Vinous Table: Le Relais de Saulx, Beaune, France
Vinous Table, featured, France: Burgundy
, Apr 2021
Le Relais de Saulx served one of the best evening meals I had in Burgundy last year. I enjoyed its cozy and informal ambiance; it’s one of several recent additions to the Beaune restaurant scene that is refreshingly relaxed and unstuffy.
Finding Cool Sunshine: South Africa
South Africa, featured
, Apr 2021
Postponed several times due to matters beyond my control, thankfully the intermittently showstopping wines of South Africa were worth the wait, proving that the pandemic has not slowed down the momentum of the Cape.
Abruzzo and Molise: More Than Meets the Eye
Italy: Center & South, featured
, Apr 2021
The time has come to dig into Abruzzo and Molise, regions that offer everything from easy-drinking wines to world-class bottles, all while delivering terrific value. My recent tastings suggest the wines have come a long way - and this is just the beginning.
Wiston Estate & The Trouble With Dreams
United Kingdom, featured
, Apr 2021
Overseeing the wines of Wiston and his own label, Trouble With Dreams, Dermot Sugrue is one of the UK’s most talented and intriguing winemakers. Anyone believing that English sparkling wine should not be taken seriously should read this in-depth and revealing article.
Bordeaux 2018: Not Back in Black
France: Bordeaux, featured
, Mar 2021
After an uneven vintage in 2017, Bordeaux was buzzing with anticipation over the 2018s. To be sure, the wines were showy from barrel, but tasting en primeur is always a moving target. The wines are of course very young and sensitive to atmospheric changes as well as other variables. Now that the 2018s have been bottled, do they live up to expectations?
Interpreting Chenin Blanc
featured, France: Loire
, Mar 2021
In my first Loire report for Vinous, I take the pulse of Chenin producers with a focus on current releases from Savennières and Vouvray.
Where the Wild Things Are: Welcome to Sardinia
featured, Italy
, Mar 2021
Vines, like people, endure and build character through living and growing within the most harsh and rugged environments. Nowhere within Italy is this more evident than on the Island of Sardinia, which can almost seem like a country, or even a continent unto itself. The island covers 9,300 square miles; and with a 125-mile separation from the mainland, when touring its diverse terrain, listening to its own dialect and taking in the regional flavors, it would be easy to forget that you are indeed in Italy.
Mediterranean Spain: Where to Start?
featured, Spain
, Mar 2021
In recent vintages, the Mediterranean wine-producing regions in Spain have produced a large number of outstanding wines. The range of wines influenced by the sea is staggering, from bone-dry bubblies to structured, world-class reds and some of the most decadent sweet wines in the world.
Remembering Steven Spurrier 1941-2021
featured, Vinous Remembers
, Mar 2021
No sooner had we come to terms with the passing of Michael Broadbent last year, we learn of the loss of his great friend Steven Spurrier on 9 March. Neal and Antonio share personal anecdotes in this tribute.
The Pfalz – Not False – Promise of 2018
featured, Germany
, Mar 2021
Vintage 2018 is not a show-stopper for Pfalz Riesling. Nor are the wines likely to go down in history for their longevity. Yet, it isn’t just an eminently appealing vintage, it’s also one of enormous promise, not just for the Pfalz, but for what it says about where German Riesling as a whole could be headed.