Triumph over adversity

A vintage full of jewel-like wines that have emerged from a growing season that was never plain sailing. After a devastating early spring frost, growers had to work harder than ever, all the while bringing in some of their smallest crops on record.

It is hard to know where to start when writing up a region as complex and varied as Burgundy, but if you’ll allow us an opening generalisation, it is this; we love this vintage. Indeed, if we strip away recent solaire vintages and position the wines of 2021 in the wider pantheon of Burgundy years, it is hard to see how this wouldn't be considered a very good, at times great vintage. The only real downside is that there’s so little to go around.

A conversation with Nigel Greening of Felton Road and his 'benchmark' vintage...

Since purchasing Felton Road in 2000 owner Nigel Greening has overseen an incredible revolution at the estate, including an early move to organic and, later, biodynamic viticulture. Years of rigorous but environmentally respectful viticultural practices and sensitive, hands-off winemaking has elevated them to near legendary status in New Zealand fine wine circles. In the process of this meteoric rise, they have also become a worldwide fine wine beacon of sustainability.

Justerini & Brooks forms new partnership with South African producer Storm Wines

We are delighted to be the newly appointed agents for Storm Wines, from South Africa’s Hemel-en-Aarde Valley. For a number of years we have been buying and drinking these wines but it was not until we visited their small, family estate on home turf that we appreciated the attention to detail and passion that goes in to producing their seemingly effortless Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

Riesling’s Reign 

Germany’s 2019 vintage is clearly rather special and has even been described as a potential “vintage of the century” by one commentator. However, had this label been bandied about at harvest time you’ve have been hard pressed to find a grower to confirm that view – over repeated zoom calls during the summer I was met with surprise and delight at how the vintage has turned out. From best-ever estate wines to aristocratic Grosses Gewächs, and many a luscious-yet-lively sweetie, there are some truly thrilling wines in this years’ 2019 offer. Stylistically it is a hard year to pigeonhole as overall the wines present a wonderfully complex and somewhat rare blend of intense minerality married to ripeness. As Frank Schönleber noted, the wines have “the flavours of a cool vintage allied to the structure of a warm one” - a decidedly delicious combination and one that is guaranteed to win many friends in the years to come. 

Ken Pahlow from Walter Scott Wines - Tuesday 9th June

Watch Justerini & Brooks Buyer, Julian Campbell discuss winemaking philosophy with Ken Pahlow from Walter Scott. They touch on the influences and challenges that Ken and wife, Erica encountered on their journey, and what makes the Willamette Valley such a special place to make wines.

Learn more about Walter Scott Wines.

- LaCombe Verte, Pinot Noir, 2018
- LaCombe Verte, Chardonnay, 2018