Browse using the new Vinous website now. Launch →
New Zealand’s Latest Red Releases: Growing Up
New Zealand, featured
, May 2024
New Zealand is considered a young wine-producing country. Its early success was built on drink-me-now Sauvignon Blanc. However, its vines and winemakers are maturing, and time is showing that the country’s wines are now coming of age some 200 years after the first vines were planted.
Cellar Favorite: 1994 Penfolds Grange and 1975 Bin 95 Grange Hermitage
cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites, Australia
, May 2024
During my time in Bordeaux tasting barrel samples, I spend most evenings essentially harvesting tasting notes for my annual “Centuries Of…” article that will appear in due course. Ironically, perhaps the best bottle of wine with a vintage ending in four was not from either the Left or Right Bank but from Australia.
Vinous Table: The Modern, New York City, NY
Vinous Table, United States: New York
, May 2024
I was excited when my dining companion booked a table at The Modern for this recent lunch. I had not been to The Modern in quite some time, so I was very much looking forward to going back. Over the years, I have had some very good experiences here and some that have been rather lackluster, hence my long absence. Walking into the dining room felt like a refreshing new beginning in a place I have often loved.
Alsace 2022 Reds: Continuing Their Trajectory
France: Alsace, featured
, May 2024
Alsace Pinot Noir continues to show its mettle. Most of the wines I tasted for this report are from the warm 2022 vintage, so sumptuous black cherry flavors abound, but happily free from the sins of over-oaking and over-extraction. The limestone-based wines are the clear winners. While the entry-level reds provide immense fresh-faced joy with their juiciness, the top wines need not shy away from the global limelight. The 2021 Pinot Noirs are trickier, but the best come with seductive slenderness and red-fruited brightness.
Cellar Favorite: 1930 KWV Muscadel Bin 14 Late Bottled Vintage
South Africa, cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites
, May 2024
Ancient South African ports have a cult following, and though they are not cheap due to demand, they represent outstanding value compared to other wines.
Vinous Table: The Devonshire, London, UK
United Kingdom, Vinous Table
, May 2024
The Devonshire is not perfect, but it does things perfectly. It’s currently the place to be seen in London, and you’ll want to return—so will the rest of the world. It’s pub food taken to the nth degree. There’s no snootiness. There is a lot of noise and laughter. It’s hectic and perhaps teeters on chaos. You’ll love it.
Marche Stays the Course Amidst Future Uncertainty
Italy: Center & South, featured
, May 2024
The writing for Marche is on the wall. Quality remains exceptionally high. A new focus on terroir and a focus on exalting a sense of place has been wildly successful. Moreover, the wines remain extremely well-priced. That said, Marche faces significant challenges in maintaining its share of international markets.
Cellar Favorite: 1938 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Côte-Rôtie
France: Rhône & Beaujolais, cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites
, Apr 2024
When someone whispers into your ear, particularly my ear, that you will never drink this bottle again, the aforementioned ear perks up. The 1938 Côte-Rôtie from Paul Jaboulet Aîné had lived its entire life in a cool dank cellar over in the West Country, so factor in perfect provenance. Though the bottle states Jaboulet on the label, it is more accurate to look at this as an amalgamation of all the growers in Côte-Rôtie at the time since hardly any bottled themselves.
Bordeaux at the Crossroads: 2023 En Primeur
France: Bordeaux, featured
, April 2024
Tasting Bordeaux en primeur is largely the art of shutting out extraneous noise and concentrating just on the wines. This year, the noise is especially loud as estate owners, winemakers, consultants, négociants and other professionals debate the merits of 2023 within the context of today’s global market. Many of these views are fueled by agendas, which is certainly understandable. For this taster, it’s only about what is in the glass. When all is said and done, 2023 has a lot to offer. It is not a great vintage across the board, yet plenty of wines merit serious attention.
The Dalmatian Vintage: Bordeaux 2023
France: Bordeaux, featured
, Apr 2024
The 2023 Bordeaux vintage is born in tumultuous times, at a pivotal moment for the region. When that is all stripped away, what do the wines offer in a growing season that swerved one way then another? The answer depends on which château you’re looking at.