The Vast Bounty of Central Spain
featured, Spain
, Feb 2021
While serious wine fanatics are well acquainted with Ribera del Duero, Toro and Rueda, much of the world consumes millions of gallons of wine a year made in the less lofty nearby regions, especially La Mancha and the far-reaching Castilla y León, both of which often deliver excellent value. Then there are unsung DOs like Campo de Borja, where readers will find some of the biggest bang-for-the-buck Grenache in the world.
Cellar Favorite: 1928 Calon-Ségur
cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites, France: Bordeaux
, Feb 2021
According to the Vinous database, which likes to keep a tab on these things, I have tasted 1928s from 22 Bordeaux châteaux, which is 22 more than I ever imagined.
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.
Extreme High-Altitude Wines from Argentina's Northern Valleys
featured, Argentina
, Feb 2021
In the northwest of Argentina, there is a chain of magical valleys, weird and wonderful landscapes where the air at high altitude is so thin it can leave you gasping for breath. The endless deserts and ravines are, remarkably, producing wines of such extraordinary power that they rarely fail to seduce visitors to the area and connoisseurs much farther afield.
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.
Cellar Favorite: 2006 Castello di Monsanto Chianti Classico Riserva Il Poggio
cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites, Italy: Tuscany
, Feb 2021
Because of Il Poggio’s amazing ability to mature over the course of decades, this night was the first time that I decided to open a bottle of the 2006 since tasting it upon release - and I sure am glad that I did.
Beyond Wine: Neal’s Uplifting Anti-Viral Playlist
Beyond Wine
, Jan 2021
During the first lockdown, a friend/angel working on the National Health Service frontline asked me to recommend tunes to lift her spirits. I duly offered one song per day on my Facebook page so that everyone could marvel at my terrible taste in music. Given that we are back in lockdown and suffering the January blues, I decided to put my posts together for this article with just a little editing and updating.
Friuli Venezia Giulia – In Constant Motion
Italy: North, featured
, Jan 2021
This is not quite Italy, Austria or Slovenia; it is distinctly Friuli Venezia Giulia, and what forward-thinking producers in the region have accomplished through decades of toying and tinkering to find that perfect mix has created a kaleidoscope of styles from ancient to international to completely experimental.
Cellar Favorite: 2007 Domaine Hubert Lamy Saint-Aubin En Remilly 1er Cru
cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites, France: Burgundy
, Jan 2021
One of the most memorable visits during my 2019 Burgundy marathon was with Olivier Lamy in Saint-Aubin. The tasting was held just outside the barrel cellar.
La Lumière Noire: 2019 Burgundy Additions
France: Burgundy, featured
, Jan 2021
When it comes to Burgundy, the job is never done. So having published some 2,500 reviews in December, this article includes a tranche of notes from additional producers’ 2019s that were subsequently tasted in the UK.