Jun
30
Two Modernist Brunellos from 2004
There is, understandably, a cult for the great traditionalists across the storied regions of Europe. Such wines tend to express terroir more consistently and transparently. Brunello di Montalcino is a
Jun
16
Stella di Compalto Rosso di Montalcino 2013 and Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2011
Truly great Sangiovese is exceptionally rare for the potential of the grape. It should produce a wine of elegance, aromatics, and mid-weight purity. It should embrace its acidity. It should
May
31
A Parade of Barolo
Never-tiring and always inspiring, I’ve been fortunate to drink several top Barolo producers and crus in the last few months. Cavallotto remains a favourite producer, and the estate’s two great single-vineyard
May
20
Luigi Tecce Satyricon 2013
A short walk from the forum, a pantry-sized wine shop faces a busy, dirty, central Roman thoroughfare. Inside, I find a small selection of alternative Italian producers with no centralizing
May
5
Is Pinot Noir the Most Interesting Grape in the World?
This question may seem audacious, but it deserves serious consideration. The criteria for interest are (1) diversity of flavour, texture, and structural profiles; (2) that diversity derives from both site
Apr
8
Cote de Beaune Blanc: The Last Four Years, the Next Four Years
To confound the wine world, the 2016 vintage’s April frosts reduced yields about 10-fold in the Cote de Beaune, accelerating an already meteoric price increase beginning with the 2014 vintage.
Mar
31
Didier Dagueneau Buisson Renard 2014
I’ve been reading Raj Parr and Jordan Mackay’s Sommelier’s Atlas of Taste, which is a tome deserving of its own post. One of their great conceits is the idea of
Mar
23
Calera Mills Vineyard Pinot Noir 2009
In my life, the greatest pleasure of wine lies in cooking, experimentation, and pairing. The greatest wines in the world have so much to offer, but the height of intellectual
Mar
11
Cornas
Stereotypical Cornas is “burly” and tannic. Nonsense. The greatest producers in Cornas produce wines of lithe complexity and deeply focused intellectualism. I now understand why so few appreciate these wines.
Mar
5
Larmandier-Bernier Terre de Vertus 2007
I am old enough to have witnessed the shift from house champagnes to grower champagnes in North America’s major wine markets. Today, grower champagne has exploded, particularly among the Millennial