Dry, dry, dry. This is how Alsace growers remember the 2023 vintage. Sandy, gravelly sites on the plain suffered and stony slopes struggled, but sites with more water-retentive soils fared much better. In 2023, the Rieslings have concentration, moderate alcohol, ripe acidity and great aging potential. The stylistic spectrum of Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer is as broad and diverse as ever, while Pinot Noir is getting finer and finer.

If you have bottles of the 1988 Dom Ruinart Brut Rosé left in your cellar, do not hesitate to crack them open now.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 1979 is a drop-dead gorgeous beauty. At 45 years of age, the 1979 remains timeless, a testament to how well Champagne can age.

Vilmart’s Coeur de Cuvée is one of the most consistently outstanding wines in Champagne because of how well it shows in both strong and challenging years. The 2006 and 2003 are peaking today, making them fine choices for readers who enjoy mature Champagne.

Henschke is one of the most historic wineries in Australia, known for unforced wines that showcase their various terroirs. The annual Henschke release is a true vintage snapshot of Eden Valley.

Some bottles are more poignant than others, inextricable from the occasion, the place and above all, the person associated with the wine.

A wine of suave sophistication and supreme textural finesse, the 1995 Monte Bello is almost shockingly primary and fresh as a daisy.

I have long been an admirer and drinker of Dirk Niepoort’s wines, both fortified and unfortified. A 2019 Charme Tinto Douro was drinking beautifully when I cracked open a bottle recently.

Head Winemaker Lorenzo Pasquini flew to the UK to present the latest vintage of Château Yquem. Meeting in central London, Italian-born Pasquini gave me the background on the 2022.

History, expression of place, passion and artisan family values run deep at Ioppa. The Ioppas trace their lineage back seven generations, all the way to the mid-1800s, a time when life in the countryside was much harsher than it is today. This mini-vertical from the 1970s was a very pleasant surprise at the end of a day tasting through current releases. I tasted the wines with Giorgio Ioppa, his son Andrea, and consulting oenologist Cristiano Garella.

My good friend Lord Bruce recently raided his cellar and produced a gem of a Burgundy from a vintage more renowned for the whites: the 1992 Clos de la Roche Grand Cru from Domaine Hubert Lignier.

Following Antonio Galloni’s take on this year’s late releases from Château Latour (the First Growth having exited the customary primeur campaign in 2012), here is my own take on the trio that will hit the market this March.

Two icons of the old and new world come together in this inaugural blend, certain to spark discussion. While the two wines merge with surprising harmony, the true conversation starter isn’t their quality—it’s the bold and unconventional way they were crafted.

The 2009 and 2010 Cos d'Estournel were among the vintages poured at the Vinous Icons Miami event in November 2024. They provide an enlightening contrast between two stylistically different vintages.

I suspect that nearly all wines from the Rully appellation are consumed in their youth. The 2019 Rully En Guesnes Wadana proves that not all Rullys are made equal.

This year’s new releases from Château Latour are especially strong as they span three important vintages, each of which has something to offer. I tasted the wines with Estate Director Hélène Genin during a visit to the château in December 2024.

Savory scents of game, touches of cigar humidor and Tuscan delicatessen infuse the red fruit, evoking thoughts of old-school California from the mid-1970s.

What a pleasure it is to taste Raveneau’s 2016 Chablis Valmur Grand Cru. The 2016 has come together beautifully over the last few years.

A wine of mind-blowing complexity, Rinaldi’s 2010 Barolo Brunate is everything Barolo can be—powerful, refined, seductive, intensely aromatic, structured and so incredibly beautiful that words seem inadequate.

I have always loved the wines from Pierre Morey before he joined as winemaker at Domaine Leflaive in the very year the 1988 Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru was made.