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Cellar Favorite: 1962 La Gaffelière
cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites, France: Bordeaux
, Jan 2026
My experience with older vintages of La Gaffelière is few and far between, but I had heard others wax lyrical about bottles from the 1950s and 1960s. A group of friends recently poured the 1962 at dinner, and I was absolutely smitten.
Cellar Favorite: 2020 Champagne Nakada-Park Brut Nature Vignes de Gyé-Sur-Seine
France: Champagne, cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites
, Jan 2026
When I visited Japanese-born, Gevrey-based winemaker Koji Nakada to taste his Burgundy portfolio, he mentioned that he also makes limited amounts of Champagne and presented me with his current releases. Clearly, Nakada’s talents extend beyond the Côte d’Or.
Cellar Favorite: 1997 Domaine François Raveneau Chablis Montée de Tonnerre 1er Cru
France: Burgundy, cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites
, Jan 2026
There aren’t too many things I enjoy more than a mature bottle of Raveneau Chablis. Approaching its thirtieth birthday, the 1997 Domaine François Raveneau Chablis Montée de Tonnerre 1er Cru is in magnificent form today.
Cellar Favorite: 1986 Mouton-Rothschild
cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites, France: Bordeaux
, Dec 2025
I have been waiting to write this Cellar Favorite for many years. Put me on record as stating that the 1986 Mouton-Rothschild is one of the greatest wines of that decade.
Cellar Favorite: 1955 Domaine Georges Roumier Chambolle-Musigny Les Amoureuses 1er Cru
France: Burgundy, cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites
, Dec 2025
From one of Burgundy’s greatest winemakers in one of its finest vintages, the transcendental 1955 Chambolle-Musigny Les Amoureuses 1er Cru is the epitome of mature Pinot Noir.
Cellar Favorite: 1947 Petrus
cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites, France: Bordeaux
, Dec 2025
The 1947 Petrus is one of the most legendary Bordeaux wines of the twentieth century. It is endowed with unerring symmetry and, like the genuine legends of the twentieth century, seems undiminished by time.
Cellar Favorite: 1970 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Montrachet Grand Cru
France: Burgundy, cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites
, Dec 2025
I have been fortunate to taste many vintages of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti’s Montrachet Grand Cru over the years, but the 1970 was a vintage that had eluded me. This is a very special bottle, both for what is in the glass and for the rich history it unlocks.
Cellar Favorite: Champagne Louis Roederer – Inflection Points
France: Champagne, cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites
, 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
cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites, Italy: Piedmont
, 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.