Eternal Leroy: 1937-2010
featured, Verticals & Retrospectives, France: Burgundy
, Oct 2018
I still remember the first time I visited Domaine Leroy. It was a much earlier time in my tasting and writing career. As I walked into the understated winery in Vosne-Romanée I noticed the walls covered with photographs of what looked like incredible tastings. Gently softened by the passage of time, those photos bore testament to the extraordinary legacy built by Lalou Bize-Leroy and her late husband, Marcel Bize, over the six decades they spent together. My mind wandered as I imagined what it might be like to attend one of those events. Little did I know that in the coming years I would have the opportunity to participate in several historic tastings at both Domaine Leroy and Domaine d’Auvenay, Lalou Bize-Leroy’s home estate in the hills outside Meursault.
Golden Oldies & Goodies: The Ageworthiness of Verdicchio
featured, Verticals & Retrospectives, Italy
, Oct 2018
Long overlooked and underrated, Verdicchio is starting to make a name for itself, not just for delicious, easily affordable site-specific whites, but for surprisingly ageworthy wines too.
Albert Mann Gewurztraminer Furstentum: 1993-2015
France: Alsace, featured, Verticals & Retrospectives
, Oct 2018
Albert Mann is admired for wines of remarkable purity and precision. Arguably most famous for their Riesling Schlossberg and Pinot Noir bottlings, the estate’s Gewurztraminer Furstentum is just as outstanding, showcasing how well this variety can age in Alsace.
Le Potazzine Brunello di Montalcino 2001 – 2013
Italy: Tuscany, featured, Verticals & Retrospectives
, Oct 2018
Despite its short history, Le Potazzine is universally regarded as one of Montalcino’s top dozen or so wineries. The estate is known for remarkably refined Brunellos that speak of vintage, place and grape variety with utmost precision.
Picture This: Domaine Henri Gouges 1945 – 2016
featured, Verticals & Retrospectives, France: Burgundy
, Oct 2018
Photographs so often convey history better than words. They can stimulate our imagination and trigger emotions. A photograph presents minimal information, its temporal limitation governed by the click of the lens that ensnares a moment in time. Our minds are left to colour in what comes before and after. This retrospective traces the history of Domaine Henri Gouges through eight decades and more than fifty wines.
Malvirà Roero Arneis Vigna Renesio: 2007 – 2015
featured, Verticals & Retrospectives, Piedmont, Italy: Piedmont
, Oct 2018
Arneis is an Italian native white grape that can give remarkably charming wines with early appeal and juicy fruitiness. Malvirà’s outstanding Vigna Renesio bottling shows that Arneis can also produce layered, ageworthy wines.
Fairest of Them All: Cos d’Estournel 1928 – 2015
France: Bordeaux, featured, Verticals & Retrospectives
, Oct 2018
Cos d’Estournel is without doubt one of the most eye-catching châteaux in Bordeaux. It stops passers-by in their tracks and, likewise, so can its wine. This extraordinary vertical tasting spans ten decades and covers the entire history of the property from its origins to the present day. After reading, you may be compelled to pay a visit to the gentleman seated under the tree.
Sharing Alike: Petrus 1947 - 2015
France: Bordeaux, featured, Verticals & Retrospectives
, Sep 2018
News that the family of Jean-François and Jean Moueix sold 20% of Petrus to Colombian-born billionaire Alejandro Santo Domingo sent shockwaves across the world. I know what Alejandro Santo Domingo is thinking. He is thinking: “I’ve splashed out millions on a minority share in Petrus. I wish an experienced wine critic would provide me with tasting notes of multiple back vintages.” Well, let me be of service.
Priceless: Roumier Bonnes-Mares 1945 - 2015
featured, Verticals & Retrospectives, France: Burgundy
, Sep 2018
Christophe Roumier is one of the most revered winemakers in Burgundy. His wines are coveted across the world. This article examines the history of Domaine Georges Roumier, Christophe’s techniques and focuses upon his flagship cru, Bonnes-Mares. Spanning no less than eight decades and over 30 vintages, this vertical tasting constitutes one of the most comprehensive overviews ever conducted, one that might never be repeated.
Les Crêtes Fumin: 1994 - 2015
Italy: North, featured, Verticals & Retrospectives
, Sep 2018
There is perhaps no single producer in Italy who has done more for their region and its wines than Costantino Charrère of Les Crêtes. Over the years, Charrère has made some of Italy’s best white wines from old, forgotten varieties, but he is also responsible for the best example of the Valle d’Aosta’s distinctive red grape, Fumin, as this recent vertical tasting amply demonstrates.