A Vintage Perspective

For wine writer and critic Neal Martin, a great bottle of wine is about far more than what is in the glass. It can capture a moment in time, evoke memories and tell a story that stretches far beyond the vineyard.

What inspired you to write your latest book, and why did now feel like the right moment to tell this story?

The Complete Bordeaux Vintage Guide was one of those projects that came about during lockdown. The original version existed on my first website, Wine-Journal, with the idea of matching vintages with songs, films and events. I began expanding it around 2020 and it gradually expanded into a book. I wanted a wine book that was practical but also entertaining. I want people to enjoy it.

You have tasted some of the world’s greatest wines. What still has the ability to surprise you?

I am writing this in Stellenbosch in South Africa. There are some amazing world-class wines here that constantly surprise me. In classic wine regions like Bordeaux and Burgundy, some ancient bottles are still as fresh as a daisy, most recently, a 1915 Beaune Clos des Ursules and an 1864 Beaune Marconnets.

Do you remember the wine that first made you realise this was going to become more than an interest?

Yes. It was a 1982 Montrose around 1997 when I didn’t know much. I did not think it was the greatest wine I had ever tasted but for the first time, I understood why people get so excited about wine. Something twigged at that moment.

What advice would you give someone who simply wants to become more confident choosing and enjoying wine?

The lesson I learned quite early was that if I don’t like a wine when everyone else does, that does not mean I am necessarily wrong. Everyone has their own individual taste. The more you learn, the more you get out of it. The best thing I ever did was a basic WSET course at Battersea College. It’s like learning a language. That first 10% of knowledge takes you far.

Are there any current regions, producers or styles of wine that you feel are particularly exciting or underappreciated?

South Africa. Astonishing. Also, I like what is happening in Mâconnais, especially Pouilly-Fuissé and Saint-Véran, which are much less expensive than the famous names in the Côte d’Or. Greece is doing some interesting things and most importantly, the UK, especially Essex, where I was born. A lot of the best grapes come from there. It’s pure coincidence that my birthplace has recently become a viticultural hotspot.

Finally, what do you hope readers will take away from your new book?

My book is not a start-to-finish kind. Most begin by seeing what song, film or event I selected for their year of birth. Then they can flick to whatever year interests them. It’s a book to use as you are tasting a wine from that vintage. What people might take away is that in this chaotic world, we need constants such as a vine bearing fruit each year, to keep us sane.

“It’s pure coincidence that my birthplace has recently become a viticultural hotspot.”