Campania: More Than Just Fiano, Greco and Aglianico
Italy: Center & South, featured
, Nov 2018
Campania is one of Italy’s best sources of distinctive white wines. A large number of indigenous grapes are matched to an equally diverse set of microclimates that give birth to striking wines. The reds are a bit of a mixed bag and run the gamut from extraordinary to overoaked and rustic wines that don’t always capture the full potential the region has to offer. Even so, Campania’s finest reds remain captivating.
Enigma Variations: Lafleur 1955-2015
France: Bordeaux, featured
, Nov 2018
Lafleur is a property that I have researched and written about extensively over the years. And yet something enigmatic remains about this Pomerol château. This article lifts the lid on its history, the vineyard, its winemaker, and the Robin and Guinaudeau families, charting the progress of its wines over several decades courtesy of two extraordinary verticals and some spellbinding wines.
Eternal Leroy: 1937-2010
France: Burgundy, Verticals & Retrospectives, featured
, 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
Italy, Verticals & Retrospectives, featured
, 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.
Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc: 2016 & 2017
France: Rhône & Beaujolais, featured
, Oct 2018
White wines are just a drop in the bucket of Châteauneuf-du-Pape production, but that doesn’t mean vignerons don’t give them a lot of love. On the contrary, these are among the most exciting wines being produced in the Rhône Valley today. Three outstanding vintages are now in the market or on deck.
Albert Mann Gewurztraminer Furstentum: 1993-2015
France: Alsace, Verticals & Retrospectives, featured
, 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.
Where Value Lies: First Look At 2016 Bordeaux
France: Bordeaux, featured
, Oct 2018
Given the price of its elite, it seems absurd to claim that Bordeaux is one of the best value regions in the world. But it is true. In my first look at the 2016s in bottle, I examine what I call the “real Bordeaux”. Away from the glitz and glamour lies an ocean of Cru Bourgeois and Bordeaux Supérieur that can offer quality at exceptional value. All you need to know is what to look for.
Barbaresco – Out of the Shadows: The 2016s & 2015s
Italy: Piedmont, featured
, Oct 2018
I came away from my late summer tastings of Barbarescos deeply impressed. Reference-point estates are upping their game, while a number of ambitious, young winemakers are making significant improvements in quality. The 2016 Barbarescos, wines from a potentially historic vintage, are hugely promising. As I traveled from producer to producer, I experienced that sense of excitement and energy I always feel when in the presence of important vintages and wines.
Le Potazzine Brunello di Montalcino 2001 – 2013
Italy: Tuscany, Verticals & Retrospectives, featured
, 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
France: Burgundy, Verticals & Retrospectives, featured
, 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.