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Massolino Barolo Riserva Vigna Rionda Vertical Tasting & Lunch at La Festa del Barolo
featured, Italy: Piedmont, Verticals & Retrospectives
, Dec 2025
Vigna Rionda holds a special place in the hearts and minds of Barolo lovers. It’s an evocative vineyard, a magical site that has given birth to extraordinary Barolos for the last several decades. The Massolino family have long been stewards of Rionda and all the history that lies within its slopes. This lunch, featuring ten vintages of Massolino’s Barolo Riserva Vigna Rionda with Franco Massolino, offered a unique opportunity to explore the nuances of this historic vineyard as seen through the lens of one of its greatest interpreters.
Giuseppe Mascarello & Figlio: Barolo Monprivato and Riserva Cà d’Morissio in Magnum
Piedmont, featured, Verticals & Retrospectives
, Dec 2025
Giuseppe Mascarello & Figlio is one of Piedmont’s most historic estates. This rare vertical tasting of Mascarello’s iconic Barolo Monprivato and Barolo Riserva Cà d’Morissio, all from magnum, provided an extraordinary opportunity to trace the evolution of the wines across three decades that include many of the estate’s most legendary vintages.
The Year in Review: 2025
General Interest, featured
, Dec 2025
The end of the year is always a time of reflection. Two thousand twenty-five has been a truly spectacular year, both personally and professionally. I have been blessed to have so many unforgettable experiences. I traveled more and worked harder than any year I can remember. Nevertheless, the balance of the scale in 2025 very much tips towards the positive. When I stop to take it all in, I can only summarize 2025 with one word: Gratitude.
Cellar Favorite: 1970 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Montrachet Grand Cru
cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites, France: Burgundy
, Dec 2025
I have been fortunate to taste many vintages of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti’s Montrachet Grand Cru over the years, but the 1970 was a vintage that had eluded me. This is a very special bottle, both for what is in the glass and for the rich history it unlocks.
Vinous Table: Gramercy Tavern, New York, USA
Vinous Table
, Dec 2025
More than 30 years after opening, Gramercy Tavern remains a benchmark for fine dining in New York City. That’s saying a lot in a town where restaurants come and go practically every day. I first dined at Gramercy Tavern in 2005, shortly after I moved to New York City. It quickly became a favorite. While most articles in our Vinous Table column are about a special meal, this article is a departure, mostly because I have been to Gramercy so many times over the years that I find it challenging to reduce my experiences to a meal or two.
Cellar Favorite: Champagne Louis Roederer – Inflection Points
cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites, France: Champagne
, Dec 2025
Longtime Roederer Chef de Caves Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon pulled out a stunning series of wines at the conclusion of my annual tasting of vins clairs and new releases earlier this year. Of course, it’s always interesting to taste older vintages, but these bottles represent something more than just rare wines from the past. Most of them represent inflection points in Lécaillon’s thinking.
Cellar Favorite: 1945 Riccardo Viganò Barolo Gran Riserva Cannubi
cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites, Italy: Piedmont
, Nov 2025
The 1945 Barolo Gran Riserva Cannubi from Riccardo Viganò is an emotional, deeply moving wine. I doubt I will ever see or taste it again, and there must be few bottles left anywhere.
El Molino: The Essence of Napa Valley Classicism
featured, Verticals & Retrospectives
, Nov 2025
Despite boasting a history that stretches back to the late 1800s, El Molino remains one of Napa Valley’s most under-the-radar estates. I have only tasted these wines sporadically over the years myself, as the wines are rarely seen. Here, at her family’s historic St. Helena winery, proprietor Lily Oliver Berlin quietly crafts Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs of rare distinction. This vertical of the estate’s Chardonnay and Pinot Noir back to 1999 revealed a sleeping giant, an iconic Napa Valley winery waiting to be discovered. Readers who admire old-school, classically built wines will find so much to admire.
Napa Valley Soars: The 2023 & 2024 Cabernet Sauvignons
featured, napa, United States: California
, Nov 2025
After three very challenging years, Napa Valley soars with the 2023 and 2024 Cabernet Sauvignons. The two vintages are quite different in style, and yet quality is very high in both years. In 2023, a long, cool growing season yielded young wines of exceptional finesse. Not to be outdone, the warmer 2024 vintage has a lot to offer as well. At some properties, the 2024s will challenge or surpass the 2023s.
2015 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon: In the Zone
featured, Verticals & Retrospectives, napa
, Nov 2025
My annual look at the Napa Valley vintage ten years on was so illuminating. Two thousand fifteen is a vintage I have followed since the very beginning. Several trips during the fall of that year allowed me to see everything from fruit on the vine through to harvest, and then very young wines in tank. Overall, the wines have aged beautifully. Most are heading effortlessly into their second decade. Two thousand fifteen is a terrific vintage to drink now, although the best wines will continue to drink well for some time.