### Cellar Favorite: Castell’in Villa Library Releases

### 

BY ANTONIO GALLONI | JULY 14, 2025

Time marches to its own beat at Castell’in Villa, where proprietor Princess Coralia Pignatelli della Leonessa releases her wines only when she thinks they are ready. These current library releases are fabulous choices for readers who want to taste wines with some age from this reference-point property.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1752504961600-CF_July142025.jpg)

The **2016 Santa Croce** is the estate's blend of equal parts Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon that spent close to eight years in cask during a time when proprietor Coralia Pignatelli della Leonessa was ill and a few lots sat undisturbed in cellar for extended periods. Dark red fruit, rose petal, spice and menthol build in the glass. Most surprisingly, the 2016 is shockingly fresh for a wine of its age. This is a great, great wine. It's not Sangiovese, it's not Cabernet Sauvignon, it's not a blend. It’s simply Castell'in Villa at its most profound. **97** /Drink 2025-2036.

The **2010 Chianti Classico Riserva** , a library release, is stellar. Dark, ample and explosive, the 2010 is just entering the first part of its drinking window. Black cherry, graphite, leather, scorched earth and incense add to an impression of brooding intensity. There is a touch of oak sweetness, a reminder that the estate introduced some new French oak casks during this era. **95** /Drink 2025-2040.

The **1996 Poggio delle Rose** emerges from a single vineyard developed in 1990 that was once planted with wild roses. Tobacco, worn-in leather, menthol, licorice, dried flowers and cloves all take shape in the glass. There's a touch of oak sweetness that is not especially intrusive. The 1996 is now fully mature, but it will likely hold for some time. **93** /Drink 2025-2032.

The **1994 Chianti Classico** Riserva is epic. Aromatic with stunning depth, the 1994 is a total head-turner. What a wine. Dried herbs, mocha, licorice, graphite, black cherry and incense soar from the glass. The wine's concentration is off the charts. For readers who want to know what older wines from Castell'in Villa are like, this is it! **97** /Drink 2025-2035.

_© 2025, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._

* * *

### You Might Also Enjoy

[Castell’in Villa – An Icon Revisited: 1971-2007](https://vinous.com/articles/castell-in-villa-an-icon-revisited-1971-2007-jul-2013), Antonio Galloni, July 2013

[Chianti Classico: Riding Out the Storm](https://vinous.com/articles/chianti-classico-riding-out-the-storm-jul-2025), Antonio Galloni, July 2025

[Chianti Classico: The Magnificent 2021s](https://vinous.com/articles/chianti-classico-the-magnificent-2021s-jul-2024), Antonio Galloni, July 2024

[Chianti Classico: The Brilliant 2021s & Variable 2020s](https://vinous.com/articles/chianti-classico-the-brilliant-2021s-&-variable-2020s-aug-2023), Antonio Galloni, August 2023

[Chianti Classico & Neighbors: Looking at the 2020s and 2019s](https://vinous.com/articles/chianti-classic-&-neighbors-looking-at-the-2020s-and-2019s-jul-2022), Antonio Galloni, July 2022



Cellar Favorite: Castell’in Villa Library Releases

Cellar Favorite: Castell’in Villa Library Releases (Jul 2025)

### Cellar Favorite: 1990 Guy de Barjac Cornas
 

BY NEAL MARTIN | JULY 7, 2025

Stick me on a desert island with a choice of one Rhône wine, and I would choose Cornas. I love this appellation, especially the odd occasion when a mature bottle crops up. Dining with friends at Noble Rot in London, I must thank my friend who introduced me to this wonderful Cornas from a producer I knew little about: Guy de Barjac. Consulting John Livingston-Learmonth’s indispensable “The Wines of the Northern Rhône,” I was fascinated to discover that not only can Barjac’s viticultural roots be traced back to the 15th century, but that there is a Cornas lieu-dit named after the family—the 1.13-hectare Barjasse. As it turns out, 1990 was the last vintage that Guy de Barjac bottled. “Guy de Barjac loves parchments and medieval manuscripts and reads Latin for a hobby,” writes Livingston-Learmonth, detailing Barjac’s hobbies after retirement. “De Barjac is also known for deciphering 12th-century documents in Gothic script.” Brilliant.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1751896363389-barjac_1990%7E2.2.jpg)

Over time, the family’s holdings were rented out to growers such as Colombo and Domaine de Fauterie. I could find no professional reviews for his wines—none on Vinous, just a couple of desultory reviews elsewhere. Time to correct that. The valedictory **1990 Cornas** has an exquisite bouquet with red fruit, mint, sorrel and just a light brush of bay leaf, understated yet gaining considerable depth upon second pour. The palate exudes elegance, harnessing the opulence and generosity of the 1990 vintage that has been abraded by time. Quite poised with fluid tannins and an effortless, garrigue-tinged finish, this Cornas is just showing what it can do at 35 years old. There’s plenty left in the tank. Just sublime. **94** /Drink 2025-2040.

_© 2025, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or redistributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._



Cellar Favorite: 1990 Guy de Barjac Cornas

Cellar Favorite: 1990 Guy de Barjac Cornas (Jul 2025)

### Cellar Favorite: 1952 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Romanée-Conti Grand Cru
 
###

BY NEAL MARTIN | JUNE 30, 2025

This bottle of 1952 Romanée-Conti Grand Cru was poured blind after an already memorable dinner themed around the illustrious Domaine’s 2002s held at Cornus restaurant in London. This is a significant vintage, which is why I separated it for a Cellar Favourite. The 1952 vintage marked the return of the Romanée-Conti cuvée after the monopole’s ungrafted vines were pulled out following the 1945 harvest. Therefore, this ’52 came from young vines that had taken root in 1947.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1750954259952-romanee+conti+1952+bottle_Vinous.JPG)

Firstly, I notice the colour, pale ruby with a little bricking on the rim, giving away maturity. However, the nose is so vivid that it threw everyone off its actual age, revealing sensual redcurrant and strawberry mixed with subtle ferrous aromas, later, a suggestion of menthol. It is no longer powerful, but now airy and more ethereal. The palate has a subtle _garrigue_-tinged opening and an almost balletic balance. Again, the 1952 is not powerful, yet there is a core of slightly candied fruit and an elegant finish. Of course, this is an extraordinarily rare and expensive bottle, but it signified the reemergence of “the king” and all the vintages that followed. It was a complete privilege to drink this piece of history. **95** /Drink 2025-2040.

_© 2025, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or redistributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._



Cellar Favorite: 1952 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Romanée-Conti Grand Cru

Cellar Favorite: 1952 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Romanée-Conti Grand Cru (Jun 2025)

### Cellar Favorite: 2000 Noël Verset Cornas

BY NEAL MARTIN | JUNE 23, 2025

Writer and Rhône expert John Livingston-Learmonth eloquently described Noël Verset as “a quiet pillar of Cornas.” Not so long ago, bottles of Verset Cornas were inexpensive and regularly appeared at dinners. It is still mindboggling that Verset turned grapes into wine for three-quarters of a century after debuting with the 1931 at the tender age of 12! He wound down his workload from around 2004 and passed away in 2015 at the ripe old age of 95. Some of his parcels were sold to Thierry Allemand, and his treasured holding in Chaillots went to his nephew, Franck Balthazar. Prices of bottles rapidly increased as they are wont to do posthumously, cognoscenti understanding that each bottle opened is one less in existence. (As an aside, it is well worth reading [Josh Raynolds’ account](https://vinous.com/articles/noel-verset-cornas-1985-2006-jan-2015) of a Verset vertical back to 1985.)

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1750685825363-cornas+verset_Vinous.JPG)

A recent bottle was a pertinent reminder of how Verset’s wines can bring such joy. At 25 years old, the **2000 Cornas** is intense on the nose with dark berry fruit, pressed iris flower, tantalising glimpses of star anise and a discrete menthol scent that becomes more pronounced after a second pour. The delineation is wonderful. The palate is medium-bodied with a core of sorbet-fresh red fruit, hints of blood orange and raspberry, with a light undercurrent of _garrigue_ towards the feisty finish. Whilst it does not rank amongst Verset’s greatest achievements—such as the 1991 or 1998—the 2000 is a refined Cornas at its peak. Based on this showing, it will clearly give another 15 years of drinking pleasure. **93** /Drink 2025-2040.

_© 2025, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or redistributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._



Cellar Favorite: 2000 Noël Verset Cornas

Cellar Favorite: 2000 Noël Verset Cornas (Jun 2025)

### Cellar Favorite: 1990 Hennebelle

###

BY NEAL MARTIN | JUNE 16, 2025

My recent [opinion piece](https://vinous.com/articles/bordeaux-the-crisis-laid-bare-jun-2025) on the crisis facing Bordeaux has reverberated around the region, even making a few winelovers depressed. Admittedly, the perspective is sobering, although I did make sure to include glimmers of hope, a way out of the situation. As if on cue, whilst writing that piece, a friend in Beaune poured a double magnum of **1990 Château Hennebelle** blind. It was a pertinent reminder of the glories of Bordeaux, how a modest quarter-century-old Haut-Médoc could deliver such pleasure. This 11-hectare estate was founded in 1918 and is presently owned by the Bonastre family. The vineyard is planted with 50% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, the remainder split between Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1750082634620-CF_June162025.jpg)

Showing minor bricking on the rim, the 1990 translates the warmth of that summer with lush cranberry and raspberry fruit, accented by light incense and violet aromas. Later, a hint of antique furniture emerges. The bouquet is not overly complex, yet it is so harmonious and focused. The palate has plenty of fruit, and the larger format has clearly slowed its evolution. It continues to dish out irresistible notes of red berry laced with tobacco and clove. The tannins are so fluid and caress the mouth, not unlike a Pinot Noir. It is just glorious! Let me ask: Which other wine region can do this, and how much would you pay for an equivalent Burgundy from the same vintage? **91** /Drink 2025-2038.

_© 2025, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or redistributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._  


Cellar Favorite: 1990 Hennebelle

Cellar Favorite: 1990 Hennebelle (Jun 2025)

### Cellar Favorite: 2021 Château Simone Palette Blanc
 
###

BY NEAL MARTIN | JUNE 9, 2025

Château Simone is a name that has slipped from the forefront of minds, perhaps a casualty of the indifference towards Provence as a wine region beyond Rosé. Of course, that is completely unjustified. Four generations of the Rougier family have run this Provence estate since 1830, a remarkable feat in itself. In 1948, Palette gained AOC status for whites, reds and Rosés. Château Simone dominates the AOC, owning over half the vineyard area in this tiny, 40-hectare appellation in the hills east of Aix. The Simone white comes from north-facing vines planted with 80% Clairette, 10% Grenache Blanc, 5% Bourboulenc, 3% Ugni Blanc and 2% Muscat Blanc. The fruit is naturally fermented and aged for 18 months in small oak barrels.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1749476227117-CF_June092025.JPG)

A friend brought a bottle of the 2021 Château Simone Blanc to dinner recently, and it served as a pertinent reminder of just how good these wines can be. Pale silvery in hue, the bouquet is glorious and captivating, with beautifully delineated scents of wax resin, pine forest and orange blossom. The palate displays exquisite balance, with just the faintest oxidation. Light smoky traits emerge with time, hints of bitter lemon mixing with almond towards the dry finish that urges you back for another sip. Knowing first-hand how the whites from this unique estate can repay cellaring, this will give up to 20 years’ drinking pleasure. **92** /Drink 2025-2045

_© 2025, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or redistributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._



Cellar Favorite: 2021 Château Simone Palette Blanc

Cellar Favorite: 2021 Château Simone Palette Blanc (Jun 2025)

### Cellar Favorite: 1988 Dom Ruinart Brut Rosé

###

BY NEAL MARTIN | JUNE 2, 2025

The 1988 Brut Rosé from Dom Ruinart commenced a splendid soirée with friends in London during March. After 37 years, it has retained a lucid salmon hue with few signs of aging. The bouquet does not hold back and seems completely intent on pleasing the olfactory senses, gushing with freshly picked strawberries, raspberries, a vase of roses and light mandarin aromas. It’s far more youthful than I would have predicted. The palate is equally attractive, with vivacious strawberry and cranberry fruit at its core. This is no shy and retiring wallflower, exerting weight and grip in the mouth whilst retaining freshness and an infectious _joie de vivre_. If you have bottles of the 1988 left in your cellar, do not hesitate to crack them open now, though this wine has plenty more left. **92** /Drink 2025-2040.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1748873268548-ruinart+rose+1988_Vinous.JPG)

_© 2025, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or redistributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._



Cellar Favorite: 1988 Dom Ruinart Brut Rosé

Cellar Favorite: 1988 Dom Ruinart Brut Rosé (Jun 2025)

### Cellar Favorite: 1977 Diamond Creek Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Volcanic Hill

###

BY NEAL MARTIN | MAY 27 2025

Do me a favour…If the 1977 Cabernet Sauvignon Volcanic Hill is not in my top ten wines of the year come December, send a rude message to the usual address. Vinous forum regular Robert Dentice generously poured this sublime mature Napa Cabernet Sauvignon during my trip to New York for Vinous Icons earlier this year. These vines were planted in 1968 from smuggled Bordeaux rootstock on volcanic ash soil, hence the name, debuting in the inauspicious 1972 vintage and prefiguring California’s focus upon single-vineyard sites. I used to meet Diamond Creek’s founders, Al and Boots Brounstein, in London in the salad days of my career. I remember them being so friendly to this nobody who was wet behind the ears, especially with regards to Californian wine, so I have an affection for this estate that was acquired by the Rouzard family in 2020.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1748013494581-CF_May272025.jpg)

Even in its fourth decade, the 1977 Volcanic Hill shows little ageing in the glass, attesting to what is reputedly Diamond Creek’s longest-lived Cabernet Sauvignon. The bouquet is heavenly: black plum, cedar, star anise and a hint of iodine, all delivered with tremendous vivacity and sophistication. Frankly, I could just inhale this all night! The palate does not disappoint after those wondrous aromatics. Layers of mainly red fruit are so seductive that they almost disguise the lattice of fine tannins. Nuanced notes of orange pith, tobacco and black truffle emerge with modest aeration, but it is the composure of this Volcanic Hill that leaves you smitten. This bottle had clearly benefitted from its provenance. It could give another 20 years of drinking pleasure, which is about 20 years longer than any ’77 claret. **97** /Drink 2025-2045.

_© 2025, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or redistributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._



Cellar Favorite: 1977 Diamond Creek Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Volcanic Hill

Cellar Favorite: 1977 Diamond Creek Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Volcanic Hill (May 2025)

### Cellar Favorite: 2004 Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Montrachet Grand Cru

###

BY NEAL MARTIN | MAY 19, 2025

The 2004 Montrachet Grand Cru from Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey is an elusive white Burgundy that amounts to one barrel, perhaps even less. Colin set out on his own from Domaine Marc Colin & Fils in 2005, so this constitutes one of his first vintages, when he bought fruit from the family domaine in order to bottle wine under his own label. Since the 2022 vintage, ownership has been legally separated between siblings, not that this makes a tangible difference in the wine in your glass. A friend from Florida generously offered this bottle of 2004 Montrachet at a casual dinner in Beaune during Hospices weekend last November. At two decades of age, it has a reticent nose at first, typical of many whites that season. It unfurls with red apples, hints of lanolin and dandelion, a little crushed stone in the background, though to be brutally honest, it never quite clicks into fifth gear like many of Pierre-Yves’ wines are prone to do. The palate is more impressive and demonstrates the width and depth one expects from this illustrious Grand Cru. Given the season in question, the 2004 does not quite deliver the complexity of the best vintages that I have encountered, and it’s a tad “curtailed” on the finish. Yet, like all great terroirs, the Montrachet responds to aeration in the glass, touches of chamomile and almond emerging almost timidly with time, so that after 20 or 30 minutes, you are smitten. Sure, it is a lovely Montrachet, though one that I feel has been surpassed by subsequent vintages. **92** /Drink 2025-2040  
  
 ![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1747662890522-CF_May192025.jpg)  
  
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Cellar Favorite: 2004 Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Montrachet Grand Cru

Cellar Favorite: 2004 Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Montrachet Grand Cru (May 2025)

### Cellar Favorite: 2022 António 

### Madeira

### Branco Vinhas Velhas

BY NEAL MARTIN | MAY 12, 2025

I vividly recall a bottle of António Madeira’s 2017 Branco Vinhas Velhas I encountered five or six years ago. It was a revelation in terms of what white Portuguese wine can achieve. On a recent return to [Solar dos Presuntos](https://vinous.com/articles/vinous-table-solar-dos-presuntos-lisbon-portugal-apr-2023), Lisbon’s go-to restaurant for any wine-lover, I ordered Madeira’s 2022 Branco Vinhas Velhas. Our sommelier grinned, knowing the treat in store. Once again, I was blown away.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1747054416662-CF_May122025.jpg)

This flagship white comes from parcels of vines in the Dão region that exceed 80 years of age, a blend that includes Siria, Fernão Pires, Bical, Encruzado and Cerceal. Around 15% is aged in French oak, with the rest done in stainless steel. The 2022 presents silvery glints in the glass as the bouquet explodes with intense mineral-driven Japanese yuzu, limoncello and quince aromas, all neatly wrapped up in a nuanced veil of reduction. It has scintillating delineation and evokes images of freshly shucked oyster shells and sea cave. The palate is just as arresting, brimming with energy and tension. Again, there is a subtle reduction at play, one that would make Jean-François Coche proud. There is so much depth of flavour here. That marine theme continues, with notes of tangerine and yuzu on the finish. The only negative? I spent the rest of my time in Lisbon desperately searching for another bottle to buy to no avail! This is as good as any white Burgundy Premier Cru you want to put in front of me, and likewise, whilst it dishes out pleasure, it will evolve over the next 12 to 15 years. **95** /Drink 2025-2040.

  
_© 2025, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or redistributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._  

Cellar Favorite: 2022 António Madeira Branco Vinhas Velhas

Cellar Favorite: 2022 António Madeira Branco Vinhas Velhas (May 2025)

### Cellar Favourite: 2012

### Domaine Tempier

### Bandol Cuvée Classique

BY NEAL MARTIN | MAY 5, 2025

Most beautiful region in France? The one I would most like to return to? Bandol. It’s a gem of a wine region with a treasure trove of great wines and producers. The most renowned of all is Domaine Tempier, which has been under the directorship of Daniel Ravier since 2000. During a recent dinner at [Lorne](https://vinous.com/articles/vinous-table-lorne-london-uk-aug-2022), one of my favourite restaurants in London, I spotted a bottle of **2012 Bandol Cuvée Classique** on the single-bottle selection at the back of their wine list. It was a no-brainer.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1746453457231-CF_05052025.jpg)

This cuvée is a blend of parcels on limestone and sandy marl soils, comprising three-quarters Mourvèdre, the remainder Grenache and Cinsault with a seasoning of Syrah and Carignan. It was fermented in concrete tanks and aged for a minimum of 18 months in large old oak casks. Quite deep in hue, it has a quintessential Bandol bouquet: mulberry, wild heather and a scintilla of old medicine cabinet, one that hasn’t been opened for a couple of years. Later, there are hints of sloe, _pain d’épices_ and hung game. The palate is beautifully balanced, with real depth and roundness, the acidity keeping it on its toes. Again, there is a very subtle medicinal touch that gives away Mourvèdre. This fans out in assured fashion towards the savoury finish, its underlying sapidity asking you, “More?” This is a pertinent reminder of great Bandol, and given that the 2012 is already 13 years old, I can see it motoring along nicely for another two decades. **92** /Drink 2025-2045.

_© 2025, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or redistributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._



Cellar Favorite: 2012 Domaine Tempier Bandol Cuvée Classique

Cellar Favorite: 2012 Domaine Tempier Bandol Cuvée Classique (May 2025)

### Cellar Favorite: 2015 Marcel Lapierre Morgon Cuvée Marcel Lapierre 

BY NEAL MARTIN | APRIL 28, 2025

During my recent trip to Beaujolais, I was treated to a smattering of mature bottles that proved once again how exquisitely Gamay can age. None more so than this delectable ten-year-old Morgon popped open during my visit to one of Beaujolais’ most renowned producers, Marcel Lapierre.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1745847772569-CF_Morgon+2015+Lapierre.JPG)

The **2015**  **Morgon Cuvée Marcel Lapierre** , whose vintage is discreetly communicated in Roman numerals (MMXV), has a sensual bouquet replete with raspberries and wild hedgerow, touches of pencil shavings and smoke. The aromatics are beguiling, very complex and focused, perhaps nodding towards Pinot Noir yet incontrovertibly Gamay. The palate is medium-bodied, with a fresh, vibrant entry and finely chiselled tannins. Tensile and extraordinarily harmonious with strawberry and cranberry towards the minerally finish, this is a sublime example of mature Lapierre in all its glory. Furthermore, based on this bottle, the 2015 will give at least another decade of drinking pleasure. **94** /Drink 2025-2035.

_© 2025, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or redistributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._



Cellar Favorite: 2015 Marcel Lapierre Morgon Cuvée Marcel Lapierre

Cellar Favorite: 2015 Marcel Lapierre Morgon Cuvée Marcel Lapierre (Apr 2025)

### Cellar Favorite: 1979 Veuve Clicquot Vintage Rosé

BY ANTONIO GALLONI | APRIL 21, 2025

Chef de Caves Didier Mariotti served this wine blind after my recent tasting of new and upcoming releases from La Grande Dame. The 1979 Vintage Rosé is fabulous. It predates the La Grande Dame Rosé by nearly a decade (first vintage 1988), so it was the house’s top Rosé during this era. The bouquet is immediately mesmerizing. Kirsch, dried flowers, mint and light pastry overtones all grace the palate. Creamy and exquisite, the 1979 is a drop-dead gorgeous beauty. At 45 years of age, the 1979 remains timeless, a testament to how well Champagne can age. Sublime. Disgorged: 2014. **94** /2025-2027.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1745246450211-CF_Apr212025.jpg)

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Cellar Favorite: 1979 Veuve Clicquot Vintage Rosé

Cellar Favorite: 1979 Veuve Clicquot Vintage Rosé (Apr 2025)

### Cellar Favorite: 

### Vilmart Coeur de Cuvée

### 2006 & 2003

BY ANTONIO GALLONI | APRIL 14, 2025

Vilmart’s Coeur de Cuvée is one of the most consistently outstanding wines in Champagne because of how well it shows in both strong and challenging years. A blend of 80% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Noir, Coeur de Cuvée emerges from 60+ year-old vines in the Blanches Voies lieu-dit in Rilly-la-Montagne. It is made from only the central part of cuvée (hence its name), where depth and textural finesse are at their most intense. Vinification and aging are done in 228-liter French oak barriques, with blocked malolactic fermentation. I tasted the 2006 and 2003, both original disgorgements, with Laurent and Thomas Champs during a recent visit to Vilmart in March 2025. I can’t say I was surprised by how the wines age, as I have tasted more than enough Vilmart Champagnes to have a clear idea of how enjoyable they are at this stage. The 2006 and 2003 are peaking today, making them fine choices for readers who enjoy mature Champagne.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1744640181415-CF_Apr142025.jpg)

The **2006 Brut Coeur de Cuvée Oenothèque** is exceptionally beautiful. Rich and vivid in the glass, with magnificent balance, the 2006 is in fine shape today. Candied lemon peel, mint, marzipan, white pepper, baked apple tart and light tropical notes are so vivid in the glass. Still quite deep and layered, the 2006 will drink well for at least another handful of years. What a gorgeous Champagne it is. Disgorged: July 2013. **95** /2025-2030

The **2003 Brut Coeur de Cuvée Oenothèque** is even more surprising than the 2006 tasted alongside it. The first impression is one of a lighter year relative to 2006, but with age it is harder to tell how much of that is the vintage and how much is simply the passage of time. I was certainly not expecting this to be 2003. Medium in body and fresh, the 2003 is exquisite. It does not have the mid-palate resonance of the very best years, especially at this age, but it has aged impeccably and remains quite fresh. Pear, spice and floral overtones grace this very pretty, expressive Coeur de Cuvée. Spring frost and then brutally hot, dry weather in summer reduced yields by nearly 50%, resulting in a Champagne with very low acidity. Even so, the 2003 aged beautifully. I don't see it improving much from here, however. Any remaining bottles need to be finished. Disgorged: July 2010. **93** /2025-2028

_© 2025, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or redistributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._



Cellar Favorite: Vilmart Coeur de Cuvée 2006 & 2003

Cellar Favorite: Vilmart Coeur de Cuvée 2006 & 2003 (Apr 2025)

### Cellar Favorite: A Landmark Vintage – Henschke 2021

BY ANGUS HUGHSON | APRIL 7, 202

Henschke is one of the most historic wineries in Australia, with a history stretching back to 1868, when the first wines were sold under the family name. Henschke’s rise to the head table of Australian wine is not a story of meteoric growth, but rather more of a long, hard and deliberate slog for over 150 years. Like many of the early Lutheran settlers to the Barossa Valley, the Henschkes were initially mixed farmers, with grapes being only one of the many strands of the family business. However, over time, the Henschkes focused on grapegrowing and wine production, gradually adding to their land holdings. This led to the 1891 purchase of a small vineyard near the ​​Gnadenberg Church, which later became known as the Hill of Grace, and the eventual acquisition of the mature Mount Edelstone vineyard in 1974.

The Henschke home is located in the Eden Valley, high up above the Barossa Valley floor at an altitude of 400-500 meters. Estate vineyards fan out from the original winery, which remains in the spot where it was originally established in 1862. Importantly, Eden Valley is a subregion of the wider Barossa and differs markedly in both conditions and wine styles from its more famous neighbour. While the Barossa is home to robust and hearty wines, Eden Valley delivers a much more reserved expression of Shiraz. Eden Valley wines often have more in common with other parts of Australia than the classic Barossa style. In addition, the timing of key events during the growing season is quite different between the two regions, i.e., poor weather at flowering or hot spells in the Barossa may not be a problem later in the season in the Eden Valley, and vice versa.

There is always a traditional feel at Henschke—unforced wines that showcase their various terroirs. According to fifth-generation winemaker Stephen Henschke, “Henschke is about individual sites. We want to show the expression of our vineyards. There is not a lot of new oak for that reason. It’s about the vineyard flavours. It’s about the soils and the character of the region.” This transparent winemaking style, combined with a strong focus on sustainability, makes the annual Henschke release a true vintage snapshot of Eden Valley.

A key and highly necessary part of the pursuit of sustainability at Henschke has been the management of soil health, driven by Prue Henschke. The Eden Valley can be a harsh environment for vines due to unpredictable rainfall, particularly in hot, dry summers. The team focuses on building resilience in their vineyards to avoid the hard tannins and the baked characteristics that can emerge in the wines. There is a common misconception that old vines are less vigorous. But Stephen Henschke finds the opposite on their Mount Edelstone site, planted in 1912, where they utilise Scott-Henry training, albeit on a cooler east-facing site. “You would not believe the vigour in 100-year-old vines. The shoots cross over the rows. It just makes a difference, all those leaves working for us, producing flavour and colour. But there’s a catch: much more work in the vineyard and higher costs.”

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1744034685529-Prue+and+Stephen+Henschke_Open+Top+Fermenters_Vinous.jpg)

_Prue and Stephen Henschke with their open top fermenters._

### Exploring Eden Valley

Henschke uses three quite different sites in the Eden Valley for top Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon. The historic, own-rooted Hill of Grace Vineyard was first planted in the 1860s, with additional parcels planted in 1910, 1951, 1952, 1956 and 1965. The vineyard sits at 400 meters of elevation in a fertile valley and on a very gentle slope with various aspects. On average, it is the driest of the Henschke estate vineyard, with sandy loam soils over clay. Of the lineup of Henschke Shiraz, Hill of Grace is typically the most powerful and tannic, which was certainly on display in the 2021 vintage.

Mount Edelstone Vineyard is quite different. Also situated at 400 meters, it was planted in 1912 on its own roots, using vinestock material that likely came from the first Shiraz clones brought to Australia from Hermitage in 1832. A gentle east-facing slope with clay soils over schist yields a more ethereal expression of Shiraz. While Hill of Grace is often more highly regarded, the difference in quality between these wines is negligible.

Planted by Cyril Henschke in 1968, the lesser-known Eden Valley Vineyard is deeper into the Mount Lofty ranges at a higher 500-meter elevation with greater rainfall. The Cyril Henschke Cabernet Sauvignon and Wheelwright Shiraz both come from this site. Historically, there were a number of vineyards in the area at the time of planting, but many have now been uprooted due to the challenging growing conditions and low yields, particularly in the cooler vintages that were prevalent before the 1980s. Undoubtedly, the northerly aspect of the Henschke Eden Valley Vineyard has been its saving grace.

Prue and Stephen Henschke added to the Eden Valley Vineyard in 1988, planting predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon, although Merlot and Cabernet Franc make up one-third of plantings and are used interchangeably for blending depending on vintage conditions. Occasionally, in less favourable vintages, Henschke does not bottle any wine off this site. For many years, Shiraz from this vineyard was a key component of the Keyneton Estate blend, but it has been bottled separately as The Wheelwright Shiraz since 2015. This year, I tasted mini-verticals of The Wheelwright (back to the inaugural vintage, 2015) and and the Cyril Henschke Cabernet Sauvignon (back to 2009). These wines offer a fascinating counterpoint against the Mount Edelstone and Hill of Grace, clearly showcasing the significance of vine age, but especially the character of the higher-altitude site. More than Hill of Grace and Mount Edelstone, the success of the Wheelwright Shiraz and Cyril Henschke Cabernet Sauvignon hinges on a kind season, due simply to the marginality of the site. In particular, Cyril Henschke Cabernet Sauvignon is a wine that can be truly outstanding when the weather plays dice, as occurred in the 2021 vintage. Its graceful, long-lived style and similarities with fine European Cabernet Sauvignon will surprise many.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1744034872420-Henscke+Bottle+Shot_Vinous.jpg)

**The 2021 Growing Season**

Two thousand twenty-one was set up well from the start, with a hot 2020 providing plenty of sunlight and supercharging buds for the following season. Flowering took place under placid conditions for most varieties, with only Mataro and Grenache affected by strong winds. Frost in September helped to control yields in some vineyards. However, in the lead-up to veraison, the vineyards were still carrying generous crop loads, with some significant heat in November and December providing a solid base of fruit development. The real key to the vintage was green harvesting, which Henschke undertook around the same time in all the vineyards. The process lent greater concentration to the resulting wines but also set the vines up for what was to come: the coolest Summer in 20 years. During this period, there were only five days over 30°C and none over 35°C, keeping the vines stress-free up until harvest, which took place for Hill of Grace on March 30 and 31. Without green harvesting, it is unlikely that the wines would have reached optimal ripeness in 2021. In summary, a placid but cool vintage combined with moderate yields helped to craft some of Henschke’s best in recent memory.

_I tasted the wines for this report at the winery in February 2025. While the focus was on the new single-vineyard releases, the tasting also included an array of wines from Eden Valley, Barossa and Adelaide Hills._

_© 2025, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or redistributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._



Cellar Favorite: A Landmark Vintage – Henschke 2021

Cellar Favorite: A Landmark Vintage – Henschke 2021 (Apr 2025)

### Cellar Favorite: 1948 La Tour Blanche

BY NEAL MARTIN | MARCH 31, 2025

Some bottles are more poignant than others, inextricable from the occasion, the place and above all, the person associated with the wine. The 1948 La Tour Blanche was donated by Bill Blatch during January’s Southwold tastings, his botrytised contribution to our annual dinner. Blatch was feeling too fatigued to attend after the day’s intense tasting, and even though 1948 was his birthyear vintage, he insisted that we take it to the restaurant to enjoy. I cannot help feeling that somehow he knew that had the 1948 gone unopened, it would never be shared with his friends. It was, for all intents and purposes, his parting gift. This is not an auspicious vintage for Sauternes. The autumn was too dry to really incite botrytis infection. Nevertheless, this bottle was further proof that it takes a really deplorable growing season to produce a distasteful sweet wine.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1743429192452-CF_Mar312025.jpg)

Deep amber in hue, the bouquet does not explode from the glass, rather, it gradually unfolds with scents of marmalade, quince and fig, hints of mandarin and adhesive. Fine delineation. The palate is fresh with exquisite poise. Plenty of marmalade notes emerge once again, while noticeable acidity lends this Sauternes tension. The 1948 does not possess a sustained finish, so it scarpers out of the exit door a little hastily. Nevertheless, this Sauternes continues to give pleasure. **93** /100 Drink: 2025-2040.

_© 2025, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or redistributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._



Cellar Favorite: 1948 La Tour Blanche

Cellar Favorite: 1948 La Tour Blanche (Mar 2025)

### Cellar Favorite: 1995 Ridge Monte Bello

BY BILLY NORRIS | MARCH 24, 2025

After a dizzying day of tasting and mingling with numerous producers and attendees at Vinous Icons NYC 2025, a small but mighty group of Vinous critics—Neal Martin, Eric Guido, Joaquín Hidalgo, Nicolas Greinacher and myself—assembled for an impromptu late meal and powwow at what Eric refers to as his “second office,” Keens Steakhouse in midtown Manhattan. A historical New York City institution dating back to 1885, Keens is best known for its dinosaurian mutton chop, its ceiling adorned with Victorian-era tobacco pipes, and the sense of proper old-school gravitas that permeates its numerous dimly lit, always slightly too-warm dining rooms. Though we hadn’t properly planned in advance, being passionate oenophiles ever-prepared for an impromptu vinous (or Vinous) gathering, each of us had brought along a bottle or two from home. This anticipatory move was a logical follow-up to the epic dinner Antonio Galloni hosted for the entire team in 2024, for which he generously raided his own cellar and poured a blind, flighted lineup supplemented by wines we each brought from our far-flung homes. It was on this night that the inimitable Giaconda Chardonnay Angus Hughson lovingly carried all the way from Australia rocked our collective worlds.

The meal at Keens was classic carnivore-centric NYC steakhouse fare done to a tee, but the parade of bottles—garnering puzzled looks from the neighboring late-diners—was the highlight. The wines ran the gamut from the **2006 Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon** from Nicolas, to the **2019 Sei Solo Ribera del Duero** from Joaquín, to Neal’s **2019 Kershaw Syrah G.P.S.** from South Africa, to Eric’s **2018 Antica Terra Pinot Noir Antikythera** and **2013 Commando G Las Iruelas El Tiemblo.** I toted two bottles up from Florida for the hypothetical-turned-happily-manifested occasion, the **2012 MacDonald Cabernet Sauvignon** and the **1995 Ridge Monte Bello**. Even in such indubitably esteemed company, the Monte Bello stole the show.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1742824300408-CF_Mar242025.jpg)

A wine of suave sophistication and supreme textural finesse, the 1995 Monte Bello is almost shockingly primary and fresh as a daisy. Cool-toned and elegant, clearly articulated and precise, it delivers a textbook “Monte Bello” profile of layered dark berry fruit, black tea, eucalyptus, tobacco and cedar. As the hours in the glass tick by, the 1995 packs on weight and builds concentration, stretching its legs and becoming ever more expressive. The ultra-fine tannins are mostly resolved, but there’s still a whisper of structure that ensures there’s zero risk of the wine coming unglued anytime soon. What impresses most is the long, lifted finish…one minute? Two minutes? Who’s counting? More importantly, who wants to wait two minutes between sips? Not me. Notably, the 1995 clocks in at 12.5% alcohol on the label (which spurred a sprightly post-hoc social media debate with some modern winemakers about this figure and its implications). This particular Monte Bello’s ability to deliver such compelling depth at such low alcohol speaks to a seriously special site and particularly calibrated winemaking. This is a superb effort by Winemaker Paul Draper and his team. Any way you spin it, the 1995 Monte Bello is fully in the zone, but there are easily many, many years left in its journey. **95** /Drink 2025-2045.

_© 2025, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or redistributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._



Cellar Favorite: 1995 Ridge Monte Bello

Cellar Favorite: 1995 Ridge Monte Bello (Mar 2025)

### Cellar Favorite: 2019 Niepoort Charme Tinto Douro

BY NEAL MARTIN | MARCH 17, 2025

I have long been an admirer and drinker of Dirk Niepoort’s wines, both fortified and unfortified. A 2019 Charme Tinto Douro was drinking beautifully when I cracked open a bottle recently. This bottling comes from the oldest vines in Vale de Mendiz, Portugal, overlooking the Pinhão river. It was vinified in traditional _lagares_ with no destemming. The 2019 Charme has an open nose with brambly red berry fruit, raspberry and wild strawberry, perhaps a little Chambolle-like in style albeit without the Chambolle price tag (this cuvée frequently resembles Burgundy). Afforded time to open over three hours, the aromatics manifest autumn leaves and light vanilla pod scents. The palate continues in a similar style, the red fruit just edging into its secondary phase, the tannins melted and pliant. The texture caresses the mouth, with absolutely no hard edges and a lightness of touch toward the velvety finish, the sign of a talented winemaker at the helm. Prices remain exceptionally fair. Judging by the evolution of this 2019, it will easily cruise for another 15 to 20 years. **94** /Drink 2025-2043.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1741880877930-Vinous_charme+2019.jpg)

_© 2025, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or redistributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._



Cellar Favorite: 2019 Niepoort Charme Tinto Douro

Cellar Favorite: 2019 Niepoort Charme Tinto Douro (Mar 2025)

### Cellar Favorite: 2022 Yquem

BY NEAL MARTIN | MARCH 10, 2025

Head Winemaker Lorenzo Pasquini flew to the UK to present the latest vintage of Château Yquem. Meeting in central London, Italian-born Pasquini gave me the background on the 2022.

“Two thousand twenty-two is an extraordinary vintage in the sense that plenty of things happened that were out of the ordinary,” he began. “First of all, it was the driest and hottest vintage ever at the estate. Secondly, it was the year of wildfires. The fires didn’t touch the vineyard or the estate, but they did touch [the homes] of some employees. The hot weather led to a very early ripening and a very early picking for Ygrec that started on August 9, the earliest ever. It was important to preserve the natural freshness.”

Pasquini continues, “For Yquem, the grapes were uniformly ripe very early. That is the first condition for noble rot infection. By the end of August, we felt that all we needed was a bit of rain and then we could look forward to a September vintage like 1893, 2003 and 2011. However, September stayed very dry and so all we did was harvest some _passerillé_ (dried) berries. Botrytis began to form in the beginning of October, but it was humid and cold rather than humid with sun and wind. Consequently, infection tended toward grey rot, not noble. Believe it or not, the sugar began to lower as the botrytis began to eat it.”

He adds, “Everything changed on the weekend of October 15, when we had a strong southeast wind that dried the vines. At the same time, higher temperatures settled in. On October 18, it reached 34°C, the highest temperature for October at the estate. We had to radically change our approach and pick as fast as possible, since berries concentrated very quickly. We picked from October 16-22. By October 24, the fruit was too concentrated. We ended up with the most concentrated Yquem since 1945, which had 164 g/L residual sugar compared to 160 g/L in 2022. Another challenge was that given the level of concentration and low acidity, it was harder to maintain balance, because that derives as much from bitterness or saltiness as it does from sweetness. So, we chose a blend that could maintain the sensation of freshness. Since 2010, we have reduced the élevage from 36 months to 24 months while also reducing the number of rackings, which we believe lends Yquem more crispness and clarity. Studies at the University of Bordeaux have proven how lactones of the barrel and wine combine. We still produce half-bottles when ordered _en primeur_, and these are now sealed under Diam.”

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1741615470063-CF_Mar102025.jpg)

The 2022 Yquem is a blend of 80% Sémillon and 20% Sauvignon Blanc with 160 g/L residual sugar and a total acidity of 5.39 g/L. It is the first certified organic vintage for the estate and has the lowest level of total sulphur ever: 234 g/L, high within the sphere of wine but comparatively low for Sauternes. The 2022 was aged for 24 months in new barrels that underwent slightly less drying than those used for red wines in order to retain some green tannins. Given the growing season, the 2022 Yquem has a surprisingly understated bouquet that demands coaxing. Scents of orange pith, passion fruit and quince are exquisitely defined, a hint of chamomile dancing around in the background. The palate is medium-bodied. Given the high level of residual sugar, what is surprising is that the 2022 does not seem a weighty or texturally unctuous Yquem, yet there is an intensity and concentration that is arresting. Vivid flavours of clementine, wild honey, quince and tangerine that effortlessly combine. The acidity almost nonchalantly counters the sensation of residual sugar, so it feels less than it actually is, the scintilla of salinity toward the finish tempting you back for more. This is a marvellous and quite cerebral Yquem for which patience is required. **98** /100 Drink 2030-2100.

_© 2025, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._



Cellar Favorite: 2022 Yquem

Cellar Favorite: 2022 Yquem (Mar 2025)

### Cellar Favorite: Ioppa Ghemme 1970-1975

BY ANTONIO GALLONI | MARCH 3, 2025

History, expression of place, passion and artisan family values run deep at Ioppa. The Ioppas trace their lineage back seven generations, all the way to the mid-1800s, a time when life in the countryside was much harsher than it is today. This mini-vertical from the 1970s was a very pleasant surprise at the end of a day tasting through current releases. I tasted the wines with Giorgio Ioppa, his son Andrea, and consulting oenologist Cristiano Garella.

Pristine, meticulously stored bottles from the family’s cellar once again show just how well Alto Piemonte wines can age. These Ghemmes from the 1970s are Nebbiolo, Vespolina and Bonarda, with bit more Vespolina than is the norm these days. The Nebbiolo was mostly sourced from Balsina, planted in 1968 on alluvial soils with a high percentage of sand and rocks. The first plantings employed the traditional _maggiorina_ training system, a sort of open pergola with a high canopy designed to be easy to work while protecting fruit from hail and also leaving space in the ground for other crops, a reminder of the time not too long ago when farming mixed agriculture was the norm. Vespolina and Bonarda were sourced from older vines. Shortly thereafter, the family transitioned to a more modern row design at Balsina, quite novel at the time.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1741013326576-CF_Mar32025.jpg)

Grapes were destemmed and fermented in cement, with no temperature control and using ambient yeasts, as was the norm. Ghemme production guidelines during this era called for a blend of 75% Nebbiolo and as much as 25% Vespolina/Uva Rara. The wines were aged in 20 and 25HL cherry and Slavonian oak casks.

All the wines were exquisite. I especially loved the 1970 and 1972, the former for its power, the latter for its intensity in a vintage where noteworthy wines are exceptionally rare.

_© 2025, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._



Cellar Favorite: Ioppa Ghemme 1970-1975

Cellar Favorite: Ioppa Ghemme 1970-1975 (Mar 2025)

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### Blue Nun: The Wine at the Center of Everything

BY NEAL MARTIN | JULY 15, 2025

No other bottle has been a wellspring for so many tales. No other brand has permeated culture like the star of this article.

Ladies and gentlemen, Blue Nun.

I know what you are thinking. There he goes again. Those Brits and their irony. A bit of whimsy, comic relief. Why invest words in a wine that has been the butt of countless jokes for years. A vinous totem for someone who is bereft of a discerning palate, one helplessly marooned in the seventies.

Au contraire. By the end of this article, you will be as glad to have read it as I was to write, not that it will entice you to cancel your allocation from Egon Müller and replace it with Blue Nun. That is not my intention. However, let the court state for the record that this bottle incited more remarks and responses than any other this year.

So why?

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1752508217893-blue+nun+1963+bottle_Vinous.JPG)

Well, this was not any old bottle of Blue Nun. No, this was a 1963 Blue Nun, surely the last survivor of millions that trundled off the bottling line. That year is infamous for its dire quality of wine—Vintage Port excepted—however, little did I know that 1963 was in fact a fine growing season in Germany.

So, how did this bottle come my way?

It was poured at a private dinner in West London that included the likes of 1973 Dom Pérignon and a 1958 Bartolo Mascarello Barolo. This was certainly not a shabby evening. It was during these gems that the bottle of Blue Nun graced us with her holy presence. Our host announced this bottle had been waiting for the right moment. He had been an acquaintance of the late Peter Sichel, the “father” of Blue Nun. However, the bottle did not come from Sichel, but rather in all likelihood from the cellar of my former colleague, Josh Raynolds. Thinking about Josh’s wry humour, it would not surprise me. I like to think that he was saving it to pour blind at some Vinous dinner with a twinkle in his eye.

As the “Liebfraumilch über alles” pours into my startled glass, I admit noting that the retro label is exquisite with its ornately sketched quartet of nuns in the vines resplendent in their veils and habits. Why blue, not black? The original labels came out miscoloured, and instead of demanding another print run, Sichel took a liking to the unorthodox hue. He not only kept it but redrew the nuns to make them more youthful and come-hither. It was an act of marketing genius.

Ah, the late Peter Max Sichel. If you think you have had a remarkable life, it is nothing compared to this man. Born in Mainz in 1922, Sichel died on February 25, 2025 at the ripe old age of 102. “Peter had a great sense of humour,” our host tells me later via e-mail. “He had a very good knowledge of wine and bicycled around New York well into his 80s. He was also a particularly good raconteur.”

I urge you to read the obituaries following his death or Sichel’s autobiography, “The Secrets of My Life.” To adumbrate his storied time on Earth, Sichel came from a large secular Jewish family. He was the first German student to attend Stowe private school in England. Sichel was interned with his sister in a camp in France, as they were considered “enemy aliens” as German troops invaded Poland. They escaped the camp and crossed the Pyrenees on foot, bribed a border guard with a fountain pen to gain passage to New York, used Sichel’s fluent French and German to play a crucial role in the American intelligence service, trained Algerian guerrillas for the French Resistance, conducted post-war espionage missions in Berlin against Russia, led the C.I.A.’s Eastern European operations, monitored communist China from Hong Kong, and was the target of an FBI investigation as a possible KGB mole in 1955. Disillusioned, Sichel left the intelligence service in 1960, whereupon he joined the family’s wine merchant business.

This is all _before_ Blue Nun.

Nowadays, we look down our noses at the name “Blue Nun,” but this most famous brand of Liebfraumilch was instrumental in destigmatising wine, hitherto the preserve of the middle and upper classes. In terms of impact, in terms of democratisation and changing attitudes towards wine, Sichel should be mentioned in the same breath as Baron Philippe de Rothschild, Robert Mondavi, David Hohnen of Cloudy Bay or Robert Parker. “My father was determined to teach Americans to appreciate wine,” Sichel’s daughter, Bettina, tells me from Sonoma, where she co-owns Laurel Glen Vineyard. “I heard him tell the story many times that when he moved to Washington, D.C. in the 1950s with the CIA and started attending dinner parties, he was shocked to see that the educated people with whom he socialised only drank cocktails—before _and_ during the meal. Blue Nun was just one of his efforts to get Americans drinking wine. He also helped found the Commanderie de Bordeaux.”

In 2020, my knowledgeable colleague Anne Krebiehl, MW, composed an illuminating history of Liebfraumilch from its medieval origin around the German town of Worms, when it was known as “Our Dear Lady’s Milk.” Over years it became a _Phantasiename_, and the laws with respect to its use were diluted to the extent that unscrupulous winemakers could essentially use underripe grapes and add excessive amounts of sugar to make the wine palatable to the proles.

Peter Sichel was not the inventor of Blue Nun. The brand had existed within the Sichel family company’s portfolio since 1923, when the 1921 vintage hit the shelves. According to writer Bruce Palling, Blue Nun was “…the generic name for ten of the company’s different white wines produced in Germany, which sold 10,000 cases throughout the world.” Around 1,000 of those were in the U.K. during the 1930s. Sichel turned Blue Nun into the first global wine brand, enjoyed by everyone from those taking their first baby steps into wine to famous pop stars. A bottle was standing atop a Leslie speaker as Paul McCartney played an organ in George Harrison’s “Long, Long, Long” during the recording session for “The White Album.” The bottle rattled whenever McCartney played a particular chord at the end of the song, and the sound remains in the final mix. Beatles authority Ian McDonald ranks this as one of the Fab Four’s greatest moments. Hey, you remember when the Sex Pistols outraged an entire nation when they uttered rude words on the Bill Grundy teatime show? Guess which two bottles of wine guitarist Steve Jones glugged before airing? Clue, it was not Egon Müller.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1752507841009-peter+sichel+sixties_Vinous.jpg)

_Peter Sichel with his favourite tipple, pictured in the 1960s._

Growing up in Essex, Blue Nun was about the only wine that my parents bought. Mum abstained. Dad would share a glass with Uncle Alf, the pair finishing off the bottle as they did the washing up. Blue Nun was ubiquitous. It was a safe choice for the many who simply wanted to drink something they recognised.

But did the Sichel family themselves drink it?

“Blue Nun could often be found on our dinner table and was served at all my parents’ parties, usually as an apéritif, at least until the latter part of the 1970s,” Bettina Sichel told me. She added, “I have certainly consumed quite a bit of Blue Nun in my time. I am pretty sure it is the first wine I ever had. The generous supply of Blue Nun my dad provided me during my college years certainly added to my popularity!”

By the 1980s, Blue Nun was shipping 24 million bottles per year to over 90 countries thanks to Sichel’s marketing nous. Take a look at [this advertisement](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfzXrLT8_fsv) from 1979 that infers that Blue Nun makes you irresistible to women. Blue Nun was ingeniously touted as a wine that was, to quote the tagline, “correct with any dish,” as seen in [this commercial](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99OkzxST_pg). Many of the ads in the United States featured real-life husband-and-wife comedians Jerry Stiller (father of actor Ben Stiller) and Anne Meara.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1752507780281-Anne+Meara_Vinous.jpg)

_This photo was sent by vintner Jeff Morgan to Bettina Sichel. Morgan’s mother was the agent for Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara. Meara is pictured at left, pouring what looks like a magnum of Blue Nun for Morgan’s mother._

This success could not last. Usurped by Australian and Californian brands and a burgeoning consumer interest in wine designated by grape variety, Blue Nun became passé, a bit _naff_. Ergo, Steve Coogan (playing Alan Partridge) used it during a [memorable restaurant scene](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjAWDdbgTrM) with TV commissioner Tony Hayers pleading for his talk show to be recommissioned. Interestingly, during their comical exchange, Hayers remarks that wine is “no longer elitist,” something that can be attributed to Blue Nun. Partridge then orders a half-bottle, and I noted that its mere mention elicited an audience laugh…

Partridge was to daytime TV presenters what Blue Nun had become to wine.

Blue Nun also inspired a song by the Beastie Boys, who sampled Peter Sichel extolling its virtues. Sichel later quipped that the song made him more famous than the wine itself. It was around this time that I met the corporeal Blue Nun. Attending my first Vinexpo in Bordeaux with Japanese colleagues, down the aisle walked a young woman dressed in that unmistakable blue habit, pouring her namesake wine. I nudged my friend and exclaimed, “Look! It’s the blue nun.” She looked self-conscious, doubtlessly wondering how she ended up like this instead of on a Parisian catwalk. We took a couple of glasses in sympathy.

Contrary to what some believe, Blue Nun is still available, though Sichel sold the brand to another German company, F.W. Langguth Erben, who updated the label and introduced new cuvées, including a “Blue Nun Sparkling Gold Edition” with actual 24-carat gold flakes floating inside. You don’t get _that_ in a bottle of Montrachet. It is still one of the best-selling kosher wines, huge in Israel. Mischievously, I served a bottle to unsuspecting guests at a [wine dinner four years ago](https://vinous.com/articles/the-wines-that-shaped-my-life-mar-2022)) themed around bottles that signposted my life. They got the joke. In fact, the 1999 Richebourg from DRC was marginally corked, prompting me to quip that you could argue that on this night, Blue Nun was superior.

Back to the bottle of 1963. I am not going to claim it is close to the greatest Riesling ever produced. That said, I have drunk a lot worse. Exactly what constituted this wine is not known. Krebiehl’s piece implies that the fruit would have been a mixture of Riesling, Sylvaner or Müller-Thurgau, sourced from any region in the Rhine, with multitudinous lots blended in to retain consistency. Delivering dried honey and lanolin on the nose, the 1963 was simple but unequivocally not malodorous, with no oxidation or maderisation after six decades. That is remarkable in itself. The palate did feel unnaturally sweet, curiously unevolved given the passage of time, as if preserved in aspic by the Süssreserve. We laughed. We clinked glasses. We moved on to finer fare. Yet over the following days, it was _this_ bottle that I could not get out of my mind.

Jeopardy quiz…

“This wine connects Nazis, Cold War espionage, The Beatles, the KGB, the Sex Pistols, Alan Partridge, Ben Stiller and The Beastie Boys.”

Answer: What is Blue Nun, the wine at the centre of everything?

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1752508129861-Peter+at+100_Vinous.jpg)

_Bettina Sichel sent me this photo of her father celebrating his 100th birthday._

Thanks to Stuart Leaf, Bettina Sichel, Bruce Palling and Anne Krebiehl, MW for help writing this article.

_© 2025, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._

* * *

### You Might Also Enjoy

[2023 Mosel-Saar-Ruwer: A Riesling Race Against Rain](https://vinous.com/articles/2023-mosel-saar-ruwer-a-riesling-race-against-rain-dec-2024), Anne Krebiehl, MW, December 2024

[Rheinhessen & Rheingau: Riesling Triumphs After Rain](https://vinous.com/articles/rheinhessen-rheingau-riesling-triumphs-after-rain-oct-2024), Anne Krebiehl, MW, October 2024

[Nahe, Pfalz & Mittelrhein–Of Wheat, Chaff and Thrill](https://vinous.com/articles/nahe-pfalz-mittelrhein-of-wheat-chaff-and-thrill-aug-2024), Anne Krebiehl, MW, September 2024

[2022 Mosel-Saar-Ruwer: Old Vines and Steep Challenges](https://vinous.com/articles/2022-mosel-saar-ruwer-old-vines-and-steep-challenges-oct-2023), Anne Krebiehl, MW, October 2023

[2022 Rheinhessen & Nahe: Rain in the Nick of Time](https://vinous.com/articles/2022-rheinhessen-nahe-rain-in-the-nick-of-time-sep-2023), Anne Krebiehl, MW, September 2023

[The Wines That Shaped My Life](https://vinous.com/articles/the-wines-that-shaped-my-life-mar-2022), Neal Martin, March 2022



Blue Nun: The Wine at the Center of Everything

Blue Nun: The Wine at the Center of Everything (Jul 2025)

### Chianti Classico: Riding 

### Out 

### the Storm

BY ANTONIO GALLONI | JULY 10, 2025

After an extraordinary vintage in 2021, producers in Chianti Classico faced two much more stressful growing seasons in 2022 and 2023. Those who were able to cope with those challenges turned out beautiful wines, but there is no getting past the simple fact that quality is inconsistent across the board. Even so, there is plenty to explore in this year’s new releases, ranging from wines from estates that handled the whims of Mother Nature to newer small projects and those that have made important strides in improving quality.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1752161927056-Pallantis+Vinous+Galloni++1080.jpg)

_Marco Pallanti, Lorenza Sebasti and their son, Arturo Pallanti presented some of the most exceptional wines I tasted for this year’s report._

### A Little Background

Even after all these years, Chianti Classico is a very special place for me personally. I first visited the region in the early 1990s with my parents on a family vacation to Florence and the surrounding countryside. My more cultured sister took us around all the museums, churches and piazzas, patiently explaining the artistic treasures before our eyes. I appreciated the art, but I was more interested in eating and drinking. Some years later, I wrote my first article on wine for my hometown newspaper. It was on Chianti Classico. Returning to these pristine hillside towns always brings back memories from that trip more than 30 years ago and an interest in wine that began to blossom around the same time.

Since then, Chianti Classico and its wines have soared to new heights. Historic estates have improved quality and consistency, while a wave of younger producers continue to reinvigorate the region with approaches that challenge preconceived notions of what Chianti Classico is and what it can be. This is such an exciting time for the region, a period marked by the most innovation I have seen in 30 years.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1752161961351-Angela+Vinous+Galloni+1080.jpg)

_Angela Fronti at Istine is one of the young producers leading the new generation in Chianti Classico._

I have at times been critical of the atrociously named UGAs (_Unità Geografiche Aggiuntive_), most notably because, currently, these delimitations of place (the equivalent of appellations within the wider Chianti Classico region) can only be used for the Gran Seleziones (which account for about 7% of total production). This is a huge, missed opportunity to educate the public on the unique attributes of Chianti Classico’s 11 UGAs for a much broader selection of wines, those that consumers are more likely to encounter than just the very elite bottlings. Gran Selezione, the top level of Chianti Classico, introduced with the 2010 vintage, has been interpreted very differently from estate to estate. Some producers just changed the name of their better wines, while others saw Gran Selezione as a chance to set their sights higher. As much as I would like for some things to be different, the world is not a perfect place, and some change is an improvement over no change at all. That is plainly evident in wines that have never been better.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1752161978235-Highlights+Chianti+Classico+Vinous+Galloni++1080.jpg)

_Standouts from this year’s tastings ranged from wines with long, pedigreed track records to those that are less well-known._

Much of the credit for that belongs to leadership of Giovanni Manetti, who is now in his second term as President of the producers’ Consorzio Vino Chianti Classico. Manetti is the rare figure who both makes outstanding wines at his estate (Fontodi) and who also has the diplomatic skill to be a consensus builder. Producers have overwhelmingly followed his vision. They also deserve a lot of credit for sticking together. The importance of this cohesion can’t be overstated, especially in a country that is so often marked by public division and a desire to air the dirty laundry. Indeed, I can think of several prestigious regions around the world that would kill to have this level of shared purpose and direction. In today’s world, these qualities are increasingly essential.

From a visitor’s perspective, I see ever more tasting rooms popping up that give the inquisitive oenophile an opportunity to taste and buy wine without necessarily visiting the properties. That’s a smart way to engage with customers who may have packed schedules. Other wineries have very liberal visiting policies. “We are basically open all time,” Vecchie Terre di Montefili winemaker Serena Gusmeri explained. “It’s important for us to engage with the end consumer.” That’s such a refreshing attitude.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1752161992972-Serena+Vinous+Galloni+1080.jpg)

_Serena Gusmeri has breathed new life into Terre di Montefili, one of Chianti Classico’s more cultish estates, with powerful wines that capture the essence of this unique property nestled between Panzano and Montefioralle._

### State of the Union

Getting a handle on vintages in Chianti Classico is not especially easy relative to other regions, as I have explained in previous reports. Even the most casual glance at a map reveals how spread-out properties are in a region where most of the land is forest. Out of 70,000 hectares (173,000 acres), only 10,000 are planted to grapes. That’s quite different from regions such as Bordeaux, Napa Valley, the Côte d’Or or the Langhe, where contiguous vineyards span large stretches of land. In these regions, vintage generalizations can be helpful, as conditions are shared by many properties. That is much less so the case in Chianti Classico because of the dispersion of vineyards and estates, many of which are the modern-day remnants of large, self-sustaining communities that were once owned by the noble class and worked by sharecropping families going back to Medieval times. All of this is especially amplified in years like 2022 and 2023, years that are marked by unusual weather events that were destructive in some areas and totally benign in others.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1752162034161-Braganti+Vinous+Galloni+1080.jpg)

_Michele Braganti with his 2021 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Bragantino a few days before bottling._

Last year, I strongly advised readers to focus on the 2021s. Tasting close to 500 wines for this report, most of them from subsequent vintages, along with a few late-release 2021s, only served to reinforce my impression. It’s a truly extraordinary year. Vintages 2022 and 2023 have plenty to offer, but they are uneven vintages that require some selection. That said, I found more outstanding and intriguing wines than I had initially expected.

Many of the wines in this report offer exceptional value. It’s no secret that the wine market is currently traversing a period of uncertainty. Some markets have slowed considerably. Consumers, on the other hand, have never had more choices. It’s a great time for discerning, thoughtful buyers to add beautiful wines to their cellars without spending huge sums. Chianti Classico remains a fertile hunting ground for readers who appreciate fine, ageworthy wines of place that don’t cost a fortune.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1752162050199-Montevertine+Vinous+Galloni++1080.jpg)

_Montevertine’s 2021 Il Duemileventuno di Sergio Manettiis a special bottling to commemorate Manetti’s 100th birthday._

### 2022: Hot, Dry & Frenetic

The 2022 growing season got off to a positive start, with good rain in winter and spring prior to budbreak. Temperatures picked up during the second half of spring and persisted through mid-August. Rainfall was minimal. The most dramatic and defining event of the year occurred on the evening of the national Ferragosto holiday on August 15, when a violent storm passed through Chianti Classico. Some spots only saw rain, but about 400 hectares of vineyards were severely impacted by devastating hail. “We lost the entire western portion of our estate, which accounts for 25-30% of our total production,” Giovanni Manetti reported at Fontodi. Several estates in and around Panzano saw their vineyards destroyed and production reduced to next to nothing. Le Cinciole bottled only their Chianti Classico, while La Massa lost their entire crop.

In all my years tasting and writing about wine I have only seen events like this in Burgundy and Piedmont. As if that were not enough, a few vineyards succumbed to wild boar and other animals that found in grapes a rare source of water in a year where streams and creeks were parched. Production is down sharply at the hardest-hit properties. Some wines weren’t bottled at all.

The growing season proceeded quite differently in areas that were not adversely affected by the weather. Conditions turned quite damp and cool from mid-August to mid-September, extending the growing season unexpectedly with periods of rain, leading to high temperatures again in September. Many producers reported harvests that stretched into October, in other words, later than one might expect in a year marked by heat and drought for much of the growing season.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1752162075555-Luca+Vinous+Galloni++1080.jpg)

_Luca Martini di Cigala presented a stellar collection of 2022s at San Giusto di Rentennano._

Where producers were not impacted by weather, the wines are very good. In some cases, even outstanding. The style of the vintage is hard to define, in part because conditions were so localized. Harvest dates were also critical. Some of that is determined by Mother Nature, specifically when fruit is ready, but producer decisions on when and how to harvest were equally important. “We had a very long summer in 2022,” Angela Fronti explained at Istine. “The August rain was helpful, as fruit had stopped ripening in some places, such as higher elevations in Radda. We started picking a touch earlier than normal under a little bit of rain and wrapped up on October 10, more or less in line with recent historical norms. Our approach was to pick micro-blocks across all our sites based on ripeness, rather than by one vineyard at a time, which is our more standard practice.”

“The secret to 2022 was waiting,” Winemaker Manfred Ing opined at Querciabella. “When it rains, people start to panic, they see other people picking, and so they pick too. We brought in our last fruit, Sangiovese from Lamole, on October 11, 7-10 days earlier than 2024, but still on the later side for us.”

Some producers have 2022s with relatively high sugars, while others have wines that are lower in alcohol than their 2023s. Another group thought the fruit was a bit diluted and required bleeding. I tasted some wines that felt light because producers picked on the earlier side for fear of having wines with elevated alcohols. In short, there is a bit of everything.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1752162094055-Querciabella+Vinous+Galloni+1080.jpg)

_The team at Querciabella, led by Winemaker Manfred Ing, proprietor Andrea Castiglioni (who runs the estate with his mother Mita and sister Selene) and CEO Roberto Lasorte._

### 2023: An Inflection Point

Two thousand twenty-three was one of the most dramatic growing seasons in recent memory in Chianti Classico, as it was throughout Italy. Producers spent most of the spring battling continuous rain and elevated disease pressure. Most winemakers and owners had never seen such fast and widespread outbreaks of Peronospora (downy mildew). Over the last 10-15 years, Chianti Classico’s benign conditions have led many estates to adopt sustainable farming practices. Consider that European regulations limit the use of copper to an average of 4 kilos per hectare over a seven-year span. In Bordeaux, for example, estates are often at the 4-kilo limit. In challenging seasons like 2024, they are well above that threshold. In Chianti Classico, the average use of copper is closer to 2-2.5 kilos per year and rarely approaches 4 kilos, even in the most difficult of years. The proportion of estates in Chianti Classico that farm organically is about 60%. In some appellations it is quite a bit higher, for example, in Radda, where more than 70% of estates are organic, and Panzano, where that number is above 95%. These producers were especially vulnerable in 2023.

It was a constant battle in the vineyards, a year in which waiting just one day to treat the vineyards against downy mildew could have devastating consequences. That meant treating on Saturdays, Sundays, whenever it was needed. "Two-thousand twenty-three is by far the most challenging vintage I have seen since we started making wine,” Michele Braganti commented. “Disease pressure was so high. The parcel we use for our Riserva was completely decimated. We lost about 50% of our production.” Never one to mince words, La Massa’s Giampaolo Motta commented that “given the widespread outbreak of Peronospora, 2023 was a year for pragmatic thinking and not for dogmatic organic farming. We did five conventional treatments and at least brought home some grapes. Others were not so fortunate.”

Conditions improved markedly starting in late June. The trick was getting there. Summer saw the arrival of elevated temperatures that carried through to harvest. Production is down sharply across the region. Losses of 40% or more are not unusual. Castello dei Rampolla, which has followed biodynamic protocols in their vineyard since the 1990s, lost 90% of their crop. Many top wines will not be released, including San Giusto a Rentennano’s Ricolma and Castello di Ama’s Casuccia, Bellavista and Apparita, among others. If there is a silver lining, it is that producers have become much more experienced and vigilant in just a few years, such that many estates I visited for this report had already intervened in their vineyards to prevent a similar result in 2025.

So far, only the Annata Chianti Classicos have been released. Those wines suggest a highly inconsistent vintage. Some wines show the richer side of the year, while others appear light and lacking dimension, perhaps because yields were high in some spots. It’s a vintage in which consumers will have to choose carefully.

### ![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1752162113940-Dievole+1080.jpg)

_A striking early morning view from Dievole._

**A First Look at 2024**

So far, I have tasted only a few 2024s, mostly whites and Rosés, so it is hard to have a view on the vintage and wines at this point. Early signs point to a year marked by slow ripening and lower sugars.

I tasted all the wines in this report during my annual trip to Chianti Classico in June 2025.

_© 2025, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._

* * *

### You Might Also Enjoy

[Chianti Classico: The Magnificent 2021s](https://vinous.com/articles/chianti-classico-the-magnificent-2021s-jul-2024), Antonio Galloni, July 2024

[Chianti Classico: The Brilliant 2021s & Variable 2020s](https://vinous.com/articles/chianti-classico-the-brilliant-2021s-&-variable-2020s-aug-2023), Antonio Galloni, August 2023

[Chianti Classico & Neighbors: Looking at the 2020s and 2019s](https://vinous.com/articles/chianti-classic-&-neighbors-looking-at-the-2020s-and-2019s-jul-2022), Antonio Galloni, July 2022

[Chianti Classico and Beyond – 2018 & 2019](https://vinous.com/articles/chianti-classico-and-beyond-2018-2019-sep-2021), Antonio Galloni, September 2021

[Staring Into The Heart of Sangiovese](https://vinous.com/articles/staring-into-the-heart-of-sangiovese-jun-2012), Antonio Galloni, June 2012



Chianti Classico: Riding Out the Storm

Chianti Classico: Riding Out the Storm (Jul 2025)

### A Bit of Fortification: Port and Madeira New Releases

BY NEAL MARTIN | JULY 8, 2025

This short article covers new releases of Port and Madeira I’ve tasted in recent weeks. I am long overdue trips to both regions to compose a more in-depth report on fortified wines. Like many wine categories, it’s a tough market out there for these wines, though both benefit from tourists flocking to the exquisite cities of Porto and Funchal. The Douro is experiencing additional strife in terms of the _beneficio_ system that was designed to regulate production in the valley, the _lei do terço_ rule stipulating that growers can sell only one-third of their fruit per year. In 2022, the number of _pipes_ (550-liter barrels) produced was the lowest since 1993, and declining sales have put immense pressure on Douro’s viability. Winemaking can be unprofitable and vines too costly to replant, all against a backdrop of younger generations drifting away from the Douro Valley to the cities. Nevertheless, Managing Director Christian Seely, accompanied by Technical Director Carlos Agrellos, was as upbeat as ever during this tasting. The pair presented a clutch of recent releases from **Quinta do Noval** and **Passadouro** in London.

Currently, around half of Quinta do Noval’s production is fortified. Of the dry cuvées, 85% is red and 15% is white. “Two thousand twenty-four was set up to be a fantastic year,” Seely offered as the **2024 Branco** from Passadouro was poured. “It was a wet and rainy winter and then a rainy spring, so production was slightly above average at Quinta do Noval. There is always a hot summer in the Douro, and it all went perfectly for us. Excluding two rainy spells during harvest, the picking went well. At Noval, we made 35 different cuvées.”

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1751296085674-noval+bottles+EDITED.JPG)

The main focus of this tasting was the 2023 vintage. "Two thousand twenty-three is not a General Declaration,” Seely continued, “but that does not mean it was a bad year. It was a warm and wet winter, but overall, it was a warm year. There were some problems with severe thunderstorms in May and June, though we were spared. We experienced the third-highest rainfall in the last 24 years and had to navigate that during the picking, waiting out the rain and selecting exactly where the good grapes were located. The Noval Vintage Ports are made entirely in _lagares_ and matured in old, 2,500-litre chestnut and acacia vats."

My tasting notes speak for themselves, although my advice is not to overlook the Vintage Port from Quinta do Passadouro, which is probably the best value-for-money.

We also briefly discussed the 2022 growing season.

“The 2022 vintage was exceptionally dry, which meant there was low disease pressure. From our experience in 2020 when some grape varieties shrivelled, we started picking quite early, so unusually in August we were picking fruit for the dry whites, reds _and_ Ports. One key point in 2022 was the sorting. Just 0.5% of the grapes were deselected—a sign of the healthy fruit."

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1751296102255-blandy%27s+1965+bottle+EDITED.jpg)

Staying in the Douro, I also received samples of both dry and fortified releases from **Symington** and **Taylor Fladgate** , the latter sending a miniature test tube of quite remarkable 80-year-old Victory Tawny that commemorates the end of the Second World War. Last, but not least, I include the latest releases from **Blandy’s** down on the Atlantic Island of Madeira, covering both dry and sweeter styles.

_© 2025, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._

* * *

### You Might Also Enjoy

[Vintage Madeira: 1808 Braheem Kassab “SS” Sercial Madeira](https://vinous.com/articles/cellar-favorite-1808-braheem-kassab-ss-sercial-madeira-dec-2024), Neal Martin, December 2024

[Vintage Port in Excelsis: 1924-1950](https://vinous.com/articles/cellar-favorite-vintage-port-in-excelsis-1924-1950-dec-2024), Neal Martin, December 2024

[Blandy’s Madeira – 2024 Bottlings](https://vinous.com/articles/blandy-s-madeira-2024-bottlings-sep-2024), Neal Martin, September 2024

[2018 Vintage Port Releases](https://vinous.com/articles/2018-single-quinta-ports-jun-2020), Neal Martin, June 2020

[Madeira: Fortified for All Occasions](https://vinous.com/articles/madeira-fortified-for-all-occasions-oct-2019), Neal Martin, October 2019



A Bit of Fortification: Port and Madeira New Releases

A Bit of Fortification: Port and Madeira New Releases (Jul 2025)

### High Highs: Santa Lucia Highlands 2023

BY BILLY NORRIS | JULY 3, 2025

The story in the Santa Lucia Highlands (SLH) is one echoed up and down California in 2023. Following a punishing hodgepodge of vintages marked by wildfires, severe drought, extreme heat and painfully low yields, Mother Nature loosened her grip and allowed winemakers to breathe a collective sigh of relief. The struggles of the recent past faded away as a long, cool, even-tempered growing season settled in. No skyrocketing ripeness. No fear of smoke taint. No shoot-from-the-hip pick calls or all-hands-on-deck harvests. No pitiful yields. Just clement weather and nothing but time to make the best decisions possible in the vineyard and the winery. For winemakers in the SLH and its environs, the sky was the limit in 2023. But it wasn’t _quite_ that simple.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1751382069463-Pinot+Noir+vines+at+Morgan%E2%80%99s+Double+L+Vineyard_Vinous.JPG)

_Pinot Noir vines at Morgan’s Double L Vineyard._

The narrow, 18-mile-long stretch of vineyards to the south of Monterey Bay that makes up the Santa Lucia Highlands experienced an unusual amount of rainfall to begin the 2023 growing season, as did much of the rest of Monterey County. The typically dry SLH saw rainfall accumulations upwards of 40% above average. That glut of rain replenished the depleted groundwater reserves and delayed the entire vine growth cycle by several weeks. After six to eight years (depending on who you ask) of sustained drought conditions, the surfeit of rain primed vines to set a prolific amount of fruit and grow large canopies. Eventual yields in 2023 clocked in around 20-25% above the SLH’s historical average, which was especially welcome after the paltry 2022 harvest (down about 50% across the region).

Summer temperatures were on the cool and steady side, which limited the typically beneficial diurnal shifts and drew out the ripening process. Harvests commenced across the region in late September. Sabrine Rodems, of Wrath, mused, “We were a full month later in 2023 than 2022.” Scott Caraccioli, of Caraccioli Cellars, shared the same experience at their estate vineyard, adding, “The 2023 harvest was the latest ever at Escolle. Ever.” The majority of operations picked Pinot Noir and Chardonnay all the way through mid-October, in many cases several weeks later than in 2022. Syrah harvests pushed into November, helped along at the finish line by a slight warm-up in temperatures.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1751382131250-Franscioni+Pisoni_Vinous.jpg)

_From left to right, Adam Franscioni, Gary Franscioni and Mark Pisoni in the rows at Soberanes Vineyard._

Following numerous years of unpredictable challenges, it’s not uncommon for growers and producers to adopt a sort of “self-protection” mentality—a “fear of the unknown” echoed by more than a few winemakers I met with for this report. Winemaker Jeff Pisoni, of Pisoni Estate, stated simply, “You never know when the other shoe is going to drop.” Conservative practices in the vineyard become second nature, so when you get a heavy crop load, instinct tells you to preserve as much fruit as possible as a buffer. The SLH is a region with a rich history of agriculture and traditional farming, and that classic farmer’s mindset permeates the ethos here, in good times and bad. Pisoni (whose family still operates a full-scale agriculture operation in the adjacent Salinas Valley) elaborated, “Coming off so many difficult vintages, you’re inclined to leave as much fruit hanging as you can, just in case things go wrong. That’s a classic farming principle. We’ve seen it forever with vegetables. You just don’t want to end up with nothing.”

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1751387492951-Valley+Floor.JPG)

_Looking northwest from the row-crop-dominated floor of the Salinas Valley, with SLH vineyards rising up the mountainside in the distance._

A considerable downside of retaining such a large crop, however, can be dilution in the resulting wines. Augment a sizable haul of clusters with generous, healthy canopies that shade the berries from the sun, and your efforts to preserve a plentiful harvest can actually be a recipe for excessively light wines that lack concentration. In a vintage like 2023, winemakers had to confidently drop fruit and extensively remove leaves from the canopies in order to ensure adequate development. Those who did just that reaped substantial rewards and crafted some of the best wines to ever come out of the SLH.

### The Wines

The inherent risk of a cool growing season with very late harvests is that fruit hanging on the vine might never make it all the way to full sugar ripeness and/or phenolic ripeness. That can manifest in the form of wines with angular contours, light bodies and insufficient fruit density to compensate for those deficiencies. For Pinot Noir—arguably the SLH’s flagship variety—there’s no missing the fact that the 2023s are lighter across the board. This is especially obvious when juxtaposed against the riper, darker, unashamedly more forward 2022s. In a number of cases, that lightness deprives the 2023 Pinots of some of the structural gravitas that is such a regional signature, almost as if the volume knob has been turned down. The cool 2023 season also ushered in a return of the SLH’s hallmark bright, juicy acidity that was also generally absent in 2022.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1751387513949-Caraccioli.JPG)

_Scott Caraccioli presented an excellent lineup of 2023s, including his new value-oriented Private Property label._

Aside from the lifted, slightly ethereal 2023 Pinot Noirs in the middle of the pack, there sits a tranche of world-class, elite wines that reach new heights. Proactive farming was a fundamental part of the equation, meaning that winemakers who weren’t placated by the “easy” season and who didn’t rest on their laurels were able to coax an extra measure of depth and power from their fruit. Marry that with the lighter overall style of the year, and you end up with some absolutely magical wines that exhibit the platonic ideal of concentration without excess weight.

The **2023 Clarice Wine Co. Pinot Noir Garys’ Vineyard** bears special mention, as it epitomizes the path to greatness in 2023. I consider it to be the wine of the vintage. Clarice’s Adam Lee is always active in the vineyard and adaptive in the winery, in this vintage settling on a final blend that included a higher proportion of new oak, which in turn compensated for the wine’s slightly lighter build and lent the Garys’ an incredible seamlessness. All three 2023 Clarice bottlings are excellent, impressively finessed wines that readers should make a point of seeking out.

_![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1751387530662-Clarice.jpeg)_

_The 2023 Clarice Wine Co. Pinot Noir Garys’ Vineyard is the wine of the vintage in the SLH._

Additionally, the muscular but elegant **2023 Pisoni Estate Pinot Noir** , impeccably balanced **2023 Caraccioli Cellars Pinot Noir** (as well as Caraccioli’s **2023 Passetoutgrain** , which is 50% Pinot Noir and 50% Gamay) and the lush but lithe **2023 Wrath Pinot Noir 115/667** all rest atop the heap of pure, persistent, precise Pinot Noirs that belong in the conversation with best of the best.

Chardonnay is once again hit or miss in 2023. I chalk that up to two things: 1) There’s not a truly well-defined “SLH style” of Chardonnay, but the closest approximation would be a richer, rounder interpretation of the variety that the 2023 vintage just didn’t have in the cards, and 2) Chardonnay typically struggles to convey true site character here, so the wines can come across as somewhat anonymous. Aside from a couple of major outliers and overperformers, the 2023 Chardonnays wear the lighter vintage character on their sleeves. These are softer-textured, quieter, more mineral-driven wines that offer good upfront appeal but are generally near-term propositions.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1751387555860-Bibbiana+Cellar.jpg)

_Bibiana González Rave turned out two gorgeous, stratospheric Syrahs for her project, Cattleya Wines._

And then there’s Syrah. I will beat this drum every year. I will shout it from the mountaintops. Syrah is the true rockstar of the SLH. Stunningly expressive and absolutely singular, Syrah responds beautifully to the conditions in the region, even in the most challenging years. Given the supremely long hangtime in 2023 and the extra push of warm temperatures right before a November harvest, several of the 2023 Syrahs I tasted for this report touched the stars. **Cattleya Wines** ’ two 2023 Syrahs, **The Reward** (from Soberanes Vineyard) and **The Initiation** (from Pisoni Vineyard), are showstoppers—powerful, graceful and intense yet supremely finessed. The **2023 ROAR Syrah Sierra Mar Vineyard** is gorgeous as well, and the **2023 Lucia by Pisoni Syrah Susan’s Hill** , tasted from barrel, could very well be a legend in the making. Most notably, the 2023 Syrahs balance their typical brooding intensity with tannins that are already supremely well integrated. These are exciting wines that I’d be thrilled to own.

This report also includes wines from neighboring appellations in Monterey County, such as Chalone, Carmel Valley and Arroyo Grande, as well as some wines from Sonoma, where many of the region’s winemakers call home.

I tasted the wines for this report in late spring and early summer 2025 in a series of tastings in the Santa Lucia Highlands, Sonoma County and my office in Florida.

_© 2025, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._

* * *

### You Might Also Enjoy

[Santa Lucia Highlands: Steely and Steadfast in 2022](https://vinous.com/articles/santa-lucia-highlands-steely-and-steadfast-in-2022-aug-2024), Billy Norris, August 2024

[Santa Lucia Highlands: Cool-Climate Excellence in 2021](https://vinous.com/articles/santa-lucia-highlands-cool-climate-excellence-in-2021-nov-2023), Antonio Galloni, November 2023

[Santa Lucia Highlands: Back-to-Back Greatness in 2018 & 2019](https://vinous.com/articles/santa-lucia-highlands-back-to-back-greatness-in-2018-2019-may-2022), Josh Raynolds, May 2022

[Vinous Santa Lucia Highlands Map: Behind the Scenes](https://vinous.com/articles/vinous-santa-lucia-highlands-map-behind-the-scenes-jan-2021), Antonio Galloni, January 2021

[2018 Santa Lucia Highlands: What a Difference a Year Makes](https://vinous.com/articles/2018-santa-lucia-highlands-what-a-difference-a-year-makes-oct-2020), Josh Raynolds, October 2020



High Highs: Santa Lucia Highlands 2023

High Highs: Santa Lucia Highlands 2023 (Jul 2025)

Updated - Napa Valley’s 2022 & 2023 Cabernet Sauvignons

Updated - Napa Valley’s 2022 & 2023 Cabernet Sauvignons (Dec 2024)

### Sonoma and Neighbors 2022 & 2023: Opposites Attract

BY ANTONIO GALLONI | JANUARY 16, 2025

**Additions: July 3, 2025 -** [Desire Lines](https://vinous.com/producers/desire-lines?article_id=4345&sort=default&sortDirection=true&page=1&perPage=25&displayType=wine), [Failla](https://vinous.com/producers/failla-8cc4db49-7daa-4b03-b736-ed18566ea1b2?article_id=4345&sort=default&sortDirection=true&page=1&perPage=25&displayType=wine), [Fine Disregard](https://vinous.com/producers/fine-disregard?article_id=4345&sort=default&sortDirection=true&page=1&perPage=25&displayType=wine), [Kanzler Family Vineyard](https://vinous.com/producers/kanzler-family-vineyard?article_id=4345&sort=default&sortDirection=true&page=1&perPage=25&displayType=wine), [Kistler](https://vinous.com/producers/kistler-4f355a1d-4bcd-449c-8d14-5aee0f81a681?article_id=4345&sort=default&sortDirection=true&page=1&perPage=25&displayType=wine), [Marietta](https://vinous.com/producers/marietta?article_id=4345&sort=default&sortDirection=true&page=1&perPage=25&displayType=wine), [Paul Hobbs](https://vinous.com/producers/paul-hobbs--2?article_id=4345&sort=default&sortDirection=true&page=1&perPage=25&displayType=wine), [Peter Michael](https://vinous.com/producers/peter-michael-90f34284-c00b-46e3-ac71-1f5de4d590fb?article_id=4345&sort=default&sortDirection=true&page=1&perPage=25&displayType=wine), [Rivers-Marie](https://vinous.com/producers/rivers-marie--2?article_id=4345&sort=default&sortDirection=true&page=1&perPage=25&displayType=wine), [Scherrer Winery](https://vinous.com/producers/scherrer-winery-c8f7627b-7162-4602-8626-5112c7d329e8?article_id=4345&sort=default&sortDirection=true&page=1&perPage=25&displayType=wine)

It’s that time of year. New releases from Sonoma County and neighboring appellations are starting to hit the market. This report covers some of the most exciting wines I tasted on my recent trip to Sonoma. As is our custom, we will post frequent updates to this article in the coming weeks, which we feel is the best way to keep readers current, given the sheer volume of wines released this time of year. Readers can also look forward to a forthcoming report focused on the Moon Mountain AVA, where the wines are quite distinct from those made in the more central regions within Sonoma County.

I have said it before, but it bears repeating. Sonoma County is a vast appellation. Unlike regions such as Burgundy, Piedmont, Bordeaux or the heart of Napa Valley, where vineyards are often contiguous, vineyards in Sonoma are much more spread out. Making useful generalizations about vintages, especially challenging vintages, is next to impossible. Two thousand twenty-two and 2023 were both marked by very difficult conditions. Looking at the wines requires drilling down to the details for each estate/producer and wine. Broad statements will be of little value.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1737039375484-Vinous_2025+Sonoma+Cover.jpg)

_Occidental’s Running Fence Vineyard, Bodega._

**2022 Sonoma Pinot Noir Revisited**

Now that I have tasted a broader number of Pinots Noir relative to last year, I have a more complete view of the year, specifically as it relates to Pinot. Of course, the most defining event of the growing season was the brutal heat spike that descended around Labor Day, but 2022 is more nuanced than just that period. The growing season got off to a quick start. Frost was an issue in some areas, which resulted in lighter-bodied wines. Weather was especially poor during fruit set. Many producers reported a significant loss of crop. Some producers reported small clusters with small berries.

Summer months were mostly cool and very dry. Lower yields on the vine were a blessing in disguise for several estates, as those producers were able to ripen their crop by late August and early September, before the Labor Day heat was at its most punishing. Others were forced to pick during or after the heat. In these cases, the wines show some variability, but nothing as extreme as in Napa Valley, where conditions were much more severe.

Generally, the 2022 Pinots are rich, heady wines with notable textural intensity. Some 2022s are on the riper side, while others show the effects of the heat in their grainy, slightly unpolished tannins. I tasted a number of 2022s from cooler sites, where location balanced the natural personality of the year nicely. Readers will also come across some 2022s that are decidedly lighter because of frost, very early picking and a host of other variables. Pinot Noir is an especially transparent grape, so all those nuances are amplified in the wines.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1737039565855-Vinous_DuMOL.jpg)

_Tasting the 2023s at DuMOL prior to bottling._

**2023: A First Look**

Two thousand twenty-three was almost the exact opposite of 2022. Cold, rainy weather throughout the year pushed the growing season back by as much as a month, leading to some of the latest harvests in recent memory. At a time when brutally dry, warm weather is more of a concern, the cooler year was welcome, to a point. As a rule of thumb, warmer sites performed best in 2023 because fruit was able to ripen fully. That’s the exact opposite of 2022.

Conditions were much more challenging in naturally cooler marginal sites, including the vineyards to which many winemakers have migrated in recent years. In many of these spots, fruit struggled to ripen. Long summer days lead to shorter fall days with less sunshine. As that happens, the angle of the sun relative to the vineyards also changes, resulting in a different pattern of ripening. For some places, the calendar of available days for fruit to ripen simply ran out. In the most challenged spots, sugars stalled and fruit never ripened. Even top producers were left with light-bodied whites and reds at 11% alcohol that are simply green. That’s not a reflection of skill, talent or dedication, but rather the result of a growing season that was extremely difficult, one that left producers with very few options. The 2023s range from majestic to underripe, with everything in between.

I tasted a few 2023s that overachieve because producers were especially selective with what they bottled under their top labels. Savvy readers will also find some very nice entry-level offerings that are the beneficiaries of deselected fruit, as noted above, and/or a weak grape market that has allowed winemakers in this space to source better quality fruit than what is available to them in most years.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1737039543396-Vinous_Littorai.jpg)

_Tasting all the 2022s and 2023s at Littorai provides numerous insights into the nuances of the Sonoma Coast and Anderson Valley._

**First Come, First Served & Other Pet Peeves**

January is mailer season for many wineries that sell direct to consumer. Buying/selling direct is a great way for consumers to source hard-to-find wines and for wineries to build relationships with their end customers. Many wineries also depend on higher-margin direct sales to subsidize other less profitable parts of their business. So far, so good.

Quite a few wineries offer their wines on a first come, first served basis. This is a horrible way to run a business. It does not reward or even recognize loyalty over time, and it shows an appalling lack of understanding that consumers who can afford high-end wines have other things to do in life other than idly sit by their computers waiting for the latest offer to come in. It's simply a lazy way to operate what should be a high-touch business and to treat high-margin consumers, especially at a time when those consumers have more choices than ever before.

I have been encouraged in seeing some wineries adopt lighter, environmentally responsible bottles, but I am still shocked by how many producers do not seem to care one bit about the implications of bottling their wines in heavy glass and then shipping those bottles all over the United States and the world. Especially in a region that has been so dramatically impacted by wildfires, with those in Los Angeles still raging as of this writing, that approach is completely tone-deaf.

**Coming Soon…**

On a more positive note, stay tuned, as we will be updating this report frequently in the coming weeks.

_© 2025 Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._

* * *

### You Might Also Enjoy

[2022 Sonoma: A First Look](https://vinous.com/articles/2022-sonoma-preview-a-first-look-jan-2024), Antonio Galloni, January 2024

[Sonoma’s Sensational 2021s](https://vinous.com/articles/sonoma-s-sensational-2021s-aug-2023), Antonio Galloni, August 2023

[California North Coast: Eyes Wide Open](https://vinous.com/articles/california-north-coast-eyes-wide-open-jan-2022), Antonio Galloni, January 2022

[Sonoma: 2021 New Releases](https://vinous.com/articles/sonoma-preview-2021-edition-jan-2021), Antonio Galloni, January 2021



Updated - Sonoma and Neighbors 2022 & 2023: Opposites Attract

Updated - Sonoma and Neighbors 2022 & 2023: Opposites Attract (Jan 2025)

### Sicily Excels Despite Mother Nature's Wrath: The 2022 and 2023 Vintages

BY ERIC GUIDO | JULY 1, 2025

Every time I travel to Sicily, I leave with surprising new takeaways about the region. Last year, I spoke in detail about Sicily’s mountainous terrain. Wine lovers often assume that Sicily is flat (with the obvious exception of Mount Etna). However, when one lands in Palermo or Catania, it becomes apparent that mountains are everywhere. The same goes for Sicily’s interior. The only relatively flat areas exist along Sicily’s southwestern coast. This year, Renato de Bartoli, of Marco de Bartoli (who recently started a new project on Mount Etna that I highly recommend ), explained that Sicily not only has the most hillside vineyards in Italy, but also has the second-highest percentage of mountain viticulture of all Italian winegrowing regions (after Trentino-Alto Adige). Access to higher elevations benefits Sicilian winegrowers as warming trends continue. There is a clear trend toward planting highter and higher in the mountains to mitigate the slow increase in temperatures across the island.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1751324241094-Renato+de+Bartoli+in+the+barrel+and+amphora+aging+rooms+at+his+estate+in+Marsala.jpg)

_Renato de Bartoli in the barrel and amphora rooms at his estate in Marsala._

With each visit and comprehensive tasting in Sicily, I encounter new winemaking projects across the island in previously unfamiliar areas. This is one of the region's best assets, ensuring continued growth in the market. Sicily possesses a plethora of unique, often forgotten terroirs just waiting to be discovered. This frequently comes down to prephylloxera times, as Sicilian wine culture thrived through the late 19th century. The combination of selling bulk wine to local families, shipping wine north to bolster the lighter reds of cooler climates, and producing fine wines kept the Sicilian winemaking industry solvent. Sadly, when phylloxera reached the island and decimated most of its vineyards, materials for grafting onto American rootstocks were scarce. As a result, families with generations of winemaking in their blood either shifted their focus to other agricultural products or left altogether. The areas west of Mount Etna, toward the center of Sicily, are a perfect example of growth potential, featuring higher elevations, biodiversity and a range of soilsTasca d'Almerita, one of the larger wineries in Sicily, has been capitalizing on this resource at their Tenuta Regaleali estate for well over a century, but today, smaller producers are catching on, often returning to their families’ roots and establishing new ventures. It’s a very exciting time in the world of Sicilian wine.

### Sicily’s Broad Diversity

I’ve spoken on this topic ad nauseam, so I won’t go too deep here. However, it bears repeating that due to the size of the island, surrounding seas, diverse elevations, warming winds from Africa, cooling currents from the north and multiple islands offshoots (Pantelleria, Salina, Lipari and Vulcano), Sicily can excel with nearly any grape variety from around the world. Sicily’s indigenous grapes and unique interpretations of international varieties offer a lot of choices for consumers. The expansive Sicilia DOC appellation allows winemakers to showcase diverse styles, all with the name of the variety on the front label. This makes it easy for consumers to distinguish between bottlings of Catarratto, Grillo, Zibibbo, Frappato, Nero d’Avola, Perricone or Nerello Mascalese, as well as Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Syrah and Chardonnay. That said, as much as I love indigenous Sicilian varieties, I often find myself enamored with the Syrahs from the southeast, Cabernet Sauvignons from the rugged center of the island, or stylish Chardonnays from Menfi. Keep an open mind when considering Sicilian wines: they will challenge your preconceptions and overdeliver on pleasure and quality.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1751324281683-The+Ulmo+vineyards+of+Planeta%2C+just+north+of+the+Menfi+coast.jpg)

_Planeta’s Ulmo vineyards, just north of the Menfi coast._

### The Next Big Thing 

Since I published a separate report on Mount Etna earlier this year, I will focus on what I believe is the next emerging—or should I say, reemerging—region in Sicily: the deep southeastern territories. The Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG is proving its worth through winemakers like Paolo Cali, Valle dell’Acate, COS and Arianna Occhipinti​​. Marabino and Gulfi are spotlighting the single vineyards of Pachino. Nero d’Avola and Frappato are gaining respect for their ability to communicate terroir in unique ways, yielding ageworthy, complex wines. I couldn’t be happier to witness these developments firsthand.

The Southeast is currently the most interesting terroir in Sicily apart from Mount Etna. Winemakers are stepping up their game, improving cleanliness and insisting on higher standards in the vineyards, in addition to placing a new focus on terroir expression and single-vineyard wines. The Vittoria area is special for its soils, which are sandy for the first few inches, then incredibly rocky with a high percentage of limestone. Vittoria is situated about eight kilometers from the sea and eight kilometers from the mountains, at an elevation of about 250 meters. Here, the sea moderates the cooling influences from the mountains and the warm air currents from the African continent—the limestone soils are the cherry on top. This combination is ideal for Nero d’Avola, Sicily’s most important red variety after Nerello Mascalese. Nero d’Avola can reach incredible heights in Vittoria and further southeast in Pachino, giving rise to wines with a strong mineral component and balanced structure. Nero d’Avola also does a fantastic job of communicating terroir. For this report, I encountered wines from the Eloro Pachino DOC that were sourced a mere stone's throw away from each other yet displayed remarkable differences—this is all down to the soils. I expect Eloro Pachino to receive significantly more attention from both consumers and the trade in the years to come. To that end, Matteo Catania, proprietor of the Gulfi winery in Chiaramonte, was recently granted permission to classify Gulfi’s single-vineyard wines under the Pachino DOC. It’s only a matter of time before others catch on.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1751324448307-Subterranean+amphora+aging+at+COS+in+Vittoria.jpg)

_Subterranean amphorae at COS in Vittoria._

As for Frappato, winemakers look to sandier sites for the best results. Many consumers and Sicilian producers think of Frappato as a fresh, simple variety due to its fruity persona and perfumed aromatics. A large proportion of Sicilian Frappato is made for early consumption and easy drinking. I’ve often compared this style of Frappato to Beaujolais. It certainly fills a niche in the market, but that’s not all that the variety is capable of. In the hands of a winemaker like Arianna Occhipinti​​, Frapatto reaches its peak. Her single-vineyard wines matured entirely in concrete truly communicate a sense of place, but they also flaunt Frappato’s hauntingly dark aromatics and the complexity the variety can achieve.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1751324493638-Arianna+Occhipinti+describes+the+limestone+and+sandy+soils+that+Nero+d%27Avola+and+Frappato+thrive+in.jpg)

_Arianna Occhipinti describes the limestone and sandy soils in which Nero d'Avola and Frappato thrive._

That brings me back to the Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG. These classic blends marry the structure, power and acidity of Nero d’Avola with the perfumed, fruit-centric characteristics of Frappato. Though enjoyable after only a few years of cellaring, Cerasuolo di Vittoria ages remarkably well. Wite five to ten years of bottle age, Cerasuolo di Vittoria can seriously overdeliver in both satisfaction and value.

### An Abundance of Challenging Vintages 

Ultimately, the most significant effect of global warming is not the overall rise of worldwide temperatures, but the severe climatic conditions that plague nearly every place on earth, such as extreme drought, once-in-a-lifetime rain events and unheard-of temperature swings in every season. As for winegrowing regions, these ups and downs are often magnified and reflected in every vintage. What’s more, each vintage can vary greatly from place to place within a region of Sicily’s size. The slopes of Etna benefit from the cooling aspects of mountains to the north, bearing little similarity to the conditions in the flat plains of Marsala in the west or the wind-swept beaches of Sirocco in the south. I can only make generalizations and highlight drastic differences from location to location.

To follow up on my previous coverage of the generous **2022 vintage** , these ripe, elegant, balanced wines offer both immediate appeal and the underlying harmony for medium-term cellaring. Despite the warm-vintage character of most, the 2022s retain fresh acidity and well-formed tannins. That said, many of the wines are already approachable and already deliver considerable pleasure. The 2022 growing season began with unseasonably warm winter conditions. A subsequent warm and dry period led to drought by mid-June, necessitating irrigation for younger vines in particular. Arid conditions persisted through the summer until August rains provided some relief. Producers generally noted a lack of disease pressure and concerns about sustained dry heat. September saw a return to unseasonable warmth. Vine age proved a significant advantage in this vintage, as did irrigation where available. On Etna, the later harvest dates for Nerello Macalese and Carricante allowed producers to take advantage of cooler conditions and precipitation prior to harvest.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1751324558741-Studying+the+terroir+of+Sicily%27s+extreme+southeast+at+Fuedo+Macari+2.jpg)

_Fuedo Macari exemplifies the terroir of Sicily's extreme southeast._

Whereas the 2022 vintage left winemakers thirsting for rain, the start of the **2023 vintage** made them wish it would stop. The 2023 season began with cooler temperatures through April, May and June, coupled with nonstop rain and overcast conditions. As with most of Italy, this resulted in an outbreak of Peronospora (downy mildew). The Peronospora epidemic ravaged all of Sicily, hitting the northeast hardest but sparing the southeast the worst effects. As such, areas like Noto and Vittoria were more successful. Sicily has the highest percentage of organic viticulture in all of Italy, but in 2023, this proved detrimental. Organic treatments did little to ward off Peronospora, as washing off the vines almost as soon as they were applied. The following months of June, July and August were warmer than average and lacked rain, which caused vines to shut down and grape skins to thicken, slowing down maturation for the already reduced crop. A drop in disease pressure was the only silver lining to the dry conditions. As is typically the case, wineries with the resources and determination to manicure their vineyards and select only the best fruit had the most qualitative success, but all suffered reduced yields. The wineries I visited reported an average total loss between 35% and 40%.

Sicily faced extreme drought conditions in **2024**. The season left many smaller wineries contemplating irrigation, while most larger estates have already begun installing infrastructure in the aftermath. This is not a matter of whether irrigation is good or bad, but whether wineries are willing to lose entire vintages to drought. As for the quality of the wines, only time will tell, but expect reduced quantities yet again.

I tasted the wines for this article in Sicily in March 2025 and at our offices in New York City.

_© 2025, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._

* * *

### You Might Also Enjoy

[An Eruption of Fine Wine on Mount Etna](https://vinous.com/articles/an-eruption-of-fine-wine-on-mount-etna-may-2025), Eric Guido, May 2025

[Unveiling the Diverse Palette of Sicily: New Releases and Beyond](https://vinous.com/articles/unveiling-the-diverse-palette-of-sicily-new-releases-and-beyond-jun-2024), Eric Guido, June 2024

[Surpassing Expectations: New Releases from Sicily](https://vinous.com/articles/surpassing-expectations-new-releases-from-sicily-sep-2023), Eric Guido, September 2023

[Sicily: Welcome to the Revolution](https://vinous.com/articles/sicily-welcome-to-the-revolution-jun-2022), Eric Guido, June 2022

[Sicily: The Island Nation](https://vinous.com/articles/sicily-the-island-nation-jun-2021), Eric Guido, June 2021



Sicily Excels Despite Mother Nature's Wrath: The 2022 and 2023 Vintages

Sicily Excels Despite Mother Nature's Wrath: The 2022 and 2023 Vintages (Jul 2025)

### Paso Robles 2022 and 2023: Polar Opposites

BY ERIC GUIDO | JUNE 26, 2025

Paso Robles has quickly become one of my favorite destinations for tasting and visiting estates. I often think that if I didn’t cover the region professionally, it would be at the top of my list for a vacation that combines wine, local shopping and a multitude of outdoor activities like biking, hiking and horseback riding. Paso Robles has also stepped up its restaurant scene over the last few years with establishments such as In Bloom, Les Petites Canailles (run by Chef Julien Asseo, son of L’Aventure’s Stephan Asseo), Etto (established by Brian Terrizzi of Giornata), neighborhood favorite Jeffry's Wine Country BBQ, plus many more. Each of these proudly pours many of the best wines Paso Robles has to offer. During my visit in late April, an announcement that Charlie Palmer is set to renovate and open three new restaurants in the coming months had everyone buzzing. Paso Robles has officially grown up, offering world-class wine and all the necessary tourist accommodations to continue booming into the future.

As for the wine scene in general, local excitement couldn’t be higher. Despite climatic challenges, even the most difficult vintages have turned out some fascinating wines thanks to quick thinking, a little luck and a willingness to adapt. The 2021 vintage continues to impress with dramatic, lively, balanced wines. The 2022s are more successful than many would have anticipated (more on that later), but the 2023s may be the most promising of all.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1750946297835-The+Willow+Creek+District+estate+vineyards+of+L%E2%80%99Aventure_Vinous.jpg)

_The Willow Creek District estate vineyards of L’Aventure._

As for grape varieties, there’s something for everyone. On average, Paso Robles experiences extreme daytime temperatures that reach as high as 100°F before dropping by 30-40°F at night. This diurnal push-pull allows an extensive array of varieties to thrive, helping fruit to retain acidity. Wineries like Saxum and Tablas Creek—as dissimilar as they are styistically—have inspired a generation of winemakers to explore Rhône varieties. I’m not just talking about Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Viognier and Roussanne. Paso Robles excels with an entire cast of lesser-known Rhône grapes, such as Counoise, Carignan, Grenache Blanc and Clairette Blanche. Cabernet Sauvignon actually remains the most widely planted variety here, but Paso Cabernet differs from that of Napa Valley, Sonoma or Washington State. Here, Cabernet Sauvignon easily achieves physiological ripeness and yields wines with energy and verve that remain approachable despite their youthful grip.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1750945868535-Limestone%2C+lending+a+high+pH%2C+and+compresses+clay+soils+in+a+cutway+beneath+Adelaida+vines_Vinous.jpg)

_High-pH limestone and compressed clay soils in a cutaway beneath vines in the Adelaida District._

Zinfandel often takes on a distinctly savory profile in Paso Robles. Ueberroth Vineyard (planted in 1885) and Dusi Vineyard (planted in 1925) are home to some of the oldest Zinfandel vines in California. Readers may recognize the Dusi name from its regular appearance in the Ridge portfolio. Most of the Paso Robles producers who make Pinot Noir source fruit from other locations, but Adelaida’s HMR Vineyard, planted in 1964, continues to yield a fantastic local interpretation of the variety. Last but far from least, Italian grapes continue to gain recognition. Each year, I encounter compelling new wines made from Nebbiolo, Sangiovese, Barbera, Vermentino, Nero d’Avola, Montepulciano and more.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1750945924418-Old+Zinfandel+vines+at+Dusi+Ranch+in+the+Templeton+Gap+district_Vinous.jpg)

_Old Zinfandel vines at the Dusi Vineyard in the Templeton Gap District._

**The 2022 and 2023 Vintages**

Paso Robles is truly unlike any other region I cover. Sardinia might come close, an area that also does well with varieties like Carignan, Grenache and Vermentino. In Paso Robles, heatwaves happen in almost every vintage. No one bats an eye at a 100˚F day. Rain, usually totaling around 20 inches a year, occurs in the spring and fall—the worst possible times in the growing season. Nevertheless, the region succeeds due to a mix of extreme diurnal shifts, limestone soils and good ventilation from the Templeton Gap. Even so, no one could predict the 2022 or 2023 vintage.

Speaking with producers in Paso Robles about the 2022 growing season elicits dramatically different opinions from address to address. Many winemakers have written the vintage off as a failure. Others regard the results as a happy surprise. All agree that 2022 was like nothing they had ever seen before. Challenges included a late spring frost on May 11th, which severely reduced yields at lower elevations. Compounding this, the overall warm year and the third consecutive season of drought stressed the vines. Then, a ten-day heatwave exceeding 105˚F in late August forced winemakers into rapid harvest decisions, triggering widespread logistical issues such as labor shortages, difficulty scheduling picks and limited winery capacity. To make things worse, the typically significant diurnal shifts didn’t take place. Fruit arrived at the wineries warm, if not hot. The sun's searing heat oxidized tannins, sometimes rendering them practically nonexistent. Some wineries harvested too early and others too late.

The biggest issue with the 2022 wines is consistency. A large proportion of the wines come across as front-loaded, with soaring aromatics and enticing textures that quickly drop off through the mid-palate. This often results in a saturation of primary fruit with underripe or barely perceptible tannins. Many wines finish with lingering tension, but lack the balance necessary for aging potential. The 2022s are particularly large-scale in feel and often tire out the palate. Alcohol percentages are relatively high in the context of the region, yet alcohol is generally well integrated across varieties, which is undoubtedly a strong point of the year. Ultimately, most 2022s are best taken in small doses and enjoyed in the short to medium term. Consumers will enjoy these wines for their drinkability.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1750946017952-The+Adam%27s+Ranch+Vineyard+of+Ledge+with+sandy+clay+loam+soils+and+gravelly+stones%2C+atop+a+sandstone+ledge+at+the+base+of+the+Santa+Lucia+Mountain+Range_Vinous.jpg)

_Sandy clay/loam soils and gravelly stones atop a sandstone ledge at Ledge’s Adam’s Ranch Vineyard, situated at the base of the Santa Lucia Mountain Range._

That's not to say that 2022 was without its triumphs. Many of the wineries I visited for this report were able to craft successful wines. In most cases, these producers prevailed through a combination of well-timed harvests, severe selection and responsive approaches in the cellar. Shorter macerations, reduced whole-cluster fermentation, gentle pumpovers (or simply moistening the cap) and less time in barrel helped winemakers obtain balance in the wines. Sacrificing fruit was often necessary, and many wineries experienced a drastic reduction in quantity as a result. However, even in the best cases, I don't see the majority of the 2022s as wines to cellar for longer than a few years. Most will be at their best from the two- to three-year mark, then drink well for several years before beginning a slow decline.

Mother Nature did a 180-degree turn with the 2023 vintage. Nearly 50 inches of rain saturated soils in early spring, flooding communities, causing erosion and washing out roads, but that rainfall also paved the way for one of Paso’s most exciting vintages yet.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1750946274823-Spring+Rain_Vinous.jpg)

_Spring rain in Paso Robles, as seen from the high elevations of the Adelaida District._

A cool late spring and summer followed. Many winemakers compared the cool conditions to 2011 and feared they might struggle to achieve ripeness. Instead, an Indian summer in October and November provided the balanced warmth to achieve perfectly ripe, healthy fruit. Wineries harvested at their leisure, at times well into November.

My only concern about 2023 was that wineries accustomed to dramatic heat and drought would struggle to adjust to a cool year with ample rainfall. Luckily, from what I’ve tasted, producers rose to the occasion. This year, I sampled many 2023 whites and just-bottled reds. What I’ve tasted so far is very good. The 2023 vintage showcases stimulating minerality, pronounced acidity, depth of fruit and balanced structure. The wines are nervy and spry, mixing New-World fruit with Old-World tenacity. Alcohol levels are in line with a typical Paso Robles vintage (in other words, high). The extended harvest and extremely late picks meant that fruit achieved the same level of ripeness it would in a typical vintage. With that said, there’s no denying the balance in these wines. I expect the 2023s to be a bit wiry and awkward from the get-go, but I predict that they will be especially capable of maturating well in the cellar. Two thousand twenty-three is a vintage that I plan to buy for my own cellar.

I tasted the wines for this article in Paso Robles in April 2025 and in our New York City offices in May 2025.

_© 2025, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._

* * *

**You Might Also Enjoy**

[Paso Robles 2021-2023: Far From Typical](https://vinous.com/articles/paso-robles-2021-2023-far-from-typical-jul-2024), Eric Guido, July 2024

[Paso Robles: Boundless Diversity](https://vinous.com/articles/paso-robles-boundless-diversity-may-2023), Eric Guido, May 2023

[Paso Robles: Seductive 2018s and 2019s](https://vinous.com/articles/paso-robles-seductive-2018s-and-2019s-jul-2022), Josh Raynolds, July 2022

[Paso Robles 2018 & 2017: Grace and Power](https://vinous.com/articles/paso-robles-2018-&-2017-grace-and-power-dec-2020), Josh Raynolds, December 2020



Paso Robles 2022 and 2023: Polar Opposites

Paso Robles 2022 and 2023: Polar Opposites (Jun 2025)

Duero: From Ribera to Toro via Rueda (And a Few Other Detours)

Duero: From Ribera to Toro via Rueda (And a Few Other Detours) (Jun 2025)

### 2025 Tuscany Preview

BY ANTONIO GALLONI | FEBRUARY 27, 2025

### Additions - June 26, 2025:  
[Biserno](https://vinous.com/producers/biserno?article_id=4371&sort=default&sortDirection=true&page=1&perPage=25&displayType=wine), [Masseto](https://vinous.com/producers/masseto?article_id=4371&sort=default&sortDirection=true&page=1&perPage=25&displayType=wine), [Montepeloso](https://vinous.com/producers/montepeloso?article_id=4371&sort=default&sortDirection=true&page=1&perPage=25&displayType=wine), [Orma](https://vinous.com/producers/orma?article_id=4371&sort=default&sortDirection=true&page=1&perPage=25&displayType=wine), [Ornellaia](https://vinous.com/producers/tenuta-dell-ornellaia--3?article_id=4371&sort=default&sortDirection=true&page=1&perPage=25&displayType=wine), [Petrolo](https://vinous.com/producers/petrolo?article_id=4371&sort=default&sortDirection=true&page=1&perPage=25&displayType=wine), [Podere Il Carnasciale](https://vinous.com/producers/podere-il-carnasciale--2?article_id=4371&sort=default&sortDirection=true&page=1&perPage=25&displayType=wine), [PoggioargentierA](https://vinous.com/producers/poggioargentiera?article_id=4371&sort=default&sortDirection=true&page=1&perPage=25&displayType=wine), [Tenuta del Nicchio](https://vinous.com/producers/tenuta-del-nicchio?article_id=4371&sort=default&sortDirection=true&page=1&perPage=25&displayType=wine), [Tenuta di Trinoro](https://vinous.com/producers/tenuta-di-trinoro--2?article_id=4371&sort=default&sortDirection=true&page=1&perPage=25&displayType=wine), [Tenuta Sette Ponti](https://vinous.com/producers/tenuta-sette-ponti-6d4432bc-5afd-433e-9ce0-416e9d08fd9c?article_id=4371&sort=default&sortDirection=true&page=1&perPage=25&displayType=wine), [Tua Rita](https://vinous.com/producers/tua-rita--2?article_id=4371&sort=default&sortDirection=true&page=1&perPage=25&displayType=wine)

###   

### Additions - May 7, 2025:  
[Fattoria Le Pupille - Elisabetta Geppetti](https://vinous.com/producers/fattoria-le-pupille-elisabetta-geppetti?article_id=4371), [Rocca di Frassinello](https://vinous.com/producers/rocca-di-frassinello-5dfed18b-aa5f-4b6a-adc4-fc212d77fd42?article_id=4371), [Tenuta di Ghizzano](https://vinous.com/producers/tenuta-di-ghizzano-9e0e904c-483d-42c1-8952-2cf8021798b2?article_id=4371), [Tenuta di Trinoro](https://vinous.com/producers/tenuta-di-trinoro--2?article_id=4371), [Tenuta di Valgiano](https://vinous.com/producers/tenuta-di-valgiano?article_id=4371)
  

Our annual Tuscan Preview covers a handful of wines that are entering the market shortly. After the near-perfect 2021 vintage, producers were dealt with a far more challenging set of weather conditions throughout 2022. Intense heat and drought followed by rain just before harvest yielded wines that mostly offer very attractive forward fruit along with mid-weight structure. Based on what I have tasted so far, Merlot appears to be the most affected variety. Some producers also reported challenges with Cabernet Franc, but because Franc is most often used as a blender, its performance in any given year is less of an issue in many wines. Given the expanse of the terrain and the natural variability that confers, generalizations about the growing season and wines will be of little use for the 2022s. Instead, I have added the specifics for each estate in the respective producer commentaries.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1740589601444-Vinous_2025+Tuscany+Spring+Preview.jpg)

### Some Thoughts on Scores…

Following the exceptional 2021s, there is bound to be a letdown in the 2022s. In my view, it is absolutely critical that scores reflect the true nature of wines and vintages. When that is not the case, when scores are always high for the same wines each and every year, consumers lose interest because they can no longer distinguish the good from the very good from the truly exceptional. The wines that readers of this publication care about are mostly small-production wines made by people, not corporations. Even those with larger productions still pale in comparison with the volumes turned out by industrial operations. Some variation from year to year is not only to be expected, but rather is an essential attribute of truly handmade wines.

I tasted all the wines in this report in February 2025, most of them more than once.

© 2025, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism.

* * *

**You Might Also Enjoy**

[New Releases from the Tuscan Maremma](https://vinous.com/articles/new-releases-from-the-tuscan-maremma-dec-2024), Antonio Galloni, December 2024

[2024 Tuscany Preview](https://vinous.com/articles/2024-tuscany-preview-feb-2024), Antonio Galloni, February 2024

[Exploring New Releases from Coastal Tuscany](https://vinous.com/articles/exploring-new-releases-from-coastal-tuscany-aug-2023), Antonio Galloni, August 2023

[2020 Tuscany Preview](https://vinous.com/articles/2020-tuscany-preview-feb-2023), Antonio Galloni, February 2023

[Tuscany: New Releases from the Coast](https://vinous.com/articles/tuscany-new-releases-from-the-coast-jul-2022), Antonio Galloni, July 2022

[2019 Tuscany Preview](https://vinous.com/articles/2019-tuscany-preview-mar-2022), Antonio Galloni, March 2022



2025 Tuscany Preview

2025 Tuscany Preview (Feb 2025)

Maule: The Magic of Old Vines and a Stylistic Reinvention in Chile

Maule: The Magic of Old Vines and a Stylistic Reinvention in Chile (Jun 2025)

### One Night in Taipei: Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Richebourg 1995-2017

BY NEAL MARTIN | JUNE 18, 2025

My maiden trip to Taiwan last September commenced with an outstanding Burgundy dinner at Mudan Tempura that I duly wrote up for a [Vinous Table](https://vinous.com/articles/vinous-table-mudan-tempura-taipei-taiwan-feb-2025).

So, how does one follow that?

The answer was no less than a vertical of Richebourg from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti the following evening. This private dinner brought together a dozen or so of Taipei’s most avid Burgundy collectors, who convened with bottles of Richebourg spanning vintages from 1995 to 2017. Verticals of this scale are not weekly occurrences, and although everyone in attendance was a seasoned Burgundy lover, there was still a frisson of excitement as the bottles were lined up.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1750174010161-glass+prep_Vinous.JPG)

_Preparations for this dinner were meticulous. I poked my head around the corner to look at the kitchen, where countless wine glasses were being rigorously checked._

A short primer on Richebourg would be useful. The name Richebourg connotes a sense of grandeur. You know you are in serious wine territory, not a wine you will find languishing on a supermarket shelf. Richebourg lies north of Romanée-Conti, separated by a footpath known as the _sentier des Raignots_. The vines are rooted on clay-limestone soil over pink Prémeaux bedrock. The vineyard was originally owned by the monks of the Citeaux monastery until 1790, the year it was sold off as a _bien national_ to several parties, including the Duvault-Blochet family, whose initial holding forms the domaine’s present vineyard. There are currently 11 owners within the 8.03-hectare Grand Cru. Domaine de la Romanée-Conti is the largest by a considerable margin, presiding over 3.51 hectares compared to the second largest, Domaine Leroy, with 0.78 hectares. The _climat_ is divided into two lieux-dits, Les Richebourgs and Les Verroilles, of which Domaine de la Romanée-Conti owns 2.57 and 0.94 hectares, respectively. Those 3.51 total hectares are divided into four parcels: one bordering Romanée-Conti, another adjacent to Romanée-Saint-Vivant, one to the north abutting Vosne-Romanée Les Suchots and another abutting Les Petits Monts.

The vineyard manager from 1986 was Gérard Marlot, who was succeeded by the young Nicolas Jacob from the 2007 vintage. But the period upon which the vintages in this tasting focused could be dubbed “Époque de Bernard Noblet”, the famed cellarmaster who retired in 2018 after four decades of service. Interestingly, the 1995 to 2017 purview traverses the eras before and after the introduction of biodynamic viticulture—the entire domaine was converted by the 2007 vintage.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1750173988787-white+burgs_Vinous.JPG)

We warmed up with three magnificent whites that provided an opportunity to compare the **2004 Corton-Charlemagne** from **Domaine Coche-Dury** against that from **Christophe Roumier.** Roumier is always blasé about his solitary white, and in theory, it should have been an easy win for Jean-François Coche. That was initially the case, as Roumier’s 2004 was a little subdued. However, I noticed how the Roumier blossomed in the glass and by the end, perhaps had its nose in front thanks to its riveting _mineralité_. I’ve interpolated a recent note of the same wine from Bonneau du Martray—part of whose vines are now made by DRC—that I encountered in London. The Bonneau du Martray _did_ show some vegetal notes that blemish so many whites and reds in the 2004 vintage. Back in Taipei, there was also a fine bottle of **2016 Meursault Les Perrières** from **Coche-Dury** , though for my palate, it did not quite reach the ethereal heights that these wines can achieve, lacking a bit of aromatic depth.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1750173965717-richebourg+bottles_Vinous.jpg)

Time for the main event!

Despite the auspicious occasion, I never pull any punches or genuflect before an illustrious name. This vertical tasting highlighted weaker and stronger vintages, an advantage of tasting a lineup like this. Overall, I guess you could say that the best vintages cluster towards recent years, and that could well be because of reasons already outlined—the conversion to biodynamic viticulture and, in my view, the appointment of the gifted Nicolas Jacob, who incidentally has since departed for the Jura.

I’ll keep the observations brief as tasting notes can be perused at your leisure. It might be controversial to write this, but I don’t feel that the mid-nineties was a golden era for this cuvée. The **1995 Richebourg** was a little timeworn and shaded by the superior **1996** , while the **1998 Richebourg** lacked energy and felt austere on the finish after 26 years, suggesting gradual decline. The dark horse was the **2000 Richebourg** , not a revered vintage for Burgundy but a vintage that repays those who had the nous to mature them in bottle. The real surprise was the **2004 Richebourg**. No vegetal elements, no leanness. A rare instance of a 2004 Burgundy without those so-called “green meanies,” and it was glorious. The **2007 Richebourg** , like a few others recently tasted, was just beginning to run out of puff. Thereafter, the most recent vintages demonstrate more consistency, the **2010,**  **2014** and **2017 Richebourg** armed with greater precision and detail than their older counterparts, a testament to the efforts that have been made, particularly in terms of viticulture. This telegraphs a domaine not content to rest on its laurels (which Aubert de Villaine and his team could easily do) and explains their eminent position in Burgundy.

This was an invaluable overview of DRC’s Richebourg. It was a timely reminder that despite the domaine’s lofty reputation, no bottle is beyond criticism. As I informed our guests, this was an opportunity to really examine a single cuvée, observe how it interacts with the heterogeneity of growing seasons that leads to differing results in bottle. The highlights are magnificent: 1996, 2000, 2004, 2010, 2014 and 2017 are supremely gifted. They translate the nobility of Richebourg whilst upholding the first rule of any wine…be delicious! My gratitude to all those who assembled these wines in Taipei for such a memorable and educational evening.

_© 2025, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._

* * *

### You Might Also Enjoy

[2022 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti: The Lightness of Being](https://vinous.com/articles/2022-domaine-de-la-romanee-conti-the-lightness-of-being-mar-2025), Antonio Galloni, March 2025

[Future Memories: DRC 2022 In Bottle](https://vinous.com/articles/future-memories-drc-2022-in-bottle-feb-2025), Neal Martin, February 2025

[Domaine de la Romanée Conti: A Survey of the 2021s](https://vinous.com/articles/domaine-de-la-romanee-conti-a-survey-of-the-2021s-mar-2024), Antonio Galloni, March 2024

[Nature Rules/Nature’s Rules: DRC 2021 In Bottle](https://vinous.com/articles/nature-rules-nature-s-rules-drc-2021-in-bottle-feb-2024), Neal Martin, February 2024

[Fermented Grape Juice: Romanée-Conti 1953-2005](https://vinous.com/articles/fermented-grape-juice-romanee-conti-1953-2005-apr-2019), Neal Martin, April 2019



One Night in Taipei: Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Richebourg 1995-2017

One Night in Taipei: Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Richebourg 1995-2017 (Jun 2025)

A Century of...Fives

A Century of...Fives (Jun 2025)

### 2024 Wachau and Lower Austria: Calamities and _Coups de Coeur_

BY ANNE KREBIEHL, MW | JUNE 12, 2025

Frost, hail, heat and high water —nature threw everything at winegrowers in Lower Austria in 2024. More than one grower used the term “catastrophe” to describe the huge effort it took to bring home healthy grapes. A warm March meant some of the earliest budbursts ever, making vines vulnerable to late spring frosts in April. Heat and drought posed a challenge in summer, while torrential rains in mid-September not only caused widespread flooding but also collapsed drystone walls and caused wide cracks on unsealed roads. Some estates had dramatically low yields, some were lucky to escape relatively unscathed, but all were worried about what the rain would do to their fruit. Quality is thus more mixed in 2024, yet there are plenty of highlights and _coups de coeur_ nonetheless.

_![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1749566292675-Sunshine+breaking+through+the+clouds+in+a+spring+vineyard+in+the+Wagram..jpg)_

_Sunshine breaking through the clouds in the Wagram._

### Jack Frost

April was indeed _the cruelest month_ in Austria. Assessing the frost damage, an agricultural insurance company offered this summary of the year’s events: “After a very warm January, the warmest February and hottest March in Austria’s 257-year history of weather data, as well as the earliest 30°C day of the year on 7 April, an extreme cool-down followed. The advance of cold air, combined with vegetation on average three weeks ahead of the seasonal norm, caused much damage to fruit and viticulture.” Following forecasts, many growers lit frost candles. This was effective for some but less so for others, especially as the frost occurred in sites that are not typically vulnerable. Jack Frost arrived in two waves, hitting estates unevenly. Michael Malat, in Palt, Kremstal, lost 40% of his crop to frost, while Geyerhof, only minutes away but lying slightly higher, only had three vine rows with some frost damage. In Traisental, Markus Huber, escaped the frost completely, as did Viennese winemakers, but the latter suffered hail in July and August.

In the Wachau, the frost affected areas around Rossatz and Arnsdorf (both on the right bank of the Danube) and the Spitzer Graben worst, as well as Weissenkirchen. Situated in Elsarn, up in the Spitzer Graben, Melanie and Martin Muthenthaler lost 70% of their yield. Franz Hitzberger Jr., in Spitz, where the Spitzer Graben opens towards the Danube, did not have any “significant” frost damage, but he noted that they “put up a fight,” lighting almost 3,000 frost candles. The Bodensteins, at Weingut Prager in Weissenkirchen, lost half of their Steinriegl fruit, despite frost candles and the site’s modest elevation.

High up in Senftenberg, on the river Krems in Kremstal, Patrick Proidl lost 40% of his fruit to frost. On the Wagram/Kamptal border at the Bernhard Ott estate, frost-fighting teams were on call each of the chilly nights, lighting and extinguishing candles, but with temperatures dipping down to -6°C just before sunrise, no number of candles could save the entire crop. Ott reported losses of 25-30%. Kamptal, after 2023’s horrendous hail damage, was hit hard by frost. Johannes Hirsch said it was the worst frost in the area since 1961, resulting in tiny yields when “the frost burnt a swath from the valley up the mountainside.” At Bründlmayer, also in the Kamptal, frost took 20% of the fruit.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1749565348913-Melanie+Muthenthaler%2C+despite+a+reallu+challengign+2024+with+much+frost+damage%2C+has+much+to+smile+about+-+the+wines+are+stunning..jpg)

_Despite a challenging 2024 with much frost damage, Melanie Muthenthaler has much to smile about. The wines are stunning._

### Green Shoots

Many frost-hit winemakers reported that some vines sprouted again, producing second shoots, but as Franz Josef Gritsch (at the Mauritiushof in Spitz, Wachau) explained, while second-shoot Grüner Veltliner puts out some fruit, Riesling rarely does. Dr Herwig Jamek, of the eponymous estate in Joching, Wachau, noted that the replacement shoots “usually have far more foliage than fruit,” conceding that at least something is better than nothing. Others, like Michael Moosbrugger at Schloss Gobelsburg and Alwin Jurtschitsch, both in Kamptal, experimented with late pruning. This way, vines are not pruned until May, and thus, the unpruned shoots start bursting buds from the top down. Once all danger of frost has passed, these shoots are pruned back, allowing the basal shoots can emerge later. Moosbrugger achieved a “normal” Grüner Veltliner yield in Ried Lamm using this method.

### First Disease Pressure, then Record Heat

Another feature of 2024 was abundant moisture in May and June. I had a taste of this while travelling in May 2024 through exquisitely verdant landscapes and narrowly avoiding a mudslide high in the Kremstal, where the usually peaceful river Krems turned into a fierce torrent and various cellars had to be pumped out after flooding. But the weather turned, with heat and dryness taking over in July and August. Fred Loimer, in Kamptal, explained that ripeness went into overdrive for Grüner Veltliner while Riesling slowed down, as Riesling stops metabolizing under the combination of heat and dry stress and thus does not accumulate sugars in the grapes. Alwin Jurtschitsch noted that for him, the most decisive factors in Kamptal were summer heat and five weeks of dryness over August and early September. In the Wachau, Heinz Frischengriber, cellarmaster at Domäne Wachau, pointed out that “the hot nights” in July and August were a new development, while both Gritsch and Bodenstein noted dry stress in some sites. Official records state more starkly than the winegrowers themselves what a record year 2024 was: “Overall, 2024 turned out to be by far the warmest year in Austria since records began,” according to Geosphere Austria’s Annual Report, citing 257 years of lowland data and 173 years of high-altitude data. The report also notes a record 42 days reaching 30°C and above in Lower Austria.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1749565618352-A+formidable+father-and-daughter+team%2C+Theresa+and+Rudi+Pichler..jpg)

_A formidable father-and-daughter team,a Theresa and Rudi Pichler._

### Torrential Rain

September presented winegrowers with yet another record. The torrential rains that fell between 12 and 16 September 2024 led to more than 80 local weather stations tallying new record highs for September rainfall. September 2024 was officially noted as the wettest September ever. The Austrian Federal Ministry for Agriculture reported record levels of 300-400 mm of rain within five days between Mostviertel and Waldviertel, i.e., the wine regions of Lower Austria. In Austria, rainfall is measured in both millimeters and liters; here, one liter of rain per square meter of ground is equivalent to 1 mm of rain per square meter of ground—400 liters thus equals 400 mm of rain. Strong flood defenses along the Danube, constructed following the devastating floods of 2002 and 2013, mitigated what could have been disastrous floods, but the rain caused many smaller rivers to burst their banks and flood surrounding areas. On the hillsides, the rain collapsed many of the weaker or older drystone walls that are such a feature of the terraced vineyards, sometimes taking rows of vines with them. Many unsealed roads cracked.

The timing of the rain posed huge challenges for the growers. The hot summer meant advanced sugar ripeness, but heavy rain prevented growers from picking. Rain hitting ripe grapes holds the risk of split berries that are then vulnerable to all sorts of rot. Many growers had begun picking before the rains, wanting to get their fruit safely into the cellar, so some entry-level wines are less concentrated and persistent, as phenolic ripeness trailed sugar ripeness. A handful of other producers waited for the rains to conclude or picked their best sites only after the rain—these are some of the best wines in this report.

But there are further factors. Waterlogged soils meant that rain had to drain away before vineyards could be accessed safely without damaging soils or endangering tractor drivers on slopes. Even more importantly, rain balanced some of the concentration inside the grapes, even though there was disease pressure. Many reported that Grüner Veltliner’s thick skins made it resilient in the face of these conditions. Maria Meier, at the Geyerhof in Kremstal, emphasized that the rain had a positive effect on their fruit: “We realized there was again more acidity, more aroma. The day-night [temperature] amplitude was better, and the rain also reduced the sugar concentration in the grapes, resulting in moderate alcohols,” Meier said. Riesling, with thinner skins and later ripening, found it more difficult to withstand the rain, and several growers noted that some botrytis developed. Many cited the dramatic post-rain cooldown as a saving grace, stopping much rot in its tracks. Others, like Patrick Proidl in Senftenberg, Kremstal, where there was more rain throughout the year, said that the rain made rot “spread like wildfire.” Winemakers known for their late-harvest styles, like Franz Hirtzberger Jr. in Spitz stated that Riesling was affected by rot: “We snipped and selected, selected, selected. We were finished before the end of October, which is early for us.”

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1750084234860-The+verdant+and+terraced+vineyards+of+the+upper+Kremstal+in+the+afternoon+sunshine%2C+beyond+them%2C+grapes+no+longer+ripen_Vinous.jpg)

_The verdant, terraced vineyards of the upper Kremstal in the afternoon sunshine._

### Lady Luck

In 2024, luck played a huge role. Luck decided whether you were hit by frosts that, for some reason, did not stick to the usual frost pockets and paths, whether your vineyards were on soils that could hold water in the dry months, whether, during the rain, your vineyards or cellars flooded, whether any of your stone walls broke, whether the skins of your Riesling split. Whether you were lucky or not, 2024 was a year of very hard work in the vineyards. All the wines I tasted for this report are superbly clean, which is almost always the case in Austria. Some of the regional and village wines are a little hollow, lack their usual concentration, and are shorter than usual. This is not due to dilution from rain, but rather to heat and dry stress that occurred before the rain. The best wines, however, have concentration, verve, personality, length and longevity. They are the _coups de coeur_. I’ve included more commentary about individual estates alongside their respective tasting notes. And on another matter entirely, I have to stress that those who think that Smaragd wines from the Wachau are fat, opulent, ungainly or too alcoholic simply need to revisit what Smaragd means today. These wines are amongst the best Austria has to offer. Pictures of elegance.

I tasted these wines at estate visits in late April and early May 2025.

_© 2025, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._

* * *

_ **You Might Also Enjoy** _

_[Popping Corks: The Second Vinous Sekt Report](https://vinous.com/articles/popping-corks-the-second-vinous-sekt-report-may-2025), Anne Krebiehl, MW, May 2025_

_[2023 Burgenland and Austria’s East: Gorgeous Reds, Aromatic Whites and Killer Sweets](https://vinous.com/articles/2023-burgenland-and-austria-s-east-gorgeous-reds-aromatic-whites-and-killer-sweets-mar-2025), Anne Krebiehl, MW, March 2025_

_[2023 Mosel-Saar-Ruwer: A Riesling Race Against Rain](https://vinous.com/articles/2023-mosel-saar-ruwer-a-riesling-race-against-rain-dec-2024), Anne Krebiehl, MW, December 2024_

_[2023 Wachau and Lower Austria: Mercurial Weather Gods Smiled in the End](https://vinous.com/articles/2023-wachau-and-lower-austria-mercurial-weather-gods-smiled-in-the-end-jul-2024), Anne Krebiehl, MW, July 2024_

_[2022 Wachau and Lower Austria: An Overshadowed Vintage Worth Exploring](https://vinous.com/articles/2022-wachau-and-lower-austria-an-overshadowed-vintage-worth-exploring-feb-2024), Anne Krebiehl MW, February 2024_



2024 Wachau and Lower Austria: Calamities and Coups de Coeur

2024 Wachau and Lower Austria: Calamities and Coups de Coeur (Jun 2025)

### The Second Coming of Australian Chardonnay

BY ANGUS HUGHSON | JUNE 10, 2025

The wheels of the international wine industry turn slowly, limited by vineyard growth, static consumer sentiment and winemakers who tinker on a vintage-by-vintage basis. But occasionally, there are moments in time when a genuine pivot occurs, such as when a strong vintage or producer brings a wine region or style to light, or out of the cold. Arguably, the 1982 vintage and particularly Robert Parker’s reviews reenergised the market for Bordeaux after the largely lacklustre 1970s, while the 1968 Sassicaia helped to redefine Italy’s place in the wine world and radically change the country’s trajectory. Australia is on the cusp of such a pivot with Chardonnay.

Historically, Australia’s vinous fortunes have been inextricably tied to Shiraz. Like Riesling for Germany and Sauvignon Blanc for New Zealand, the success of a country’s wine industry is, unfortunately, often judged by the story of a single leading grape variety, obscuring what is happening behind the scenes. Shiraz has long made sense as the country’s leading light, thanks to a climate well suited to the variety and a significant stock of old vines and world-class wines.

However, Chardonnay has been humming away in the background, slowly but surely rising in quality and stature. The awarding of Giaconda’s 2021 Chardonnay as #2 in the Vinous Top 100 wines of 2024 was a harbinger of the changing global outlook. Over the last 20 years, a number of factors have driven this steady increase in quality: intuitive winemaking with an increasingly hands-off approach, greater exploration of cooler-climate terroirs, advancing vine age, and a better understanding of various clones. Together, these have sharpened the national proposition and the likelihood that Chardonnay will increasingly define the Australian wine landscape over the next decade and beyond.

This shift is already evident in the country’s vineyards and wineries, with more Chardonnay crushed during the 2024 vintage than any other variety. But Chardonnay’s rise has been far from meteoric. It has been a bloody battle, a slow burn of trial and error, and a long, winding road from the country’s first forays into large-scale Chardonnays to the exciting level of quality and detail seen in today’s finest expressions of the variety. Chardonnay is an incredibly malleable variety with the ability to yield quality wines in an array of both temperate and cooler climates, which conveniently matches conditions across Southern Australia. Chardonnay drinkers seeking tight, lean, acid-driven styles can look to Tasmania, while more flavoursome styles can be found in Beechworth and the Hunter Valley. The dynamic interplay between clone, site, climate and winemaking makes Australian Chardonnay a chameleon with almost endless stylistic variation and potential to produce wines to suit all tastes.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1749479523585-Ashton+Hills_Vinous.jpg)

_The cool, elevated Ashton Hills vineyards of Adelaide Hills._

### A Brief History

Thirty years ago, the first wine I ever purchased by the case was an Australian Chardonnay. For a nascent palate on a student budget, the combination of exotic mango, peach and nectarine aromas jumping out of the glass with the relative complexity of (cheap) sweet, toasty oak and buttery malolactic influences was a revelation. It was the perfect staple for a hot Sydney Summer. At $10 a bottle, you could not go wrong. These short-lived, sunshine-in-the-glass wines led the initial charge for Australian wine on the international market. These were wines of their time, showcasing vibrant sweet fruit flavours that seduced wine consumers and the trade alike. In some ways, these wines also reflected a relatively young wine nation—one made up of consumers just beginning their journey with wine and winemakers eager to make a big splash on the international stage with their new tools.

Chardonnay was actually one of the first grape varieties imported to Australia, but until the 1980s, it remained an outlier, mostly used for sparkling wines before the emergence of the full-throttle style of still wines. The success of these wines encouraged significant plantings, particularly in warmer regions, igniting a goldrush for Chardonnay. Bigger was, without doubt, better. The Hunter Valley got in on the action, as did McLaren Vale, with wines that pushed flavour and texture to extremes. These historic wines were not subtle, but they certainly attracted plenty of fans locally and internationally.

At the time, you could hardly enter a local restaurant without seeing bottles of Chardonnay from the likes of Rosemount Estate, Mountadam, Leeuwin Estate or Petaluma on almost every table. These wines were unashamedly hedonistic with rivers of flavour, a homegrown style rather than something inspired by wines from around the world, although there was some international input—Robert Mondavi played a role in the early years at Leeuwin Estate. These Chardonnays remained popular for some time, but consumers slowly tired of the simple, sunny flavours and overt oak. The adolescent phase of Australian Chardonnay soon ended as local consumers shifted towards fresher, acid-driven styles, paving the way for the rise of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, which eventually overshadowed Chardonnay in the domestic market. The tide had already begun to turn towards more nuanced Chardonnays, but it would take decades of rethinking winemaking and grapegrowing to fully harness Chardonnay’s significant national potential.

One of the core drivers of this stylistic transformation was a love affair—some would call it an obsession—with white Burgundy, driven by some key critics and members of the wine trade. The initial criticism of the early two-dimensional Australian style cut deep and sent many key vignerons on a search for a local approximation to Burgundy. This was not without the odd misstep along the way, including an overcorrection by some winemakers into early-picked, thin wines bereft of flavour. Some winemakers are still overly cautious with regard to ripeness. Today, gone are the heavy-set, lusciously flavoured, overtly oaky Chardonnays of the past, as are their frigid, lean antitheses. Thankfully, their replacement is a sleeker Chardonnay expression. The best examples combine power, genuine ripeness, acidity and depth of fruit. Those unfamiliar with the category may be surprised by the elegance and restraint in these wines, challenging the general perception of Australian wine. As always, at the heart of the greatest wines in this category are well-chosen vineyards with a genuine sense of place.

Naturally, Australian winemakers turned to Burgundy clones to assist in their journey. Clones 76, 95, 96 and 277—first imported in the 1980s—quickly gained popularity and a significant vineyard footing, particularly in Eastern Australia. Today, they remain an important part of the overall picture. Yet the country also had a secret weapon: the historic Gin-Gin and P58 clones, both generally better suited to Australian growing conditions. These have proved particularly effective at handling warmer vintages, where the Burgundian clones appear to be less resilient. The Gin-Gin clone was originally imported from California in 1957 and suffers from _millerandage_, whereby poor flower fertilisation leads to bunches containing a proportion of very small, immature grapes. This yields wines with a unique combination of sweet fruit flavours and high acidity. Gin-Gin is unique to Australia as the original grape material in California was destroyed after importation. Recent studies have shown that Gin-Gin is related to both the Californian Old Farm and Mendoza clones, suggesting a common ancestor, though each of these has distinct characteristics. Gin-Gin has proven itself to be remarkably well suited to Margaret River and is a crucial component in many of the region’s finest wines.

The P58 clone was a massale selection from Le Montrachet imported by Penfolds in the 1950s. It was not particularly prized for decades, yet it caught the eye of a young Rick Kinzbrunner from Giaconda, who used it as part of the original plantings. Today, P58 has strong support from a number of other leading winemakers. Before planting, Kinzbrunner spent a significant amount of time talking to other winemakers and visiting vineyards. He chose P58 primarily for its low yields and the resulting fruit intensity, key components of Giaconda’s house style. Kinzbrunner has continued to champion P58 for new estate plantings in recent years, and fruit from this clone remains in high demand across Australia.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1749479475251-Gingin+clone_Vinous.jpg)

_A cluster of Gin-Gin clone Chardonnay displaying millerandage._

### In Search of Montrachet

The search for cooler-climate vineyards was a vital step towards redemption for Australian Chardonnay, as most of the early wine regions were established in areas more suitable for later-ripening varieties. Regions around Australia’s southern coastline presented new options, with the cooling influence of Southern Ocean helping to moderate summer temperatures. The general lack of continental regions also offers some protection against the future impacts of global warming compared to other international wine regions.

Around Melbourne and Southern Victoria, a cluster of wine regions emerged, quickly becoming the epicentre of the modern Chardonnay movement. These remain ground zero for many of Australia’s leading Chardonnays across a broad range of styles. In the higher elevations of Macedon Ranges and Upper Yarra Valley, one finds a plethora of finer, more acid-driven styles. The proximity to Melbourne and its strong sommelier community has driven a more experimental mindset here, giving rise to small-batch wines that push the envelope—in particular with reduction. These regions offer a diverse range of aspects and microclimates for winemakers to choose from.

Further south and closer to the ocean, the lower Yarra and Geelong enjoy warmer conditions that allow for more flavoursome wines, while still retaining cooler-climate charm. To the east, the Mornington Peninsula and Gippsland produce wines that sit between the two extremes, their ancient volcanic soils contributing a subtle influence. There are other noteworthy areas across Victoria as well, but the small region of Beechworth is the key standout. I covered Beechworth extensively in my recent report, “[North East Victoria: Full of Surprises](https://vinous.com/articles/north-east-victoria-full-of-surprises-feb-2025)

### .”

In the west, Chardonnay was planted in Margaret River and Great Southern from the mid-1970s, most notably at Leeuwin Estate and Cullen. Margaret River quickly established itself as a paradise for the variety. Here, oceans on three sides and afternoon seabreezes lend a unique freshness and vitality to the resulting wines, combined with a general reliability across vintages. Margaret River’s favourable climate also promotes organic, biodynamic and sustainable viticulture; 48% of the vineyards here are certified sustainable. Despite totalling only 1,000 hectares of Chardonnay planted, Margaret River is without doubt one of the country’s finest regions for Chardonnay, delivering wines with unique energy and vibrancy that also show considerable ageability.

Rising to the east of South Australia’s capital, Adelaide Hills is another leading and commonly underestimated region for Chardonnay. Once farming and orchard country, today the region boasts 1,000 hectares of planted vineyards at elevations between 300 and 700 meters. Despite its convenient location, Adelaide Hills has only really hit its straps over the last 20 years with wines that display generous levels of flavour and acidity. Two powerful figures drive the region forward: local luminary Brian Croser established Petaluma Wines in 1976 and planted a patchwork of vineyards (one of which is now bottled under the Tapanappa label), while Michael Hill-Smith MW started Shaw and Smith in the 1980s with significant aspirations to put Adelaide Hills Chardonnay on the international map.

Tasmania is the relatively new kid on the block that cannot be ignored. Averaging 42 degrees south, this isolated island is unprotected from the Southern Ocean and subject to weather systems from the South Pole. Tasmania is markedly cooler than almost all mainland wine regions and regularly buffeted by strong winds. There are only 500 hectares of Chardonnay planted here, much of which goes to sparkling wine. Yet despite its size, Tasmania punches well above its weight, as demonstrated by standout wines in this report and the success of wines in this tasting from Tolpuddle, Stargazer, Sinapius and the two brands of Stefano and Marco Lubiana. After taking a while to find its footing, Tasmania is, without question, a region to watch in the coming decades.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1749479547858-Patrick+Sullivan+_+Bottles+_+Vinous.jpg)

_Patrick Sullivan has quickly risen to become one of Australia’s leading Chardonnay winemakers._

### The Coche Effect

A significant component of Australian Chardonnay’s metamorphosis has been a fundamental rethink of winemaking techniques. Historically, winemaking was very hands-on and clinical: fruit was harvested very ripe, and a “more is always better” approach built complexity in the wines through multiple manipulations. Many methods were simply borrowed from Burgundy, such as barrel ferment and maturation, malolactic ferments and lees stirring, although yeast inoculation was common. Lees were not especially prized, and ferments were typically undertaken with a low degree of solids. Malolactic ferments were standard, although the naturally lower-acidity fruit often required acidification for balance. Regular lees-stirring was common, along with a high proportion of small new-oak barrels, accentuating what were already exaggerated flavours and textures.

Recent winemaking has done an about-face, with a move towards a hands-off, less interventionist approach. The aim now is to craft better-balanced wines with significant savoury complexity. Fruit is generally picked before the sweeter tropical notes develop in order to retain natural acidity and vibrant fruit flavours, which also lowers alcohol and reduces the need for any later additions. According to Brian Croser, “Australian winemakers’ long love affair with Riesling has contributed to the fruit intensity, freshness, purity and appealing acid balance of the modern wave of Australian Chardonnay.”

Barrel ferment and a shorter period of maturation are standard for premium wines, often done in older or larger-format oak. Natural yeast is commonly used for ferments. Many winemakers now partially or wholly block malolactic fermentation—except in the coolest vintages—to preserve acidity. Blocking malo can increase ageworthiness, though there is some risk it can strip the wines of complexity, texture and the volume of flavour many Chardonnay drinkers seek. This remains a point of contention among winemakers. For Adam Wadewitz, Chief Winemaker at Tolpuddle and Shaw and Smith, there is no choice: “If you don’t do malo, you’ve got rocks in your head.”

One of the most significant stylistic changes has been in the use of lees and the increasing desire to showcase some level of reduction, a trend that has been gradually taking hold in recent years. Reduction has become a buzzword among Australian winemakers, inspired in part by the reverence for certain Burgundian domaines like Coche-Dury. It is not uncommon for fruit to be pressed straight to barrel with full lees to add texture and savoury complexity, though most producers employ some level of settling to remove the heaviest grape solids, Barrel stirring is also less common than in the past, which enhances the opportunity to develop reductive characteristics.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1749479506197-Tolpuddle_Vinous.jpg)

_The Tolpuddle vineyard in Tasmania._

The sheer number of wines in this tasting with at least a discernible level of reduction came as a surprise. Some winemakers prefer just a hint, while others embrace more pronounced reductive notes. This remains a balancing act, as prioritising reduction—combined with early picking and no malo—can result in wines that feel disjointed. Michael Downer from Murdoch Hill explained, “Reduction is one of those wonderful things when it's on point, but when it's gone too far, it can be a detriment to the wine.”

Australian Chardonnay is now well and truly in the premier league. The best wines show genuine sophistication thanks to intuitive, thoughtful winemaking and the investment in locating and developing optimal sites. This is not confined to a single place—each region, from Tasmania and Adelaide Hills to Margaret River and Victoria’s cool-climate pockets, brings its own take on the modern style, driven by clones, climate and terroir. The only question now is how high Australian Chardonnay will go and whether it will claim its place as a genuine international leader. The answer rests in the aspirations of winery owners and winemakers and in their willingness to continue pushing boundaries, rethinking accepted wisdom and crafting wines according to site and vintage rather than winemaking dogma. The crown is there for the taking.

### Vintage Patterns

While it is very difficult to generalise vintage conditions across Australia, a few points stand out from the wines tasted for this report. Recent vintages have been irregular. Across much of Eastern Australia, 2023 was another La Niña year. It was the wettest year since 2011, the coolest since 2012 and the lowest national crush since 2000. For Chardonnay, this led to higher acidity and more delicate flavour profiles than in other recent vintages. Conditions in Western Australia were more forgiving, with drier conditions notable in all vintages tasted here. The cooler 2023 vintage was bookended by a warm 2022 and 2024.

I tasted all the wines for this report in Sydney in April 2025.

_© 2025, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._

* * *

### You Might Also Enjoy

[North East Victoria: Full of Surprises](https://vinous.com/articles/north-east-victoria-full-of-surprises-feb-2025), Angus Hughson, February 2025

[Digging for Gold in Western Victoria](https://vinous.com/articles/digging-for-gold-in-western-victoria-nov-2024), Angus Hughshon, November 2024

[Barossa 2022: Run, Don’t Walk](https://vinous.com/articles/barossa-2022-run-don-t-walk-aug-2024), Angus Hughshon, August 2024

[The Yin and the Yang of Western Australia](https://vinous.com/articles/the-yin-and-the-yang-of-western-australia-may-2024), Angus Hughson, May 2024

[Flirting with Perfection - Giaconda Chardonnay 2011-2021](https://vinous.com/articles/flirting-with-perfection-giaconda-chardonnay-2011-2021-jan-2024), Angus Hughson, January 2024



The Second Coming of Australian Chardonnay

The Second Coming of Australian Chardonnay (Jun 2025)

### Roederer Estate L’Ermitage: A Complete Retrospective
 

BY ANTONIO GALLONI | JUNE 6, 2025

This complete retrospective of Roederer Estate’s L’Ermitage, the first of its kind, was illuminating on so many fronts. Most importantly, it proved that Anderson Valley is exceptionally well suited to the production of fine, world-class sparkling wine. I was also deeply impressed with how well the wines age. I had tasted L’Ermitage from time to time but not on a consistent basis; many of these vintages were new to me. I tasted this vertical with longtime Winemaker Arnaud Weyrich and President Nicole Carter during a visit to the property in January 2025.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1749224172768-Roederer+Estate+Bottles_Vinous.jpg)

_The first complete retrospective of L’Ermitage._

### Giant Steps

The Rouzaud family built their early reputation with Champagne Louis Roederer, the estate that is now operated by the seventh generation of the Rouzaud family. In the early 1980s, Jean-Claude Rouzaud, then at the helm representing the sixth generation, decided to make the family’s first investments outside Champagne, as the cost of land at home was becoming prohibitive. His first venture was in Tasmania, where he sent a very young Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon, now the Chef de Cave at Champagne Louis Roederer. Ultimately, physical and time zone differences proved too much to overcome, and Rouzaud exited his investment.

California was the next destination. Moët & Chandon had founded Domaine Chandon in 1973, but Rouzaud believed land in Carneros was too expensive. After some exploration, Rouzaud settled on Anderson Valley. Here, he found a region defined by its proximity to the Pacific Ocean, with a cool microclimate and rolling fog that resulted in cycles of warming and cooling ideal for ripening fruit while maintaining vibrant acidity. Land was readily available, inexpensive and largely unplanted, which allowed for full control over selection of plant density, clones, rootstocks and other variables.

Jean-Claude Rouzaud was a pioneer. These were very early days for Anderson Valley. Commercial winemaking began here in the early 1900s. By the 1960s, there were a few wineries in the region. Anderson Valley, which now spans 2,500 hectares, was recognized as an AVA (American Viticultural Area) in 1983. Even today, Anderson Valley feels quite remote, especially compared to other regions in Northern California. There are only a few tasting rooms for the inquisitive oenophile to explore. Many of the best Anderson Valley wines, especially still Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, are made by producers based in nearby Sonoma County.

Rouzaud bought his first property, the Carney Vineyard, on the east side of the valley in 1982 and founded Roederer Estate. At the time, the site was planted to Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Gewürztraminer. Rouzaud grafted the vines over with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. By 1989, Roederer Estate had grown their footprint to 340 acres of vineyards. Today, Roederer Estate owns and farms 620 acres divided into seven major ranches, equivalent to 25% of the Anderson Valley AVA. The Rouzaud family’s Roederer Collection now includes 12 wineries (five of them in California), including Pichon Comtesse, Domaines Ott, Ramos Pinto, Merry Edwards and Diamond Creek.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1749224112791-Weyrich_Vinous.jpg)

_Longtime winemaker Arnaud Weyrich caught during a short break discussing Roederer Estate’s vineyard holdings. Harvest typically takes a month, starting with ranches on the eastern side of Anderson Valley, then moving west towards cooler sections._

### A Rich Legacy of Farming and Winemaking

Arnaud Weyrich is only the second winemaker in Roederer Estate’s history. Weyrich also oversees winemaking and viticulture at Scharffenberger and Domaine Anderson at a senior level. Weyrich arrived as an intern in 1993, working alongside Jean-Claude Rouzaud, and ended up staying for two years in the midst of California’s bout with phylloxera, a crisis that required significant replanting. Interestingly, Rouzaud trained some of his most esteemed young professionals at Roederer Estate, another sign of how important this project was to his vision of the company’s future and how he thought about preserving and maintaining the family legacy of farming and winemaking at the highest level. Christophe Coppolani, vineyard manager at Champagne Louis Roederer for more than a dozen years, did his internship here in 1986. Lécaillon, who is also the most senior non-family member of the entire company, interned in 1989.

After his internship, Weyrich moved back to his native France and pursued a career in retail. He returned to Champagne Louis Roederer in 2000, working alongside Lécaillon and his predecessors, Michel Pansu and Jean-Louis Riou, before returning to Roederer Estate in 2001. Weyrich succeeded Founding Winemaker Michel Salgues, a native of Champagne, in 2002. The critical importance of transmitting institutional knowledge and experience across generations might seem obvious, but it is not. This is something I have seen only rarely and only in the very best-run organizations. With the Rouzaud family, that transmission also occurs across estates, as I have witnessed firsthand by observing the many properties in the family’s holdings that I have personally covered for many years.

### L’Ermitage – A California Tête de Cuvée

From the beginning, Jean-Claude Rouzaud’s goal was to make méthode Champenoise wines in California. The early Roederer Estate wines were multi-vintage blends inspired by Roederer’s Brut Premier at the time, using 85% of a base vintage plus reserve wines. The flagship L’Ermitage was conceived in 1989 as a California tête de cuvée. In 1990, Roederer Estate introduced a Late-Disgorged version of L’Ermitage, an approach that works so well in tempering some of the brilliant acidity that is such an Anderson Valley signature.

L’Ermitage is a vintage wine finished with a touch of cask-aged reserves. Base wines are mostly fermented in stainless steel, although some lots are vinified in oak, with bâtonnage that lasts about eight weeks. Malolactic fermentation has traditionally been blocked, as has always been the case with Cristal and Cristal Rosé, although that has become more flexible in response to the unique characteristics of Anderson Valley. Even though the approach at Roederer Estate is derived from principles used in Champagne, there are some key differences between L’Ermitage and Cristal. L’Ermitage is a Chardonnay-driven wine, while Cristal is a Pinot-based Champagne. Acidity is also quite a bit higher in Anderson Valley than it is in Champagne.

Dosage in current vintages is in the range of 6-9 grams per liter. Roederer Estate uses liqueur aged in cask for dosage, the same approach taken with Cristal. In the past, dosage was on the higher side, an attempt to balance the natural acidity of Anderson Valley fruit. Recent vintages suggest that some vinification in wood and malolactic fermentation are effective tools in softening the impact of that acidity. Total production for L’Ermitage is around 3,000 cases per year. In some vintages, Roederer Estate also bottles about 100 cases of Late-Disgorged L’Ermitage. Pricing remains exceptionally fair relative to other top still and sparkling wines from regions around the world.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1749224031149-Roederer+Estate+Map_Vinous.jpg)_Roederer Estate’s key vineyard sites. Parcels in grey are used by sister estate Domaine Anderson._

### L'Ermitage Rosé

In some years, those that are especially favorable, Roederer Estate makes the L'Ermitage Rosé, a smaller production of around 600 cases. It was first produced in 1999. “To do a Rosé L'Ermitage, you have to get the best of both worlds,” Weyrich explained. “The Blanc has to be outstanding, and then we also need the Pinot for the still red wine to be ripe.” The Rosé is essentially equal parts Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, with a touch of Chardonnay reserve wines and about 4% still red Pinot. Based on this tasting, the L'Ermitage Rosé strikes me as more variable, especially in its aging. Recent vintages are stronger than those from the early days, most likely a reflection of better facilities for the production of still red wine, which was not considered when the winery was built in 1986.

In Champagne parlance, the L’Ermitage Rosé is a _Rosé d’Assemblage_, a Rosé made by adding a small percentage of still red wine to a white base. That’s an approach that can work—indeed, it is quite successful in many non-vintage Rosés. That said, most, if not all, of the truly great Rosés in Champagne are conceived as completely unique blends from the ground up. That seems to me like the logical next step.

The most recent development at Roederer Estate is the introduction of single-vineyard wines. I have included notes on the first releases here for completeness. These wines represent an exciting new chapter for the estate that will be fascinating to follow.

_© 2025 Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or redistributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._

* * *

### You Might Also Enjoy

[Sonoma and Neighbors 2022 & 2023: Opposites Attract](https://vinous.com/articles/sonoma-and-neighbors-2022-2023-opposites-attract-jan-2025), Antonio Galloni, January 2025

[2022 Sonoma: A First Look](https://vinous.com/articles/2022-sonoma-preview-a-first-look-jan-2024), Antonio Galloni, January 2024

[Sonoma’s Sensational 2021s](https://vinous.com/articles/sonoma-s-sensational-2021s-aug-2023), Antonio Galloni, August 2023

[California North Coast: Eyes Wide Open](https://vinous.com/articles/california-north-coast-eyes-wide-open-jan-2022), Antonio Galloni, January 2022

[Sonoma: 2021 New Releases](https://vinous.com/articles/sonoma-preview-2021-edition-jan-2021), Antonio Galloni, January 2021

 



Roederer Estate L’Ermitage: A Complete Retrospective

Roederer Estate L’Ermitage: A Complete Retrospective (Jun 2025)

### Bordeaux: The Crisis Laid Bare

BY NEAL MARTIN | JUNE 4, 2025

Bordeaux is facing its biggest crisis since the 1930s.

My first draft sugared the pill. However, after speaking candidly and off the record to people in and outside of Bordeaux, I felt a duty to depict the sheer scale of the calamity the Bordeaux wine industry is up against. A few commentators sporting rose-tinted spectacles recently opined that “it’ll all blow over.”

That is not going to happen.

A couple of winemakers ostensibly admitted that they are losing their raison d’être. All that work to create the best wine that Mother Nature allowed was for what exactly? Another, an international financier, had recently examined the accounts of a well-known château, one of many privately for sale like strays in a dog home. The figures did not add up. The annual losses made it unsellable. A seasoned Bordeaux-based merchant launched into a heartfelt tirade about an industry prone to self-harm, an industry staring into the abyss, before listing the multitude of 2024s that did not sell a single bottle. “It’s certainly been our worst en primeur campaign for over 25 years,” remarked another U.K. merchant. He is not alone in that sentiment.

Despite the tumult, some proprietors still believe that they can get away with a “gesture” reduction. The most worrying aspect is the absence of hope galloping over the horizon. History is telling. After the crisis in the 1930s, most estates did not return to profit until the 1959 vintage, despite hallowed vintages like 1945 and 1953. Of course, the landscape is completely different in 2025, except that the rules of supply and demand remain unchanged. If your wine does not sell, you have no income. The repercussions of what is unfolding right now may take years to resolve, if ever.

Surely, there is a glimmer of hope. There were _literally_ a handful that, against the odds, did manage to sell their 2024s. Step forward Les Carmes Haut-Brion, thanks to a combination of plaudits, price and backstory. Lafite-Rothschild performed best amongst the First Growths, albeit accepting more takers if you want them. Otherwise, telephones never rang and inboxes remained empty. The figures I have seen first-hand make for appalling reading. As unsold cases wash up on châteaux’s once spotless shores, reality might finally hit home, even if the most stubborn denialists cling to the belief that it is a cycle and they just need to ride out the storm. They cannot feel the shift of tectonic plates beneath their feet.

Where did it go wrong?

Perversely, I trace it back to the 2009 campaign, so successful that it skewed expectations, whipped up avarice, instilled feelings of invincibility and encouraged some to pursue easy money. Proprietors rebranded their wines as luxury brands and by extension, investment vehicles that attracted outside investors. Many—though not all—of these speculators had little passion for wine but an insatiable appetite for healthy returns. Subsequently, the once cohesive structure of Bordeaux that bound châteaux, appellations, and organisational bodies together began to fracture. Solipsism spread through the top tiers of the region, concern extending little beyond their vineyard walls. Cooperation faltered. Bordeaux became a bipolar region of excessively wealthy or desperately poor, the gap mercilessly widened by climate change, inequality favouring those with technical means or deep pockets. At the top of the hierarchy, price hikes were predesigned to connote quality and superiority over competitors. Consumers with a genuine passion and loyalty towards Bordeaux wine decried the inflation, lamenting that they could no longer afford their favourite wines. Protests fell on deaf ears or were belittled as “Bordeaux bashing.” The inference was that if a château’s wine was now too expensive, then you were unworthy—go drink something else. That is exactly what consumers did. En masse.

The other disease, apart from greed, was wanton shortsightedness. Prices were set to max out profits for the current vintage instead of nurturing demand and loyalty over the long term. The yardstick of success was measured solely by market value, and price hikes were imposed with an unsavoury “take it or leave it” attitude, chateaux leveraging their position as a quasi-monopoly. After all, “Château Fantastique” can only come from “Château Fantastique.” There was little negotiation so that each could see the business environment of the other side.

Increases were no longer sweetened by reductions in less well-received vintages. If there was an excuse to raise prices, then it was seized. If there was a reason to lower them, it was conveniently forgotten. Luxury does not discount.

In any case, there were egos and shareholder expectations to appease, aside from what in hindsight could be viewed as superfluous outlays. The mantra was “quality at any cost,” whether that was in the vineyard or the bespoke winery designed by a world-renowned architect, predicated on the notion that people will never demur paying more for superior wines, as if there exists no upper limit. In reality, nearly all wine lovers with discerning palates have a maximum price they are willing to pay, irrespective of reputation, points or whether the château installed a swanky, marble-clad tasting room. Arguably, what most investments achieve is improved consistency rather than elevating quality to a higher echelon, which is a debate for another time.

Shortsightedness takes another form. As soon as the newest vintage was sold to négociants, the châteaux considered their job done. Hence, the frequently heard refrain uttered in a self-congratulatory tone: “We sold our entire production in 30 or 60 seconds…”

A fatal error, whether that is naivety or blissful ignorance.

It was a chimera of success.

For châteaux, the idea that their lauded wine might be gathering dust in warehouses was not their problem. That’s simply how the distribution system was set up, a system capsizing under its own inability to achieve its purpose: **dispersing wine to end consumers in an efficient, cost-effective fashion so that each tier of distribution can obtain a decent profit**. The market became clogged with an ocean of unsold stock, like a petrol car filled with diesel.

Hey, who cares if interest rates are low and that stock is an appreciating asset? Négociants or merchants should be happy, acting like unregulated banks and reaping the profits.

Except most of them began operating on scarcely workable margins. Sometimes a sale would mean a négociant or merchant could break even, occasionally even selling at a loss to curry favour or safeguard next year’s allocations in the hope that the economic headwinds would swing in another direction. It was like a toxic relationship where two lovers cannot be honest with each other. Simultaneously, the wines were vanishing from restaurant lists. Sommeliers became apathetic or hostile towards Bordeaux. Worst of all, an entire generation became disenfranchised and lost their taste and appreciation for Bordeaux. As I said already, people just moved on. I warned of this repeatedly over my career, yet it was always seen as some kind of existential problem.

What underlines the failure of the 2024 primeur campaign specifically?

1. Most châteaux reduced prices by 20% to 30% against last year. Right direction, though what else in a vintage that was unequivocally not great? Difficult as it might be to swallow, **reductions needed to be at least 50% to have any impact on moribund demand**. Châteaux might flinch at such a preposterous idea. I suggest examining actual sales first and reflecting on historical price rises that consumers had to swallow. Care to compare?

2. Exchange rates are a significant factor, especially the weak U.S. dollar. Not Bordeaux’s problem? Yes, it is when your allocation is refused.

3. More than one merchant remarked that the main cause for consumer apathy is not actual prices, but the fact that **several back vintages are physically available in enormous quantities** , eviscerating any motivation to buy primeur. There is no fear of losing out. Even when release prices were dialled back to levels—to quote sales pitches—"not seen since 2013 or 2014,” there is nearly always an alternative vintage within arm’s reach at a similar price. Why risk money on an unfinished wine when there is no need?

4. When back vintages are available for 20% or 30% LESS than their release prices, again, it completely undermines the primeur system, not least any financial return on buying the latest inconsistent vintage. **Vast swathes of consumers who had bought primeur felt swindled by the system**. The overpriced 2021 vintage is one that certainly sticks in the craw, especially after Bordeaux had a chance to reset after the well-received 2019 campaign. Then again, most of those wines now sell below their release prices.

5. Bordeaux is no longer the centre of attention. Burgundy, Piedmont, Champagnek California and numerous up-and-coming countries like South Africa, et al., have all taken a piece of the pie, and with fewer and fewer people drinking alcohol due to lack of disposable income, health awareness, lifestyle changes and strengthening anti-alcohol lobby, that pie is shrinking.

6. The economic climate. Financial and geopolitical uncertainty, higher interest rates and inflation all dissuade consumers from spending, especially on luxury products. You know it all.

The abject failure of the 2024 campaign has put the Bordeaux industry, not just the châteaux but any enterprise connected with the trade, into a critical condition. It has been there for several years, but many refused to acknowledge it. The scale of the crisis depends on who you are. Part of a billionaire’s portfolio or a cash-rich global conglomerate? Then there is less pressure, and theoretically you can keep calm and carry on. That said, unsold stock is not a good look, damaging the brand and calling business acumen into question.

The five First Growths are buffered by historical and premium status. Even _they_ produce hundreds of barrels each year, barrels that at some point must be sold. Assuming that a significant percentage of buyers are motivated by future returns, then those gains can only be made when the wines are resold, kicking the problem into the long grass. The tiers below? Grand Cru Classés and notable Right Bank estates are very exposed. Irrespective of quality, these estates are not cushioned by First Growth status, nor are they sufficiently inexpensive to attract average buyers who are now far more prudent with cash than they used to be. Trust me, there are some very well-known names wondering how long they can hang on if things continue in this direction, as they surely will. As for the innumerable Petit Châteaux and Cru Bourgeois, many face extinction. The personal trauma and loss of livelihoods will not make front-page news. They will quietly disappear, collateral damage of changing times.

Is there any solution? There is one. It is an exemplar of Occam’s razor. In other words, it’s obvious…

**Slash release prices by 50% to 60%**. Swallow your pride. Don’t kid yourself that every wine lover equates quality with price—consumers are cleverer than that. Your true followers equate quality with taste and pleasure. They want to drink wine, not make a dime from it. For all those claiming it is out of the question, feel free to publish a breakdown of the unit cost of a bottle of wine. If the Bordelais don’t do it, the market will do it for them in a brutal and ruthless fashion. This is already occuring in the form of under-the-table deals to offload stock and shore up liquidity. Such discounts will ineluctably render back vintages overpriced. Here is the news: They always were. Nothing is going to change that. Again, market forces will sort that out, and it will not be pretty.

But let me give you a microcosm of how the market can work in Bordeaux’s favour. At a couple of dinners, I asked everyone around the table whether they had bought that day’s primeur release.

“No,” they replied in unison. “There is no financial reason.”

Then I began lowering the price like an auction in reverse, and they continued to reply “No”…until I reached a certain figure. It was not just one person who responded affirmatively.

**They all did.**

There is a tipping point where consumers will take the bait, a release price where buyers would not dribble back, but flood back, even in this economic climate. That equilibrium is seen as totally unacceptable for reasons explained earlier, but essentially it boils down to a loss of face. It would be construed as an admission of failure. The complete antithesis of what all these châteaux’s much-touted investments were designed to achieve. I would counter-argue that price reductions of this scale would be seen as a gesture of goodwill, something Bordeaux needs in order to rebuild its reputation and its bond with wine lovers. It could be a catalyst for restored loyalty. In the long term, Bordeaux might see its wines return to restaurants and dining tables. It might be the spark that reaps long-term rewards. Down the line, proprietors will look back and say it was a tough decision…but it worked.

Because I do not believe this is an economic cycle. The halcyon days of 1982, 2005, 2009 or 2019 are not going to return in the current climate. With each passing primeur, as each unsold vintage is unceremoniously piled onto the last, the situation worsens and becomes less recoverable. The Bordelais must take a sober look at what a bottle of fermented grape juice is worth. The danger is that a significant devaluation would incur a huge write-down in producers’ inventory, and since many estates are financed by banks, this could risk insolvency, not least for négociants holding stock. But if sales remain stagnant, many will quickly run out of liquidity anyway.

The answer lies in what consumers are willing to pay for the wine, not what the château thinks.

Stop the pointless and illogical comparison to Burgundy, a region operating in a completely different economic sphere, albeit one not immune to a similar fate. Be proud of producing high quality and high volumes. No other region does that like Bordeaux. Accept that the law of microeconomics means that higher quantities will always exert downward pressure on market prices. The fact that so many can savour a great Bordeaux is something that should be treasured, much more than the sight of collectors fighting over measly allocations, too often for little more than bragging rights. This requires a completely different mindset from proprietors and winemakers. Whether that can prevail, I am doubtful. This will continue to be Bordeaux’s undoing.

Bypass the Bordeaux _Place_? I have said it before and will say it again: **It works when the price is correct, and it falls apart if the price is wrong**. Occam’s razor again. **The finger-pointing must stop.** Châteaux blaming négociants and négociants blaming châteaux. There are good and bad apples on either side. At the end of the day, everyone works for the same team, something often forgotten during the ongoing internecine war of words.

At Vinous Icons: New York this past February, I remarked to the audience that Bordeaux must get corks popping, lest it becomes a museum for wines that ancestors once enjoyed. The Bordeaux market _is_ salvageable, but the distribution system needs to be fit for purpose. Châteaux must connect with _real_ customers face-to-face and hear their concerns. Maybe the horse has already bolted. All parties involved in the Bordeaux wine industry should have sat around a table in 2012 or 2013 and worked out a long-term strategy. The pretence on all sides should’ve been nipped in the bud long ago. The consequences are now coming to bear. But remember, many consumers still love Bordeaux wines, including yours truly, maybe now more than ever as I savour memories of a double magnum of 1990 Hennebelle last weekend, a modest, cheap-as-chips Haut-Médoc superior to most highfalutin Burgundies made that year. Indeed, in recent months, I have noticed an uptick in Bordeaux-themed dinners because the wines still represent comparatively great value. However, these are predominantly bottles purchased when Bordeaux was still worth buying en primeur.

 The 2025 vintage is less than a year away. Whether en primeur is a year away is a different question. Whatever form in which it returns, it will be damaged and will not be the same.

_© 2025, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or redistributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._

* * *

### You Might Also Enjoy

[Event Horizon: Bordeaux 2024 Primeur](https://vinous.com/articles/event-horizon-bordeaux-2024-primeur-may-2025), Neal Martin, May 2025

[2024 Bordeaux En Primeur: The Razor’s Edge](https://vinous.com/articles/2024-bordeaux-en-primeur-the-razors-edge-apr-2025), Antonio Galloni, April 2025

[A Place Beyond Praise: Bordeaux 2022](https://vinous.com/articles/a-place-beyond-praise-bordeaux-2022-feb-2025), Neal Martin, February 2025

[2022 Bordeaux in Bottle: Living in the Present](https://vinous.com/articles/2022-bordeaux-in-bottle-living-in-the-present-jan-2025), Antonio Galloni, January 2025

[Bordeaux 2020 – The Southwold Tasting](https://vinous.com/articles/bordeaux-2020-the-southwold-tasting-nov-2024), Neal Martin, November 2024

Bordeaux: The Crisis Laid Bare

Bordeaux: The Crisis Laid Bare (Jun 2025)

### Bordeaux 2015 At Age Ten

BY NEAL MARTIN | JUNE 3, 2025

### Introduction

_Bleach_. _The Dreaming_. _Meddle_. _Plastic Letters_. _Modern Life Is Rubbish_. _The Man Who Sold The World_. _In The Garden_. _Unhalfbricking_. _Good Kid_, m.A.A.d City. _Porgy and Bess_…

What do these albums have in common?

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1748959047383-albums_Vinous.JPG)

They all preceded a bona fide classic. Those aforementioned albums are all great in their own right. Some music fans might regard them as being superior. That is a debate for another day, but what cannot be denied is that they are overshadowed by the follow-up. One point for naming each one; answers at the end of this report.

A similar fate befell the 2015 Bordeaux vintage. Its wines were hailed upon release like the aforementioned albums, yet the applause had barely died before the wines were playing second fiddle to the 2016s. Now with ten years on the odometer, it is time to revisit the 2015 vintage and see whether it is full of hidden gems or never quite passed muster.

### The Growing Season

Though 2015 is often regarded as the best since 2010, the growing season was actually quite complicated and certainly no shoo-in. January and February were rainy and replenished the depleted water table. March was the warmest since 1880. Bud-burst was retarded by low nighttime temperatures, and the vines’ pent-up energy meant that the landscape exploded into green at the beginning of April, some shoots growing up to five inches in a day. However, dry conditions slowed growth, as rainfall was 70% and 60% below average in April and May, respectively. Warm temperatures, up to 24°C, brought quick, even flowering. This was followed by a period of strong heat, some 3.2°C above normal, along with record sunlight hours. Eleven consecutive days in excess of 30°C began stressing the vines before the season took a different direction with two violent storms on July 22 and 24. Temperatures remained high in August, but there was much-needed rainfall, clustered in three or four deluges, adding up to 140 mm on the Right Bank and 100 mm in Pessac-Léognan. Growers found that this evened out véraison, which was completed by August 10, and vines redirected their energy toward bunches instead of foliage.

At harvest time, dry conditions meant there was little risk of rot. The dry whites were picked between August 28 and September 11, with cool nights benefiting the Sauvignon Blanc in particular. But on September 12, the remnants of Tropical Storm Henry delivered a 48-hour deluge followed by several more days of rain. Normally, depressions barge across the region from west to east; in this case, a warm southerly breeze that descends from the leeward side of the Alps—known as a _föhn_—steered the storm away from Bordeaux, limiting rain in many appellations to 40 mm. Alas, the _föhn_’s protective influence did not quite extend to Saint-Estèphe, which received 100 mm of rain and consequently had a shorter picking window than other appellations. Many properties delayed picking, instead of expediting as many did in 1999, allowing time for berries to recover from the wet spell and avoid swelling and potential dilution.

The lion’s share of Merlot was picked between September 20 and October 1 during sunny days and cold nights, mostly over the final four days of the month. Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon were harvested almost simultaneously from October 8 under blue skies and a cooling northerly breeze, and harvest was more or less complete by October 22.

### How The Wines Were Tasted

As in previous years, this report is a blend of two horizontal tastings. The first, organised by Bordeaux Index, comprised just over 60 wines tasted blind in their London offices. This was a more leisurely paced tasting where I had the advantage of allowing more time per wine. The second was hosted by Farr Vintners. This was a larger tasting of around 120 wines, conducted single-blind. I merged the tasting notes from each tasting , but in cases where I felt that readers would gain insight from two separate notes, I have kept them thus. I have supplemented these notes with a couple of wines served at my 2015 Bordeaux seminar at Vinous Icons: New York.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1748958991567-bordeaux+2015+all+bottles_Vinous.JPG)

_A busy day in the office. This photo was taken at Farr Vintners after the blind tasting._

### The Wines

The 2015 vintage is one of those curious vintages where you might say, “_The jury’s out_.” It is definitely not an average vintage. It is a very good vintage, but it is a stretch to proclaim 2015 a truly great growing season. These tastings raised as many questions as they did answers. Consequently, I did not walk away thinking that I must buy some 2015s as soon as possible, a sentiment that I also expressed at the Southwold blind tasting in 2019, when I opined that the 2015 vintage was “_close but no cigar_.”

Before continuing, I must stress that there were differences between the two horizontal ten-year-on tastings. Firstly, atmospheric conditions were more benevolent during the Bordeaux Index tasting, which occurred on a rare warm and sunny day compared to the bitterly cold and overcast conditions during the Farr Vintners tasting. But, there’s nothing either organiser can do about that. Atmospheric pressure is the invisible hand that _does_ make a difference in a wine’s performance, more so than the biodynamic calendar. Secondly, the bottles benefitted from longer decanting at the first tasting. This was confirmed when I oversaw the two-hour decanting of the 2015s poured at my Vinous Icons seminar. I could see the wines settle and open up. Thirdly, the higher number of samples at the second tasting makes it a more arduous task and risks palate fatigue towards the final flights, which can be exacerbated in less fruit-driven vintages like 2015.

Part of me is just a little concerned how quickly some of these 2015s are evolving in bottle. Whenever I’m asked whether Bordeaux has forsaken longevity to appease consumers’ demands for more approachable wines, I answer “No.” Yet there were moments in these tastings where I was perturbed by the evolution of some wines and doubted whether further ageing would yield a return. This might be due to bottle variation, but nonetheless, I will be looking for any patterns that could suggest that drinking windows need to be shortened.

One shortcoming of the 2015 vintage is a lack of superstars, what I frequently dub as wines with “snow-capped peaks.” There is a clutch of excellent 2015s within the top tier, though nothing that gets the pulse racing, nothing that transcends the season’s limitations. There’s no eye-grabbing headline, and for better or worse, that is what often triggers demand and consumers’ attention, which, these days, is difficult to gain. Upon release, the 2015 vintage was received _too_ warmly, hailed as “the best since 2010,” only to be eclipsed 12 months later. It is not a particularly flattering vintage. The 2015s are not inclined to seduce with silky tannins and pure fruit that became hallmarks of subsequent vintages, thanks in large part to bespoke tannin management. It could be argued that 2015 is the last vintage when winemakers were not focused upon fashioning wines that appease consumers in their youth, and as such, it is either tainted or blessed—depending on your predilection—with a patina of “old school” claret.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1748958855628-bordeaux+2015+firsts_Vinous.JPG)

_First Growths. I tasted the quintet twice, blind and sighted. This is the lineup at Bordeaux Index._

As I opined during the blind tasting, I felt that overall sentiments were influenced by the disappointing flight of Saint-Estèphes. These are always tricky to assess blind, their structure and adolescent obduracy rendering them aloof, unyielding and at worst, a bit dour. These wines dislike beauty pageants and tend to flourish in small-scale tastings, preferably at the dinner table, where they show their mettle. Some of the big names like Cos d’Estournel and Montrose performed better at the first tasting when afforded more breathing time. Granted, Saint-Estèphe was disadvantaged by the higher amount of rain during harvest. That rainfall did not directly impinge upon quality, but it denied châteaux the flexibility of picking dates enjoyed by harvesters further south. Perhaps in addition, 2015 is not a vintage where the Pauillacs rise to the occasion. Expectations are inevitably going to be high. However, beyond First Growths and the likes of the excellent Pichon Baron, the Pauillacs lack the lustre of other vintages, just missing that _éclat_ or brightness. The Saint-Julien flights were more even, and perhaps here is where the reputation of the 2015 vintage rests, proving once more that Saint-Julien really is the most consistent appellation in Bordeaux. This vintage is bejewelled with wonderful wines from Léoville Las-Cases, Léoville Poyferré, Langoa Barton, Talbot and Beychevelle. Tuck a few of these away in your cellar and you will not be disappointed.

The Margaux appellation was warmly received on release, and it has some gems, predictably the First Growth that was made after the untimely passing of winemaker Paul Pontallier. There were also impressive showings from Palmer, Giscours, Rauzan-Ségla and Brane Cantenac. Perhaps the one outside bet was the 2015 Kirwan. I have long admired this estate, but this was the first time it stood shoulder to shoulder with the appellation’s more reputed names. Likewise, as second labels go, few represent better value than Ségla.

Pessac-Léognan has its own fair share of worthy wines. Amongst the reds, the 2015 Haut-Brion has its nose in front of the La Mission Haut-Brion at the moment. Smith Haut-Lafitte is endowed with an ebullient bouquet and bravura finish, whilst the typically more understated Domaine de Chevalier oozes with class. As for whites, both the Domaine de Chevalier Blanc and Smith Haut-Lafitte Blanc were delightful at the Bordeaux Index horizontal.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1748958802814-bordeaux+2015+pomerols_Vinous.JPG)

The Right Bank intermittently shines. Certainly, Pomerol has a clutch of impressive wines, not least Lafleur and Trotanoy. One bottle of Vieux Château Certan was excellent, another disappointing, testifying to bottle variation in this particular vintage. Pomerol’s sheen is taken off by “big hitters” like Le Pin and Petrus, neither living up to their own high expectations. These wines are by no means not delicious, but this old meanie might not include them in their respective “Greatest Hits.” Maybe they belong to the “Near Misses?” Saint-Émilion was like Saint-Estèphe insofar that I found comparatively more discrepancy between the two horizontals. This is one vintage where I might err towards Saint-Émilion over Pomerol since there is a bounty of great wines: Cheval Blanc (candidate for wine of the vintage), Figeac, Cheval Blanc, Ausone, Bélair-Monange and Canon, to name a few. This was a time when Saint-Émilion’s winemakers were “consciously uncoupling” themselves from so-called “Parkerized” wines but still predates the handbrake turn of say, Troplong Mondot.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1748958665004-bordeaux+2015+sauternes_Vinous.JPG)

The Sauternes 2015s are well worth seeking out, not least because the remain exceptional value in today’s market—a sign of consumers’ apathy towards sweet wines in general, rather than quality. The second flight in particular was studded with gems: Yquem, Suduiraut, Rayne-Vigneau, Lafaurie-Peyraguey, Doisy-Védrines, Doisy-Daëne and Coutet.

### Final Thoughts

Two thousand fifteen is a vintage that has not quite found its place within the hierarchy of 21st century Bordeaux growing seasons. Where does it sit exactly? It is not in the big league like 2016 or 2020, but it is better than 2012, 2014 or 2017. Though 2015 is not without its caveats and there are weaknesses, there are a sufficient number of high-quality wines.

Perhaps it is unfair to compare 2015 with the saintly 2016 vintage. We will see how that fares early next year. Juxtaposition casts 2015 in a more unfavourable light and as a consequence, the best wines are not given due credit. As we contentiously enter a post-_primeur_ era (the first time I have used that expression), vintages like 2015 are worthy of attention given market prices, physical availability and obviating the need to wait and tap your fingers impatiently on the table. On the other hand, with several Bordeaux vintages are available in the market, I guess the question is: Why buy or drink 2015 if you have others at your beck and call?

To return to my opening introduction, maybe it comes down to whether you really want to listen to _Nevermind_ (Nirvana), _Hounds of Love_ (Kate Bush), _Dark Side of the Moon_ (Pink Floyd), _Parallel Lines_ (Blondie), _Park Life_ (Blur), _Hunky Dory_ (David Bowie), _Sweet Dreams_ (Eurythmics), _Lief and Liege_ (Fairport Convention), _To Pimp a Butterfly_ (Kendrick Lamar) or _Kind of Blue_ (Miles Davis) on constant repeat? I suppose some do. Listening to _Meddle_ or _Bleach_ might make for a refreshing change, just like drinking one of the better 2015s.

_© 2025, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._

* * *

### You Might Also Enjoy

[Event Horizon: Bordeaux 2024 Primeur](https://vinous.com/articles/event-horizon-bordeaux-2024-primeur-may-2025), Neal Martin, May 2025

[2024 Bordeaux En Primeur: The Razor’s Edge](https://vinous.com/articles/2024-bordeaux-en-primeur-the-razors-edge-apr-2025), Antonio Galloni, April 2025

[Intellect & Senses: Bordeaux With Time](https://vinous.com/articles/intellect-senses-bordeaux-with-time-mar-2025), Neal Martin, March 2025

[A Place Beyond Praise: Bordeaux 2022](https://vinous.com/articles/a-place-beyond-praise-bordeaux-2022-feb-2025), Neal Martin, February 2025

[2022 Bordeaux in Bottle: Living in the Present](https://vinous.com/articles/2022-bordeaux-in-bottle-living-in-the-present-jan-2025), Antonio Galloni, January 2025

[Test of Endurance: Bordeaux 2014 Ten Years On](https://vinous.com/articles/test-of-endurance-bordeaux-2014-ten-years-on-mar-2024), Neal Martin, March 2024



Bordeaux 2015 At Age Ten

Bordeaux 2015 At Age Ten (Jun 2025)

### An Eruption of Fine Wine on Mount Etna 

BY ERIC GUIDO | MAY 29, 2025

In last year's article, “[Unveiling the Diverse Palette of Sicily, New Releases and Beyond](https://vinous.com/articles/unveiling-the-diverse-palette-of-sicily-new-releases-and-beyond-jun-2024),” I wrote, “_Mark my words, the day Mount Etna receives its own individual coverage, much like the regions of Piedmont, Montalcino and Burgundy, will soon be upon us. The progress I’ve witnessed in the past decade is nothing short of amazing._” Well, that day has come. Frankly, I’m surprised it’s taken this long. Having gained its initial recognition through Etna Rosso and now even more so through Etna Bianco, Mount Etna has established itself as one of the world’s foremost viticultural areas.

Etna’s complex division of _contrade_ and diverse terroirs make it a treasure trove of site-specific wines. The Etna DOC, which accounts for Rosso, Bianco and Rosato, spans elevations from 450 meters up to 1,200 meters in the south and 800 meters in the north, with unique soils and mineral deposits created by millennia of lava flows. To this day, constant volcanic activity results in varying degrees of ash and volcanic stone deposits across the entire region. The Etna DOC covers the volcano's north, south and east sides, yet not the west side, due to a history of active lava flows that regularly destroyed vineyards in the area.

Nerello Mascalese is the king of the north. This side of the volcano is warm, with a cooling influence from the Nebrodi and Peloritani Mountains. It’s also the historical center of Etna’s fine red wine production. In the east, Carricante takes center stage. The mix of generally wet conditions and cooler temperatures prevents winemakers from rearing notable reds, but it’s a perfect environment for whites. The south is a warmer area with southern exposures where vineyards reach elevations up to 1,200 meters. Both Nerello Mascalese and Carricante thrive here, yielding wines with rounder, richer fruit profiles. Though some might argue that wines of the south lacked importance historically, current producers like Benanti and Idda (Gaja’s project in partnership with Alberto Graci) prove the area’s mettle. With vineyards outside the 800-meter DOC limit on the north slope, producers often bottle these wines under the lesser classification _Terre Siciliane_ because the fruit comes from elevations above the legal limit. Many of these sites did not perform well before the onset of global warming, such as those in Contrada Barbabecchi and Contrada Sciaranuova. Even today, a cool vintage can produce underripe fruit at these high elevations. But when the fruit does ripen, the results can be spellbinding.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1748452074193-Velvety+dunes+of+ash+at+the+Porcaria+vineyard+within+Contrada+Fuedo+di+Mezzo.jpg)

_Velvety dunes of ash at the Porcaria vineyard in Contrada Fuedo di Mezzo._

Mount Etna's grand scale is hard to quantify, but luckily, the region began developing an organizational structure in 1960s during the inception of the Etna DOC, now totaling 142 individual _contrade_. The term _contrada_ is best described as a neighborhood of vineyards in a general location, sharing similar elevations yet a multitude of distinct soil types. It’s not a perfect system, but it is an excellent stepping stone in the right direction that provides winemakers and consumers with a useful tool to understand a wine’s sense of place.

A deeper knowledge of individual lava flows and attributes of single vineyards would significantly help the region take things to the next level. I like to use the well-known Contrada Feudo di Mezzo as an example. Feudo di Mezzo is a large _contrada_ considered roughly homogeneous, but it is in fact marked by soils from two distinct lava flows from 1879 and 1646. Within Feudo di Mezzo, the Porcaria vineyard (made famous by Passopisciaro) is defined by fine volcanic dust formed by a small stream that flooded over a frail sheet of lava. When the stream receded, it left behind a pillowy soil that seems almost otherworldly in texture. Contrada Rampante is another interesting example. Rampante consists of a large, narrow swath of land that starts around 650 meters in elevation and then climbs as high as 1,000 meters. The soils are generally homogenous volcanic sand. However, the importance of single vineyards becomes apparent when one considers the massive elevation climb and multiple _clos_ (stoned-off sections with distinct soils), such as Pietradolce's Barbagalli vineyard. Barbagalli has the same sandy volcanic soils, but also contains a large percentage of calcareous stones.

_![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1748451945403-The+Barbagalli+vineyard+with+the+Rampante+Contrada+on+the+North+side+of+Mount+Etna.jpg)_

_The Barbagalli vineyard within Contrada Rampante, on the north side of Mount Etna._

The future of Mount Etna’s wines depends on producers and consumers gaining a deeper understanding of these unique places. Fortunately, winemakers continue to study and uncover these terroirs and name them specifically on labels. The next step is mapping the region beyond _contrade_ and lava flows, which I’ve been assured remains an ongoing process. This region loves its maps.

### A Brief History Lesson

It’s essential to look to the past to understand how the modern-day Mount Etna came to be, as well as its current dynamics. The area boasts a winemaking history that goes back thousands of years. An explosion of vineyards in the 9th century saw the planting of over 90,000 hectares across the area, owned primarily by noble families and farmed through sharecropping _mezzadria_. This thriving industry continued until the end of the 19th century, when phylloxera decimated over 80% of the vines. The scarcity of grafting material and the persistent volcanic eruptions led many to abandon their vineyards. The establishment of the Etna DOC in 1968 (one of the first in Italy) recorded 40,000 surviving hectares at a time when winemaking in the area focused primarily on bulk production for shipping north and overseas, as well as producing easy-drinking reds for locals. This industry fell apart in the late 1980s and early 1990s. It’s incredible to consider that there are only about 1,200 hectares under vine today.

_![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1748451759844-In+the+barrel+aging+room+of+Pietradolce.jpg)_

_The barrel room at Pietradolce._

When winemakers like Frank Cornelissen, Marco de Grazia, Andrea Franchetti and Alberto Graci arrived in the early 2000s, they found abandoned vineyards on the north slope full of overgrown foliage and collapsing stone terraces enshrouding ungrafted, often century-old bush vines. These vineyards reached elevations up to 800 meters, but more were discovered at even higher locations. One can only imagine the spark of inspiration that struck the early pioneers of Etna’s modern-day revival. Even now, walking these vineyards feels like a scene from the movie _Labyrinth_ or a Tolkien landscape in Middle Earth. Winemakers continue to uncover forgotten vines to this day, but it’s a long and painstaking recovery process for these vineyards. As a result, many wineries have decided to construct new terraces and plant new vineyards to take advantage of Mount Etna’s terroir. The potential for expansion is high, but the environment remains rugged and challenging. An Etna winemaker’s livelihood depends on an active volcano and Mother Nature's will.

### The Potential of Rosso and Bianco

Etna Rosso, a blend of Nerello Mascalese with smaller amounts of Nerello Cappuccio, was the first Etna wine to capture consumers’ attention. Etna Rosso’s capacity to gracefully articulate depth of fruit with finesse often draws comparisons to Burgundy, while its power and ability to age elicit comparisons to Barolo. Moreover, Nerello Mascalese has a fantastic ability to communicate a sense of place. As for Nerello Cappuccio, its importance is waning, but Benanti’s rare, varietal Nerello Cappuccio is still one of the region’s hidden gems. Nerello Cappuccio may not be trendy, but according to Benanti, it’s their first wine to sell out in every vintage.

Today, winemakers express even more excitement over the future of Etna Bianco (typically 100% Carricante) and Etna Bianco Superiore, centered around the commune of Milo. As Etna Rosso gained popularity, many producers began experimenting with Carricante. Tenuta delle Terre Nere did a fantastic job of introducing international consumers to these wines, crafting successful Burgundian-style whites from the northern slope. However, with time, the eastern slopes of the region proved to be the ideal location for growing white varieties. The town of Milo and its surrounding vineyards share a similar history with the northern slope, but the focus here is on white grapes, as generations of winemakers realized that the area is too cold to ripen Nerello Mascalese. From a traditional standpoint, the white Catarratto variety also deserves a mention. The original Etna Bianco style mixed Carricante with Catarratto to balance minerality and sweet fruit, but modern-day interpretations eschew Catarratto.

_![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1748451813703-In+the+vineyards+of+Iuppa+located+around+the+village+of+Milo%2C+just+a+few+kilometers+from+the+Ionian+Sea.jpg)_

_The Iuppa vineyards, near the village of Milo, just a few kilometers from the Ionian Sea._

As for Etna Bianco Superiore, readers will find that vine age isn’t as much a predictor of quality as location and terroir. Many of the Superiore plantings around Milo were established only in the last decade. Winemakers are betting on Etna Bianco Superiore outpacing Etna Rosso as the region’s top category. While the best Bianco Superiores show remarkable quality, depth and ageability, it will be a long time before I’m convinced that the majority of them will reach those levels. On top of that, Etna Rosso’s days are far from over.

### The Constant State of Evolution

Several changes to the Etna DOC will take effect in the coming years, including the introduction of an official sparkling category. Many winemakers throughout Etna experiment with sparkling wine produced using Metodo Classico, currently labeled as Vino Spumante. Carricante’s crisp acidity lends well to the process. I’ve tasted many of these wines that move the needle, including offerings from Antichi Vinai, Benanti and Tenute Nicosia. But it doesn't end with Carricante. Nerello Mascalese also produces a compelling Sparkling Rosé. The Iuppa winery in Milo, a proponent of red varieties on the eastern side of Etna, found that the colder climate in the area is perfect for attaining a more perfumed, high-acid profile from Nerello Mascalese, which is ideal for sparkling wine production. Also, in the north, Renato de Bartoli of DBE - De Bartoli Etna is doing great things with sparkling wine using Nerello Mascalese from Contrada Rampante. This is just the beginning of a category I expect to be wildly successful.

Another development here is the Etna DOC’s approval of the use of place names on labels as they explore the idea of village designates. The day may soon come when we can taste an Etna Rosso Castiglione di Sicilia and an Etna Rosso Randazzo side by side to compare their unique attributes. This should bring Etna even closer to the Barolo or Burgundy paradigm. This level of specificity would be a revelation for terroir geeks like myself. My biggest issue with the DOC is the 800-meter elevation limit on the north side of Etna, which excludes many of the area's most dramatic and oldest vineyards. Unfortunately, winemakers across Etna assure me that this would be the most challenging change to pass through the DOC for “political reasons.” If the DOC decides to open the borders in one direction, the fear is that other producers could convince the DOC to also include inferior locations.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1748451629144-A+Resurrection+of+Stone+Terraces+in+Planta%E2%80%99s+Etna+Vineyards.jpg)

_Resurrected stone terraces in Planeta’s Etna vineyards._

### Vintage Talk

One important reason behind separating Mount Etna into its own article is the ability to properly break down vintages apart from the rest of Sicily. Sicily is more like a continent than an island, shaped by multiple climatic influences from all directions. With mountains in the north, the Ionian Sea to the east, and warm winds blowing up from Africa affecting the south, Mount Etna is its own world. These distinctions merit separate vintage discussions. For example, in the 2014 vintage, Etna excelled while the rest of Sicily suffered.

The current topic of conversation across Etna is the 2023 vintage. Most winemakers have either just finished bottling their 2023 or are preparing to bottle them now. Many producers are less excited about the 2023s than I am. In my visit with Frank Cornelissen, he was hesitant to taste his 2023s with me, remarking that he wasn’t sure whether he would even bottle most of them. We followed our conversation with a tasting through nearly all of the fiberglass tanks housing the nascent 2023s. What I found, and Cornelissen agreed, was that the 2023s are far more interesting and balanced than he initially suspected. People across the region hold mixed opinions about the year. Some winemakers love them. Some didn’t have enough juice to bottle them, like Girolamo Russo, who only made one Etna Rosso and nothing else. Most seem almost fearful of how markets will perceive the wines. I believe this is unwarranted. The issue with the 2023s lies not only in their limited quantities but also in their unusually perfumed and playful personalities. If winemakers handled them properly in the cellar, such as limiting extraction with shorter macerations and gentle pump-overs, followed by nonaggressive barrel refinement, then they were rewarded with exotic yet excellent wines. However, this assumes that a winemaker had healthy fruit to harvest at the end of the season.

_![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1748451676802-In+Contrada+Feudo+with+Dante+Pasqua+of+Girolamo+Russo.jpg)_

_In Contrada Feudo with Dante Pasqua of Girolamo Russo._

In 2023, spring rains totaling around 400 mm led to a decimating outbreak of downy mildew that reduced crops by up to 70% on the north side of Etna. The east largely escaped this damage, which explains the higher quality of the 2023 white wines. These wet spring conditions gave way to a warm and drought-stricken summer. This created thicker skins and uneven ripening throughout the bunches, as many vines shut down due to hydric stress. Ultimately, a small amount of rain in September and perfect conditions through October saved the vintage from total disaster. However, healthy bunches were not a guarantee. Uneven ripening necessitated a berry-by-berry approach during selection. Some wineries have the resources to pull this off easily, while many others struggled or simply failed.

Those that succeeded made some of the most exotic yet finessed and elegant wines imaginable, more like Cru Beaujolais than Burgundy in style. Readers should be highly selective when choosing 2023s as they appear in the market over the coming year. Most of what’s available right now are late-release 2021s and the current-release 2022s, which are showing beautifully.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1748452109732-The+decomposition+of+volcanic+rock%2C+along+with+organic+matter+slowly+create+the+soils+of+tomorrow.jpg)

_The decomposition of volcanic rock and organic matter slowly creates the soils of tomorrow._

The 2022s offer an abundance of early satisfaction. They are rich in fruit concentration, tannins and alcohol, creating a balance that leans toward opulence, further embellished by lower overall acidity. Mount Etna experienced a warm winter without snow to help build water supplies for the coming season. Rain arrived in early spring, resulting in a delayed bud break. May continued with above-average temperatures, followed by a heat wave in June and drought conditions. Temperatures stabilized through the summer, but the dry weather persisted until late August. September was warm but never hot, and the silver lining arrived in October, with balanced precipitation and cooler temperatures that allowed Nerello Mascalese and Carricante vines to reach balanced ripeness before harvest. One notable issue was a lack of significant diurnal shifts, which may be the reason for slightly lower acidities across the board.

I tasted the wines for this report in Etna and in our New York City office in March 2025.

_© 2025, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._

* * *

### You Might Also Enjoy

[Unveiling the Diverse Palette of Sicily: New Releases and Beyond](https://vinous.com/articles/unveiling-the-diverse-palette-of-sicily-new-releases-and-beyond-jun-2024), Eric Guido, June 2024

[Surpassing Expectations: New Releases from Sicily](https://vinous.com/articles/surpassing-expectations-new-releases-from-sicily-sep-2023), Eric Guido, September 2023

[Sicily: Welcome to the Revolution](https://vinous.com/articles/sicily-welcome-to-the-revolution-jun-2022), Eric Guido, June 2022

[Sicily: The Island Nation](https://vinous.com/articles/sicily-the-island-nation-jun-2021), Eric Guido, June 2021



An Eruption of Fine Wine on Mount Etna

An Eruption of Fine Wine on Mount Etna (May 2025)

### The Innings Continues: 1948 to 1995 Yquem
 
###

BY NEAL MARTIN | MAY 28, 2025

I have tasted a great deal of mature Bordeaux wine, including Sauternes, although I have not yet achieved the magic number of 100 different vintages of a single estate. A few are not far away: Gruaud Larose (90), Climens (85) and Latour (81), all in the Vinous database for your perusal. I mentioned my goal to Lorenzo Pasquini, Yquem’s head winemaker, when visiting in April, and he promised to do his best to help, cracking open a selection of mainly off-vintages that filled some of the gaps. I have become more interested in esoteric years of Yquem and indeed, many Bordeaux châteaux, especially those written off by cognoscenti. You could say that a pessimist is never disappointed, but I always approach things with an open mind. Truth is, it’s hard to find a Yquem that _doesn’t_ give pleasure. That does not preclude it from criticism, and indeed, readers will find some vintages like the 1985 and 1993 in this short article that could be assigned as “failures.”

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1748443440660-yquem+lineup1_Vinous.JPG)

On the other hand, there are others that defy all preconceptions. Who knew that the 1965 Yquem was a modest little gem? No, it doesn’t deserve superlatives, but it somehow upheld its _raison d’être_ to give pleasure after an appalling season. Also, the 1948 Yquem, opened to raise a glass to the late Bill Blatch, was worthy of the occasion. Sandwiched between two bona fide legends, it was always going to be overlooked, however, it shone brightly that evening.

After this ragtag, to use cricketing parlance, I am still at the wicket, 79 “not out.”

My innings continues.

_© 2025, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._

* * *

### You Might Also Enjoy

[Strutting Peacocks: Raymond-Lafon 1979-2021](https://vinous.com/articles/strutting-peacocks-raymond-lafon-1979-2021-mar-2025), Neal Martin, March 2025

[Intellect & Senses: Bordeaux With Time](https://vinous.com/articles/intellect-senses-bordeaux-with-time-mar-2025), Neal Martin, March 2025

[Cellar Favorite: 2022 Yquem](https://vinous.com/articles/cellar-favorite-2022-yquem-mar-2025), Neal Martin, March 2025

[Looking Back: 2007 Sauternes](https://vinous.com/articles/looking-back-2007-sauternes-oct-2022), Neal Martin, October 2022

[Unrivalled/Unequalled: Yquem 1921–2019](https://vinous.com/articles/unrivalled-unequalled-yquem-1921-2019-apr-2022), Neal Martin, April 2022

[Stand and Deliver: 2001 Sauternes](https://vinous.com/articles/stand-and-deliver-2001-sauternes-sep-2021), Neal Martin, September 2021



The Innings Continues: 1948 to 1995 Yquem

The Innings Continues: 1948 to 1995 Yquem (May 2025)

2023 J. Lohr Chardonnay Arroyo Vista

2024 De Martino Caménère Ungrafted

2023 Querciabella Mongrana

2024 Kenny Wine Wartervale Riesling

2024 Castello di Ama Purple Rose

2024 Usonia Wines Good Spirit

2024 Nicosia Etna Bianco Lenza di Munti

2022 Vietti Barbera d’Alba Trevìe

2022 Polkura Syrah

2024 Singlefile Chardonnay Great Southern

2024 Private Property Rosé of Grenache/Pinot Noir

2023 Garage Wine Co. Cabernet Sauvignon Old-Vine Revival

2022 Santadi Cannonau di Sardegna Noras

2021 César Márquez Parajes

2022 Camillo Montori Montepulciano d’Abruzzo

2024 Joyce Winery Albariño

2024 Dog Point Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough

2023 Pieropan Soave Classico

2022 Cantalupo Colline Novaresi Agamium

2023 Cantina Mesa Carignano del Sulcis Buio

2023 Hermann J. Wiemer Riesling Dry

2023 Ladera de las Bragas Tempranillo

2023 Grifalco Aglianico del Vulture Gricos

2022 Trivento Malbec Golden Reserve

2023 G.D. Vajra Dolcetto d’Alba

### [Plates](https://plates-london.com/)

320 Old Street

London, UK

EC1V 9DR

BY NEAL MARTIN | JULY 11, 2025

### The Food:

Wild garlic soup, potato dumplings with sour apple and buckwheat truffle

Amela tomato, house ricotta, sour gooseberry and frozen tarragon with barbecued tomato broth

House-laminated sourdough bread, whipped spirulina butter and Maldon salt

Barbecued maitake, black bean mole, kimchi aioli and puffed rice

Alfonso mango with Siberian plum kernels and lime dressing

Jersey Royal potatoes, watercress, pickled onions, loquats, miso and yeast sauce, wakame

Caramelised Lion’s Mane, baby leeks, English asparagus, burnt aubergine, olive and mint

Rice pudding ice cream, chewy beets, Poha rice, olive oil

Raw cacao gateau, sour cherry, coconut blossom ice cream, African pepper, toasted macadamia nuts and raw caramel sauce

### Wine

| NV Lamiable Soufflé d’Étoiles Extra Brut | 89 |
| 2023 Domaine Belema Imago | 87 |
| 2022 Daniel & Nicola Ham Prospect | 89 |
| 2022 Rouca Toumbas Vacqueyras Blanc Les Prémices | 88 |
| 2020 Rouvalis Tsigello Dry Single Vineyard Mavrodaphne | 92 |
| 2023 Renardat-Fâche Cerdon du Bugey | 90 |

My dining partner is licking her plate. I admit, yes, I dared her, reassuring that no one would notice. Once the plate has been licked clean, as if on cue, our waitress comes to clear our table and says, “I saw you licking the plate.”

My friend looks aghast.

“Don’t worry. You’re not the first I’ve seen.”

Let me cut to the chase. Plates is one of my finest meals in recent months. But in a way, it goes beyond satiating the senses. It made me reflect on food. Some of the dishes are indelibly printed on my memory. I find myself reliving them, mouthful by mouthful. And you know what? Plates is vegan. In fact, it was the first vegan restaurant in the UK to earn a Michelin star.

This is an important Vinous Table. Plates symbolises the sea-change in our dining habits, a culinary exodus away from meat as gourmands and chefs become more conscientious about healthy eating. The stigma towards non-meat dishes within the realm of fine dining is, thankfully, dying away. Had you asked me ten years ago if a vegan restaurant would rank amongst the greatest gastronomic experiences of my life, I would have laughed. But after changing my diet and losing the craving for foods I previously could not have lived without, it is no surprise that I would fall head over heels for Plates. It hit the headlines when it was awarded a Michelin star in February, and the telephone has been constantly ringing since as every vegan and/or vegetarian desperately seeks a table. Indeed, this is one of the hardest places to get a reservation. When I logged onto their website the millisecond they opened their books for the next three months, every lunch and dinner was already full. I resorted to connections. Anything they had available, I would take. I managed to get a table three months in advance and asked a close friend who is a lifelong vegan for her expert opinion.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1751390219796-frontage_VT+Plates.JPG)

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1751390340122-kitchen_VT.JPG)

Plates is located near the Old Street tube station in a cool and trendy part of London. The frontage is innocuous, though a rectangular open window looks directly onto the kitchen, causing nostrils to twitch as intoxicating aromas waft out onto the pavement. It is not a large restaurant and is only open on Wednesdays to Saturdays, which lengthens the waitlist. A small open kitchen nestles in one corner, with counter seats overlooking the half-dozen young chefs. It’s cosy and intimate. There are a few tables outside, but they’re on a busy thoroughfare. Even though their design seals them off, I prefer inside. The set menu is £105 per person with wine-pairing menus at £70 and £85pp. There is interestingly also a “50/50” option, a mix of alcoholic and non-alcoholic wines, that is proving popular. Head of Wine Alex Price, formerly of Noble Rot, told me that on one evening the previous week they sold more wine without alcohol than with. Food for thought.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1751390362488-kirk_VT.JPG)

I cannot put into words the brilliance of Plates, but I will try. Every dish demands attention. Aromas and flavours challenge and seduce. Whereas the previous day, another Michelin-starred restaurant had left me doubting its Michelin credentials, Plates is gunning for two. Chef and co-owner Kirk Haworth has an impressive CV: after winning the Northwest Young Chef of the Year at age 17, he had stints at The Square, The French Laundry and Restaurant Sat Bains. I know what you are thinking…those are all far from vegan. Life threw him a curveball, one that mirrors my own, after he contracted Lyme Disease and had to change his diet. With his sister Keeley, who recently opened a farm and retreat around 90 minutes from Bordeaux, he co-founded Plates with a vision of sustainable plant-based cookery. Unlike, say, [Eleven Madison Park](https://vinous.com/articles/wine-food-eleven-madison-park-new-york-mar-2012), this is not a radical redesign of a menu to cater to a different audience—though Daniel Humm deserves credit for that bold move, which, judging by reports, was prescient and is now paying dividends. Haworth’s commitment seeps into every dish. Never for one second do you consider the addition of fish or meat; on the contrary, it would spoil his culinary creations. They exist on their own terms, just delicious from start to finish with an array of texture and umami sensations. Haworth does not want to convert you to veganism. There is no evangelism here. Rather, he celebrates his ingredients with such brilliance that you leave a willing convert.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1751390381901-garlic+soup_VT.JPG)

_Wild garlic soup, potato dumplings with sour apple and buckwheat truffle._

We commence with a wild garlic soup that is lucid green in hue, with potato dumplings hiding at the base of a miniature bowl. It is utterly sublime. But the revelation is the sour apple and buckwheat truffle. When you pop it in your mouth and it becomes a culinary sleight of hand—it has the texture of white chocolate. My dining partner and I look at each other and just laugh. How did that happen?

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1751390400475-tomato_VT.JPG)

_Amela tomato, house ricotta, sour gooseberry and frozen tarragon with barbecued tomato broth._

Next, Amela tomato from the Shizuoka Prefecture in Japan with house ricotta, sour gooseberry and frozen tarragon. This is off the charts. Perfectly balanced and zinging with freshness, these tomatoes are a wonder to behold. They are served just above freezing to provide stark contrast to the warm barbecued tomato broth, so there is a bit of theatre as the two temperatures meet and white “smoke” billows from the bowl. The intensity and depth of flavour is fathomless. Alternating between cold and hot mouthfuls (as is advised) leads to a unique umami sensation that dazzles your senses.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1751390422025-sourdough_VT.JPG)

_House-laminated sourdough bread, whipped spirulina butter and Maldon salt._

Next, the laminated sourdough bread is light with perfect gooiness. This is served with a knob of green whipped butter made of spirulina (a protein-rich algae) and a sprinkle of Maldon salt. You can slap it on the sourdough without the guilt.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1751390441347-maitake_VT.JPG)

_Barbecued maitake, black bean mole, kimchi aioli and puffed rice._

Then, the barbecued maitake mushrooms is served with a black bean mole, kimchi aioli and puffed rice. Not only is this the highlight of the dinner, but it is the best dish I have eaten in a long time. It was this that impelled my diner-in-crime to lick her plate, which is probably better than dancing round like a chicken, which gives maitake is English name, “hen of the woods”. You have not eaten in London if you have not experienced this stroke of genius.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1751390461416-mango_VT.JPG)

_Alfonso mango with Siberian plum kernels and lime dressing._

We are presented with an additional course from the kitchen, a tiny bowl of Alfonso mango with plum kernels from Siberia and lime dressing. It is just revivifying with perfect piquancy.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1751390872269-jersey_VT.JPG)

_Jersey Royal potatoes, watercress, pickled onions, loquats, miso and yeast sauce, wakame._

Since it is the season for Jersey Royals, these diddy potatoes are served with watercress, pickled onions, loquats, miso-yeast sauce and wakame. The sauce is sprinkled at the table and you mix it all together yourself. The Royals are small and _al dente_ with acidity from the pickled onions, sweetness from the miso and salinity from the wakame.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1751391092610-lions_VT.JPG)

_Caramelised Lion’s Mane, baby leeks, English asparagus, burnt aubergine, olive and mint._

The caramelised Lion’s Mane mushrooms come with baby leeks, two English asparagus, burnt aubergine, olive and mint. There is a lovely underlying acrid/earthy note to this dish. Everything is cooked to perfection, allowing each ingredient to shine without impeding one another.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1751391117755-rice+pudding_VT.JPG)

_Rice pudding ice cream, chewy beets, Poha rice, olive oil._

The pre-dessert of rice pudding ice cream with chewy beets, Poha rice and olive oil is probably the runner-up to the maitake dish. It has a gorgeous texture, and the beets lurk unexpectedly at the bottom to impart a nuanced sweetness. It is ingenious.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1751391140495-gateau_VT+Plates.JPG)

_Raw cacao gateau, sour cherry, coconut blossom ice cream, African pepper, toasted macadamia nuts and raw caramel sauce._

Finally, we are treated to a raw cacao gateau that comes with sour cherry, coconut blossom ice cream, African pepper, toasted macadamia nuts and raw caramel sauce. There is a wonderful nuttiness to this dessert and the sweet-and-sour cherry marries exquisitely with the gateau.

The wine list comes in a handsome hardbound leather booklet that is beautifully designed with thick pages. Sections are divided by colour and “Territories,” inspired by natural biomes such as “Deciduous Forest,” “Alpine and Grassland Scrub” and “Mediterranean Scrub.” It is not a huge list, and is curated towards esoteric regions and grape varieties from natural/low-intervention growers. Alex Price is armed with backstories for every wine, refreshingly knowledgeable in an era when many aspiring restaurants make do with someone who fancied the job, or occasionally lack any expertise at all. She later tells me that they eschew traditional regions like Bordeaux because the wines’ heaviness and oak would not match the subtle dishes (see my recent opinion piece [Bordeaux: The Crisis Laid Bare](https://vinous.com/articles/bordeaux-the-crisis-laid-bare-jun-2025)).

Just as the food at Plates expanded my horizons, in many ways, so did the wines.

There is nothing wrong with that. I enjoy being taken out of my comfort zone. As I have written before, I increasingly find that plant-based dishes match wines better than meat-based ones. It depends on what plant-based dish you are serving, but here, flavours are intricate and nuanced so that heavier reds would be ill matched. I wanted to see which wines Price would partner with each dish and so opted for the pairing menu.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1751391179925-lamiable_VT.JPG)

We begin with sparkles, a non-vintage **Soufflé d’Étoiles Extra Brut** from **Champagne Lamiable**. This house is located in Tours-sur-Marne and this cuvée based on the 2020 vintage, 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir, blended with wine from their perpetual reserve, disgorged in November 2023 after malo. It offers Mirabelle plum and brioche on the nose, which leans more towards the Pinot than the Chardonnay. The palate is finely weighted with a slightly resinous texture, a little lower in acidity than I might have expected with cooking apple and hints of kumquat towards the finish. I usually like my champagne a little steelier and more tensile, but I appreciated the balance.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1751391198234-prospect_VT.JPG)

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1751391216187-roucas_VT.JPG)

Next up is the **2023 Imago** from **Domaine Belema,** located in Ayze in the Haute-Savoie. This cuvée comes under the IGP of Vin des Allobroges and is pure Gringet—not a variety that often passes my lips! Winemaker Yann Pernuit farms biodynamically and has built a cult following in recent years. This has a light Alpine-tinged bouquet that calls out for more vigour, just a little too neutral for my liking though a hint of lemongrass emerges after ten minutes. The palate is well defined and fresh, gentle in style with a hint of Szechuan peppers on the finish. Fine, but drink now. The **2022 Prospect** is an Orion/Bacchus blend from former ecologists turned artisan winemakers **Daniel and Nicola Ham**. They are based in Wiltshire, but source some fruit from Kent and Essex. (Yes, I did quip about their inappropriate family name.) This is an orange wine, and I forewarned that I might storm out after imbibing “hipster filth.” Annoyingly…I liked it. The nose delivers orange peel and mandarin with an undercurrent of cider, very fresh with no oxidation. The palate is fresh and quite tangy with Satsuma, very light marmalade notes and ample weight on the finish. The acidity keeps it vibrant and, fair enough, I finish my glass. The **2022 Vacqueyras Blanc Les Prémices** from **Rouca Toumbas** is mainly Marsanne with Rosanne, Viognier, Clairette, Bourboulenc and Grenache Blanc, direct pressed and aged on the lees in 500-liter barrels for a year. It offers dried honey and beeswax on the nose, oddly reminiscent of a Swartland Chenin. A keen thread of acidity underpins the palate with a subtle nutty/oxidative note that lends it edge on the finish. Not bad, though perhaps it needs a little more complexity.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1751391241607-tsigello_VT.JPG)

The star of the show is unquestionably the **2020 Tsigello Dry Single Vineyard Mavrodaphne** from **Rouvalis**. Tsigelo is actually the Peloponnese name for Mavrodaphne, though rules state that it can only be stated on the label for sweet wines. I absolutely adored this. Kudos for obtaining alcohol degrees of 12.5% in a warm Greek vintage. The resulting wine delivers ebullient red cherry and crushed strawberry scents, beautifully defined with Pinot-like purity. The palate has wonderful balance and fine tannins, approachable in style yet with substance. Silky in texture, this is irresistible and I would love to taste more.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1751391259722-bugey_VT.JPG)

We finish with another surprise package, the **2023 Cerdon du Bugey** from **Renardat-Fâche**. Bugey is another 160-hectare French appellation west of Savoie known primarily for its sparkling reds made from Gamay or Poulsard. Renardat-Fâche farms biodynamically using méthode ancestrale [italicize?]. I was not expecting to like this as much as I did. Bursting at the seams with Morello cherries and wild strawberry on the nose, it is exceedingly pure and joyful. The palate is fleshy and beautifully balanced, with red cherries and cranberry fruit foregrounding a vivacious finish. Delicious! Incidentally, Bowler Wines imports this Stateside and it is perfect for summer.

Leaving Plates’ doors after the obligatory pose with Haworth and Price, I felt sensorially satiated, unencumbered by my stomach toiling away digesting meats or rich sauces…healthy. My taste buds had been stretched, seduced and dazzled, often simultaneously. There is a soulfulness and an honesty to Haworth’s creations that just sets them apart.

Certainly, the bar has been significantly raised with respect to what vegan menus can achieve…

…they can make you lick your plate clean.

_© 2025, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or redistributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._

Vinous Table: Plates, London, UK

Vinous Table: Plates, London, UK (Jul 2025)

### [Marea](https://www.marearestaurant.com/)

240 N. Central Park South

New York, NY 10019

Tel. +1 (212) 582-5100

BY ANTONIO GALLONI | JUNE 27, 2025

**The Food:**

Gambero Rosso; Red Prawn Tartare, Fennel, Tarragon, Lemon, Sugo

Tonno Acqua Pazza; Tuna Tartare, Tomato, Cucumber, Olive, Calabrian Chile, Basil

Branzino; Sea Bass Tartare, Pistachio, Calabrian Chile, Radish, Chive

Astice; Nova Scotia Lobster, Burrata, Basil, Eggplant al Funghetto

Bruschetta; Garlic Bread, Kaluga Caviar, Burrata

Spaghetti; Manila Clam, Baby Leek, Garlic, Pepperoncino

Gnocchetti; Shrimp, Cannellini, Chile, Rosemary Oil

Mafaldine Granchio Reale; King Crab, Garlic Butter, Parsley, Mollica

Spada; Grilled Swordfish, Fennel, Clam, Chorizo Vinaigrette

Whole Scampi; Seared New Zealand Langoustine, Garlic Butter, Arugula, Limone

Ippoglosso; Pan-Seared Halibut, Farrotto, Asparagus, Carrot, Shiitake, Almond

Capesante; Pan-Seared Sea Scallop, English Pea, Morel, Ramp, Potato Gnocchi

Bistecca; Grilled Creekstone Farms Dry-Aged Sirloin, Little Gem, Bone Marrow Panzanella

Tiramisu; Mascarpone Mousse, Espresso Sabayon, Chocolate Crumble, Mascarpone Gelato

Bomboloni; Doughnuts, Coconut-Cardamom, Passion Fruit Curd, Chocolate Sauce

**The Wines:**

 

| 2010 Dom Ruinart | 98 |
| 2022 Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Pucelles | 95 |
| 2022 Giaconda Chardonnay | 98 |
| 2022 Roland Lavantureux Chablis Vieilles Vignes | 93 |
| 2021 Domaine des Comtes Lafon Meursault | 91 |
| 2022 Podere Le Boncie Le Trame | 96 |
| 2019 Domaine Armand Rousseau Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St. Jacques   
 | 97 |
| 2016 Comm G.B. Burlotto Barolo Monvigliero | 100 |
| 2015 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Brunate | 93 |
| 2004 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Riserva Asili | 99 |

 

It’s hard to get to the top, but it’s even harder to stay there. Sixteen years after it opened in 2009, Marea remains one of New York City’s most vital food and wine destinations. Judging by packed rooms on several recent visits, that’s a view shared by many. Food, wine and service are as exceptional as they have ever been, something that was evident on the three recent dinners that inform this article.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1751038450473-Lobster.jpg)

_Astice; Nova Scotia Lobster, Burrata, Basil, Eggplant al Funghetto, a staple at Marea._

Marea always brings back so many memories, going back to the days when this space hosted San Domenico, one of the most famous Italian restaurants of its time. I can’t walk into the dining room without thinking about the dinner I shared here in 1996 with famed Italian tenor Carlo Bergonzi, his accompanist Vincenzo Scalera and a few other guests following Bergonzi’s recital at Carnegie Hall.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1751038430551-Gambera+Rosso.jpg)

_Gambero Rosso; Red Prawn Tartare, Fennel, Tarragon, Lemon, Sugo._

Today, Marea Executive Chef PJ Calapa offers a fabulous menu mostly focused on fish and seafood. The influence of Founding Chef Michael White is still felt, but recipes are simply a starting point. Execution and consistency are the real secrets to success. I say that having observed a period where the food at Marea was less brilliant than it is today. Wine Director Francesco Grosso has been at Marea since the beginning. Today, he oversees the beverage programs at all the restaurants in the Alta Marea group, including the newly opened Marea Beverly Hills. The wine list at Marea has something for every palate and budget. Guests who want to splurge have plenty of options, but there are also many affordable wines on this list, along with one of the very best by-the-glass programs in New York City.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1751038321484-Branzino.jpg)

_Branzino; Sea Bass Tartare, Pistachio, Calabrian Chile, Radish, Chive._

Caviar, oysters and a tantalizing selection of crudos lead off the menu. The biggest challenge at Marea is making decisions. Two savory courses, or the more typically Italian three courses? Nova Scotia lobster, served chilled with burrata, basil and eggplant, is a staple and one of my personal favorites. I rarely miss a chance to have it. The Red Prawn Tartare is also superb, the delicate shrimp meat beautifully presented and seasoned. Tuna Tartare is another highlight in this section of the menu. Tomato, olive and cucumber accents add lovely freshness. Sea Bass Tartare, a PJ Calapa signature, is served with pistachio, Calabrian chile, radish and chive. It’s another sublime dish that disappears quickly off the plate. For readers who want to splurge, the Bruschetta with Kaluga caviar and burrata is a delicious bite or two.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1751038339330-tonno.jpg)

_Tonno Acqua Pazza; Tuna Tartare, Tomato, Cucumber, Olive, Calabrian Chile, Basil._

Pasta is a must at Marea. The Spaghetti with Manila clams (out of the shell), baby leeks, garlic and pepperoncino is a sophisticated take on one of the most classic dishes of the Italian kitchen. Gnocchetti with shrimp, cannellini and a lightly spiced tomato-based sauce is to die for. It’s a bold, racy dish that perfectly captures the spirit of the food at Marea. Mafaldine, served with king crab, garlic butter and breadcrumbs, is another lusty, rich pasta. First-time visitors should also try the Fusilli, which is served in a red-wine-braised octopus sauce with bone marrow. I have not had the Fusilli in some time, but it is another signature dish, and one I probably ordered a few too many times in Marea's early days!

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1751038397014-Gnoccheti.jpg)

_Gnocchetti; Shrimp, Cannellini, Chile, Rosemary Oil._

Fish and seafood feature heavily in the main courses. I don’t order swordfish that often in restaurants, as I find the quality of the fish so critical. But when it’s good, it can be really good. That’s the case there. Fennel, clam and chorizo vinaigrette are ideal foils to the rich swordfish meat, cooked and seasoned perfectly. Beautifully seared, golden Scallops served over English peas, morels and ramps, are sublime. One of the best dishes I have had at Marea in a long time. Halibut with a delicious farrotto and asparagus is also impeccable. Most of the fish mains are carefully put-together, composed dishes. The Seared New Zealand Langoustine is the exact opposite. Just tasty langoustines, which I ate with nothing on them. Highly recommended. In all my years of visiting Marea, I had never ordered a meat main course. I decided to change that. The Grilled Creekstone Farms Dry-Aged Sirloin is sublime. It’s one of the more expensive mains, but worth it. The aging is obvious but not overpowering. The meat arrives at the table perfectly cooked and tender. I would not hesitate to order it again. I won’t share it next time.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1751040591715-Main+Course+Collage.png)

_Four stellar mains at Marea. Clockwise from top left: Whole Scampi, Seared New Zealand Langoustine, Garlic Butter, Arugula, Limone; Spada, Grilled Swordfish, Fennel, Clam, Chorizo Vinaigrette; Capesante, Pan-Seared Sea Scallop, English Pea, Morel, Ramp, Potato Gnocchi; Bistecca, Grilled Creekstone Farms Dry-Aged Sirloin, Little Gem, Bone Marrow Panzanella._

Desserts are very good, although I rarely have room for sweets here after the savory courses. Tiramisu is more of a tiramisu-inspired mousse with a dark chocolate covering. It’s tasty but not at all traditional. Then there are the Bomboloni. Who doesn’t love doughnuts? At Marea, Bomboloni are served with passion fruit and chocolate sauces on the side. A portion is enough for two to share, maybe three for diners who just want a bite of sweetness to round out their meal.

For various reasons, most of the wines for these dinners were from my cellar and that of a dear friend. The **2010 Dom Ruinart** , opened in memory of Chef de Cave Frédéric Panaïotis, is as magnificent as it has always been. Once again, I am mesmerized by the wine’s freshness, precision and detail, especially in a vintage that was so challenging in Champagne. The 2010 will be one of the most enduring legacies of a life and career tragically cut short by a freediving accident.

The **2022 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Pucelles** from **Domaine Leflaive** is young and tightly wound. There’s terrific palate density, along with the classic Leflaive reductive notes, all of which suggest brilliant drinking ahead. I would not dream of touching a bottle anytime soon. The **2022 Giaconda Chardonnay** is fabulous. Deep, layered and wonderfully resonant, the 2022 opens beautifully in the glass. Strong reductive notes in this vintage are borderline overpowering for my palate at this stage. Even so, all the wine’s pedigree and undeniable character are very much on display. There’s little doubt this is one of the world’s great Chardonnays.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1751038193787-Wines+list.jpg)

_The 2022 Laventureux Chablis Vieilles Vignes and 2022 Podere Le Boncie Le Trame from Marea’s list._

**Roland Laventureux’s 2022 Chablis Vieilles Vignes** is a revelation. A wine of depth and character, the Vieilles Vignes is magnificent. Time brings out striking citrus, white pepper, slate and chalk notes. At $135 on the list, the 2022 is a fine value by Manhattan fine dining standards. This is my first wine from Laventureux, a grower I am eager to learn more about. What a wine. The **2021 Meursault** from **Domaine des Comtes Lafon** is a classic. Soft contours frame citrus, chalk, mint, white pepper and a discreet touch of oak. Already quite giving, the 2021 can be enjoyed today.

I was thrilled to see **Podere Le Boncie’s 2022 Le Trame** ($225) on the list at Marea. Of course, I wish it had been the 2021, but you can’t have everything. The 2022 offers up scents of red Sangiovese fruit framed by beams of nervy tannin that start to soften with a bit of time in the glass. It’s a gorgeous wine from proprietors Giovanna Morganti and Giorgio Serao. High class.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1751038168864-Wines+1.jpg)

Sometimes the stars simply align. That is certainly the case at **Rousseau** in 2019, a truly extraordinary vintage at one of the world’s most iconic estates. The **2019 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St. Jacques** is captivating right out of the glass. Soaring aromatics, deep layers of cool, blue-toned fruits and the silkiest of tannins captivate all the senses, from the intellectual to the hedonistic. What a total turn-on.

Three Piedmont wines from my cellar are all sublime. The **2016 Barolo Monvigliero** from **Comm. G.B. Burlotto** is a total stunner. Floral, deep and so expressive, the 2016 captures all the best the vintage and this great site had to offer. Readers lucky enough to own the 2016 can enjoy it now, although further cellaring will only bring out more nuance and complexity. Magnificent. The **2015 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Brunate** is a fine choice for drinking now, as it is starting to show some signs of development, especially in its aromatics. Hints of cedar, sweet pipe tobacco, macerated cherry and worn-in leather are all laced with the gentle patina of age. I have always felt the 2015 was a rather light Brunate from Rinaldi. This tasting reinforces that impression. I would not wait forever for this.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1751038138930-Wines+2.jpg)

**Bruno Giacosa’s 2004 Barbaresco Riserva Asili** emerges from one of his greatest all-time vintages. I loved the 2004 on release and I love it today. If anything, the 2004 is still a very young wine. Its power, density and structure are remarkable, especially compared with the lighter style many producers are pursuing today. This, to me, is what Barbaresco (and Barolo) are supposed to be. Deeply pitched aromatics lead into a core of dark red Nebbiolo fruit, supported by veins of tannin that confer vertical structure and explosive energy. Simply unforgettable. A masterpiece.

Restaurants are magical, essential parts of a city’s cultural fabric. They are places where we meet friends, spend time with family, celebrate milestones and conduct business. Or maybe just neighborhood joints where we stop by after work for a quiet bite and a drink. Marea has long been a staple of the New York City dining scene, no small feat in a town where even the most celebrated chefs can’t always sustain restaurants beyond a few years. Vinous readers who want to enjoy the best refined Italian cuisine New York has to offer will want to put Marea at the top of their lists.

_© 2025, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or redistributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._



Vinous Table: Marea, New York, USA

Vinous Table: Marea, New York, USA (Jun 2025)

### [L’Ardente](https://www.lardente.com/)

200 Massachusetts Avenue NW

Washington, D.C. 20001

+1 (202) 448-0450

BY NEAL MARTIN | JUNE 13, 2025

### The Food:

Pizzas: morel, dry-aged pepperoni, soppressata

Arancini with saffron and mozzarella

Hamachi crudo, brûléed orange, jalapeño, Sicilian pistachio and mint

Fried cauliflower with chili-garlic aioli

Capellini alle vongole with middleneck clams, garlic confit and breadcrumbs

Gnocchi with lamb ragu, leek, tomato, harissa and peas

Duck breast with Italian five spice, fig and creamy polenta

Bistecca alla Fiorentina with Mathurini sauce and rosemary potatoes

**The Wines:**

| 1996 Salon Cuvée S | 97 |
| 2002 Egly-Ouriet Brut Grand Cru | 96 |
| 2012 Edmond et Anne Vatan Sancerre Clos La Néore | 94 |
 | 2008 Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru | 94 |
 | 2014 Domaine des Comtes-Lafon Meursault Les Perrières 1er Cru | 98 |
 | 2016 Domaine François Raveneau Chablis Montée de Tonnerre 1er Cru | 94 |
 | 2003 Maison Chapoutier Ermitage Blanc L’Ermite | 83 |
 | 2000 Bodegas Vega Sicilia Unico | 95 |
 | 2012 Vietti Barolo Riserva Villero | 95 |
 | 2007 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Cascina Francia | 96 |
 | 2014 Domaine Jadot Musigny Grand Cru | 93 |
 | 1959 Coron Père & Fils Corton Grand Cru | 97 |
 | 1959 Coron Père & Fils Chambertin Grand Cru | 91? |
 | 1947 Nénin | 86 |
 | 1961 Ausone | 87 |
 | 2000 Château Margaux | 98 |
 | 2016 Clos Rougeard Saumur Champigny Le Bourg | 94 |

 

When I began traveling to the United States, usually Baltimore to check in with “the boss” (Parker, not Springsteen), I often caught the train to Washington, D.C. to visit friends forged via the site’s forum. Memories are that the capital was perpetually grey and freezing cold, but the wines and bonhomie kept you warm. I stayed in touch with those fellow oenophiles and, in the last couple of years, when crossing the pond for an annual charity event, I enjoyed two splendid lunches at their local haunt: L’Ardente.

Located just a few blocks from Capitol Hill in a modern-looking building with floor-to-floor windows, I would not say L’Ardente’s décor oozes with character or even charm, though there is a lively vibe. How pleasing it was to see tables full on a Thursday lunchtime, especially in these straitened times. The menu is unpretentious, offering straight-down-the-line Italian fare that has earned a reputation for quality. Furthermore, the sommelier team is impressive, especially catering to a demanding group of oenophiles brandishing multiple bottles. The menu comes from my second lunch with the group this past May, though I have combined wines from both.

Pizzas were brought out to accompany the fizz. What better way to start the trip than with a drop of Salon and pizza? Keepin’ it real! These pizzas are excellent, thin crust and drowning in oil, with plenty of seasoning, but the one with morels is the star of the show.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1749739959143-arancini_VT.JPG)

_Arancini with saffron and mozzarella._

The arancini with saffron and mozzarella are spheres oozing gorgeousness. Warm and moist, well-seasoned and perfectly cooked, I had to move the plate out of eyesight lest I keep popping another in my mouth. Is there such a thing as a distasteful arancino? If so, I’ve never eaten one. These are excellent.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1749739978663-hamachi_VT.JPG)

_Hamachi crudo, brûléed orange, jalapeño, Sicilian pistachio and mint._

The best dish is an outstanding hamachi (yellowtail) crudo with brûléed orange, jalapeño, Sicilian pistachio, and mint. The elements are perfectly in balance, the hamachi fresh and vibrant, with the burnt orange imparting a subtle bitter edge. The pistachio and mint are understated but impart complexity. Fantastic.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1749740000673-Vongole_VT.JPG)

_Capellini alle vongole with middleneck clams, garlic confit and breadcrumbs._

The capellini alle vongole with middleneck clams, garlic confit and breadcrumbs is also just right. The pasta is al dente and the clams are full of flavour. Again, the seasoning is assiduously judged, a perfect foil to the Barolo doing the rounds.

The gnocchi with lamb ragu, leek, tomato, harissa and peas is another well-cooked and heartwarming dish, very moreish. There’s also a large plate of thinly sliced duck breast with Italian five spice, fig and creamy polenta. This is pink and juicy, with the fig imparting the right amount of sweetness.

The wine list at L’Ardente offers a broad Italian selection, as you would expect, covering most regions and prominent growers. It is not a thick compendium of esoteric bottles, but they are well chosen and cover a range of price points. I spotted several tempting options from outside Italy, too, at prices not as extortionate as I have seen elsewhere in the United States. However, for both lunches, we paid corkage for what was a quite stellar and diverse array of fermented grape juice.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1749740045899-bottles_VT.JPG)

We begin with a bottle of **1996 Salon Cuvée S**. I drank this regularly when first released, though I had not encountered a bottle for a wee while. Over the years, I have found this champagne house more hit and miss than its reputation suggests. Fortunately, this bottle is definitely on form. Clear with green tints in the glass, it has developed nicely in recent years, losing some aromatic green apple traits and evolving subtle, creamy scents, even with a suggestion of chamomile in the background. The palate has scintillating balance—real penetration and energy, revivifying the senses with its crisp and chiselled finish. It seems strange to think that this Salon is now nearing 30 years old…how time flies. It will easily last 30 more. **The 2002 Brut Grand Cru** from **Egly-Ouriet** is another stupendous Champagne from this revered and now sadly very expensive producer. Burnished in hue, it has a captivating bouquet with yellow plum, aniseed and light straw scents that blossom in the glass. The palate is beautifully balanced with sour lemon and wild peach on the entry. Perhaps the acidity is just a notch lower than expected, yet the 2002 has impressive length and sapidity to keep you returning for more.

The whites represent an assortment of regions, starting with an iconic Loire. The **2012 Sancerre Clos La Néore** from **Edmond et Anne Vatan** was poured from magnum. It has an intriguing nose that I really love, scents of dried honey and beeswax, a touch of fish scales, a slight oatmeal tincture signalling its maturity. The palate seems mature but certainly not over the hill: bitter orange and mandarin, Vervain tea and sour lemon, cohering beautifully with every passing minute. This has so much personality—it will be fascinating to see how it matures in bottle, though I would not class it as a “crowd-pleaser.” This is a Sancerre that refuses to kowtow to tastes, and for that, I admire it rather than relish it.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1749740065177-burgundy+bottles_VT.JPG)

Burgundy ahoy! The **2008 Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru** from **Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey** has a taut nose, quite backward considering that it has a few miles on the clock. Yet it opens with aeration, offering lemon thyme and almond scents, wild fern and dry hay. The _mineralité_ kind of “seeps” through with time. The palate delivers the complexity one expects from a Chevalier-Montrachet, touches of peach skin and chamomile interlacing the lemony fruit, leading to a linear, strict finish that implies there is more to give. It is a class act. The **2014 Meursault Les Perrières 1er Cru** from **Domaine des Comtes-Lafon** is a gifted white Burgundy that is currently firing on all cylinders. The bouquet has life-affirming delineation and heart-stopping _mineralité_, amongst the finest that I have drunk from Dominique Lafon. The palate possesses exquisite balance and electrifying acidity, which is precisely what you desire and expect from this Premier Cru. Several guests voted this the wine of the lunch. The Meursault threatened to overshadow the Chablis, but the Raveneau was no slouch. The **2016 Chablis Montée de Tonnerre 1er Cru** encapsulates everything you want in a Chablis, though the facet that I really admire—similar to the Clos La Néore—is its uncompromising nature. The nose evokes images of a pond shaded by trees, not so much marine, something more…freshwater. The palate is powerful with impressive depth, displaying real intensity and drive through the weighty Conference pear and lanolin finish. This vineyard is one of the domaine’s strongest. I absolutely adored the 2016.

In contrast, I found the **2003 Ermitage Blanc L’Ermite** from **Maison Chapoutier** extremely underwhelming. That is unsurprising, as I am not keen on this vintage in the Rhône. The nose is far too honeyed and one-dimensional, more like a high-volume Californian wine you would pick up at a grocery store. The palate likewise lacks complexity and is bereft of typicité. Considering this was poured from magnum and there was nothing faulty, the 2003 is an ordinary wine that is past its best. Apologies for being so scathing.

The **2000 Unico** from **Bodegas Vega Sicilia** , a blend of 93% Tinto Fino and 7% Cabernet Sauvignon, is very seductive aromatically, displaying wild strawberry tinged with eucalyptus, primal yet sensual. The oak that always cloaks Unico in its flush of youth is now assimilated. The palate is pliant, yet you immediately recognise that this millennial has plenty of gas in the tank. More blue fruit tinged with blood orange emerges towards the creamy-textured finish. Gorgeous, for sure, but personally, I would afford it several more years in bottle.

The reds continued in style with the **2012 Barolo Riserva Villero** from **Vietti**. This is reaching that liminal point between primary and secondary aromas: red berries, leather, balsamic and subtle _Lapsang Souchong_ scents, beautifully executed and evoking the rolling Piedmont hills. The palate is beautifully balanced with just a hint of black olive and white pepper infusing the red fruit, smooth and harmonious. The tannins feel lace-like with a caressing, elegant, almost Pinot-like finish. Irresistible. The **2007 Barolo Cascina Francia** from **Giacomo Conterno** is just so sublime. It has a precise, characterful bouquet that instantly seduces with its pure red fruit, fennel and light undergrowth scents. The palate is so harmonious, framed by filigree tannins with a satin texture. Hints of blood orange infuse Morello cherries and strawberry fruit on the finish. Divine.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1749740088025-corton+1959_VT.JPG)

The **2014 Musigny Grand Cru** from **Louis Jadot** offers lively red fruit laced with potpourri and light pressed rose petal scents. It does not deliver the grandeur of a top Musigny, but it conveys modest class and sophistication. This was almost Barolo-like on the palate, not powerful, but refined, with understated _mineralité_ and a cohesive yet understated finish. Perhaps the vintage just limited its capabilities? Even so, at the end of the day, the 2014 remains a lovely wine. The “surprise package” was a bottle **1959 Corton Grand Cru** from **Coron Père & Fils**. This négociant has a good reputation, one confirmed by this exquisite showing. Pure red cherry and bergamot scents unfurl on the nose, more Côte de Nuits in style than Côte de Beaune. The aromatics are entrancing. The palate has a satin texture, perfectly balanced and revelling in the precocity that the ’59 vintage bestowed its Pinot Noirs. Time has tempered that exuberance to render a beguiling Corton that I could drink ‘til the cows come home. The Corton outflanked the **1959 Chambertin,** also from **Coron Père & Fils**. The passing years have denuded the Chambertin some fruit intensity and it feels a bit hollow by comparison. Likewise, whilst the palate is balanced with a light grip, it just misses the power and depth you’d expect. Nonetheless, this was not a bad showing given the wine’s antiquity, and a couple of attendees preferred this to the Corton.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1749740117379-margaux+2000_VT.JPG)

I have a soft spot for post-war vintages of Nénin, with fond memories of their 1959 and 1961. The **1947 Nénin** comes from a vintage that is hit ‘n miss these days. The nose is leathery with vestiges of dark fruit and a touch of the old “dusty attic”—simple, but not unattractive. Likewise leathery and rustic, the palate is medium-bodied with a light structure, turning rather drying on the finish. There is inevitably bottle variation in wines of this age, but this bottle was so-so. The **1961 Ausone** is a wine that I have drunk four times. It comes from a period when the estate had lost its mojo, and this bottle was not one of the better examples. I found it strangely pyrazine-like on the nose, with strong bell pepper scents and a lack of fruit. The palate is old-school Bordeaux, quite ferrous with dried blood/_andouillette_ notes, but the finish is too bitter. There seems to be a wide variation between bottles with respect to this Saint-Émilion. The **2000 Château Margaux** is one of the standouts of the millennial year. This bottle is consistent with the example two years ago, with tightly coiled black fruit, pencil box and violet scents, perhaps the floral element more expressive this time around. The palate has marvellous balance, real weight and density that is atypical for this First Growth, as if it has successfully pulled off an impression of Latour! It definitely needs another four or five years in bottle.

My impression of the **2016 Saumur Champigny Le Bourg** from **Clos Rougeard** chimes with my colleague, Rebecca Gibb, MW. Time has jemmied open the aromatics, revealing enticing black fruit and subtle marine scents commingling with potpourri. The palate is structured with ample grip, quite sapid so that you are drawn back for another sip at once, all whilst accepting that you are drinking this wine three or four years before its prime.

L’Ardente is not a restaurant that pushes the boundaries of Italian cuisine. But I have to say that the dishes are uniformly delicious and unpretentious. The atmosphere makes it a place where you want to eat, and the service is excellent. Wine-lovers always need a go-to place to enjoy wine, somewhere they can rely upon to crack open multiple bottles with proper stemware. I understand why L’Ardente is a regular haunt for my DC-based “one-friends.”

I look forward to returning.

_© 2025, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or redistributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._



Vinous Table: L’Ardente, Washington, D.C., United States

Vinous Table: L’Ardente, Washington, D.C., United States (Jun 2025)

### Canteen

310 Portobello Rd

Notting Hill, London

W10 5TA

(nearest tube – Ladbroke Road)

BY NEAL MARTIN | MAY 23, 2025

**The Food:**

Mozzarella with purple sprouting broccoli, anchovies and pangrattato

Casarecce wild garlic pesto

Asiago risotto with leek and pancetta

Fettuccine sausage ragu

Rhubarb panna cotta

Chocolate mousse

**The Wine:**

2022 Pelassa Daniele Barbera d’Alba Superiore San Pancrazio – 90

I count them.

Eighteen.

There are eighteen people wrapped up in thick coats and scarves forming an orderly queue. It’s 11.45 am on a Monday morning. There is a frisson of excitement amongst those loitering with a mixture of intent and hunger, enduring Arctic conditions to lunch at one of London’s hottest tickets. You see, Canteen is walk-in only. No bookings. Having travelled in from faraway(ish) Surrey, I would rather not schlep into the capital to find there’s “no room at the inn.”

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1748010739679-canteen+facade_VT.JPG)

_Canteen's welcoming façade._

So, like everyone else, I arrive early to secure a seat. It pays off, because I’m shown to a counter stool in front of the open kitchen—the best seat in the house. For the next two hours, I will sit and be hypnotised by the young chefs, capture their conversation, see their personalities up close and even strike up conversation as one of them stretches the dough. Another bonus of my counter location is that the warmth emanating from the pizza ovens is defrosting my face.

Patrons are a mixture of hipster locals lucky enough to call Notting Hill home and gastronomes coming to see what the fuss is about. Canteen is moderate in size, afforded plenty of light with large windows on either side. There is a bustling vibe. I wouldn’t come here for a romantic date. There’s a hubbub of noise and a music soundtrack that might be too loud for some, though personally, I would not touch the volume dial.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1748010823102-canteen+chefs_VT.JPG)

_My counter seat offered a prime view of the kitchen team at work._

There is something very assured about Canteen, which opened late last summer. Its uninspired name is a bit like Morrissey and Marr calling their band “The Smiths” insofar that the banality of the name belies self-belief. That confidence is no surprise, since the team behind Canteen also runs nearby popular gastropubs The Pelican and The Hero, and two former members of The River Café team lead the kitchen. There are similarities between The River Café and Canteen. The menu here is short, but you want to eat everything. Every ingredient is absolutely top-notch. Pasta is made in-house, stored in refrigerated units lined up at the back. There is a faint whiff of flour in the air. Pizzas are spun and stretched in front of you. The dishes are polished and so damn delicious you will be plotting your return at first chew.

Where this differs from The River Café is in price.

Here, you can do as I did and order a range of smaller plates for around £15.00 each, so share that between two or more and you’re laughing.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1748010856849-canteen+broccoli_VT.JPG)

_Mozzarella with purple sprouting broccoli, anchovies and pangrattato._

Readers should note that the menu changes monthly, but this summary will give you an idea of what’s on offer. I forego the main courses and pizzas because, well, you know how pasta expands as your gastric juices try in vain to break it down. It’s easy to overindulge. The focaccia sets the tone. It’s the best I’ve eaten in a _very_ long time, light and moist, doused with olive oil and not oversalted. The mozzarella with purple sprouting broccoli, anchovies and pangrattato (toasted breadcrumbs) is fabulous. The “mozz” is to die for…so pure and creamy, again, one of the best I have eaten in the capital. The broccoli is sweet and tender, whilst the anchovies and pangrattato lend saltiness and texture respectively. For nine quid, I doubt you will find better value in London.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1748010876902-canteen+pesto_VT.JPG)

_Casarecce wild garlic pesto._

I choose three pasta-based dishes. The Casarecce wild garlic pesto is perfectly _al dente_ and nuanced in flavour. It is relatively neutral in style, maybe too nuanced for those who enjoy a bit of punch in their pasta, but I find it delectable.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1748010904338-canteen+risotto_VT.JPG)

_Asiago risotto with leek and pancetta._

The Asiago risotto comes with leek and pancetta. This is served on a shallow plate, whereas personally, I prefer it in a bowl so that I can dig my spoon in. Maybe I would have seasoned it a tiny bit more, though the pancetta is wonderfully crisp.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1748010925778-canteen+ragu_VT.JPG)

_Fettuccine sausage ragu._

Thirdly, the fettuccine sausage ragu is, again, quite subtle in flavour, understated compared to ragu encountered elsewhere, though it means the dish doesn’t overpower. Perhaps I would have liked a little more tomato sauce, but hey, no complaints—it’s delicious.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1748010950627-canteen+panna+cotta_VT.JPG)

_Rhubarb panna cotta._

The rhubarb panna cotta is out of this world. Modest in size, the in-season pink rhubarb is heavenly, gorgeously sweet and tender, the panna cotta itself a little firmer in texture and exquisitely balanced. I also order a chocolate mousse with olive oil and sea salt. It is much larger than expected, an overly generous dollop, quite soft and creamy in texture. I promise myself I’ll only eat a portion. Suffice it to say that it’s demolished in a few minutes.

Food of this quality deserves a better selection of wines than the handful offered. Looking around, I am the only person in this packed room partaking in daytime libation. It seems a pre-emptive decision when setting up Canteen that wine is secondary, a perfectly omissible accoutrement. Is that not a catch-22 situation? If wine is not offered, then it is not at the forefront of customers’ minds, so do they just not entertain the idea? Is this a taste of things to come? Or _not to come_? Perhaps I must accept that in this day and age, when teetotalism is rising, I am in the dwindling minority. It is certainly a cause for concern that winemakers and everyone linked to wine needs to wake up to…the fact that in some quarters, wine is becoming passé.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1748010986437-canteen+wine_VT.JPG)

Nevertheless, the handful of Italian wines offered are by the glass, not that they tempted other patrons to order. I am enjoying the food so much that I order a special that is not on the list, a **2022 Barbera d’Alba San Pancrazio Superiore** from **Pelassa Daniele**. It costs about triple the price I can buy a bottle for at importers “Davy & Co.,” though to be honest, the wine is a little gem. Raspberry, tomato vine and light liquorice scents unfurl on the nose. The palate is silky smooth and very well balanced, with just the right amount of bite on the finish to keep you returning. The 15% alcohol is neatly disguised, and I request the cork so I can drink the remaining half at home, lest I stagger out into the street.

Type “Canteen” into a search engine and you will find one ecstatic review after another. The restaurant successfully combines casual presentation with quality-driven dishes, perhaps only matched by The River Café and Luca in London. It would be easy to presume that Canteen is cutting corners somewhere, given its reasonable prices, but that is clearly not the case when you see the brigade diligently prepping dishes. Service is immaculate and friendly. How nice to see a mostly young team in an age when it is challenging to recruit people who know what service ought to be. Frankly, I’ve paid a lot more for Italian food in London…but I don’t think any has quite matched here.

 
_© 2025, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or redistributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._

Vinous Table: Canteen, London, UK

Vinous Table: Canteen, London, UK (May 2025)

### [Casa Julián](https://www.juliandetolosa.com/en/)

Sta. Klara Kalea, 6

20400 Tolosa

Gipuzkoa, Spain

+34 943 671 417

BY NEAL MARTIN | MAY 16, 2025

**The Food:**

Piquillo peppers

Roasted leeks

Txuleta (rib steak on the bone)

Etxeko gazta tarta (homemade cheesecake)

**The Wines:**

2009 La Rioja Alta Rioja Gran Reserva 904 – 96

2010 Recaredo Turó d'en Mota – 95

The Basque region is a foodie’s paradise, a cradle for some of the finest fish, meat and dairy in the world that spawned an endless array of lauded bistros and restaurants. Whilst many cluster in the coastal city of San Sebastián, the hinterland is home to a diaspora of “OMG…You gotta’ check this place out” places to dine where—not unlike Japan—simplicity is the key, as you might have already noticed by the rather banal seeming menu above. During _en primeur_, I took advantage of Bordeaux’s proximity to check out Casa Julián after an epicure told me, in not so many words, “OMG. You gotta check this place out.” Together with a fellow French gourmand and one French chihuahua, we packed the car and made the two-hour trip to the medieval Basque town of Tolosa.

Casa Julián is a bona fide institution, having started out selling local produce back in 1951. Navarre-born proprietor Julián Rivas later began serving his own Iberian hams to passing businessmen and experimenting with different cuts, even seeking advice from local surgeons about how best to cut the meat. This, in turn, led Rivas to conceive an angled rotisserie that allowed him to retain the meat’s fat. In the 1980s, after apparently much persuading and a promise to pass on his secrets, the restaurant changed hands to Matías who had been running a nearby bar. He opened a sister restaurant in Madrid. Gorrotxategi’s son, Xabi, is now head chef in the original Tolosa branch.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1747315842802-casa+julian+facade_VT.JPG)

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1747315860807-fridge_VT.JPG)

We made a reservation for 7pm. Already, a small queue of pilgrims had formed down the street. Casa Julian is an innocuous-looking restaurant that overlooks the tree-lined Oria River, so unassuming so that you could easily walk straight past. Ushered inside, the first things you notice are fridges housing hunks of hung marbled carcasses. The restaurant’s interior is timeworn, like an old, cherished paperback, so that it seems familiar even if it’s your first time. Wooden tables and concrete floors, paraphernalia on shelves and racks of empty wine bottles, doubtlessly little-changed over the years. The staff is young and friendly, dressed in t-shirts and aprons, most speaking English in case your Euskara is not up to scratch.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1747315998476-VT_grill+cover.JPG)

_The open-flame parilla grill._

The centrepiece of the restaurant is an open-flame charcoal _parrilla_ grill (when making a reservation, see if you can get a table near it). We’re sat in an adjoining room that is absolutely fine, but I prefer being where the action is. The menu itself is simple. I mean, essentially, Casa Julián is a steakhouse. However, you don’t find many steakhouses listed in “The World’s 50 Best Restaurants,” featuring on TV, or attracting gourmands from around the world, as evidence by the dialects around the room on this night.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1747317746711-leeks_VT.JPG)

_Roasted leeks._

_![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1747316055340-pequillo+peppers_VT.JPG)_

_Piquillo peppers._

From start to finish, the quality of ingredients is stupendous. We keep it simple with grilled leeks and a plate of sizzling, thinly sliced piquillo peppers. The former is great, the latter is sensational, so sweet and packed with flavour that the peppers just melt in the mouth. I don’t think I have ever eaten peppers with this much flavour. We are also presented with a small tin cup of meat juices from our imminent main course.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1747317786084-txuleta_VT.jpg)

_The txuleta (rib steak on the bone)._

_![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1747316130673-txuleta+raw_VT.JPG)_

_Steak is so difficult to photograph—it probably looks better raw rather than when it is cooked!_

The main event is the famous _txuleta_, local dialect for “rib steak on the bone,” perfected by Julián Rivas all those years ago. At the start of our meal, our waitress presents a selection of three raw cuts at the table so that we can choose the size—around 1.0 kg or 1.5 kg, and about 2.5 cm thick. These come from local cows that tend to be a little older and produce more marbling. The wedges of meat glisten before my eyes and I’m already salivating at the prospect. Naturally, the _txuleta_ is served rare with just a salt seasoning, no sauces.

It tastes like heaven.

I had high expectations, and for once, this dish met them. It’s just insanely delicious and worth travelling around the world for.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1747316182732-cheesecake_VT.JPG)

_Etxeko gazta tarta (homemade cheesecake)._

And here’s the amazing thing…the meat wasn’t the highlight. No, no, no. We order a cheesecake. With bellies full, we discuss whether to share, though the waitress intervenes and warns that we might regret that decision. She was 100% correct.

It. Is. The. Best. Cheesecake. That. I. Have. Ever. Eaten.

Being of Basque origin, it is burnt on the top, with a very thin crumble at the base. I cannot quite put into words just how ineffably scrumptious it tastes. We call the waiter over to see if we can get the recipe, specifically, what kind of milk they used.

“That’s a secret,” she tells us, smiling. She is probably asked that question three or four times a night.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1747316241107-la+rioja+alta_VT.JPG)

If the food has not tempted you enough, be warned that Casa Julián has a superb wine list with a number of outstanding producers from across most Spanish regions. I spied deep verticals of Tondonia back to the sixties, likewise, one of my personal favourites, the **Gran Reserva 904** from **La Rioja Alta**. I chose the **2009** vintage, as further back the prices escalate a little quicker, but I had no regrets about my choice. The 2009 is a stunning Rioja. Pure crushed strawberry, Morello cherries, fireside hearth and terracotta on the fabulous, exquisitely defined bouquet leaves you instantly entranced. The palate is so elegant and refined with its cashmere tannins, perfectly pitched acidity and sumptuous red-fruit driven finish. It is everything I love about Rioja. Such is the extensiveness of the list that I advise trying to form a small party like our neighbouring table of Canadian importers had done.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1747316256775-recaredo_VT.JPG)

I am also given a glass of **2010 Brut Nature Turó d'en Mota** from **Recaredo** , a producer that celebrated its centenary last year. This flagship cuvée comes from a single-hectare vineyard of Xarel **-** lo, planted on calcareous soils back in 1940 in the Alt Penedès and farmed biodynamically. It usually sees 120 months of aging on the lees, this 2010 disgorged in November 2023, a limited production of 2,581 bottles. The 2010 has an arresting sea-spray-scented bouquet, with touches of shucked oyster shell and just a very subtle oxidative note. Later, like my colleague Joaquín Hildago, I picked up a light Vermouth aroma. The palate is taut and tensile, brimming with tension, quite sharp yet displaying exquisite balance with a just the slightest smoky note right on the finish. This is the first time I’ve tasted the Turó d’en Mota, and like my forementioned colleague, I am _very_ impressed.

Casa Julián will be one of my meals of 2025, for sure. These days, I hanker for uncomplicated and unpretentious dishes using the finest ingredients, soulful food that leaves you feeling sated rather than impressed. If you love your steak, then this should definitely be on your places to go. Located around 28 km from San Sebastián, it’s not much of a schlep.

Casa Julián? OMG…You gotta check this place out.

_© 2025, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or redistributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._



Vinous Table: Casa Julián, Tolosa, Spain

Vinous Table: Casa Julián, Tolosa, Spain (May 2025)

### [Drouant](https://drouant.com/)

16-18 Place Gaillon

75002 Paris, France

Tel: +33 1 42 65 15 16

BY ANTONIO GALLONI | MAY 9, 2025

**The Food:**

Jambon 5 Jotas Pata Negra; Puff Pastry Brioche

Roasted Landes Chicken; Poultry Sauce

Sautéed Morels

Roasted Beef Château Filet; Sauce Béarnaise, Potatoes Mousseline, Grilled Broccolini

Hot Chocolate Mousse; Sorbet, Chocolate Sauce

**The Wine:**

2021 Jean Foillard Morgon Côte du Py 94

Eating out in Paris on weekends and/or holidays can be challenging, as so many of the best places are closed. But not all. In fact, Drouant is a fabulous choice any day of the week. Founded in 1880, Drouant is a veritable Parisian institution. Since 2018 Drouant has been owned by the Gardinier family, who also operate Taillevent as well as the luxury hotel Les Crayères in Reims.

Guests will immediately be drawn by the restaurant’s grand entrance. From the gleaming wood tables to beautifully arranged bottles of spirts to the soaring staircase, this is the classic Parisian brasserie. Drouant offers a menu of traditional are, presented in a style that is upscale but not at all fussy. The wine selection is to die for. There is one list dedicated just to wines of the Rhône Valley and another list for all the rest. Many producers are represented with deep verticals. Prices will make you think about planning a return visit before dinner has even started. They did for us.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1746818427191-Morgon.jpg)

Inspired by [Neal Martin’s recent article on Beaujolais](https://vinous.com/articles/buy-some-try-some-beaujolais-2022-2024-apr-2025), I ordered the 2021 Morgon Côte du Py from Jean Foillard. Fresh and wonderfully fleshy, the 2021 is an absolute delight. Floral and savory notes play off a core of vibrant red and purplish-hued fruits. I can think of many regions where a wine of this quality would command two to three times the price. Fabulous.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1746814426583-Jam+and+brioche.jpg)

_Jambon 5 Jotas Pata Negra; Puff Pastry Brioche._

Pata Negra ham is an ideal starter to share. Thin slices of artfully arranged _jamón_ adorn the plate. The puff pastry brioche, served warm, is a superb accompaniment. We are happy. My only regret is that after a few days of abundant eating in Paris, we simply can’t try more things on the menu.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1746814450732-Chicken.jpg)

_Roasted Landes Chicken; Poultry Sauce._

The Roasted Chicken is served with two sauces, a light poultry sauce and a richer, more luxurious demi-glace style sauce. It’s a heavenly combination. Morels, one of my favorites, are offered on several dishes but not alone. The kitchen very graciously prepared a side for us. What a treat. Mixed in with the two sauces on the chicken plate, the morels are absolutely divine.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1746814476464-Morels.jpg)

_Sautéed Morels._

Don’t be fooled by what looks like very simple filet mignon. Drouant’s Roasted Beef Château Filet served with Sauce Béarnaise, Potatoes Mousseline, Grilled Broccolini is perfectly seasoned and cooked. Sides are everything we could ask for.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1746814500618-Filet.jpg)

_Roasted Beef Château Filet; Sauce Béarnaise, Potatoes Mousseline, Grilled Broccolini._

The Hot Chocolate Mousse is more like a warm soufflé with ice cream. Generously topped with chocolate sauce, it is a fine choice for readers with a sweet tooth and a terrific conclusion to this delicious dinner.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1746814522581-Chocolate.jpg)

_Hot Chocolate Mousse; Sorbet, Chocolate Sauce._

Last but certainly not least, I would like to commend the kitchen and front of the house staff for a superb meal. We visited Drouant the Monday after Easter, a holiday in France. The restaurant was not especially busy. These are the moments when service can slip, when the food can suffer. Everything we tasted was delicious, while service was top notch. Drouant is open every day from 8am to 11pm, making it a highly useful address for both diners who are new to Paris and those who are well versed in the city’s culinary attractions. _Chapeau_.

_© 2025, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or redistributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._



Vinous Table: Drouant, Paris, France

Vinous Table: Drouant, Paris, France (May 2025)

### Vinous Guides: Best Italian Wine Lists in New York City

BY ANTONIO GALLONI | MAY 5, 2025

I have been involved with Italian wine in one way or another since I was in high school. My parents operated a retail store when I was a teenager. That was my introduction. Family trips in the summer furthered my interest. Later, I became an avid consumer myself. Today, many years later, my passion for Italy and its wines is stronger than ever. I never cease to be amazed by the sheer diversity and quality Italy has to offer.

With [Vinous Icons: Italy](https://vinous.com/events/vinous-icons-italy-2025-new-york-city) fast approaching, we are looking forward to welcoming guests from around the world for a memorable weekend of lunches, dinners, seminars and tastings. To help attendees get the most out of the weekend, we’ve put together a list of our favorite spots where wine lovers can enjoy the full breadth of Italian wine. Some of the restaurants on this list have Italy-focused programs, while others offer wines from around the world. We hope this selection is useful for out-of-towners as well as readers who are well-versed in New York City’s vibrant dining scene.

I did notice several things as I pored over these incredible lists. First, I would like to see Wine Directors and Sommeliers make a clear and correct distinction between Chianti Classico and Chianti. These are two distinct and separate regions. One is not a subset of another. I also noted the minimal presence of Alto Adige, a region blessed with extraordinary diversity that also offers a great deal of value. Either Alto Adige wineries are not doing enough to promote their wines, or perhaps local demand is enough for these estates to thrive.

Restaurants are ranked from one to five stars according to the following parameters:

1) Breadth, 2) Creativity, 3) By the Glass Options, 4) Selection of Older Vintages and 5) Value, which are then combined into an overall rating.

[**Café Carmellini**](https://www.cafecarmellini.com/)

The Fifth Avenue Hotel

250 5th Ave, New York, NY 10001

Tel. + 1 (212) 231-9200

More than five years in the making, Chef Andrew Carmellini’s posh new restaurant is one of the top spots in New York City. Since its opening, its food has gotten better and better. Beverage Director Josh Nadel and Sommelier Robin Wright have put together one of the best lists in town. Although not focused solely on Italy, the list here is nothing short of breathtaking. Reds seem to be the driving theme—if you want it, it’s there. The Barolo selection goes back to the 1960s. Every major producer is represented with multiple vintages, as are pretty much all the names that have become more fashionable of late. Readers with a generous budget will look at this list and start planning a return visit. But Café Carmellini is not just about big names, and there are plenty of affordable choices too. The Alto Piemonte section is small but holds plenty of value. Dolcetto, Barbera and Langhe Nebbiolo aren’t quite the steals they used to be, but there are some good options here as well. There’s plenty of depth in the Tuscan sections as well. Among up-and-coming regions, Sicily is well represented. Whites are a curious mix. The selection of Miani alone is jaw-dropping, but that’s pretty much it for Friuli. Alto Adige and Veneto, meaning Soave, are essentially non-existent. Liguria, Marche and Campania fare better. To be fair, the list is global in scope and it is impossible to have everything. Readers in search of an all-Italian list will find that at sister restaurant Locanda Verde (see below). Prices are fair within the context of high-end Manhattan restaurants. I appreciate the desire to provide value via wines from less well-known producers. The By the Glass selection, which is global in scope, is extremely thoughtful and curated.

**Strengths:** Older vintages of Piedmont, Langhe, the relative value of the Barbera & Friends section, Tuscany, Abruzzo

**What I’m Drinking:** 2021 Tiberio Trebbiano d'Abruzzo Fonte Canale, 2023 Burlotto Dolcetto d’Alba, 2016 Le Pianelle Bramaterra

**Money is No Object:** 2013 Cappellano Barolo Pie Franco

Breadth: ★★★★★

Creativity: ★★★★

By the Glass Options: ★★★★★

Selection of Older Vintages: ★★★★★

Value: ★★★★½

Overall Rating: ★★★★½

[**Ci Siamo**](https://www.cisiamo.com/)

440 West 33rd Street Suite #100

New York, NY 10001

Tel. +1 (212) 219-6559

Beverage Director Luciane Froz and her team of sommeliers offer a fabulous list that leans heavily on Italy. The By the Glass selections are superb and show real thought. Owner Danny Meyer has long championed value in his wine programs. That’s harder to do these days, but there is still plenty of value to be found for guests who take the time to pore through the extensive list. Many of the ‘trophy’ wines are less expensive at Ci Siamo than in other restaurants in the city. Last but certainly not least, according to my 14-year-old daughter, Ci Siamo “has the best Italian food outside of Italy.”

**Strengths:** By the Glass options, overall diversity and breadth

**What I’m Drinking:** 2023 Köfererhof Riesling, 2023 Marco de Bartoli Zibbibo Pietranera, 2020 Tenuta di Carleone Chianti Classico, 2018 Gulfi Nero d’Avola Nerobufaleffj

**Money is No Object:** 2020 Giacomo Conterno Nebbiolo d’Alba Arione, 1964 Giuseppe Mascarello & Figlio Barolo

Breadth: ★★★★★

Creativity: ★★★★★

By the Glass Options: ★★★★★

Selection of Older Vintages: ★★★

Value: ★★★★★

Overall Rating: ★★★★½

[**Fausto**](https://www.faustobrooklyn.com/)

348 Flatbush Avenue

Brooklyn, New York 11238

Tel. +1 (917) 909-1427

Readers who are burned out by stratospheric restaurant prices will want to head straight to Joe Campanale’s Fausto in Brooklyn. This is the place to drink some of Italy’s most coveted wines at prices that are exceedingly fair in today’s world. With its emphasis on Italy, France and the United States, the list has plenty to offer. The focus is squarely on the smaller artisan producers that Campanale has championed throughout his career. It’s a relatively small list, organized alphabetically rather than designed to offer something for every region (an exercise that would be nearly impossible for Italy anyway). The By the Glass selection is light, but then again, so are prices. There’s not much in the way of older vintages either, but that does not bother me one bit here. That said, Fausto does offer some slightly older whites that will tempt inquisitive diners. The overall theme, though, is value, value, value. Fausto is a restaurant that deserves to be widely supported. Bravo!

**Strengths:** Value, value, value

**What I’m Drinking:** 2021 Nusserhof Blatterle ‘Bl.Te.Le,’ 2020 Occhipinti Grillo SM, 2019 Castell’in Villa Chianti Classico, 2017 Ar.Pe.Pe. Valtellina Superiore Riserva Stella Retica, 2021 Podere Le Boncie Le Trame

**Money is No Object:** 2018 Burlotto Barolo Monvigliero

Breadth: ★★★★★

Creativity: ★★★★★

By the Glass Options: ★★★★

Selection of Older Vintages: ★★★

Value: ★★★★★

Overall Rating: ★★★★

[**Locanda Verde**](http://locandaverdenyc.com/)

The Greenwich Hotel

377 Greenwich Street

New York, NY 10013

Tel. +1 (212) 925-3797

Italian wine lovers will adore the list (and the food) at Locanda Verde, Chef Andrew Carmellini’s trattoria-style restaurant in lower Manhattan. Locanda Verde offers an all-Italian list with an additional small selection of Champagne. That’s a pretty good mix in my book. There are so many gorgeous wines on this list. All the major regions offer depth of style, producer and price. A handful of featured wines at the top of each section make choosing easy for guests who don’t want to pore over the entire list. By the Glass options offer quality, value and interest. Well done. There are a few older vintages sprinkled throughout the list, not too many but that does not seem to be the focus, nor would I expect to necessarily see that in an informal, fast-paced restaurant. Readers who want to splurge on older wines will find plenty to choose from at sister restaurant Café Carmellini. Locanda Verde is one of the best places for the inquisitive oenophile to explore all Italy has to offer. Don’t miss it.

**Strengths:** The overall selection offers terrific breadth for most of Italy.

**What I’m Drinking:** 2023 Ronco del Gnemiz Sauvignon Sol, 2022 Manni Nössing Sylvaner, 2022 Monteraponi Chianti Classico, 2017 Rovellotti Ghemme Chioso dei Pomi

**Money is No Object:** 2007 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Cascina Francia

Breadth: ★★★★★

Creativity: ★★★★★

By the Glass Options: ★★★★★

Selection of Older Vintages: ★★★★½

Value: ★★★★★

Overall Rating: ★★★★★

[**Marea**](https://www.marearestaurant.com/)

240 Central Park South

New York, NY 10019

Tel. +1 (212) 582-5100

Located in posh Central Park South, Marea is a New York City institution. The selection of wines by the glass and by Coravin is exceptional. Not only is the selection vast, but Marea is the only restaurant in this article that explains each of the wines with a brief description so that readers know what to expect. That is commendable. It should not be unusual, but it is. Stated simply, Marea offers one of the best By the Glass programs I have seen anywhere in the world. Kudos.

To be sure, Marea offers a big-city wine list. Interestingly, in the Italian section, white wine producers are more artisan in scale, while the reds feature a lot of the big names. After all these years, I am sure Wine Director Francesco Grosso has an excellent idea of what diners expect to see at Marea. There aren’t a ton of older vintages on the list, but there are enough to keep things interesting. Pricing is quite fair for a restaurant of this caliber in the heart of Manhattan. Highly recommended.

**Strengths:** Wine by the glass, white wines and iconic Italian reds

**What I’m Drinking:** 2023 Tiberio Pecorino, 2018 Pra Soave Classico, 2019 Ferrando Carema Etichetta Bianca, 2020 Luigi Baudana Barolo Baudana

**Money is No Object:** 2014 Roagna Barbaresco Crichët Pajé, 2004 Montevertine Le Pergole Torte, 2006 Antinori Solaia

Breadth: ★★★★★

Creativity: ★★★★★

By the Glass Options: ★★★★★

Selection of Older Vintages: ★★★★½

Value: ★★★★★

Overall Rating: ★★★★★

[**Massara**](https://www.massara.nyc/)

913 Broadway

New York, NY 10010

Tel. +1 (646) 212-0913

At Massara Chef Stefano Secchi focuses on the cooking of Campania and southern Italy, with much of it done on wood-grill stove and oven. The wine list is one of the most singular and exciting I have seen in a very long time. Campania and Sicily feature heavily. Those themes continue in the reds, where Basilicata is also given ample play. Readers who want to explore the best of Southern Italy will flip out over this list. Tuscany is also exceptionally well represented. Guests will find a deep selection of wines from Emidio Pepe in the Abruzzo section. What a transformation this estate has undergone. I remember accompanying Emidio Pepe around New York City during his first visit about 20 years ago. He did not speak a word of English, and no one knew who he was! Today, the Pepe family’s wines adorn the best lists around the world. There are no wines from northern Italy—a courageous choice, but one I applaud, as it forces diners to explore the vast riches of other regions. Moreover, the wines on this list are surely better complements to the menu. Massara offers a fine By the Glass selection and plenty of depth in older vintages.

**Strengths:** Southern Italy and Tuscany or bust

**What I’m Drinking:** 2023 Marisa Cuomo Furore, 2020 Colle di Lapio Fiano di Avellino Clelia, 2018 Cantine Lonardo Taurasi Coste, 2021 Tenuta di Trinoro Campo di Tenaglia

**Money is No Object:** 2020 Quintodecimo Grande Cuvée Luigi Moio, 2012 Nanni Cope Terre del Volturno Sabbie di Sopra Bosco, 1971 Biondi-Santi Brunello di Montalcino Riserva

Breadth: ★★★★★

Creativity: ★★★★★

By the Glass Options: ★★★★★

Selection of Older Vintages: ★★★★

Value: ★★★★

Overall Rating: ★★★★½

###   

[**Rezdôra**](https://www.rezdora.nyc/)

27 East 20th Street

New York, New York 10003

Tel. +1 (646) 692-9090

Rezdôra is Chef/Owner Stefano Secchi’s ode to the cuisine of Emilia-Romagna that he grew up with. One of the things I like most about this list is the personal touch. Rezdôra gets high marks here. Secchi and his team highlight family-owned wineries they have a special connection with, including G.D. Vajra, Le Piane, Medici-Ermete, Malvirà and others. Not surprisingly, the list of wines from Emilia-Romagna is striking in its depth.

The Emilia-Romagna, Franciacorta, Friuli and Piedmont sections are especially of note, as is the selection of “orange” wines. There’s plenty of value to be found among less well-known names. Guests who want to drink big-name wines will have to accept pricing that is astronomical, even by New York City standards. By the Glass selections offer some very nice choices, although there could be more breadth.

**Strengths:** Emilia-Romagna, Franciacorta, Friuli, Piedmont

**What I’m Drinking:** 2023 Medici Ermete Lambrusco Concerto, 2022 Monte Maletto Erbaluce Vecchie Tonneaux, 2007 Kante Vitovska Selezione, 2021 Chiara Condello Predappio Sangiovese Riserva Le Lucciole, 2016/2017 Cascina Baricchi Barbaresco Riserva Rose delle Casasse

**Money is No Object:** 2021 Montevertine Le Pergole Torte

Breadth: ★★★★★

Creativity: ★★★★★

By the Glass Options: ★★★★

Selection of Older Vintages: ★★★

Value: ★★★★

Overall Rating: ★★★★½

[**Torrisi**](https://torrisinyc.com/)

Puck Building

275 Mulberry Street

New York, NY 10012

Tel. +1 (212) 254-3000

Torrisi is one of the hardest reservations to get in New York, but the food is worth it. The brainchild of Chef/Owner Rich Torrisi, this cozy restaurant is one of the more recent additions to the Major Food Group empire that Torrisi runs with partners Mario Carbone and Jeff Zalaznick. This is a big-time, New York City wine list, with hundreds of selections from all over Europe and the United States. Italy features heavily, which is not surprising given the cuisine. Guests who want to drink Italy’s most prestigious wines will need a hefty budget, but there is some value too. The Produttori del Barbaresco section includes wines back to 1978. Guests will find numerous vintages of Poggio di Sotto Brunello di Montalcino, Ornellaia, Masseto and Sassicaia.

**Strengths:** Iconic wines of Tuscany and Piedmont

**What I Am Drinking:** 2022 Borgo del Tiglio Friulano, 2022 Fontodi Trebbiano, 2020 Cantine Garrone Prünent, 2022 Passopisciaro Etna Rosso Contrada Chiappemacchine

**Money is No Object:** 1990 Soldera Brunello di Montalcino Riserva

Breadth: ★★★★★

Creativity: ★★★★

By the Glass Options: ★★★★

Selection of Older Vintages: ★★★★★

Value: ★★★

Overall Rating: ★★★★

[**Lilia**](https://www.lilianewyork.com/)

567 Union Avenue

Brooklyn, New York 11222

Tel. + 1 (718) 576-3095

I have been a fan of Missy Robbins’ cooking since I first met her many years ago at the since-shuttered A Voce. The all-Italian list at Lilia is very much on the adventurous side. Artisan producers from all around the boot feature extensively. Guests in search of more mainstream estates might struggle a bit here. On the other hand, I admire any restaurateur who is willing to offer a list with so many of Italy’s leading small estates. There is certainly plenty to choose from. The selection of older vintages is minimal, but Lilia gets around that by offering vintages for many wines that are not necessarily the latest releases. That’s a fine compromise. By the Glass options are equally creative, with a good bit of diversity too. Unfortunately, unlike every other restaurant in this report, Lilia was not willing to share their full list, so I can’t comment on pricing or value. Even so, this is a program that merits a mention.

**Strengths:** Hard-to-find artisan producers

**What I’m drinking:** 2022 Mitka Sirk Friuliano, 2021 Podere Le Boncie Chiesamonti, 2018 Nusserhof Elda, 2015 Walter Massa Monleale

Breadth: ★★★★

Creativity: ★★★★★

By the Glass Options: ★★★★

Selection of Older Vintages: ★★★

Value: NR

Overall Rating: ★★★½

[**Portale**](https://www.portalerestaurant.com/)

126 West 18th Street

New York, NY 10011

Tel. +1 (917) 781-0255

Chef Alfred Portale made his name at Gotham Bar and Grill, where he became an iconic presence of the New York City dining scene before striking out on his own in 2019. Portale offers a big-city wine list at his namesake restaurant, and Italy features heavily. The selection of whites alone makes Portale one of the most important wine destinations in New York City. That theme continues into the reds, where readers will have a very hard time making choices. The selection from Produttori del Barbaresco is deep. Portale is one of the few New York City restaurants that offer a wide range of Valtellina reds. Beyond that, there is no shortage of choices. Prices are very fair by New York City standards. Although Portale does not offer a lot of very old vintages, the list is peppered with many vintages of moderate age. Highly recommended.

**Strengths:** Impossible to choose!

**What I’m drinking:** 2022 Köfererhof Kerner Valle Isarco, 2022 Pieropan Soave Classico La Rocca, 2020 Trediberri Barolo Berri, 2016 Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco Riserva Pora

**Money is No Object:** 1996 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Riserva Fallettoo, Tenuta delle Terre Nere Etna Rosso Prephylloxera La Vigna di Don Peppino

Breadth: ★★★★★

Creativity: ★★★★★

By the Glass Options: ★★★★★

Selection of Older Vintages: ★★★★½

Value: ★★★★★

Overall Rating: ★★★★★

[**Via Carota**](https://www.viacarota.com/)

51 Grove Street

New York, NY 10014

Tel. +1 (212) 255-1962

Located in the West Village, Via Carota is one of the hottest spots in Manhattan. The Tuscan-inspired menu from Jody Williams and Rita Sodi has Via Carota packed most of the time. As much as I admire grand, encyclopedic wine lists at other venues (and the work that goes into creating them), I also very much enjoy smaller, highly curated selections like this one. Guests will find plenty of options from around the boot. There’s a good bit of variety in the whites, while Piedmont occupies about half of the reds section. The By the Glass selection is not especially remarkable, but it is fine for a more casual restaurant. If anything, the skimpy selection of wines by the glass is a very fine inducement to simply get a bottle. That’s not too hard to do since most bottles are under $130. I must say, I admire Via Carota’s commitment to value.

**Strengths:** A curated selection of affordable, food-friendly wines with a focus on artisan estates

**What I’m Drinking:** 2023 Foradori, Manzoni Bianco Fontanasanta, 2015 Paolo Bea Umbria Bianco Arboreus, 2022 Felsina Chianti Colli Senesi, 2022 Tenuta di Trinoro Le Cupole

**Money is No Object:** 2019 Biondi-Santi Rosso di Montalcino

Breadth: ★★★★

Creativity: ★★★★★

By the Glass Options: ★★★★

Selection of Older Vintages: ★★★

Value: ★★★★★

Overall Rating: ★★★★

_© 2025, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or redistributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._



Vinous Guides: Best Italian Wine Lists in New York City

Vinous Guides: Best Italian Wine Lists in New York City (May 2025)

### [Belcanto](https://www.belcanto.pt/)

R. Serpa Pinto 10A,

1200-026 Lisbon,

Portugal

+351 21 342 0607

BY NEAL MARTIN | MAY 2, 2025

### The Food:

Amuse-bouche

Oysters, seaweed, samphire with apple and cucumber granita

Beetroot, pine nut milk and mustard seeds

Hamachi, cabbage and broth of “Cozido à Portuguesa”

Egg yolk, eel, black truffle with parsley puree

Scarlet shrimp and “barefoot cuttlefish”

Turbot, razor clams-infused Carnaroli rice and caviar

Suckling pig, mole of Sarrabulho with watercress emulsion

Goats’ milk, squeezed lime ice cream, fig, toasted buckwheat and cotton candy

“Abade de Priscos”: pine nut gel, yuzu sorbet and kumquat with dehydrated yoghurt wafer

Petits-fours

### The Wines:

2022 Quinta de Chocapalha CH by Chocapalha - 88

2021 Giz Vinhas Velhas Red - 88

2022 António Maçanita Tinta Negra Dos Villões - 93

Lisbon has become one of Europe’s great gastronomic centres. It’s not quite the Mecca that is San Sebastián. Nonetheless, epicures descend into the Portuguese capital to devour as many _Pasteis de Nata_ as humanly possible (I recommend a pilgrimage to the ubiquitous custard tart’s birthplace at Pasteis de Belém, a short ride out of the city) or to savour world-class cuisine at one of the city’s 17 Michelin-starred restaurants. Lisbon caters to gourmands of all types, especially those with pescatarian leanings, since the Atlantic lies just yonder at the end of the Tagus estuary.

I strive to include restaurants of varying levels in my Vinous Tables. On my first trip to Libson two years ago, I focused on institutions such as [Solar dos Presentos](https://vinous.com/articles/vinous-table-solar-dos-presuntos-lisbon-portugal-apr-2023) and [Cervejaria Ramiro](https://vinous.com/articles/vinous-table-cervejaria-ramiro-lisbon-portugal-apr-2023). On this, my second sojourn, I reserved a table at what is generally regarded as Lisbon’s finest restaurant—Belcanto. José Avillez is to Portugal what Thomas Keller is to the U.S., or Gordon Ramsay to the U.K.: a gifted, renowned chef who became a public figure with attendant books and TV appearances. Opened in 2012, Belcanto became the first Portuguese restaurant to win two Michelin stars and is listed at number 31 in San Pellegrino’s “World’s 50 Best Restaurants.” In recent years, Avillez has built a small empire of eateries around Portugal, including the one-star “Encanto” next door, but Belcanto is the jewel in the crown.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1746111788631-belcanto+frontage_VT.JPG)

_The façade of Belcanto._

The restaurant is located in the Chiado district in the heart of Lisbon: an epicentre of gastronomic temples (two-starred “rival” Alma is the next block down…you could feasibly do both in a day!) Belcanto lies close to the opera theatre, hence its name. The interior is sober and neutral: dark wood and brass, ambient lighting, minimalist half-circle mirrors on the walls, a discrete nod to 70s aesthetics. The room feels warm and inviting. The vaulted ceiling exposes the original brickwork and telegraphs a sense of history overhead, a neat juxtaposition against the modern open kitchen with what felt like multiple stations. A mezzanine houses a private dining room, and there’s a chef’s table deep inside the kitchen for those who want to get up close and personal. There is plenty of space between the white-clothed dining tables, though you can still lean over and chat if you wish.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1746190321424-belcanto+kitchen_VT.JPG)

_The team hard at work in the restaurant's open kitchen._

Before broaching the menu, let me state that this was one of the finest restaurant services that I have ever encountered. I don’t refer only to the politeness of the smartly dressed waiters in their white gloves. I’m talking about the warmth of their welcome and affability—serious, but happy to joke. The preprandial request to let them know if you require the restroom so they can pause service. The invitation to tour the kitchen, where I was warmly greeting by kitchen staff, communicating that I was welcome to curiously nose about. Then, there are the small gestures. Before the first course, we are given a card that simply says “Welcome,” and then each course is preceded by another card with an illustration on one side and ad hoc words, pointers to imminent dishes on the flipside. Each one is slotted into a brass holder on the table, then at the end of the meal, your pack is whisked away and returned in a sealed wax envelop with an added personal message from the team and even Avillez’s signature. These multiple gestures made the whole experience feel personal, familial, almost wistful—leitmotifs of the dining experience.

Belcanto offers _à la carte_ options at 225 and 250 euros per person. Frankly, you are much better advised to go for the tasting “discovery” menu at 265 euros. Expensive? No kidding. But that is the going rate for dining at this level. Moreover, I could mention several inferior restaurants in London that cost more. In my opinion, given the quality offered, this represents acceptable value, and apropos Belcanto and indeed all restaurants in Portugal, there is a pecuniary advantage for wine-lovers that I’ll broach later.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1746190483593-belcanto+amuse1_VT.JPG)

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1746190531927-belcanto+amuse2_VT.JPG)

_The four-part amuse-bouche._

The meal begins with a four-part amuse-bouche exquisitely arranged on a tree-like metal sculpture, one miniature platform for each. Firstly, a tiny tartlet of fatty tuna tartare. One mouthful that is to die for. I could have finished there and departed happy (almost). Secondly, a small cupcake made of codfish and turnip that delivered satisfying earth and sea flavours. Then, a small golden ball that looked like an after-dinner chocolate. In fact, this is partridge and Escabeche delicately wrapped in edible gold leaf, a grain of salt on top. Finally, what looks like a blackcurrant pastille is in fact seaweed cannelloni topped with a small, glistening lobe of sea urchin roe. The texture is amazing. It collapses in the mouth, releasing sublime saline/marine flavours that are countered by the sweetness of the urchin.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1746190778151-belcanto+oyster_VT.JPG)

_Oysters, seaweed, samphire with apple and cucumber granita._

The following dish is the most arresting and uncompromising, in a good way. Our newly delivered card simply reads “Sea,” and the dish evokes that word like few dishes I have tasted. It consists of an oyster sauce—the bivalves caught in Guincho, down the Portuguese coast towards Cascais—however, the star of the show, the trick up its sleeve, is the seaweed, or more accurately, kelp. Avillez uses kelp to form tiny ribbons and keeps its air bladders, which you gently crush between your teeth. It tastes much sweeter than you would expect and imparts an umami sensation unlike anything I’ve experienced. The dish is topped with samphire, plus a sharp green apple and cucumber granita that enhances the freshness. A startling and remarkable creation.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1746190900019-belcanto+beetroot_VT.JPG)

_Beetroot, pine nut milk and mustard seeds._

Next is “Earth.” This is another incredible plate centred around the humble beetroot, sliced into a thin ribbon and served with pine nut milk, fried sweet potato and mustard seeds. It looks amazing: stark red and milk white. The beetroot is perfectly _al dente_ and the pine nut milk delivers a nuanced sweetness that marries beautifully with the beetroot’s earthiness.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1746190960605-belcanto+cabbage_VT.JPG)

_Hamachi, cabbage and broth of “Cozido à Portuguesa.”_

We move to hamachi, cabbage and broth of “Cozido à Portuguesa.” Hamachi is the Japanese word for yellowtail, a pescatarian delicacy and not the easiest “finned friend” to catch. The cabbage itself is fermented and grilled, mixed with a broth made from sausage and various meats. It looks rustic and lacks the aestheticism of the previous two dishes. I would say that here, the nuanced flavours of the yellowtail are a bit lost in the broth, although I enjoyed the cabbage (four words that my mum would never believe I would ever write when I was a kid refusing to even acknowledge the cabbage on my plate).

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1746191074834-belcanto+egg_VT.JPG)

_Egg yolk, eel, black truffle with parsley puree._

The confit of egg yolk is served with smoked and grilled eel, mushrooms and black truffle with parsley puree, added to an eel and poultry jus. Our waiter advises us to pop the yolk first. This is just gorgeous. Strangely, our card says “seasonal,” but this dish is so autumnal in late March! It’s warm and filling, each element beautifully combined. The eel takes a back seat—it’s all about the egg and fungi.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1746191162514-belcanto+shrimp_VT.JPG)

_Scarlet shrimp and “barefoot cuttlefish.”_

The following dish is scarlet shrimp and “barefoot cuttlefish.” The scarlet shrimp, a well-known Portuguese delicacy, is heavenly, though I could have eaten mine a notch warmer. The cuttlefish is actually cuttlefish ink, served with squid and smoked bacon, so it ends up being quite rich in style. I wonder if the smoked bacon is superfluous in this instance.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1746191293873-belcanto+turbot_VT.JPG)

_Turbot, razor clams-infused Carnaroli rice and caviar._

I prefer the following dish that is built around fresh turbot placed on top of razor-clam-infused Carnaroli rice that adds a creamy texture, with black caviar. This is rich yet paradoxically nuanced in flavour, the caviar lending saltiness to counterbalance the sweetness emanating from the rice.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1746191384224-belcanto+pig_VT.JPG)

_Suckling pig, mole of Sarrabulho with watercress emulsion._

The solitary meat dish is suckling pig. It is served like a wafer with either side consisting of a gossamer-thin crackling. The plate is drizzled with mole of Sarrabulho, a Portuguese stew made from tripe and blood, plus a watercress emulsion. This is very intense, to the point where I feel it risks unbalancing the entire tasting dinner. That does not infer that it’s not absolutely delicious and brilliantly executed, but in retrospect, I would have preferred a meat dish containing less richness than suckling pig.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1746191442712-belcanto+goat_VT.JPG)

_Goats’ milk, squeezed lime ice cream, fig, toasted buckwheat and cotton candy._

We move to the pre-dessert, and our card has written on it: “grandmother’s recipe,” “childhood” and “fig tree”. Our waiter takes away the napkin and presents a white cotton sleeve, advising us to put it on. This is because Avillez used to wipe his mouth with his sleeve as a kid. It’s novel, a bit of sentimental theatre…why not? There is a cutout of a goat on edible rice paper served with warmed goats’ milk and squeezed lime ice cream, fig, toasted buckwheat and cotton candy. It’s small and all the better for it: light yet perfectly balanced. It does the job in fomenting feelings of childhood, though my desserts rarely exceeded “Arctic Roll,” nor did I wipe my mouth on my sleeve.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1746191579103-belcanto+yuzu_VT.JPG)

_“Abade de Priscos”: pine nut gel, yuzu sorbet and kumquat with dehydrated yoghurt wafer._

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1746191602505-belcanto+petit+fours_VT.JPG)

_Petits-fours._

The final course, the main dessert, is “abade de Priscos” that comprises a pine nut gel, yuzu sorbet and kumquat with a brittle wafer made from dehydrated yoghurt. This is another divine dessert, the wafer so nuanced and milky sweet to counter the sharpness of the sorbet. Finally, four _petits fours_, each served in its own teardrop-shaped wooden box.

Around 80% of the wine list is made up of Portuguese wines, though there is a fairly deep selection from elsewhere, including blue chips from Bordeaux and Burgundy. I suppose the question is _why_? Sure, there are customers that want to drop a bomb on a bottle of Petrus and, lest we forget, doing so helps the bottom line for any restaurant, irrespective of status. But as more restaurants reconfigure menus around vegetables and fish, reflecting changing tastes fuelled by greater interest in healthy eating, it begs the question: where does that leave red wine? Especially more structured and tannic reds. I’m thinking of the very high end here. I think of how Brett Graham at The Ledbury shifted his menu away from meat with intense reduction sauces post-pandemic. Or the single meat dish at [Osip](https://vinous.com/articles/vinous-table-osip-mar-2025). Now here at Belcanto, and elsewhere. Is this a European movement? The United States seems more faithful to multi-meat menus, or maybe that is just happenstance. I would be interested to hear thoughts on this matter.

Belcanto offers a three-tier wine-pairing menu that starts at 150 euros per person. I am not against wine-pairing menus, especially as it offers chance to demonstrate sommeliers’ skills. However, two things dissuade me. Firstly, the wines are nearly always served via Coravin, a device without which wine-pairing menus would vanish overnight. However, I don’t really like wines served via Coravin because I find it can alter the taste, plus it makes the ritual of serving wine a little sterile. Call me old fashioned, but I like the sound of a popping cork more than the hiss of a Coravin.

Secondly, at least in Portugal, there are bountiful domestic whites and reds that mean some of the king’s ransom for the set menu can be offset by the 50-70 euros you pay for a great Portuguese wine. This is in stark contrast to Burgundy, where you have to shell out a three-figure sum for a halfway-decent Chardonnay or Pinot Noir. So, I forego the generous offer of 35 euro corkage per bottle—far less corkage than other establishments, if offered at all—and order a bottle of white.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1746191747210-belcanto+white+wine_VT.JPG)

The **2022 CH by Chocapalha** from **Quinta de Chocapalha** comes from the Lisbon wine region. It is 100% Arinto that undergoes nine months of bâtonnage. It is quite Burgundian on the nose, with pleasant almond and vanilla scents that are not overpowering. The palate is quite leesy with a decent line of acidity. It is perfectly pleasant, though to be honest, I feel it lacks some personality. A technically proficient white Portuguese wine, but it follows an impeccable 2022 Branco from António Madeira that blew me away a couple of nights earlier.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1746191770097-belcanto+red+wines_VT.JPG)

The **2021 Vinhas Velhas Red** from **Giz** (which translates to “chalk”) comes from winemaker Luis Gomes, who farms century-old Baja vines in Barriada. It was aged in French oak for 20 months. This is young and primal on the nose with precocious black cherries and a touch of sloes intermixed with liquorice. The palate is likewise structured and primal, I would say 12 to 18 months away from its drinking window. The tannins are quite grippy, partly due to the oak regime, and the fruit is a powerful array of black cherry, cassis and blueberry, though it lacks a little nuance and elegance on the finish. The 2021 is outclassed by the wonderful **2022 Tinta Negra Dos Villões** from **António Maçanita** from the island of Madeira, which is, of course, synonymous with its namesake fortified wines. This was a real eye-opener. This cuvée is 70% destemmed and after a 40-day skin maceration, matured in 228-litre oak barrels. Our sommelier advised that it is not unlike a Gamay, and he was dead on the money: vivacious Morello cherry, wild strawberry and orange zest spring from the glass with wonderful delineation. The palate delivers exquisite balance with edgy red fruit, very tensile yet supremely focused, with a touch of piquancy on the finish. Maçanita produces wine in several other areas, including the Azores, and this bottle makes me want to try all of them!

Does Belcanto live up to the billing? It was unequivocally a memorable dining experience and certainly merits its two Michelin stars. I would not describe it as completely faultless. At the end of the meal, our waiter asked what our favourite dish was, and then our least favourite. The question caught me off guard, but it showed that they do respect feedback. I must admit being completely stuffed by the time I reached the suckling pig, even after missing out on lunch during the day. The dishes are not heavy, nor do they utilise tubs of butter like in France. Perhaps it was the intensity of flavours that accreted with each course? That is my only quibble.

However, the service was second to none, and what a novelty to be dining in a Michelin-starred restaurant with plenty of affordable bottles on offer. The setting is gorgeous. You depart feeling as if you have been on a gustatory journey with José Avillez, which is part of his intention. If you want to taste high-level cuisine without pretentiousness, then Belcanto comes highly recommended. Plus, you can wipe your mucky mouth on your sleeve…

_© 2025, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or redistributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._

### 

### 

###

Vinous Table: Belcanto, Lisbon, Portugal

Vinous Table: Belcanto, Lisbon, Portugal (May 2025)

### [Henry’s End](https://www.henrysend.com/)

72 Henry Street

Brooklyn, NY 11201

BY NEAL MARTIN | APRIL 25, 2025

**The Food:**

New Orleans turtle soup

Goose liver mousse with pistachios and honey

Squab potstickers with chilli garlic sauce

Pappardelle with Buffalo oxtail ragu

Stuffed quail with cornbread and sausage stuffing

Kangaroo with gratin dauphinois and Burgundy jus

Elk chops with mushroom bread pudding

**The Wines:**

1997 Nicolas Joly Savennières Clos de la Coulée de Serrant – 90

1978 Burgess Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley – 89

1961 Giuseppe Mascarello Barbaresco – 91

1980 L’Eglise-Clinet – NR

2005 Domaine Georges Roumier Morey-Saint-Denis Clos de la Bussière 1er Cru – 93

2002 J. Rochioli Pinot Noir West Block – 92

1999 d’Arenberg Winery The Ironstone Pressings – 92

1927 Pereira d’Oliveira Bastardo Madeira – 94

_Neighbourhood institution_. That phrase can be interpreted in two ways. On the one hand, it implies that over time, a restaurant became part of the local fixture and fittings. Its heyday might be long gone, yet there continues to be a steady stream of regulars that covet familiarity, whose taste buds are indifferent towards quality. The epitome is an Italian bistro near my parents’ home that has existed in the same place, serving the same clichéd dishes and cheap Chianti from the local cash and carry since time immemorial. The irony is that this bistro has outlived every other restaurant within a 10-mile radius.

On the other hand, _neighbourhood institution_ connotes a restaurant where high standards and passionate, talented chefs with attention to detail have sustained it through the years, a restaurant that stands as a beacon of quality. A restaurant that becomes a constant in a turbulent world. It is irreplicable and irreplaceable. Now, I never dined at Henry’s End when it opened in 1973 because (a) I was two years old and (b) I lived in Leigh-on-Sea, not Brooklyn. Nevertheless, invited by friends preceding this year’s _Vinous Icons_ event in New York, my tastebuds immediately confirmed that Henry’s End falls into the latter category of neighbourhood institutions. In other words, it might have opened over half a century ago, but standards remain high and people still love it.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1745514896448-mark+lahm_VT.JPG)

_Proprietor Mark Lahm posing in front of the neon signage above the stairs._

The name Henry’s End comes from the restaurant’s location up until 2019, when it sat two blocks north of Henry Street, ergo, at the “end” of Henry. Bustling on a Wednesday night, the restaurant brims with history, character and above all, delicious food. “I have worked here since 1980, starting as a dishwasher, then server, manager, cook and chef,” Co-owner Mark Lahm told me. “In 1984, I enrolled in the Culinary Institute of America, and when I graduated in 1986, I purchased the restaurant from the previous owners. Our annual ‘Game Festival’ is now in its 39th year and runs from approximately October to April. It is done in three phases, two months for each phase, with the selections changing for each.”

To be honest, I wasn’t sure that I was in the mood for their Wild Game Festival, however, the quality of the first dishes immediately changed my mind and I was happy to go all-out carnivore. “We have used many different farms over the years,” Lahm explains. “Currently, our major suppliers are The Broken Arrow Ranch, Fossil Farms, d'Artagnan and Cervena.” In this case, I don’t need to analyse every dish, because they are all fairly straightforward. They highlight well-sourced ingredients and a kitchen that knows how to cook them perfectly. What I really appreciate is that despite the bias towards meat, no dish could be described as heavy—no excessive richness or pointless sauces. The United States is a country renowned for portions that could feed a small country, but here the portions are modestly sized, just right for a multi-course meal.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1745514928192-turtle+soup_VT.JPG)

_The New Orleans turtle soup is quite charmingly served in a coffee mug._

I must point out the New Orleans turtle soup. It is the first time I’ve eaten this dish, here made with 15 spices. It has real depth of flavour and just the right amount of spicy kick. A small cupful is just enough.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1745514979444-goose+liver_VT.jpg)

_The goose liver mousse is topped with pistachios and honey and served with charred bread._

The goose liver mousse is sweet and creamy in texture and needs the accompanying charred bread to offset the richness. I have to resist eating the entire portion and mopping my plate. Next up, the pappardelle with Buffalo oxtail ragu is well cooked but perhaps could benefit from a little more of the nicely seasoned oxtails.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1745515080429-quail_VT.JPG)

_The stuffed quail was my favourite course of the evening._

The stuffed quail with cornbread and sausage stuffing is my highlight. Delicious and tender, the cornbread lends texture and sweetness, and the stuffing adds strong herbal flavours that marry perfectly with the quail.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1745515143184-kangaroo_VT.JPG)

_Kangaroo made for an unusual but exquisite main course._

The kangaroo was imported from Australia (I did ask whether they are reared in the US—apparently not) and served with gratin dauphinois and Burgundy jus. This is tender and moist, and the jus has a light acidity that helps the dish maintain balance. I prefer this to the elk chops, which are slightly tough, especially following the kangaroo.

The wine list… I mean, you don’t see ‘em like that anymore. Many of the choice items come from the proprietor, who owns a vast personal cellar and negotiates favourable rates from private sources. The list is particularly strong in mature vintages from California, Bordeaux and Italy, especially esoteric vintages that you don’t typically see. This is a list for the wine-lover, not the label-hunter, and to cap it all off, most are sold at prices that would be three or four times as much elsewhere, if listed at all.

We actually begin with a very old sherry. You would expect sherry at the end of the meal, but its dagger-like acidity cleanses the palate. Apologies, but I did not write down the exact name, though it was extremely old.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1745515252763-burgess_VT.JPG)

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1745515272078-rochioli_VT.jpg)

The **1997 Savennières Clos de la Coulée de Serrant** from **Nicolas Joly** is a burnished golden hue. The nose is a little smudged, leaning more towards the richer side of Savennières with dried honey, candlewax and lanolin. The palate has fine weight and just a very slight touch of oxidation, though it complements this wine. With just a touch of desiccated orange peel and some resinous notes towards the end, this is definitely one of the better mature bottles I have encountered from a wine that, in my experience, has been hit and miss. The **1978 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon** from **Burgess Cellars** is a delight. Fully mature on the nose like many Cabernets from this era, it is a doppelgänger for a Médoc, with _sous-bois_ and light tobacco scents that tinge vestiges of black fruit. The palate does not deliver the complexity of the ’77 Diamond Creek Volcanic Hill imbibed the previous evening, though this does retain balance and finesse. It’s perhaps a little simple or rather…unassuming towards the finish, as if it has done its job well and now it’s time to leave. Not one of those earth-shattering old Californians, but decent. The **2002 West Block Pinot Noir** from **J. Rochioli** initially seems a bit garish, perhaps due to its juxtaposition against the ’78 Burgess. However, it just needs 30 minutes to settle. It delivers gorgeous red plum, hoisin, camphor and maraschino cherries that are beautifully defined and pure, generous but not overpowering, distinct from Burgundy or anywhere else. The palate has wonderful balance. It’s full-bodied, yet beneath what after two decades bizarrely feels like puppy fat, one finds a core of fine tannins. Very harmonious, satin-textured and persistent through the finish, this is a sensual and opulent Pinot Noir that reeks of class.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1745515297035-roumier+2005_VT.jpg)

The **2005 Morey-Saint-Denis Clos de la Bussière 1er Cru** from **Domaine Georges Roumier** proves that this vintage produced some really classy wines whose tannins are finally softening. It boasts exquisite purity on the nose, blossoming with white-tipped strawberry, raspberry, crushed rose petals and wet limestone, polished and sophisticated. The palate is framed by filigree tannins that, if tasted blind, divert you away from this typically structured vintage. There is gentle but insistent grip towards a finish that is imbued with the grip you expect from a Morey rather than a Chambolle. This is beginning to take flight. We skip a **1980 L’Eglise-Clinet** as the bottle is oxidised. Shame, as it is one of the very few vintages that I’ve never tasted, and I doubt there is one at the château.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1745515322527-barbaresco_VT.jpg)

The **1961 Barbaresco** from **Giuseppe Mascarello** is a rare old bird. It has a pale colour, to the point that you would think it’s a Rosé. The nose has a disarming citric quality, unerringly fresh, though I could never describe it as complex. The palate is similar to the aromatics: very fresh and precise, arguably missing grip and body that must have slipped away with time (indeed, this bottle shed an extraordinary amount of sediment). This is more a curiosity now, but a drinkable curiosity. The **1999 Ironstone Pressings** from **d’Arenberg** is a timely reminder of how well these Aussie wines have aged. This GSM exudes vigour and purity on the nose, showing black plum mixed with subtle cough candy and lavender. It is very controlled with ample refinement, perhaps “contained” by the passing 26 years. The palate remains fresh and vital, very well balanced with saturated, smooth tannins, polished and graceful towards the finish. A gem hiding in plain sight!

Later that evening, we are treated to a clutch of fortified wines. I will save a couple for Cellar Favourites and mention one. The **1927 Bastardo** from **Pereira d’Oliveira** is nowadays quite difficult to track down, though I have encountered it two or three times in the past. It feels a little more austere than before, with potent, resinous, furniture polish scents. But then the fruit comes out of its slumber, revealing desiccated orange peel, tangerine and light smoky notes. Great vigour. The palate is medium-bodied with quite firm grip, tangy and vibrant with that grilled walnut/hazelnut note on the finish. It does not have the same “braggadocio” as previous bottles, but at a century-old, it continues to ooze class.

Henry’s End is a wonderful bistro, a neighbourhood institution in the best sense of the word. Both the food and wine will tempt me to return whenever I find myself back in the Big Apple. Whether it will outlive that Italian spot near my parents’ house is another question entirely, but I can promise that unless you do have a craving for rancid, cheap Chianti, head for the bounty of amazing wines at Henry’s End.

_© 2025, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or redistributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._



Vinous Table: Henry’s End, Brooklyn, New York

Vinous Table: Henry’s End, Brooklyn, New York (Apr 2025)

[
### Restaurant La Grande Georgette
](https://www.lacasernechanzy.com/fr/restaurant-et-bar.html)

18 Rue Tronsson Ducoudray

51100 Reims, France

Tel: +33 3 26 83 18 18

BY ANTONIO GALLONI | APRIL 18, 2025

**The Food:**

Artichoke Soup and Black Truffle

Champagne Poultry with Black Truffle, Poulette Sauce

Pear and Black Truffle like Crème Brûlée

**The Wines:**

2019 Savart Brut Nature Le Mont des Chrétiens – 95

1995 Domaine Ramonet Montrachet Grand Cru - ?

2021 Domaine Hubert & Olivier Lamy Puligny-Montrachet Les Tremblots Vieilles Vignes – 92

2015 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti La Tâche Grand Cru – 98

I am always on the hunt for new places to eat in Champagne. Located in the Cazerne Chanzy Hotel & Spa, literally in front of the Reims Cathedral, La Grande Georgette is a welcome addition to my personal list of favorites.

Chef Julien Raphanel offers a small, inventive menu. Raphanel’s cuisine is imaginative and quite contemporary, but also not overdone or heavy in any way. It’s a style I find very appealing within the context of French cooking. Diners can choose from several tasting menu options or order à la carte. On this night, the theme was truffles, truffles and more truffles. It could be worse.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1744984582839-Wines_Apr172025.jpg)

La Grande Georgette offers a wine list that is both extensive and fairly priced, an increasing rarity these days. Guests will delight in the selection of grower Champagnes. There is so much I would like to order on this list. We start with **Savart’s 2019 Extra-Brut Mont des Chrétiens** , 100% Chardonnay from Ecueil. I loved the 2019 on release, and I love it today. Rich and expansive, with tremendous textural resonance, the Mont des Chrétiens is positively stellar. The 2019 was vinified and aged in 500-liter barrels, then aged on cork. It is, in my view, a wine that perfectly encapsulates Fred Savart’s style.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1744984319474-Artichoke+Soup.jpg)

_Artichoke Soup and Black Truffle._

The Artichoke Soup with Black Truffle is delicious. Rather than a true soup, the dish is best described as having a risotto-like texture in the way the artichokes and black truffles are finely chopped and bound in liquid. It is a wonderfully rich, heady dish ideal for a cold winter evening.

Sadly, the **1995 Ramonet Montrachet Grand Cru** is both oxidized and corked. What a shame, especially considering the rightfully lofty expectations that accompany bottles with this pedigree and price tag. We fare much better with **Lamy’s 2021 Puligny-Montrachet Les Tremblots Vieilles Vignes**. There are pricier options on the list, but my preference is to look for value, for wines that overdeliver. The 2021 Tremblots does that and more. Aromatic and beautifully layered, the 2021 is complex but also understated. Moreover, it’s a terrific wine for the dinner table. It brings back fond memories of the days when I used to visit Olivier Lamy at his family’s estate. What a gorgeous wine.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1744984335222-Main_Apr182025.jpg)

_Champagne Poultry with Black Truffle, Poulette Sauce._

The Champagne Poultry with Black Truffle is another creative take on a classic. Thin slices of black truffle cover the chicken, which is served with a reduction sauce and a brighter, classic Poulette sauce that ties all the ingredients on the plate together effortlessly. The **2015 Domaine de la Romanée Conti La Tâche** is an exceptional match. I have been fortunate to taste and drink the 2015 on multiple occasions, including twice on this weekend, as absurd as that sounds (don’t kill me). It has never been anything less than profound. Bright and beautifully focused, with tremendous purity of fruit, the 2015 is so dynamic, so compelling. Is it ready to drink? Not for readers who enjoy fully mature Burgundies. But there is something thrilling about catching a wine like this in its youth, when it is still so vibrant and fresh.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1744984361922-Creme+Brulee.jpg)

_Pear and Black Truffle like Crème Brûlée._

Pear and Black Truffle like Crème Brûlée is an intriguing dessert that melds sweet and savory elements. A delicate sugar sphere breaks into the custard, creating a dynamic interplay of flavors and textures.

Overall, this was a fabulous dinner. Food, wine and service were all top-notch. My only regret is not having tried more of the menu. There’s always next time. Last, but not least, the view of the Reims Cathedral on the way out is nothing short of spectacular, especially in the evening.

_© 2025, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or redistributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._



Vinous Table: Restaurant La Grande Georgette,  Champagne, France

Vinous Table: Restaurant La Grande Georgette,  Champagne, France (Apr 2025)

### [Le Petit Sommelier de Paris](https://www.lepetitsommelier-paris.fr/en/)

### 

49 Avenue du Maine

75014 Paris, France

Tel. + 33 (0) 1 43 20 95 66

Phone: 01 43 20 95 66

BY ANTONIO GALLONI | APRIL 11, 2025

**The Food:**

Salmon Gravlax

Frogs Legs in Persillade

Côte de Boeuf ‘Irish Angus’ for Two

**The Wine:**

2010 Domaine Armand Rousseau Gevrey-Chambertin Clos Saint-Jacques 1er Cru - 95

Proprietor Pierre Vila Palleja offers classic bistro fare along with one of the most interesting lists in Paris at Le Petit Sommelier de Paris. The ambiance is busy and quite informal. On this night, the tightly spaced tables are packed with families and locals enjoying beef bourguignon and other staples of the French kitchen.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1744384113222-VT_gravlax.jpg)

_Salmon Gravlax._

Le Petit Sommelier de Paris specializes in French comfort food favorites. Escargots, foie gras, steak tartare, ris de veau and many other are all options. A section of the menu is dedicated to special cuts of beef, including two versions of Côte de Boeuf for two. Salmon Gravlax is a fine starter, perhaps not the most adventurous dish, but a nice balance to this decidedly rich menu. Frogs Legs in a classic garlic/parsley Persillade is more typical bistro food. The Côte de Boeuf, served for two, could probably feed at least three people. Seared on the outside and rare on the inside, the steak is cooked and seasoned perfectly for my taste. Some may prefer their meat a little more done. Unfortunately, by the time dessert comes around, we are too full for sweets.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1744384134210-VT_frog+legs.jpg)

_Frogs Legs in Persillade._

Don’t let the outside look of the restaurant or the room fool you. Wine is taken very seriously. Palleja, who also writes for La Revue du Vin de France, oversees a vast cellar, only part of which is available at any given time. The list is a bit chaotic in its organization, so readers will have to spend a bit of time poring through its pages. I can’t say there are too many values, but that’s not too different from most places these days.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1744384153497-VT_beef.jpg)

_Côte de Boeuf ‘Irish Angus’ for two._

Rousseau’s **2010 Gevrey-Chambertin Clos Saint-Jacques 1er Cru** is a splurge. Then again, it’s not the sort of wine one finds on a list every day. Aromatic and wonderfully inviting, the 2010 is super-expressive right out of the gate. This bottle is a bit more delicate than I recall, but I also have not tasted the 2010 in a few years. Spice and floral notes abound in a silky, open-knit Burgundy that is an absolute pleasure to drink. With the steak, it is terrific.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1744384201765-VT_Rousseau.jpg)

Readers visiting Paris will want to check out Le Petit Sommelier de Paris. Its location near the Montparnasse train station is quite convenient. The food is very good, and the wine list is excellent. Service is also extremely attentive, even on this busy night. If I had it to do over again, I would probably choose some of the simpler dishes, like the beef bourguignon or steak tartare, and less fancy wines, all of which feel more in line with the spirit of the place. Le Petit Sommelier de Paris is a small restaurant. Reservations are essential.

_© 2025, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or redistributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._

Vinous Table: Le Petit Sommelier de Paris, Paris, France

Vinous Table: Le Petit Sommelier de Paris, Paris, France (Apr 2025)

### [Le B.](http://www.lebnyc.com/)

283 W 12th St

New York

NY 10014

United States

BY NEAL MARTIN | APRIL 4, 2025

### The Food:

Oysters Viennese and terrine à la maison

Ravioli de cervelle de veau

Pot au feu of foie gras

Truffled pigeonneau Two Ways

"The Pig's Trotter"

Fromage

Pistachio soufflé, chocolate mint sorbet and madeleines

**The Wine:**

NV Ulysse Collin Extra-Brut Blanc de Blancs Les Roises (2013 base) - 95

2005 Domaine François Raveneau Chablis Butteaux 1er Cru - 90

2000 Domaine Georges Roumier Chambolle-Musigny Village - 92

2008 Domaine Mugneret-Gibourg Nuits Saint-Georges Les Chaignots 1er Cru - 91

The plan was to seek out New York’s cutting-edge cuisine. Whether it was Keens Steakhouse or Henry’s End, established in 1885 and 1973 respectively, these institutions were not going to expand gastronomic horizons, nor should they. Both are great just as they are. My final night in the Big Apple led me to another restaurant unashamedly inspired by the past, the menu a stellar cast of classic French dishes in all their indulgent glory. Le B. does it with chutzpah, flair and class.

On a bitterly cold Saturday night, I walk to the West Village, where Le B. occupies the space where The Beatrice Inn resided until 2020. Stepping inside, I notice the dark navy walls and a chichi cocktail bar on my left-hand side, an extravagant crystal chandelier dangling above, possibly nicked from the “Overlook Hotel” in the twenties. A clever use of light makes the interior feel intimate and highlights the dazzling white tablecloths. I haven’t sat down yet, but I’m already getting retro vibes. I am greeted by Restaurateur and Chef Angie Mar, a Seattle-born Chinese-American and fully paid-up Francophile. Having started her career in real estate, Mar enrolled at the French Culinary Institute, later working in and then buying The Beatrice Inn. Given the nod in the name, I ask her whether there is much overlap between The Beatrice Inn and Le B.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1743780820460-VT_angie+mar.JPG)

_Chef Angie Mar in the kitchen with her brigade._

“Le B. is completely different but still tips its hat to my first restaurant, The Beatrice Inn, which was such a beloved place by so many,” Mar tells me via e-mail. “The Beatrice was focused as a chophouse, as that was its history, but with Le B., I got a fresh start. The cuisine here is what the cuisine at The Beatrice would have eventually evolved to, had I kept it open. The idea of the menu at Le B. is continental cuisine for the modern diner. Naturally, for me, that is a basis in French cuisine as that is how I am trained, but I focus on merging flavors and ingredients from my culture and upbringing and treating them in a very French way. I had an international childhood (London, Hong Kong, Seattle, New York), so all of these flavors and sensibilities are on full display on our menu. Le B. is continental and fun but very serious on technique.”

I ask which chefs inspired her, apart from the obvious one. “Chef Pierre Koffman, yes, of course!” she replies. “I think that we are so lucky to stand on these great chefs’ shoulders. The late Andre Soltner was a dear friend and a mentor—I always found his food and his spirit to be so inspiring. Marco Pierre White… I am also a bit ‘rock and roll’ at heart, so I see a kindred spirit in his cuisine. Mainly, I find inspiration in French cuisine from the fifties to the eighties: Point, Chapel, Lenôtre, Meneau. We have a very large collection of books from France during that time period in our kitchen library, and it's incredible to flip through and translate and learn.”

### The Meal

The meal begins with oysters Viennese that are light and creamy, sweetened with Auslese Grande Cuvée No. 5 from Austria’s finest sweet winemaker, Alois Kracher. “I love Sauternes and oysters,” Mar tells me. “I could make an entire meal out of it, honestly. The name ‘Oysters Viennese’ is a nod and wink to Kracher, who I had the pleasure of hosting for a luncheon a few months ago. He joked that my Austrian crepes were so good, they may grant me citizenship.” The dish is an interesting combination of bivalve and vino, and the balance is just right.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1743780849121-VT_oyster.JPG)

_Oysters Viennese._

The oyster is accompanied by terrine à la Maison made from pork and duck, with pistachio and kumquat confit. This is delicious, quite rich but not excessive, the pistachio lending a light bitterness to counter the sweetness of the terrine.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1743780924915-VT_ravioli.JPG)

_Ravioli de cervelle de veau._

The ravioli de cervelle de veau, or calf’s brain, is gorgeous. It comes with mirepoix, Osetra caviar and sauce du Japon. Quite subtle in flavour, it has a melt-in-your-mouth consistency, the ravioli itself perfectly cooked, with the caviar imparting a light saltiness.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1743781055307-VT_foie+gras.JPG)

_Pot au feu of foie gras._

The pot au feu of foie gras is beautifully presented with shavings of black truffle, shiso leaf and edible flowers in a wild mushroom consommé. Again, the foie gras is decadent but not too rich, and the shiso gives it a subtle pepperiness that lingers.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1743781102782-VT_pigeon.JPG)

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1743781130212-VT_pigeon+head.JPG)

_Truffled pigeonneau "two-ways."_

The truffled pigeonneau “two-ways” is served on the plate with black truffle, beluga lentils and mirepoix. Mar explained how the dish is prepared: “The bird is deboned and the breast meat stuffed with truffle and rolled into a ballotine, then cooked to a blush medium. The legs and the head are roasted and plated hot with a truffle and mushroom salad. Both dishes are then finished with sauce _albuféra_. I love a dish that has contrast, not just in flavor, but also temperature.”

Pink and tender, the pigeonnau is so tempting that I take a bite before I realise I haven't taken a photo, so I apologise for the dish looking a bit disheveled. The “other way” is a small bird that is eaten whole, including the head. Not for vegans, admittedly, but it is flavoursome with a welcome touch of bitterness.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1743781197916-VT_trotter.jpg)

_"The Pig's Trotter" is an iconic dish, and Le B.'s rendition is superb._

The highlight of the meal is "The Pig's Trotter," obviously inspired by its creator, chef Pierre Koffman. I virtually lived on this dish about 25 years ago when I regularly dined at Mirabelle or The Square in Mayfair—arguably, the defining dish of the nineties.

“The trotter is rather classic, and for me, a labor of love,” Mar explains. “The trotters are deboned and braised with mirepoix and wine, then stuffed with a mousseline of hen and roasted veal sweetbreads and morels. We finish it by glazing it in the oven with its braising liquid and a bit of port.”

Presented whole to the table, the trotter is sliced and presented with a creamy potato. As soon as I put it into my mouth, I remember why I used to order this almost every dinner. It is perfectly cooked. Every morsel is tender and delicious.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1743781271390-VT_fromage.JPG)

_An assortment of cheeses._

This is followed by a cheese plate comprised of Cambozola Black Label from Germany, Brillat-Savarin from France and Tête de Moines from Switzerland. These are all top-notch, and I write that as not the most ardent turophile.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1743782818842-VT_souffle.JPG)

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1743781432487-VT_madelaines.JPG)

_Pistachio soufflé and madeleines._

To finish, pistachio soufflé is accompanied by chocolate mint sorbet and a bowl of madeleines. The soufflé, perhaps predictably, reminds me of Michel Roux’s signature dessert at the aforementioned La Gavroche, and it is just wonderful. Perhaps it is almost overdoing it with the madeleines, but they are warm and comforting.

Joined by my friends, Scott H. and Sabra L. (to give them ”Severance” nomenclature), founding members of New York’s “Champagne Society,” it was no surprise that the liquid accompaniment for this meal is sparkling and stupendous. The bottle of **Les Roises** from **Ulysse Collin** , based on the 2013 vintage, testifies to why this producer has such a devout following. Apple crumble, grilled hazelnut and lemon verbena emerge on the nose that has beautiful definition and real intensity. It gains volume in the glass and shimmers with delight. The palate has a soupçon of reduction on the entry that merely lends tension, effortlessly counterbalancing the power of this champagne. There is a lovely edge and _nervosité_ on the finish that urges you back for another sip. What a brilliant sparkling start to the evening.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1743781453452-VTApr04_wines.jpg)

Of course, anyone who loves Chablis is going to look forward to a **Raveneau**. I have to admit that this bottle of **2005 Chablis Butteaux 1er Cru** does not quite “launch.” It feels a little subdued on the nose, only gradually awakening with linden and wet wool scents. The palate is beautifully balanced with impressive weight, though it just misses the nuance and gravitas of a great Raveneau. The **2000 Chambolle-Musigny Village** from **Domaine Georges Roumier** is quite the opposite. It transcends its status and forms yet more evidence that the millennial vintage was underestimated in the Côte d’Or. Complex on the nose, without seeing the label, I assume it might be a Les Cras, given its _mineralité_ and tension. The palate is poised with fine tannins, still youthful for a 25-year-old Village Cru, with veins of blue fruit on its precise finish. It’s drinking perfectly now, but based on this bottle, it will easily give another 12 to 15 years of drinking pleasure. The **2008 Nuits Saint-Georges Les Chaignots 1er Cru** from **Domaine Mugneret-Gibourg** boasts more fruit intensity than its peers, quite plush with black cherries, hints of cassis and peony. The palate is framed by pliant, saturated tannins that lend this Nuits Saint-Georges a more Vosne-like personality. It is not the most complex iteration that I have encountered, but I appreciate its velvety texture and harmony on the finish.

The service at Le B. must be mentioned because it is impeccable. Waiters are attired to the nines, so refreshing as many of London’s restaurants, even the top Michelin-starred ones, have dispensed with formal dress. Prices at Le B. are not cheap—then again, nothing seems to be in New York, the same as in London these days—but you are rewarded with a superb, lavish meal with just the right amount of decadence.

Departing Le B.'s doors, I wonder how the city’s restaurant scene is doing, so I ask Mar for her view. She replies, “New York is picking up, and we are hopeful it will continue. I think the major shift is the number of quality restaurants available. There are maybe a handful of really excellent places—vastly different from the New York that I fell in love with 20 years ago. The new crop of restaurants opening up seems to be geared toward the younger ‘Instagram’ set in lieu of quality of service and cuisine. I suppose I am a fanatic and a bit of a snob when it comes to the classics, though. You can probably see that's true in both my cuisine and my dining patterns.”

Sure can. And that’s just why I loved Le B.

  
_© 2025, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or redistributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._  

Vinous Table: Le B., New York, United States

Vinous Table: Le B., New York, United States (Apr 2025)

### [Parcelles](https://www.parcelles-paris.fr/en/)

13 rue Chapon

75003 Paris, France

+33 (0)1 43 37 91 64

BY ANTONIO GALLONI | MARCH 28, 2025

### The Food:

Grilled leeks; vadouvan sabayon, olives, citrus peel, dried breadcrumbs

Roasted Roscoff scallops; winter squash, smoked fish foam sauce

Homemade gnocchi; sage butter sauce, fried sage leaves

Cabbage stuffed with pork; foie gras, pistachio, cognac, beef bouillon

Sainte-Nectaire; fig jam

**The Wine:**

2020 Domaine Mugneret-Gibourg Vosne-Romanée - 91

Vinous readers spending time in Paris will want to book a table at Parcelles. This small bistro/wine bar offers refined cuisine and a superb list. On this cold yet sunny winter day, the cozy, retro dining room is drenched with light, creating a perfect Parisian atmosphere for a relaxed lunch.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1743174385747-VT_leeks.jpg)

_Grilled leeks; vadouvan sabayon, olives, citrus peel, dried breadcrumbs._

Parcelles offers a small menu of what is best described as elevated bistro food. I prefer small menus, as they are a sign of focus. Guests with specific dietary requirements should check out the menu before booking a table. The list is extensive, with plenty of choices. There aren’t too many deals; those days increasingly belong to the past. Service is competent but also not a highlight, at least not on this day. That said, I have a great deal of sympathy for anyone who works in the restaurant industry, as I have done those jobs myself and I know how hard they are.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1743174441559-VT_Scallops.jpg)

_Roasted Roscoff scallops; winter squash, smoked fish foam sauce._

Our starters are delicious. I admit I sometimes struggle with restaurants in France, as the cooking can be so heavy. At Parcelles, dishes are very much traditional in inspiration, with contemporary twists. Sauces are deeply flavored yet light. Grilled leeks with vadouvan sabayon is a perfect example. The sabayon, with its curry inflections, is an ideal complement to charred notes in the leeks and not overly heavy or dominant. Roscoff scallops, served with a smoked fish foam sauce, are on point.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1743174465660-VT_gnocchi.jpg)

_Homemade gnocchi; sage butter sauce, fried sage leaves._

Homemade gnocchi with sage butter sauce and fried sage leaves is another fine, filling winter dish, maybe not quite at the level of the others, but still very fine. Italy meets France. Cabbage stuffed with pork and foie gras is superb. What a dish. Everything works. This is the Parcelles kitchen at its best. The cabbage is perfectly cooked, and the stuffing is well seasoned. A dash of beef bouillon adds dimension and complexity while also refreshing the palate. I would happily return to Parcelles just to have this again.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1743174535482-VT_chou.jpg)

_Cabbage stuffed with pork; foie gras, pistachio, cognac, beef bouillon._

In keeping with the style of the vintage, the **2020 Vosne-Romanée** from Mugneret-Gibourg is a rich, heady Burgundy, perhaps a bit big on its own, but very delicious on a cold winter day. Black cherry, spice, mocha and dried flowers all stain the palate. Dark and enveloping, with notable intensity, the Vosne-Romanée is a gorgeous village-level offering from this renowned domaine. It’s a perfect lunch wine, not too serious, but with enough substance to be interesting. We polish the bottle off rather quickly, always the most important verdict of all.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1743174557767-VTMar282025_wine.jpg)

Unfortunately, we don’t have time for dessert, but there is no way we are passing up cheese. Sainte-Nectaire, served with fig jam, is the perfect conclusion to this fine winter lunch.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1743174508426-VT-cheese.jpg)

_Sainte-Nectaire; fig jam._

Parcelles is highly recommended. It’s a small restaurant, so reservations are essential.

_© 2025, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or redistributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._



Vinous Table: Parcelles, Paris, France

Vinous Table: Parcelles, Paris, France (Mar 2025)

### [Comice](https://comice.paris/)

+33 (0)1 42 15 55 70

31 Av. de Versailles

75016 Paris, France

Phone: +33 1 42 15 55 70

BY ANTONIO GALLONI | MARCH 21, 2025

**The Food:**

Sea Scallop Carpaccio; Fennel, Radish, Confit Citrus, Lime

Handmade Potato Gnocchi Forestiers; Milk Caps, Chanterelles, Black Trumpet Mushrooms, Vin Jaune Sauce

Carnaroli Risotto with Crab; Leeks, Tarragon, Beurre Blanc Sauce

Steamed Day Boat Turbot, Béarnaise Mousseline Sauce, Sweet Potato Ravioli, Spinach, Confit Shallot, Bacon Vinaigrette

French Lobster Poached in Beurre Blanc Sauce, Sweet Potato Ravioli, Spinach, Confit Shallot, Sauce Américaine.

Pear and Blackcurrant Sorbet, Yogurt Ice Cream, Lime, Mint, Basil, Champagne Mousse

Chocolate Soufflé with Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream

Winter Citrus Tart, Almond Cream, Plum Seed Ice Cream, Crystallized Verbena

**The Wines:**

NV Marie-Noelle Ledru Brut Grand Cru Ambonnay – 90

2017 Domaine François Raveneau Chablis Butteaux 1er Cru – 95

I admit I don’t spend much time in Paris, unfortunately. It seems like I am always going to or from somewhere else. Over the last few years, I have started to address this shortcoming. When I asked Vinous readers for their Paris dining suggestions, Comice popped up on many lists. Naturally, I was eager to check it out. This recent dinner was nothing short of spectacular.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1742566039649-VT_Scallop.jpg)

_Sea Scallop Carpaccio; Fennel, Radish, Confit Citrus, Lime_

Comice is located in the 16th arrondissement. Husband-and-wife team Noam Gedalof and Etheliya Hananova offer refined cuisine and an exceptional wine list. Gedalof spent time in numerous kitchens in Canada and the United States, including a stint at the French Laundry in Yountville. The couple met in Montréal, where Hananova was working as a sommelier. Eventually, France beckoned. After a year and a half of working and living in the city, the pair opened Comice. Critical acclaim arrived almost instantly, all of it richly deserved.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1742566076541-VT_Mushrooms.jpg)

_Handmade Potato Gnocchi Forestiers; Milk Caps, Chanterelles, Black Trumpet Mushrooms, Vin Jaune Sauce_

Comice offers two tasting menus with optional wine pairings and various supplements. Gedalof’s cuisine is classically French, with a strong focus on ingredients. We order as much food as we think we can eat, knowing a return visit might not happen for a while. The ambiance in the cozy dining room is decidedly informal by Parisian standards. It’s a vibe that feels very contemporary. Food, wine and service are all top-notch, but there is no stuffiness here at all.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1742567629722-VT_Risotto.jpg)

_Carnaroli Risotto with Crab; Leeks, Tarragon, Beurre Blanc Sauce_

Hananova’s wine list is superb, but she had me at, “We also have a few things that are not on the list, like Raveneau.” Sold. After two weeks of tasting Bordeaux, Chablis is perfect. Towards the end of the evening, I spent some time with the list. The emphasis is very much on small, grower domaines. I was so impressed. Every wine was clearly chosen for a specific reason that resonates with the owners. It’s exactly what a list should be. A curated selection, not an encyclopedia. My only critique, if I have one, is that some producers are represented with multiple entries. In a small list, that does stand out a bit. Ideally, those slots would be taken by other wines. At the same time, I fully recognize how much work is required for small, independent, non-corporate restaurants to source coveted wines and how hard it is to balance budgets, specifically the amount of money that is available to invest in a wine program versus sales.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1742566124503-VT_Turbot.jpg)

_Steamed Day Boat Turbot, Béarnaise Mousseline Sauce, Sweet Potato Ravioli, Spinach, Confit Shallot, Bacon Vinaigrette_

Etheliya Hananova is the consummate Sommelier, with a capital S. I admit, from time to time I eavesdrop on her conversations at other tables as she explains wines by the glass and those available in bottle. Her passion, knowledge and disarming, engaging personality are so rare in today’s restaurant world.

We start with Marie-Nöelle Ledru’s **NV Brut Grand Cru Ambonnay**. Ledru, now retired, is among the growers who ascended to cult status some years ago. Her wines are full of character, perhaps a bit too idiosyncratic for my taste, but interesting, nonetheless. The NV Brut Grand Cru is a fine introduction to the house style, a Champagne with plenty of the resonance and breadth that are such signatures of the Pinot-Noir-driven wines from Ambonnay.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1742566150893-VT_Lobster.jpg)

_French Lobster Poached in Beurre Blanc Sauce, Sweet Potato Ravioli, Spinach, Confit Shallot, Sauce Américaine_

Gorgeous plates begin to appear. The Sea Scallop Carpaccio is pristine. It tastes like it just came out of the ocean. Thin slices of fennel, radish and confit citrus add freshness and lightness to the scallop. Handmade Potato Gnocchi play in another realm. Milk caps, chanterelles and black trumpet mushrooms, dressed in a Vin Jaune sauce, make for a rich winter starter. All the elements meld into each other seamlessly. Dinner is off to a great start.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1742566179282-VT_Wine.jpg)

The **2017 Raveneau Chablis Butteaux 1er Cru** is in fine shape. A touch of decanting, which I always do for younger Chablis, really allows the aromas, flavors and textures to shine. The 2017 is in the perfect spot today, as it offers a good deal of complexity yet remains quite vibrant. Citrus confit, marzipan, white pepper and floral overtones show the textural resonance of a fine Chablis with bottle age. Clean, bracing mineral notes start to appear over time. The wine’s freshness makes it an especially fine match for some of the richer dishes on this menu. Superb.

Carnaroli Risotto from Riserva San Massimo in Pavia, done with Tourteau crab, leeks, tarragon and a beurre blanc sauce, is a tasty middle course. The risotto is very French in terms of its richness, most definitely not a dish for those on a diet! The crab, from the Brittany coast, is especially delicious. I might have liked the rice cooked a touch less, but that is a small critique. Here, too, the various components are all beautifully woven together.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1742566205593-VT_Souffle.jpg)

_Chocolate Soufflé with Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream_

For the main courses we opt for the Steamed Day Boat Turbot from the Brittany coast and Butter Poached Atlantic Coast Lobster, both offered as supplements. Mains are served with sweet potato ravioli, spinach, confit shallot and bacon vinaigrette. The Turbot is topped with a Béarnaise Mousseline (essentially a classic Béarnaise with cream), while the Lobster is accompanied by a sauce américaine. I can’t pick a favorite. Both dishes are rich, complex and archetypes of modern French cuisine.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1742566230200-VT_Tart.jpg)

_Winter Citrus Tart, Almond Cream, Plum Seed Ice Cream, Crystallized Verbena_

Cheese looks amazing, but we can’t do it. Desserts, brought out to share, are right up my alley. The Chocolate Soufflé is perfect. It is creamy and decadent, not too sweet and absolutely delicious with a touch of ice cream. Chocolate-lovers might not want to share! We finish with the Winter Citrus and Almond Cream Tart, which is so refreshing at the end of the meal.

Readers spending time in Paris will want to book a table at Comice. It’s a terrific spot. And for all our readers who recommended it, thank you!

_© 2025, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or redistributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._



Vinous Table: Comice, Paris, France

Vinous Table: Comice, Paris, France (Mar 2025)

### [Osip](https://osiprestaurant.com/)

25 Kingsettle Hill

Hardway

Bruton, Somerset, UK

BA10 0LN

BY NEAL MARTIN | MARCH 14, 2025

**The Food** :

Parsnip

Fermented potato bread

Beetroot

Celeriac

Rhubarb

Fallow deer

Blood orange

**The Wines:**

2023 Alessandro Viola IGP Terre Siciliane Note di Bianco - 89

1970 Grand-Puy-Lacoste - 93

Sometimes you exit a restaurant feeling relief that you experienced its cuisine before widespread fame. You feel a bit smug. You pat yourself on the back. You want to spread the word but paradoxically, you want to keep it as your own secret. Hey, I’m spreading the word…

Osip will become one of the UK’s most sought-after tables. Sure, it has already been awarded a Michelin star, although that is likely not the first accolade. In any case, that star came in 2021 in the restaurant’s prior incarnation, when it occupied No. 1 Bruton Hotel, the same space that now hosts [Briar](https://vinous.com/articles/vinous-table-briar-mar-2025). Since relocating a couple of miles up the road last summer into a three-century-old country inn, there is no doubt that chef Merlin Labron-Johnson has flourished. He’s only going to get better.

Alerted to the existence of Osip by restaurant critic Marina McCloughlin, someone who knows what’s good and what’s not, I reserved a table to celebrate another successful orbit around the sun. At the time of this writing, most major restaurant reviewers are yet to ring Osip’s doorbell, and most articles pertain to Osip 1.0. Therefore, if this Vinous Table sounds tempting, do not hesitate to make a reservation and work out the logistics later. Osip is a bit of an odd name, so I presumed there must be some story behind it. It comes from Labron-Johnson’s middle name that was inspired by Russian poet, Osip Mandelstam. I was already familiar with Merlin Labron-Johnson’s cooking. He was appointed head chef at Portland restaurant in London a few years ago—part of Will Lander’s mini-empire that includes Quality Chop House and [64 Goodge Street](https://vinous.com/articles/vinous-table-64-goodge-street-london-uk-sep-2023). Labron-Johnson won a Michelin star after just a few months at only 24 years of age, then headed up the highly-rated Clipstone, running both simultaneously. After six years in the capital, like many, he moved closer to his roots in order to escape the frenetic city life, though I suspect he’s busier than ever.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1741795837737-Vinous_osip+kitchen.JPG)

_Chef Merlin Labron-Johnson and his team hard at work._

Osip lies out in the sticks on the edge of a pine forest, though only a couple of hours’ drive from London. The inn, whose renovation was partly crowd-funded, is a postcard picture with pristine whitewashed exterior walls that wouldn’t flinch if a bomb went off, one of those buildings that holds numerous untold stories. A cauldron burns hay in the cold night air as we enter and I speculate what it might be for.

The interior seamlessly blends history and modernity. The original structure is naturally preserved as the building is listed, though the rear has been extended to house a roomy open kitchen, chic and minimalist in design. When I write “open,” you can literally wander in and ask if they’d need a hand washing pots and pans. Members of the brigade diligently perform their tasks at various stations, giving notice that these dishes require a lot of talented manpower. The rear floor-to-ceiling windows enhance the sense of space without spoiling the frontage and apparently offer a lovely daytime view across Somerset. The subdued lighting creates a cozy ambiance. Rural restaurants foment tranquility that is impossible to recreate in cities, but there is just the right hubbub of background chat and laughter to maintain lively atmosphere.

The menu is one of the most innovative I have encountered in a while. Each dish keeps you guessing, obliging two or three minutes’ examination and contemplation. Apart from the main course, nothing feels derivative, as if each has been designed from scratch. The set menu is priced at £125 per person, which, given London prices, is pretty fair and given the quality, excellent value. A vegetarian set menu is also available, and since the regular one leans toward legumes, I presume it only needs minor tweaking. There is just one meat-based main course and because you’re dining for three or four hours; you never feel stuffed. The leitmotifs are startling combinations of locally sourced and seasonal organic/biodynamically grown ingredients, freshness and texture. When I say that, I was so engrossed in the food that I didn’t notice that I hadn’t used any cutlery until the meat dish. It’s a tactile dining experience. Make sure you wash your hands before.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1741795975591-Vinous_osip+amuse.JPG)

_We enjoyed two amuse-bouches at the bar before our meal: a savory "cookie" and a trout tartare._

We begin with two amuse-bouches served in the reception area located by the entrance, where a wood burner roars away generating country “feels.” A bar serves cocktails, aperitifs and quite delicious non-alcoholic beverages to our right, and indeed, I order an apple and sorrel juice that is fabulous. I mean Somerset…apples…gotta be done, right? I enjoy meals whose “opening credits” start _before_ being shown to our table, like at Moor Hall or La Petite Colombe. That ritual eases you in, sometimes encouraging mingling with fellow diners. One amuse-bouche is described as a “cookie”: quail egg with a delicate mushroom and hazelnut shavings. The other is a trout tartare with slithers of radish and green apple, light and refreshing, revivifying the senses for what is to follow.

Escorted to our table, the waiter presents what you could describe as a “laconic” menu, a single word giving clues what to expect. I’ve reproduced it word-for-word at the top of this article. “We like to keep it a bit of a surprise,” he explains. Of course, with my intention of penning a Vinous Table, that obliges copious jotting down of ingredients during the meal.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1741796096693-Vinous_osip+parsnip.JPG)

_The parsnip appetizer primed me for a dinner full of surprises._

I soon come to expect the unexpected. The first dish just says “parsnip.” What arrives mounted on what looks like a miniature Doric pillar looks nothing like your common or garden root veg. This parsnip, like all the vegetables grown in Osip’s own patch, is fried and coated with Toragashi, a Japanese spice made from chili, black and white sesame seeds, orange zest, ginger, Sichuan pepper and seaweed, and a garlic mayo. The earthy notes of the root vegetable are present but chaperoned with Oriental flavours. This is served with a small dish containing a deeply flavoured burnt garlic oil consommé that has a simmering intensity and deftly cleans the palate. In the middle of the table, a warm fermented potato bread that comes with a kefir cream and leek tapenade butter. I use this to mop up the delicious mushroom sauce that holds the parsnip in place. These dishes set the tone for the rest of the meal, forewarning the senses that they had better be alert because they were about to be spoiled rotten.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1741796210220-Vinous_osip+pomelo.JPG)

_The pomelo packs a punch with its citrus flavors, sweet ricotta and expert seasoning._

The next dish has a citrus theme: thinly cut pomelo delicately placed into a bed of creamy ricotta and seasoned with bay leaf, tarragon and sesame seed. This is another that delivers intensity of flavour yet is light and refreshing, the citric pomelo perfectly balanced by the sweetness of the ricotta. Perhaps this is the most understated dish of the meal, but no less impressive.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1741796255113-Vinous_osip+eel.JPG)

_The eel at Osip is sourced locally and proved delicate yet complex._

The next dish is centred around eel. The waiter informs us that these are local freshwater eel from Devon that tend to be especially complex in flavour. This eel is wrapped in baby gem lettuce and served with preserved cucumber, shiso leaf, smoked hay ketchup and apple. It is stunning. Nuanced yet focused in flavour, the shiso and ketchup lend spice and sweetness respectively yet never overwhelm the eel.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1741796349815-Vinous_osip+celeriac.JPG)

_The celeriac course is another masterful rendition of a humble root vegetable._

The following course is entitled “celeriac.” This is served with a shiitake mushroom marmalade with cured egg yolk in the middle. It is warming and earthy, not overly heavy, with a lovely rootsy taste that lingers afterwards.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1741796437253-Vinous_osip+tacos.JPG)

_The beetroot taco was certainly unlike any taco I've ever encountered._

Next up, “beetroot tacos.” Of all the dishes, this is the one that holds the most surprises. The beetroot forms a taco made with corn flour that lends it a soft, malleable consistency and a little more sweetness. This comes with crème fraiche, a Mexican mole and liberally sprinkled shavings of dried venison heart from the following course so that nothing is left to waste. This is just sensational. Fabulous combinations of flavours, novel and again, not heavy.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1741796484334-Vinous_osip+deer.JPG)

_The main course of deer, again sourced locally, blew me away._

Only now do a knife and fork appear. I’m in the mood for fallow deer rather than the optional chicken en croute that would have been an extra £50. Maintaining the local theme, the local venison is thinly sliced and served with green peppercorns, blood sausage, pork belly and a homemade quince marmalade. This is off the charts. The intensity of flavour, the marriage of ingredients that could easily have been too rich but instead have exquisite balance. It reminds me of one of Brett Graham’s creations at The Ledbury. The key is those peppercorns, which enhance the gaminess of the meat and combine beautifully with the tangy sweetness of the marmalade.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1741796596798-Vinous_osip+blood+orange.JPG)

_The blood orange dessert was one of two complementary offerings, which together made for a perfect coda for our meal._

Two desserts complete the dinner. Blood orange comes in a rhubarb juice and pistachio oil, with a sorrel sorbet as the centrepiece. It electrifies the senses. This is followed by a soft meringue with chicory root ice cream and bergamot sabayon that is in perfect contrast to the blood orange, warm and sweet yet avoiding any cloyingness.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1741796697999-Vinous_osip+viola.JPG)

The wine list is well chosen even if a bit punchy at times in terms of pricing. That’s the norm these days. I have no complaints about the white, even when the sommelier forewarns that it is a bit on the “natty” side, allowing me to sample a glass beforehand. The **2023 IGP Terre Siciliane Note di Bianco** from **Alessandro Viola** is a delight: 100% Grillo from Alcamo in Sicily that undergoes a natural ferment, then is raised in stainless steel and bottled unfiltered with minimal sulphur. There is a nutty, smoky oxidative element but it is well controlled, with scents of Anjou pear and persimmon emerging with time. It actually gains clarity. The palate is fresh and poised with a keen line of acidity and welcome salinity, revealing pear and subtle fish oil notes on the finish. I actually drank just half the bottle and drank the remainder the following day when I found it had lost absolutely none of its vitality.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1741796718730-Vinous_osip+gpl.JPG)

The **1970 Grand-Puy-Lacoste** is a prime example of a wine that upon decanting offers little. The sommelier is a bit wary and I advise him to just wait an hour. Sure enough, this Pauillac blossoms in the glass, mustering energy, depth and complexity from seemingly nowhere. The bouquet is fully mature with black fruit, cedar and scents from a stately home, cohering with each passing minute. The palate is unapologetically “old school” with a little rusticity, yet the tannins are fine and the acidity pitch-perfect, continuing to offer irresistible tobacco-tinged black fruit. This bottle had cost me just over £60 from a merchant.

Quibbles? The dining area is divided into two parts and we were in a section that felt cut off from the action by a thick interior wall. Sure, there is a cutaway where I could observe the main dining area, but I would have loved to have eaten whilst looking on at the kitchen. (To this end, I read somewhere that they are going to see if this can be rectified.) And my usual moan… I completely understand why the wine list is geared towards organic and biodynamic wines given that ingredients follow the same mantra. On the other hand, again, it ignores classic wine regions and producers with the same tenets.

Nevertheless, Osip is one of the most impressive meals I’ve had in the last couple of years. The setting is wonderful. The cooking is delicious. There is a sense of innovation and outside-the-box thinking that elevates it into two-star territory. Given that Osip only recently opened its doors in its present venue, the only way is up. The combination of Briar and Osip make a perfect weekend gastronomic getaway: the former more straightforward and homely, the latter adventurous and technically accomplished. Osip is due to complete the construction of four rooms at the inn for those that wish to slink upstairs after dinner, though No.1 Bruton Hotel is only a short taxi ride away. Everything just seems in place and that in itself will entice more to this part of England.

The bar has been set high for 2025.

_© 2025, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or redistributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._



Vinous Table: Osip, Bruton, UK

Vinous Table: Osip, Bruton, UK (Mar 2025)

### [Briar](https://numberonebruton.com/) 

1 High St

Bruton, Somerset, UK

BA10 0AB

BY NEAL MARTIN | MARCH 7, 2025

### The Food:

Somerset Sobrassada on toast with pear and parsley

Cured trout, rhubarb, chilli and parsley

Fresh curds, grilled leeks and hazelnuts

Cornish pollock, celeriac, seaweed and chives

Lamb shoulder, fennel, winter leaf salad and anchovies

Chocolate, blood orange and crème fraiche

**The Wine:**

1971 Bischöfliches Priesterseminar Wiltinger Kupp Riesling Kabinett – 93

Despite the headwinds affecting the hospitality industry, in 2025, the British Isles presides over a dynamic culinary scene that spreads from the tip of Cornwall to the far isles of Scotland. This diverse food landscape is unequivocally not exclusive to London. On the contrary, there is a strong argument that the most exciting restaurants and most talented chefs operate outside the capital. The last two decades have seen a steady, perhaps quickening migration away from London. This is partly due to escalating prices, especially business rates, together with a burgeoning desire to locate kitchens close to the source of the finest produce and ingredients (particularly amongst chefs who hail from those areas). Days before writing this piece, [Moor Hall](https://vinous.com/articles/vinous-table-moor-hall-lancashire-uk-jan-2023) made mainstream news becoming the only recipient of a third Michelin star in 2025. Moor Hall is not located in salubrious Knightsbridge or Soho, but in the middle of nowhere, up near Liverpool.

The British Isles is developing clusters of restaurants, suppliers and attendant hotels that attract gastronomes in increasing numbers. The forerunner might be Maidenhead/Marlow, renowned for The Fat Duck, Waterside Inn and Hand and Flowers, all within shouting distance of each other. Lancashire is currently flourishing, a part of England renowned for outstanding meat and dairy and where you find L’Enclume and the aforementioned Moor Hall. Another that is bubbling under is Somerset, little more than a couple of hours’ drive from London. In February, I visited the picturesque village of Bruton to check out two restaurants that offer different but complementary dining experiences: Briar and Osip.

Occasionally, you meet a young, bushy-tailed chef and you intuitively know that you’re face-to-face with a future star, a culinary talent in the opening chapters of their career. Chatting briefly after dinner at Briar, Macclesfield-born Sam Lomas exudes the quiet confidence of a chef who knows how to run a kitchen. A disciple of farm-to-table dining, Lomas worked for Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall for three or four years at River Cottage in Devon. As an aside, writing this piece enhanced my appreciation for the prescience and influence of Fearnley-Whittingstall and his advocacy of thinking about where our food comes from. Farm-to-table dining was unquestionably inspired by his books and TV programs, an ethos that chimes with the mantra for local, seasonal ingredients and sustainable produce.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1741275337354-Vinous_briar+sam+lomas.JPG)

_Briar chef Sam Lomas is a culinary star in the making._

Briar is nestled on the ground floor of the Number One Bruton Hotel in the namesake rural village. It is one of those places where every building looks ancient and slightly imposing. Opposite, you will find The Chapel, renowned for its bread, pies and sausage rolls. The hotel is history incarnate. Part of the exposed wall in the small and narrow restaurant dates to the 16th century. Conversely, Briar is just five months old, nevertheless, it was awarded a Bib Gourmand by Michelin on the week of my visit. The small kitchen is housed at one end of the room. It’s not a fully open kitchen and the light makes it look like a large flatscreen television, except the only program on this channel is live-action coverage of chefs rustling up delicious food.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1741275470987-Vinous_briar+interior.JPG)

_Briar's interior exposes a wall from the 1500s._

Apart from farm-to-table eating, Briar’s concept is built around sharing plates. This is the one part that didn’t quite work for me. I just felt that some dishes were not predisposed to dividing in half. A couple were fiddly to split and would have worked better as a serving for one. Following advice from our waitress, we order five dishes and are forewarned that they might come out in a slightly random order depending on the kitchen. The standard of ingredients and skill of Lomas’ cooking is evident throughout the meal.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1741275889637-Vinous_briar+soprassada.JPG)

_The Somerset Sobrassada on toast with pear and parsley._

These are not intricate, fancy dishes. Their simplicity is what makes them so tasty. The first dish is Somerset Sobrassada on toast with pear and parsley. The pear is served as a sweet gel, a neat counterfoil to the Sobrassada that was spread over the malty toast. The quality of the cooked sausage shines through, tangy on the entry with a fiery kick on the finish. It is delicious but also quite spicy. I would have shimmied it to later in the meal.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1741275909846-Vinous_briar+leeks.JPG)

_Briar uses local, seasonal produce to elevate dishes like the fresh curds, grilled leeks and hazelnuts._

The fresh curds with grilled leeks and hazelnuts is a glorious dish, deceptively straightforward, but the quality of ingredients takes it to a higher level. The leeks are small with an intense flavour, perfectly cooked to retain a little crunch, with just the right amount of charring to counter their sweetness. The curds are light and creamy, the hazelnuts lending bite and balancing the whole dish. The secret is the subtle Chinese XO sauce mixed with garlic and ginger. I’ll go on record as saying that they are the best leeks I’ve encountered.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1741276162005-Vinous_briar+trout.JPG)

_The cured trout displays Briar's commitment to high-quality local ingredients._

The cured trout comes with diced rhubarb, chili and parsley. The fish is quite meaty in texture and is clearly top-notch, although the chili shades the rhubarb and, to an extent, the trout. This just needs a little tweaking.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1741276435688-Vinous_briar+pollock.JPG)

_The Cornish pollock was one of the highlights of the meal._

No complaints about the Cornish pollock that is chaperoned by celeriac, seaweed and chives. This is another highlight. Pollock is underrated, and this is cooked to absolute perfection, the skin slightly charred and crunchy. Unlike the trout, this is supremely well balanced, the celeriac and seaweed nuanced such that the pollock could sing.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1741276503233-Vinous_briar+lamb.JPG)

_I enjoyed my main course of lamb with fennel, winter leaf salad and anchovies._

The lamb shoulder comes with fennel, winter leaf salad and anchovies. The local lamb is moist and flavoursome, the fennel superior to any that I have bought in my outdoor market. Anchovies are chefs’ secret weapon, accentuating flavours without leaving any residual fishy taste, and I actually deploy them with other meats at home, chicken working particularly well.

I finish with a chocolate mousse that was served with blood orange and crème fraiche. This is sublime, not too sweet or heavy, the blood orange with a subtle tang and marrying perfectly with the crème fraiche that I greedily spoon up until there is nothing left.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1741276631556-Vinous_briar+1971+bottle.JPG)

The wine list is short and, like so many restaurants these days, sidesteps the classic regions, I think to its detriment. Most bottles are well priced in the £40 to £80 range for whites and reds. Phoning ahead, the restaurant was amenable to BYO with corkage and since this was the week of my birthday, I arrived packing a suitable vintage. The **1971 Wiltinger Kupp Riesling Kabinett** from **Bischöfliches Priesterseminar** is everything I desire from a mature Mosel, or more accurately, Saar. Plus, of course, ‘71 is a highly-prized German vintage. My colleague, Anne Krebiehl, MW, told me the background of this producer. She explained that many vineyards were sold after Napoleon’s takeover, but some retained ecclesiastical proprietorship and remain that way today. This particular wine comes from a seminary founded in 1773 with a vineyard planted by Clemens Wenzeslaus, who issued the edict that only Riesling should be planted in the region. Clever man! Who says you don’t learn anything in a Vinous Table?

Amber in hue, I was momentarily perturbed that the 1971 might be past its best. Yet its freshness and vitality on the nose allay any fear as Clementine, mandarin and grapefruit soar with perfect delineation. The palate offers chimerical sweetness due to its age rather than residual sugar, as it is bone dry on the finish, more Trocken than Kabinett. It delivers the tension that aged Riesling excels at, undaunted by age, sprightly and yet comfortable in its maturity. This wine is all I needed to drink to celebrate another successful orbit around the sun.

Briar is a popular destination restaurant that is open all day if you want to pop in for coffee and a slice of cake, however, it’s a place you really need to come to for lunch or dinner. Booking is essential, as there are only around 25 covers. Whilst Briar is arguably too straightforward for a Michelin star, every dish showcases local produce and a talented chef. Sam Lomas is a name to keep your eye on. It is always better to experience chefs before their breakout and to follow their journey toward wider recognition or fame. Sure, I might just tidy up a couple of the dishes, but otherwise, you can understand why this place is fully packed with both locals and gourmands.

In my next Vinous Table, I will cover Briar’s “older brother,” Osip. Expect superlatives…

_© 2025, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or redistributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._

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