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Champagne: The 2026 Spring Preview
featured, France: Champagne
, May 2026
Champagne is one of the brighter spots in a world fraught with uncertainty. I continue to be impressed with the dynamism and overall energy that is palpable here, even in the current environment. Young, quality-minded growers keep popping up at a pace that is hard to keep up with. Not to be outdone, the larger players continue to invest and innovate.
2025 Bordeaux En Primeur: Le Freak
France: Bordeaux, featured
, Apr 2026
After a problematic vintage in 2024, Bordeaux bounces back with the 2025s. It’s too soon to know where 2025 will land relative to most highly regarded recent vintages, but the finest 2025s are nothing short of thrilling. There is some inconsistency, which is to be expected in a large appellation and in a year with challenges that led to different approaches and decisions. While top names tend to get most of the attention this time of year, readers will find countless gems among Bordeaux’s lesser-known châteaux.
Cellar Favorite: 2013 Rhys Vineyards Pinot Noir Alpine Vineyard
cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites, United States: California
, Apr 2026
The 2013 Pinot Noir Alpine Vineyard is a bit of a stylistic outlier for Rhys, but it’s drinking beautifully today.
The New Face of Cava
Spain, featured
, Apr 2026
Spain’s most famous sparkling wine is going through a period of transition. Since 2021, new legislation and adjusted regulations have revitalized a category that had lost its shine in recent years. The new releases featured in this report offer a tantalizing glimpse of a brighter future for Cava.
Cellar Favorite: 2024 Giaconda Whites
cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites, Australia
, Apr 2026
Giaconda is in top form in 2024 with a brace of stellar wines.
Tuscany’s Quintessential Underdogs
Italy: Tuscany, featured
, Apr 2026
Step outside Tuscany’s famous DOCGs, and you’ll find that much of the region’s potential lies in its lesser-known appellations. My latest tastings revealed a quality revolution among smaller producers who are crafting wines of grace, structural depth and aging potential that rival Tuscany’s elite.
Vinous Table: Villa Crespi, Lago d'Orta, Italy
Vinous Table, Italy: North
, Apr 2026
Lago d'Orta is one of Italy’s hidden jewels, far off the normal tourist itineraries that have made some destinations far too crowded to enjoy. Villa Crespi sits confidently on its shores, an oasis of relaxation and a temple to the very finest Italian hospitality.
Southwold: 2016 Bordeaux, Ten Years On
France: Bordeaux, featured, Verticals & Retrospectives, France: Bordeaux featured Verticals and Retrospectives
, Apr 2026
The Bordeaux 2016s were lauded upon release. Now it’s time to put them to the test via two exceptional tastings, one sighted and the other blind, to see whether the wines deliver as they reach their tenth birthday.
In the Sweet Spot: Paso Robles 2023s and 2024s
United States: California, featured
, Apr 2026
Paso Robles is enjoying a stylistic revolution while remaining true to its core principles of power and grace, moving away from heavy-handed extraction and toward fresher, livelier wines. From the Goldilocks perfection of the 2023s to the promising 2024s, this report dives into the estates and varieties that are redefining one of California’s most exciting frontiers.
Cellar Favorite: 2008 & 1982 Bollinger Blanc de Noirs Vieilles Vignes Françaises
cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites, France: Champagne
, Apr 2026
Bollinger's Vieilles Vignes Françaises, 100% Pinot Noir, is one of Champagne's rare birds. Production is just a few barrels, increasingly less, the result of decreasing yields tied to the effects of accumulated heat stress. I tasted these two wines during my most recent visit to Bollinger in March 2026.