Cellar Favorite: 1937 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti La Tâche Grand Cru
France: Burgundy, cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites
, Mar 2020
Last November I met with a couple of friends and Burgundy mavens with the sole intention of tasting one of the last bottles from the Moingeon family cellar. The rather shabby-looking bottle was bereft of a label and covered in a thin film of dust, and there was no branding on the cork.
Cellar Favorite: 1933 Domaine René Engel Grands-Echézeaux Grand Cru
France: Burgundy, cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites
, Mar 2020
Sometimes you encounter a bottle so old and rare that your immediate reaction is one of knowing that you will never taste it again. This bottle came from a renowned private cellar and was poured blind by a generous friend at Bistro de l’Hôtel.
Complex, Not Complicated: 2017 DRC in Bottle
France: Burgundy, featured
, Feb 2020
Tasting the newly released wines from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti is never an ordinary day. The 2017s were in the spotlight this year. Here’s how the day unfolded hour by hour…
Refusing to Follow the Script: Jean-Marie Guffens
France: Burgundy, featured, Verticals & Retrospectives
, Feb 2020
The outspoken Jean-Marie Guffens has spent almost four decades making superb Mâconnais wines. This retrospective would always be entertaining. But what do Blade Runner and Pink Floyd have to do with it?
Vinous Table: L'Expression, Beaune, France
Vinous Table, France: Burgundy
, Feb 2020
L'Expression is a welcome addition to the dining scene in Beaune. A seasonal menu and fabulous wine list make a lunch or dinner at L'Expression a must.
Vinous Table: Au Fil du Zinc, Chablis, France
Vinous Table, France: Burgundy
, Feb 2020
Au Fil du Zinc is a local institution in Chablis. The place to go. An inventive menu married with a killer wine list and a casual environment make Au Fil du Zinc a must for readers visiting Chablis.
Cellar Favorite: 1945 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé Musigny Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru
France: Burgundy, cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites
, Feb 2020
I LOVE HALF-BOTTLES! Phew, it feels good to come clean. I am well aware how everyone bangs on about magnums as the optimal format for maturing wine. Received wisdom is that half-bottles cannot age. Rubbish! Go and taste a few.
Postcard from Chablis: The 2018s & 2017s
France: Burgundy, featured
, Jan 2020
I found a lot to like in the 2018s and 2017s, wines from two very different vintages. The 2018s are open-knit and fleshy, while the 2017s are built along much more classic lines. I also came across a number of new or newly revitalized domaines making truly compelling wines.
Vinous Table: Hostellerie de Levernois, Beaune, France
Vinous Table, France: Burgundy
, Jan 2020
The Hostellerie’s Restaurant Gastronomique is a terrific choice for readers who want a more relaxed experience. A spacious room, verdant views and tables set far apart add to a feeling of serenity that is pretty relaxing for this city boy.
Cellar Favorite: 1957 Domaine Ramonet Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru
France: Burgundy, cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites
, Jan 2020
Over the last two decades I have visited practically all the major domaines in the Côte d’Or. There is one glaring and unforgivable omission: Ramonet.