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A Vintage of Transcendence: 2004 Brunello di Montalcino Retrospective
Verticals & Retrospectives, Italy: Tuscany, featured
, Jan 2025
The 2004 vintage in Montalcino will always be remembered for its balance, embodying the pursuit of purity that emerged before the full force of climate change set in. Now, two decades later, how have the wines aged?
Dunn: Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain 1985-2014
Verticals & Retrospectives, napa, featured, United States: California
, Dec 2024
I have always been drawn to archetypes. Reference points. Wines that are standard bearers for their variety, appellation and/or style. Perhaps that is a vestige of my musical training, but there is something about classics that has always spoken to me. In Napa Valley, few wines embody those qualities more fully than Dunn’s Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain. This tasting provided a fabulous opportunity to revisit a wide range of vintages going all the way back to the 1980s.
Morlet Family Vineyards: Cabernet Sauvignon Mon Chevalier 2007-2019
Verticals & Retrospectives, featured, United States: California
, Oct 2024
Knights Valley is one of the most fascinating regions in Northern California. The AVA lies just north of Calistoga and is nestled between Alexander Valley, Chalk Hill and Fountaingrove in a corner of Sonoma County that feels quite remote and pastoral. Knights Valley excels with red and white Bordeaux varieties. The reds are marked by distinctive savory and mineral notes that, at times, recall the great wines of Pessac-Léognan. Luc and Jodie Morlet’s Cabernet Sauvignon Mon Chevalier is a terrific example of what Knights Valley has to offer. This retrospective back to the inaugural 2007 provided a fascinating opportunity to see how the wine ages.
The Misunderstood Margaux: Marquis de Terme 1947-2021
Verticals & Retrospectives, France: Bordeaux, featured
, Oct 2024
Marquis de Terme is a Margaux château that flies under the radar. Estate director Ludovic David offered me a rare insight into the property and presented a vertical of over 20 vintages back to the postwar period.
Conti Costanti: Montalcino’s Most Historic Estate
Verticals & Retrospectives, Italy: Tuscany, featured
, Oct 2024
As a self-taught young man, Andrea Costanti immersed himself in the world of winemaking and Brunello di Montalcino. He rose to become one of the region's leading winemakers. This vertical details the last nineteen years of that evolution, showing Costanti’s blend of traditionalism and progression.
Kumeu River: The Kiwi Dream
Verticals & Retrospectives, featured, New Zealand
, Sep 2024
Consistency, balance and a distinct house style have placed Kumeu River among the classics. From humble beginnings 80 years ago, this estate has established itself as a major player in New Zealand and around the world.
Tiberio's Fonte Canale: Redefining Trebbiano d'Abruzzo
Verticals & Retrospectives, Italy: Center & South, featured
, Aug 2024
In only 12 years, Fonte Canale has become one of Italy's iconic white wines. Tiberio’s Fonte Canale is made from the hard-to-find Trebbiano Abruzzese grape. This vertical, spanning the first official release in 2012 up to a preview of the yet-to-be-released 2022, will give readers a good idea of how the wines develop over time.
Memories Elide: Vieux Château Certan 1923-2020
Verticals & Retrospectives, France: Bordeaux, featured
, Jul 2024
An unrepeatable 57-vintage vertical of Vieux Château Certan marking the Thienponts’ century of ownership deserved an article of equal ambition. Bringing to life those from the past and present who made this remarkable event possible, this is a story as much about people as it is about a remarkable wine.
The Minnow: Sigalas Rabaud 1975-2019
Verticals & Retrospectives, France: Bordeaux, featured
, Jul 2024
Continuing my coverage of Sauternes, big and small, this look at Sigalas Rabaud falls into the latter category as one of the appellation’s smallest First Growths. This vertical, held at the property, covers vintages from 1975 to 2019.
Rockeries in Living Rooms: 1988 vs. 1989 Bordeaux
Verticals & Retrospectives, France: Bordeaux, featured
, Jul 2024
Bordeaux vintages are so fascinating that people have been known to write entire books about them! Here, I focus on two particularly intriguing but stylistically different vintages, 1988 and 1989. The former has never quite had the same reputation as the latter. Did that play out during these themed dinners?