Cellar Favorite: 1996 Domaine Armand Rousseau Chambertin Grand Cru
cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites, France: Burgundy
, Feb 2021
Whenever I need an anecdote to clarify the inflation of Burgundy prices over recent years, I tell how one Tuesday night after work, my cousin came to my tiny flat in South London for supper. Since my cousin and I go back a long way, I pulled out a bottle of 1996 Chambertin Grand Cru from Domaine Armand Rousseau.
Vinous Table: Lorne – Meal Kit Dinner
Vinous Table, United Kingdom
, Feb 2021
Overall, Lorne’s meal kit was a great success, even more than expected. Not only did the meal kit break up the stultifying routine of lockdown, but I was doing a tiny bit to help an industry inextricably linked to mine.
South Africa – A Delayed Primer
South Africa, featured
, Feb 2021
It was early March 2020, and I was meeting dear friends for our annual lunch at Limewood in the New Forest, where we put the world to rights and gossip like there’s no tomorrow. And in a sense, there was no tomorrow. This turned out to be the last time any of us enjoyed a day trip, mingling with others without fear of falling ill. But the normal world was slipping away, as evidenced by the manner in which the receptionist kept her distance, the novelty of widely spaced tables and, on the train journey home, news that my daughter’s exchange trip to Germany was canceled. I remember the wine that day, a delicious bottle of 2017 Chardonnay from Ataraxia, prompting thoughts of visiting the Cape in the late summer, when surely the pandemic would be in the rearview mirror.
In Memoriam: Harry Gill
Vinous Remembers, featured
, Feb 2021
Harry was a constant figure on London’s tasting circuit and Bordeaux en primeur week. A visit to his restaurant in Swiss Cottage was a rite of passage for anyone connected with the wine industry or interested in wine. His passing deserves a tribute because I am not the only person to declare that a valuable chunk of my vinous education took place at The Arches.
Cellar Favorite: 2017 Domaine Roumier Morey-Saint-Denis Clos de la Bussière & Chambolle-Musigny Les Cras
cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites, France: Burgundy
, Feb 2021
Together with Antonio Galloni on the other side of the Atlantic, we hosted a Vinous Learn seminar/interactive tasting that focused on Christophe Roumier’s 2017s. The event was fun and enlightening.
1971 x 50
Verticals & Retrospectives, Beyond Wine
, Feb 2021
Since time immemorial, I have argued, mostly in vain, that the 1971 is one of the great postwar vintages. To mark my 50th birthday, I gathered 50 tasting notes composed over the years to argue my case and celebrate the half-centuries of the wine and wine writer.
Cellar Favorite: 1928 Calon-Ségur
cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites, France: Bordeaux
, Feb 2021
According to the Vinous database, which likes to keep a tab on these things, I have tasted 1928s from 22 Bordeaux châteaux, which is 22 more than I ever imagined.
Beyond Wine: Neal’s Uplifting Anti-Viral Playlist
Beyond Wine
, Jan 2021
During the first lockdown, a friend/angel working on the National Health Service frontline asked me to recommend tunes to lift her spirits. I duly offered one song per day on my Facebook page so that everyone could marvel at my terrible taste in music. Given that we are back in lockdown and suffering the January blues, I decided to put my posts together for this article with just a little editing and updating.
Cellar Favorite: 2007 Domaine Hubert Lamy Saint-Aubin En Remilly 1er Cru
cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites, France: Burgundy
, Jan 2021
One of the most memorable visits during my 2019 Burgundy marathon was with Olivier Lamy in Saint-Aubin. The tasting was held just outside the barrel cellar.
La Lumière Noire: 2019 Burgundy Additions
France: Burgundy, featured
, Jan 2021
When it comes to Burgundy, the job is never done. So having published some 2,500 reviews in December, this article includes a tranche of notes from additional producers’ 2019s that were subsequently tasted in the UK.