Browse using the new Vinous website now. Launch →
2025 Champagne: New Releases
France: Champagne, featured
, Apr 2025
My annual March trip to Champagne is always one the highlights of the year. Many producers are preparing to launch their new releases. At the larger houses, this is the time when winemakers are finalizing their blends and deciding whether or not they are going to bottle their tête de cuvées. With spring around the corner, thoughts start to turn to the young vintage and what it might bring. This year, things were different. Deep concerns about the global economy cast a pall on every tasting. That’s a shame, because Champagne continues to be one of the most dynamic regions in the world.
Cellar Favorite: A Landmark Vintage – Henschke 2021
cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites, Australia, Australia Featured
, Apr 2025
Henschke is one of the most historic wineries in Australia, known for unforced wines that showcase their various terroirs. The annual Henschke release is a true vintage snapshot of Eden Valley.
Vinous Table: Le B., New York, United States
Vinous Table
, Apr 2025
Le B. is a Manhattan restaurant that is unashamedly inspired by the past, offering a stellar cast of classic French dishes in all their indulgent glory.
Balloons, Mermaids & Margaux: Château Giscours 1938-2023
France: Bordeaux featured Verticals and Retrospectives, France: Bordeaux Verticals and Retrospectives featured, featured
, Apr 2025
Château Giscours is a storied Margaux estate that has, in some ways, been “rebuilt” over the last three decades under Estate Director Alexander van Beek. This article tells the tale and examines the terroir and techniques, signposted by a vertical tasting of the wines from the thirties to the present day.
Alsace 2023: Astonishing Whites and Splendid Reds from a Complex Year
France: Alsace, featured
, Apr 2025
Dry, dry, dry. This is how Alsace growers remember the 2023 vintage. Sandy, gravelly sites on the plain suffered and stony slopes struggled, but sites with more water-retentive soils fared much better. In 2023, the Rieslings have concentration, moderate alcohol, ripe acidity and great aging potential. The stylistic spectrum of Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer is as broad and diverse as ever, while Pinot Noir is getting finer and finer.
Cellar Favorite: 1948 La Tour Blanche
cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites
, Mar 2025
Some bottles are more poignant than others, inextricable from the occasion, the place and above all, the person associated with the wine.
Vinous Table: Parcelles, Paris, France
Vinous Table, France
, Mar 2025
Vinous readers spending time in Paris will want to book a table at Parcelles. This small bistro/wine bar offers refined cuisine and a superb list. On this cold yet sunny winter day, the cozy, retro dining room is drenched with light, creating a perfect Parisian atmosphere for a relaxed lunch.
Southern Italy: Basilicata, Puglia, Calabria & Molise
featured, Italy: Center & South
, Mar 2025
The wines of southern Italy present many challenges for the discerning consumer. While the potential for excellence exists, winemakers often focus on making forward, easy-drinking wines. A number of cultural factors may contribute to this trend, including wineries prioritizing local sales and a general reluctance to embrace innovation. Nonetheless, many exceptional estates are widely deserving of considerable attention.
Strutting Peacocks: Raymond-Lafon 1979-2021
France: Bordeaux featured Verticals and Retrospectives, France: Bordeaux Verticals and Retrospectives featured, featured
, Mar 2025
This vertical tasting focused on recent vintages, with several older bottles dating back to the 1979 vintage. Raymond-Lafon can produce exemplary Sauternes that equal the elite.
New Zealand Whites: Never Gonna Give You Up
featured, New Zealand
, Mar 2025
An island nation at the bottom of the earth renowned for its native flightless bird as well as "Flight of the Conchords," New Zealand has made a name for itself around the world for its light-filled interpretations of Sauvignon Blanc. As Marlborough looks back on half a century of Sauvignon, it seems the country has a complicated relationship with its star performer.