top winemakers The winemakers’ Above: the Altos Las Hormigas winery and winemakers Alberto Antonini (right) and was an example for What greater accolade can there be than being judged best in the world by your The top five other Argentinian (in alphabetical order) peers? We asked leading winemakers around the world which three of their peers producers. The fashion at the time, however, was for super-ripe and they most admired. The criteria were that they could be making wine in any part of Alberto Antonini sweet wines, where it was very difficult to the world but must have made at least 10 vintages and must still be making wine As part of the consulting work Antonini does identify either any sense of place or tradition. Top 30 (in alphabetical order) today. They could be working at a winery or as a consultant. When we number- around the world, in 2010 he was offered a job While it would be unfair to say that the wines n crunched the 133 responses, these were the names that came out top in the region of Yeghegnadzor, Armenia. In from Altos Las hormigas were an example of Alberto Antonini their first conversation, the producer told him this, they did exhibit some of these n Lalou Bize-Leroy he wanted a ‘modern’ wine. Antonini, his characteristics. n Eric Boissenot voice calm, his manner zen-like, replied that if About seven years ago, Antonini says he n Jean-Louis The winemaker today control (to reduce the need for herbicides and what he meant was a wine from local grapes realised that the path was not selling a grape, Chave pesticides), use of selected yeast or wild yeasts and fermented in amphorae, like the wines but a place. ‘The idea was to forget the n Stéphane There can bE no doubt that (so-called ‘natural’ ferments), reduction of made 6,000 years ago in Yeghegnadzor, then bordeaux formula, responsible for the global Derenoncourt winemakers, flying and not, total alcohol levels in wines (by use of reverse that was the ‘modern’ wine he needed. ‘The colonisation of most wine regions of the world, n Aubert de have had an immense and osmosis or spinning cones) and selecting wine of the future will be the wine of the past,’ with its strong standardisation of varieties and Villaine largely positive impact on specific coopers and oak varieties in which to says Antonini. And that’s the vision that, even wine styles,’ says Antonini. Through him, n Helmut how wine tastes today. age the wines are all part of a good modern- after a 30-year career, sparks this Italian Altos Las hormigas has been one of the leaders Dönnhoff Thanks to their training and day winemaker’s armoury. winemaker’s excitement – the idea of ​​ in the transformation of Malbec, reducing the n Paul Draper experience, drinking flawed returning to absolute simplicity in order to excess of oak and overripeness, and focusing n Alvaro Espinoza or unpleasant efforts is rare: A fine balance achieve the best possible interpretation of efforts on showing the site before the grape. n Richard gone are the days of white wines oxidised soon however, those very strengths can become a where wines are born. In Chile, his presence is also evident. he Geoffroy after bottling or barely palatable, rustic reds. problem. Far too many wines nowadays taste but that wasn’t always his goal. Antonini advises at Concha y Toro, Montgras, Viña n Nadine Gublin Over the past 30 years, winemakers have more or less the same, no matter where they today advises wineries in places as diverse as Leyda and Luis Felipe Edwards among others. n Marcel Guigal become pivotal, thanks to skills ranging from are made. Is that really desirable, even if the ‘The greatest Maldonado on the Uruguayan coast, or his style, not at all pompous, hides the n Paul Hobbs a superior sense of taste and smell honed by wines ‘taste good’? I don’t think so. Using Caltanissetta on the island of Sicily. but it all influence he has here, but without doubt his n Olivier years of experience and travels, to specific cultured yeasts (naturally occurring ones are winemakers started in Florence, where he graduated in expertise has helped to guide some of the most Humbrecht knowledge about one grape variety or terroir. often characterised by less predictable oenology and viticulture in 1985. his first job important Chilean winemakers, and his vision n Frédéric Lafarge For example, among the top 15 winemakers behaviours) can also lead to standardised don’t just was as an assistant winemaker at Frescobaldi, has helped to change the wine in this country n Dominique profiled here, Michel Rolland is famous for his wines, all showcasing the same perceived and then he become technical manager at as well as more widely in South America. Lafon skill at blending, Attilio Pagli is universally desirable traits. For example, should all Fianos, pay lip remarkable Tuscan wineries like Col d’Orcia Patricio Tapia n Zelma Long regarded as a Malbec expert, and perhaps Vermentinos or Albariños really taste of and Antinori. In 1997, however, he decided to n François Millet nobody knows and understands bordeaux’s banana and the same tropical fruit? service to the work as a consultant, and it was then that his ‘Having worked with Alberto for almost 15 years n Egon Müller Left bank terroirs better than Eric boissenot. Clearly estate owners should resist the influence began to be felt. at Concha y Toro, there’s no question in my mind n Attilio Pagli In fact, the winemaker’s role has evolved to temptation of delegating total control to the philosophy Many of his clients are in Italy and he has that he’s a great and remarkable winemaker. His n Alvaro Palacios encompass not only making the wines but winemaker, and ask tough questions. but wine his own winery, Poggiotondo, in Tuscany, knowledge, understanding and expertise is n Mariano di Paola everything from the growing of vines – many writers also need to do a better job, and become that ‘great where he lives when not travelling. but his extraordinary. However, what always impresses n Paul Pontallier of today’s most famous winemakers are also more knowledgeable about their subject. influence is the strongest in South America, me most about him is his respect for authenticity n Ignacio trained in viticulture – to their distribution, Ultimately, the greatest winemakers wines start where he arrived in 1995. In Argentina, and quality.’ Marcelo Papa, Concha y Toro Recabarren and acting as ambassadors for their estates. (including this top 15) don’t just pay lip together with winemaker Attilio Pagli (see p37) n Marcelo Retamal Though the best have moved towards a service to the philosophy that ‘great wines in the and his friend Antonio Morescalchi, he ‘I’ve known Alberto for more than 15 years. I first n Jorge Riccitelli ‘less-is-more approach’ in the cellar, they keep start in the vineyard’, but truly work to founded Altos Las hormigas, in 1996. met him at Gruppo Matura, Italy’s top consulting n Michel Rolland abreast of the latest advances in technology so achieve that. Sometimes just playing the cards vineyard’, but At that time Merlot and Cabernet were the team. Since then his international experience has n Christophe as to work with the best possible grapes and you have been dealt is the right thing to do. stars. bucking the trend, Antonini set his made him one of the world’s most admired and Roumier make the best possible wines. Satellite imaging truly work to sights on Malbec, and the partners agreed that influential winemakers. For me, the secret of his n Eric Rousseau (to study characteristics of single parcels of Ian D’Agata is an awarded wine journalist and the project would revolve around it. The success is that he is traditional with a modern n Alejandro Vigil vines), high-tech irrigation, integrated pest author and a regular Decanter contributor achieve that’ winery was successful, especially in the US, approach.’ Emiliano Falsini, consultant ➢ 2 6 | J u l y 2 0 1 5 • DECANTER DECANTER • July 2 0 1 5 | 2 7 the winemakers’ winemaker Photograph:IanShaw/Cephas Aubert de Villaine Left: Paul Draper and years he has become more outspoken about The co-owner and general manager of the (above) the Monte the need for what he calls a ‘pre-industrial’ Photograph:McLachlan/claypix.comClay Domaine de la Romanée-Conti is lauded Bello vineyard approach in the cellar, eschewing additives. worldwide for his modesty and self-effacing To stand firm behind this approach, he character. And it’s true that he always insists Paul Draper became perhaps the industry’s most vocal he is a mere caretaker of this magnificent On a spring day in California, the faithful proponent of ingredient labelling. Each Ridge estate. he is also involved in other worthwhile packed an old barn at Ridge Vineyards’ winery, label lists not just the bottle contents (grapes projects, such as safeguarding the ruinous 760m up in the Santa Cruz Mountains south and a bit of sulphur dioxide) but also little- monastery of St-Vivant and preserving the of San Francisco. They had come to taste the discussed winemaking processes, such as the world’s finest massal selections of Pinot Noir. latest vintage of Ridge’s Cabernet-driven use of calcium carbonate to lower acidity. This but to portray Aubert de Villaine as a Monte bello – the ‘primeur’ tasting, as CEO is seemingly less full disclosure – Ridge wines saintly character or a mere custodian is Paul Draper, ever the bordeaux loyalist, calls it.