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Blue Nun: The Wine at the Center of Everything
featured, Germany
, Jul 2025
Connoisseurs may look down their noses at Blue Nun, myself included, yet it played a crucial role in democratising wine. An homage to the extraordinary late Peter Sichel, this is the story of a unique 62-year-old bottle of Blue Nun and how the brand is intertwined with culture. It might not entice you to drink Blue Nun, but you will be entertained…
Vinous Table: Plates, London, UK
Vinous Table
, Jul 2025
Plates is one of my finest meals in recent months. Beyond satiating the senses, it made me reflect on food. Some of the dishes are indelibly printed on my memory. I find myself reliving them, mouthful by mouthful. And you know what? Plates is vegan.
A Bit of Fortification: Port and Madeira New Releases
Portugal, Fortified Wines & Spirits, Fortified Wines and Spirits, featured
, Jul 2025
Fortified wine has long been a passion of mine. This short article rounds up recent releases from Quinta do Noval, Symington and Taylor Fladgate Port Houses, as well as recent Madeira bottlings from Blandy’s.
Cellar Favorite: 1990 Guy de Barjac Cornas
France, cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites
, Jul 2025
Stick me on a desert island with a choice of one Rhône wine, and I would choose Cornas. I love this appellation, especially when a mature bottle crops up.
Cellar Favorite: 1952 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Romanée-Conti Grand Cru
France: Burgundy, cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites, featured
, Jun 2025
1952 was a significant vintage: it marked the return of the Romanée-Conti cuvée after the monopole’s ungrafted vines were pulled out following the 1945 harvest. It was a complete privilege to drink this extraordinarily rare piece of history.
Cellar Favorite: 2000 Noël Verset Cornas
cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites, France: Rhône & Beaujolais
, Jun 2025
A recent bottle of the 2000 Cornas was a pertinent reminder of how Noël Verset’s wines can bring such joy.
One Night in Taipei: Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Richebourg 1995-2017
France: Burgundy, featured, Verticals & Retrospectives
, Jun 2025
This was an invaluable overview of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti’s Richebourg—an opportunity to really examine a single cuvée, to observe how it interacts with the heterogeneity of growing seasons that leads to differing results in the bottle. It was also a timely reminder that despite this domaine’s lofty reputation, no bottle is beyond criticism.
A Century of...Fives
France: Bordeaux, France: Bordeaux featured Verticals and Retrospectives, France: Bordeaux Verticals and Retrospectives featured, featured
, Jun 2025
My annual "Century of..." article revisits vintages on their decennial anniversaries. This year, we dive into Fives.
Cellar Favorite: 1990 Hennebelle
France: Bordeaux, cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites, featured
, Jun 2025
The 1990 Hennebelle is a pertinent reminder of the glories of Bordeaux, how a modest quarter-century-old Haut-Médoc could deliver such pleasure.
Vinous Table: L’Ardente, Washington, D.C., United States
Vinous Table, featured
, Jun 2025
Located just a few blocks from Capitol Hill, L’Ardente offers unpretentious, straight-down-the-line Italian fare that has earned a reputation for quality. The atmosphere is lively and the sommelier team is impressive.