Aug
6
Egly-Ouriet Champagne V.P. (2015 disgorgement)
One of the great grower-producers in Champagne, Egly-Ouriet, has no fear of oak. One of his top wines, the Vieillissement Prolonge, sees extended elevage and lees ageing, producing a wine
Jul
27
Mount Eden Vineyards Pinot Noir 2013
Mount Eden is a perennial favourite of mine. They are one of the original estate of California, tracing their origins back to Paul Masson’s winery founded in 1900. Vines at
Jul
9
Tenuta di Trinoro Le Cupole Trinoro 2014
Andrea Franchetti’s project Tenuta di Trinoro helped redefine the potential for Bordeaux Blends in Tuscany. In particular, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot do very well at Franchetti’s site, which allows
Jul
2
An Amphitheatre of Elegance in Chianti Classico: Monteraponi
Chianti Classico has the capacity for great terroir-driven wines. There is huge variability among the region’s hills and valleys, forests and fields, heat and chill. Soil types include schist, clay,
Jun
23
Niepoort Batuta 2004
Niepoort is not only my favourite producer of dry wines in the Douro, but they are among my favourite in the world. Their true beauty arises from bottle age. So,
Jun
18
Philippe Valette ‘Et Pourtant…’ Vin de France
Philippe Valette makes my favourite wines of the Macon. His farming practices are the best in the region: firstly, farming is organic and free of all chemical sprays. Philippe also
Jun
9
The New Spain Emerging
My previous article on Priorat explained the context of the Spain most of us have come to know, derived from the globalized influence of a limited number of palates seeking
Jun
1
Priorat: Globalization, Terroir, and The New Wines of Spain
A contradiction lies deep in the heart of wine’s globalization. The standard narrative is that globalization leads to homogenization of wine style and increasing monopolization of distribution. The counter-narrative has
Apr
30
Spotlight on the Maconnais Wines of Jean and Gauthier Thevenet: Domaine Émilian Gillet Viré-Clessé 2012
What I love about the Thevenets is their commitment to the idiosyncrasy of the land and the climate of their unique sites in Quintaine. They elevated the Macon before anyone
Apr
27
Ciabot Berton: Barolo from a La Morra Traditionalist
Ciabot Berton are new entrants into British Columbia’s wine market. A recent tasting provided an opportunity to explore a range of blended and single vineyard Barolos from various recent vintages.