FAMILIA DEICAS’ SANTIAGO DEICAS ON THEIR CRU D’EXCEPTION 2020 & COFFEE-MAKING APPROACH TO WINE

Published July 5, 2023

JamesSuckling.com Senior Editor Zekun Shuai talks to Santiago Deicas of Bodega Familia Deicas in Uruguay about their recent releases and how winemakers are starting to take albariño more seriously in the country.

Deicas goes into depth about the Deicas Albariño Maldonado Cru d’Exception 2020, and tells Zekun about their “cold brew” and “espresso” methods of winemaking – two unique approaches to extraction used in their Bizarra Tannat Sierra de Mahoma Espresso 2021 and Cold Brew 2021.

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‘OLD-VINE SPECIALISTS’: TORBRECK’S IAN HONGELL ON RECENT VINTAGES & OLD VINES

Published June 13, 2023

Listen to Ian Hongell, Torbreck Vintners’ general manager and chief winemaker, discussing the winery’s recent vintages and the notable quality of 2021, which produced red wines that are both flavorful and fresh. James also shares his thoughts on the wines during the discussion, which covers topics such as Torbreck’s old vines and more. Listen for more.

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TASTING FLEUR DE MIRAVAL CHAMPAGNE EXCLUSIVEMENT ROSÉ 3 NV

Published June 6, 2023

In this podcast, James discusses the latest release of Fleur de Miraval Champagne Exclusivement Rosé NV in Hong Kong with Alexis Blondel, who works as assistant winemaker for the partners behind the Fleur de Miraval project: Brad Pitt, Pierre Peters Champagnes and the Perrin family of Rhone. Blondel explained what went into what James called the “unique blend,” and said the only goal and purpose in making the wine was to make a high-quality rosé Champagne. Listen to the full podcast to hear more. 

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RARE CHAMPAGNE UNVEILS ITS 13TH MILLÉSIME, WITH ÉMILIEN BOUTILLAT AND MAUD RABIN

Published May 2, 2023

Rare Champagne just launched its 2013 Rare Millésime, which will be on the market in June. In this new podcast, chief winemaker Emilien Boutillat and brand director Maud Rabin talk about the 2013 vintage with Associate Editor Claire Nesbitt. The wine is 70 percent chardonnay with 30 percent pinot noir, mostly from the Montagne de Reims, balanced with some fruit from the Cote de Blancs, and 100 percent vinified in stainless steel to focus on the purity of the fruit. Check out the full podcast to find out more about the vintage and the wine.

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DISCUSSING BOLLINGER RD 2008: INTERVIEW WITH DENIS BUNNER

Published Apr 26, 2023

James tasted and rated the new release of Champagne Bollinger RD 2008 in March over Zoom with the cellarmaster Denis Brunner who dialed in from Champagne. It’s an acid-driven, super-structured Champagne highlighting the unique character and winemaking of the house. It’s one of the best RDs James has tasted and rated. Listen to the full conversation to hear Brunner talk about their emphasis on ageability, compare the 2008 to other vintages, their aging process and more.

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HENSCHKE’S HILL OF GRACE: HISTORY IN THE MAKING

Published Apr 3, 2023

Senior Editor Zekun Shuai tasted Henschke’s 2018 wines over Zoom with the family and you can hear the full conversation here. 2018 is a wonderful and classic vintage that shows the singularity of these place-oriented wines with stellar length and svelte tannins. They are fresh, lush, and concentrated in flavors but not hefty in form. Huge complexity, length, and most importantly harmony in Hill of Grace, and elegance and linearity in Mount Edelstone which has a citrus, bergamot-like freshness. Listen to the full discussion and find out their thoughts on the 2018s, their philosophy, what they look for in Hill of Grace and more.

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BIBI GRAETZ’S NEW SINGLE-VINEYARD WINES AND HIS VIEW OF 2020

Published Mar 28, 2023

Tuscan producer Bibi Graetz recently unveiled three new single-vineyard, small-production wines from grapes including sangiovese, colorino and canaiolo. James found the wines to be outstanding. In this podcast, James talks to Graetz to find out more about them. Graetz called them “really fun and great.” Listen to find out more about these offerings and hear how the 2020 vintage turned out.

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SASSICAIA 2020: TENUTA SAN GUIDO’S EPIC WINE FROM A CHALLENGING YEAR

Published Mar 20, 2023

Listen to James Suckling chat with Priscilla Incisa della Rocchetta, the owner of Tenuta San Guido, and Carlo Paoli, the general manager, about their 2020 vintage, including their renowned Sassicaia, and how it compares with 2019.

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TASTING SEPPELTSFIELD’S 1923 100-YEAR-OLD PARA VINTAGE TAWNY: ‘JEWEL IN THE CROWN’

Published Mar 1, 2023

JamesSuckling.com Associate Editor Andrii Stetsiuk talks with the team at Australian winery Seppeltsfield about their 1923 100-Year-Old Para Vintage Tawny. Fiona Donald, Seppeltsfield’s chief winemaker, and Lauren Mudge, the head of marketing, discuss Seppelstfield’s history of making fortified wines and how it has evolved to encompass a broader range of offerings, including classic Barossa varieties like shiraz and grenache, as well as white wines and sherries. Still, they say, the 100 Year Old Para Vintage Tawny is the winery’s “jewel in the crown.” Check out the full podcast to find out all their thoughts about what makes their winery unique.

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CROIX DE LABRIE’S PIERRE COURDURIE ON BORDEAUX’S 2020 VINTAGE

Published Jan 4, 2023

James talks with Pierre Courdurie of Chateau Croix de Labrie in Bordeaux about the 2020 Bordeaux vintage in bottle and the year’s “amazing” upside. “Our 2020 Croix de Labrie is the best of the trilogy,” Pierre Courdurie, who owns his tiny biodynamic estate in St. Emilion with his wife, said. “In 2020, we gained energy in the wine” compared with 2018 and 2019, he said. Courdurie is like many wine producers in Bordeaux who felt that the hot and dry weather during the summer grape-growing season in 2020 was easier to handle because of the two similar vintages before it. Hear the full conversation in this new podcast.  

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