The 2021 vintage establishes a new benchmark for the wines of Tuscany. It is the best vintage to date across this central Italian region, with many new releases reaching levels of excellence not seen before. The top wines combine freshness with ripe fruit, elegance and tension, backed by the structure to evolve beautifully over the next two decades or more.
A cooler year among the string of fine harvests over the past decade, 2021 saw a combination of factors contribute to its success. After an early start to the growing season, with frost in some areas that reduced yields slightly, the vintage experienced near-perfect weather that stretched from veraison all the way to a later-than-usual harvest, fostering ideal phenolic maturity in the grapes, particularly Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon.
But the growing season is only part of the story. The vintage also represents the culmination of decades of investment by producers in their winemaking practices, with additional technical knowledge and experience to manage the best possible outcome. A paradigm shift toward more precise, elegant wines has coincided with a range of changes in the vineyard and cellar—including new clones, rootstocks, fermenting vessels and aging barrels, along with adjustments to planting density, canopy management and cover crops—to take advantage of the benevolent conditions in 2021.
Esta historia es de la edición October 31, 2024 de Wine Spectator.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición October 31, 2024 de Wine Spectator.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
Shipwrecked Champagne Hoard Discovered Near Sweden
It sometimes feels like wine has a habit of falling into the briny deep. On July 23, Polish wreck diver and underwater photographer Tomasz Stachura announced that he and his Baltictech team had discovered the wreck of a 19th-century sailing ship near Öland, an island off the coast of Sweden—and it was crammed with bottles of Champagne and mineral water.
Openings: The Latest in Napa Tasting
Several new tasting options have opened in Napa Valley, particularly in downtown Napa where wineries are launching satellite tasting rooms. Standing out from the crowd means trying new approaches. Here are some highlights:
War in Middle East Affects Vintners
The 2024 harvest at Israel’s Dalton Winery was punctuated by nonstop rocket and drone attacks launched from just across the border in Hezbollah-controlled southern Lebanon.
Wineries Sue Napa County in Federal Court
Three Napa wineries filed a joint lawsuit in federal court in September alleging that Napa County officials violated their constitutional rights.
Savoring Persimmon Season
For many, persimmons are an enigma ingredient. Chef David Nayfeld of Award of Excellence-winning Che Fico in San Francisco and its Best of Award of Excellence sibling dangling persimmons off the tree with a stick at a childhood friend's house before realizing what they were. \"I remember his parents saying, 'Hey, don't hit the persimmons, those are food!\"\"
Tasting Plate: A German Six-Pack
Though it boasts Western Europe’s largest population and biggest economy, Germany is nowhere near the cheese juggernaut its neighbors Switzerland and France are. That said, the Germans love their fine cheeses, and they do turn out some excellent ones, fortunately including more than a handful that are currently available here in the U.S.
Gigondas Blanc Est Arrivé!
Ask winemakers in the Southern Rhône to name the most exciting white grape in their region and you will hear a growing number of them say \"Clairette.\"
Kistler's DARKER SIDE
Russian River Valley Pinot Noir ups the ante at the house that Chardonnay built
THE SPLENDOR OF CHAMPAGNE
THE REGION'S LEADING PRODUCERS DELIVER HIGH QUALITY AMID A DIVERSE RANGE OF STYLES
MICHAEL BATTERBERRY: 1932-2010 Gourmet, Journalist, Gentleman
Before Food Network, Top Chef or Yelp ... before the term “foodie\" ... before tomatoes were heirloom and sushi was fast food... back when fancy restaurants were always French... Michael Batterberry and his wife, Ariane, were working to celebrate and elevate the status of American chefs and international cuisine. Julie Mautner, Food Arts' former executive editor, looks at the life and legacy of her late mentor, affectionately known as The Bat.
