nearly all the top wines of the vintage – anything his , but the improvements are paying I scored over 95 – sell for over US$100 a bottle. excellent dividends. Not only are the new vines That’s why the 2010 Domaine de Chevalier maturing, but the benefits of his fine-tuning Top of the Crops leads my list of under-US$80 wines this year. of and winemaking are showing (The 2009 Domaine de Chevalier was in my top through. “You have got to be patient,” says wine editor James Suckling picks his top 10 10 last year.) The Domaine de Chevalier is a Bernard. “It all takes time to reach the level of ready-to-drink table wines of 2013 fabulous 2010 , scoring 96 points, but quality you want.” sells for only US$60-70 a bottle. I was tempted This year’s runner-up is the sister of the great to make the 2010 Domaine de Chevalier white Second Growth Château Léoville-Las Cases, y any measure, 2013 The 2010 is the greatest modern Bordeaux (99 points) my runner-up, but it costs more than Clos du Marquis. It’s a bold, structured wine was a good year for vintage after 2009, outclassing 2000, 1995, US$100 a bottle. that shows much the same focus and superb 1990, 1989 and 1982. Perhaps the 1961 and Olivier Bernard, whose family owns Domaine quality of the Las Cases, but perhaps lacks some great wines, but the 1959 can compete, but the 2010 is closer to the de Chevalier, which is in the Pessac-Léognan complexity. Of course, at the top end of the release of the 2010 legendary 1929, 1928, and even 1900 and 1899. region, has been making excellent wines, both 2010 Bordeaux, this is splitting hairs. Bordeaux vintage In other words, 2010 is a truly historic vintage. red and white, year in and year out. Indeed, his is Coming in at No. 3 is a shiraz from Australia’s made it exceptional. I awarded 100 points to 11 of the 2010 one of the hottest best-value labels in Bordeaux Barossa Valley, which had an excellent 2010 Bordeaux last year, a score that recognises a right now – and the and vintage. While some producers in the Barossa They are bold and dynamic reds with B wine’s fruit, tannins, acidity and alcohol are all blend (in some vintages they add a are still having difficulties and making overly wonderfully ripe fruit, structured in perfect balance, so you might expect this top touch of and , too) alcoholic and concentrated wines, the region is tannins and racy acidity. Their ageing 10 to be a straight repeat. However, such wines has always been great. I’ve drunk Domaine de producing many drinkable and balanced wines. potential could be superior to even are very, very expensive. The most famous 100- Chevalier wines from the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s Penfolds Bin 150 is one of them and deserves its the flamboyant and juicy 2009s, point wines of the 2010 vintage – for example, that were on the same level as the legendary place at No. 3. but both vintages are fabulous. Latour, Margaux, Petrus and Le Pin – sell for Graves of the period, such as Haut-Brion or La At No. 4, the Super Tuscan red of Tignanello between US$1,500 and US$4,500. Even the least Mission Haut-Brion. needs no introductions, and 2010 is the best Remember to allow eight to 10 years expensive of my list of perfect wines, Pontet- The quality suffered a little in the 1990s vintage since the coveted 1997. Some may be for more, visit

of ageing in the bottle before opening. Canet, comes in at around US$200. In fact, when Bernard decided to replant and revamp surprised to see Cockburn’s 2011 Vintage Port and jamessuckling.com

hong kong tatler 62 january 2014 hong kong tatler 63 january 2014 at No. 5, but this is the house’s best ever. It is one of my highest-scoring ports in the 2011 vintage – itself one of the finest, after such renowned years as 1963, 1947 and 1927. For Italian winemaker Brunello, 2007 was a historic vintage. Some of the 2007 Riservas, held back and aged for years in barrel and bottle, was released last year and takes sixth place in the form of Banfi Poggio alle Mura Riserva. Another 2010 Bordeaux occupies seventh place – an old favourite: Château Gruaud-Larose. It’s always excellent value for the quality, and the 2010 could surpass the Gruaud- Laroses of the 1950s and ’60s, which were great years for the estate. my Top 10 wines Cockburn’s Vintage Port isn’t the only wine from Portugal’s Douro Valley to feature in the of 2013 top 10. I discovered the quality of the region’s 1. Domaine de Chevalier 2010 (96) table wines was on the rise during my most 2. Clos du Marquis 2010 (96) recent visit and have selected the 2011 Quinta do Vale Meão as No. 8. It’s a fabulous red from one 3. Penfolds Bin 150 Marananga Shiraz 2010 (98) of the classic vineyards in the Upper Douro that 4. Marchesi Antinori Tignanello 2010 (96) made the famous Barca Velha table wines of the 5. Cockburn’s Vintage Port 2011 (98) 1960s and 1970s. Italian reds occupy the last two positions. 6. Castello Banfi Brunello di Montalcino Poggio At No. 9 is the 2008 Argiolas Turriga Isola dei alle Mura Riserva 2007 (97) through the grapevine Nuraghi, and at No. 10 the 2010 Luce della Vite 7. Château Gruaud-Larose 2010 (96) Toscana Luce. They are the best examples ever from top 8. Quinta do Vale Meão Douro 2011 (97) The vineyards at of both popular wines. Domaine de It was quite a task to assess thousands of 9. Argiolas Turriga Isola dei Nuraghi 2008 (96) Chevalier; wine tasting notes recorded during 2013, but I think editor James 10. Luce della Vite Toscana Luce 2010 (98) Suckling presents I have managed to find some outstanding wines his top picks for less than US$80 a bottle. I hope you agree.

hong kong tatler 64 january 2014 hong kong tatler 65 january 2014