New World: Other Red Varietals & Blends
2016 Gold: 7 Silver: 17 Bronze: 9 Commended: 17
2015 Gold: 3 Silver: 17 Bronze: 9 Commended: 18
The medal count for this category was eerily similar to last year’s, with one notable exception: the number of Golds, which was way up on 2015. This big rise didn’t just keep the groundhog away either, it was further proof of an ongoing improvement in this section of the competition.
Two or three years ago, the drop-out rate here was roughly akin to a Parisian university in the 1960s, but last year we saw stirrings of better winemaking and that theme carried on this year.
Yes, of course there were issues with oak, sweet fruit and (to a lesser extent) alcohol, particularly in the early rounds. And no, the lovely Bouchon Pais excepted, this probably isn’t the place to go looking for a nice delicate red to go with fish. But there was much better balance – and much less ego – across the board than we’re used to, and that was very much seen by our tasting panels as A Good Thing.
Most of the wines were a) from Chile and Argentina, and b) unusual, multivarietal blends of the sort that demand a recently slaughtered – and barely cooked – cow, so it’s hard to generalise too much. But one definite stand-out reason for optimism this year was the sudden presence of Maule.
With its old-vine Paises and Carignans it can bring more than sheer concentration and oak. It added something to a part of the competition that is capable of bringing real extra interest to your list.
FROM THE TASTING TEAMS
‘I often put this category on the list as the wines are big, ripe, fruity and often not wildly expensive. And it is nice to offer people big wines by the glass.’ Charles Pashby-Taylor, Dabbous
‘Very hard work – there was too much “winemaking”. The pleasure factor was missing.’ Martin Lam, team leader
‘These are the wines we’d sell at a steak restaurant. Californian Cabernets are our staple, so it is nice to have something that competes with that and offers something a bit different.’ Scott Levy, Smith & Wollensky London
‘A rubbish flight! Lots of sweet fruit. It was more satisfactory at the cheaper end; at the higher end there was too much playing with oak.’ Xavier Rousset MS, Blandford Comptoir
‘These are big, attention-seeking wines. The best were juicy, funky, full-bodied reds, very good wine list wines.’ James Hocking, The Vineyard Group
‘Some people are finding these bigger styles a bit old-fashioned now. But there is still a big market for them. They need food, but generally there were a lot of well-made wines.’ Annette Scarfe MW, team leader
‘They all had good purity of fruit – but they need to think about the freshness. It’s nice to have mouthfeel, but could people drink a second or third glass?’ Michael Best, WSET