Atlantic Spain: It’s Always About the Weather…
Spain, featured
, Jun 2021
Stretching from Galicia in the far northwest and along the Atlantic Ocean and the Bay of Biscay to the Basque Country, Atlantic Spain is the country’s coolest winegrowing region. Mostly indigenous varieties that are grown virtually nowhere else in Spain are the rule. The almost universally ocean-influenced climate and the intrinsic character of those local grapes define vibrant wines that are increasingly capturing the attention of wine lovers across the globe.
Symington: 2019 Single Quintas New Releases
Portugal, featured
, Jun 2021
The 2019 vintage in the Douro may not have coerced Symingtons into a declaration, but it did lay the foundation for a set of new single Quintas releases.
Cellar Favorite: 1998 Domaine Georges Roumier Morey-Saint-Denis Clos de la Bussière 1er Cru
cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites, France: Burgundy
, Jun 2021
There is no point in restating the fact that I, along with countless other Burgundy-lovers, adore the wines of Christophe Roumier. Oops, I did it again!
Beyond Wine: Album Review of Floating Points, Pharoah Saunders, London Symphony Orchestra - Promises
Beyond Wine
, Jun 2021
I cannot write too much about Promises – it is something you really have to listen to and immerse yourself in, preferably late at night with the lights dimmed, preferably on vinyl on a high-end audiophile system.
Sicily: The Island Nation
Italy: Center & South, featured
, Jun 2021
There was a time when I believed wine lovers were ready to give up on the idea that Sicily might ever shrug off its reputation for large cooperatives, bulk production and false starts to fine-wine glory. Luckily, that day never came. Quite simply, the wines of Sicily have never been better than they are right now. The combination of drastically diverse terroirs, a huge uptick in quality and a vast number of varieties has created an embarrassment of riches for the discerning wine lover.
Seven Australian Cabernets from 2015
featured, Australia, Verticals & Retrospectives
, Jun 2021
Maybe, like me, you have forgotten the joy a bottle of top-notch Australian Cabernet can bring. In a brief diversion away from tasting Bordeaux primeur, I sampled several wines that jogged my memory.
Cellar Favorite: 1896 Taylor’s Single Harvest Port
Portugal, cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites
, Jun 2021
Several years ago, Taylor’s Fladgate had what might be described as a eureka moment. Instead of using precious, ancient and irreplaceable pipes of Port into their 40-Year Old Blend for example, why not see if there is a niche market for limited launches of historical fortified wines?
2021 Rosé – New Releases
featured, Rest of the World
, Jun 2021
Rosé continues to be a hot category around the world. As our coverage expands, this year we offer one combined report from our team of editors to make these reviews easier to search and reference. Our editors take a look at some of the issues driving the production of Rosés during the second year of a global pandemic. We will continue to update this report in the coming weeks and months as more wines enter the market.
Cellar Favorite: 1978 Château de Pommard Pommard
cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites, France: Burgundy
, Jun 2021
Before I started scribbling words about wine writing, I worked for a Japanese import company that acted as agents for a dozen or so producers. One of those was Château de Pommard and so naturally I was in regular contact with its erstwhile proprietor, Jean-Louis Laplanche.
2020 Bordeaux En Primeur: Almost Back to Normal
featured, France: Bordeaux
, Jun 2021
Two thousand-twenty was a year of ups and downs. A number of challenges during the growing season kept vineyard managers and winemakers on their toes, just as the world grappled with the most serious health crisis in living memory. Now that the 2020s are being released en primeur, the Bordelais refer to the vintage as the third in a ‘trilogy’ that includes 2018 and 2019, but it’s not always easy to separate the marketing buzz from reality. How did the wines turn out?