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Burgundy 2023: The State of Play
featured, France: Burgundy
, Jan 2025
Following my Burgundy 2023 report, I have penned my views on the state of the Burgundy market after conversing with growers in the Côte d’Or, head buyers at UK merchants and, most crucially, consumers at several tastings in London in January 2025.
Sonoma and Neighbors 2022 & 2023: Opposites Attract
United States: California, featured
, Jan 2025
It’s that time of year. New releases from Sonoma County and neighboring appellations are starting to hit the market. This report covers some of the most exciting wines I tasted on my recent trip to Sonoma. As is our custom, we will post frequent updates to this article in the coming weeks, which we feel is the best way to keep readers current, given the sheer volume of wines released this time of year. Readers can also look forward to a forthcoming report focused on the Moon Mountain AVA, where the wines are quite distinct from those made in the more central regions within Sonoma County.
Lower Your Sails Again: Beychevelle 1905-2015
France: Bordeaux featured Verticals and Retrospectives, featured, France: Bordeaux Verticals and Retrospectives featured
, Jan 2025
This was a memorable dinner. The chronological instead of qualitative theme made it feel like a bona fide voyage through time, and proved the quality of Beychevelle as one of the standout wines in Saint-Julien.
Cellar Favorite: 1997 Philip Togni Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon
cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites
, Jan 2025
Savory scents of game, touches of cigar humidor and Tuscan delicatessen infuse the red fruit, evoking thoughts of old-school California from the mid-1970s.
The Lord Giveth…Burgundy 2023
featured, France: Burgundy
, Jan 2025
The 2023 vintage in the Côte d’Or offers many pleasures. After six weeks tasting nearly 2,500 wines across 160 domaines, it is clear that while the year has its shortcomings, the best wines will have you singing their praises.
2021 Barolo: Changing Times, Changing Wines
featured, Piedmont Report, Italy: Piedmont
, Jan 2025
My November trip to Piedmont was one of the most intriguing in recent memory. Producers were living in a sort of suspended state, their thoughts bouncing back and forth from the challenges of the just-concluded 2024 harvest to excitement over the soon-to-be-released 2021s and the outcome of the recent presidential election in the United States. Against that very colorful background, I tasted a stunning array of new releases. The 2021 Barolos are finessed, elegant wines that will delight Piedmont fans.
Cellar Favorite: 2016 Domaine François Raveneau Chablis Valmur Grand Cru
France: Burgundy, cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites
, Jan 2025
What a pleasure it is to taste Raveneau’s 2016 Chablis Valmur Grand Cru. The 2016 has come together beautifully over the last few years.
Vinous Table: Maison François
Vinous Table, France: Bordeaux
, Jan 2025
Maison François comes highly recommended, especially for larger groups looking for a livelier lunch or dinner with quality French cooking accompanied by decent wines. There is a relaxed vibe and the standard is a cut above the rest. It nods to the past and yet it feels contemporary with plenty of Gallic style. Most of all, it belongs to a cadre of London restaurants that treats wine lovers with respect.
A Vintage of Transcendence: 2004 Brunello di Montalcino Retrospective
featured, Verticals & Retrospectives, Italy: Tuscany
, Jan 2025
The 2004 vintage in Montalcino will always be remembered for its balance, embodying the pursuit of purity that emerged before the full force of climate change set in. Now, two decades later, how have the wines aged?
Cellar Favorite: 2010 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Brunate
Italy: Piedmont, cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites
, Dec 2024
A wine of mind-blowing complexity, Rinaldi’s 2010 Barolo Brunate is everything Barolo can be—powerful, refined, seductive, intensely aromatic, structured and so incredibly beautiful that words seem inadequate.