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Vinous Table: The Sportsman, Kent, UK
Vinous Table, United Kingdom
, Sep 2022
I first heard about The Sportsman not long after it opened from a local friend, and it had only taken a couple of decades to visit. Thankfully, it did not disappoint. This is cooking where the chef wisely takes a back seat and allows the ingredients do all the talking.
Growing Up ‘n Getting Wiser: South Africa in 2022
South Africa, featured
, Sep 2022
Returning after lockdown, I sought to take the temperature of South Africa’s ever-changing vinous landscape: walking vineyards, meeting winemakers and marvelling at wines that quicken the pulse. What are the roots of its success? Where are the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead? It’s time to find out.
2021 Barolo en Primeur Charity Auction
Italy: Piedmont, featured
, Sep 2022
I am delighted to once again host the Barolo en Primeur Charity Auction, being held simultaneously in New York City and Grinzane Cavour on Friday, October 28 at 12pm New York time and 6pm Piedmont time. This is a rare opportunity to acquire 2021 Barolo ahead of release. Some of the lots will be sold as single barrels, as they were last year, while others are collections of smaller lots from various producers, organized by village. All the wines will be adorned with special labels designed by artist Michelangelo Pistoletto.
A Century of Bordeaux: The Twos
France: Bordeaux, featured
, Sep 2022
Why look back 10 years when you could look back 20, 30, 40, perhaps 110 years? After a lockdown hiatus, my annual “Century of…” article examines an array of Bordeaux wines from a raft of 2012s, all the way back to the year the Titanic sank.
Cellar Favorite: Blandy’s Madeira – 2022 Bottlings
Portugal, cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites
, Sep 2022
I recently joined Blandy’s CEO, Chris Blandy, and head winemaker, Francisco Albuquerque, for a tasting of their 2022 Madeira bottlings.
Basilicata: Vulture’s Rise from the Ashes
Italy: Center & South, featured
, Sep 2022
For many years now, a core of passion- and quality-driven producers have been working hard to prove that Vulture deserves its place on the world’s stage. While many hurdles remain, I wholeheartedly believe that Vulture is very much on its way.
Léoville-Poyferré 1936-2018
Verticals & Retrospectives, France: Bordeaux, featured
, Sep 2022
Didier Cuvelier rejuvenated Léoville-Poyferré. A new chapter opened when his cousin, Sara Lecompte Cuvelier, took over the helm a few years ago. Following a vertical of recent vintages, this article examines one of Saint-Julien’s most respected estates.
Cellar Favorite: 2018 Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon
United States: Washington, cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites
, Sep 2022
There are very few wines that I personally seek out year after year. For a wine to become a recurring purchase for my cellar, it takes a proven track record, unparalleled quality among. peers, vintage-to-vintage consistency and. relative value. The Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon is such a wine, even with steady price increase over the past ten years.
Vinous Table: L’Espace PH3 Bistrot/La Pyramide, Vienne, France
France, Vinous Table
, NM
The hotel boasts two restaurants, the two Michelin-starred La Pyramide and a bistro, L’Espace PH3. On the first night, attendees convened at the bistro in order to mine its eye-boggling wine lists, and the following day, the second part of the Chambertin tasting was accompanied by a specially prepared menu in the flagship restaurant.
Swings and Roundabouts: Chablis 2020/2021
France: Burgundy, featured
, Sep 2022
Chablis is a mirror, translating growing seasons into wine with minimal interference compared to elsewhere. The 2020 and 2021 vintages are very different, the latter resulting in wines I thought would not be seen again. So where do you start looking?