Falstaff Magazin International 01/2021

wine / 100 ICONIC RED

wine / 100 ICONIC RED WINES SPAIN & PORTUGAL Not only classic regions like Rioja and Ribera del Duero hit our Spanish list, there is Priorat and Bierzo as well. Portugal scores with the Douro Valley and Dão. CASTILLO YGAY MARQUÉS DE MURRIETA, RIOJA The flagship wine of this 1852-founded estate, made from Tempranillo and Mazuelo grapes, is Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial, it matures many years in barrel and bottle before release. Recommended recent vintages: 2011, 2010, 2009, 2005, 1986 VIÑA EL PISON ARTADI, RIOJA Viña El Pison was first made in 1994 from Tempranillo grapes planted in 1945 in one of Rioja’s best sites, characterised by limestone and loam. Recommended recent vintages: 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012 VIÑA TONDONIA LOPEZ DE HEREDIA, RIOJA The R. López de Heredia estate and its wines from the Viña Tondonia, planted in 1913 and 1914, are Spanish icons. The traditionally made wines mature for an exceptionally long time before release. Recommended recent vintages: 2008, 2007, 2006, 2004, 2001, 1996, 1995, 1994 LAS BEATAS TELMO RODRIGUEZ, RIOJA First made in 2011 from a single site in Rioja Alavesa, this wine is the brainchild of Telmo Rodriguez and Pablo Eguzika. They uncover old vineyards and breathe new life into them. Recommended recent vintages: 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2013, 2012 LA FARAONA DESCIENTES J. PALACIOS, BIERZO After Álvaro Palacios made his name in Priorat, he founded this Bierzo estate in 1999 with his nephew. The wine grows in a micro parcel at 800m altitudeand is of mythical, ethereal quality. Recommended recent vintages: 2019, 2018, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013 ULTREIA VALTUILLE RAÚL PÉREZ, BIERZO Raúl Pérez is a pioneer. He makes Ultreia from 100-year-old Mencía vines in the limestone soils of the Villegas vineyard at 580m. Recommended recent vintages: 2019, 2016, 2012, 2005 L’ERMITA ÁLVARO PALACIOS, PRIORAT Álvaro Palacios inspired a whole generation of winemakers with his work in Priorat. First made in 1995, this wine is made from ancient Garnacha vines in the slate soils of L‘Ermita vineyard. Recommended recent vintages: 2013, 2012, 2010, 2008, 2005, 2004, 2001, 2000 LES MANYES TERROIR AL LIMIT, PRIORAT German Dominik Huber and South African Eben Sadie started this project in 2001. In 2006 Huber launched Les Manyes from 100% Garnacha grown at 800m altitude in limestone and loam soils. It is a counterpart to the heavier Priorat wines of yore. Recommended recent vintages: 2018, 2016, 2014 ,2012 UNICO VEGA SICILIA, RIBERA DEL DUERO Vega Sicilia began in 1859 when Eloy Lecanda y Chaves bought a country estate in Ribera del Duero, turned it into a wine estate and bought 18,000 seedlings in Bordeaux. The wines mature for at least 10 years before release. Recommended recent vintages: 2011, 2010, 2009, 2006, 2005, 2004, 1998, 1996 PINGUS DOMINIO DE PINGUS, RIBERA DEL DUERO Dane Peter Sisseck first made Pingus in 1995 and put Ribera del Duero on the map internationally. Pingus is made from old Tempranillo vines. At the time, even legendary estates like Vega Sicilia were hardly known beyond Spain’s borders. Recommended recent vintages: 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012 BATUTA DOURO NIEPOORT, DOURO Dirk Niepoort broke with family tradition in 1991 when he started making unfortified, still wines in the Douro. Batuta, named after a conductor’s baton, a most elegant wine, was born in 2000. Recommended recent vintages: 2018, 2017, 2015, 2011, 2008, 2007 DÃO MULETA QUINTA DA PELLADA, DÃO Made from the best grapes of the oldest vines, deeply aromatic and complex Muleta is a relatively young label of the ancient estate which was bought by civil engineer Álvaro Castro in 1989. Recommended recent vintages: 2017, 2015, 2013 VINHA DO PONTE QUINTA DO CRASTO, DOURO First made in 1998, Vinha do Ponte is a singlevineyard wine from ancient vines that is only made in the best years. Recommended recent vintages: 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2013, 2011, 2001 GERMANY & ALPS Red wine is not the first thought when it comes to Germany, Austria or Switzerland, yet these three countries can now play in the world league – and not only with Pinot. HUNSRÜCK GG RUDOLF FÜRST, FRANKEN, GERMANY The iron-rich soils of the Triassic sandstone in this part of Franconia are simply predestined for fineboned, elegant Spätburgunders by these local pioneers who have done much for German Pinot. Recommended recent vintages: 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2013, 2012, 2011 WILDENSTEIN GG BERNHARD HUBER, BADEN GERMANY Wildenstein is a particularly privileged parcel of iron-rich limestone. Pinot pioneer Bernhard Huber started bottling it separately in the early 2000s. His son Julian continues his work with equal precision. Recommended recent vintages: 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2013, 2012, 2011 HEYDENREICH GG FRIEDRICH BECKER, PFALZ, GERMANY Grown on a limestone plateau that straddles the Franco-German border, this Pinot Noir attains wonderful savouriness and velvet-like texture with age. Recommended recent vintages: 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010 PINOT NOIR GANTENBEIN, GRAUBÜNDEN, SWITZERLAND Martha and Daniel Gantenbein founded their small estate in the village of Fläsch in 1982. Today their name is synonymous with Swiss Pinot Noir. Recommended recent vintages: 2018, 2015, 2013, 2012, 2007, 2005 BLAUFRÄNKISCH ALTE REBEN MORIC, BURGENLAND, AUSTRIA Roland Velich discovered ancient Blaufränkisch vineyards in Neckenmarkt and Lutzmannsburg to make this groundbreaking, elegant and profound wine. He managed to set a new standard for this variety. Recommended recent vintages: 2018, 2017, 2015, 2012, 2011, 2009, 2007 CUVÉE G. GESELLMANN, BURGENLAND, AUSTRIA Made from 90-year-old vines of indigenous Blaufränkisch with a small addition of St. Laurent, this wine beguiles with its precision, clarity and depth. Recommended recent vintages: 2017, 2016, 2015, 2011, 2009, 2007, 2006 ADMIRAL PÖCKL, BURGENLAND, AUSTRIA This pillar of Austria’s red wine culture was first made in 1990 and is based on Zweigelt with varying portions of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Recommended recent vintages: 2018, 2015, 2011, 2007, 2000, 1997, 1990 Photos: Pingus, Cayuse Vineyards, Harlan Estate 64 falstaff winter 2021

NEW WORLD Some wine regions of the so-called ‘New World’ are actually quite old, but the fine wine prowess of these countries is impressive considering their relative youth. IX ESTATE RED COLGIN, NAPA VALLEY, CALIFORNIA The first Colgin wine was made in 1995 from bought-in grapes. Art expert Ann Colgin then presented IX Estate Red in 2002, from her own grapes, which quickly became a must-have wine. Recommended recent vintages: 2018, 2013, 2010, 2007, 2006, 2002 DOMINUS DOMINUS ESTATE, NAPA VALLEY, CALIFORNIA Christian Moueix – of the family that owns Château Pétrus – studied at UC Davis, fell in love with Napa Valley and bought the historic Napanook vineyard. In 1983 the first Dominus wine was made. Recommended recent vintages: 2018, 2016, 2013, 2012, 2010, 2008, 2007, 2002 HARLAN HARLAN ESTATE, NAPA VALLEY, CALIFORNIA H. William “Bill” Harlan founded his estate with the clear vision to create a wine to match the Premier Grands Crus Classés of France and succeeded. Harlan wines have been must-haves since the 1990s. Recommended recent vintages: 2018, 2016, 2015, 2013, 2012, 2010, 2005, 2003 Morning mist in the hillside vineyards of Harlan Estate in Napa Valley, California. HILLSIDE SELECT SHAFER, NAPA VALLEY, CALIFORNIA Ex-publishing executive John Shafer moved to Napa and made his first Cabernet Sauvignon in 1978. His son Doug named the 1983 reserve wine Hillside Select which has been a legend ever since. Recommended recent vintages: 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2010 INSIGNIA JOSEPH PHELPS, NAPA VALLEY, CALIFORNIA Joe Phelps, an early Napa visionary, recognised Cabernet Sauvignon’s potential. He created Insignia as early as 1974 and owns some of the best Napa sites. Recommended recent vintages: 2018, 2016, 2015, 2013, 2009, 2007, 2002, 2001 MAYA DALLA VALLE, NAPA VALLEY, CALIFORNIA Naoko and Gustav Dalla Valle founded their estate in the mid-1980s. The birth of their daughter Maya in 1987 prompted the planting of the Maya Vineyard. It is one of the most sought-after Napa wines today. Recommended recent vintages: 2018, 2016, 2013, 2012, 2010, 2009, 2002, 2001 MONTE BELLO RIDGE VINEYARDS, SANTA CRUZ MTS., CALIF. In the 1960s, California legend Paul Draper revived a 19th-century estate and started making exquisitely elegant and long-lived wines at high altitude. Recommended recent vintages: 2017, 2014, 2013, 2009, 2005, 2002, 2001, 1996 OPUS ONE OPUS ONE, NAPA VALLEY, CALIFORNIA In 1970, two giants of the wine world united for this project: Baron Philippe de Rothschild from Bordeaux and Robert Mondavi from California. Their first wine, based on Cabernet Sauvignon, was made in 1979. Recommended recent vintages: 2018, 2016, 2013, 2012, 2010, 2009, 2004 SCREAMING EAGLE SCREAMING EAGLE, NAPA VALLEY, CALIFORNIA Real estate exec. Jean Philipps bought land in Napa in 1986; Robert Mondavi suggested she plant vines. The first Screaming Eagle wine was made in 1992. Tiny quantities ensure this remains a cult wine. Recommended recent vintages: 2018, 2016, 2015, 2012, 2010, 2007, 2006, 2003 SINE QUA NON SYRAH SINE QUA NON, CENTRAL COAST, CALIFORNIA Austrian-born Manfred Krankl is the man behind this unusual boutique estate. Wines are made from Rhône varieties and the bottles have a different look and name each vintage. Very limited production. Recommended recent vintages: 2019, 2018, 2016, 2015, 2013, 2012, 2010, 2008 BIONIC FROG CAYUSE, WASHINGTON STATE Champenois winemaker Christophe Baron found a new home in Washington State. He fell in love with a stony field, planted a vineyard in 1997 and made his first Bionic Frog, from Syrah, in 2000. Recommended recent vintages: 2015, 2014, 2010, 2006, winter 2021 falstaff < 65