In the Masters of Wine examinations back in 2001, Simon tasted a Priorat blind. It was the 1998 vintage of Clos Mogador from René Barbier. He identified the wine as a Priorat but says it was possibly more by luck than by judgement. At that time Simon had not tasted much in the way of Priorat. All of that said, he was impressed by the rich...
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Early commentary on the Burgundy 2013 vintage suggested that it would be a difficult one. Reports of growers facing poor flowering and hailstorms early in the vintage had trade, critics and consumers alike lamenting a potential shortfall in both quantity and quality. Our visit to the region in early November proved to be far more interesting as ...
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While Simon has a strong interest in the wines of the Rhône valley, he seldom finds white southern Rhône styles that impress. Once Simon is the south, it is red that unsurprisingly dominates his interest almost without exception.
The problem for me with southern Rhône whites is the reliance on Grenache Blanc, which...
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Simon commented extensively last year on the quality of the 2010 vintage in Italy as he was struck by the balance exhibited by a great number of wines from Tuscany to Piemonte. At the time, all of the talk was of the Super Tuscans and the innumerable successes in Barolo, as both of these regions released their wines last year. Now, it is the tur...
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Rioja is a climatically and geographically diverse region which runs 120 kilometres north to south with altitudes ranging from 400 to nearly 900 metres. As Simon comments, there is actually broad stylistic variation to be found and yet generalisations are commonplace.
Rioja is a climatically and geographically diverse region ...
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'It is hard to believe the huge jump in quality this venerable estate has undergone in just the last few years. Luca Currado of Vietti has instilled a Piedmontese sense of discipline that entails greater attention in the vineyards, more cleanliness in the cellar and the use of Slavonian oak casks, among other things. Vintage 2007 is the first ha...
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