk music, paired with empanadas, at the charming Bodega La Azul.

Where to stay

Luxury hospitality pioneers in Uco, many of The Vines of Mendoza’s spacious villas have fabulous Andean views; take your swimwear so you can enjoy a dip in the outdoor jacuzzi.

Cabalgatas de la Quebrada del Cóndor

Day 5: San Carlos & Vista Flores

When a bodega picks up the World’s Best Vineyard prize three consecutive times, you ought to squeeze everything you can from it. That accolade went to family-run winery Zuccardi Valle de Uco in Paraje Altamira, San Carlos, between 2019 and 2021. It’s fair to say third-generation winemaker Sebastián Zuccardi improves with age: his Finca Piedra Infinita Gravascal 2018 recently picked up 100 Parker points. Flavour-neutral concrete egg tanks let the vineyard parcels do the talking, while marvellous Andean views and succulent T-bone steaks are calling at Piedra Infinita restaurant; you can easily spend a day savouring a guided visit, tasting and paired lunch.

Another nearby estate where you can while away a day wining and dining is the Michel Rolland-founded Clos de los Siete, which houses the wineries of Flecha de los Andes, Monteviejo, Cuvelier Los Andes and Diamandes. An ambitious winery project, Clos de los Siete involves the four bodegas, run by four Bordeaux families and encompassing 850ha of vineyards, contributing elements to a single Bordeaux-style blend, while also making their own wines. And if you’re in need of 360° panoramas, drop Gabriel Dvoskin of Canopus Vinos a line. His low-intervention, cool-climate Pintom Pinot Noir and Y La Nave Va Malbec from El Cepillo have been exciting Argentinian sommeliers for years; given that he hosts sporadic yet intimate vineyard tastings – conducted with as little embellishment as his vintages – it’s worth getting in touch.

Where to eat

Whatever the weather, wrap up warmly for an al fresco lunch at Cundo, not far from Zuccardi just outside La Consulta, where chef Seba Juez prepares a classy six-course Uco-focused menu.

Where to stay

Check into a vineyard home at La Morada Lodge, just west of Vista Flores, where the cellars are stocked by top sommelier Andrés Rosberg, then toast the peace of Los Chacayes.

Credit: Maggie Nelson

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Women have long collected art, they are also eminent collectors of luxury accessories and certainly of fashion, but what about wine? For the longest time, female wine collectors were the exception that proved the rule. Finally, though, women are breaking into this rarefied world. While progress is slow, there are clear reasons for this – not least psychology, wine styles and generational change.

A very male past

Serena Sutcliffe MW. Credit: Sotheby’s

‘The collecting world is the auction world,’ says Serena Sutcliffe MW, who started working at Sotheby’s in 1991 and rose to become global head of the auctioneer’s wine department until she retired from the role in 2015. She puts it succinctly: ‘Female wine collectors, a rare breed indeed.’ She notes: ‘The collecting world was 99% male when I started at Sotheby’s and has virtually remained the same. There have been very few women who built up wine collections in my entire auction career – a few powerful Asian women come to mind.’

Yet change is afoot. While Sotheby’s does not reveal figures, its press office notes that: ‘In 2022, Sotheby’s Global Wine & Spirits experienced year-on-year growth in lots purchased by women. This was driven by women collectors most prominently in North America, followed by Europe, then Asia.’

Figures from rival Christie’s show how small the female share still is and reveal different regional realities. In 2022, 10% of Christie’s bidders in wine were female, up from 8% in 2018. When weighted regionally, the west lags behind. Just 6% of buyers in the Americas and European markets were female while the figure for Asia-Pacific was 18%, despite 41% of global wine buyers now being below the age of 40 – a figure that climbs to 47% in Asia.

Véronique Sanders, president of Château Haut-Bailly

Experiences on the producer side were similar. When I ask Véronique Sanders, who became president of Château Haut-Bailly in Graves in 1991, how many wine dinners and promotional events she attended where she was the only woman, her answer is clear: ‘Hundreds of them.’ While this may differ in countries such as Japan, she agrees the wine-collecting world was almost entirely male in the past, but concedes ‘the feminisation of the wine world, at increasingly high levels, is a tangible reality, and it’s high time’. When I ask when female collectors first emerged, she counters: ‘Have they emerged yet? It is not obvious when you attend a collectors’ dinner. But if women are not yet collectors, we are seeing more and more women who are wine lovers.’

Tracking change

Queena Wong

There is increasing evidence, too, that the emergence of first Burgundy and then Champagne as much more coveted and collectible wines than they were 10 years ago has boosted female interest in the field. UK fine wine retailer Jeroboams reports that when it ran a campaign in partnership with Champagne Laurent-Perrier Grand Siècle through dedicated, personalised tastings in late 2022, a third of the 32 guests were women who were already collecting wine. London-based wine collector and activist Queena Wong, who started collecting in the mid-2000s, believes that ‘the accessibility of Champagne to purchase, and as a wine about joy, has encouraged women into wine – it definitely was the first arena in which I personally felt I was welcomed as an equal’. She makes this point because her experience of the social world surrounding fine wine collecting is mixed: ‘In some (not all) circles there were feelings of intimidation, marginalisation and occasions of sexual harassment. If I didn’t have strong foundations in wine, I would have been convinced that I was unable to do it.’ Have we not all been there?

Michele Munro, wine collector and founder member of the wine-centred private members’ club 67 Pall Mall, feels differently: ‘There are certainly more men than women who collect wine, but I can count my experiences of prejudice on one hand. They are memorable because of their rarity. My main grumble is that when I first meet someone, they assume my interest in wine is superficial. This tends to happen more when I meet men, whereas women ask questions and are keen to listen.’

Both Wong and Munro have done much to level the field. Wong has fostered a network of female collectors, while Munro has helped to create a space to meet. ‘In the few years since 67 Pall Mall opened, I’ve encountered more women wine lovers than ever before,’ she says. ‘I believe 67 has had a part to play in this because it’s a place we can find each other. The atmosphere is sociable and welcoming with no hint of snobbery. 67 was founded on equality and inclusion.’

A different approach

Hilary Green of Curated Wine Collections

Munro also stands out in another field. She holds the WSET Diploma in wines and spirits, a serious professional qualification, which points to a fundamental difference in approach. Wong makes a valuable point, noting that for women, ‘there is a lack of a social network around wine to share our collections and knowledge, so many turn to study to feed their wine interest’. Having no peer network, Wong adds, ‘inhibits our knowledge of how to buy wine better and the options out there. Women buy more for the love of wine rather than to invest’.

Hilary Green specialises in advising wine collectors through her consultancy Curated Wine Collections. Her client base is equally split into male and female collectors. She observes that ‘women are more likely to ask for guidance’, and that ‘male counterparts are more likely to rely on critic reviews or buy the same wines year on year’.

Green continues: ‘Women are more aware and/or honest about gaps in their knowledge of wine; the flip side to this is that they come across as less confident.’ She adds: ‘Women are less likely to express interest in wine investment. For my female clients, the investment potential of a collection is secondary to the collection itself, whereas I have a couple of male clients only interested in investment who consider their collections to be portfolios.’

George Lacey, director at Sotheby’s and its head of wine in Asia, agrees: ‘One thing I have found common among female collectors across international markets is that, generally, there is much more willingness to experiment, engage with new regions and styles and explore beyond the traditional confines of the most established fine wine regions.

‘I think this is because women are not so burdened by legacy and are therefore able to be more open-minded, as a direct result of how excluded they were from the wine-collecting community for so many years,’ Lacey explains. ‘They don’t have decades or even generations of in-built bias about which wines, producers, regions are most exciting, and so can often be more willing to explore.’

Munro concurs: ‘To generalise, women tend to collect knowledge and men veer towards physical ownership. Women trust their palates, whereas men are more label- and investment-driven.’

The crunch

Green also bluntly states that ‘women spend less’. This is where the psychology of collecting and hard finance either collide or converge. As Gareth Birchley, buying director at Burns & German Vintners and a fine wine market insider since 2006, explains: ‘In order to be a collector, rationale has to go out of the window. You end up with a wine collection that is 10 times what you can ever drink in your lifetime, but you are still buying wine. It’s kind of a strange concept, and I think I’ve always felt women were a lot more rational, not so led by their ego, more sensible. If you just buy enough wine to drink, you are never going to be in that category.’

This has two effects. One is that women may not be first in line for allocations. On release, the most coveted and collectible wines are only sold on allocation. Money alone no longer guarantees supply and cumulative spend over many years becomes the decisive factor. This means that women often miss out, not because of any direct discrimination or unconscious bias, but for the simple reason that merchants are under pressure to keep their biggest spenders happy. The other effect is that women then miss out on the biggest investment gains, as the ever-greater demand for fine wine with a finite supply drives prices up and creates the biggest returns. Munro is right when she says that ‘a seat at the table is earned – there are no shortcuts to high status in the world of wine collecting, irrespective of gender’.

Paradigm shifts

Vanessa Conlin MW. Credit: Colin Peck

The world, however, continues to change. A January 2020 report by fine wine think tank ARENI Global notes that female private wealth rose from US$34 trillion to $51 trillion between 2010 and 2015 and quotes research to suggest that by 2025, 53% of UK millionaires will be female. ‘Most private wealth that changes hands in the coming decades is likely to go to women,’ it states. Newer players are already aware.

Vanessa Conlin MW, Sotheby’s global head of wine retail, says: ‘I personally do not change the way I present wines or choose different wines to present to male clients versus female. I always ensure that I am engaging equally with both genders, and never presume that a male is more knowledgeable or has more disposable income than a woman client.’

Inevitably, as money moves, behaviour will follow. The fine wine market has already changed fundamentally, and while it’s slower to adapt than other spheres of luxury spending, the direction of travel is clear. Neither producers, merchants nor auctioneers will be able to afford to miss out on the female pound, dollar or renminbi.

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Napa’s 2020 vintage is very much about farming choices and location. The growing season began with a dry winter; early rains reduced crop yields. Two fires impacted the region in the middle of the growing season.

Still, the vast majority of producers who bottled any Cabernet Sauvignon harvested their grapes before the second fire, which erupted on 27 September.

Despite all the challenges, wine lovers will find plenty to admire among the wines I have recommended here. Now three years on, having had good time to settle in the bottle, these are wines to drink now and often.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for the top 34 Napa Cabernet 2020 wines

Individual AVA posts:

Rutherford | Oakville | Coombsville | St Helena | Stags Leap District

Napa Cabernet 2020 recommendations

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Chris Ashton is MD of Wine Logistics Ltd, based in Amersham, Buckinghamshire. He managed the International Wine Challenge competition for nearly 15 years and worked in magazine circulation management for a similar period. When not expediting the transport of wine he messes about on the water in a vintage boat, ideally with a bottle of fizz in hand.

How did you get here?

Via an art degree, a long stint in magazine publishing, and nearly 15 years running a wine competition. I set up my own business three years ago.

What’s the best thing about your job?

Every day is different. We could be importing or exporting pallets of wine, decanting wines into virtual tasting kits, packing retail boxes, collecting used corks, or doing multi-drop deliveries in London. We do events, so sometimes we’re busy collating wines and then setting up the event, too.

What’s the most common misconception about your job?

That it’s easy. Brexit put paid to simple movements of wine – the paperwork requirements are technical and time-consuming, and change often. A whole new world of pain is due with the UK duty increases on 1 August.

What’s your greatest moment, professionally?

Developing IWC Sake from very small numbers and so playing a small part in stimulating global interest in, and sales of Japanese sake. I have been rewarded with the title of Sake Samurai – one of 103 people globally.

And your greatest mistake?

I learned early on that if you do events in a foreign country, you need local help. What you think will be easy often isn’t. I once did a tasting in Japan and was let down by a glassware supplier the day before the event. Many stressful hours later we found some replacement glasses, but it was pure luck that I had someone helping me. If I hadn’t had their help, there would have been no chance of getting anything. Lesson learned.

What skills and qualities are needed to be successful in your profession?

Patience. I try not to get irate when things go wrong, when they wouldn’t have if the job had been done correctly. You also need to know your stuff and be able to assert yourself. You get a lot of ‘jobsworths’ in shipping, quoting things that are not required – you need to be able to call them out!

Are virtual wine tastings still as popular post-Covid?

Not in terms of numbers, but it’s moved on. Now new teaching and training companies are using it successfully – online tutorials are a great way to get up close and personal to the winemaker and taste wines with them. I’m surprised more people don’t do this now. Virtual tastings were unsurprisingly very successful during Covid due to necessity, but I do think it’s here to stay.

What other trends are you noticing?

We’re seeing lots of online wine start-ups – also wineries setting up their own websites to sell direct, here in the UK, as it’s very tough to get representation at the moment. We offer wineries the facilities to store wines here and we fulfil orders for them in this market. We pick, pack and post. It’s proving to be a big developing part of the business.

Has Brexit made life more difficult for wine producers and wine lovers?

Yes. Now it is not possible to buy or sell alcohol or ship directly to consumers in Europe, as anyone receiving wines needs an EORI (Economic Operators Registration and Identification) number, VAT number, commercial invoice and so on. A huge market has been lost to us and to them. Moving alcohol around the world is becoming more and more difficult and expensive, which is a great shame.

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Like opening the windows to let in the cool ocean breeze: that has been the effect that new vineyards in Maldonado Bay – the point on the southern coast where the Rio de la Plata estuary meets the south Atlantic – have had on Uruguayan wine. The region now produces whites and reds from vines no more than 20 years old, all influenced by the fresh presence of the Atlantic.

Scroll down for Patricio Tapia’s pick of 18 Uruguayan wines to try

See Patricio Tapia’s pick of 18 Uruguayan wines

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The Lyan’s share

Also known as Mr Lyan, Ryan Chetiyawardana is an award-winning and internationally acclaimed mixologist. In 2013, he opened his original venue White Lyan – the first cocktail bar in the world to use no perishable ingredients (not even ice), as an exercise in sustainability. Today he operates Super Lyan in Amsterdam, Lyaness and Seed Library in London and Silver Lyan in Washington DC.

His third book, Mr Lyan’s Cocktails at Home, is published this month. A new edition of 2015’s Good Things to Drink with Mr Lyan and Friends, it divides 69 cocktail recipes into sociable sections such as Alfresco Days, Friday Nights and Fireside Serves. New recipes in this edition include the Golden Cherry Fizz made with vodka and light red wine; and the Belle Ball, a spiced toddy-style winter warmer. Expert advice on ingredients and techniques includes the essential kit you need to mix drinks, store cupboard staples and homemade bitters and syrups. Available through Amazon UK

What is… tsipouro?

Made in Greece, tsipouro is a grape brandy. Its history can be traced back to the 14th century, when records show that it was being distilled by Greek Orthodox monks on Mount Athos in Macedonia. Today production is still associated with Macedonia, but tsipouro is also made in Thessaly, Epirus and on the island of Crete, where it’s known as tsikoudia. Made from grape pomace (left over after winemaking), most tsipouro is clear and unaged, though barrel-aged versions are produced. It is usually served neat and chilled, alongside meze snacks.

What to drink now… Between the Sheets

With its seductive name, Between the Sheets was a signature cocktail of the Jazz Age. Its origins are disputed and there’s considerable variation between the oldest recipes, though it probably originated in a New York speakeasy during Prohibition. The first printed recipe, in Frank Shay’s 1929 book Drawn from the Wood, calls for equal parts gin, Bacardi rum and Cointreau. It’s likely that when the recipe travelled to Europe, Cognac and lemon juice were added to create a mix more reminiscent of a Sidecar. Try it with Ron Santiago de Cuba Carta Blanca (Alc 38% Amathus Drinks, Master of Malt, The Vine Whisperer, The Whisky Exchange, The Whisky World), a versatile and well- rounded Cuban rum for cocktails.

Between the Sheets

Ingredients: 45ml white rum, 45ml Cognac, 45ml Cointreau, 45ml fresh lemon juice

Glass: Coupe

Garnish: Lemon zest twist

Method: Shake all the ingredients with ice, until your hands are cold, then strain into the glass and garnish.

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Get through the working week, and it’s time to crack open something a little bit more special.

As a companion selection to our 25 wines under £20, the Decanter team has selected seven standout bottles that are sure to impress, all available in the UK and priced between £20 and £50.

Must-try red: Emiliana, Coyam, Colchagua Valley, Chile 2020

Wines for the weekend: September 2023

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It’s simultaneously one of Europe’s most ancient winemaking regions – and one of its most up-and-coming. And yet, for whatever reason, Croatia is perhaps not the first holiday destination to come to mind for the vinous traveller. But the appeal of the sun-soaked Istrian peninsula, circled in blue Adriatic Sea, becomes abundantly obvious when you check into Meneghetti Wine Hotel. Set just inland from a west-facing coast flecked with beach, ancient Roman ruins and vineyards aplenty, the secluded Relais & Châteaux estate dishes up both old-world charm and an exciting wine offering; including bottles crafted onsite. Dare we say it, who needs Italy or France?

Credit: Matej Paluh

Indulge on the ground

On the approach to Meneghetti – via its pin-straight, tree-lined drive – you might momentarily imagine that you’ve landed in Tuscany. Manicured vines radiate outwards amid bushy patches of gnarled olive trees. Rigid cypresses flank stone farmhouse buildings with terracotta roofs. But though the Italian border is less than a two-hour drive away, this is firmly Croatia. Here Malvasia Istriana grapes dominate in a range of styles – from zesty and floral to oak-aged and honeyed – while red grape Teran reaches tannic, inky depths.

Meneghetti was designed to celebrate the region’s long wine history. Vineyards encircle the estate and, by the pool, rows of ripening grapes are in view when you relax with a good book. Likewise, you’ll see them from the grounds of the private villas, which exude a rustic but sophisticated Provençal-style mood. Elsewhere, green vines creep across the stone exterior of farm-style buildings, and wind over pergolas.

Credit: Matej Paluh

Of course, the proof is in the pudding, and there is ample opportunity to drink the fruits of the vineyard too. Meneghetti’s own wines, born from the stone- and iron-rich terra rossa soils, are showcased in the design-forward cellars. Book in for a vertical tasting, sampling reds from 2009 onwards, or take things more relaxed, sipping golden-hued Malvasia with a charcuterie board on the terrace. Do try the olive oil, too, which has won plaudits from Flos Olei, one of the most respected expert olive oil guides.

Food is another highlight. Daytime relaxed affairs unfold at Oliveto, where sea bass ceviche and burrata with prosciutto are plated up under umbrellas overlooking the vines. Come evening, a refined tasting menu takes centre stage at the main restaurant, as diners parade through the likes of ravioli with black truffle; crispy egg with wild asparagus and caviar; braised beef cheek with polenta. All washed down, of course, with a considered wine list that features not only an excellent back catalogue of Meneghetti wines but a vast range of fine European bottlings. Take your pick from Château Lafite Rothschild 1990, or a red from neighbouring Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Explore beyond

From its ancient Greek winemaking roots – via the Yugoslavian era, which largely quashed quality – Istria has newly emerged to be one of the Mediterranean’s most exciting vinous pockets, particularly for white wines. And the visitor experience is growing in reputation too. Between a half-hour and hour’s drive north of the hotel, a glut of options awaits for a day of tastings.

At Kozlović Winery, founded in 1904, indigenous varietals such as Malvasia Istriana, Teran and Momjan Muscat rule, with tastings held alfresco on warm days. Further south at Matošević, old Malvasia vines perched on hilltops above the sea provide a different profile. Or try long-established Kabola Winery, an organic producer running the gamut from sparklings to sweet wines.

Credit: Matej Paluh

Beyond the grape, take time to enjoy Istria’s other pleasures too. To the south in Pula, a remarkable Roman-era amphitheatre towers above the coast. Inland, deep caves welcome cool, adventurous exploring. And in opulent Opatija, regal Habsburg villas line the waterfront, a scene so photogenic it’ll have you instantly contemplating a return visit to Croatia.

For more information, visit the Meneghetti Wine Hotel website.

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