It's been a memorable year wine wise. Editor Dean sent me to cover the launch of the 2022 Domaine de Romanée-Conti. I was worried that this most famous of wines might disappoint, but the opulent vintage vastly exceeded my expectations. Then there was the Berry Bros. & Rudd 2005 Bordeaux retrospective with Latour, Lafite, Haut-Brion, Mouton Rothschild and Cheval Blanc. Other highlights included Quinta do Noval Nacional 2000, and Gusbourne 51 Degrees North 2016 and Nyetimber 1086 2010, which came second and first at the Battle of the Bubbles at the London Wine Fair. Oh, and Chave Hermitage courtesy of Yapp Bros. But for my top ten I'm going to ignore all these icons and pick some wines that I might actually buy.
So here we go.
10. Sugrue South Downs Dear Noodles 2023
First off, a dark rosé from the Don Corleone of English wine, Dermot Sugrue, who is now flying solo and clearly loving it. This is a blend of Pinot Noir and Meunier from various vineyards in Sussex. It's a deeply coloured, meaty wine with notes of strawberry, orange peel and herbs which becomes more red wine-like the longer it's open. It's a hell of a long way from Provence and all the better for it.
9. Basilisco Basilicata Sophia Vino Bianco 2021
I tasted this at Feudi di San Gregorio when I was on assignment for The Buyer covering their project to resurrect the wine of ancient Pompeii. This white is 100% Fiano and comes from their outpost in Basilicata. Aged in a mixture of amphora and old oak, it's everything I want in a white wine: nutty, creamy, textured and laden with stone fruit and lemon peel. Absolutely sensational!
8. Taylor's Vargellas 2015
First of all, the conflict of interest flag: Taylor's sponsored the first season of Intoxicating History (a new Christmas special has just landed). Now I've got that out of the way, I'll say that sponsorship or no sponsorship, this is an exceptional wine. To begin with, it's the red fruit and violet character that stands out. Over time it develops cherry, chocolate, almost Sachertorte-type flavours, always with that freshness. The price is frankly ludicrous for a wine of this quality.
7. Bandol: Mas de la Rouvière Rouge 2020
I love Bandol but it's usually expensive and needs plenty of age, so I was delighted to try this one from Yapp Bros. Whilst the colour is a little paler than I expected, the nose is pure Mourvèdre heaven, like spicy Italian sausages. The tannins are still firm but not rustic at all, and there's lots of thyme, rosemary and other aromatic notes.
6. Olga Raffault Chinon Les Picasses 2020
This wine stood out in an understated way at a recent Loire event hosted by Rebecca Gibb MW. With its leather, baking spice and slightly stewed fruit quality, it tastes a bit like a soft old Médoc. There are no rough edges; everything is absolutely à point. It's not going to get big scores in blind tasting. Instead, it's the perfect wine to share over a steak and kidney pie.
5. Yalumba The Signature 2015
Lunch with Yalumba at Hunan in Chelsea was one of the highlights of the year. Amongst a stellar line-up, this really stood out. It has a lovely perfumed, minty quality, still so young but already showing well. First-class Australian claret. The 2022 was excellent too, especially as Majestic currently have it for around £33.
4. Balfour Signature Pinot Noir 2022
In all the excitement about Essex, it's easy to forget that Fergus Elias at Balfour has been making great reds in Kent for years, and this Signature bottling is his best yet. It is a selection of the nine best barrels from the Springfield vineyard. The fruit is so ripe that it smells like it could be from Austria, whilst the tannins are fine and polished. This might be the best Pinot Noir in England.
3. Evening Land Vineyards Chardonnay Summum Seven Springs Vineyard 2022
I don't drink a lot of wine from Oregon, but tasting this made me realise what I've been missing out on. There's a quite extraordinary citrus intensity here with notes of fresh lime and grapefruit marmalade. But unlike some upmarket Chardonnays from Australia, for example, there's a breadth here as well, with hazelnut and even a little toffee.
2. Domaine Moulin La Viguerie Tavel Postérité 70 2023
Quite a few of my favourite wines this year were dark rosés from France and Italy, and this gift from a friend was the top of the heap. Mainly made from Grenache, it's an outrageous wine, hugely aromatic with woody, spicy notes, candied fruit: like a light red Burgundy kissed with the warmth of the south.
1. Breaky Bottom Seyval Blanc Cuvée Marraine Pooks 2016
This was already one of my favourite sparkling wines of the year, but Peter Hall's sad death makes it especially memorable. It's the classic Breaky Bottom Seyval Blanc: lean green apple notes and a firm acidity balanced by almond croissant notes. If you want to know what all the fuss is about, this is the place to start.
Henry Jeffreys is the author of Vines in a Cold Climate: The People Behind the English Wine Revolution and presents the Intoxicating History podcast with Tom Parker Bowles.
