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Going to California: Sonoma’s 2024s & 2023s
United States: California, featured
, Jan 2026
January is always such an exciting time in Sonoma, heavy rains and flooding excepted. The promise of the new year lies ahead. Many estates are releasing their latest wines. This year’s new releases are mostly from 2024 and 2023, two strong back-to-back vintages that provide fascinating contrasts, as the growing seasons were diametrically opposite. The best wines from both vintages are superb.
Cellar Favorite: 2013 Domaine Didier Dagueneau – Louis Benjamin Pouilly-Fumé Silex
cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites, France: Loire
, Jan 2026
I drink far too few Loire whites these days. A recent encounter with a bottle of 2013 Pouilly-Fumé Silex from Dagueneau served as a pertinent reminder of what I am missing out on.
The Marcassin Mystique
United States: California, featured
, Jan 2026
There are few wineries in the United States, or the world for that matter, with the level of mystique that surrounds Marcassin. “Have you heard anything about Marcassin?” I am asked regularly. “When is the next release?” inevitably follows. A recent visit and tasting provided some answers during a wide-ranging conversation that ran the gamut from wine to vineyards to jazz.
2022 Barolo: Half-Full or Half-Empty?
Italy: Piedmont, featured
, Jan 2026
Two thousand twenty-two is one of the most complicated vintages I have seen in the more than 25 years I have visited Piedmont on a regular basis. The 2022 Barolos are frustratingly erratic, wildly inconsistent wines, and yet some growers found a way to make the most out of the hand they were dealt by Mother Nature. It’s a vintage to approach with caution. There are some real gems in 2022, but they are very much the exceptions.
Cellar Favorite: 1962 La Gaffelière
France: Bordeaux, cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites
, Jan 2026
My experience with older vintages of La Gaffelière is few and far between, but I had heard others wax lyrical about bottles from the 1950s and 1960s. A group of friends recently poured the 1962 at dinner, and I was absolutely smitten.
A Landmark Vintage: 2023 Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon
Australia, featured
, Jan 2026
Margaret River is a miraculous region where both Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon can reach great heights. However, in 2023, the cool, long and particularly dry growing season was especially kind to the local Cabernet Sauvignon, creating the best vintage in recent memory. These wines display superb purity, effortless balance, unforced generosity of flavour and firm structure. The best of them will also age beautifully. Two thousand twenty-three is a genuine unicorn vintage for Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon.
Australian Syrah: The Quest for Refinement
Australia, featured
, Jan 2026
The common perception of Australian Syrah revolves around the classic full-bodied, full-flavoured expressions from warmer regions. Yet more terroir-driven styles have become increasingly common over the last two decades, especially in cooler areas. terroir-driven styles have become increasingly common over the last two decades. From perfumed and spicy coastal expressions to more savoury, brooding examples found in continental climates, these wines represent impressive diversity. The best of them are truly remarkable.
Cellar Favorite: 2020 Champagne Nakada-Park Brut Nature Vignes de Gyé-Sur-Seine
France: Champagne, cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites
, Jan 2026
When I visited Japanese-born, Gevrey-based winemaker Koji Nakada to taste his Burgundy portfolio, he mentioned that he also makes limited amounts of Champagne and presented me with his current releases. Clearly, Nakada’s talents extend beyond the Côte d’Or.
Burgundy 2024: One Battle After Another
France: Burgundy, featured
, Jan 2026
The 2024 vintage tested the mettle of every winemaker in Burgundy. In some ways, there are two entirely different growing seasons in the most complex and fascinating vintage I have ever reported on. Quantities can be absurdly minuscule, quality wildly variable, yet for every calamity, there is a triumph against the odds. It's a vintage that raises more questions than answers.
Extreme Wines from the Sunlit Tropics of Argentina
Argentina, featured
, Jan 2026
The valleys of northern Argentina present a unique landscape for winemaking. These tropical deserts populated by enormous cardón cacti deliver wines of striking individuality. This report covers nearly 400 wines, primarily from the far north, with a handful from Patagonia and the central Sierras included for context and comparison.