Cellar Favorite: 2011 Saintsbury Pinot Noir Brown Ranch (magnum)
United States: California, cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites
, Feb 2021
Saintsbury was the first winery I visited in Napa Valley. Tasting the wines always brings back so many memories; both of that trip and the time I spent selling the Saintsbury Pinots in my restaurant days just after college.
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2017 Barolo: Here We Go Again…
featured, Italy: Piedmont
, Feb 2021
The 2017 Barolos arrived literally as we published the last of our 2016 Barolo reviews. Time to start all over with new wines and a new vintage. In the last two decades Piedmont has become one of the most dynamic regions in the world. Keeping up with the pace of releases these days is quite a challenge, but it’s an incredibly stimulating challenge, as there is so much to discover. Interest for Barolo and Piedmont has never been higher, pandemic or not. There is plenty to like about the 2017 Barolos, as readers will see.
2018 Tuscany Preview
featured, Italy: Tuscany
, Feb 2021
The 2018 Tuscany Preview revives a tradition from years back, when I published an early look at new releases from Tuscany each spring. Well, the Tuscany Preview is back and features some of the year’s most exciting upcoming releases, many of them reference-point wines of historical significance.
Conterno Monfortino Magnum Vertical: 1970-2014
Verticals & Retrospectives, featured, Italy: Piedmont
, Feb 2021
With this year’s Festa del Piemonte in full swing I thought it would be fun to revisit one of the highlights from the 2020 edition, our Rare Wine Dinner featuring a stunning vertical of Giacomo Conterno’s Barolo Riserva Monfortino spanning vintages 1970 through 2014. It was truly a night to remember.
Vinous Santa Lucia Highlands Map: Behind the Scenes
United States: California, featured, California Vineyard Series
, Jan 2021
For the last two years Alessandro Masnaghetti and I have been hard at work on a map of the Santa Lucia Highlands. Our first edition is nearly complete. Formal approval of a change in the AVA’s southern boundary is all we are waiting for to wrap things up. In the meantime, we are going take you behind the scenes in this article, which represents a summary of our work so far. It will surely be updated and refined in the coming months.
Sonoma Preview: 2021 Edition
United States: California, featured
, Jan 2021
January always means a stream of new releases from Sonoma and neighboring appellations. As we have done in the past, this year we present our Sonoma coverage in a series of installments.
Napa Valley’s Thrilling 2018s & 2019s, Part 1
United States: California, featured
, Jan 2021
Napa Valley experienced two stunning back-to-back vintages in 2018 and 2019 the likes of which I have never seen. Both vintages produced a bevy of breathtaking wines that will thrill Napa Valley fans. The 2018s are refined and vibrant, while the young 2019s have a bit more depth and energy.
New Releases from the Tuscan Coast
featured, Italy: Tuscany
, Jan 2021
The Tuscan Coast is one of the most idyllic, evocative regions in Italy and beyond. Breathtaking landscapes dotted with striking vineyards influenced by the nearby Tyrrhenian Sea give birth to compelling wines that run the gamut from daily drinkers to highly coveted, age-worthy reds that stand with the very best wines from around the world. This report focuses on 2018s and 2017s that are in the market now, along with a handful of entry-level 2019s.
Cellar Favorite: 2012 Domaine François Raveneau Chablis Blanchot Grand Cru
cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites, France: Burgundy
, Jan 2021
It’s always a pleasure to pull a bottle of Raveneau from the cellar. These are among my favorite wines from anywhere in the world. Of all the domaines I once covered but have since handed off to other critics at Vinous, Raveneau might very well be the one I miss visiting most, as the wines are so often transcendental.
2020: The Year in Review
featured, United States: New York, General Interest
, Dec 2020
My Year in Review article is usually a greatest hits of the past twelve months, a write up of fabulous meals, wines and tastings. Obviously, there was not much of that this year. I almost did not write this article at all, but 2020 has its own vibe and story. Ultimately, I thought that should be documented…