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Vinous Table: Japan Gastronomy: A Primer
Japan, Vinous Table
, Apr 2024
I returned to Japan for the first time after five years and visited a number of restaurants with a view to composing articles for Vinous Table. Rather than launching straight into the first, I thought it better to offer a primer for the uninitiated, perhaps something that might encourage readers to stop enjoying Japan’s cuisine vicariously and visit the country. It aims to serve as a very simple guide and give a few pointers and tips for navigating what can be a disorientating place. Like everywhere, there are tourist traps and pitfalls to avoid. Those living in Japan will have a far better knowledge of the contemporary dining scene, so I must stress that this article is based on my personal experience.
Alsace 2022 Whites – A Lucky Escape
France: Alsace, featured
, Apr 2024
For the most part, vintage 2022 in Alsace was both warm and dry. The region was lucky to escape the extreme heat and drought that plagued much of the rest of France. Rain arrived, sometimes “in extremis,” and saved the crop from losses that could have been worse. Wineries harvested concentrated, luminous Riesling despite some hail, and producers made Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer in a range of styles, resulting in plush wines. Even Sylvaners exhibit uncommon fruitiness. Beyond vineyards and cellars, ongoing consolidation within Alsace’s already polarized wine industry is of increasing concern to independent growers. The latter value quality over quantity while the drive for quantity by ever bigger behemoths explains the sea of vineyards across the plains along the autoroute.
The Only Way Is Essex: Danbury Ridge
featured, United Kingdom
, Apr 2024
This article focuses on Danbury Ridge, the first English winery to make a serious case for still wine that, by happenstance, is located close to my place of birth. Writing about this Essex-based producer raises issues germane to wineries around the world: the notional exclusivity of terroir, how global warming is moving viticultural boundaries and the importance of maintaining open-mindedness about what constitutes ‘fine wine’.
Cellar Favorite: 2014 M & C Lapierre Morgon Marcel Lapierre Cuvée MMXIV
France: Rhône & Beaujolais, cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites
, Apr 2024
The 2014 Morgon Marcel Lapierre Cuvée MMXIV comes from 2.5 hectares planted in 1907-1910, just after phylloxera. The vines are located in the Le Douby climat, towards Fleurie, which the legendary Marcel Lapierre has intermittently bottled separately since 1999. Authorities refused the maiden vintage since it did not adhere to the typical Morgon style for reasons only known to them. To circumvent demotion into Vin de France, Marcel Lapierre’s son, the then teenage Mathieu, who is recounting this story in the sunny courtyard outside the winery in Villié-Morgon, suggested his father print the vintage in Roman numerals.
Vinous Table: Plénitude, Paris, France
France, Vinous Table
, Mar 2024
Three-star Michelin restaurants are usually not my cup of tea. Let me get that out of the way. I often find the ambiance at these establishments far too formal and structured for my personal taste, while I tend to enjoy simpler, more ingredient-driven cooking most of the time. However, when I asked friends and colleagues whose opinions I respect where to eat in Paris, one name popped up on everyone’s list.
Northern Rhône: Where Diversity Ignites the Senses
France: Rhône & Beaujolais, featured
, Mar 2024
Diversity reigns supreme in the Northern Rhône Valley, with each appellation offering unique expressions. Despite climatic challenges, local vintners exhibit remarkable adaptability, ensuring the sustainability of their vineyards and the quality of their wines. This report unearths the distinct characteristics of the 2021 and 2022 vintages, from a high degree of variability of the former to the promising potential of the latter.
An Exploration of Time: Gruaud Larose 1831-2018
France: Bordeaux, Verticals & Retrospectives, featured
, Mar 2024
Do you want one of the most comprehensive reports on Gruaud Larose ever written? Do you want to know its history and first-hand information from proprietor Jean Merlaut? Do you want 70 tasting notes stretching back in time to 1831? You’ve come to the right place.
Trentino-Alto Adige: Pushing the Limits
featured, Italy: North
, Mar 2024
Over the past two decades, Trentino-Alto Adige was largely unaffected by the negative impact of climate change yet is now dealing with successive warm vintages. While we can still depend on their production of cool, crisp whites and alpine reds, recent years have reshaped the wines and forced producers to begin thinking outside of the box.
Champagne: The 2024 Spring Preview
France: Champagne, featured
, Mar 2024
Our annual Champagne Spring Preview takes a look at the year’s first releases ahead of my more comprehensive coverage later in the year. Readers will find a bevy of gorgeous wines in this report that span the full stylistic breadth of what Champagne has to offer.
Cellar Favorite: 2017 Domaine Samuel Billaud Chablis Mont de Milieu 1er Cru
cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites, France: Burgundy
, Mar 2024
I have praised Samuel Billaud’s wines for around a decade now, going so far as to suggest that they rank amongst Chablis’ premier tier of producers, alongside Raveneau and Dauvissat. A recent dinner at the splendid Lorne restaurant, the same that saw the 1973 La Fleur-Pétrus opened, also witnessed a bottle that ‘sizzled’ with potential.