After the stresses of 2020 – with severe drought, heat and widespread wildfires, the 2021 vintage provided much-needed relief for Napa’s wine producers. Not only was the growing season reassuringly uneventful, but the resulting wines are fantastic. Concentrated, pure with vibrant acidity, this is a vintage that sits alongside 2013, 2018 and 2019 – the best in recent years. “I’m very happy to move on from talking about 2020! It was stressful to go through and stressful to relive,” said Maya Dalla Valle, winemaker at the eponymous estate founded her parents. Most winemakers and vineyard managers held their breath as the 2021 season progressed, anxious about the potential return of hazardous wildfires that increasingly seem to be the new normal in Northern California, but the danger never materialised.   The most significant factor influencing the 2021 harvest was instead drought, which unfortunately entered a second year. Conditions were exceedingly dry – historically so, says Chris Phelps of Ad Vivum, who noted that it was one of the driest years he can remember. Napa’s Mediterranean climate dictates that nearly all precipitation falls during the months of October-March, and the rains generally begin in the weeks following the close of each harvest, but this didn’t happen in 2020. While early winter was quite cold, helping to push the vines into dormancy, but rain didn’t arrive until January, February and March 2021. With around seven inches measured in Oakville, this was significantly lower than normal and far less than the total amount needed to reinvigorate the roots and replenish the water table.  Access to water, either from precision irrigation, or the benefit of a location with good water supply, therefore, was critical to shoot growth and canopy development. Sleeping Lady Vineyard in southern Yountville – the fruit from which Ad Vivum is crafted – backs up against the Mayacamas Mountains that form the western edge of Napa Valley. Here, natural springs funnel moisture down to the vineyard. In other locations, such as the eastern hillsides of the valley, long sunlight hours and faster-draining soils presented a greater challenge. The solution at Dalla Valle was to begin irrigation much earlier than normal, and at a greater volume, in order to mimic the rainfall that didn’t happen naturally. Although 2021’s growing season was quite warm, it was cooler than 2020 and, importantly, there were very few heat waves – and those that did take place were mercifully short. The first of these spikes, where the daily temperature reached over 37˚ Celsius, occurred in mid-June, a point early enough in the growing season where its impact was negligible. The remainder of the summer was consistently warm, with little variation, up until late August and early September, when the valley saw two minor heat spikes. The diurnal swing that Napa is known for, with nights quickly cooling down after sunset, was also in full effect in 2021, helping to preserve the grapes’ natural acidity. Given the steady weather and lack of wildfire risk, winemakers had the luxury of time when deciding to pick. For most, harvest began in the first two weeks of September – slightly earlier than average, but not drastically so. The year’s dry conditions reduced yields, which was not surprising, though “sometimes harrowing” as Andy Erickson (of Favia, and star consultant winemaker) described. The resulting clusters were lighter than normal, comprised of small berries with thick skins. While Phelps reported that the yields at Ad Vivum were down by 15%, he emphasised the positives that have emerged from these small, compact clusters: “The colour is extraordinary, with higher than normal levels of anthocyanins due to the long, slow ripening.” Others reported an even more drastic reduction in yield – up to 30% in some locations – though variation depends on not just access to water, but also soil type and depth. Vine age can also help mitigate drought conditions. Lisa Togni of Philip Togni Vineyard, perched at nearly 2,000 feet at the top of Spring Mountain, said that her yields were more or less normal, something she credits to the 32-year average age of her vines, which, remarkably, have never been irrigated. She feels that her vines’ well-established roots are able to reach deeper and access more water than younger vines. The low yields also sparked some wineries to change course in the vineyard prior to harvest, in regard to both shoot thinning and dropping fruit. Opus One made the decision to halt their green harvest. This process – during which a certain number of clusters per vine are removed, lowers yield and increases the intensity of the remaining fruit while also eliminating any slightly under- or over-ripe clusters – was always standard for Opus One, as it is for many wineries in Napa. This decision to change course was an easy one to make in a year like 2021, winemaker Michael Silacci said, and he is thrilled with the results, describing “more of a range of ripeness, with more layers and texture, and more vineyard character” in the final wine.  In the winery, tannin management was crucial. With a reduced skin-to-juice ratio, it was important to handle the fruit gently. For Tony Biagi, winemaker at several Napa Valley wineries, including Hourglass, Amici, The Vineyardist and To Kalon Vineyard Co, the main puzzle was how to coax colour from the fruit, while avoiding over-extraction of the tannins. “We were meticulous in how we macerated; we shortened the window,” he explained. Biagi said that the firm tannins are reminiscent of 2013, though perhaps not quite as muscular, as the more stable weather of 2021 allowed “more time to buff the edges”. At Dalla Valle, the decision was made to leave the wines in barrel for an additional two months because they displayed so much power and concentration. Despite the smaller berries and low yields, the condition of the fruit was described as nearly perfect by everyone. Low disease pressure and the lack of heat spikes produced uniformly healthy, good-looking clusters. Silacci recalls perhaps the most worrying moment of the 2021 harvest at Opus One, when their optical sorter broke down just as the fruit began arriving at the winery. Fortunately, however, the quality of the fruit made a stressful moment less so: “If ever there was a vintage we didn’t need a sorter it was 2021!” Early impressions of the final wines are uniformly positive – glowing with praise, even – and not simply because the year was a welcome relief following the trials of 2020. As we found in our tastings, the wines offer concentration and intensity with real purity of fruit, all balanced by refreshing and somewhat surprising acidity – allowing them to age beautifully. Phelps noted that the 2021s remind him of 2016, 2018 and 2019, all vintages with “great concentration, tension and generosity”. For Biagi, the vintage instead portends a new direction for the region, while referencing other hallmark great vintages of the past. “For me, the 2021s are classically Napa Valley. They are not crazy ripe, and you get a sense of the new style Napa is moving towards, with both power and freshness,” he opined. But perhaps Togni summarises the year most simply: “2021 was the kind of vintage we hope for every year.” Napa 2021 in brief: The growing season was – especially after 2020 – refreshingly uneventful The wines offer both concentration and freshness Dry and warm, but not overly hot, conditions reduced yields, with up to 30% less fruit at some addresses – and a crop of small, thick-skinned berries Rich yet vibrant, the wines are set to age very well A vintage to rival 2013, 2018 and 2019 in quality Explore all Napa 2021 listings, all Napa listings or read more Editorial

Napa’s producers have already started releasing their 2021s – and more will be hitting the market in the coming months. The vintage is one that allowed producers to breathe – and produced some stunning wines, as Rachael Ryan – Senior Buyer at Vinfolio, our US arm – discovers

Diving into the 2021 vintage in the Napa Valley and its rich, fresh wines, with Dalla Valle, Opus One, Philip Togni, Andy Erickson and more

Napa 2021 vintage report

Napa 2021: rich, fresh and a relief

Go into any winery in the world, and it’s now unusual not to find a glass wine globe or clay amphora lurking in the corner. Oak has long been the traditional ageing vessel for wine – light, easily transportable, the grain fine enough to allow micro-oxygenation (aiding the polymerisation of tannins, making the wine more supple), and, especially when new, the ability to add toasty, spicy complexity. But with technology and global warming, many winemakers are looking beyond oak – and Jean-Marie Fourrier is one of them.  “We noticed the barrels generating the most problems were new oak,” says Fourrier. He and his team had been monitoring each barrel during élevage, and started noticing a trend. They observed that the volatile acidity was 0.2-0.3% higher in first-fill barrels. To compensate for the higher volatility, Fourrier had to add more sulphur to those barrels, something that he’d like to avoid – feeling that higher sulphur additions can mask the terroir.  But why were the new barrels the most volatile? With climate change, trees – Fourrier argues – are growing more quickly, meaning that their trunks don’t have the same density, and this is responsible for the increased volatility. He’s not alone in paying attention to the density of wood; it’s something that Clos de Sarpe has started monitoring, weighing each barrel and noting how this impacts the wine during élevage. Fourrier also feels that climate change has impacted cork, as he told me in 2021 – noting how cork is harvested every seven to eight years versus the 20 of yesteryear. The corks are less dense and this leads to higher oxygen transfer – it’s one reason that he chooses to wax his wines (instead of metal capsules), to help counter the quality of the cork itself, something that Olivier Lamy also believes is important.  With the extremes of climate change, the size of harvests varies more significantly than ever before – from the lows of 2021 to the highs of 2023. The pHs of wines are higher, making winemaking all the more tricky – a more challenging environment for yeast and higher risks of bacterial spoilage. Producers need to handle their wines more carefully, as well as juggle the vessels required for such extreme yield variations. If barrels are left empty, they become a breeding ground for bacteria, especially brettanomyces – so having the right number of vessels for your wine each year is essential, not to mention retaining a balance of new and old wood, to keep both a consistent style and not over- or under-oak the wines. (Some producers also only keep barrels for a certain number of years, again to avoid bacterial spoilage.)  “How can I age wine, keeping freshness, keeping purity?” says Fourrier, “Is 100% oak the direction? I don’t think so, to be honest, I think it’s a balance.” There were two options for him: either increase the level of sulphur additions, purely for the “ideology of wood” – or to evolve.  For him, using amphorae and stainless steel barrels alleviates some of these pressures – offering lower volatility, almost no bacterial risks and the vessels can be stored empty and more easily cleaned, not to mention they don’t need replacing. While he notes he is not about to release a “Cuvée Amphora”, ageing 20% of his wines in these alternatives allows for lower volatility, lower total sulphites and, in his view, helps give the wines freshness, complexity and a sense of place.   The 2022 vintage is the latest to bring these challenges to the fore; a return to a year born of global warming after the tricky, cool 2021. While for once they escaped the threat of frost, conditions were hot – although, unlike in 2019 or 2020, they received enough water to allow for a more plentiful crop. Gevrey-Chambertin saw a massive storm in June, bringing with it 100mm of rain in just an hour or so, flooding the streets of the village. Although it seemed devastating at the time, it was exactly what the vines needed to survive the dry stretch to the end of August and harvest at the start of September.  Although harvest dates creep earlier and earlier, Fourrier feels that some are picking prematurely (“We don’t do a Crémant,” he jokes). “Terroir needs to be revealed by phenolic maturity,” he explains, saying that his team started in early September. With the warmth of the year, he used around 15-20% whole-bunch to help retain freshness and elegance, and, as we’ve seen elsewhere so far, the alcohols are modest – sitting between 12.8 and 13.5%. The wines combine some of the characteristics of 2009 and 2015, Fourrier feels, yet are fresher, with an approachability that – as we have found – will make them easy to drink in their youth, despite having the structure and weight to age.  But now Fourrier’s mind is occupied by the 2023s, the wines just in the cellar – absorbed by the potential of the next vintage. It's this slow and constant evolution, the change and challenges, year in, year out, that keep him interested. With only one shot every 12 months, this business is, he says, “an internship of 40 years”. And it’s that approach – a modesty in the face of everything despite his reputation, constantly pushing forward, studying everything and never complacent – that makes Fourrier one of the region’s leading names. We’ve no doubt that his 2022s will be another display of his mastery.  Browse all current listings from Jean-Marie Fourrier and Domaine Fourrier, or read more about Burgundy 2022

The 2022 vintage in Burgundy is a year of the modern era – one born of today’s shifting climate. As the first of his wines from the year are released, Sophie Thorpe spoke to Jean-Marie Fourrier about how he’s managing global warming in the cellar – and what he thinks of 2022

We talk to iconic Burgundian winemaker Jean-Marie Fourrier about how to handle climate change in the cellar – and what he thinks of the 2022 vintage

Jean-Marie Fourrier – student and master

Student and master: Jean-Marie Fourrier

When Jean-Marie Fourrier bought legendary Australian estate Bass Phillip in early 2020, he envisaged being there a lot – even being there for the 2020 harvest. “But ‘a small virus’ can make things very challenging very fast,” he said, raising an eyebrow. With the arrival of Covid-19, Australia promptly shut its borders – and the winemaker has only been able to visit his new domaine via conference call.   Fourrier is one of Burgundy’s superstars. Since taking over his family estate at the age of just 23 in 1994, his wines have rapidly become some of the region’s finest and most desirable. Based in Gevrey-Chambertin, he crafts wonderfully elegant, pure expressions of Pinot Noir – wines that, given the significant demand, are strictly allocated each year.   When news broke last year, however, that he was venturing Down Under, it was unexpected. In his youth, he did a stint at Domaine Drouhin, Oregon. And while many Burgundy producers have set sail for the US (De Montille, Méo-Camuzet, Drouhin and Lafon, to name but a few), there is something culturally improbable about a Frenchman taking to Australia. (Although it’s not the first Franco-Australian project – with Australian Andrew Nielsen’s Burgundy micro-négoce Le Grappin and Jane Eyre two others.)  Even more unusually, perhaps, he hasn’t set up his own project, but taken over an existing one – and one with quite the legacy.  Bass Phillip – in Gippsland, Victoria – is one of Australia’s iconic wineries. Phillip Jones planted the first vines in Leongatha in 1979, an unlikely choice given, at the time, the area was known for its dairy production rather than viticulture. The first wines were released in 1991 – and established the producer’s reputation for outstanding, age-worthy Pinot.   Phillip Jones has been running the show here ever since. Now 74, and with no children to take Bass Phillip on, he started the search for a successor several years ago.  Enter a consortium led by Soo Hoo Khoon Peng (a Singaporean wine importer and former owner of the Wine Advocate) and Kent Ho (a Hong Kong entrepreneur) who approached Fourrier three years ago. For Fourrier, it seemed like fate, having consulted for the winery briefly in 2002.   “Sometimes you can see the stars aligning,” Fourrier tells me. “I wasn’t specifically looking for Bass Phillip, but it came on my desk, after 20 years.” The deal was signed officially in March 2020.  It was, in Fourrier’s words, “a turning point” in his life. Having already added a négociant arm to his Burgundy operation in 2011, he was looking to expand further – but even for a grower of his success, Burgundy land prices are prohibitive.  “If you don’t expand, you see the next generation fighting over a small company,” explains Fourrier. With two children, an inheritance plan is key to preserving what he has worked so hard to build. This combined with the threat of climate change – excessive heat and frost, and associated yield fluctuations – made diversification to other parts of the world the obvious way forward, providing a sustainable way to preserve the family business.   Australia offered the “possibility to make wine twice a year… and the chance to be a student again,” Fourrier says – his eyes lighting up at the potential.   Some of the appeal was the boutique size of the operation, as well as the age of the vines (planted in 1979 and 1986, and all massal, rather than clonal, selections – something Fourrier is insistent on). He also has a man on the ground – with his brother-in-law Adam Francis, who worked several vintages with Fourrier in Burgundy. Francis, along with his family, has relocated from Adelaide to take on the role of General Manager, handling the day-to-day at Bass Phillip.  While the property’s reputation is for Pinot Noir, Jones initially planted Cabernet Sauvignon – with Ch. Ducru-Beaucaillou the original inspiration behind his Gippsland vineyard. After becoming enamoured with the wines of Henri Jayer (whom, coincidentally, was one of Fourrier’s mentors), Jones switched to Pinot Noir, later planting Chardonnay and small plots of other varieties (including Gewürztraminer, Nebbiolo and Gamay).  To this day, Bass Phillip remains unusually isolated given its success – surrounded by dairy farms rather than other vineyards. This cool corner of Victoria is lush and green, cooler and wetter than Burgundy – Fourrier compares it to the climate of Burgundy in the late 1980s and ’90s. “It’s why [the wines] have this purity and character,” Fourrier explains. With water becoming an increasingly precious resource, the site’s 1,000mm of annual rain (compared to 750mm in Burgundy) is a major asset, and the vines have always been dry-farmed.  But with Fourrier at the helm, what lies ahead? “Evolution not revolution” is the philosophy here – and not to imitate Burgundy, Fourrier emphasises, but continue Jones’s work and take Bass Phillip to the next level. In that spirit, much of the original team is staying on – including Senior Winemaker John Durham and Vineyard Manager Mick Kelly.  The winery needs some attention and Fourrier wants to change the trellising of the vines, but the first priority is ensuring that every bottle released performs as expected. “I think Bass sometimes could be a bit inconsistent, a bit bumpy,” Fourrier says. “If I’m not happy to drink a bottle at home with my friends, I’m not happy to sell it. Everything has to be spotless.”  The Burgundian has already started addressing this with the soon-to-be-released 2019s. While he didn’t make the wines, he made the selections for bottling – selling off a third of the volume made and reducing the range significantly. There will now be only four tiers to the range of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay: Since 1979 (the newly named entry-level cuvées), Estate, Premium and – the top bottlings – Reserve.  He is also going to change the closures – to help ensure the wines age as well as they should. Corks will – as of 2020 – be courtesy of the same supplier he uses in Burgundy, and foil will be switched for wax (something he feels balances the natural variation in cork).  Otherwise, he plans to gradually reduce the use of new oak (“I don’t like to see the waste of oak, a natural resource”), focusing on the fruit and terroir of Bass Phillip, and he’s examining the philosophy in the vineyards – which are currently farmed biodynamically.  The Burgundian bought the estate just after the 2020 harvest and, with travel impossible, Jones agreed to stay on to make the vintage. The 2021s will be the first wines over which Fourrier had complete control, from vineyard to winery – albeit from afar (“My first digital harvest,” he says, laughing). He’s in constant conversation with the team, talking every couple of days (more during vintage), and very happy with the 2021s. “For me, I can really see the step up of where we want to go,” he says.  Australia’s borders are set to reopen in November and Fourrier plans – restrictions allowing – to be physically present for the 2022 harvest. With his son now 16, he plans a six-year transition in Burgundy so that he can spend more time at Bass Phillip, but he’s also exploring options in the US (he does, after all, have not one but two children). “For whatever reason, I have a secret dream: to make Chardonnay and Pinot in Burgundy, the US and Australia…” he confides. He has concerns regarding the Californian climate, with recent fires and excessive heat troubling his mind, but is considering higher elevations to combat this threat.  The Burgundian has big ambitions – but, fortunately, the talent to match. The world and these new terroirs are, for Fourrier, just “a way to diversify my passion to places I love”. He’s certain he’ll make mistakes along the way – that’s the nature of running a business – but, as he tells me, “Imperfections make the beauty of wine.”  Find out more about and browse listings from Bass Phillip, Domaine Fourrier or Jean-Marie Fourrier. 

Jean-Marie Fourrier is already one of Burgundy’s leading names, but the winemaker is restless. We caught up with him to hear about his new venture in Australia – and why he’s always got one eye on the horizon 

Burgundian winemaker Jean-Marie Fourrier on his new venture in Australia – and why he has always got one eye on the horizon

Jean-Marie Fourrier – from Burgundy to Oz

Jean-Marie Fourrier: from Burgundy to Oz

When Jean-Marc Roulot wandered through the family estate’s cellars one, seemingly ordinary day, he happened upon something unexpected. The vigneron had walked the hallowed paths innumerable times during his legendary father Guy’s life and during the 15 years since his sudden passing in 1982. But there, in a long-forgotten corner of the cellars, lay 12 dusty bottles of apricot liqueur. Jean-Marc knew all about his father’s production of pear and apple brandy, and his family tradition of producing marc de Bourgogne and fine de Bourgogne. The still, which he used and remains in operation today, dates back to 1866 and used to be on wheels so the family could move from village to village. So well-known was this distillation heritage, in fact, that Jean-Marc’s mother used to joke that the still paid for their vineyards. What came as a surprise to the actor-cum-winemaker was the existence of L’Abricot. “I had never seen him make this liqueur,” the 65-year-old says. “It was absolutely delicious and I wanted to try to find this recipe.” This discovery in 2008 set Jean-Marc on a mission to reproduce the liqueur from instinct, as no recipe existed, and increase the estate’s staple of brandies, eaux de vie and liqueurs. In some instances, the winemaker was able to follow recipes and meet with fruit producers to reinstate his father’s relationships. For others, he had to forge his own path. “I wanted to reconnect with that [tradition],” he adds. Jean-Marc says he’s always had a passion for distillation, having learned the skill from his father, and feels it has influenced his winemaking. When distilling, Jean-Marc focuses on two things: purity and authenticity. When asked, he says it is of paramount importance that the end product tastes like the fruit. It seems obvious, perhaps, but this is not always the case with overly saccharine fruit-based liqueurs. In order to achieve these two things, Jean-Marc has reduced the sugar levels over time – from 180g/l sugar 10 years ago to 160g/l in the latest iterations. “Sugar is of course a flattering element in a liqueur, but it can also mask the fruit,” he says. “By lowering the sugar levels, I feel like I'm putting the fruit forward.” From more classic pear and raspberry to the most recent addition, lemon liqueur, Jean-Marc says the fruit choices have largely been emotive. “I chose to make a pear alcohol since my father already made this 40 years ago with fruits from the Hautes Côtes de Beaune,” he says. “He was doing the same thing in a much smaller amount with the raspberry than I am doing. For these two fruits in brandies, it is therefore a family tradition.” The pears are sourced from the same site in the Hautes Côtes de Beaune that his father used, while the apricots (previously from the orchards of Chave) come courtesy of Laurent Combier (of Domaine Combier) in the Rhône. While he used to be able to source them locally, raspberries are now hard to find – and these, along with his lemons, come from further afield (Bulgaria and Sicily, respectively). After finding the bottles of apricot liqueur and working with the fruit in that capacity, the idea occurred to Jean-Marc to ferment them to make brandy as well. He’s also turned his hand to lemon liqueur and doesn’t rule out further fruit experimentation, perhaps with grapefruit. When asked about these fruits in relation to terroir, Jean-Marc says he doesn’t think they can reflect their terroir “as well” or “as faithfully” as grapes. “Perhaps this is due to the size of the plant, the density of planting, the attention we pay to the work of the vineyard and all the care we take around the grape when it comes back to the winery,” he adds. “There is generally a ‘signature’ effect in grapes that I do not find in a fruit like pear for example.”  He does, however, think the distillation process has taught him a considerable amount. “As we are mainly winegrowers, we seem to think that our knowledge on this subject has influenced the work on the still, but I sincerely believe that the precision that distillation requires has influenced us in the other direction, towards our work as a winegrower.” One senses Jean-Marc’s discovery of those 12 unassuming bottles all those years ago had a much greater impact on him than merely influencing his production of superlative wines, and now, his fruit brandies, eaux de vie and liqueurs. Find out more about Domaine Roulot or read more Editorial

Meursault-based Domaine Roulot is one of the finest estates in the Côte de Beaune. But it’s not just grapes that cross the threshold at this domaine. Owner and winemaker Jean-Marc tells us about the family’s fruit-based spirits – and how they’ve influenced his winemaking

The famous Meursault vigneron Domaine Roulot on his family’s other project - the family’s fruit-based spirit

Domaine Roulot Meursault fruit-based spirits

A secret still: Domaine Roulot

Oak barrels have been used in winemaking for thousands of years. While initially their purpose was simply as a holding vessel, today it is much more than this. As we have learnt about wine production at a molecular level, we have discovered the unique interaction between oak and wine – adding flavour, textural complexity and increased ageing potential. These intrinsic qualities have seen oak at the forefront of fine wine’s greatest success stories – but also some of its greatest failures. The use of oak to improve a wine requires great skill and finding that balance has shaped the modern history of fine wine.  What is rather beautiful about winemaking, particularly in fine wine circles, is that despite the input from developments in science and technology, production remains an artisan craft, relying both on tradition and technology. The barrel-maker is a perfect example of this partnership and no one understands this better than François Frères. This lauded Burgundy cooper’s ties to the world’s greatest wines make it one of a very small number that have lived through the development and fashions within fine wine.  Today, business has never been better for François Frères; they produce 30,000 barrels a year and export to every major wine region in the world. The secret to the François Frères barrels historically, Gigandet believes, is their consistency, while the all-important signature toasting is paramount. To keep up with the ever-growing world of fine wine, François Frères produces tailor-made barrels that fit the varying climates and varying styles of each winemaker, meeting the standards set by today’s precision-led winemaking. Despite the growth of the business in recent years, François Frères still remains intrinsically linked to its homeland in Burgundy and the specific microclimate of Saint-Romain that is so important for the seasoning of their oak – another key factor behind the company’s success. “The microclimate of Saint-Romain, in a windy and pollution-free environment is ideal for the seasoning and drying of the oak. This oxidation of phenolic compounds under the influence of fungi, releases enzymes that hydrolyse the phenolic compounds, reducing the wood’s astringency, producing oak of the finest quality for wine production,” Gigandet tells me. The art of the cooper is much more than just sawing and toasting – it’s about sourcing, traceability, control of drying time and heating, hygiene, temperature control, sorting and more. With increased knowledge, the quality of the barrels, like that of the wines, has greatly improved. Even just a few years ago, Gigandet admits that in colder Burgundy vintages, sometimes their barrels jarred with the wine – they “brought too much tension and could sometimes seem too austere”. But now they have a better understanding of the qualities their barrels can bring to Burgundy: “François Frères barrels remain attractive to winemakers because they are great at retaining freshness and minerality.” Perhaps most importantly, François Frères wants its barrels to amplify a wine’s intrinsic qualities. “It wants to accentuate the beautiful tannic structure of a wine, contribute to its flavour but without excess of sweetness from the toasting, as well as amplifying the wine's tension and minerality, helping retain its freshness and its fruit,” Gigandet says. As technology has developed, so has François Frères. It is what Gigandet aptly calls “the evolution of taste” – “the cask has evolved considerably over the last few decades along with the quality of the wines. Today, the barrel is much more specific, manufacturing almost tailor-made barrels for each customer’s needs.” The business was founded by Joseph François in the early 1900s, never imagining that being a cooper would become a full-time job. Back then, Gigandet reminds us, “It took several trades to live.” But the next generation, Robert and Henri François, saw the demand for oak casks rise, at that time mainly used to transport wines. They took the operation full-time, creating the François Frères brand in 1942. In those days, as Gigandet points out, “The tradition of maturing wines in barrels was reserved only for the very top red and white wines of Burgundy and the great Bordeaux châeaux.” Even within these regions, barrels were a luxury, re-used year after year given their expense, therefore keeping the demand for new barrels low. By the 1960s the brothers were met by the development of stainless steel and plastic containers. The barrel quickly lost it supremacy as the preferred vessel for transportation and demand plummeted. It was only the top producers that helped keep the cooperage going. By the 1970s François Frères was producing barrels for one of the world’s most famous estates, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti – a partnership that would be instrumental in the continuation of the business through a difficult period. The next generation – Robert's son, Jean – was confronted by the economic downturn of the early 1970s and turned to export to save the family business. Fortuitously at this time, oenologists in the United States started to highlight how ageing wines in new oak barrels brought complementary flavours and complexity to the wines. In the 1980s, the French market caught onto the idea and both export and domestic markets grew. The oak barrel was entering an era where it would become the star of the show – and a must for all top producers. François Frères’s reputation for working with the best saw it perfectly placed to capitalise on this new-found love for the barrel. But according to Gigandet, it wasn’t just the fashion of using new oak in the 1980s and ’90s that saw such a huge increase in demand. This trend emerged just as wine exports exploded. What he calls “the democratisation of wine” saw the world of wine suddenly open up to the middle classes – and this increase in sales saw an ever-increasing need to maintain quality and improve consistency. Such demand prompted and funded a better scientific and technological understanding of wine production. More importantly for François Frères, it fuelled the need for a better understanding of what barrel-ageing does to wine – and why. It was already clear that contact with new oak changed wine profoundly. Most obviously the aromas and flavours of the wine develop, becoming more complex. These aromas and flavours are formed during the toasting of the barrels. “It is this toasting of the barrel that remains the signature of the cooper,” explains Gigandet. But the oak didn’t just impact the flavour, they came to understand that, being porous, oak allowed the wine to undergo “controlled oxygenation”. The exchange of air through the oak staves, in particular for red wines, helps stabilise the colour and polymerise the tannins. This polymerisation not only softens the wine, but brings a textural complexity, a millefeuille layering of mouth-feel brought about by the linking of long tannin chains, encouraged by the micro-oxygenation process that the wine goes through when aged in oak barrel. “François Frères barrels are ageing tools, which contribute to the textural improvement of wines, when used wisely,” Gigandet explains. As the wine world’s love of oak grew, François Frères’ main export customers went from little-known names to pioneers in their respective regions – with Robert Mondavi in the US, Angelo Gaja in Italy, Nicolas Catena in Argentina and Australia’s Rosemount winery. Each of these producers further cemented the cooper’s reputation, representing the very pinnacle of oak barrel production. Of course, like all fashions, the oak craze of the ’90s saw some extreme uses – 200% new oak ageing or an over-reliance on oak to provide flavour to wines that lacked the natural concentration to carry it. This saw many producers and consumers react strongly against its presence in wine at all. Even Gigandet admits that there are wines with “excess woodiness” to their detriment. Today, the barrel also has to compete with new trends in wine maturation – concrete eggs and clay amphorae, for instance. But while these new vessels have captured the imagination of the world’s top winemakers, it is not necessarily at the expense of the barrel. “The barrel has an important oenological role in the development of wines from certain grape varieties,” states Gigandet – notably Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah and Pinot Noir. But he also outlines how different ageing vessels combined can also benefit a wine’s potential for complexity. This is certainly the case amongst some leading producers in Bordeaux and Burgundy that are using both oak barrels and alternative ageing vessels. Coopers like François Frères have weathered the changing relationship wine has had with the barrel; with shifting views of critics and drinkers over the last century. Fortunately for fine wine lovers, there’s little sign of oak fading into the background. Oak remains a vital ingredient in many of the world’s greatest wines, adding to its flavour, textural complexity and – of course – ageing potential. Today oak has never been so deftly handled, bringing so much to a wine, while retaining the grapes’ natural expression. The art of the cooper lives on. Read more Editorial 

Oak has played a vital role in the changing history of fine wine. In 2021 we spoke to Max Gigandet – Managing Director of leading Burgundy cooper François Frères – to explore the power of a good barrel and why oak isn’t going anywhere

Exploring the vital role oak has played in the changing history of fine wine and the power of a good barrel with François Frères

François Frères on the art of the cooper

Finding the balance: the art of the cooper

The latest from Latour In the wake of last week’s launch of the 2016 vintage of the First Growth’s third wine, Pauillac de Latour, the Pauillac powerhouse will be releasing the 2013 vintage of the Grand Vin, as well as 2015 Les Forts de Latour, its second wine. The 2013 is only the second vintage of the Grand Vin that the property has released since it moved away from en primeur – and there’s no doubt, despite the vintage’s sometimes maligned reputation, that this is going to be highly sought-after. New from Champagne March brings with it a bounty of fine fizz releases. Top of our wish-list are the new wines from Henri Giraud – a House that produces small volumes of outstanding, terroir-driven wines, almost all of which are oak-fermented (and is, for that reason, often compared favourably to Krug). We’ll see the latest release of its multi-vintage cuvée (described by Jancis Robinson MW as “a sort of Montrachet of Champagne”) and the new, 2013 vintage of their top wine, Argonne. Keep an eye out also for 2007 Bollinger R.D. and Pol Roger’s 2012 Sir Winston Churchill.  Single-farm spirits The unfailingly modish and exciting Irish distillery Waterford has been making waves in recent weeks, having scientifically proven terroir’s influence in whisky. This month will see the latest spirits from the Irish distillery released – two single-farm single malts that offer a chance for you to explore the concept yourself. One comes from Hook Head – a site on the southern coast with clay-loam soils, while the other hails from Lakefield, with deep loam soils in County Laois. Burgundy There are still a few 2019s emerging from the Côte d’Or – including wines from Domaine des Lambrays and Le Grappin. Clos des Lambrays was a stand-out from our trip in October last year, while Aussie Andrew Nielsen’s Le Grappin wines (a darling of London’s restaurant scene) offer brilliant value year in, year out. The 2021 collection from Maison Leroy has almost entirely sold out, however we’ll also see the latest releases from the rest of Lalou Bize-Leroy’s empire – Domaine Leroy and Domaine d’Auvenay. Available, as ever, in tiny volumes, these are some of the world’s most collectable wines, and unmissable for Burgundy aficionados. Italian icons After a series of superlative 2016s from Brunello, Tuscany is on the mind. While Castello di Ama’s 2017 San Lorenzo is already available, the 2018 vintage of the Chianti Classico property’s flagship wine, L’Apparita, will be released in the coming weeks. Tasting through a selection of the range with our team, CEO Lorenza Sebasti told us that she and winemaker Marco Pallanti feel it’s “the best we’ve ever made”. We’ll also see the new vintage of Ornellaia’s entry-level bottling – Le Volte dell’Ornellaia, which provides an affordable and earlier-drinking taste of this Super Tuscan estate, ahead of the release of Ornellaia “proper” in April.

A new month brings another flurry of fine wine and spirits releases. While Bordeaux en primeur is on the horizon, March sees new vintages from Latour and the Grandes Marques, as well as releases from Tuscany, Burgundy and Ireland’s most exciting distillery: here’s our pick of the bunch

A new month brings another flurry of fine wine and spirits releases. Here, we pick the best of the bunch – from Latour, Castello di Ama, Waterford and more 

The wines and spirits to look out for this March

What to look out for this March

The constant tension in wine is between art and science; the best winemakers managing to toe the line between the two to create something that can be inspirational. This relationship is most tangibly expressed on the labels of the world’s most iconic wines, with the likes of Ch. Mouton Rothschild, Leeuwin Estate or Domaine de Trévallon bearing specifically commissioned works. But at Castello di Ama, art is much more than an aesthetic afterthought; it is entwined with the very substance of the forward-thinking Chianti Classico estate. While the property has a long history – its hilltop location praised for the quality of its wines as long ago as the 18th century – the most recent chapter in Castello di Ama’s tale starts in the 1970s, when four friends identified the potential of the abandoned hamlet. It was, however, the arrival of Marco Pallanti in 1982, and then with current CEO Lorenza Sebasti in 1993 – daughter of Lionello Sebasti, one of the founding four – that proved pivotal. Together this duo has drawn equally on the worlds of art and science to thrust the estate to the forefront of Italy’s winemaking scene. When Pallanti arrived, fresh from his studies in Bordeaux, the cellar had been built, the vineyards established. The winery was remarkable for Tuscany – flush with stainless steel and temperature-control technology, lightyears ahead when much of Italy (and Europe) was still making wine in the same way their grandparents and great-grandparents had. The vineyards, however, needed work, planted at low densities and on overly vigorous rootstock. Pallanti gradually transformed the vineyards, switching them over to the lyre system – an open trellis that allowed more exposure for the fruit and fuller ripening, tweaking the varieties planted and using only the finest fruit in the cellar.  While the winery has all the latest gadgetry, there are no hard and fast rules for Pallanti – it’s all about having the option to tailor his winemaking to each cuvée. This palette of possibilities is a luxury of being, in his words, a “pedestrian winemaker” – being amongst the vines and barrels all year round, able to respond and adapt accordingly. “I’m not a consultant… I have the possibility to taste the berry, taste during the ageing and can decide step by step,” he explains. In many ways science allows him the luxury of playing the artist – armed with the knowledge and tools to craft each wine. Over four decades at the estate for Pallanti, and almost 30 years for Sebasti, one thing remains consistent: the importance of their role as “guardians” of Castello di Ama. “I never follow the fashion,” Marco Pallanti tells me. “It’s not about changing vats, or using another kind of temperature, or ageing more or less in barrels… but truly having more and more spiritual identity of the vines. This strong personality – this is what we have to keep. This is a gift.” In search of this spiritual identity, Pallanti has adapted his oak usage over the years – and how he talks about it, placing more emphasis on size rather than origin. At first he worked with big casks, of 20 to 40 hectolitres, but as the wines gained in body, they could support small casks – something which he feels is important for the stabilisation of colour. His aim, however, is never for the oak to be too present; in fact, over the last decade, the portion of new oak used at the estate has been halved, as he seeks to unmask the fruit and its terroir. Their responsibility is not to fads or fashions, but to the soul of this special site. Sebasti and Pallanti (previously married) have always loved modern art – but the inspiration for Castello di Ama’s remarkable project was the restoration of its cellars in 1998-99. Stripping it of concrete and artificial lighting, there was a huge wall just as you entered the winery with a line of large casks no longer in use. The duo felt intensely that they needed to get rid of them. “It didn’t show how we feel about the wine and the winemaking,” Sebasti explains. “Looking at this space, we both dreamed… this is a great space for a contemporary art sculpture.” They had recently been to see a Michelangelo Pistoletto show, and they thought maybe they could invite him to create something. He did just that, finishing his work L’Albero di Ama in 2000.  Since then, 15 artists – including Anish Kapoor – have produced pieces of art that are now part of the estate, gradually infiltrating the gardens, vineyards and winery. Initially the works were commissioned via the influential Galleria Continua, but since 2015 Philip Larratt-Smith has been in charge of curating the collection. The most recent addition, by Miroslaw Balka, was conceived over nine visits, with the Polish artist spending more than two months in total at the property. But every single artist visits Ama – the artwork inspired by the place and its wines, the finished pieces eventually returning to inspire Sebasti and Pallanti in their own art. “I believe our pieces of art can explain my wine better than me,” Pallanti says.  “Our dream has been to develop this collection,” Sebasti explains. “All the artists that we have met, they fall in love with the place… [They] get inspired by the story, by the history, the real methodology of our winemaking, that we don’t produce only from our vines. Somehow the art of wine and the art itself, they can have a dialogue.” That dialogue sparked the creation of Haiku, Ama’s other Super Tuscan – a blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet Franc and Merlot. Daniel Buren’s Sulle Vigne: Punti di Vista consists of a mirrored wall, two metres high and 25 metres long, that stretches along the edge of their San Lorenzo vineyard, offering five different windows, or five different impressions, of the same site. “So strong, so powerful… it’s about wine, art, history, landscape – everything is there,” Sebasti says of the work. It was standing in front of this impressive installation that Pallanti was inspired to make Haiku, a wine which he sees as an alter ego of the estate.  These remarkable contemporary sculptures are scattered around the hilltop site, providing a dramatic contrast to the original 16th century buildings – and a neat reflection of the estate’s philosophy. “We have this grafting with the new, with the rootstock of the past,” Sebasti says. “We work in a traditional place, with traditional varieties, but for the new world, for the consumer of today.”  The latest installation will be revealed later this year, 22 years after the first piece was commissioned for the collection. “As human beings, we all live with art,” Sebasti says. “If we can bring art into everyday life, it’s a great strength.” Combining respect for their history with the latest technology, she and Pallanti are forging a path ahead, artfully curating the story, and soul, of this extraordinary estate. Explore all listings from Castello di Ama or browse more Editorial

In amongst the vines and 16th century buildings at Castello di Ama, you’ll discover striking modern sculpture. Disruptive and disarming, the art and wine of this Chianti Classico estate is at the cutting edge. Sophie Thorpe spoke to CEO Lorenza Sebasti and winemaker Marco Pallanti to find out more

Exploring the sculpture and art collection at cutting-edge Chianti Classico wine estate Castello di Ama with CEO Lorenza Sebasti and winemaker Marco Pallanti

Castello di Ama's art and soul 

Art and soul: Castello di Ama

The spirits market is booming. In October 2019, a bottle of 1926 Macallan FINE+RARE 60-Year Old became the most expensive bottle (of either wine or spirits) ever sold at auction in the world, going for £1.5 million – £300,000 more than the same whisky had sold for a year before.  That record may not have been broken yet, but it’s likely only a matter of time. There was a 33.37% increase in the volume of single malt Scotch whisky sold at auction in 2019, with 143,895 bottles sold, worth close to £58 million – a 41.54% increase on 2018. Over the last 10 years, rare whisky has outperformed every other alternative luxury asset, with 353% growth to 2020 Q2. “The rare whisky market has performed phenomenally well over the last decade, outperforming many other categories. We’ve seen growing demand in premium whisky from clients globally,” says Craig Norton, our Managing Director for the UK and Ireland. In five years, we’ve seen the number of spirits buyers rise by 601%, with spirits sales in the same timeframe growing by 698%.  It’s an exciting time for whisky, with a growing international audience as Scotch whisky exports rise (105% in the last 10 years), especially in developing markets like China (up 323% in 10 years). There are also an increasing number of younger consumers diving into the category nose-first; Sotheby’s first online spirits auction last year saw 42% of buyers aged under 40.  The market has so far been dominated by a handful of the biggest names in single malt Scotch, with The Macallan representing an astonishing 40% of the market by value; however
Japanese whisky isn’t far behind. A bottle of 55-year-old Yamazaki sold for HK$6.2 million (US$795,000) in August last year, setting a new record for the category.  The now-closed Karuizawa has become a cult name among collectors, and had something of a halo effect, as our Head of Spirits David Walters said, “Japanese whisky is still going crazy. We sold the Karuizawa Pearl Geisha 37 Year Old (56.9%) pre-release for £12,500 in bond; just a year later it was going for £24,800. The most expensive single bottle of whisky we’ve sold was a Yamazaki 50-year-old (2011 release), for £170,000.” The last two to three years has, however, seen a shift, with a new focus and interest on not buying just bottles but whole barrels or casks. “The ability to personalise or customise single cask bottling has proven extremely appealing to clients,” Norton says, “However, it’s not simple. Barriers can be a lack of understanding of value, the process of maturation or
reselling, or gaining access to the market.”  “The challenge can be guaranteeing provenance,” explains Walters. “Our preference is always to work directly with the distillery.” The IWSR estimates the value of the Scotch whisky cask market at $40 million – and forecasts a trend for cask sales in other categories, such as Bourbon, rum and other US whiskey. While occasionally we see more mature casks (such as a mature Macallan Sherry butt we sold last year, for £600,000), it is more common to see casks as futures, much like en primeur.  Given the long-term timeframe for producing fine whisky, with the first product often not released for five or 10 years, cask sales have fast become a way for the rising number of new distilleries to build revenue in their early years. It is rare for casks to be sold after the first year of production, however, making them a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get in on a new distillery – one that may just be the next big thing. It’s this excitement, Walters says, that should attract buyers who are also in it for the journey. Naturally, “founders’ casks” – as they are known – are finite in supply, adding to their appeal for collectors. The spirits market remains dominated by single malt Scotch – with Brora, Karuizawa, Dalmore, Bowmore and Springbank amongst the most collected names – but consumers are branching out. “We’re beginning to see collectors diversify their portfolios,” says Walters, “discovering premium and collectable rums.” He highlights the popularity of Caroni – a Trinidad distillery, no longer in production, that has parallels with Karuizawa – and Hampden, in particular. Fortunately, Covid seems to be having little impact on sales. Even in the last year, the
market has seen 12% growth; as Knight Frank reports, “Anecdotally, drinkable investment classes have always down well in a downturn, perhaps as their owners have looked to drown their sorrows.” In fact, IWSR data shows that “between 2008 and 2012, global prestige-plus
spirits (generally $100+) grew 82% in volume, and almost 230% in value, [reinforcing]
the resilience of high-end spirits after economic challenges”. Nevertheless, our advice is always to buy only what you are prepared to drink – a worst-case scenario that few wine or spirits lovers find much of a burden. Browse all whiskies or read more Editorial

The spirits market has seen a decade of astounding performance – but what is happening, and what should you be looking to buy? 

The spirits market is booming. We take a closer look at the spirits market and explore what is happening, and what should you be looking to buy 

Marcel Lapierre

Please wait

Marcel Lapierre

Filter

Please wait

Related articles