Mount Etna has arrived. Long anticipated to join the ranks of Piedmont, Montalcino and Burgundy, Etna has established itself as a world-class viticultural zone. The region’s intricate array of contrade, distinctive vineyards and diverse terroirs yields site-transparent wines of incredible complexity. Mount Etna and its winemakers are poised to finally receive the attention they deserve.

I have tasted a great deal of mature Bordeaux wine, including Sauternes, but I have not yet achieved the magic number of 100 different vintages from a single estate. 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.

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.

Rosé’s future looks redder, more serious and more satisfying than ever. The growing movement of bolder, ageworthy wines from far-flung locales is making it clear that Rosé isn’t just a season, it’s a category with staying power.

Canteen successfully combines casual presentation with quality-driven dishes to provide some of the best Italian food in London. The dishes are polished and so delicious that you will be plotting your return at first chew.

Rioja is changing. One of the most important factors in that change is the increased prominence of small and mid-sized producers and their interpretations of Rioja as village, vineyard or parcel wines. These wines stand in stark contrast to the region’s historically blended wines, and yet they may also represent the most promising future for Spain’s most famous winegrowing region.

Emilia-Romagna is transforming before our eyes. Winemakers are redefining the boundaries of Sangiovese, offering surprising depth and a newfound purity, while categories like Lambrusco have started down a more artisanal path. The only thing holding the region back is Mother Nature.

The 2004 Montrachet Grand Cru from Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey is an elusive white Burgundy that amounts to one barrel. A friend generously offered this bottle of 2004 Montrachet at a casual dinner in Beaune during Hospices weekend last November.

The Basque region is a foodie’s paradise, a cradle for some of the finest fish, meat and dairy in the world. Casa Julián is a bona fide institution, and will certainly be one of my top meals of 2025.

In a country as vast as Argentina, vines grow in the most unexpected places. This report explores some of the lesser-known regions where wine is made, along with a look at classic areas such as the southern and northern valleys. These 250 wines tell the story of a different landscape—and a different people.

Clos Fourtet is one of the most picturesque and ideally located châteaux in Saint-Émilion, blessed with some of the finest terroir on the limestone plateau. Under Mathieu Cuvelier, Clos Fourtet has realised its potential and is now regarded amongst the appellation’s best wines. The heart of this piece is an interview with Cuvelier following a vertical tasting of recent vintages, detailing specifics of the vineyard and winemaking approaches.

On a recent return to Solar dos Presuntos, 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. I was blown away.

Drouant offers a menu of traditional brasserie fare, presented in a style that is upscale but not at all fussy. The wine selection is to die for.

Being a winemaker in Abruzzo these days is a challenge. While the area undergoes massive changes to reform its DOC, reorganize its subregions, keep bottling of Montepulciano within the region and work out a system to add place names to its labels, Abruzzo has also endured two of the most difficult vintages imaginable. Somehow, the best winemakers persevere and continue to keep spirits high.

This small update covers a selection of wines that have come across my desk in between major reports. Many of the wines are from Roero, a small appellation that lies across the Tanaro River from Barbaresco. Arneis and Nebbiolo can be especially fine here.

The renaissance of German and Austrian Sekt continues apace. After last year’s paean to the revival of bottle-fermented Sekt in both countries, this is the second report on all things German-speaking and bottle-fermented. While the holy trinity of sparkling varieties, namely Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, shines in both countries, we will also take a closer look at Rieslingsekt.

Bandol is a gem of a wine region with a treasure trove of great wines and producers, and the most renowned of all is Domaine Tempier. During a recent dinner in London, I spotted a bottle of 2012 Bandol Cuvée Classique on the wine list. It was a no-brainer.

With Vinous Icons: Italy 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.

If you want to taste high-level cuisine without pretentiousness, then Belcanto comes highly recommended. Generally regarded as Lisbon’s finest restaurant, Belcanto invites the diner on a gustatory journey with Portuguese celebrity chef José Avillez.

Twenty-four was a tough fight for Bordeaux winemakers, but one that some were prepared for. While there are unavoidable shortcomings in the wines, some châteaux succeeded where they would have once failed. This report will not tell you whether to buy the wines or not, since prices are only just being released. But it will tell you exactly what I think about the quality of the unfinished barrel samples.

It’s no secret that Bordeaux endured a challenging growing season in 2024. Despite the ups and downs of a year that featured heavy rainfall and constant disease pressure, among other events, the most skilled winemakers found a way to make gorgeous wines. The 2024s are all over the place in terms of quality and style, so readers will have to be selective. Within that context, the very best wines have a lot to offer.

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.

The phrase "neighbourhood institution" connotes a restaurant where passionate, talented chefs with attention to detail have sustained it through the years, a restaurant that stands as a beacon of quality. Henry's End might have opened over half a century ago, but standards remain high and people still love it.

Not so long ago, Argentine reds were turning heads for their mixture of rich flavors and velvety textures. The heartland of that velvet era was Luján de Cuyo. In this new stage of development, the velvet has returned, only this time accompanied by more modern wine styles. From Luján to Primera Zona and the East, this report focuses on over 300 superb sun-kissed wines from the north of Mendoza.

It was a privilege to attend this 1978 horizontal—however, there is always a risk when broaching old bottles, especially Pinot Noir from an era besmirched by swings in quality. Fortunately, scattered among the disappointments is a clutch of bottles that sparkle like rubies in the sand.