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Vinous Table: Chablis Wine Not, Chablis, France
Vinous Table, France: Burgundy
, July 2025
Chablis Wine Not is a restaurant, bar à vin, bistro and meeting point for Chablis winemakers. It is also a wine lover's dream, with numerous off-piste vinous gems awaiting discovery.
Chablis 2023 & 2024: Five Baskets
featured, France: Burgundy
, Jul 2025
Chablis found itself directly in the firing line during the inclement 2024 season, but a significant shortfall in quantity does not mean the wines lack potential. Meanwhile, the 2023s are even more promising than they were 12 months ago. Within the scope of all things Burgundy, much of Chablis offers good value. You just need to know where to look.
Beyond Expectations: Twenty-Three Years of Tablas Creek’s Esprit de Tablas
United States: California, featured
, Jul 2025
Constantly evolving while always staying true to its Rhône roots, Tablas Creek’s Esprit de Tablas remains one of the most ageworthy, dynamic red blends in the United States, Since 2000, the Esprit de Tablas (formerly Esprit de Beaucastel) has aimed to mirror Château de Beaucastel’s Châteauneuf-du-Pape through a Paso Robles lens, honoring the pioneering partnership between the Hass and Perrin families.
Cellar Favorite: 1997 Maximin Grünhaus – von Schubert Riesling Abtsberg Auslese Nr. 57
germany: Mosel, cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites
, Jul 2025
The 1997 Riesling Abtsberg Auslese Nr. 57 is the real deal. So pure and harmonious, this Riesling seems to shimmer through to the crystalline finish.
Littorai: The First Thirty Years
United States: California, featured, Verticals & Retrospectives
, Jul 2025
From humble beginnings in the early 1990s, Ted and Heidi Lemon quietly built one of the most impressive wineries in the United States. Along the way they influenced countless younger winemakers and spearheaded the development of what are now vibrant winegrowing communities in the West Sonoma Coast and Anderson Valley. This report combines tasting notes and impressions from two recent tastings of mostly older vintages, wines that capture all the beauty and pedigree of some of the best sites in both appellations.
Blue Nun: The Wine at the Center of Everything
featured, Germany
, Jul 2025
Connoisseurs may look down their noses at Blue Nun, myself included, yet it played a crucial role in democratising wine. An homage to the extraordinary late Peter Sichel, this is the story of a unique 62-year-old bottle of Blue Nun and how the brand is intertwined with culture. It might not entice you to drink Blue Nun, but you will be entertained…
Cellar Favorite: Castell’in Villa Library Releases
Italy: Tuscany, cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites
, Jul 2025
Time marches to its own beat at Castell’in Villa, where proprietor Princess Coralia Pignatelli della Leonessa releases her wines only when she thinks they are ready. These current library releases are fabulous choices for readers who want to taste wines with some age from this reference-point property.
Vinous Table: Plates, London, UK
Vinous Table
, Jul 2025
Plates is one of my finest meals in recent months. Beyond satiating the senses, it made me reflect on food. Some of the dishes are indelibly printed on my memory. I find myself reliving them, mouthful by mouthful. And you know what? Plates is vegan.
Chianti Classico: Riding Out the Storm
featured, Italy: Tuscany
, Jul 2025
After an extraordinary vintage in 2021, producers in Chianti Classico faced two much more stressful growing seasons in 2022 and 2023. Those who were able to cope with those challenges turned out beautiful wines, but there is no getting past the simple fact that quality is inconsistent across the board. Even so, there is plenty to explore in this year’s new releases, ranging from wines from estates that handled the whims of Mother Nature to newer small projects and those that have made important strides in improving quality.
A Bit of Fortification: Port and Madeira New Releases
featured, Portugal, Fortified Wines & Spirits, Fortified Wines and Spirits
, Jul 2025
Fortified wine has long been a passion of mine. This short article rounds up recent releases from Quinta do Noval, Symington and Taylor Fladgate Port Houses, as well as recent Madeira bottlings from Blandy’s.