Cellar Favorite: 1967 Château d’Yquem Sauternes Premier Grand Cru
cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites, France: Bordeaux
, Jan 2021
I have been fortunate to taste the legendary Château d’Yquem a number of times since the early 1980s but hadn’t had the opportunity to actually drink it in many years. That was until a generous friend brought a surprise bottle along to an indulgent Château Petrus vertical this fall, to be shared among a small group of wine lovers at the outstanding Peppercorn’s Grill in Hartford, Connecticut.
Choose Wisely: Château Sérilhan 2008–2017
France: Bordeaux, Verticals & Retrospectives, featured
, Jan 2021
Bordeaux is often criticized for charging a king’s ransom for its top wines. In reality, it is a vast cradle of quality that can offer unbeatable value, depending on how far you are willing to venture beyond the famous names. Some of the price tags dangling from ordinary Burgundy Villages reinforce the argument that wine lovers get much more bang for their buck in Bordeaux than in the Côte d’Or. However, the plethora of châteaux means that consumers can easily become overwhelmed, which is why it is important to shine the spotlight on top performers from lesser-known names, away from the Grand Cru Classés.
Lagrange 1959-2015
France: Bordeaux, Verticals & Retrospectives, featured
, Dec 2020
Suntory’s acquisition of Château Lagrange in 1983 saw an under-performer blossom into one of the most consistent and widely-appreciated wines of Saint-Julien. This article details its history, terroir and winemaking, plus a complete vertical from 1983 to 2015.
.jpg?1601995415)
Saturday Morning: Larcis Ducasse 1945-2017
France: Bordeaux, Verticals & Retrospectives, featured
, Oct 2020
Larcis Ducasse is now regarded as one of the leading Saint-Émilion estates, not surprising given its outstanding terroir. However, as this vertical back to 1945 proved, success came late compared to its peers.
.jpg?1601304357)
Cellar Favorite: 1919 Montrose
cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites, France: Bordeaux
, Sep 2020
Obscure Bordeaux vintages are like the detritus of odds and ends you find at the back of the drawer you never open. The more forgotten or derided the annus horribilus, the more it piques my interest.
2018 Château d'Yquem
France: Bordeaux, featured
, Sep 2020
Three bottles tasted and two separate, independent critical opinions, both in one place. Neal Martin and I offer our views on the 2018 Château d'Yquem.
.jpg?1597347296)
Southwold: 2016 Bordeaux Blind
France: Bordeaux, Verticals & Retrospectives, featured
, Aug 2020
The 2016 Bordeaux vintage might have been born with a halo above its cherubic head, but you cannot see a halo if blindfolded. This report sees the 2016s re-examined blind at the annual “Southwold” tasting.
The Most and Least Important of Things: Petrus 1897–2011
France: Bordeaux, Verticals & Retrospectives, featured
, Jul 2020
What is the place for a retrospective on Petrus in a time of global pandemic and economic hardship? This article has been in suspended animation since January 2019, when London’s Hide restaurant witnessed one of the most unforgettable wine dinners in recent memory. But finally, after 18 months, I decided that these rare and precious wines should be written up. First of all, as the only journalist in attendance, I had a duty to formally record a tasting that might never happen again. Secondly, life goes on; you cannot put everything on hold forever.
Delivering Where It Counts: Meyney 1971–2017
France: Bordeaux, Verticals & Retrospectives, featured
, Jul 2020
Continuing my focus on Bordeaux wines that offer both quality and value, my final château visit before lockdown was to Meyney in Saint-Estèphe. How has their wine improved so much in recent years?
Cellar Favorite: 2010 Haut-Bailly
cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites, France: Bordeaux
, Jun 2020
In my write-up of the 2010 Bordeaux vintage earlier this year, it was unfortunate that one bottle in the blind tasting was so hideously corked that it rendered every participant’s glass unusable. (Hopefully, the injured stemware has recovered by now.) The culprit turned out to be Haut-Bailly, and unfortunately we did not have a backup at hand.