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Vinous Table: Luca, London, UK
Vinous Table, United Kingdom
May 2024
,Let’s cut to the chase. Luca boasts a thick, juicy book of Italian vino that covers the entire ‘boot’, a mixture of marquee names and cult producers that is worthy of entry alone. It’s not a treasure trove of unmissable bargains; to that end, I don’t want to give the false impression of some backwater bistro naively adding 10% to wines bought just after the war. (C’mon, we all dream of those.) Our lunch bill was punchy despite steering wallets clear of Super-Tuscans and blue-chip Barolos. But what you do get for your hard-earned money is some of the best Italian food the capital currently offers, together with a gorgeous wine, irrespective of budget, in a restaurant that is beloved by all who enter.
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.
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
Vinous Table, United Kingdom
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.
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.
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.
Vinous Table: Bouchon Racine, London, UK
Vinous Table, United Kingdom
Apr 2024
,Thanks to my connected friend, it had been a splendid evening at Bouchon Racine. I can now tick it off my list, though I would love to return. It is a restaurant that creates its own world, almost hermetically sealed off from the rest of London, so you soon forget you’re not actually in a riverside Lyon bistro but above a pub in central London.
Oldies But Goldies: Bouchard Père 1892-2012
Verticals & Retrospectives, featured, France: Burgundy
Apr 2024
,Bouchard Père & Fils own one of the deepest Burgundy libraries of vintages back to the 19th century. This article recounts last November’s dinner when bottles with years ending in two stretching back through decades were opened.
But Seriously: Beaujolais 2021-2023
France: Rhône & Beaujolais, featured
Apr 2024
,Beaujolais is one of the most dynamic wine regions in France. This report looks at new releases that almost entirely represent outstanding value for money, growers on the rise and the sheer diversity that Beaujolais has to offer.
Cellar Favorite: 2016 Domaine de la Grange des Pères Vin de Pays de L'Herault
cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites, France
Apr 2024
,It must have been a decade ago when I attended a vertical of Domaine de la Grange des Pères in London. Then, it was revered as arguably Languedoc’s only true cult wine and, combined with its price tag, I was rather put off.