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The Murakami Wine: Royal Tokaji Essencia 1993-2017
featured, Hungary, Verticals & Retrospectives
, Mar 2025
If Haruki Murakami’s books featured wine instead of whiskey, the protagonist would drink Tokaji Essencia then suffer an existential crisis, pondering whether it is “wine” at all. Maybe this remarkable vertical tasting of every vintage of Essencia ever produced by Royal Tokaji helps answer that question...
2014 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon: A Dark Horse Emerges
featured, napa, Verticals & Retrospectives
, Jan 2025
This retrospective of the 2014 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignons was one of the most fascinating I have done in a long time. Sandwiched between 2013 and 2015, 2014 has always lived outside the limelight. At age ten, however, 2014 is having a moment. I tasted many exceptional 2014s that will give wines from more renowned vintages a run for their money, and some that will eclipse them entirely.
A Vintage of Transcendence: 2004 Brunello di Montalcino Retrospective
featured, Italy: Tuscany, Verticals & Retrospectives
, 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?
Dunn: Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain 1985-2014
featured, napa, Verticals & Retrospectives, United States: California
, Dec 2024
I have always been drawn to archetypes. Reference points. Wines that are standard bearers for their variety, appellation and/or style. Perhaps that is a vestige of my musical training, but there is something about classics that has always spoken to me. In Napa Valley, few wines embody those qualities more fully than Dunn’s Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain. This tasting provided a fabulous opportunity to revisit a wide range of vintages going all the way back to the 1980s.
Morlet Family Vineyards: Cabernet Sauvignon Mon Chevalier 2007-2019
featured, Verticals & Retrospectives, United States: California
, Oct 2024
Knights Valley is one of the most fascinating regions in Northern California. The AVA lies just north of Calistoga and is nestled between Alexander Valley, Chalk Hill and Fountaingrove in a corner of Sonoma County that feels quite remote and pastoral. Knights Valley excels with red and white Bordeaux varieties. The reds are marked by distinctive savory and mineral notes that, at times, recall the great wines of Pessac-Léognan. Luc and Jodie Morlet’s Cabernet Sauvignon Mon Chevalier is a terrific example of what Knights Valley has to offer. This retrospective back to the inaugural 2007 provided a fascinating opportunity to see how the wine ages.
The Misunderstood Margaux: Marquis de Terme 1947-2021
France: Bordeaux, featured, Verticals & Retrospectives
, Oct 2024
Marquis de Terme is a Margaux château that flies under the radar. Estate director Ludovic David offered me a rare insight into the property and presented a vertical of over 20 vintages back to the postwar period.
Conti Costanti: Montalcino’s Most Historic Estate
featured, Italy: Tuscany, Verticals & Retrospectives
, Oct 2024
As a self-taught young man, Andrea Costanti immersed himself in the world of winemaking and Brunello di Montalcino. He rose to become one of the region's leading winemakers. This vertical details the last nineteen years of that evolution, showing Costanti’s blend of traditionalism and progression.
Kumeu River: The Kiwi Dream
featured, Verticals & Retrospectives, New Zealand
, Sep 2024
Consistency, balance and a distinct house style have placed Kumeu River among the classics. From humble beginnings 80 years ago, this estate has established itself as a major player in New Zealand and around the world.
Tiberio's Fonte Canale: Redefining Trebbiano d'Abruzzo
featured, Verticals & Retrospectives, Italy: Center & South
, Aug 2024
In only 12 years, Fonte Canale has become one of Italy's iconic white wines. Tiberio’s Fonte Canale is made from the hard-to-find Trebbiano Abruzzese grape. This vertical, spanning the first official release in 2012 up to a preview of the yet-to-be-released 2022, will give readers a good idea of how the wines develop over time.
Memories Elide: Vieux Château Certan 1923-2020
France: Bordeaux, featured, Verticals & Retrospectives
, Jul 2024
An unrepeatable 57-vintage vertical of Vieux Château Certan marking the Thienponts’ century of ownership deserved an article of equal ambition. Bringing to life those from the past and present who made this remarkable event possible, this is a story as much about people as it is about a remarkable wine.