Cellar Favorite: 1997 Marcassin Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast
United States: California, cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites
, Dec 2020
Marcassin’s 1997 Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast is without a doubt one of the most compelling wines I tasted in 2020. At 23 years of age, it has aged exquisitely.
2020 - In The Rear View Mirror
featured, Beyond Wine, General Interest
, Dec 2020
Though 2020 was tumultuous, the virus failed to stop great wines, wonderful dinners, amazing music or classic TV. It made them even more precious - shards of light in dark times. Now that I managed to reach the end of the year, time to look back before looking forward.
La Lumière Noire: 2019 Burgundy - Côte de Nuits
featured, France: Burgundy
, Dec 2020
The second part of my 2019 Burgundy report examines producers based in the Côte de Nuits. Did Pinot Noir excel or suffer in the warm, dry summer?
Cellar Favorite: 1998 Mastroberardino Taurasi Radici Riserva
cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites, Italy: Center & South
, Dec 2020
As soon as it feels like winter, when sweaters start to be worn indoors and the meals turn meatier and richer, all I want to drink is mature Barolo and Taurasi. It’s at this time of year that I pull a mixed case of the two from my storage, and stand the wines up so that all I need to do is choose, pull, decant and indulge.
California Vineyard Series: Monte Rosso
United States: California, featured
, Dec 2020
Few vineyards in California are as evocative as Monte Rosso. Known for producing wines of extraordinary character and longevity, Monte Rosso (‘red mountain’) is every bit as magical as its name suggests.
La Lumière Noire: 2019 Burgundy - Côte de Beaune
featured, France: Burgundy
, Dec 2020
As Burgundy contends with warmer, drier growing seasons, the 2019 vintage demonstrates how vine and winemaker are adapting and often thriving in the so-called “new normal”. First, we look at the Côte de Beaune.
Italy’s Sparkling Advantage: Prosecco and Franciacorta
featured, Italy
, Dec 2020
The holidays are upon us. It’s the season where more bubbly is purchased and consumed than at any other time of the year. Whether it’s for gifting, celebrating or the perfect pairing at your holiday meal, a bottle of bubbly always fits the bill. This report looks at Prosecco and Franciacorta, two of Italy’s greatest treasures.
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Cellar Favorite: 2019 Paulus Wine Co. Chenin Blanc Bosberaad
cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites, South Africa
, Dec 2020
I thoroughly enjoyed Joaquin Hildago’s recent article on collectible Argentinean wines, and it got me thinking about parallels with South Africa’s own collectibles. It’s not just Bordeaux and Burgundy.
Paso Robles 2018 & 2017: Grace and Power
United States: California, featured
, Dec 2020
Following the hot 2017 vintage, growers and winemakers in Paso Robles were relieved to have a cooler vintage in 2018. The long growing season and moderate conditions led to an unhurried harvest and a larger-than-normal crop of healthy fruit. The results are outstanding.
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California Vineyard Series: Pagani Ranch
United States: California, featured, California Vineyard Series
, Dec 2020
Since 2015 we have been working on a large-scale project to map the vineyards of California. To date, we have published seven regional Napa Valley maps and have several more in the works, including a five-map set of Sonoma Valley and map of the Santa Lucia Highlands, both of which are nearly finished. Although travel restrictions related to COVID-19 have delayed final, on-the-ground checks that are such an essential part of the quality control process, we are eager to share our work and show you a little bit of what we have been up to through this series of excerpts that kicks off with a look at Pagani Ranch.