Leading wine expert and winner of ‘Best Sommelier of the World’ (2007 ASI), Andreas Larsson, shares his top tips on what wines will soar in 2023.
In 2022, we drank and enjoyed some excellent wines, with many indulging in a dry glass of Pinot Noir or the dark fruitful flavours of Merlot. As we enter the New Year, many look for inspiration and new wines to test and try, but what will be the go-to wines in 2023?
Premium Scandinavian appliance brand ASKO has teamed up with Swedish wine expert and ‘Best Sommelier of the World’ (2007 ASI), Andreas Larsson, to share his wine trend predictions for 2023 as well as recommendations for what you can buy in to impress your guests for any party or get together this year.
Luxurious Magazine: So, Andreas, what wines/flavour profiles do you predict will trend in 2023 and why?
Andreas: Assyrtiko from Greece, the indigenous Portuguese white varieties like Loureiro and Arinto. For reds, Cabernet Franc still deserves more attention, and orange wine is definitely a category which is here to stay following a recent surge in popularity.
LM: Which wines do you believe deserve more recognition and attention from consumers in the New Year?
Andreas: There are so many wines on the market and a vast selection to choose from, but I would look to classic French regions for classically dry and elegant Sauvignon instead of the upfront styles from Malborough. The great treasures of Grenache from century-old vineyards found in Southern France and Spain deserve more attention.”
LM: For the people hosting in 2023, what wines would you recommend serving with canapés or desserts?
Andreas: English sparkling, of course! It’s a wonderful style of wine which has reached an excellent quality level and is the perfect accompaniment for a celebratory canapé.
For a Camembert, I’d go out of my wine comfort zone and suggest a good artisanal cider, and for a great dessert, nothing beats a good old ten or even better 20-year-old Tawny Port, which in my opinion, is the definition of a liquid dessert itself.”
LM: What fine wines are worth investing in to make any big party extra special this year?
Andreas: If you can stretch the budget, I recommend investing in a bottle of something special to impress your guests. As Burgundy is getting rarer and increasingly more expensive, I’d stock up on whatever I could find. A fine Bordeaux, however, is more accessible to get a hold of, yet it remains the pinnacle for collectors and investors, such as the top wines from piedmont, Tuscany and Napa Valley.
A Madeira is also a perfect pairing for your dessert as it combines complexity, freshness and warmth. However, to remain classic, Sauternes is still an undervalued style of wine. It has never been better; it ages tremendously well, and its immediate appeal suits everyone. For a lighter and utterly pleasant version, try a Moscato d’Asti from a good producer.
LM: Once you’ve picked the perfect bottle, what is the correct temperature to serve your wines?
Andreas: Personally, I serve most red wines around 16 degrees, with slight variations depending on the style. For fortified wines higher in alcohol, I like to serve them at “cellar” temperature, somewhere between 12-14, as it brings down the alcoholic sensation. However, this can be totally subjective, so it’s up to everyone to decide what they prefer. White wine is normally served at a temperature of between 8˚C and 12˚C.
LM: How should wine be stored?
Andreas: An important factor to take into account when serving wine is to make sure the drink is stored correctly. Not only is the temperature important to control, but also the humidity. The storing environment should correspond to the humidity of a natural cellar, free of vibrations and light.
Andreas Larsson credits ASKO’s Wine Climate Cabinet as a perfect option for consumers to store their wine.
“The benefit of having a wine climate cabinet is to be able to store your wine under perfect conditions. What I really like about the wine climate cabinet is the serving area. This enables you to keep the bottles at the right temperatures and even store your glasses and utensils.
Plus, you can set the light, and change the warmth, the colour and the intensity, to fit your mood to fit your environment. And this means that you can put the wine climate cabinet anywhere in your home.”
The recommended temperature for serving red wine is between 12˚C and 18˚C whereas the ideal temperature for white wine is between 8˚C and 12˚C.
ASKO’s Wine Climate Cabinet is the perfect addition to help you store your wine, as it contains three temperature zones for different types of wine, each of which can be meticulously controlled. Not only does it chill drinks perfectly, but it also features a Virtual Sommelier feature – allowing you to learn more about your wine’s provenance and tasting notes, so you always have an Andreas Larsson at hand to share top tips.
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