Browse using the new Vinous website now. Launch →
Cellar Favorite: Champagne Louis Roederer – Inflection Points
cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites, France: Champagne
, Dec 2025
Longtime Roederer Chef de Caves Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon pulled out a stunning series of wines at the conclusion of my annual tasting of vins clairs and new releases earlier this year. Of course, it’s always interesting to taste older vintages, but these bottles represent something more than just rare wines from the past. Most of them represent inflection points in Lécaillon’s thinking.
Cellar Favorite: 1967 Certan de May
cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites, France: Bordeaux
, Nov 2025
Travelling back in time, Bordeaux is full of lesser-known pockets of excellence—often dismissed vintages where one or two appellations bucked the trend. Nineteen sixty-seven is one of those.
Cellar Favorite: 1945 Riccardo Viganò Barolo Gran Riserva Cannubi
Italy: Piedmont, cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites
, Nov 2025
The 1945 Barolo Gran Riserva Cannubi from Riccardo Viganò is an emotional, deeply moving wine. I doubt I will ever see or taste it again, and there must be few bottles left anywhere.
Cellar Favorite: 2013 Domaine Jean-François Coche-Dury Le Corton Grand Cru
France: Burgundy, cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites
, Nov 2025
"Unicorn" is a word frequently misappropriated with respect to wine. In this case, the word is merited.
Cellar Favorite: 1949 Lagrange (Saint-Julien)
cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites, France: Bordeaux
, Oct 2025
Provenance is the most important factor that determines the quality of a mature claret. A magnum of 1949 Château Lagrange that was recently served blind at the estate in Saint-Julien exemplified this.
Cellar Favorite: 1998 Grand Mayne
cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites, France: Bordeaux
, Oct 2025
The 1998 Grand Mayne probably marked my introduction to this Saint-Émilion estate. Now at 27 years of age, this might actually represent the best bottle I have encountered.
Cellar Favorite: 1966 Trotanoy
cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites, France: Bordeaux
, Oct 2025
The 1966 Trotanoy comes from a golden era for this Pomerol estate and epitomizes everything great about mature Pomerol
Cellar Favorite: 2015 Domaine Mathilde et Yves Gangloff Côte-Rôtie La Barbarine
cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites, France: Rhône & Beaujolais
, Oct 2025
The 2015 Côte-Rôtie La Barbarine is an exquisite Northern Rhône wine that, after a decade, is revving its engines, ready for a long and delicious life ahead.
Cellar Favorite: 1964 Maison Léon Revol Côte-Rôtie
cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites, France: Rhône & Beaujolais
, Sep 2025
The cellar at Bern’s Steakhouse in Tampa is packed with unexpected gems, like this pristine 61-year-old Côte-Rôtie from a minor négociant.
Cellar Favorite: Domaine J.L. Chave 1991 L’Hermitage & 1995 Ermitage Cuvée Cathelin
cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites, France: Rhône & Beaujolais
, Sep 2025
I recently had the privilege of drinking rare Rhônes from Domaine J.L. Chave, including one absolute showstopper.