The Winery Christian Martin of Mâconnais of Burgundy

A couple of weeks ago, I was looking up at some terraced vineyards in St-Joseph with an Australian friend. He remarked that he’d never seen a steep vineyard like this in his home country. Who could afford to rip out the trees, build the access roads, construct the terraces, and plant the vines, without being certain beforehand that the resulting wine could be sold at prices high enough to recoup the investment? It might not be the most romantic way of looking at it. But that’s the modern reality ...

In his Rhône 2020 vintage report Matt Walls found fresh, vibrant and deliciously drinkable wines across the Northern and Southern appellations, with many wines being approachable now. Given that many wines won’t last as long as previous vintages such as 2016, 2017 and 2019, this could make the 2020s great value picks for immediate drinking. Scroll down to see Matt’s best-value Rhône 2020 tasting notes and scores Walls noted that this is the freshest vintage for whites since 2014, so lovers ...

Establishing a vineyard isn’t something you just rush into these days. Identifying the right site, carrying out soil analysis, selecting suitable rootstocks and varieties, procuring equipment… We’ve made a lot of progress in the past 80 years. But perhaps we overthink such things. Some estates, such as Domaine Font de Courtedune, have grown organically, with major decisions often being made for practical, rather than stylistic, reasons. And the results, from Côtes-du-Rhône to Châteauneuf-du-Pape ...