September 28, 2023 - Anne Krebiehl MW

2022 Rheinhessen & Nahe: Rain in the Nick of Time

Relief and surprise were the primary emotions for winemakers across Rheinhessen and Nahe for the 2022 vintage, the driest and sunniest year since records began in 1881. Many expected opulence in their wines. Then rain arrived just in time. The relative slenderness of the wines and their moderate alcohol levels, however, are down to Riesling’s ingenious ability to self-regulate....

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September 27, 2023 - Anne Krebiehl MW

Markus Molitor Debuts Inaugural Rieslings from Domäne Serrig

After having purchased the former royal Prussian state domain in the Saar Valley in 2016, German winemaker and Riesling supremo Markus Molitor now debuts the first two wines from the historic Serriger Vogelsang vineyard and the Domäne Serrig label: one dry Riesling, one Kabinett.

September 26, 2023 - Neal Martin

Margaux Focus 3: Château Margaux

Château Margaux is blessed with one of the most iconic facades in Bordeaux, one befitting a First Growth. After spending a day with the team earlier this year, this article examines the estate from vine to wine and revisits vintages throughout the years.

September 21, 2023 - Antonio Galloni

Brilliance in Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara continues to impress with a wide range of exceptional, world-class wines. After the challenging but ultimately strong 2020 harvest, producers were welcomed with far more favorable conditions in 2021. It is a spectacular vintage for the whites, quite possibly the best I have seen in more than a dozen years of tasting these wines, but ultimately less consistent for the reds, as we will explore in this year’s report.

September 21, 2023 - Antonio Galloni

Rhys: The Stellar 2021s

The Rhys 2021s are off the charts. After a very difficult year in 2020, Mother Nature provided far more ideal conditions in 2021. Annual rainfall was down 50%, and yet combined effects of drought and a cool season with no heat extremes or shock events yielded a set of powerful, deep wines. Cool nights during the final phase of ripening helped preserve acidity. Readers will find wines that marry uncommon textural depth with intense vibrancy and minerality. Moreover, the 2021s are also incredibly expressive of site, something I always look for in vineyard-designate wines. I followed the 2021s over several days and saw them blossom beautifully over that time, with the exception of one or two wines that remain a bit closed.

September 19, 2023 - Neal Martin

Where Art Thou Chablis? - Chablis 2021 & 2022

Chablis is wrestling with an identity crisis as it confronts warmer growing seasons. Today, what do you expect from a glass of Chablis? This report delves into the 2021 and 2022 vintages that could both claim to represent contemporary Chablis.

September 14, 2023 - Eric Guido

Surpassing Expectations: New Releases from Sicily

It’s incredible how much Sicily has improved in such a short period. What was once a selection of hit-or-miss, over-stylized, oaky and often rustic wines has become one of my favorite annual tastings. Quality continues to rise, and prices remain fair, meaning consumers can now find some seriously world-class wines here.

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September 22, 2023 - Neal Martin

Vinous Table: Mountain, London, UK

When I caught wind that Anglesey-born chef Tomos Parry planned to open a new restaurant called “Mountain”, well, I could not quell my excitement.

September 15, 2023 - Neal Martin

Vinous Table: 64 Goodge Street, London, UK

Overall, 64 Goodge Street is a welcome addition to the capital’s dynamic dining scene. Prices are reasonable, and the décor is tasteful and classy. I always like an open kitchen, and the service is absolutely top-notch. A central location and tempting wine list mean that oenophiles venturing to London will enjoy its take on Gallic cuisine. Plus, of course, no need to look up the address.

July 7, 2023 - Neal Martin

Vinous Table: Planque, London, UK

Planque is a fine addition to the London dining landscape. There was a buzzy atmosphere and a satisfying feeling of dining a bit geographically off-piste in a hideaway den that only you and your mates know about.

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91 points ($20)

2018 Cosimo Taurino Primitivo Settimo Ceppo

The 2018 Primitivo Settimo Ceppo displays black cherries, dusty roses and cloves on the nose. The palate is soft and round. Juicy acidity enlivens its red and blue fruits as sour citrus adds contrast. It finishes potent, long and fresh. The Settimo Ceppo is impressive. (EG)

90 points ($20)

2019 Nine Hats Cabernet Sauvignon

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon wafts up with crushed black cherries dusted in cocoa and a dash of tangerine. Dark red fruit washes across the palate in a dense textural wave, while violet inner florals collect toward the close. This finishes structured with a lingering tart, wild berry note. (EG)

91 points ($17)

2021 Farina Valpolicella

The 2021 Valpolicella is a floral-tinged spice box. Exotic tea leaves, cedar, cloves, dusty dried flowers and spiced citrus rinds open in the glass. It’s soft in texture, pure in style, lightweight and impactful, with zesty acidity and mineral-tinged blackberry fruit. (EG)

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September 25, 2023 - Neal Martin

Cellar Favorite: 2005 Domaine Jean-Marc Pillot Chassagne-Montrachet Les Vergers 1er Cru

At an evening meal in Tokyo, I had the pleasure of tasting the excellent 2005 Chassagne-Montrachet Les Vergers 1er Cru from Jean-Marc Pillot. This was poured from magnum.

September 18, 2023 - Neal Martin

Cellar Favorite: 2011 Domaine d'Auvenay Bourgogne Aligoté Sous Chatelet

Let’s get the elephant out of the room. The secondary market price for this “humble” Aligoté is around £3,000 per bottle. That is absurd. That is unbelievable. But that is reality. Someone out there is prepared to pay that amount of money for this wine, motivated by the fact that it was crafted by Lalou Bize-Leroy or perhaps motivated by pecuniary gains.

September 11, 2023 - Neal Martin

Cellar Favorite: 1997 Boekenhoutskloof Syrah

Rewind to the mid-nineties, South Africa is basking in the afterglow of the dissolution of apartheid dissolution and Nelson Mandela’s election as President. After decades of selling wine domestically, South Africa’s wine industry is suddenly exposed to a competitive, global market, often under governmental control. Among a vast ocean of turbo-charged Bordeaux blends, the 1997 Syrah from Boekenhoutskloof is sui generis and becomes one of the Cape’s most iconic, mythical wines.

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Team

Antonio Galloni
Stephen Tanzer
Neal Martin
Eric Guido
David Schildknecht
Rebecca Gibb MW
Joaquín Hidalgo
Alessandro Masnaghetti
Angus Hughson
Anne Krebiehl MW
Nicolas Greinacher
Josh Raynolds (In Memoriam)

Kumeu River: New Reviews
By Rebecca Gibb MW
Sicily: New Reviews
By Eric Guido
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