Decanter Scores Pazo Barrantes Albariño

A team of Spanish experts tasted through 137 Albariño wines and rated Pazo Barrantes and La Comtesse in the top 10. See below notes from the judges.

Pazo Barrantes 2020 – 95 Points
The lovely Pazo Barrantes estate has been the home of the Creixell family since the 15th century. (They also own the Castillo Ygay estate in Rioja, with its Marqués de Murrieta wines.) Its 12ha of vineyards were replanted in 1982, and the winery opened in 1991. This wine spends two months on lees; 85% is then aged in stainless steel for seven months and 15% in 225L acacia wood barrels. It spends 16 months in bottle before release.

Sarah Jane Evans MW: Opulent and perfumed with golden fruit. The palate is bold and intense with ripe fruit subdued by the oak, giving richness. A complex and individual wine.

La Comtesse de Pazo Barrantes 2018 – 94 Points
Smoky oak, quince and citrus make an appealing combination on the nose. Youthful palate despite its years, showing lemon curd, patisserie and rich fruit conserve. Finishes long, with structure that will allow further ageing.

Rapaura & Castiglion del Bosco Score Gold at DWWA

Rapaura Springs and Castiglion del Bosco have won gold at The Decanter World Wine Awards.

Rapaura’s Bull Paddock Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc is the equal highest scoring New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc and the highest scoring Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc at 96 points. “Sumptuous peach, guava, lemon and lime with a lift of fresh herbs; intense and complex with a satin touch and a mouth-watering acidity. Long and delicious.”

Castiglion del Bosco’s Brunello Campo del Drago 2018 won gold with 96 points. “Red and black cherry with plum sauce and rich, powerful, crunchy fruit. Full body and fine grained tannins, long and much youth to evolve further”. Their 2018 Brunello di Montalcino is also one of the ‘Editors’ picks’ for June. “The freshness of the vintage singing from the glass, with finesse, aromatic intensity, and classic Sangiovese”.

The Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA) is the world’s largest and most influential wine competition. Respected globally for its rigorous judging process and world-class judges – a fantastic achievement for The Bulls Paddock Sauvignon Blanc and Campo del Drago Brunello.

M’hammed Kilito wins the 2023 Louis Roederer Photography Prize for Sustainability

It is with great delight following an award event at London’s Nobu Hotel Portman Square that we can announce the winner of the Louis Roederer Photography Prize for Sustainability’s second edition. The theme this year is ‘Flow’ that represents circulation and exchange, and in our context, the constant dynamic between nature and people and illustrates the tension existing between them.

The submitted works were judged by an internationally renowned panel of judges comprising Alan Lo, Audrey Bazin, Azu Nwagbogu, Brandei Estes, Darius Sanai, Maria Sukkar, Maryam Eisler, Nadja Swarovski and Sophie Neuendorf.

Many congratulations to the winning photographer, M’Hammed Kilito for his captivating series entitled ‘Before Its Gone’. His series is an ongoing long-term project that documents life in oases with a focus on the complex and multidimensional issues of oasis degradation in Morocco and its impact on their inhabitants. Over the past few years, he has visited many oases, where he has made strong connections with their inhabitants. He was able to understand this rich environment whose water is the vital element in the genesis of oases and their biodiversity, but also its glaring realities: desertification, recurrent droughts and fires, changes in agricultural practices, overexploitation of natural resources, rural exodus, and the sharp drop in the water table are all imminent threats to the existence of oases.

M’Hammed Kilito is a documentary photographer and a National Geographic explorer based in Casablanca, Morocco. His practice focuses on the relationship between groups or individuals and their environments. His works capture narratives that facilitate an understanding of this relationship, covering issues related to cultural identity, the sociology of work, and climate change.

Darius Sanai, chair of the panel of judges, commented: “Humans lived in a sustainable way for centuries before the industrial revolution, and the ancient oases of North Africa are a testament to this. M’Hammed Kilito’s works tell the story of the beauty, history, and perilous present of these oases, binding together human imperatives, a stark highly artistic documentary photographic style, and a commentary on the damage we are causing, all in the context of this year’s theme of Flow. He is a very worthy winner in a very strong field.”

Frédéric Rouzaud, CEO of Champagne Louis Roederer and the President of the Louis Roederer Foundation awarded M’Hammed Kilito with the first prize and he will receive £7,500 to continue funding his projects.

The two runners up are Hengki Koentjoro and Yasuhiro Ogaya who were also highly praised by the judges for their interpretations of the theme.

A selection of the works of the three finalists are currently being exhibited at The White Box, Nobu Hotel Portman Square until the 31st May 2023.

Photo credit to Vladimir Gheorghiu

To see his winning photographs click here

The Louis Roederer Photography Prize for Sustainability 2023 shortlisted artists are announced.

We are delighted to announce the second edition of the Louis Roederer Photography Prize for Sustainability.

The prize, created to benefit photographers and raise awareness around key issues in sustainability, has gained a significant reputation and following in the photography and art world since its launch in 2022.

The theme of this year’s prize is ‘Flow’. Flow represents circulation and exchange, and in our context, the constant dynamic between nature and people. The relationship that ties people to their environment and the circular interaction with nature and life forces. This reciprocal motion highlights the need to receive according to our needs and give to the extent of our capacities. Flow also illustrates the tension existing between people and nature: immersed yet separated from it, somehow master yet dependent on it.

This year, twenty-six photographers competed for the prize, chosen by thirteen nominators, who were selected by our panel of judges. The panel consists of seven respected collectors and arbiters of the art scene, spanning Hong Kong, Singapore, Lagos, Paris, Berlin, Madrid, London and New York.

We are delighted to announce the six shortlisted photographers for this year’s prize:

Anastasia Samoylova (Miami)
Azadeh Ghotbi (London)
Dafna Talmor (London)
Hengki Koentjoro (Jakarta)
M’hammed Kilito (Casablanca)
Yasuhiro Ogawa (Tokyo)

To see their works please click here

Champagne Louis Roederer releases “Hommage à Camille” 2020

“Hommage à Camille” 2020
The new vintage of Louis Roederer’s single-vineyard still wines
completes a trilogy of historic vintages

Following on from the 2018 and 2019 vintages, Camille Charmont 2020 red and Camille Volibarts
2020 white are the fruit of harvests described as “supernatural” by Cellar Master Jean-Baptiste
Lécaillon, given the exceptional weather conditions.

The third opus of Louis Roederer’s single-vineyard still wines is therefore entirely in keeping
with its two predecessors, creating a landmark trilogy.

“Hommage à Camille”
Camille Olry-Roederer took over the reins at Louis Roederer on the death of her husband, Léon Olry-Roederer, in 1932, and remained at the helm until 1975. Thanks to her bright personality, vital energy and exceptional tenacity, this remarkable lady was able to modernise the Champagne House and successfully steer it through all the important events of that era. When she invited her most loyal customers to dine with her, this tremendously elegant lady liked to surprise them by serving them the still wines from some of Louis Roederer’s finest vineyards.

With the creation of this collection of Coteaux Champenois wines, her great-grandson and CEO of Louis Roederer, Frédéric Rouzaud, wanted to pay homage to this influential figure in the history of his family and of the Champagne House.

Through these two single-vineyard, single-varietal wines, Louis Roederer is able to use all its
winemaking expertise to explore new taste territories and reveal other facets of its creativity.

In 2020, Roederer’s audacity and freedom of action, combined with natural and sustainable viticulture (which Louis Roederer has been engaged in for over 20 years) and bespoke vinification, have once again resulted in a vintage like no other.

Camille Charmont 2020 (100% Pinot noir from a 0.43-hectare plot in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ) reveals a complex and magical nose and a silky smooth palate. The chalky freshness of the Champagne region provides Camille Charmont 2020 with a power that is at once bright, delicate, saline and velvety.

The soul of Camille Volibarts 2020 (from a 0.55-hectare plot of old Chardonnay vines in Mesnil-sur-Oger) is distinctly mineral, fresh and chalky. On tasting, the oaky notes subtly interwoven into the wine’s aromas create an impression of a noble and delicious reduction.

“Hommage à Camille” 2020: two great wines that are truly exceptional in terms of their freshness,
concentration and excellent cellar-ageing potential

©Louis Roederer / Emmanuel&Quentin

Louis Roederer nominated World’s Most Admired Champagne Brand 4th year in a row

Champagne Louis Roederer are humbled to have been awarded the Drinks International ‘World’s Most Admired Champagne Brand 2023′ for an unprecedented fourth year in a row in recognition of the pioneering work they continue to do in the vineyards and in the cellars.

As Giles Fallowfield noted, thanks to CEO Frédéric Rouzaud, 7th generation of the Roederer family, and chef de cave Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon “it’s no exaggeration to say that Roederer, under their combined stewardship, has been at the forefront of addressing the many issues thrown up by the challenge of adapting to climate change”.

Indeed Frédéric Rouzaud believes that “if you are not in perpetual motion, each stagnation has an impact that is magnified over time. We must constantly be thinking in terms of sustainable, long-term innovation”.

The survey to establish the World’s Most Admired Champagne Brand was done by a panel of industry experts. Many of the world’s leading sommeliers, retail buyers, wholesalers, bar managers, Masters of Wine, elite bartenders and specialist wine writes were polled. They were asked to consider quality and consistency, the strength of the branding and marketing, the price-to-quality ratio, how much they respect and admire the champagne house, and how strong the brand is in relation to its peers.

For the full announcement please see the Drinks International report here

Pio Cesare 2019 Vintage Report

We are delighted to share the 2019 vintage report and wine reviews from famed Barolo and Barbaresco producer Pio Cesare. The Barolos and Barbarescos 2019 will be released in the UK in late April 2023. Please get in touch with your sales manager or with Valeria Maffeis on valeria.maffeis@mmdltd.co.uk to find out about our pre-release offer starting this month!

2019 VINTAGE REPORT

2019 is a very traditional vintage, characterised by good weather conditions throughout the growing season, excellent quality of the fruit and wines of great ageing potential. A very cold and dry winter was followed by high rainfall in March and April ensuring abundant water reserves in the soil.

May was characterised by unstable weather and cooler than average temperatures, leading to a delay in the vegetative growth of about 15 days compared to recent years, in line, however, with a more traditional trend for the Langhe region. The summer was characterised by milder weather than in recent years with average temperatures in the normal range and isolated heat peaks during late June and July.

June was warm, with temperatures above average only during the last ten days of the month and the first ten days of July. The warm weather, along with abundant water reserves in the soil, favoured lush vegetative development, a fundamental basis for perfect grape ripening. The second half of July was characterised by milder than average temperatures accompanied by a few thunderstorms. At the end of the month, the second heat wave of the summer was recorded, interrupted in the first days of August by intense, but not damaging thunderstorms.

The final part of the summer was marked by mild temperatures with sporadic rainfall and significant temperature fluctuations at night, particularly favourable for the perfect ripening of the grapes.The month of September and the first days of October were characterised by stable weather, particularly sunny days, sporadic rainfall and cool night temperatures. The achievement of optimum ripeness was slow and regular, a very important element for a grape variety such as Nebbiolo characterised by a very long vegetative cycle. Analyses carried out on the fermenting musts confirmed an excellent polyphenolic framework, very important for ensuring structure, character and longevity to Nebbiolo, and a high accumulation of anthocyanins, that makes the wines particularly bright in colour.

The Nebbiolo harvest began in the Barbaresco area on 10th October, starting with our Rocche Massalupo vineyard in the hamlet of San Rocco Seno d’Elvio in the commune of Alba, and continued over the next two days with the Bricco di Treiso vineyard; it ended on 16th October with the other estate vineyards located in Treiso (San Stunet and Bongiovanni). The harvest of Nebbiolo for Barolo began on 13 October at Serralunga d’Alba with the Briccolina and Ornato vineyards, which due to soil composition and aspect is always harvested first, followed by harvest in the vineyards of Serralunga d’Alba (Lirano and Serra), Monforte d’Alba (Mosconi), La Morra (Roncaglie) and ended on 20th October with the vineyard in Novello (Ravera).

The 2019 vintage, thanks to good weather conditions across a long growing season with no major temperature peaks and good water reserves in the soil allowed the Nebbiolo grapes to achieve perfect ripening without any stress, exalting the typical features of each vineyard, and revealing the great diversity that characterises every vineyard within Pio Cesare estates.

In conclusion, the 2019 vintage has a very traditional character, with wines that show great structure but retain great fruit concentration and floral character at the same time, along with balanced acidity, soft tannin and extraordinary aromatic complexity, all typical characteristics of great Barolo and Barbaresco vintages.

SCORES AND REVIEWS

Barolo Pio 2019 – 96 points Susan Hulme MW @susanhulmeMW

2019 is shaping up to be a great vintage in Barolo and this Pio Cesare Barolo is a delightful example. The 2019 Pio Cesare Barolo has a very immediate and appealing nose..it has a beautiful, melting texture and super refined, perfectly ripe tannins. It is a classic Barolo in the old tradition of blending grapes from several different vineyard sites, in this case, three vineyards in Serralunga (Ornato, La Serra and Briccolina) as well as sites in La Morra, Grinzane Cavour, Novello and Monforte. Among the sweet red fruit and spice is a little twist of iron and a distinctive mineral note which evokes the Ornato vineyard and adds an extra dimension. This 2019 Barolo has such an appealing, outgoing and charming personality but also the power to last. I particularly like the transformation that has taken place with the tannins – they now glide gracefully across the palate.

Barolo Ornato 2019 – 97 points Susan Hulme MW @susanhulmeMW

This 2019 Pio Cesare Barolo Ornato is a distinctive and characterful single vineyard wine from Serralunga d’Alba, first produced in 1985. It is only made in the best years and from a selection of the best plots from the Ornato vineyard. The colour is an intense, youthful and blue toned ruby suggesting a low pH and higher acidity. The nose is beautifully incisive and persistent with seductive notes of violet and transparent, cool, red fruit such as raspberry, combined with a faint iron tonic aroma and distinctive mineral notes. On the palate there is a mouth-watering, tangy long finish with a range of flavours from raspberry, blood orange, orange peel and iron. This is an energetic and lively wine with a delicately balanced structure like fine bone china. I love its vibrant acidity, the finesse of the tannins and its distinctive personality.

Barolo Mosconi 2019 – 96 pts James Suckling

This is so curated and fine, with a tannin structure that is both sophisticated and racy. Medium to full body. Silky texture with a finish that just takes off. Rose stems and dark fruit, such as plums and strawberries. Some black truffles, too. These are from vineyards planted in 1960 and 1970. Try after 2025.

Barbaresco 2019 – 95 pts James Suckling

This is a very typical Barbaresco, with a solid core of fruit. Lots of strawberries, cedar and chewy tannins. Full and structured. Excellent length, with the tannins kicking in at the end. This needs at least four or five years of bottle age. Try after 2027.

Barbaresco Il Bricco 2019 – 97 pts James Suckling

A solid and powerful Barbaresco with fantastic depth of fruit and layers of tannins. Full and so deep and focused, with great length and structure. Bark, berry, mineral and deep terroir and gravitas. Try after 2027.

Tenuta Luce appoints MMD as their UK distributor

We are delighted to share with you that Tenuta Luce is joining the portfolio of Maisons Marques et Domaines UK.

“We are very excited about our new partnership with Maisons Marques et Domaines, and believe this to be a great opportunity for Tenuta Luce in UK. – says Michele Drusian, Marketing & Sales Director of Tenuta Luce. – Our mission is to increase awareness and distribution within the UK, and we believe that our new partnership with MMD will ensure strong mutual growth in this market. As we have begun working with the Maisons Marques et Domaines team, we have been consistently impressed by their knowledge and passion. As a distributor, Maisons Marques et Domaines is unique in its very qualitative approach and operational excellence.”

Joining the portfolio of Maisons Marques et Domaines – established in 1986 as the UK subsidiary of Champagne Louis Roederer and now managing the UK distribution for a portfolio of more than 30 premium, family-owned wineries from around the world – Tenuta Luce will be distributed alongside the Champagne Louis Roederer collection of estates and domaines, which include Domaines Ott*, Chȃteau Pichon Comtesse, Ramos Pinto, Diamond Creek, Delas Frères and MMD’s renowned Italian producers Ornellaia, Marchesi Mazzei, Pio Cesare, Tommasi Family Estates and Castiglion del Bosco.

“We are delighted to be entering into partnership with Tenuta Luce, deepening our collaboration with the Frescobaldi group and further strengthening the Italian proposition at Maisons Marques et Domaines with the addition of this prestigious Montalcino estate – says Richard Billett, Managing Director at MMD. – We look forward to presenting the new vintages releases from late March and to working closely together to realise the potential in the UK market.”

Domaines Ott* obtains organic growing certification

The organic growing certification officially validates the Ott family’s long history of commitment to the environment. The Otts are a family of “artisan vignerons”, pioneers in Provence, who have always carried out respectful and sustainable viticulture.
From the creation of Domaines Ott* in 1896, long before people started to become concerned about the environment, Marcel Ott has carried out a chemical-free and eco-friendly viticulture, claiming that these practices had a positive effect on the quality of the wines and their style.
The history of Domaines Ott* is therefore closely linked to that of responsible and sustainable winegrowing practices perpetuated from generation to generation.
Organic certification now joins Domaines Ott*’s wide variety of tools and eco-friendly practices which go beyond the organic growing certification specifications, and are utilised according to the nature of the year and the terroir.
For Domaines Ott*, it represents, first and foremost, a certain winegrowing and winemaking vision. It applies these techniques and practices with the sole objective of bringing out the excellence of the terroirs and creating fine wines from Provence.
“As artisan vignerons, our ambition to produce the best rosés in the world and the finest wines from Provence goes hand in glove with the highest respect for the soil and the vines. It was both important and clear to us that this ethos, which is rooted in our family’s history and inspires the Ott team every day, should be validated by today’s sustainable winegrowing and winemaking standards. This certification is also a way for us to raise awareness of our values and highlight some of the methods we have always practised and encouraged,” said Jean-François Ott, General Director of Domaines Ott*.
The certification obtained by Domaines Ott* is the European Ecocert certification that encompasses both its winegrowing and winemaking activities.
The first organically certified Ott* wines will start to appear on the market from 2023.

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