2023: The Year In Review

BY NEAL MARTIN | DECEMBER 19, 2023

Two thousand twenty-three was an annus mirabilis chock full of cherished memories. I have never put my nose so hard to the grindstone with 80 articles hatched on Vinous alone, nor have I "partied" so hard. Never traveled as much or tasted so widely. I must have missed the slow-down memo that comes with middle age. I seem to possess more energy than ever in the past, so I might as well use it. It was a year when I returned to some of my favorite countries post-pandemic, bade farewell to my eldest (not before handing her an invoice for 18 years of fatherhood) and spawned my book. It was also 12 months tinged with sadness, a year when I lost friends way too soon. I was planning to ease off the gas. My 2024 diary already reminds me that there is no chance of that happening.

My Likes in 2023…

Daughters’ dark sense of humor.

The warm reception for The Complete Bordeaux Vintage Guide.

Old friends/New friends.

My Barbour coat. Vital to keep warm in cellars, vineyards etc.

Parkrun. How many have avoided illness because of their Saturday 5k run around their local park?

Wine. Obviously.

Record fairs + bricks ‘n mortar record shops.

Southend Pier on a sunny Sunday morning.

Davada Coffee & Records in Kyoto.

Wine list at Noble Rot (Mayfair) and XXXXXX in France (redacted to prevent pillaging).

Peace.

Kaki fruit.

The Rest Is History podcast.

Gabrielle and Lili – merci beaucoup.  

Hiking in Lancashire in January in my trusty Barbour.

My Dislikes in 2023…

Daughters growing up so quickly.

That Amazon probably makes more money from my book than its author.

Friends lost in 2023.

My bow-tie. Still takes two hours of YouTube tutorials to tie successfully (but worth it).