Cellar Favorite: Château Latour: 2019 New Releases
cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites, France: Bordeaux
, Apr 2019
These are the new releases from Château Latour, which since 2012 has released their wines only when they are deemed ready to drink rather than following the typical Bordeaux schedule for bottled wines. The exception is the 2008 Grand Vin, which is essentially being re-released this year, whereas the 2014 Pauillac and 2013 Forts de Latour have not been available previously. I tasted these wines during a visit to the property in April 2019.
Cellar Favorite: 1988 Ausone
cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites, France: Bordeaux
, Apr 2019
Although the 1980s were comparatively underwhelming for Ausone, this bottle is among the most enjoyable that I have encountered from that period.
Cellar Favorite: 2012 Domaine G. Roumier Morey-Saint-Denis Clos de la Bussière 1er Cru
cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites, France: Burgundy
, Apr 2019
Usually we either read about Burgundies as new releases or as older, mature wines. It is harder to find impressions on Burgundies in the 7-10 year-old range that are both drinking well and possibly available in the market or on restaurant lists at less than the stratospheric prices the most coveted Burgundies command these days. For those reasons I thought it might be interesting to feature Christophe Roumier’s 2012 Clos de la Bussière as this week’s Cellar Favorite.
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Cellar Favorite: 1921 Marc Brédif Vouvray Moelleux
cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites, France: Loire
, March 2019
You might well assume that last week’s 1990 Moelleux Goutte d’Or from Foreau constitutes the best Vouvray that I have ever drunk. There are a couple of challengers, Marc Brédif’s 1921 Vouvray Moelleux being one of them, albeit much older.
Cellar Favorite: 1990 Domaine Philippe Foreau (Clos Naudin) Vouvray Moelleux Goutte d'Or (March 2019)
cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites, France: Loire
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One of the most revered producers in Vouvray is Domaine du Clos Naudin, founded by Armand Foreau in 1910 and run by his grandson Philippe since 1983.
Cellar Favorite: 1982 Kistler California Cabernet Sauvignon Veeder Hills Vineyard
United States: California, cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites
, March 2019
I was absolutely floored by Steve Kistler’s 1982 Cabernet Sauvignon Veeder Hills Vineyard, a wine I had never come across before.
Cellar Favorite: 1869, 1879 & 1893 d’Yquem
cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites, France: Bordeaux
, March 2019
It was not until the 1930s that tastes began shifting away from sweet wines to dry reds, though d’Yquem will never relinquish its status as Bordeaux’s best sweet wine, a reputation consecrated by the 1855 classification as its sole Premier Cru Supérieur.
Cellar Favorite: 1971 Egon Müller Scharzhof Scharzhofberger Riesling Beerenauslese
germany: Mosel, cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites
, Feb 2019
I have not drunk many 1971 Rieslings, but whenever the occasion does arise, I tend to be blown away, which is what happened when Egon Müller IV poured a birth-year gem in Beaune last November.
Cellar Favorite: 1986 Ravenswood Pickberry Vineyard
United States: California, cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites
, Feb 2019
Joel Peterson’s Ravenswood wines have a track record of aging brilliantly, so I was intrigued to check in on this 30+ year-old Cabernet Sauvignon/Cabernet Franc-based blend.
Cellar Favorites: 1953 & 1975 l’Angélus
cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites, France: Bordeaux
, Feb 2019
Sometimes these forgotten and frequently traduced periods are not as fallow as you might presume, especially in this Manichean age where we prefer to see things in black and white.