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La Place’s hors Bordeaux campaign: the scores are in!

With the runners and riders of La Place’s hors Bordeaux campaign standing in the slips rearing to go, db’s Bordeaux correspondent Colin Hay gives his evaluation of the red wines that make up this autumn’s international campaign.  

Italian Reds

Italy brings a stunning and very consistent set of releases to La Place this year. The stars, for me, are the monocépage Merlot wines – Masseto, of course, but also Petrolo’s Galatrona, La Massa’s Giorgio Primo, Tenuta Sette Ponti’s Sette and Bibi Graetz’s Balocchi No. 9.

Solaia, Siepi (appropriately in its 30th anniversary release), Colore and the rest of the Balocchi series from Bibi Graetz are other standouts and there is great value to be found in Giovanni Rosso’s wines from both Sicily and Barolo, and in Petrolo’s Torrione and Bòggina A and C.

Italian releases (red) Vintage Region New? Rating
Etna Rosso (Giovanni Rosso) 2021 Sicily No 93
Barolo Cerretta (Giovanni Rosso) 2020 Piedmont No 95
Barolo Bussia Riserva ‘Oro’ Vigne Munie (Parusso) 2015 Piedmont No 93
Barbaresco Gaiun Martinenga (Marchese di Grésy) 2005 Piedmont No NYT
Barbaresco Camp Gros Martinenga Riserva (Marchese di Grésy) 2005 Piedmont No NYT
Caiarossa 2021 Tuscany No 95+
Concerto di Fonterutoli 2022 Tuscany No 94
Passi di Orma 2022 Tuscany No 90
Orma 2022 Toscana No 97
Oreno (Tenuta Sette Ponti) 2022 Tuscany No 95
Siepi (Castello di Fonterutoli) 2022 Tuscany No 98
Sette (Tenuta Sette Ponti) 2022 Tuscany No 97+
Torrione Petrolo 2022 Tuscany No 93
Bòggina A Petrolo 2022 Tuscany Yes 95
Bòggina C Riserva Petrolo 2021 Tuscany No 96
Petrolo Galatrona 2022 Tuscany No 99
Giorgio Primo (La Massa) 2020 Tuscany No 98+
Solaia 2021 Tuscany No 98
Massetino 2022 Tuscany No 96
Masseto 2021 Tuscany No 99
Testamatta (Bibi Graetz) 2022 Tuscany No 96
Colore (Bibi Graetz) 2022 Tuscany No 98
Balocchi No. 3 (Bibi Graetz) Colorino 2021 Tuscany No 95+
Balocchi No. 7 (Bibi Graetz) Cabernet Franc* 2021 Tuscany Yes 98
Balocchi No. 8 (Bibi Graetz) Canaiolo 2021 Tuscany No 96
Balocchi No. 9 (Bibi Graetz) Merlot 2021 Tuscany Yes 98
Balocchi No. 10 (Bibi Graetz) Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 Tuscany Yes 99
[* – an exclusivity of Berry Bros. & Rudd]

For full tasting notes, see here.

Spanish Reds

Spain brings another very consistent set of releases to la place. Indeed, a case can be made for any of these wines. But the standouts for me are Yjar and Matallana (from Telmo Rodríguez), VivaltuS (the fruit of Jean-Claude Berrouet and Montxo Martínez’s partnership) and Marqués de Riscal’s Tapias.

Spanish releases (red) Vintage Region New? Rating
La Fleur VivaltuS 2019 Ribera del Duero No 93
VivaltuS 2019 Ribera del Duero No 97
Dolio 2020 Ribeira Sacra No 94+
Matallana 2021 Ribera del Duero No 97
Yjar 2020 Rioja No 97
Tapias de Marqués de Riscal 2021 Rioja No 97
CVNE Real de Asùa Carromaza 2021 Rioja Alta No 95

For full tasting notes, see here.

US reds

Given the iconic status of many of these wines – established icons like Opus One, Vérité and Inglenook and icons in the process of becoming established, like Favia, Morlet, Peter Michael and Pym Rae – it is perhaps unsurprising that many of the superstars of the autumn collection come from the US.

And given the sheer number and diversity of the wines on offer here – from Ernst Loosen’s sublime Oregon Pinot Noir (Appassionata Fortissimo) to L’Aventure’s Pasa Robles ‘Rhone’ blend (Côte à Côte) – it is difficult and probably unfair to pick out highlights. But if I force myself to do so it is difficult to look past the two wines that, by their scores alone, place them above all of the September releases – Morlet’s exceptional Coeur de Vallée and Paul Hobbs’ beguiling Cristina’s Signature.

Peter Michael’s Les Pavots and Vérité’s Le Désir (which I really need to re-taste from better stemware) both come very close to perfection too. I was also deeply impressed by all that I tasted from Inglenook and Favia and I have never tasted better from Pym Rae or Beaulieu.

Oregon releases Vintage Region 1st release? Rating
*Appassionata Fortissimo (Ernst Loosen) 2013 Oregon No 97+
Californian releases Vintage Region 1st release? Rating
Morlet Coeur de Vallée 2021 Napa No 100
Inglenook Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 Napa No 97
Inglenook Rubicon 2021 Napa No 98
Chappellet Signature Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 Napa No 96
Chappellet Pritchard Hill Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 Napa No 98
Beaulieu Vineyard Georges de Latour 2021 Napa No 97+
Paul Hobbs Cristina’s Signature 2021 Napa No 100
Quintessa 2021 Napa No 97
Cardinale Estate Wine 2021 Napa No NYT
Favia Coombsville 2021 Napa No 98
Favia Cerro Sur 2021 Napa No 97+
Favia Oakville 2021 Napa No 97
Overture 2021 Napa No NYT
Opus One 2021 Napa No NYT
Maya (Dalla Valle) 2021 Napa No 98
Pym Rae (Tesseron Estate) 2021 Napa No 98
Au Paradis (Peter Michael) 2021 Napa No 98
Les Pavots (Peter Michael) 2021 Sonoma No 99
Vérité La Joie 2021 Sonoma No 98
Vérité La Muse 2021 Sonoma No 98
Vérité Le Désir 2021 Sonoma No 99
L’Aventure Optimus 2021 Pasa Robles No 95
L’Aventure Côte à Côte 2021 Pasa Robles No 96+
L’Aventure Estate Cuvée 2021 Pasa Robles No 97

For full tasting notes, see here.

Chile

This is a staggering set of releases – wines of great personality and individuality which speak so eloquently of their terroirs. It seems almost invidious to single out individual wines, but if I force myself to do so, I was perhaps most impressed by Clos Apalta and Viñedo Chadwick, very closely followed by Vigna Maquis (above all the new Franco release), Almaviva, Seña and VIK. But I’d happily make space in my cellar for any of these.

Chilean releases Vintage Region 1st release? Rating
Rocas de Seña 2022 Aconcagua Valley No 93
Seña 2022 Aconcagua Valley No 97
Viñedo Chadwick 2022 Maipo Valley No 98
EPU (Almaviva) 2022 Maipo Valley No 92
Almaviva 2022 Maipo Valley No 97
Santa Rita Casa Real 2021 Maipo Valley No 95+
Montes Muse 2021 Maipo Valley No 96
Clos Apalta Prélude 2022 Colchagua Valley Yes 93
Le Petit Clos 2021 Colchagua Valley No 96
Clos Apalta 2021 Colchagua Valley No 98
Vigna Maquis Viola 2020 Colchagua Valley No 96
Vigna Maquis Viola 2014 Colchagua Valley No 96+
Vigna Maquis Franco 2020 Colchagua Valley No 97+
Vigna Maquis Franco 2014 Colchagua Valley No 96
VIK 2021 Cachapoal Valley No 97

For full tasting notes, see here.

Argentina

The number of Argentinian releases on la place may be limited, but the quality is exceptional. Cheval des Andes and Adrianna Vineyard’s Mundus Bacillus Terrae are both staggeringly impressive, but it is Viña Cobos’s Cobos Malbec that wowed me the most. I hope to taste La Violeta in the days to come and will update my tasting notes when I do.

Argentine releases Vintage Region 1st release? Rating
Caro 2022 Mendoza No 95
Nicolas Catena Zapata 2021 Mendoza No 95
Adrianna Vineyard Mundus Bacillus Terrae 2021 Mendoza No 97
Cheval des Andes 2022 Mendoza No 97
Finca Canal Uco (Zuccardi) 2021 Mendoza No 96
La Violeta (Bodegas Monteviejo) 2015 Mendoza No NYT
Cobos (Viña Cobos) 2021 Mendoza No 99

For full tasting notes see here.

French reds

It is good to see the enticing diversity of French wines now offered through la place. The stars are, of course, Domaine de la Chapelle’s Hermitage La Chapelle and Beaucastel’s legendary Hommage à Jacques Perrin, joined for the first time by Georges Vigouroux’s Château de Haute-Serre’s Grand Malbec from Cahors. But there is fabulous value to be had in the releases from Baron Philippe de Rothschild’s Domaine de Baronarques, Bouche du Roi, Odysée and Domaine Chapuis (whether at village, 1er cru or grand cru level).

French releases (red) Vintage Region New? Rating
Domaine Chapuis Aloxe-Corton 2022 Burgundy No 90
Domaine Chapuis Aloxe Corton 1er Cru 2022 Burgundy No 92
Domaine Chapuis Savigny-Lès-Beaune 2022 Burgundy No 91
Domaine Chapuis Corton-Languettes Grand Cru 2022 Burgundy No 94
Domaine Chapuis Corton-Chaumes Grand Cru 2022 Burgundy No 95
Domaine Chapuis Corton-Perrières Grand Cru 2022 Burgundy No 95+
La Bouche du Roi Abondance 2023 île de France No 92+
La Capitelle de Baronarques 2022 Occitanie* No 91
Domaine de Baronarques 2022 Occitanie* No 94
Chateau d’Aussières 2020 Occitanie* No 90
Château de Haute-Serre Grand Malbec 2022 Occitanie* Yes 96
Domaine de Terrebrune 2021 Provence No 91
Odysée 2021 Rhone No 91
Hermitage La Chapelle 2022 Rhone No 97
CNDP Beaucastel Hommage à Jacques Perrin 2022 Rhone No 97

For full tasting notes, see here.

Australian reds

A brilliant and very consistent set of releases from some of Australia’s most iconic producers.

Australian releases (red) Vintage Region 1st release? Rating
Jim Barry The Armagh Shiraz 2021 Clare Valley No 96
Cloudburst Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 Margaret River No 98
Cloudburst Malbec 2021 Margaret River No 97
Penfolds St Henri Shiraz 2021 S. Australia No 95
Penfolds Bin 169 Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 Connawarra No 96
Penfolds Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 S. Australia No 96
Penfolds Red Wine Trial Bin 798 Shiraz 2022 Barossa Valley No 96
Penfolds Grange Shiraz 2020 S. Australia No 98+
Yalumba The Octavius Old Vine Shiraz 2019 Barossa Valley No 96
Yalumba The Octavius Old Vine Shiraz 2009 Barossa Valley No 96
Wynns John Riddoch 2021 Coonawarra No 97

For full tasting notes, see here.

New Zealand

New Zealand releases Vintage Region 1st release? Rating
Craggy Range Aroha Te Muna 2022 Martinsborough No 95
Craggy Range Le Sol Gimblett Gravels 2022 Hawke’s Bay No 97
Destiny Bay Magna Praemia 2021 Waiheke Island Yes 95

For full tasting notes, see here.

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