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Going Underground: Clos Fourtet 1989-2019
France: Bordeaux featured Verticals and Retrospectives, France: Bordeaux Verticals and Retrospectives featured, featured, France: Bordeaux
, May 2025
Clos Fourtet is one of the most picturesque and ideally located châteaux in Saint-Émilion, blessed with some of the finest terroir on the limestone plateau. Under Mathieu Cuvelier, Clos Fourtet has realised its potential and is now regarded amongst the appellation’s best wines. The heart of this piece is an interview with Cuvelier following a vertical tasting of recent vintages, detailing specifics of the vineyard and winemaking approaches.
Cellar Favorite: 2022 António Madeira Branco Vinhas Velhas
cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites, Portugal
, May 2025
On a recent return to Solar dos Presuntos, Lisbon’s go-to restaurant for any wine-lover, I ordered Madeira’s 2022 Branco Vinhas Velhas. Our sommelier grinned, knowing the treat in store. I was blown away.
Cellar Favorite: 2012 Domaine Tempier Bandol Cuvée Classique
France, cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites
, May 2025
Bandol is a gem of a wine region with a treasure trove of great wines and producers, and the most renowned of all is Domaine Tempier. During a recent dinner in London, I spotted a bottle of 2012 Bandol Cuvée Classique on the wine list. It was a no-brainer.
Vinous Table: Belcanto, Lisbon, Portugal
Vinous Table, Portugal
, May 2025
If you want to taste high-level cuisine without pretentiousness, then Belcanto comes highly recommended. Generally regarded as Lisbon’s finest restaurant, Belcanto invites the diner on a gustatory journey with Portuguese celebrity chef José Avillez.
Event Horizon: Bordeaux 2024 Primeur
featured, France: Bordeaux
, May 2025
Twenty-four was a tough fight for Bordeaux winemakers, but one that some were prepared for. While there are unavoidable shortcomings in the wines, some châteaux succeeded where they would have once failed. This report will not tell you whether to buy the wines or not, since prices are only just being released. But it will tell you exactly what I think about the quality of the unfinished barrel samples.
Cellar Favorite: 2015 Marcel Lapierre Morgon Cuvée Marcel Lapierre
France: Rhône & Beaujolais, cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites
, Apr 2025
During my recent trip to Beaujolais, I was treated to a smattering of mature bottles that proved once again how exquisitely Gamay can age. None more so than this delectable ten-year-old Morgon popped open during my visit to one of Beaujolais’ most renowned producers, Marcel Lapierre.
Vinous Table: Henry’s End, Brooklyn, New York
featured, Vinous Table
, Apr 2025
The phrase "neighbourhood institution" connotes a restaurant where passionate, talented chefs with attention to detail have sustained it through the years, a restaurant that stands as a beacon of quality. Henry's End might have opened over half a century ago, but standards remain high and people still love it.
Grape Expectations: Burgundy 1978 Retrospective
France: Burgundy, Verticals & Retrospectives, featured
, Apr 2025
It was a privilege to attend this 1978 horizontal—however, there is always a risk when broaching old bottles, especially Pinot Noir from an era besmirched by swings in quality. Fortunately, scattered among the disappointments is a clutch of bottles that sparkle like rubies in the sand.
Buy Some, Try Some: Beaujolais 2022-2024
featured, France: Rhône & Beaujolais
, Apr 2025
At a point when savvy wine consumers are seeking value for their money, there has never been a better time to get into Beaujolais. This report takes a look at new releases, mainly from the 2023 vintage, the best of which demonstrate the underestimated heights these wines can reach.
Pinball Number Count: Bouchard Père 1923-2013
France: Burgundy, Verticals & Retrospectives, featured
, Apr 2025
The second edition of Bouchard Père & Fils’ time travels through their enviably deep library comprised a number of vintages ending in the number “three,” all served blind at the domaine’s headquarters in Beaune. This tasting revealed a clutch of remarkable bottles from forgotten vintages.