### 1983 & 1967 Domaine J.L. Chave L’Hermitage

BY NEAL MARTIN | JANUARY 22, 2024

Last year was such a treasure trove of amazing bottles that I completely forgot a dinner in February that finished with a pair of outstanding wines from Jean-Louis Chave. The **1983 L’Hermitage** is a vintage I have encountered a couple of times before, though not for some years. Gérard Chave would have made this. Now four decades old, the 1983 has a wonderful bouquet that has retained all its vigor, quite Burgundy-like with wilted rose petals that infuse the shimmering dark cherry and raspberry fruit. Hints of rooibos, Earl Grey and clove emerge with time. The palate shows an impressive body and gentle grip; the tannins have melted in recent years. It’s saline with just a distant tang of green olive. There is a touch of meatiness towards the finish that is extremely well-defined and surfeited with charm and character. Maybe it’s a little rustic compared to recent vintages, yet that is just part of its allure. **93** /Drink 2024-2040.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1705680816360-hermitage+1967+bottle.jpg)

The **1967 L’Hermitage** predates Gérard Chave taking over from his father, Jean-Louis, by three years, so I would guess father and son oversaw this. Nowadays, it is an elusive vintage, and this was my first encounter. But what a wine. The bouquet bursts from the glass with red berry fruit, Kalamata olives and a light swimming pool/chlorine scent. It appears to have lost none of the vigor it was presumably born with. The palate does not disappoint, with exceptional balance and a perfect line of acidity. Much more refined than expected, even compared to the 1983 alongside it, the 1967 is bestowed with fantastic precision and tension on the finish. It’s an excellent Northern Rhône that continues to give so much drinking pleasure. **96** /Drink 2024-2044.

_© 2024, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._



Cellar Favorite: 1983 & 1967 Domaine J.L. Chave L’Hermitage

Cellar Favorite: 1983 & 1967 Domaine J.L. Chave L’Hermitage (Jan 2024)

### 1985 Ridge Vineyards Zinfandel Canyon Road & 

### 1985 

### Monte Bello

BY NEAL MARTIN | JANUARY 15, 2024

I am not familiar with Californian wines like some of my Vinous colleagues. However, during 2023, I enjoyed several mature bottles from Ridge Vineyards, which is certainly one of my favorite producers. The **1985 Zinfandel Canyon Road** appeared at a lunch in Hong Kong among a cluster of Bordeaux and Burgundy, acquitting itself well in auspicious company. Showing only slight bricking on the rim, this bottle has a warm and inviting bouquet surfeit with red plummy fruit commingling with roasted chestnut and a touch of espresso. A subtle floral scent pokes its head up after a few minutes in the glass, together with a bergamot hint. The palate is quite sweet and plush on the entry, fleshy and perhaps just missing a bit of grip and backbone on the back end. Yet, for a 38-year-old Zinfandel, this has aged commendably and will continue to sashay along for another decade. **90** /Drink 2024-2034.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1705010951667-CF_Jan152024.jpg)

The following month, this time in Pauillac, another Ridge Vineyards wine born in the same vintage turned up at dinner, again juxtaposed against some famous Bordeaux. The **1985 Monte Bello** is one gorgeous wine. The bouquet bursts from the glass with vibrant red berry fruit, light cigar smoke, wilted rose petals, and blood orange aromas that seem to gain intensity in the glass. The palate is reminiscent of the same vintage in Bordeaux insofar as it is blessed with a sensual, corpulent body that caresses the senses. Beautifully balanced, still fresh with a cashmere finish, this is nigh irresistible Monte Bello cruising at the peak of its powers. **94** /Drink 2024-2044.

_© 2024, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._



Cellar Favorite: 1985 Ridge Vineyards Zinfandel Canyon Road & 1985 Monte Bello

Cellar Favorite: 1985 Ridge Vineyards Zinfandel Canyon Road & 1985 Monte Bello (Jan 2024)

### 1969 Bodegas Vega Sicilia Unico

BY NEAL MARTIN | JANUARY 08, 2024

Unico is Spain’s most iconic and historical wine. You don’t need me to tell you that. Though Unico has been bottled for many decades, the consensus is that the 1960s is the decade during which its reputation was really consolidated through a string of outstanding vintages bookended by the brilliant 1962 and 1970. Perhaps the reputation of the latter overshadows the **1969 Unico**. I tasted two bottles thanks to the same generous host last year. Though the photo depicts the second, that bottle was a bit “off-color,” so my tasting note derives from the first, which was poured in London in May 2023.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1704478166738-unico+1969.jpg)

It was the first time that I had tasted the **1969 Unico** , a blend of 85% Tinto Fino, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, Malbec and Albillo. There is a sense of delicacy on the nose that marks it out from the 1970. Slightly faded red fruit mixes with licorice and star anise. The 1969 coheres wonderfully in the glass and becomes more Bordeaux-like with aeration. You could almost describe the aromatics as “polite”. The palate is sweet and sensual on the entry, a beautiful Unico with subtle notes of wild mint and fennel. This is nicely structured, not a powerful wine, yet it exerts an insistent grip toward the finish, suggesting there is still petrol in the tank. I would not hesitate to crack open a bottle if you have one in your cellar. **93** /Drink 2024-2035.

_© 2024, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._



Cellar Favorite: 1969 Bodegas Vega Sicilia Unico

Cellar Favorite: 1969 Bodegas Vega Sicilia Unico (Jan 2024)

### 2010 Château Canon

BY ANTONIO GALLONI | JANUARY 02, 2024

The **2010 Château Canon** is interesting to revisit today, especially considering the vintages that have come after it, some of which will take their place among the greatest ever made here. Somber in breeding, the 2010 shows more darkness and ripeness than the wines of today, with a stronger oak imprint, all of which serve to blur some of the definition that is such a Canon signature. From time to time, some of the finesse of Canon emerges, as do some characteristic Cabernet Franc inflections, yet the 2010 feels a bit imprisoned by the style of the era in which it was made. The bouquet and overall profile suggest that the 2010 has arrived at an early plateau of maturity. I imagine it will develop for many years to come, but I also don’t see meaningful improvement in the cards. **92** /Drink 2023-2040.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1703874797136-CF_Jan022023_1.jpg)

_© 2024, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._



Cellar Favorite: 2010 Château Canon

Cellar Favorite: 2010 Château Canon (Jan 2024)

### 1899, 1947 & 1970 Yquem

BY NEAL MARTIN | DECEMBER 26, 2023

This Cellar Favorite comes from a private dinner held at Château Yquem last April. In-house chef Olivier Brulard, who worked with Michel Guérard at his fabled restaurant in Eugénie-les-Bains for many years, cooked a sublime array of dishes to accompany the wines. I understand some who say that an evening devoted to Sauternes is too much. I guess it depends on the Sauternes. In fact, the first pour was the dry wine, the **2021 Y de Yquem**. This latest release has a more powerful bouquet, with a distinctive marine influence, a nuanced oxidative trait that lends freshness. The palate is, likewise, quite intense with razor-sharp acidity to the extent that I find this refreshingly penetrating in style, hints of tinned apricot and white peach filtering through on the finish. A lovely dry Sauternes. **90** /Drink 2024-2044.

The **1970 Yquem** comes from a vintage overshadowed by that year’s reds and subsequent Sauternes vintage. Lorenzo Pasquini, who took over as head winemaker from Sandrine Garbay last year, told me that this contains 102g/L residual sugar. With light greenish tints on the rim, this bottle offers enticing scents of crème brûlée, orange rind and mandarin, a dab of rose water emerging with time. The palate is fresh on the entry with Seville orange marmalade, rooibos and dried honey. It is not a complex Yquem, yet it is very commendable for the vintage. I admire how it blossoms in the glass. Bottles should be opened now and over the next decade. This is certainly the best bottle that I have encountered. **92** /Drink 2024-2040.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1703272712531-Yquem+1899.jpg)

The **1947 Yquem** is a vintage that I had never tasted. This legend was bestowed with 134g/L residual sugar after that year’s infamously hot summer, a heavily-botrytised vintage that, according to estate records, was picked “in double-quick time,” September 13 to October 13, according to Michael Broadbent. This is Yquem in full flight. It has a haunting bouquet with dried honey, figs, antique bureau, star anis and Clementine, all delivered with breathtaking precision that is remarkable given how much time has passed. The palate is medium-bodied, broad-shouldered rather than fat, laden with fig and orange pith, tangerine and even suggestions of red fruit, strawberry and redcurrant. The texture is velvety rather than unctuous, gradually developing a slightly confit-like finish. This audacious Yquem has flair and panache to spare. It clearly ranks amongst the greats. **99** /2024-2047.

As depicted in the image, a **1945 Yquem** was also opened to compare to the 1947. However, this meant it was not at the optimal temperature. That notwithstanding, it was clearly not close to perfect examples that I have tasted in the past.

Finally, the **1899 Yquem**. This was a year in which the region suffered a heavy frost on May 20 when temperatures fell to -6.3° C. After this episode, the weather remained clement and dry all the way through until the end of October. The picking commenced at the end of September, with two spells of rain (20mm) provoking uniform botrytis infection, followed by three weeks of dry weather, enabling the harvest to take place in dry conditions. The fruit was apparently rich as potential sugar levels increased for 13 consecutive days. I have been privileged with several 19th-century Yquem, though never one poured directly from the château’s reserves. They can be ethereal experiences, but to be frank, this 124-year-old Yquem seems to have entered a graceful decline. I want to emphasize the word “graceful”. The 1899 is a class act whose golden days are behind it. The bouquet is a little faded with scents of linseed oil, again, an antique mahogany bureau, aniseed and grilled walnuts. Maybe just a little tertiary? It did not possess the refulgent aromatics of the 1947. The palate is clearly well balanced with a silver bead of acidity that keeps it very much alive: notes of orange rind, strawberry and dried honey, a slight oiliness towards the finish. You could quibble and say that it’s a little short, and yet there is no question it is profound, and remarkably, after 40-45 minutes, it reveals touches of Indian spice on the nose. **92** /2024-2030.

_© 2023, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._



Cellar Favorite: 1899, 1947 & 1970 Yquem

Cellar Favorite: 1899, 1947 & 1970 Yquem (Dec 2023)

### 2017 Domaine des Miroirs (Kenjiro Kagami) Vin de France Entre Deux Bleus

BY NEAL MARTIN | DECEMBER 18, 2023

Earlier this year, I dined at a small but well-respected restaurant whose wine list was so saturated with below-market-price gems that I decided it was not in anyone’s interest to write it up as a Vinous Table. You just need to look at the “wastelands” that are wine lists around Beaune to see what happens. I want people to discover the restaurant like I did. Indeed, if anyone mentions that they will be in the vicinity, I discretely encourage them to head in its direction. But I will mention the wine ordered on this particular evening.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1702667671983-entre+deux+bleus.jpg)

The **Domaine des Miroirs**  **2017 Entre Deux Bleus** is from one of the most cultish producers not just in the Jura, but in France. Japanese winemaker Kenjiro Kagami, whose surname means mirror in Japanese, worked with Thierry Allemand and Ganevat before establishing his namesake winery in 2011. Working just four hectares outside the village of Grusse, Kagami soon became the poster boy of the rising natural wine movement. His Entre Deux Mers comes from 60-year-old Savagnin vines, direct pressed and aged for 24 months in used oak barrels with no sulfur added and minimal topping. Pale amber, slightly burnished in color, it has a complex nose: hazelnut, lemon/orange rind and smoked walnuts, the oxidative element present but not overpowering, a flor-like tinge in the background. It actually gains delineation in the glass. The palate is balanced, with the oxidation nicely controlled again, fresh and tangy with Seville orange marmalade. Its nutty elements come to the fore toward the finish. Do I think it is worth the €2,000 that I have seen in one shop? No. But at little over €100, it’s a thoughtfully crafted Savagnin that deftly balances its oxidative component, upholding sensory pleasure rather than making a political statement about its winemaking. **92** /Drink 2023-2033.

_© 2023, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._



Cellar Favorite: 2017 Domaine des Miroirs (Kenjiro Kagami) Vin de France Entre Deux Bleus

Cellar Favorite: 2017 Domaine des Miroirs (Kenjiro Kagami) Vin de France Entre Deux Bleus (Dec 2023)

### 1974 Beaulieu Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve Georges de Latour

BY NEAL MARTIN | DECEMBER 11, 2023

The **1974 Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve Georges de Latour** was served blind at a restaurant in Beaune, from a vintage where California excelled. The wine is in a very beautiful place, born in a year when, in my limited experience, California could do no wrong. There is a noticeable maturation in color, with just a touch of turbidity. The bouquet instantly puts your mind at rest that you are in the company of a noble Napa Cabernet. Vestiges of red fruit, mulberry, singed leather, espresso and light terracotta aromas meld together effortlessly. You’re already in the palm of its hand before putting the glass to your lips. The palate is beautifully balanced with fine-grain tannins and brown spices intermixed with dark berry fruit and an easy-going yet persistent mocha and espresso-tinged finish. The 1974 is not a show-off. It’s just an exquisite, mature Californian Cabernet entering its dotage with panache. **94** /Drink 2023-2040.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1702061890008-beaulieu+1974.jpg)

_© 2023, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._



Cellar Favorite: 1974 Beaulieu Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve Georges de Latour

Cellar Favorite: 1974 Beaulieu Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve Georges de Latour (Dec 2023)

### 2016 Domaine J-F Mugnier Musigny Vieilles Vignes

BY NEAL MARTIN | DECEMBER 04, 2023

Frédéric Mugnier caused a few ripples when, tired of witnessing his Grand Crus martyred not long after bottling in restaurants around Beaune, he decided to withhold his Musigny Vieilles Vignes until he deemed it had several years’ bottle age. I wish more growers would follow his lead. The latest to be released is the **2016 Musigny Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru**. I vividly recall tasting this with Mugnier in the barrel cellar after the dramatic frost-afflicted season. To refresh your minds, allow me to reproduce the relevant paragraph from that year’s in-barrel report. Mugnier explained: “There were three barrels of young vines, pruned as Cordon de Royat, which suffered limited damage from frost, and three barrels of older vines, pruned as Guyot, that were very badly hit. The former, regardless of the age of the vines, was tasting much denser and had a greater length than the latter. The final blend of Musigny includes all three barrels of the young vines plus one of the old ones, in order to bring a touch of freshness. The two remaining barrels were blended with the Chambolle Premier Cru Les Plantes and the few grapes from Combe d’Orveau to form the Chambolle-Musigny Trente-Deux, so called after the number of vintages that I have made.”

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1701453921758-musigny+2016+mugnier.jpg)

I have re-tasted the 2016 once in bottle, blind at the Burgfest tasting, where it flirted with perfection. Nothing has changed since then. Mugnier poured the wine in November 2023 after tasting his 2022s (bottles have not been labeled, hence the photograph of the cork). The nose is stunning. There’s incredible purity and intensity, fabulous delineation and a sense of exuberance as it doles out red berry fruit, fresh black truffle shavings and _sous-bois_. The palate is medium-bodied, with svelte tannins, poised and precise, gently building toward a seamless finish. It represents a heavenly evocation of one of the world's greatest vineyards. **99** /Drink 2024-2060.

_© 2023, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._



Cellar Favorite: 2016 Domaine J-F Mugnier Musigny Vieilles Vignes

Cellar Favorite: 2016 Domaine J-F Mugnier Musigny Vieilles Vignes (Dec 2023)

### 1971 Hospices des Moulin-à-Vent Moulin-à-Vent

BY NEAL MARTIN | NOVEMBER 27, 2023

Held every November, the Hospices de Beaune is Burgundy’s most famous charity auction. It attracts global attention, celebrities and, in recent years, stratospheric hammer prices. Lying in its shadow is the annual Hospices de Nuits auction that unfairly doesn’t attract nearly the same hoopla. Yet I have encountered very fine bottlings. Until the 1971 Moulin-à-Vent was poured, I had no idea that a similar auction was held in Beaujolais. I do not know when the auction ceased and correct me if I’m wrong, but it seems lost in the mists of time.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1700668548359-moulin-a-vent+1971+bottle.jpg)

Before I continue, I must stress that this particular bottle is unconnected with Château du Moulin-à-Vent. Proprietor Edouard Parinet had simply acquired it at a local auction in France. The second thing that I must stress is that it is unequivocally the finest mature Beaujolais that I have ever drunk. Slip this into a line-up of Grand Crus in this fecund Burgundy vintage, however illustrious the Domaine, and I bet you could never tell it was Gamay and not Pinot Noir. The **Hospices des Moulin-à-Vent 1971 Moulin-à-Vent** is ethereal in the truest meaning of that word. Showing bricking commensurate with its age yet clear in color, the bouquet blossoms from the glass with entrancing strawberries, wilted rose petals and subtle loam and damp moss scents, all delivered with stunning definition. The palate is medium-bodied with plenty of freshness and tension after more than half a century, filigree tannins borrowed from a top Clos-de-Bèze with a haunting, ineffably complex finish. This is a wonder to behold. If you think my score is generous for a Beaujolais, you’re wrong. If I stand accused of anything, maybe I’m being a bit mean. **97** /Drink 2023-2033.

_© 2023, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._



Cellar Favorite: 1971 Hospices des Moulin-à-Vent Moulin-à-Vent

Cellar Favorite: 1971 Hospices des Moulin-à-Vent Moulin-à-Vent (Nov 2023)

### 2009 Maximin Grünhaus – von Schubert Abtsberg Riesling Auslese #93

BY NEAL MARTIN | NOVEMBER 20, 2023

Poured on a hot sunny evening in Beaune between a quick dip in the pool and a delicious supper, the **2009 Abstberg Riesling Auslese #93** from winemaker Carl von Schubert ranks as one of the greatest Rieslings I've encountered in the last five years. Glistening straw color in the glass, the 2009 rivets you to the spot with a bouquet of breathtaking clarity and intensity. It completely intoxicates the senses with lime, linseed oil, blood oranges and traces of honey, with an enormous amount of _mineralité_ derived from the vineyard’s blue Devonian slate. The palate is just as entrancing, built around a perfect thread of acidity that effortlessly counterbalances sweetness and viscosity so that this wine seems to dance on the tongue. Those abbots knew where to plant their vines, and von Schubert certainly knows how to make thrilling Riesling. **98** /Drink 2023-2068.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1700249586812-Von+Schubert+2009.jpg)

_© 2023, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._

  


Cellar Favorite: 2009 Maximin Grünhaus – von Schubert Abtsberg Riesling Auslese #93

Cellar Favorite: 2009 Maximin Grünhaus – von Schubert Abtsberg Riesling Auslese #93 (Nov 2023)

### 1971 Henschke Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz

BY NEAL MARTIN | NOVEMBER 13, 2023

There was a time a few years ago when I drank quite a number of mature Australian wines. Sadly, these have become much harder to find, especially since I have not visited Australia for over a decade. Therefore, it was a joy to drink a 52-year-old bottle from Henschke on a recent trip to the Far East.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1699642470247-henschke+1971.JPG)

The **1971 Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz** is not the famed “Hill of Grace” bottling in another guise, but rather, a wine that would have surely been found in modest liquor stores in the early Seventies in Adelaide, Melbourne or Sydney. In a way, that makes it more intriguing to taste. Few could have foreseen back then that the 1971 would continue to be so delicious after five decades since it was not predesigned with longevity in mind. Sporting light bricking on the rim with a blueish tinge in the center, the wine is initially reticent. The aromatics are somewhat volatile: a bit of freshly painted nail varnish and soy. That “unruly” bouquet lowers my expectations, yet the palate is sound, with plenty of extant fruit laced with cough candy and star anis. The Syrah is most expressive, adorned with a winsome finish redolent of candied orange peel and pronounced crème-de-cassis notes. I wondered whether the nose might have mustered more vigor with time in the glass. Alas, we did not have time to find out. Still, it was a pleasure to be acquainted with this Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz from Henschke. **91** /Drink 2023-2030.

_© 2023, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._



Cellar Favorite: 1971 Henschke Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz

Cellar Favorite: 1971 Henschke Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz (Nov 2023)

### 1890, 1990, 2005 & 2015 Branaire-Ducru

BY NEAL MARTIN | NOVEMBER 06, 2023

Proprietor François-Xavier Maroteaux whipped out a quartet of vintages on a recent visit to Branaire-Ducru. Nothing new there. However, this quartet spanned 125 years. I recall Maroteaux mentioning in passing about a handful of ancient bottles from a collector. So, to clarify, the bottle of 1890 had not laid undisturbed in the château’s cellars since birth. Instead, it resided in a private cellar until “coming home”.

_![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1699025053282-branaire+opening_copy.jpg)_

_François-Xavier Maroteau and head winemaker Jean-Dominique Videau gently prizing out the cork using a trusty Durand._

The **1890 Branaire-Ducru** is labeled under the name “Duluc” as the Cru was titled in this era. Underneath is written “C. Balaresque,” who was probably the courtier at the time. Interestingly, the saturated, though fully intact, original cork is branded with its present name – Branaire-Ducru. Its appearance is commensurate with its antiquity, thankfully clear in color with wide bricking. The bouquet is immediately entrancing. It unequivocally has not faded in its dotage, blossoming over the course of two hours: remnants of red fruit commingling with furniture polish, molasses, marmalade and earthenware. It coheres beautifully in the glass with each and every pour and articulates the heat of that summer long ago. The palate follows suit, almost viscous in texture to the point where I speculate whether there might have been residual sugar. Too late to ask the winemaker now. Ineffably harmonious with candied orange peel, marmalade and wild honey, it is beautifully balanced with a generous, almost viscous finish. This is one of the most impressive and delicious 19th-century clarets I have been fortunate to drink. Indeed, Maroteaux remarked that this bottle was superior to the first he opened. Magical! **98** /Drink 2023-2033.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1699025093948-branaire+cork_copy.jpg)

Maroteaux then served three recent vintages that, unlike the 1890, are not only within the realms of attainability but are keenly priced within the context of the Bordeaux market today. The **1990 Branaire-Ducru** is a vintage that, strangely, I had not encountered before. It has an attractive nose of black fruit tinged with peppermint, well-defined considering the warmth of the growing season, with a hint of aniseed. The palate has moved decidedly into its secondary phase, veering slightly towards more red fruit, mint and juniper. Maybe there is a soupçon of Brettanomyces here – not unusual in this vintage. Yet there is adequate freshness to keep this Saint-Julien on its toes. **90** /Drink 2023-2033.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1699025070989-branaire+1890+bottle_copy.jpg)

The **2005 Branaire-Ducru** is really stepping up through the gears and is definitely worth seeking out. Deep in color, it has an exquisite definition on the nose: blackberry, cedar, wild mint and _sous-bois_. There is a vibrant energy to this 2005 that sets it apart. The palate is extremely well-balanced with crisp acidity. Tensile towards its pliant finish that has softened slightly in recent years. This vintage is perfect to drink now, though personally, I would afford it another three or four years in bottle. **93** /Drink 2025-2050.

The **2015 Branaire-Ducru** has a deep hue, almost opaque in the glass. The nose is quite precocious, more so than the previous bottle, with scents of black cherries, cassis and blood orange. Energetic and focused, crushed violet scents surface with continued aeration. The palate is quite sweet. I just have one concern about the warmth of alcohol on the back palate, though that seems to be addressed by considering aeration, allowing it to coalesce and muster more composure, especially on the finish. Give it several years in bottle **. 92** /Drink 2028-2050.

_© 2023, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._



Cellar Favorite: 1890, 1990, 2005 & 2015 Branaire-Ducru

Cellar Favorite: 1890, 1990, 2005 & 2015 Branaire-Ducru (Nov 2023)

### 2009 Beau Paysage Tsugane La Montagne

BY NEAL MARTIN | OCTOBER 30, 2023

Japan’s wine industry might be in its infancy, but it’s expanding. In the past, I’ve had experience with Japanese wines after judging competitions in Tokyo, though I never encountered a bottle that obliged superlatives. I remain unconvinced about the potential of their indigenous Koshu variety. Towards the end of a recent meal, one of our attendees produced a magnum that I had never seen before, never heard of. The **2009 Tsugane La Montagne** from **Beau Paysage** proved what is possible in Japan.

Proprietor Eishi Okamoto farms around three hectares in the Yamanishi prefecture, the largest of Japan’s wine regions, its commercial hub. Examining the back label, I find a personal message from Okamoto, channeling his “inner Lennon”: “A glass of wine can change the world.” The wine is 100% Merlot, organically farmed since planted in the late Nineties, fruit de-stemmed by hand, basket pressed and fermented with no temperature-control or sulphur, aged in oak barrels and bottled by gravity, bottled un-fined and unfiltered. This is a very artisanal outfit, ostensibly one winemaker on a personal voyage, meticulous in every stage of the process.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1698430711489-tsugane.JPG)

I had no idea what to expect. Pouring a glass, I was struck by the purity of fruit on the nose: black plum, a touch of wild mint and iodine, much fresher than I so often find elsewhere, displaying impressive focus and delineation. Fine tannins frame the palate, and for a 14-year-old wine, the 2009 conveys plenty of freshness and vitality. The oak is seamlessly subsumed. Smooth in texture with just a touch of sapidity beckoning you back for another sip, this is a very accomplished and, most importantly, delicious Merlot that could easily last another 15 or 20 years. Stylistically, if I tasted it blind, I might place it somewhere on the Right Bank rather than California.

Okamoto’s wines are very limited in production and nowadays highly sought after, with prices around Y35,000 on the secondary market, north of $300 a bottle. Fortunately, new releases are not extortionate, but they are snapped up in the blink of an eye. If you visit Japan, keep a look out for Beau Paysage.

Can a glass of wine really change the world? Well, maybe not. But it changed my perspective on Japanese wines. **91** /Drink 2023-2038.

_© 2023, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._



Cellar Favorite: 2009 Beau Paysage Tsugane La Montagne

Cellar Favorite: 2009 Beau Paysage Tsugane La Montagne (Oct 2023)

### 2010 Beaux Frères Pinot Noir

###  

### The Beaux Frères Vineyard

BY ERIC GUIDO | OCTOBER 23, 2023

The 2010 Pinot Noir The Beaux Frères Vineyard is a perfect example of how maturity can propel a wine of humble beginnings beyond expectations. The 2010s are the product of a cool and classic vintage that made producers question when the wines would peak. Today, the wines are in the sweet spot.

For Beaux Frères, 2010 was a period of evolution. Mike Etzel had already begun dialing back on the new oak and was striving for a style based more on a mixture of purity and power. At the time, the winery used about 40-50% new oak, which today is reduced to 30-35%, along with shorter macerations. Mikey Etzel, current generation owner and winemaker, explained, “In 2010, you couldn't get peak ripeness. That was just the vintage. It was impossible.” This further illustrates why the 2010 reminds me more of today's Beaux Frères than those of the past. The winery has mastered a style of restrained power and classic structure. In the end, this is a throwback to another time, but rest assured that I expect the modern wines of Beaux Frères to age just as gracefully, if not better.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1697820668606-CF_Oct232023_Final.jpg)

Simply spellbinding, the cool-vintage **2010 Pinot Noir The Beaux Frères Vineyard** wafts up with a mature bouquet of savory herbs, fall leaves, shaved cedar, hints of green olive, flowery underbrush and red currants. It washes across the palate, lifted and refined. Ripe red fruits take on a more tactile feel as brisk acidity and sour citrus swirl under an air of rosy inner florals. It finishes long and mineral in style, leaving a salty tinge and unbelievable freshness. If you can find the 2010, don't pass up on the opportunity. This wine is perfectly mature. **94** /Drink 2023-2028.

_© 2023, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._



Cellar Favorite: 2010 Beaux Frères Pinot Noir The Beaux Frères Vineyard

Cellar Favorite: 2010 Beaux Frères Pinot Noir The Beaux Frères Vineyard (Oct 2023)

### 1970 E. Pira & Figli Barolo

BY ANTONIO GALLONI | OCTOBER 16, 2023

The **1970 Pira Barolo** is a wine I have never had before, at least that I can recall. Sweet, perfumed and ethereal, the 1970 takes us back to another generation, a time when Piedmont was far more agrarian and artisan than it is today. Crushed rose petals, mint, licorice, dried flowers, sweet dried cherry fruit, pipe tobacco and old chest drawer waft from the glass. Fine, silky, mature Nebbiolo tannins pull it all together beautifully. The 1970 is fully mature and past its prime, but well-stored bottles will drink well for another few years.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1697463671469-CF_Oct162023.jpg)

Luigi Pira's was a staunch traditionalist. He insisted on crushing his grapes by foot and making wine without any mechanical intervention. The 1970 was a blend from several sites: Cannubi, S. Lorenzo, Prea, Vignane and Via Nuova, as was the custom at the time, done with 100% whole clusters and aged in cask. Chiara Boschis bought the property in 1990 following Luigi Pira's death. Boschis made her early reputation with super-modern Barolos, which garnered considerable acclaim. In more recent years, Boschis has taken some of Pira’s techniques and incorporated them into her wines, including the blending of sites for the Via Nuova Barolo and the use of stems in experimental bottlings that have not yet seen commercial release.

Readers approaching the 1970 or other wines of the same era will want to pay special attention to the storage and serving of these wines. Older Nebbiolo can appear fragile upon opening, but these bottles are usually far sturdier than their appearance or first impression might suggest. I generally do not like decanting older wines, as that operation can be too sudden. Over the years, I have learned that a more successful approach is to store bottles upright for as long as possible, a few days at least. (I know collectors who store all their older wines upright, but that is a subject for another discussion.) Upright storage will allow for a natural decantation of sediment. From there, pouring while avoiding sediment should be easy. These wines tend to need considerable aeration, given their age and the decidedly rustic means with which they were made. I prefer to see that evolution in the glass, but readers need to be patient with bottles like this, as that process can take a few hours. **92** /Drink 2023-2025.

_© 2023, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._



Cellar Favorite: 1970 E. Pira & Figli Barolo

Cellar Favorite: 1970 E. Pira & Figli Barolo (Oct 2023)

### 1981 Petrus

BY NEAL MARTIN | OCTOBER 10, 2023

Given my rather desultory score for the **1981 Petrus** , a bottle that had a tincture of TCA, I was able to order a pristine bottle in London that had been acquired directly from the château, thereby giving me a chance to re-evaluate.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1696603979130-petrus+1981+bottle_copy.jpg)

The 1981 has an initial burst of loveliness on the nose, as if this bottle was doing a little jig, delighted that this off-vintage had been selected. Wild strawberry mixes with light tobacco leaf and pencil shavings on the nose. The palate is lighter in style, as you would expect. It is finely balanced, though not backed up by a great deal of energy or heft. Indeed, it seems to struggle more in the glass after ten minutes, becoming more loose-knit and slightly acetic. Yet, this Petrus deserves applause in the context of the growing season. What is missing in terms of complexity and vigor is compensated in sheer drinkability and openness. Larger formats might be more interesting, though I would drink standard-size bottles in the near future. **88** /Drink 2023-2030.

_© 2023, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._



Cellar Favorite: 1981 Petrus

Cellar Favorite: 1981 Petrus (Oct 2023)

### 2003 Philip Togni Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Estate

BY ANTONIO GALLONI | OCTOBER 02, 2023

The **2003 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate** , a library release from the winery this year, is in great shape. Rich, racy and super-expressive, the 2003 offers up an exotic mélange of ripe dark plum, hard candy, tea leaves, spice, mocha, leather and menthol. Sweet floral top notes add character to the distinctly ripe flavor profile. The tannins have softened, making the 2003 quite enjoyable today. I don’t see the complexity of potential for the extended longevity of the very best years, but I doubt that will matter much to most readers.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1696018263607-CF_Oct032023.jpg)

Harvest started on September 23, normal for the time. This was the first vintage made in an expanded cellar that allowed for the barrels to be arranged on one level, rather than stacked, which Philip Togni believes contributed to greater precision, as the wines were tasted more often during élevage. Today, the 2003 offers considerable pleasure. I expect it will drink well for another decade or so. This is an especially fine bottle. **94** /Drink 2023-2033.

_© 2023, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._



Cellar Favorite: 2003 Philip Togni Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Estate

Cellar Favorite: 2003 Philip Togni Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Estate (Oct 2023)

### 2005 Domaine Jean-Marc Pillot Chassagne-Montrachet Les Vergers 1er Cru

BY NEAL MARTIN | SEPTEMBER 25, 2023

At an evening meal in Tokyo, I had the pleasure of tasting the excellent **2005 Chassagne-Montrachet Les Vergers 1er Cru** from **Jean-Marc Pillot**. This was poured from magnum. Apparently, Pillot produced a minuscule number of these large formats since this comes from a parcel of old vines that were subsequently replanted. Also, perusing Tanzer’s original note, I was interested to learn that due to nitrogen deficiency in the vines that year, alcoholic fermentations were strung out until the following May.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1695649090320-chassagne+2005+pillot+%282%29.jpg)

After 18 years, the 2005 has a burnished straw color. The bouquet is striking in intensity. It’s a white Burgundy with plenty of horsepower, including dried honey, grilled hazelnut, lanolin and a touch of lemon thyme scents. There is no sense of heat, yet the warmth of that summer is communicated. The palate has a slightly viscous texture and immense depth matched by sufficient acidity to keep this Les Verges on its toes. After 30 to 40 minutes, it coheres marvelously. The 2005 is a white Burgundy at the peak of its powers, yet with plenty left in the tank. **93** /Drink 2023-2040.

_© 2023, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._



Cellar Favorite: 2005 Domaine Jean-Marc Pillot Chassagne-Montrachet Les Vergers 1er Cru

Cellar Favorite: 2005 Domaine Jean-Marc Pillot Chassagne-Montrachet Les Vergers 1er Cru (Sep 2023)

### 2011 Domaine 

### d'Auvenay

### Bourgogne Aligoté Sous Chatelet

BY NEAL MARTIN | SEPTEMBER 18, 2023

Let’s get the elephant out of the room. The secondary market price for this “humble” Aligoté is around £3,000 per bottle. That is absurd. That is unbelievable. But that is reality. Someone out there is prepared to pay that amount of money for this wine, motivated by the fact that it was crafted by Lalou Bize-Leroy or perhaps motivated by pecuniary gains. After all, someone in Hong Kong is listing it for a cool £5,000 per bottle. But what is also absurd is how brilliant this wine tasted when served blind by the person who bought it soon after release for less than 1% of the aforementioned price.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1694801296849-dauvenay+alogite+2011.jpg)

The **2011 Bourgogne Aligoté Sous Chatelet** retains a youthful silvery gleam. The aromatics leap from the glass, taut and delineated, quite malic and steely for an Aligoté, with a faint scent of what I discern as a garden pond. Perhaps a little algae? The palate has a razor-sharp line of acidity that imparts incredible tension and a sense of energy. With lip-smacking salinity from start to finish, this has laser-beam focus and incredible length. Would I pay the market price for this wine? I wouldn’t, even if I could. Do I think it is an astonishing expression of Aligoté? Without question. **94** /Drink 2023-2045.

_© 2023, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._



Cellar Favorite: 2011 Domaine d'Auvenay Bourgogne Aligoté Sous Chatelet

Cellar Favorite: 2011 Domaine d'Auvenay Bourgogne Aligoté Sous Chatelet (Sep 2023)

### 1997 Boekenhoutskloof Syrah 

BY NEAL MARTIN | SEPTEMBER 11, 2023

Warning: This Cellar Favorite has a tragic ending.

Rewind to the mid-nineties, South Africa is basking in the afterglow of the dissolution of apartheid dissolution and Nelson Mandela’s election as President. After decades of selling wine domestically, South Africa’s wine industry is suddenly exposed to a competitive, global market, often under governmental control. Among a vast ocean of turbo-charged Bordeaux blends, the **1997 Syrah** from **Boekenhoutskloof** is sui generis and becomes one of the Cape’s most iconic, mythical wines.

A bit of background because apocryphal stories abound. For this, I am indebted to its creator, winemaker Marc Kent. Though he now resides and makes wine in Portugal, Kent remains Boekenhoutskloof’s managing partner and, according to current head winemaker Gottfried Mokke, frequently commutes between the two countries, ensuring it remains one of the nation’s best estates. Though the farm dates back to the 18th century, winemaking was only introduced in the mid-Nineties. Since their own vineyards were just being planted, Boekenhoetskloof relied on contracted fruit. “The 1997 was my first vintage of Syrah and my first proper vintage altogether,” Kent tells me. “In 1996, I crushed only eight tons of Cabernet Sauvignon.”

I ask Kent the origin of the 1997 Syrah as I had heard different stories and wanted information from the horse’s mouth.

“The vineyard was on a farm named Vine Lodge Farm, owned by Derek Delson. It was on the Helderberg side of the N2, as you leave Somerset West toward Sir Lowry’s Pass. The vines were all a massal selection and were previously being delivered to Koelenhof Co-op. It was 90% de-stemmed without crushing, included 10% whole bunches, and 20% of the stalks were added into the fermenter. It was a wild ferment with no acidification and all [transferred] into second-fill French barriques for the malolactic and élevage.”

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1694195284517-syrah+1997_copy.jpg)

What was the inspiration for the wine?

“At the time, the reference for South Africa was big, over-oaked, normally American-oaked monsters, made in the style of the big Barossa wines that were popular then. After visits to Jean-Louis Chave, Chave having just returned from U.C. Davis, Robert Michel [owner of Le Geynale vineyard in Cornas now partly farmed by his nephew, Vincent Paris] and Gérard Jaboulet, I tried to produce a wine more aligned with their ways. I produced 500 cases. To date, it is still the only wine that I have ever produced where every barrel was assembled into the final blend.”

Did Kent realize the quality of his wine, and what was the initial reaction?

“I had so little experience, but [I remember that] the cellar reeked of white pepper notes. It was [like a] Hermitage or rather Crozes-Hermitage, I thought like Graillot at the time. I thought it was pretty good. I did everything my lecturers said I shouldn’t. The late Prof. Joel van Wyk, on his only visit to Boekenhoutskloof, said it was a ‘time bomb’. [Probably because it had a high pH of 4.1]. We have never entered shows or competitions, and so a Platter five-star was the only early endorsement when less than two dozen were awarded. The biggest customer was Richard Kelley MW, who used it as his wedding wine. He had his wedding in a marquee on the car park at Boekenhoutskloof.”

I was fortunate to taste this legendary wine at a private dinner during my last trip to the Cape. The cork was not saturated, but it was very crumbly. Fortunately, and I don’t want to boast, I’m extremely good at pulling them out, even if it took 10 to 15 minutes equipped with just a waiter’s friend.

The 1997 Syrah totally lives up to expectations. Showing modest bricking on the rim, it has a resolutely Old World bouquet that emits a warm glow of lush red strawberry and raspberry fruit, Provençal herbs, rosemary, leather and sage. The aromatics, after 26 years, remain defined and pure, maybe with just the faintest touch of Brettanomyces. It could easily pass as a Northern Rhône. The palate is exquisitely balanced with a velvety, sensual texture, fine tannins and a kind of melted quality that makes it irresistible. A faint hint of garrigue on the finish begs another sip. Simply magnificent. A soulful Syrah with plenty of life ahead. **96** /Drink 2023-2036.

I mentioned that this Cellar Favorite has a sad ending. Kent describes its fate…

“I went to check the budding in September 1997 in anticipation of the 1998 harvest. The vineyard had been ‘pruned’ with a D8 [a bulldozer]. I was absolutely gutted. I scrounged a few cuttings from some random vines on what had become a building site that May and grafted them out on Boekenhoutskloof’s ‘Phoenix’ vineyard. The virus-ridden material was never able to fully ripen in much cooler, wetter conditions. It has indeed become an industrial park/strip mall.”

_© 2023, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._



Cellar Favorite: 1997 Boekenhoutskloof Syrah

Cellar Favorite: 1997 Boekenhoutskloof Syrah (Sep 2023)

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Friuli Venezia-Giulia: In Search of an Identity

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### Flirting with Perfection - Giaconda Chardonnay 2011-2021

BY ANGUS HUGHSON | JANUARY 23, 2024

Blink, and you will miss Beechworth, a small yet grand inland Victorian town with a history of gold and bushrangers. The wide main street, with its 19th-century architecture, has an almost Wild West feel, coming as a welcome surprise as you drive through the broad, empty plains and mountain landscapes of northeastern Victoria. It is easy to imagine the region’s vibrant history—the streets full of horses and gold prospectors searching for their fortune during the second half of the 1800s. But today, this town prospers on new seams of gold as ground zero for revolutionary Australian Chardonnay. At its epicenter is Giaconda.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1706021085276-Giaconda_1.jpg)

_Granite boulders were unearthed on the Giaconda Estate in preparation for new plantings._

Beechworth and the surrounding vineyards are a blip in the national crush, totaling a mere 130 hectares under vine, a shade less than the small Northern Rhône appellation of Condrieu. Yet despite its size, the unique terroir should place it firmly on the radar for fans of ultra-premium Chardonnay. This small and isolated outpost is a diamond in the rough, thanks to a freakish mix of a highly advantageous climate, naturally low fertility and a complex mix of granite and sandstone soils.

There is a distinctive intensity to the mid-summer heat in Beechworth—the sun here is powerful and searing. But its proximity to Alpine influences, with cooling winds and gentle elevation, also provides significant protection to carefully chosen sites. It all adds up to impressive diurnal variation, so much so that Beechworth is Australia's most continental wine region, even driving some growers to flirt with Nebbiolo. The cycling from warm summer days to cool nights is at the heart of the Beechworth wine style, yielding Chardonnays that marry raw power with surprising detail and subtlety.

There is little doubt that the soils also play an important part in the regional style. Hard and mean on the whole, volcanic granites dominate to the north, in the form of a rocky base that helps to craft flavorsome wines. Here, massive granite boulders pepper the landscape, and the use of heavy earth-movers is often the only solution. Thankfully, there is also decent water-holding capacity, as the granites have degraded over time into clay loams. To the south of the region is a combination of more gravels and sandstones, with outcrops of siltstone, quartz, silica and shale, which help to build more structural wines.

It is a testing environment, so much so that early grape growers abandoned their plots. Only the hardiest vines can tolerate such demanding conditions. Beechworth is a place where only the strong survive and few succeed, but that was exactly what drew the eye of ex-mechanical engineer and budding winemaker Rick Kinzbrunner.

I remember my first meeting with Rick Kinzbrunner almost 20 years ago when Giaconda was already firmly on the fine wine radar. It was a nerve-wracking experience as Kinzbrunner sat back in a rocking chair, surveying his prey. This is not a man who’s one for small talk. He brings a searing intellect to the table, coupled with a take-no-prisoners approach to the pursuit of quality. He does not say much, but each word and action is carefully considered, an ethos that carries through into the vineyard and cellar.

For an Australian winemaker in the late 1970s, Kinzbrunner had a Rolls-Royce wine education. His first foray into wine was in New Zealand. “Chardonnay in Australia fascinated me, so I made a little at home during my time in Hawke’s Bay. After that, there was no way back, and life was wine, wine, wine.” But it was in California that Kinzbrunner found mentors and inspiration. “I had heard that Stag’s Leap was the place to be, so I went there looking for work. This was all before the Judgement of Paris. Warren Winiarski was not looking for help at that time, but he needed a new front gate, and if I could fix his gate, he would hire me.”

Kinzbrunner’s degree in Mechanical Engineering unexpectedly came in handy for his first steps in California. From 1976 to 1979, Kinzbrunner worked at Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars and soaked up everything he could from the local wine scene while simultaneously studying a couple of subjects at UC Davis on the side. It was a time when the orthodoxy was being challenged with experimentation and new ideas. Winemakers were making Chardonnays that borrowed from some Burgundian techniques but also retained their own unique slant. Kinzbrunner worked and swapped ideas with a cohort of talented winemakers, many of whom went on to great things, including David Ramey, John Kongsgaard, John Williams and Dick Ward, who all became, and largely remain, good friends.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1706021128539-Giaconda_2.jpg)

_The Giaconda Cellar was excavated by local miners using two and a half tons of dynamite._

“My time in California really set the groundwork for Giaconda.” He also had experience with the Moueix family at Château Magdelaine and Château Petrus, but the California years were by far the most impactful.

The subsequent founding of Giaconda in Beechworth, Victoria soon after was not part of some grand scheme; it was more the result of serendipity on a number of fronts. Kinzbrunner had an old mentor with a vineyard in King Valley in northern Victoria, which he returned to Australia to manage. But grape growing was not Kinzbrunner’s specialty, so he quickly moved into a winemaking role with one of the state’s largest winemakers, Brown Brothers. Almost immediately, Kinzbrunner was captivated by the place, particularly the town of Beechworth. “What a great place, I thought. I want to live there.” At the same time, there was a little bit of noise in winemaking circles that the local terroir might be right for premium wine production.

Now, Kinzbrunner’s experience in California would rise up through a desire to make outstanding Chardonnay. Beechworth’s exposed hillsides and hard country had scared off many potential suitors in the past, including Kinzbrunner’s own employer, Brown Brothers, who had recently abandoned a site for its lack of economic viability. But his education among some of California’s elite, with a serious fine wine focus, provided a different outlook than many Australian winemakers of the time, precious few of whom were really shooting for the stars like their compatriots across the Pacific Ocean. Kinzbrunner zigged while others zagged, which has been a constant theme. After taking on the role at Brown Brothers, it did not take Kinzbrunner long to find his own piece of dirt. He didn’t spend years studying the terroir looking for the best site—again, serendipity played its role. “It was an accident, really; I knew nothing. One day, I was driving to Beechworth, and a piece of land with a house was for sale.” He purchased the first ten acres in 1981, with 40 adjoining acres added soon after. The California experience clearly loomed large; in 1982, Kinzbrunner planted the land with 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Chardonnay. Both varieties grew well, but over time, it became clear that not only was Chardonnay more successful on the site, but it would also be easier to sell. Kinzbrunner had a very strong connection to the variety. “I followed it around, and it followed me around.”

The harsh local landscape has its advantages, not only for wine quality. The rolling, bony hills never attracted intensive agriculture, and before Giaconda, the estate was used only for occasional livestock grazing. This saved the site and much of the region from agrochemicals—herd manure was the only historical, albeit occasional, input. The property had essentially remained the same for around 400 million years. This suited Kinzbrunner’s general mindset in terms of sustainability, well before it became fashionable, with the property organically certified since 2018. While there have been flirtations with biodynamics, for the moment, there are no plans to go down that path.

Some of the land had been cleared for grazing—that was where Kinzbrunner planted his vines. Much of the Giaconda property was initially unsuitable for vineyards, thanks to the many boulders on or near the surface and a lack of the significant funds required to clear them. It is only in very recent times that more of the land has been cleared for new plantings.

In viticulture, Kinzbrunner went against the grain. While northern slopes were generally the prized sites in the Southern Hemisphere, thanks to their advantageous sun exposure, Kinzbrunner chose a southerly-facing site for the estate in a valley that funnels cooler air from the high country. A smaller gully drains cooler air on the western side of the property. Once again, serendipity played a role. The height of summer in Beechworth can be very warm, with an abundance of light and heat. Kinzbrunner’s site selection, whether intentional at some subliminal level or just plain good luck, helped to minimize the effect of the heat on his vineyards and fruit. The site is largely surrounded by untouched forests and national parks, promoting biodiversity, although high fencing is necessary for protection from local pests—primarily kangaroos.

The Chardonnay vineyard was initially planted with the P58 clone, imported by Penfolds in 1958 and said to have been sourced from Le Montrachet. Across Australia, it has proved to be very successful. Kinzbrunner later planted some of the Dijon clones, but over time, they were deemed less well-suited to the Giaconda site and uprooted, although a small plot of clone 95 will be replanted this year. While P58 makes up much of the vineyard, there is also a small amount of Mendoza used for the Giaconda Estate Chardonnay.

Over time, other varieties were added to the Estate, with fruit also sourced from a small number of local vineyards for other Giaconda labels, including Pinot Noir, Shiraz, Roussanne and Nebbiolo. Today, Giaconda has pulled away from buying fruit from non-estate vineyards, preferring to have complete control over his wines. All are grown on the original estate, with the exception of Nebbiolo, which is reared at a significant elevation on their other Red Hill site overlooking Beechworth. There has also been significant recent groundwork on the original estate to remove boulders from the soil for new plantings in 2023 and 2024, totaling close to one hectare. This will see all the suitable land on the estate planted, with the fruit from these new vineyards hopefully destined for the Giaconda Estate Chardonnay in the next 15 years.

In addition to varieties, planting densities have also been regularly evaluated. Giaconda had significant plantings at relatively high density, but felt over time that they did not perform in the hard local soils, putting too much stress on the vines. To remedy that, in some vineyards, every second row was pulled out about eight years ago. The quality has never looked back.

For Chardonnay, Kinzbrunner eschews more modern techniques found in many Australian Chardonnays, preferring a distinctly Burgundian angle. “If it ain't broke, don’t fix it.” For example, the Giaconda Estate Chardonnay is one of the few local Chardonnays to be basket pressed, before an overnight settle, a long barrel fermentation and maturation in oak. The small basket press size does require an extended timeframe for picking, which brings some risk, but the quality advantages are significant.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1706021152128-Giaconda_3.jpg)

Fruit is also crushed, neither hard nor gentle, prior to pressing, which Kinzbrunner firmly believes adds character to the wine and potentially enhances minerality. That less protective handling can make the Giaconda Estate Chardonnay a little shy, to begin with, but Kinzbrunner is far from concerned, as these are wines deliberately built to age and age well. Giaconda continues to refine its house style, in part as a reaction to global warming, bringing oak maturation down from 20 to 12 months, 30% of which takes place in new oak. There is then an extended settling in tank prior to bottling, so, ideally, the wines do not require any fining and are never filtered. Oak choice is another feature of the Giaconda style under constant review. The Kinzbrunners have a unique and close relationship with the Sirugue French oak cooperage in Nuits-Saint-Georges as the sole importer for Australia and New Zealand. As such, Kinzbrunner works closely with the cooperage to create barrels that suit Australian wine and conditions. Giaconda uses a mixture of Tronçais and Vosges wood, with a range of toasts after three years of air-drying.

The maturation of these wines is also unique in a local context, taking place in a granite-walled cellar that Kinzbrunner designed himself, built with the assistance of 2.5 tons of dynamite. It illustrates that no effort or expense is spared in pursuing quality. The cellar was designed with an eye on the advantages of the humid, climate-controlled caves and cellars seen in many great international estates. Deep in the granite hill, temperatures rarely deviate from 16-17 degrees Celsius, with humidity over 90%. There is a rare energy to the wines from Giaconda, and I cannot help but think this cellar is an important part of the process. On what is a dry continent, the cellar’s mix of constant low temperatures and high humidity (conditions that keep barrels tighter, requiring less topping) keeps the resulting wines fresher and helps to retain all the characteristics of the soil and terroir. The resulting slow alcoholic and malolactic fermentations take between three weeks and six months to complete—never hurried, which Kinzbrunner believes also keeps the wines fresher.

After almost 30 years at Giaconda managing all elements of viticulture and winemaking, Kinzbrunner was joined by his son Nathan, who exited a corporate career in 2007. Local viticulturist Casey White now assists them. While Rick Kinzbrunner retains full control over key decisions, much of the day-to-day running of Giaconda is now in the hands of a new generation. “I intend to keep working and keep control, but take some time for pleasure, and potentially, we have a good succession plan.”

What was clear from the recent vertical tasting is that Giaconda has lost none of its style over the last 12 years. In fact, it has seen a refinement of style, and the wine has truly elevated to be among the world’s greatest for the variety. Today production is 12,000 bottle per year, of which 25% are exported.

All the wines were tasted at the winery in November 2023.

_© 2024, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._

* * *

### You Might Also Enjoy

[Killer Cabernet from Coonawarra and Friends](https://vinous.com/articles/killer-cabernet-from-coonawarra-and-friends-oct-2023), Angus Hughson, October 2023

[Eruptions on the Mornington Peninsula](https://vinous.com/articles/eruptions-on-the-mornington-peninsula-sep-2023), Angus Hughson, September 2023

[Penfolds Collection 2023](https://vinous.com/articles/penfolds-collection-2023-jul-2023), Angus Hughson, July 2023



Flirting with Perfection - Giaconda Chardonnay 2011-2021

Flirting with Perfection - Giaconda Chardonnay 2011-2021 (Jan 2024)

### Festa del Barolo 2023 Recap

BY ANTONIO GALLONI | JANUARY 23, 2024

Festa del Barolo is right around the corner. As we make the final preparations, so many memories of the 2023 edition come rushing back. In 2023, we presented an expanded program of tastings, seminars and dinners. This is a look at some of the many highlights.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1706039169530-Festa+2023+Recap_Festa+LA.jpg)

_The inaugural Festa del Barolo-Los Angeles was a huge success. The walk-around tasting featured ten growers, each of whom presented several wines._

Festa del Barolo 2023 kicked off with our first events in Los Angeles. We were fortunate to have a perfect day. To be sure, Los Angeles makes for a great escape from New York winters. A mild, sunny day with plenty of California sunshine helped the wines show at their best. We did two events: a walk-around tasting featuring ten growers and their 2018 Barolos, followed by our traditional big bottle Gala Dinner, both held at Ristorante Marino in Santa Monica. We had never done a walk-around tasting before. I found the more informal vibe vis-à-vis the seated masterclass format we use in New York to be very relaxed and perfectly suited to the crowd. Dinner was a great hit of iconic wines served by producers and guests who dug deep into their cellars to open their very best. Brothers Sal and Mario Marino cooked a fabulous dinner.

_![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1706041367462-Festa+2023+Recap_LA+Gala.jpg)_

_The Los Angeles Piedmont contingent showed up strong for our Gala Dinner. These are some of the wines we enjoyed._

Overall, it was the generosity and camaraderie of the day that I will remember most.

_![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1706041515758-Festa+2023+Recap_Verduno+2.jpg)_

_Vittore Alessandria (Fratelli Alessandria), Mario Andrion (Castello di Verduno) and Fabio Alessandria (G.B. Burlotto) at our Verduno dinner, the first in a series of thematic, village-focused dinners at La Festa del Barolo._

A few days later, we were back in New York. I have always wanted Festa del Barolo to offer the ultimate educational experience for readers who love the great wines of Piedmont. To that end, we launched the first of a series of dinners focused on single villages. In 2023, we focused on Verduno, with stellar lineups from Fratelli Alessandria, G.B. Burlotto and Castello di Verduno. Vittore Alessandria, Fabio Alessandria and Mario Andrion presented the wines. The energy in the room was tremendous. Although one of Barolo’s historic villages, Verduno has long been in the shade. That has changed over the decade thanks to the efforts of a small group of elite wineries. What a night. This year’s dinner focuses on Serralunga d’Alba.

_![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1706046295025-Festa+2023+Recap_Bartolo+center.jpg)_

_A stunning collection of vintages at our Bartolo Mascarello dinner, where we served wines back to 1955._

Thursday evening, we gathered at Legacy Records for a breathtaking [vertical of Bartolo Mascarello Barolos](https://vinous.com/articles/bartolo-mascarello-1955-to-from-magnum-jul-2023) all the way back to 1955, all served from magnum. It was another fabulous evening full of beautiful wines and conversation. Tracking the estate’s evolution over the last several decades made for an incredible evening. All the bottles were sourced directly from the winery, meaning provenance was as perfect as it could be. The older vintages, served from _1.9 bottiglioni_, were especially memorable. Giacomo Conterno’s Barolo Riserva Monfortino will be the focus of this year’s dinner.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1706042027883-Festa+2023+Recap_Aldo+Vacca_Final.jpg)

_Aldo Vacca explains the unique characteristics of Barbaresco single vineyards at our Produttori del Barbaresco lunch._

Another goal of ours has been to open Festa del Barolo to include the other noteworthy Nebbiolo wines of Piedmont. We were delighted to host Aldo Vacca of Produttori del Barbaresco for a lunch featuring all nine of the Produttori’s 2017 Riservas. This was one of our most popular events of 2023, a testament to how loved and respected the Produttori are. Here, too, the discussion was wide-ranging. Tasting the nine Riservas side by side is always such an illuminating experience, as the only thing that changes is the site. This year, we will take an in-depth look at Roagna’s Barbaresco Crichët Pajé, specifically focusing on all the vintages Luca Roagna has made since assuming primary responsibility for the wines starting in 2001.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1706041656711-Festa+2023+Recap_Gala+1+-+Copy.jpg)

_Guests often put together tables with their friends and focus on specific themes at the Gala Dinner. This group enjoyed a spectacular collection of Barolos from Giuseppe Rinaldi._

Festa del Barolo’s Gala Dinner and Charity Auction is now a time-honored tradition. Hosted at The Pool, one of New York City’s most iconic dining rooms, the Gala Dinner, showcases top Piedmont wines in a super-classic setting endowed with the essence of New York City character. Each grower hosts a table and pours library wines while guests bring bottles to share at their tables. It is no exaggeration that the Gala Dinner sees the most jaw-dropping collection of older Barolo opened on a single night anywhere in the world. The only thing that comes close was the LA version! We tasted a stunning range of wines at our table, ranging from the iconic wines Bruno Giacosa made during his peak to bottles from lesser-known producers such as Pianpolvere Soprano. Too many great bottles to remember them all. As always, the generosity in the room was beyond measure.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1706039464532-Festa+2023+Recap_Masterclass.jpg)

_The Saturday morning masterclass always offers a mix of education and entertainment mixed with poignant moments that are reminders that these wines are made by people and families rather than companies._

The following morning, we hosted the 2018 Barolo Masterclass. In my clearly non-impartial view, the Festa del Barolo Masterclass is the single greatest Barolo tasting anywhere in the world. Fifteen top wines are presented in perfect condition. Guests have plenty of time to taste through the wines and ask producers questions. The entire morning is videotaped for future reference. As a critic, even I don’t have an opportunity to taste this many elite wines in such ideal conditions. Clearly, 2018 was a challenging vintage for Barolo, and yet the best examples showed very well. Presenting this seminar with 15 growers in attendance and an audience of some of the most expert Piedmont tasters in the world is always an enormous privilege.

_![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1706046363734-Festa+2023+Recap_Burger+-+center.jpg)_

_The Grill's burger is legendary and makes for a fine New York City lunch alongside a collection of superb Barolos._

From there, we adjourned to The Grill for another Festa del Barolo tradition, the Barolo and Burgers lunch. Guests have an opportunity to revisit some of their favorite wines from the morning session while enjoying The Grill’s fabulous burger. After months of intense planning, Festa is wrapping up. This is the one moment when I can relax a little. I went back and enjoyed some of the wines I thought showed especially well. As much as I enjoy tasting wine, sometimes it is also great to just have a glass or two. Drinking, not tasting, as I like to say. And for those who have asked, the Carrot Cake is gone in 2024, and we are serving Chocolate Cake!

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1706039915985-Festa+2023+Recap_Gala+2.jpg)

_More Gala Dinner wines..._

_© 2024, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._

* * *

### You Might Also Enjoy

[2020 Barolo: Selective Excellence](https://vinous.com/articles/2020-barolo-selective-excellence-jan-2024), Antonio Galloni, January 2024

[Bartolo Mascarello 1955 to…from Magnum](https://vinous.com/articles/bartolo-mascarello-1955-to-from-magnum-jul-2023), Antonio Galloni, July 2023

[2019 Barolo: Back on Track](https://vinous.com/articles/2019-barolo-back-on-track-jan-2023), Antonio Galloni, January 2023

[The 2018 Barolos, Part 2](https://vinous.com/articles/the-2018-barolos-part-2-oct-2022), Antonio Galloni, October 2022

[The Enigma of 2018 Barolo](https://vinous.com/articles/the-enigma-of-2018-barolo-feb-2022), Antonio Galloni, February 2022



Festa del Barolo 2023 Recap

Festa del Barolo 2023 Recap (Jan 2024)

### Sitting Pretty: Oregon's New Release Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Beyond

BY ERIC GUIDO | JANUARY 18, 2024

It’s incredible to think that even with all the expansion of vineyards and wineries within Oregon, the region has untapped potential that remains ripe for future development. Somehow, as California and Washington have pushed the limits of exposing terroir, in Oregon, there are not only new and unique locations being discovered within the larger AVAs and sub-AVAs, but also new sites throughout the state that are being developed. The reality is that an aspiring winemaker with the right investors and a good nose for terroir can still secure uncultivated land here and begin planting vineyards at a reasonable cost.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1705594768162-Looking+out+across+the+Seven+Springs+vineyard_copy.jpg)

_Looking out across the Seven Springs vineyard._

Many producers will explain that global warming was a more significant help than a hindrance in Oregon. I think back to over a decade ago when seasons started warming. While some producers lamented not being able to reproduce the wines that had made the region famous with more Euro-centric palates, others were over the moon to be making wines that were widely appealing to consumers. There were growing pains in the end, but winemakers found a new balance by adjusting their approach in the vineyards and wineries. In 2022, my predecessor, whom we all miss dearly, Josh Raynolds, wrote, “One could convincingly argue that the last six vintages, from 2014 through 2019, produced many of the greatest wines to ever emerge from the state.” Frankly, I couldn’t agree more, and now, except for the 2020 vintage, Oregon pushes forward with three good to potentially great years in the form of 2021, 2022 and 2023.

Moreover, while I’ve witnessed other winemaking regions break down their larger growing regions into sub-AVAs that don’t always communicate a stamp of terroir, the breakdown of Oregon’s Willamette Valley was expertly executed. Today, the names Chehalem Mountains, Dundee Hills, Eola-Amity Hills, McMinnville, Ribbon Ridge and Yamhill-Carlton (which were the first to be delineated in the early 2000s) are proudly emblazoned on the front labels of many wines and can provide consumers insights into what to generally expect from the bottle. More recently, they’ve added the Van Duzer Corridor, Tualatin Hills, Laurelwood District, Lower Long Tom and Mount Pisgah, Polk County, all incredibly unique and worth exploring.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1705594923980-The+vineayrds+of+Domaine+Serene+in+the+Dundee+Hills_copy.jpg)

_The Domaine Serene vineyards in the Dundee Hills._

**Coming Full Circle**

When a consumer thinks of Oregon, Pinot Noir comes to mind first. However, the industry got its start with both Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, while it was the latter that won Oregon its fame and became the region's primary focus. As a result, Chardonnay was very much pushed to the side, and when replanting took place, it was Pinot that was prioritized. Through it all, Chardonnay was waiting in the wings and is now making a significant impact on the region. While Pinot Noir isn’t going anywhere and continues to enjoy its reign as the most widely produced variety in the state, Chardonnay has been growing by leaps and bounds. A combination of more and more growers looking to expose the best sights to plant Chardonnay and a better understanding of the ideal clones to grow has sent quality levels through the roof. As a result, wineries like Morgen Long, Walter Scott, Goodfellow Family Cellars and 00 Wines have been able to take single-vineyard Oregon Chardonnay to new heights, inspiring many others to follow suit. Granted, in a report that contains over 900 wines, Pinot Noir still totals over 520 reviews, while Chardonnay only comes in around 182. However, I feel that we will witness a balancing of those scales in the years to come. That said, Pinot Noir is the pride of Oregon, and a look through just about any winemaker's portfolio will reveal multiple single-vineyard bottles, clonal selection bottlings, a prestige label and a larger production AVA bottling, which usually provides consumers with the best bang for their buck.

However, it’s not just about Pinot Noir and Chardonnay any longer, and this is where Oregon's diversity and unexposed terroirs are also coming into play. I’ve found several exciting Rieslings and Gruner Veltliners. I believe there’s a massive potential for growth in these two categories, especially as cooler and well-ventilated locations are being developed. I hope to see many more of these in future tastings as both interest in the varieties and locations to source from increase. Plenty of Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier are also being made, but not many of them truly moved the needle for me. Then there are the reds: Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Tempranillo, and one of my favorites, Gamay Noir. I wish there was more to go around. For my tastes, Gamay is often to Oregon Pinot what cru Beaujolais is to Red Burgundy.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1705595007966-The+vineyards+of+Bethel+Heights+in+the+Eola-Amity+Hills_copy.jpg)

_The Bethel Heights vineyards in the Eola-Amity Hills._

**Beyond the Willamette Valley**

While the Willamette Valley and its AVAs are clearly ahead of the game (experience counts), several emerging regions must now be considered. The most obvious of these locations is The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater, which exists in the Walla Walla Valley in the extreme northeast. While most of the producers, to date, that are publicly sourcing from the Rocks hail from Washington, the fact is that this is a piece of Oregon terroir, and we can expect many more wineries in the state to start taking advantage of this resource. This recent trip revealed several Rocks District wines featuring Syrah, Grenache and Cabernet Franc, which all boasted that unique stamp of terroir that this region has become known for. A few noteworthy standouts came from Big Farm Table, White Rose Estate and Martin Woods. Then there’s the highly diverse Rouge Valley in Oregon's southwest. This is a much warmer location than the Willamette Valley to the north. However, like its northern neighbor, it enjoys drastic diurnal shifts from day to night that help grapes maintain aromatics and acidity. The grapes planted here run the gamut from Bordeaux to Rhône Varieties, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and even Barbera. From my experience, what the Rogue Valley is currently lacking is a regional flavor. Yet, it's easy to imagine the potential of this area and how it can set itself apart from the rest of the state. Then there’s the Umpqua Valley, located between the Willamette and Rouge Valleys, where I found more consistent quality and some great values from the likes of Malbec, Syrah, Tempranillo and Merlot. Ultimately, Oregon is geared to prove to the world that there is life beyond Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

**A Possible Vintage Trifecta**

As I mentioned earlier in this article, Oregon producers and wine lovers have much to be excited about. Despite some early worries, the 2021 vintage turned out to be fantastic. The 2022s make for a great comeback with larger quantities and remarkably pretty wines, and the 2023 harvest (while entirely too early to truly predict) has producers excited across the region.

**2020: The Elephant in the Room**

However, first, addressing the elephant in the room is essential: the 2020 vintage.

By this time, I’m sure nearly every reader is aware of the challenges of the 2020 vintage, but for consistency, I believe it's essential to summarize. The 2020 vintage was potentially going to be great until a blanket of wildfire smoke descended upon the region on September 12th and remained for well over a week. The conditions were brutal, not just for the vines but also for the locals. Even if the fruit was at a stage where it could be picked, the question a conscientious winemaker had to make was if they were willing to send a human being out into those conditions to pick.

Producers' opinions about the ability to make any, much less a quality wine in 2020 are all over the board. Some will explain that even the fruit picked before the smoke event was still likely affected by the residual smoke that not only blanketed the vineyards but also infused itself with nearly all that it touched inside and outside the wineries. Others believe that the key to any success was removing the juice from the skins and seeds as quickly as possible and, in some cases, even using the lees of the previous vintage to add structure and depth to the wines. Most producers I spoke with did pick their fruit and vinify the juice into wine. A common sentiment I received was the importance of supporting the local growers and vineyard workers, even if the fruit couldn’t be used. Many producers tried to filter. Others simply declassified into one wine, which they clearly represented to their customers as having the potential for smoke taint and sold only at the cellar door. Suffice it to say, there was a lot of Rosé made from the 2020 vintage. However, in nearly all cases, even if the wine was made, it was either bulked out or sold as-is, sometimes with interesting marketing tools, such as one producer mentioning selling a “Smoke-house” wine that was popular with local firefighters.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1705594808862-Lingua+Franca+winery_copy.jpg)

_Barrels at the Lingua Franca winery._

All of that said, there are a handful of entirely unexpected and surprisingly successful, even wildly successful, wines made from the 2020 vintage. Wines that thumb their nose at conventions or were survivors of the catastrophe by pure chance.

Winemaker Thomas Savre of Lingua Franca created one of the most interesting, and frankly thrilling, Pinot Noirs of not only the vintage but from my last trip with the 2020 Novo Vivo. This unique location within the Lingua Franca estate vineyards was fully ripe and picked in the first week of September before the smoke descended. Unfortunately, just ninety cases were produced. Another set of standouts hail from Maggie Harrison and co-winemaker Mimi Adams at Antica Terra. Harrison explained they had to pick “long after the smoke” because “none of our fruit was ripe before the fire.” She went on to explain that it was only because of the guidance of industry veterans such as Ted Lemon at Littorai and Sashi Moorman of Evening Land, Domaine de la Côte, Piedrasassi and numerous other projects that she was able to understand how to cope with smoke taint. Harrison vinified all of her Pinot Noir, yet upon analysis and tasting, decided not to bottle any at all. However, when it came to Chardonnay, it was a completely different story, as the wine went through a light crush and was immediately removed from the skins. The Aequorin and Aurata Chardonnays are two of the most successful wines of the vintage. There are other examples, primarily in the form of Chardonnay. Moreover, we are now witnessing more producers sourcing fruit from The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater in the extreme northeast, where smoke was much less of an issue.

But beware, there are also a number of 2020s that had no right, ever, to be bottled. They are being sold in the market as if they are sound and at regular prices. Some of these wines are from producers that I never would have imagined making such a poor decision, one that ultimately will hurt the unsuspecting public and Oregon's reputation as a whole. These wines are lacking energy and/or depth on the palate and have harsh tannins. Flavors of smoky charred wood, barbeque or even burning tires on the nose and finish abound. Tasting a smoke-tainted 2020 is a grievous experience. Enough said.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1705594960498-The+many+styles+and+unique+vineyard+and+clonal+selections+of+Pinot+Noir+in+Oregon+provides+an+amazing+diversity+to+choose+from_copy.jpg)

_The many styles, unique vineyards and clonal selections of Pinot Noir in Oregon provide a wide range to choose from._

**2021: Fruit-Forward yet Classically Structured**

With that out of the way, it’s time to talk about the present and future in the form of the racy, fruit-forward yet classically structured 2021s and the elegant, finessed and adorable 2022s. While many late-release 2018s and 2019s show the qualities of their vintage, more than half of all the wines submitted for this report hail from the 2021 vintage, and I must say that tasting through them was an absolute pleasure.

The initial worries over 2021 first came from the news about the heat dome that descended upon the region from the 27th to the 29th of June, with temperatures reaching up to 117 degrees. Yes, this was a warm vintage, with warmer-than-average temperatures throughout May and June. However, the saving grace, outlined by several producers, were rains that arrived prior to the heat dome that replenished water supplies and that the grapes and vines were in an early enough stage not to be heavily affected.

The growing season remained warm and dry through most of August. It’s important to note the significant diurnal shifts that western Oregon experiences. Temperatures often drop by as much as 25-27 degrees at night. Moreover, a benefit of this warm and dry weather was a serious reduction of disease pressure throughout the year. Ben Casteel of Bethel Heights explained, “It was one of the cleanest growing seasons we had because all of the fungus died.” The defining moment occurred in September through October when seasonal rains brought much cooler temperatures. This was followed by near-perfect weather that lasted throughout harvest, which, for the most part, was completed around the middle of October.

Expect Pinots with a forward personality out of the gate, perfumed with a gorgeous combination of rich fruit and spice energized by bright acidity yet followed up with a classic core of ripe tannins. Most 2021s don’t come across as warm vintage wines and possess a balance that will reward cellaring. I found Chardonnay equally appealing, where a balance of vividly ripe fruit is married to streamlined acidity and a solid core of minerality. In the end, following 2020, the 2021 vintage is a blessing for us all.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1705594849985-Daniel+Estrin+explaining+the+diversity+of+soils+within+the+Cristom+Vineyards_copy.jpg)

_The wide diversity of soils at Cristom vineyards._

**An Early Look at 2022**

Having taken an early look at 2022, long-time Oregon Pinot Noir and Chardonnay collectors should be excited. While my tastings covered just over 150 wines, they included the likes of Patricia Green Cellars, Domaine Drouhin, Evening Land Vineyards, White Rose Estate, Kelley Fox Wines, Cristom Vineyards and many others. Of note, I expect to return to Oregon later this year, when 2022 will be the primary focus. From this current selection, I’m finding classic, almost throwback-style wines that impress with their perfumed personalities, finesse, cool-toned fruits and elevated acidity. Winemaker Aaron Bell of Domaine Drouhin described the season as “a cool and wet spring going into June followed by an average summer… during harvest, we were blessed with the most unbelievable conditions, 78-80 degrees well into October.”

While the big topic early in the season was frost, most producers reported yields that were on average or even larger than expected. Isabelle Meunier of Lavinea commented, "The summer was glorious, and we had a huge set. Yields were really high in 2022, really high. I had to ask many growers to crop down to one bunch per shoot.” Tom Gerrie, owner of Cristom Vineyards, had a similar perspective: “We dropped more than half the fruit, and we still ended up with yields a touch higher than 2021.” Overall, 2022 was a warm and dry yet balanced vintage, which is a breath of fresh air for most producers. At Evening Land Vineyards, winemaker Sashi Moorman explained that “the 2022s were made with much lower amounts of sulfur due to the low pH of the vintage, giving the wines a more lifted and energetic feel.” He commented on the compact nature of the season, detailing how “rainstorms around harvest made it a big rush to get everything in.”

Ultimately, this is a vintage that I’m very excited about and looking forward to exploring in greater depth. As a fan of Oregon wines going back nearly twenty years, the 2022s have a nostalgic feel to them.

Because of a disruption of reporting on Oregon through the previous year, readers can expect two reports in 2024 that will put us back on track with all new releases. All of the wines in this report were tasted in Oregon through organized tastings and producer visits.

_© 2024, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._

* * *

### You Might Also Enjoy

[Oregon’s 2019 Pinot Noirs - A Return to Classicism](https://vinous.com/articles/oregon-s-2019-pinot-noirs-a-return-to-classicism-feb-2022), Josh Raynolds, February 2022

[Oregon Outside the Pinot Noir Box](https://vinous.com/articles/oregon-outside-the-pinot-noir-box-sep-2020), Josh Raynolds, September 2020

[Oregon Pinot Noir: The Winning Streak Continues](https://vinous.com/articles/oregon-pinot-noir-the-winning-streak-continues-jul-2020), Josh Raynolds, July 2020



Sitting Pretty: Oregon's New Release Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Beyond

Sitting Pretty: Oregon's New Release Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Beyond (Jan 2024)

### 2022 Sonoma Preview: A First Look

BY ANTONIO GALLONI | JANUARY 16, 2024

Pinot Noir leads the way in what is turning out to be a surprising set of new releases from Sonoma. The 2022 growing season was marked by several key events, most notably record-setting heat over Labor Day weekend. Not surprisingly, there is some variability, but there are also plenty of stunning wines that are well worth seeking out. This Preview covers new releases from Sonoma and neighboring regions. As is our custom for this article, we will post frequent updates in the coming weeks, which we feel is the best way to keep readers current, given the sheer volume of wines released this time of year.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1705419428686-Sonoma+Preview+Cover+-+Limerick+Lane.jpg)

_Old-vine Zinfandel planted in the early 1900s at Limerick Lane._

**Cutting to the Chase**

Based on what I have tasted so far, Pinot Noir is the real surprise of this vintage. The wines are aromatic, deep and exceptionally well-balanced, with terrific fruit purity and plenty of site character. In some cases, the 2022s surpass the 2021s, most notably where accumulated stress from drought was penalizing to the 2021s. Overall, the 2022 Pinots benefitted from healthy canopies and enough availability of water such that they were able to withstand the intense Labor Day heat spikes.

Chardonnay is much more variable. The wines are generally light in structure. Many show elements of dilution and/or flavors that are not fully developed. Vineyard signatures are not as defined as they are in more important vintages. The combined effects of two heat events were too much for many wines. There are notable exceptions where producers benefitted from more favorable conditions and/or were especially selective with what they bottled.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1705602309804-Ted+Lemon_Sonoma2024.jpg)

_Ted Lemon presented a stellar set of wines at Littorai encompassing the 2021 and 2022 vintages._

Zinfandel and Zinfandel-based field blends are lighter than their 2021 counterparts. The wines show a good bit of freshness and mid-weight structures but with less depth, complexity and textural richness than the norm. These attributes suggest uneven ripening caused by the ups and downs of the growing season, as detailed below.

Most Syrahs and Bordeaux blends have not been bottled yet, so I have not tasted enough wines to have a view as to what the vintage holds.

[![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1705602355723-Platt_Occidental_Phelps_Senses_960x540-01_copy.jpg)](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1705602376554-Platt_Occidental_Phelps_Senses_960x540-01.jpg)

_Sonoma is home to many notable districts, such as this sector of the West Sonoma Coast, where many top sites lie in close proximity to each other._

**The 2022 Growing Season**

The 2022 growing season is fascinating for many reasons, not the least of which are several events in 2021 that played an important role in shaping the wines. These episodes are a reminder the vine is a living organism with a continuous life cycle. The new year does not begin with January 1 but is rather the result of accumulated events over long periods of time.

Generous rains during late 2021 and the first part of 2022 were beneficial. Warm temperatures in January and February resulted in early bud break. Storms in April were pivotal in creating good reserves of water. In 2021, many vineyards ran out of water and canopies were stunted. It was the exact opposite in 2022. “Our water budget was revised upwards throughout the year. We used every drop,” Stephen Hansel told me as he explained how water is regulated by the county during the growing season. Canopies were healthy, far healthier than in 2021.

Accumulated stress in 2021 meant the vines went into 2022 already set up for a low crop. Severe spring frost in 2022 further lowered potential production. Bad weather during flowering resulted in a high incidence of shatter, again lowering potential yields. Some producers reported a further loss of crop over the Labor Day heat spike. Yields are down significantly, as much as 40-50% for some wineries. “Basically, everyone we sell fruit to get half of what they wanted,” Lee Martinelli Sr. told me, echoing comments I heard pretty much everywhere.

Overall, though, 2020 was a mostly cool vintage. Temperatures remained moderate throughout most of the summer. “It was a really cool summer, and then it got very hot,” Ted Lemon told me. “Peak temperatures were higher than 2017, but the canopies were in better shape, so we had virtually no sunburn. At The Haven, we only had two days above 90 until September 1.”

Mid-August brought a first heat event. Much more severe heat arrived over Labor Day weekend, when temperatures soared to oppressive, record-level highs, as much as 120°F in some sites. These are temperatures that significantly exceeded anything seen in the past. As extreme as the heat was, the “heat dome” was not as severe or sustained as it was further inland, most notably in Napa Valley. “We had some elevated temperatures on August 18, but by Labor Day, Pinot really wasn’t ripe out here yet. It was a cold year until then,” Steve Kistler told me at Occidental. “For us, for where we were the heat was too brief and too late to really affect anything,” Ted Lemon added. Still, scorching temperatures created significant challenges. “We lost a good 20% of production through dehydration on the vine.” Thomas Rivers Brown reported at Rivers-Marie. Where fruit was close to ripe, it came off immediately, resulting in condensed harvests at many wineries. “We picked all our fruit in ten days as opposed to the more typical 20 or so.” Lee Martinelli Sr. added.

On a more positive note, as high as temperatures were during Labor Day, they were not as sustained or severe as they were in Napa Valley. Vinifications seemed to be less stressed than what I saw in Napa, although the threat of elevated volatile acidities required constant attention. In the worst cases, a few wines were casualties of issues in the cellar. Some 2022s were not bottled because of impractically small yields. In other cases, producers bulked out unsatisfactory lots and only bottled their best wines. It’s a vintage in which readers need to be selective. Many 2022s are richly deserving of attention, while the best are truly exceptional.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1705602434925-Ross+Cobb_Sonoma+2024.jpg)

_Ross Cobb presented a magnificent set of 2021s that are his finest wines ever._

**2021 Redux**

Last year, I wrote that _“the 2021s are both very high in quality and consistent across the board. It’s a vintage full of stunning, compelling wines.”_ My tastings this year only confirmed that view. Two-thousand twenty-one is an exceptional vintage, a rare year in which all main varieties performed brilliantly. The whites are especially superb compared to the more mixed 2022s.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1705602452399-Catherine+and+Steve+Kistler_Sonoma+2024.jpg)

_Catherine and Steve Kistler at their Occidental winery._

**A Deeper Look at Sonoma**

I have written this before, but it bears repeating, especially in challenging vintages. Sonoma County is a very large and diverse region. That diversity is a huge plus in many ways. But also means Sonoma is not identified with a single wine, like Napa Valley is with Cabernet Sauvignon. Perhaps the complexity of Sonoma is one of the reasons the general public often takes the view that the quality of the vintage in Sonoma is the same as it is in Napa Valley. That’s a big mistake in most vintages, especially in 2022.

Starting in the east, the rugged slopes of Moon Mountain excel with Bordeaux varieties, then with Chardonnay and Syrah, which are less commonly found. The vineyards around Highway 12, in Sonoma Valley’s Central Corridor, are home to numerous vineyards, including many field blends. Sonoma Mountain and Bennett Valley are cool-climate regions. The Russian River Valley generally produces boisterous Chardonnays and Pinots, except for its Green Valley and Sebastopol Hills districts, which are cooler. Carneros is another cool and windy pocket. The West Sonoma Coast features a wide range of districts, each of them incredibly distinctive. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay star, but recent years have seen a growth in Syrah and even Cabernet Sauvignon. Leaving aside very few instances, it is next to impossible to generalize about vintages in Sonoma County because most years will offer plenty of exceptions to any broad view.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1705602544961-Rochiolis_Sonoma+2024.jpg)

_Tom Rochioli with his children, Rachel and Ryan, who are taking on increasing responsibility at their family winery in the heart of the Russian River Valley._

**Latest Trends**

This year I saw a marked increase in the number of sparkling wines and Cabernet Sauvignons producers showed. The fascination with sparkling wines is obvious. Most wine people adore Champagne, so it is only natural for producers in the cool regions within Sonoma County to try their hand at making similar wines. I have mixed feelings, as I am not sure sparkling wines are the best use of world-class Chardonnay and Pinot Noir fruit. At the same time, there is no denying the best examples are delicious.

Cabernet Sauvignon is a different story. The simple reality is that producers in Sonoma have found they can sell Cabernet Sauvignon more easily and at higher prices than Chardonnay or Pinot Noir. That is true even in the West Sonoma Coast, a region where Cabernet is only very sparsely planted. The best Sonoma Cabernets offer a mix of dark varietal fruit along with generous savory and mineral undertones. It’s a style of Cabernet I have admired for a very long time. Even so, I hope Pinot and Chardonnay-centric wineries do not lose their identities.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1705602496706-Sonoma+2024_bottle+shot.jpg)

_Some of the highlights of recent tastings._

This report covers new releases from Sonoma and neighboring regions. As is our custom for this article, we will post frequent updates in the coming weeks and months, which we feel is the best way to keep readers current, given the sheer volume of wines that are released this time of year.

_© 2024, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._

* * *

### You Might Also Enjoy

[Sonoma’s Sensational 2021s](https://vinous.com/articles/sonoma-s-sensational-2021s-aug-2023), Antonio Galloni, August 2023

[California North Coast: Eyes Wide Open](https://vinous.com/articles/california-north-coast-eyes-wide-open-jan-2022), Antonio Galloni, January 2022

[Sonoma: 2021 New Releases](https://vinous.com/articles/sonoma-preview-2021-edition-jan-2021), Antonio Galloni, January 2021



2022 Sonoma Preview: A First Look

2022 Sonoma Preview: A First Look (Jan 2024)

### Fair Warning: Burgundy 2022 - The Market

BY NEAL MARTIN | JANUARY 17, 2024

_“I cannot help thinking that Burgundy, or specifically the Côte d’Or, is analogous to a passenger in a sports car in which the accelerator has become stuck, and there is no means of slowing down. Everything hurtles past faster and faster. Everything is sped up.” – [Burgundy 2021: The Market](https://vinous.com/articles/burgundy-2021-the-market-jan-2023)._

Written almost a year ago to the day, how is that analogy playing out? Well, we are still strapped into that sports car. However, there’s a perturbing rattle in the engine, and it’s lost some of its acceleration. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. Hurtling along at such speed is scary. Still, you cannot get out and fix the car because the accelerator pedal doesn’t work. Of equal concern is the lack of road signs to indicate where you are heading…

Who knows where you’ll be in another 12 months?

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1705505624776-2022+Burg+Market_4.jpg)

_One of a dozen or so merchant tastings for the 2022 Burgundy vintage that have been held across London each January for around the last 30-odd years. This was the first year, post-pandemic, that Burgundy winemakers flew out to pour the wines en masse. Readers can expect additional reviews for mainly bottled wines to be added to the main report in the near future._

It has been well-documented that the heat has come out of the hitherto frenzied Burgundy fine wine market. That was inevitable. Wines reached a critical point where prices have lost upward momentum and financial returns can no longer be guaranteed for those who waded into Burgundy incentivized by financial gains. Softening began around last spring. Merchants tipping me off that even blue chips, accustomed to being snapped up in the blink of an eye, were twiddling their fingers waiting for homes.

A correction is unfolding, though merchants resist slapping discounts on existing stock, lest they instantaneously write down the value of their assets by 30% to 40%. That gives you some idea of the scale of unreported discounting. Therein lies part of the problem with respect to the forthcoming 2022 vintage. Some winemakers, but especially landowners that sell fruit, short-sightedly base selling prices upon what they see listed by the trade, whereas they ought to be using prices consumers are willing to fork out. Of course, that’s more opaque. Selling prices are dampened by a perfect storm of extraneous economic factors: the knock-on effects of a stuttering Chinese economy, relatively high-interest rates, geopolitical instability, conflict and pessimism about the future.

Recently, I read an exchange on social media between a respected Burgundy winemaker and a European importer. The former was applauding his strong showing in a blind tasting that he attributed to efforts in the vineyard husbandry. No doubt to that winemaker’s chagrin, an importer shot back, advising that self-congratulation was moot since it was impossible to sell that wine at their asking price. It was a microcosm of the standoff between two valid economic viewpoints that can stymie this once fluid market.

Too many wine producers, not only in Burgundy, I might add, but across many regions, aim portfolios towards a wealthy niche that sees wine as an aspirational product, one that is totemic of success, instead of prosaically, a beverage that tastes nice. The result is that too many courts have the same minuscule percentage of society. There’s not enough of them, certainly not enough willing to accept wallet-busting price hikes even for feted cuvées. This is especially true at the lower end of the hierarchy. There’s a huge difference between a purported ‘best’ Bâtard-Montrachet and the ‘best’ Bourgogne Aligoté, even if, in reality, differences in quality are a fraction connoted by their price tag. Whereas 20 years ago, prices were mostly driven by perceived quality, speculation distorts demand so that when potential profit evaporates, demand can blow away in the lightest breeze.

Underlying unease is found in the quantities of 2022 and in particular, the forthcoming 2023s. Demand was turbocharged by scarcity and consumer regret of missing out. As I wrote before, some winemakers actively poured gas on the fire via egregious price hikes. Just as many observed such frenzy with disdain, not least those that capped increases at their own pecuniary loss, hoping to maintain their loyal customer base.

A couple of years ago, I opined that after successive small vintages, especially the depleted 2021s, Burgundy would need three abundant vintages to impact supply. Two thousand twenty-two marks the first of those. It is an exaggeration to describe it as _huge_ in volume, but with generous yields often within 10% to 15% of the maximum (excepting for some frost/hail-affected parcels like Lavaux Saint-Jacques), cellars are fuller than 12 months ago. Heading down the train tracks is the unprecedented volume of 2023. I heard some harvesters were instructed to skip every other vine and leave fruit for the birds just to keep yields below legal maximums.

Two vintages down, one to go?

The plenitude of 2023 concurrent with the aforementioned economic factors could potentially burst the Burgundy bubble rather than result in preferable gradual deflation. Consumer behavior has already changed, so even hardcore Burgundy lovers are more cautious, less impulsive, less coerced to pull the trigger, and more willing to pass over a deal.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1705506214678-2022+Burg+Market_3.jpg)

_Montrachet Grand Cru on a rare sunny day in Burgundy._

Speaking to dozens of winemakers, the sentiment amongst them is more mixed than I ever recall. On the one hand, a majority believe that the 2022 vintage is one of the best in recent years. After tasting over 2,000 wines myself, I would not disagree. It’s not hyperbole. Had the Burgundy market not overheated in recent years and without economic headwinds, the quality of 2022s might have justified price increases. However, as the Bordelais discovered to their own cost when they ‘consciously uncoupled’ (to borrow a phrase) release price from quality, raising prices might yield a short-term bonanza, but in the long-term, it backs you into a corner, and you lose the levers of control. Respond to the chorus of protest, reduce prices and risk sending out the wrong message about the vintage? Or maintain or increase prices and wait for the backlash from merchants and consumers alike? It will be interesting to see how many producers avoid either and hold prices the same as 2021, justifying one by lack of quantity and the other by level of quality.

Of course, it is a very complicated scenario with a multitude of interconnected factors.

Firstly, the continuing ingress of outside investors, either individuals or corporations. Sometimes, this is well publicized. Consider LVMH’s acquisition of Domaine des Lambrays or Bouygues’ now completed purchase of Henri Rebourseau. More often, it is an undisclosed private investment, a change in ownership by stealth. Due to untenable inheritance taxes, many winemakers can no longer afford to buy land and worry about passing their estate to the next generation. An investor comes in and offers a few million euros in return for a few cases of wine and, more importantly, a piece of the pie. They’re not viewing this in terms of the value of the wine but rather as a long-term real estate purchase in the most expensive and coveted agricultural land in the world, as well as an efficient tax deduction. The winemaker maintains his position as the public face of the Domaine, thereby conveying continuity and circumventing accusations of selling out. They can now expand their holdings, if desired, and improve their modus operandi in the vineyard and winery, essentially putting the domaine on a solid financial footing.

The success of such transactions depends much upon the relationship between the winemaker and their sleeping investor(s). Much of the time, the investor simply writes the cheque, happy to allow the winemaker to manage the estate as they see fit. Despite handwringing about a “loss of soul”, this nearly always results in technically improved, more consistent wines. On the other hand, despite winemakers frequently insisting that they have carte blanche to run the domaine as they want, there are often expectations and goals to be met, notwithstanding that suddenly you can be relieved of your position. More often than not, investors will expect prices to rise and match those of the perceived ‘elite’ to become part of the unofficial premier league. Successful entrepreneurs didn’t get rich by coming second. They’re not inclined to begin once they enter the wine industry.

It would be easy to accuse domaines financed partially or entirely by outside investors of having a potentially less consumer-sympathetic stance vis-à-vis family-run domaines. On the other hand, Burgundy has its own fair share of winemakers with no qualms clawing as much profit as possible from whoever buys their wine, just as others sacrifice income to buffet loyal long-term buyers from price rises. This will surely play out with regard to the 2022 vintage.

Secondly, Burgundy is complicated in structure, a tangled mix of proprietors, négociants, courtiers, fermage and métayage agreements, and so forth. Those whose enterprises are reliant on buying fruit have had to weather enormous price increases as landowners stubbornly refuse to perceive the Côte d’Or as anything other than a bull market. One told me how prices of fruit from Corton-Charlemagne rocketed from €15,000 to €45,000 per barrel (though I wager this is exaggerated by the Grand Cru’s decimation after the 2021 vintage). Still, another grower told me how Meursault Poruzots increased by 70% for the 2021 vintage that he could justify to consumers because of the small quantity. That makes justifying a 40% increase for the voluminous 2022 vintage “tricky” to say the least. “We couldn’t understand it, as there’s a lot of fruit,” he told me, exasperated. “The vendor said that everybody wants it, and they said it was a courtesy that they were offering the fruit! It depends on the person. For me, the crunch point is going to be 2023.”

Here's a direct quote from another producer who genuinely keeps prices sensible. “It’s a kind of unfair market. I buy the must from growers who calculate prices based on the market demand [as I wrote earlier, often by a cursory glance at merchants’ lists]. Then, we have to add our margin. They might have three producers asking for must, and they sell to the one that bids the highest, even if their cost price is low [insofar that they do not incur costs of harvesting, the winery, distribution, etc.].” This is how you end up in a situation where someone like Anne Morey sells her Bâtard-Montrachet for €200 while her peers sell their fruit for €350 per bottle to those banking on affluent, dare I see gullible people, desperate for the next big thing.

This underlines why many domaines have decreased their négociant activity, why Anne Morey did not produce any whites under her Morey Blanc label in 2022 and why one of Artémis Domaines’ first decisions was to terminate buying contracted fruit for Bouchard Père & Fils, another factor that potentially increases supply since all that fruit has to find new homes. Some producers almost completely rely on contracted fruit, Benjamin Leroux and Camille Giroud, two well-respected examples, plus a large shoal of micro-négociants that swam into the Côte d’Or in the last two or three years. Some, like Maison Harbour in Savigny-lès-Beaune and those two I have just mentioned, are clearly driven by passion and have been in the game long enough to build stable, mutually beneficial long-term contracts. For others, it seems more like an ego trip with inflated prices matching their hubris, nurturing their image and mirage of scarcity on social media. It’s up to you what you buy, whether the label is more important than the wine. Thankfully, more consumers are wising up to substandard wines from arrivistes with unearned reputations that use scarcity to justify premiums, parsing them from genuinely exciting new prospects that represent tomorrow’s stars.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1705506196388-2022+Burg+Market_2.jpg)

The 2022s are starting to come onto the market in the UK and will appear slightly later in the United States. Fortunately, many growers have given notice that they intend to keep prices the same as last year or add a small percentage to cover increased costs in labor, bottles, fuel, capsules, etc. Will that be enough to tempt consumers to open their wallets? Catherine Jaën MW, Burgundy buyer at Lay & Wheeler, wrote: “I've come back [after the Festive break] with a renewed sense of optimism. The few cuvées/domaines we released before Christmas have met with pleasing demand. I don't believe the 2022 campaign will see the ferocious demand of campaigns like 2019 and 2020, where lockdown combined with the release of a great vintage led to a heady state of impulse buying [impulses that were often good ones, it turns out]. I see it playing out in a calmer fashion.” Another merchant told me: “Judging by a few initial releases that we did before Christmas, there seems to be an appetite to buy those wines that are correctly priced. However, I think significant price increases will be met with something of a cold shoulder, though, thankfully, so far, I have not seen too many of those.”

Growers at least seem to be listening, sympathetic to the plight of disenfranchised Burgundy lovers. At the same time, as consumers, we must appreciate how galling it must be to sell your wine for reasonable prices only to find middlemen and full-time flippers profiteering with sometimes very little effort or risk. Growers do not have the protection that the _Place_ affords Bordeaux châteaux, a consequence of which wines will accumulate in their own cellars should importers decline allocations instead of négociants’ warehouses, with all the financial implications that entails.

It's going to be a balancing act when it comes to the 2022 campaign. It’s quite easy to draw parallels with Bordeaux, consumer fatigue at yet another Burgundy price increase that perversely can make Bordeaux comparatively cheap. Surely, we will see some domaines holding stock back in 2022 and 2023, and in the long term, that would be beneficial in avoiding wild pendulum swings in supply that lead to such uncertainty and volatility. Assuming that plays out, then, of course, they need somewhere to store those bottles that incur their own cost. Once again, this is a decision that could depend on the involvement and aim of outside investors. The danger is that back vintages can build up and because of the impasse outlined earlier, stocks might begin to accumulate as they have done in Bordeaux, undermining en primeur as back vintages become cheaper than the latest. Yet quantities in Burgundy are far smaller, and therefore, they can be managed better. Perhaps down the line, we might see more multi-vintage cases?

There is a great deal of doom-mongering apropos Burgundy, more accurately, the Côte d’Or. Even that is misleading, for there is an ocean of wine beyond its most famous names that remains reasonably priced, even if the quality does drop off dramatically and perhaps faster than in Bordeaux, Pinot Noir being the fickle grape that it is. There is the perennial debate about whether consumers respond by trading down to less-feted producers and/or appellations or whether they eschew the region altogether and move on elsewhere. I tend to find it is the latter because they take it as a personal rebuke and hold a grudge against the region. It’s less demeaning to ask for the best wines of an alternative wine region than the third or fourth best of the one you love. Like moving on from an ex-lover; it’s easier not to see them at all than to see them once in a while, especially if they begin dating someone wealthier. In recent years, Piedmont, just a few hours’ drive away, has become a replacement for Burgundy because, despite differences in grape variety, there is propinquity not only in terms of style but also the allure of site-specific cuvées and artisanal winemaking. There are also other countries offering ever-improving Pinot Noirs: South Africa, Oregon, Chile and Germany, even the UK.

The next few months are going to give a fair warning of where the Burgundy market is heading. There are causes for optimism. Burgundy winemakers tend to be less avaricious than their Bordeaux counterparts, at least those at the top of the hierarchy, even though that has changed in the last decade, especially among those who’ve only known halcyon days when wines flew off shelves. There might be a rude awakening for some, though that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Also, despite wines being hit and miss due to Pinot Noir’s unforgiving nature, the general standard is certainly better than a decade ago. Consumers have far more choice. Another factor to remember is that complainants are always more vocal than those who acquiesce and accept any price changes.

The 2022 Burgundy vintage offers a bounty for those with a passion for its wines.

Let’s hope that prices don’t leave a bad taste in the mouth.

Post-script: This article was written prior to the release of prices from London merchants in early January. Thankfully, there does appear to be some restraint from producers with a majority appearing to maintain similar prices to last year and one or two that have decreased. That does not imply Burgundy is suddenly cheap or those that can no longer afford its wines will flood back. But it does show good sense and an understanding of the economic climate. Of course, restraint by winemakers must be replicated throughout the distribution chain.

_© 2024, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._

* * *

### You Might Also Enjoy

[Now, For My Latest Trick: Burgundy 2022](https://vinous.com/articles/now-for-my-latest-trick-burgundy-2022-jan-2024), Neal Martin, January 11, 2024

[Burgundy 2021: The Market](https://vinous.com/articles/burgundy-2021-the-market-jan-2023), Neal Martin, January 2023

[Servants of the Season: Burgundy 2021](https://vinous.com/articles/servants-of-the-seasons-burgundy-2021-jan-2023), Neal Martin, January 2023

[Dance the Quickstep: Burgundy 2020](https://vinous.com/articles/dance-the-quickstep-burgundy-2020-dec-2021), Neal Martin, December 2021



Fair Warning: Burgundy 2022 - The Market

Fair Warning: Burgundy 2022 - The Market (Jan 2024)

Now, For My Latest Trick: Burgundy 2022

Now, For My Latest Trick: Burgundy 2022 (Jan 2024)

### Gigondas: The Southern Rhône Jewel Shines and Adapts

BY NICOLAS GREINACHER | JANUARY 09, 2024

Since the end of 2022, one of the most prominently debated Gigondas topics has been centered on the appellation's introduction of the new Gigondas Blanc category, which finally makes its debut with the upcoming 2023 vintage. In contrast to neighboring Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Vacqueyras, which both secured approvals to bottle white wines from the early days of their AOC inception, Gigondas was a red-only identity, with only a minimal exception for Rosé. Who better to shed light on this significant appellation update than the AOC president, Louis Barruol—a prominent winemaker in his own right? Alongside other influential producers, such as Gigondas appellation Co-President Pierre Amadieu, Barruol has tirelessly advocated for this appellation rule change over many years. With the matter settled and the musts of the first vintage developing, both were keen to share more details about their year-long collaboration with French authorities. After a brief overview of the appellation’s latest attributes, this report addresses the new Gigondas Blanc category, covers the latest two vintages—2022 and 2021—and concludes with updated market information.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1704818611972-Gigondas+Vineyards+underneath+the+Dentelles+de+Montmirail._copy.jpg)

_Gigondas vineyards underneath the Dentelles de Montmirail._

**Gigondas at a Glance**

Of the 1,224 hectares currently planted in Gigondas, Grenache Noir covers 789, up 2.5% (18 hectares) from 2016. Syrah and Mourvèdre are on the rise, too, growing by 6% and 10%, respectively, over the same period to 281 and 95 hectares. Also expanding, yet at much lower levels, are Cinsaut and Counoise. Those two varieties accumulate less sugar than Grenache Noir, making them increasingly valuable blending partners. On the white varieties, Clairette Blanche plantings have more than tripled from the 5.3 hectares planted in 2016 to 17.4 in 2023 to comply with the new Gigondas Blanc regulation of at least 70% Clairette Blanche. This highlights the increased emphasis of Gigondas winemakers on the emerging Gigondas Blanc category. Although growing, white varieties in Gigondas still constitute less than 2% of the total plantings.

Resembling Châteauneuf-du-Pape, the appellation regulations specify identical maximum yields of 35 hectolitres per hectare and a minimum natural alcohol content of 12.5%. Regarding blending requirements, AOC laws dictate that both red and Rosé wines must consist of a minimum of 50% Grenache Noir, and a potential mix of Grenache Noir, Syrah, Mourvèdre and Cinsaut must make up at least 90% of the overall blend. Notably, a rule allowing the production of single-varietal Grenache was amended concurrently with the introduction of the new Gigondas Blanc category. Today, Gigondas boasts 182 grape growers and 118 producers, with 80 domaines having their own labels. Cooperatives, including Rhônea, play a significant role, accounting for a total of five co-ops and 62 cooperators. Almost 20% of Gigondas vineyards are certified organic, a figure that is gradually on the rise.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1704818662123-Paul+Fumoso+takes+Domaine+Gour+de+Chaul%C3%A9+to+new+hights._copy.jpg)

_Paul Fumoso is taking Domaine Gour de Chaulé to new heights._

In contrast to the nearby Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation, the growing environment in Gigondas differs significantly. A substantial portion of its vineyards experience morning shade cast by the Dentelles de Montmirail mountain range. This unique topography results in cooler morning temperatures, effectively prolonging the grape maturation process. For aficionados of occasional hikes, it's worth noting that starting from the heart of Gigondas village, a journey up the _Chemin des Dentelles de Montmirail_ takes just under an hour, rewarding hikers with a dazzling view of the appellation.

Another key feature of Gigondas in the Southern Rhône context is vineyard elevation. As a rule of thumb, temperature falls by roughly 0.6° degrees Celsius (1.1° Fahrenheit) for every increase in elevation of 100 meters (328 feet). Nearly half of the currently cultivated 1,224 hectares of vineyards sit between 200 and 400 meters (656 and 1,312 feet) above sea level. Additionally, approximately 80 hectares are situated at an elevation surpassing 400 meters (1,312 feet). In comparison, the highest vineyards in nearby Châteauneuf-du-Pape rest at an elevation of only 120 meters (394 feet). Hence, in the present era, where cooling influences are significant in wine regions characterized by increasing warmth, Gigondas already boasts two inherent advantages. Furthermore, it's essential not to overlook the cooling effects of the Mistral wind.

Gigondas also distinguishes itself from neighboring appellations through a significant difference in soil composition, marked notably by its limestone content. Establishing a straightforward correlation between the increased limestone content and specific wine attributes, such as flavors or tannin texture, is not inherently apparent. I look forward to digging deeper into this interesting subject on my next visit to Gigondas later this year.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1704818713034-Strolling+through+the+vineyards+at+Domaine+des+Bosquets+with+proprietor+and+winemaker+Julien+Br%C3%A9chet%2C+accompanied+by+his+lovely+wife%2C+Justine._copy.jpg)

_Strolling through the vineyards at Domaine des Bosquets with proprietor and winemaker Julien Bréchet, accompanied by his lovely wife, Justine._

**Let There Be White Wine**

As of the 2023 vintage, Gigondas Blanc can now be officially bottled instead of being labeled as a generic Côtes-du-Rhône Blanc. Years of dedicated effort culminated in this modification, primarily led by the president of the appellation, Louis Barroul, and other influential figures, like appellation co-president and winemaker Pierre Amadieu. I had the opportunity to delve into this subject through discussions with both.

I questioned Amadieu about the historical context, and he responded: “In 1954, our predecessors applied for the appellation _Locale_ Cru Gigondas, of which 15% was white at the time. A few years later, in 1971, we obtained AOC Gigondas appellation status for reds and Rosés, yet neglecting whites.” Naturally, this exclusion led to a decline in white grape plantings. “But despite the resulting low percentage of surface area dedicated to whites, some production was maintained,” Amadieu adds. Still, no further attempts were made to get white wines back under the AOC umbrella, probably also due to a lack of demand for Southern Rhône whites at the time.

Forty years later, the Gigondas producers' organization established a working party of winegrowers and negociants. Their mission: re-exploring the potential of white grapes grown in various parts of the appellation area. In 2018, when it was time to analyze the results of the studies, the quality of the wines prompted the board to approve plans to change production specifications. Four years later, on September 8, 2022, the National Institute for Origin and Quality (INAO) finally approved the extension of the AOC Gigondas appellation to include white wines.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1704818807452-Winemaker+and+proprietor+Benjamin+Gras+alongside+his+father+Yves+at+Domaine+Santa+Duc._copy.jpg)

_Winemaker and proprietor Benjamin Gras, alongside his father Yves, at Domaine Santa Duc._

This transformation saw Clairette Blanche emerge as the principal variety, constituting at least 70% in a final blend, either fermented on its own or mixed with traditional white Rhône Valley grape varieties grown in Gigondas. This includes Bourboulenc Blanc, Clairette Rose, Grenache Blanc and Gris, Marsanne Blanche, Piquepoul Blanc and Roussanne. Viognier and Ugni Blanc can also be incorporated, but not exceeding 5% of the final blend.

Clairette Blanche was chosen as the principal variety with the aim of letting the Gigondas terroir be most visible in the resulting wines. Breaking down the attributes of Clairette Blanche in more detail, Barruol points out its structure, “With good acidity and salinity singularly expressed on the limestone soils of Gigondas, its good adaptation to the warm Mediterranean climate and its suitability to thrive in the cooler areas of the appellation.” In the discussions leading up to the decision, there was a debate over whether to solely produce a single varietal Clairette Blanche or allow blending. The reached compromise aimed to foster the production of individual cuvées, yet without dismissing the Clairette base.

Gigondas' west and north-west orientation, along with its elevated altitudes, results in a later ripening period than neighboring appellations such as Châteauneuf-du-Pape or Vacqueyras. In theory, these cooling effects, in combination with the limestone-rich soils, should be able to provide a promising foundation to produce crisp whites, which is what many consumers are looking for these days. I’m looking forward to tasting Gigondas Blanc of the inaugural 2023 vintage later this year and reporting to what extent the theory was put into practice.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1704818836213-Tasting+an+older+vintage+at+Domaine+Les+Palli%C3%A8res._copy.jpg)

_Tasting an older vintage at Domaine Les Pallières._

**2022**

After the 2021 harvest, October witnessed abundant rainfall, but subsequent months experienced a notable deficiency in precipitation. Consequently, winter rains failed to fully prepare the soils for the upcoming growing season. In fact, aggregated rainfall in Gigondas was only 100mm from January 1 to August 15, compared to the average of 400mm for the same period, resulting in drought. Budburst occurred around April 10, slightly later than in the preceding year. The prolonged dry spell, paired with insufficient soil moisture, led to water stress from early on. Elevated temperatures, consistently exceeding seasonal averages, further intensified the dry conditions. On the other hand, despite moderate powdery mildew pressure in spring, the absence of excessive moisture preserved the fruit's health. Warm temperatures aided vegetative growth, and flowering unfolded under favorable conditions at the end of May.

In this dry and warm environment, the vines struggled to ripen their fruit. By the end of July and early August, many went into survival mode, blocking the maturation process entirely. Luckily, a rainstorm on August 14 delivered 25mm of rain, and subsequent episodes a few days later contributed an additional 45mm. These crucial water supplies revitalized the vine cycle, allowing the vines to resume gradual fruit ripening. Harvesting for white varieties commenced in the latter part of August, just preceding rains on September 3, which delivered 35mm of precipitation. At that point, most black varieties weren’t yet ready for picking. Eventually, thunderstorms on September 6 and 7 added an additional 110mm of rain that reinvigorated the vines. One week later, the harvesting of the red varieties was in full swing, with the last vineyards picked ahead of October 10, a fortnight before the last grapes were picked in the preceding 2021 vintage.

Warm and dry conditions delivered relatively small berries, resulting in a high skin-to-juice ratio and elevated polyphenol potential. This required careful consideration of extraction length, temperature, method and frequency in the cellar. While many of the tasted samples exhibited acceptable tannin quality, a number displayed remarkably astringent tannins. On a positive note, the wines showcased delightful fruit intensity, freshness and increased flavor concentration compared to the 2021 vintage. Alcohol levels generally hover between 14 and 15.5 percent, similar to or slightly above those from the preceding vintage. Average yields reached 30.46hL/ha, a 10% increase from 2021, yet still below the 35hL/ha maximum set by AOC rules. While surpassing the flavor concentration of 2021, the wines of 2022 seem to fall slightly short of the more consistent 2020 vintage.

At this early stage, it looks like the wines of the following producers are going to be at the upper end of the quality pyramid: Château de Saint Cosme, Château la Croix des Pins, Domaine Brunely, Domaine Brusset, Domaine des Bosquets, Domaine du Gour de Chaulé, Domaine du Grapillon d'Or, Domaine La Bouïssiere, Domaine Les Pallières, Domaine Montirius, Domaine Saint-Damien, Domaine Santa Duc, Pierre Amadieu and Xavier Vignon. I look forward to tasting all these and other wines from bottle during my next visit.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1704818864254-Winemaker%2C+proprietor+and+Gigondas+AOC+president+Louis+Barruol+pouring+a+sample+at+Ch%C3%A2teau+de+Saint+Cosme._copy.jpg)

_Winemaker, proprietor and Gigondas AOC president Louis Barruol pouring a sample at Château de Saint Cosme._

### 2021

In his previous report, _[The Deep Bench of Gigondas](https://vinous.com/articles/the-deep-bench-of-gigondas-jan-2023)_, our late colleague Josh Raynolds wrote a brief summary of the climatic conditions of the 2021 vintage. Similar to other Rhône Valley appellations, both in the north and south, 2021 is marked by inconsistency. Despite a relatively modest yield of 27.71hL/ha, numerous wines are characterized by a deficiency in flavor concentration, structure and complexity. However, there are instances where wines have displayed exceptional quality. Vintages like 2021 undoubtedly present severe challenges for winemakers, yet they serve as a clear indicator of which producers can deliver not only in more favorable growing conditions, such as in 2020, but also under more demanding circumstances. After my assessment, Château de Saint Cosme, Domaine des Bosquets, Domaine du Gour de Chaulé, Domaine Les Pallières, Domaine Saint-Damien and Domaine Santa Duc form the group of wineries that were capable of delivering very good to even stunning results in this demanding vintage. Apart from those top producers, several promising wines are up for grabs, such as from Crous St. Martin, Domaine du Grand Bourjassot, Domaine La Soumade, Domaine Paillère et Pied-Gu, Lavau and Réserve Saint Dominique. Compared to the two surrounding vintages, the reds of 2021 generally lack extended maturation potential.

**Looking at the Markets**

Over the past decade, there has been a significant shift in the proportion of imports and exports in regard to Gigondas wines, along with changes in the distribution among various export markets. In 2010, 65% of the wines found their home in France; however, by 2021, that figure had decreased to 53%. The export landscape has also witnessed substantial transformations. In 2010, Belgium held the lead at 27%, followed by the US at 15%. By 2021, the US emerged as the primary destination for Gigondas imports, commanding a whopping 25% share, surpassing Belgium at 15%. Switzerland maintained its third position in export volumes over time, trailed by the UK and Denmark. Under AOC Gigondas laws, 99% of wines currently produced in the region are red, with the tiny remainder being Rosé. The introduction of the new Gigondas Blanc category will likely alter this dynamic over time, although the focus will undoubtedly continue to be on the reds. In my latest pieces on [Châteauneuf-du-Pape](https://vinous.com/articles/chateauneuf-du-pape-new-releases-welcome-to-the-pleasuredome-jun-2023) and [Vacqueyras](https://vinous.com/articles/vacqueyras-new-releases-walking-the-underdog-nov-2023), I highlighted a gradual change in consumer preferences within key markets such as the United States and Europe. Wine enthusiasts are increasingly gravitating towards wines featuring more modest alcohol levels. This shift poses a notable challenge for the sales of Southern Rhône wines, Gigondas included.

I tasted all the wines from this report in Gigondas during August and September 2023.

_© 2024, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._

* * *

### You Might Also Enjoy

[Vacqueyras New Releases: Walking the Underdog](https://vinous.com/articles/vacqueyras-new-releases-walking-the-underdog-nov-2023), Nicolas Greinacher, November 2023

[Châteauneuf-du-Pape New Releases: Welcome to the Pleasuredome](https://vinous.com/articles/chateauneuf-du-pape-new-releases-welcome-to-the-pleasuredome-jun-2023), Nicolas Greinacher, June 2023

[The Deep Bench of Gigondas](https://vinous.com/articles/the-deep-bench-of-gigondas-jan-2023), Josh Raynolds, January 2023



Gigondas: The Southern Rhône Jewel Shines and Adapts

Gigondas: The Southern Rhône Jewel Shines and Adapts (Jan 2024)

### 2020 Barolo: Selective Excellence

BY ANTONIO GALLONI | JANUARY 04, 2024

Grace, elegance and understatement are some of the qualities readers will find in the 2020 Barolos. The best wines are undeniably striking. That said, the vintage is not an unqualified success, as the growing season presented its fair share of challenges. Overall, 2020 is a vintage of mid-weight Barolos. These are wines to admire for their balance and seductive appeal more than their power or structure.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1704373821376-Brovia_copy.jpg)

_Alex Sanchez and Elena Brovia turned out a stellar collection of 2020 Barolos_.

### The 2020 Growing Season

Warm temperatures in January and February got the growing season off to a fast start. Budbreak was early. There was some frost damage in April, with losses of as much as 10-15% in some spots. Flowering began without major issues, but the arrival of colder temperatures and rain in June extended flowering. Hail in mid-June damaged vineyards in La Morra and Verduno. The rest of summer was mostly uneventful, warmer than usual, but without severe heat spikes. Of course, it must be said that the concept of what is ‘normal’ is a moving target these days. While 2020 was generally a warm year, given the context of what we know about 2023 and 2022, today, the conditions of 2020 don’t appear particularly extreme.

[![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1704373858929-Barolo+2020+heat+summation+chart_copy.jpg)](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1704373858929-Barolo+2020+heat+summation+chart_copy.jpg)

_Monthly heat summation data, compiled by Alessandro Masnaghetti, shows that 2020 was generally a warmer year but not excessively hot by present-day standards. June and October were cooler than most years. Readers need to keep in mind that Masnaghetti’s historical average runs from 2007-2016, a period chosen because it includes a wide range of years but not a trailing period, which would be more common. © Enogea, used with permission._

A rain event forecast for early October turned out to be one of the defining moments for the vintage. Nearly 90mm of water fell between October 2 and 3, a significant amount considering annual rainfall in Barolo is around 650mm. However, rainfall, like all technical data, needs to be contextualized. In the case of rain, the amount is important, but the degree to which different soils absorb water is just as critical to understanding the value of data, why it matters, and how it might ultimately affect what is in the glass. For example, in periods of heavy downpours, the pace of rainfall can be so intense that much of the water runs off the hills and is not actually absorbed into the ground.

Some growers chose to pick ahead of the rains, others waited it out. Naturally, these decisions were harder and more impactful for estates that had vineyards ripening in late September and early October. Producers in later-ripening districts could afford to wait and, therefore, were not forced into making especially hard decisions. Some producers reported harvest dates that were relatively compact, while others reported harvest dates that were more spread out. A number of growers spoke of making multiple passes in their vineyards, some with greater frequency than in most years. To be sure, managing physiological ripeness while avoiding excessive alcohol and also dealing with significant weather events is a complex dance. In a vintage with challenging weather, conditions impacted growers and sites to varying degrees, which also explains the different approaches producers took and the overall heterogeneity of the wines in terms of both style and quality.

[![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1704373891571-Barolo+2020+timeline+chart_copy.jpg)](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1704373891571-Barolo+2020+timeline+chart_copy.jpg)

_Average harvest starting dates (in red) with rain events (in blue) from Alessandro Masnaghetti’s 2020 Barolo Vintage Report. © Enogea, used with permission._

### Tasting the 2020s

Starting with the positive, the best 2020 Barolos offer exquisite balance, tons of class and plenty of up-front appeal. In the previous generation, a forward vintage often meant soft, fruity wines. In 2020, however, those qualities come through in mid-weight wines endowed with gorgeous translucence and plenty of classicism. The 2020s clearly don’t have the energy or structure of truly important vintages, but the best wines are nonetheless quite appealing.

In many ways 2020 reminds me of 2012, but with greater energy and nuance that is likely the result of a combination of the year itself and an evolution in the way growers work in the field and in the cellar aimed at producing wines of greater energy and tension than the past.

One of the stars is Rocche di Castiglione. The wines from this small sliver of vineyards are consistently superb in 2020. Castiglione Falletto is often described as a sort of center for Barolo, the place where a rich mélange of the lighter, sandier soils of La Morra and Verduno mix with the older and more compact soils of Monforte and Serralunga in well-exposed hillside sites. Whether or not that is more romance than fact can be debated. However, the wines I tasted from this sector were consistently brilliant.

Even so, many 2020s are light, even within the context of Nebbiolo and Barolo, with limited site expression. These wines approach the style of 2018, although the vintage as a whole is stronger. Wines picked before the rains are sometimes light in body and also have vibrant, edgy tannins that remind me of the 2005s. Many of the best wines are those from fruit that was picked on the later side, either by producer preference or simply the personality of site.

With a few exceptions, 2020 is a vintage of wines with medium-bodied structure. Not surprisingly, many producers shortened the time in barrel and bottled earlier than normal. These include Fabio Alessandria at Burlotto, who bottled his 2020s (except the Monvigliero), about ten months early. (Note: that timing has a lot to do with the practical considerations of working with cask and Alessandria’s disdain for leaving the wines in tank.) Many other producers bottled one to several months ahead of their typical schedule. These include Fabio Fantino, Claudio Fenocchio and Matteo Sardagna. Several producers did not bottle all their wines. These include Alessandria with the Burlotto Acclivi (because of hail) and Silvia Altare with her Barolo Riserva Cerretta, a wine she did not feel was up to her standards.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1704373925055-Cappellano_copy.jpg)

_Augusto Cappellano in his cellar. Amphoras are playing an increasing role here, not just for their unique qualities in aging wines but also because the smaller sizes are better suited to the ever-diminishing production of the Barolo Piè Franco._

### What Makes a Great Barolo Vintage: Looking at 2020

Over the last several years I have shared my model of what makes a great Barolo vintage. It is the sum of everything I have learned from many people, organized in a way that pulls all that information together. Compared to Bordeaux, Piedmont has yet to establish a framework for a high-quality, important vintage. Many people have views, but I have never seen them codified. What follows is my set of objective criteria necessary for a Barolo (or Barbaresco) vintage to be considered truly great. This framework is inspired by the late Denis Dubourdieu and the model he developed for assessing Bordeaux vintages. To that, I add my 20-plus years of visiting Piedmont and all the data I have collected in speaking with winemakers, agronomists and other professionals over that time, plus drinking more than my fair share of the wines. As with Dubourdieu’s model, this framework addresses the growing season and does not examine the actual wines.

This model is created in the present day. It won’t apply as well to vintages from previous eras, especially vintages from the 1950s-1970s. At that time, warm weather was considered ideal because grapes struggled to ripen. The warmest vineyards, those that faced due south, the famous _sorís_, were the most coveted. Today, in our climate change-challenged world, you would be hard-pressed to find a producer who believes that south-facing vineyards are the most ideal.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1704393888701-Oberto+Final+Photo.jpg)

_Nicola and Stefania Oberto at Trediberri, where the wines continue to impress. The Barolo Berri is especially fine in 2020._

### Let’s Examine 2020:

_1. A Long Growing Season – A long growing season, defined as the period from bud break to harvest, is essential for achieving full physiological ripening of the fruit, skins and seeds. Since Nebbiolo is already a tannic grape, less than full physiological ripeness is heavily penalizing._ In 2020, the growing season got off to an early start, and harvest was also on the early side, but the vegetative cycle was not especially compact by modern-day standards. Even so, some vineyards were harvested early in order to avoid the risk of approaching rain and/or elevated maturity. Overall, 2020 is a vintage with low polyphenols, another data point that suggests ripening was not optimal. The first condition was only partially met.

_2. Diurnal Shifts – The final phase of ripening must be accompanied by diurnal shifts, which are the swings in temperature from warm days to cool nights. Diurnal shifts create aromatic complexity, full flavor development and color._ In 2020, evening temperatures cooled down at the end of the season to balance daytime highs, but diurnal shifts were only moderate compared to more classic vintages. Thus, the second condition was partially met.

_3. The Absence of Shock Weather Events – Frost and hail can severely and irreparably damage the crop. Similarly, periods of uninterrupted elevated heat can block maturation._ In 2020, frost was an issue in some areas. Rain right around harvest time was even more problematic. Therefore, the third condition was not met.

_4. Stable Weather During the Last Month – The last month of the growing season makes the quality of the vintage. Stable weather without prolonged rain episodes is essential for harvesting a healthy crop._ Rain in early October created major challenges for growers. Some picked earlier than that would have otherwise. The fourth condition was not met.

_5. A Late Harvest – Harvest must take place in October (possibly late September in some areas), with the final phase of ripening occurring during the shorter days of late September and October, as opposed to the longer, hotter days of August._ By present-day standards, harvest was on the early side for most estates, but not dramatically so. The fifth condition was partially met and only in select locations.

In the final analysis, our model does a pretty accurate job of capturing the key takeaway, and that is that 2020 does not have the attributes to be considered a great year. Naturally, this is an analysis of the conditions of the year and not the wines. The wines can only be evaluated through tasting.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1704374714142-Barolo+2023_Cover+2.jpg)

_A striking view of Serralunga on a clear fall day in November 2023._

### Challenges Persist…

As exciting as Piedmont is these days, it’s not all roses. I still taste too many wines that are flawed, certainly way too many for a world-class region. There was a time when improvements in quality and investments required a leap of faith more than just money. The first quality estate bottlers, producers such as Gaja, Bruno Giacosa, Prunotto, Vietti and Giacomo Conterno, strived to make outstanding wines at a time when selling the wines was exceedingly difficult. One of the reasons there is so much bottle variation with older Barolo and Barbaresco (other than provenance) is because wines were left in cask until there were sufficient orders to bottle them. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, younger growers like Elio Altare, Luciano Sandrone, Roberto Voerzio and Enrico Scavino took things to another level, in their own way, seeking to make better wines than their parents. The market was still bleak.

The early 1990s saw another group of families move from selling fruit to bottling their own wines. By then, the market was better, especially for the new style of lush, rich Barolos, but nothing like it is today, where growers can turn into superstars while their wines become objects of speculation. As this was happening, more traditionally minded growers toiled in obscurity, totally ignored by the press, especially the Italian press, but they followed their convictions too during what were some very tough economic times. So many of the most admired producers today struggled to sell their wines back then.

It is easy to critique the wines of the so-called “modern” school. Yes, yields were excessively low, the wines were too oaky, many of them did not age well, and who knows, maybe they weren’t always 100% Nebbiolo. So what? At least these producers were driven by intense ambition, a burning fire to reach another level.

Italy is not an entrepreneurial country. In places like the United States, success is admired. It is seen as something to emulate. In Italy, success breeds envy. The relaxed Italian lifestyle might lead the casual observer to believe societal hierarchies are less stifling than they are in countries like France, but that is just an illusion. Yes, Italians are less outwardly formal than the French, but the societal constructs are similar. What this means is that anyone who tries to do something outside the norm, who strives to rise above their colleagues and peers, is, by definition, breaking outside of the constructs of society. Quality-minded producers in the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s and early 1990s took those risks because they had conviction in their beliefs. The market certainly was not clamoring for their wines.

Fast forward to today. Piedmont has maybe 8-10 elite domaines that are superstars. No one can get enough of the wines, trade or consumer, as everyone’s allocations continue to be trimmed. Every year, importers, brokers and members of the trade travel to Piedmont to scour the hillsides for the next emerging producer, the next exciting estate where they might be able to secure enough wine to actually make a difference in their business. Leaving aside this current period of weakness, the market for quality, artisan Piedmont wines is booming. If anything, it may be too hot, given that producers with no track record but a good story and some social media skills can quickly create an aura for themselves. Leaving aside these few blips, the world is clamoring for more fine, handmade wines of place.

Today’s lower and mid-tier producers do not face the challenges of the previous generation. The demand and the markets for quality wines are there. So, when these wineries make poor wines today, what they are really doing is leaving millions of euros on the table for themselves and their families. They are essentially throwing away their future. To be born, through no skill or doing of their own, in one of the world’s most elite viticultural regions and to then make dirty, flawed wines is a travesty.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1704374612659-Grasso_copy.jpg) ![](http://)

_Gianluca Grasso excelled in 2020 with wines that capture the very best the vintage had to offer._

### Growers to Watch

On a more positive note, these are some of the emerging growers who have made an impression recently.

### Erik Revello (Carlo Revello & Figli)

Erik Revello has been working alongside his father, Carlo, since 2016, but 2020 was the first year he had a role in decision-making. Erik Revello’s wines show growing confidence and the pure, delineated approach that is typical of his generation. I have very high expectations for the future.

### Tom Myers (D’Arcy)

Native New Zealander Tom Myers has done a fine job in getting established in Piedmont, a region that is not exactly welcoming to outsiders. There is no real market for buying grapes or negociant wines that might help a young producer get started, as there is in other regions. The first wines I have tasted from D’Arcy are works in progress. Myers has already had to move winemaking facilities several times, a stress for the wines and for him. The wines aren’t ready for prime time yet. But they will be.

### Ferdinando Principiano (Principiano)

Ferdinando Principiano has been around too long to be considered ‘emerging’, but his wines have improved markedly in recent years, and he deserves to be recognized.

### Alberto Alessandria (Crissante Alessandria)

As I wrote in my year-end review, Alberto Alessandria has been making some serious waves of late. The new Barolo Monvigliero could very well be his best wine yet.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1704374325199-IMG_4495_copy.jpg)

_Alberto Alessandria is making gorgeous wines at his family’s estate in La Morra. The Barolo Monvigliero, here in its first year of production, was especially impressive._

### Beyond Barolo… 

Piedmont has so much more to offer than just Barolo and Barbaresco. This year, I included the full range of wines I tasted at each estate in this report rather than waiting to publish those reviews in a separate article at a later date. In my view, the level of an estate is determined by the quality and consistency of its entry-level offerings. These wines are very important, as they provide insight into producer styles and quality yet also remain affordable, something that is increasingly a challenge. In brief, the 2022 Dolcettos have turned out to be better than I expected. Despite intense heat and drought, the vast majority of Dolcettos in 2022 are pretty classic in flavor structure and overall feel. The 2021 Barberas are fabulous, pedigreed wines endowed with notable vibrancy and depth. Beyond those staples, readers will find many delicious wines to explore. I was especially struck by a number of gorgeous Freisas I tasted. With a structure akin to Nebbiolo and fruit that veers into the realm of Barbera, Freisa has so much to offer.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1704374481413-Rinaldi_copy.jpg)

_Marta and Carlotta Rinaldi at their cellar in Barolo with their Weimaraner, Vida._

### About This Report

I tasted most of the wines in this report during a trip to Piedmont in November 2023, the 27th year after my first visit to the region. As is my practice, I retasted many wines in my office in New York in the weeks that followed.

_© 2024, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._

* * *

### You Might Also Enjoy

[2019 Barolo: Back on Track](https://vinous.com/articles/2019-barolo-back-on-track-jan-2023), Antonio Galloni, January 2023

[The 2018 Barolos, Part 2](https://vinous.com/articles/the-2018-barolos-part-2-oct-2022), Antonio Galloni, October 2022

[The Enigma of 2018 Barolo](https://vinous.com/articles/the-enigma-of-2018-barolo-feb-2022), Antonio Galloni, February 2022

[2017 Barolo, Part 2: The Late Releases](https://vinous.com/articles/2017-barolo-part-2-the-late-releases-oct-2021), Antonio Galloni, October 2021

[2017 Barolo: Here We Go Again…](https://vinous.com/articles/2017-barolo-here-we-go-again-feb-2021), Antonio Galloni, February 2021



2020 Barolo: Selective Excellence

2020 Barolo: Selective Excellence (Jan 2024)

### Ulysse Collin Rosé de Saignée Les Maillons Vertical

BY ANTONIO GALLONI | JANUARY 02, 2024

My most recent visit to Champagne Ulysse Collin was not especially well-timed. Then again, maybe it was. Olivier Collin had just finished disgorging his next set of releases, so I could not taste those wines. Instead, Collin surprised me with a vertical of his Rosé de Saignée Les Maillons, long one of my favorites here and a wine I have followed since its debut. Rosé de Saignée is also a style of Champagne I personally enjoy quite a bit, as it is so well suited to the dinner table.

Champagne Ulysse Collin is one of the great success stories in Champagne of the last twenty years. Although the family lineage goes back more than 200 years, the domaine in its current incarnation was launched in 2003 when Olivier Collin and his wife, Sandra Zaragoza, reclaimed vineyards that had been under long-term leases to Pommery.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1704213756599-Collin+Cover.jpg)

_Collin’s Rosé de Saignée Les Maillons across eight releases._

The casual visitor could be forgiven for driving past Champagne Ulysse Collin. The unassuming domaine is located in Congy, a small, sleepy village in the Côteaux du Petit Morin, just south of the Côtes des Blancs, in the middle of nowhere, as we might say colloquially. The very simple, agrarian setting and lack of nearby elite grower estates or famous villages is quite different from what is commonly found in other regions within Champagne, even those that are less developed. Olivier Collin seems to like it that way. Whereas most of his colleagues run in circles of producer friends/colleagues, Collin is quite happy to be a loner. The same is true of large showcase tastings and events, which Collin avoids. Instead, the focus here is on vineyards, the cellar, the wines and the family. That’s pretty much about it. The results are in the glass.

The Collin family has been active in Congy since the early 1800s, but their modern-day history can be traced to the early 1930s. Georges Collin, Olivier’s great grandfather, was a well-known grower and member of the Club des Viticulteurs Champenois (now Club Trésors de Champagne), the first association of growers in Champagne, comprised at the time of about 20 elite grower domaines.

In the years that followed the Second World War, Olivier Collin’s grandfather, René, established Champagne René Collin. By the 1970s, the maison had 18.5 hectares under vine, all of it used for an annual production of around 200,000 bottles, a large number for the time. Rene’s son (Olivier’s father) sold Champagne René Collin to Pommery in 1987. About half of the vineyards went to Pommery as part of that transaction, while a number of other plots, parcels that various family members had previously leased to Champagne René Collin, remained within the broader family.

Olivier Collin initially studied law. An early trip to Burgundy and an internship with Anselme Selosse proved to be formative experiences. Not surprisingly, Collin’s Champagnes share many stylistic attributes with those of Selosse, namely vinous intensity and textural resonance that is a result of picking on the riper side and vinification in wood. Tasting the vins clairs here is not that different from tasting wines from barrel in Burgundy. The region changes, but the overall aesthetic is quite similar.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1704216734406-Olivier+Collin.jpg)

_Olivier Collin in his expansive cellar._

In 2003, Collin gained control of 4.2 hectares of vineyards from long-term lease contracts that had expired. It was a brutal growing season, though, so Collin opted to sell off his entire crop. Estate production in earnest began in 2004. The following year, Collin took back another 4.5 hectares from expired leases. Since then, the wines have grown notably in precision and nuance.

More than anything else, what I have always observed in my many tastings with Olivier Collin are his deeply held convictions on farming and winemaking. Collin’s views on the speculation that increasingly surrounds the domaine’s wines are just as strong. “There is no real work behind websites that simply list wines at very high prices,” he says. “What real work is behind that? Zero. I want to see work. I am looking for merchants that truly sell wine, that explain the domaine, that explain the wines. A job for a piece of the economic pie.”

Les Maillons is a small, east-facing 2.5-hectare parcel in Barbonne-Fayel, 35 kilometers from the winery in the Côtes de Sézanne, an intriguing region itself that was first developed in the 1960s and 1970s by maisons looking for large undeveloped tracts of land that could supply their growing demand for grapes. Les Maillons was once an open field, as much of the land remains today. René Collin originally leased this land and planted the vineyards as he, too, has been forced to look at new regions to grow his business. In 2012, the owner passed away, childless, and left the vineyard to Olivier Collin.

Collin makes two Champagnes from Les Maillons, a Blanc de Noirs and the Rosé de Saignée. Blocks used for the Blanc de Noirs are cropped at 60-65 hectoliters per hectare, while those destined for the Rosé, which sit at slightly higher elevations, are cropped at just 45-50 hectoliters per hectare, very low within the broader context of Champagne and closer to what one might see in the production of the top still red wine. “We have to work the vines for the Rosé differently,” Collin explains. “Yields must be lower, but not exaggeratedly so.” The combination of a cool, east-facing site and a search for ripeness with concentration is one of the most important keys to understanding Collin’s Rosé de Saignée.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1704213783769-Collin+cellar.jpg)

_Reserve wines are aged in cask. Despite the small production, Collin increasingly holds his Champagnes back for late releases._

The Rosé is done entirely with destemmed fruit and vinified as _saignée_. The first two vintages, 2011 and 2012, included press fractions, a practice since abandoned. Vinification and _élevage_ take place in barrel. The wines are bottled in the summer following the harvest and then spend 36 months on their lees, although that might change in the future. For example, the 2019 will spend 48 months on the lees. Unlike most of the other Collin Champagnes, the Rosé has always been a single vintage wine, although not declared as such. That makes it quite an outlier, as the Collin Champagnes typically include a significant amount of reserve wines. The dosage is always around 2.4 grams per liter. “I do not like extremes,” Collin says on the subject. Production is approximately 3,500 bottles a year. The Rosé has been made every year since, with 2023 the sole exception.

Even though this was a small vertical, the most impressive takeaway was the consistency of the wine, even across a number of vintages such as 2015, 2016 and 2017 that all presented notable challenges. I did not taste the 2018 for this vertical, as I reviewed it late last year, while the 2019 has not been disgorged yet.

_© 2024, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._

* * *

### You Might Also Enjoy

[Roederer Cristal Full Circle: 1993-2015](https://vinous.com/articles/roederer-cristal-full-circle-1993-2015-dec-2023), Antonio Galloni, December 2023

[Champagne: 2023 New Releases](https://vinous.com/articles/champagne-2023-new-releases-nov-2023), Antonio Galloni, November 2023

[Champagne Jacques Selosse Retrospective Tasting & Dinner](https://vinous.com/articles/champagne-jacques-selosse-retrospective-tasting-dinner-jun-2023), Antonio Galloni, June 2023



Ulysse Collin Rosé de Saignée Les Maillons Vertical

Ulysse Collin Rosé de Saignée Les Maillons Vertical (Jan 2024)

### The Quiet One: 1962 Burgundy & Bordeaux

BY NEAL MARTIN | DECEMBER 28, 2023

After Elvis received his draft papers and before the Beatles conquered the world, there was an interregnum during which cultural momentum petered out. The fad of rock ’n' roll and teenage rebellion had seemingly run its course, and, as a consequence, most people regard the early Sixties as a rather regressive, beige period. In reality, the era witnessed an astonishing progression in jazz from titans like John Coltrane and Sonny Rollins, the rise of Motown and the emergence of dance crazes like the “Twist”, all contemporaneous with the debuts of 007 and the Pill, and momentous historical events such as the Cuban Missile Crisis and the assassination of JFK. Ipso facto, it wasn’t exactly “quiet”, and the period foreshadowed what was to come.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1703774538811-bottles+1962.JPG)

Apropos of all things fermented, it was an intriguing period in time. The 1959 and 1961 vintages are touchstones for Bordeaux and Burgundy, even though the latter delayed its own _annus mirabilis_ until 1962. My introduction to that particular vintage came courtesy of a 1962 Grands-Échézeaux from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti around 20 years ago. My fledgling website was just getting off the ground, and a mate—a dab hand at this computer malarkey—received his scurrilous payment in the form of fermented grape juice to spruce it up and at least make it _look_ professional. The aforesaid bottle was acquired from a merchant who warned that it had a low ullage and kindly gave me a discount—the princely sum of £80.00.

Prizing out the blackened, saturated cork, my nostrils began to twitch as intoxicating aromas filled my tiny kitchen. The perfume made me swoon. I took a sip. Choirs of angels sang outside the window. My mate appeared to undergo a transcendental experience. The wine’s spectral beauty lay beyond the sensory, crossing into the spiritual realm. Now, I could understand the paradox of weight and weightlessness, the ineffable transparency of Pinot Noir—its mercurial, transmutable nature that emerges as oxygen unlocks its secrets swirl-by-swirl, an alluring enigma. That experience became a cornerstone of my education. Thereafter, I scoured restaurant and merchants’ lists for any 1962 Burgundy, and for that matter, Bordeaux, accumulating a cache of positive experiences from both regions.

Every subsequent 1962 Burgundy was a madeleine for that Grands-Echézeaux. Bizarrely, the wines were given short shrift upon release, a vintage unfairly ignored and overlooked for many years. Allen Meadows and Doug Barzelay, writing in their _Burgundy Vintages_ tome, remark that the 1962s exist in the shadows of the ever-popular 1959s and celebrated Bordeaux 1961s. The 1962s’ youthful charm misled cognoscenti to presume they had short shelf-lives, repeating their misjudgment apropos the 1953s. This inexplicable oversight and the vintage’s perceived inadequacy lingered into the salad days of my career, explaining how I could amass several tasting notes. As pointed out by those authors, even as late as 2001, respected writers Bazin, Hulot and Piot nominated 1961 Burgundy over 1962! Nineteen sixty-two was “George Harrison”, aka “the quiet one”, leaving 1959 and 1961 to hog the limelight. Only in the last decade has 1962’s stock risen for both regions. Its reappraisal prompted sharp hikes in auction prices. Nowadays, hushed reverence prevails whenever one is opened.

Given all this, you can imagine my anticipation upon being invited to a private dinner, Burgundy-themed around the 1962 vintage, part of a series of private gatherings that follow in the footsteps of [1958](https://vinous.com/articles/vinous-table-le-bistro-de-l-hotel-de-beaune-beaune-france-apr-2019) and [1959](https://vinous.com/articles/the-year-of-jazz-wine-1959-nov-2020). The evening straddled not just those two classic wine regions but also delved into Champagne and a sole representative from Spain, with nearly all bottles proffered by guests, including a sprinkling of winemakers who raided their own cellars.

Before continuing, a brief summary of the respective growing seasons that year: This is a year when conditions in both Bordeaux and Burgundy were broadly similar. Vine growth stuttered due to the cold, so the vines were three weeks behind schedule. Inclement weather continued, and by the time flowering occurred, the cycle lagged by two weeks. Fortunately, a hot July, intensified by a sirocco wind, allowed them to catch up. By August, the heat meant some vines began to suffer hydric stress. The balmy summer stretched through to September, prompting talk of a new 1945. However, a storm on October 2 interrupted the inchoate harvest. It was pretty late in both regions, with Domaine de la Romanée-Conti not even beginning until October 15—a date that seems incomprehensible today. Some vines had completely shut down, so must weights were not particularly high. The picking concluded relatively late, on October 22 in Bordeaux and around the same time in Burgundy.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1703774563066-bottles+1962+-+2.JPG)

Let’s crack on with the wines. We commenced with a couple of Champagnes. A **1962 Dom Pérignon,** sadly DOA, was ameliorated by a divine **1962 Krug Private Cuvée**. As expected, it is fully mature, maybe lacking the crystalline quality of Krug from the top drawer. Nonetheless complex, with commendable delineation and weight, the action occurs more on the nose than the palate. Even without the glistening clarity of other vintages, there is something regal about the 1962.

No less than 11 bottles from Burgundy followed, ranging from utter perfection to others that flatlined long ago, regrettably including a faulty **1961 Gevrey-Chambertin Clos Saint-Jacques** from **Armand Rousseau**. _C’est la vie_. Personally, I was a bit nonplussed by two or three from **Maison Leroy.** The best, a sublime **1962 Échézeaux** that was detailed and autumnal, to my surprise, surpassed what ought to have been a memorable **1962 Musigny** , denuded the anticipated profundity of the vineyard by nothing more than time. I was circumspect about the **1962 Nuits Saint-Georges 1er Cru,** as it felt unnaturally youthful and ersatz, its questionable authenticity exposed by the company of its cohort. The **1962 Chambertin Clos-de-Bèze** from **Faiveley** fell victim to mild TCA, while the **1962 La Romanée,** bottled by **Misseney** , was not the same caliber as another encountered at the vertical four or five years ago.

At the other end of the spectrum, **Jean-Nicolas Méo** poured an otherworldly **1962 Nuits Saint-Georges Les Murgers 1er Cru** , crafted by the legendary Henri Jayer. Utterly beguiling on the nose, this bears a seamless texture and exquisite balance on the palate, with just a prickle of exotic Eastern spice enhancing the finish. Completely divine. Of course, perfect provenance played its part. This was more like it—a bottle that lives up to the _reclamé_ of the vintage.

Three more wines from Burgundy illuminated the evening with their haunting, ethereal nature. Firstly, a **1962 Éché**** zeaux **from** Domaine René Engel**, which was made by Pierre Engel, who, to quote Clive Coates MW, worked “under the shadow of his father [René].” Whoever crafted this masterpiece possessed indescribable refinement—sculpted with the finest chisel, transparent and ethereal with a peacock’s tail finish. This is Engel in full flight, undimmed by age.

Aubert de Villaine attended the dinner and nipped down to his cellar to pour two bottles. The **1962 La Tâche** …

In today’s feverish atmosphere of score inflation, I wish those spewing perfect scores like confetti could experience what bona fide perfection actually tastes like. Almost impossible to translate into words, the 1962 possesses a profound, complex and kaleidoscopic nose, a sense of symmetry on the palate that compels me to just sit and gaze at my glass, wishing life could be temporarily paused at this moment. To repeat my mantra, perfection can only exist when there is absolutely no doubt. There is no doubt—this is the apotheosis of Pinot Noir.

Yet the bottle freighted with emotion was, of course, the **1962 Grands-Éché**** zeaux** that had such a profound effect on my learning. This was the first time I had encountered this wine since pouring it two decades earlier. Would it replicate that showing or dampen my fond memories? Thankfully, it is ethereal. Picking at straws, maybe the juxtaposition exposed the fact that it is not quite as profound as the La Tâche, yet there is a mere hair’s breadth between them. Like a song that potently evokes a specific time and place, this wine transports me back to those innocent days when someone penniless like myself could find the means to procure such a bottle. I am just thankful to be able to re-taste this wine.

After those astounding bottles, who’d want to be a Bordeaux following them up? As it turns out, the wines acquitted themselves with much aplomb. Even against the caliber of Méo and DRC, they were not to be outclassed, almost stealing the limelight. Like the Pinots, there were a few misfiring bottles, such as the **1962 Lafite-Rothschild** that was out of condition, and a **1962 Ausone** , born in a period when this Saint-Émilion lost its way, just like Château Margaux, whose sticky patch lasted until the late Seventies.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1703774582548-unico+mouton+1962.JPG)

However, these were more than compensated by strong performances elsewhere. The **1962 Mouton-Rothschild** , a wine I had not tasted for many years, begins modestly on the nose before lighting aromatic fireworks, lifted by a touch of VA. The palate is fleshy and sensual, almost Right Bank in style, testifying to how Baron Philippe de Rothschild had not lost any of the flair he displayed in the post-war period. The **1962 Cheval Blanc** , another wine I had tasted only once before, offers gorgeous tobacco and cedar on the nose, with sensational delineation and a finish that simply oozes class. The “dark horse” of the tasting, a deeply impressive magnum of **1962 Ducru-Beaucaillou,** displays copious amounts of saline black fruit, replicating a fabulous bottle that I vividly recall 16 years earlier. It’s up there with the First Growths. As I expected, the pick of the bunch was the stunning **1962 Latour** , which I’ve been fortunate to drink several times. A strong contender for wine of the vintage, it is still so concentrated and beautifully balanced—a more exotically-styled Latour that veers back to its trademark classicism on its graphite-infused majestic finish.

The final red was a magnum of the lauded **1962 Unico** from **Bodegas Vega Sicilia**. This was the fourth time I encountered this Holy Grail, the second in large format. Compared to the rest of its alums from Bordeaux and Burgundy, it seems half the age of even the youthful Latour. It is utterly spellbinding—almost primary, bestowing a luscious veil of black and blue fruit, crushed violets and hints of eucalyptus. A fellow guest speculated whether it was, in fact, a sexagenarian. Time tends to unlock the hidden facets of a wine as it grows into adulthood, whereas one could contentiously argue the Unico is locked in juvenilia, resolved to never grow old. That is a marvel in and of itself, though you could counter-argue that it denies a glimpse of what it is predestined to become.

It was a privilege to _drink_, not taste, this roll call of iconic wines from a vintage that has always entranced me. Not everything deserves superlatives. Discussing the bottles later, it was generally felt that, after six decades, some are beginning to wane, perhaps more so compared to the 1959s. Irrespective of how grand or iconic a bottle might be, nothing is immortal, even if some like the Unico suggest it. Nonetheless, the highlights were truly memorable. They might lack the density and concentration of 1959 or 1961, yet they possess a sense of grace and occasionally transparency that continues to glimmer, even if slightly less bright with each passing year. Bottles may not be easy to obtain like they once were, but they have lost none of their allure…just like that unforgettable 1962 Grands-Échézeaux. My mate still waxes lyrical about it whenever we meet.

_© 2023, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._

* * *

### You Might Also Enjoy

[Written in the Stars: Bordeaux 1865-2020](https://vinous.com/articles/written-in-the-stars-bordeaux-1865-2020-dec-2023), Neal Martin, December 2023

[Pump Up The Volume: 2019 Burgundy - Blind](https://vinous.com/articles/pump-up-the-volume-2019-burgundy-blind-dec-2023), Neal Martin, December 2023

[Poetic License: Siran 1920-1929](https://vinous.com/articles/poetic-license-siran-1920-1929-oct-2023), Neal Martin, October 2023

[Ten Years On: Burgundy 2013](https://vinous.com/articles/ten-years-on-burgundy-2013-oct-2023), Neal Martin, October 2023

[The Year of Jazz & Wine: 1959](https://vinous.com/articles/the-year-of-jazz-wine-1959-nov-2020), Neal Martin, November 2020

[Vinous Table: Le Bistro de L’Hôtel de Beaune](https://vinous.com/articles/vinous-table-le-bistro-de-l-hotel-de-beaune-beaune-france-apr-2019), Neal Martin, April 2019



The Quiet One: 1962 Burgundy & Bordeaux

The Quiet One: 1962 Burgundy & Bordeaux (Dec 2023)

### The 2021 Napa Valley Cabernets, Part One

BY ANTONIO GALLONI | DECEMBER 21, 2023

After the brutal 2020 vintage, Napa Valley fans will be thrilled to start exploring the 2021s. The 2021s are aromatic, refined and wonderfully expressive. I found many wines to be truly exceptional both in terms of quality and what seems to be a more finessed approach than in the past, something that is evident at many estates. Vintage 2022 presented more than its fair share of challenges, so 2021 is most certainly the vintage to focus on, at least for the time being.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1703169789573-Chappellet+Napa+2023.jpg)

_A serene late afternoon view of Lake Hennessey from Chappellet._

**The 2021 Growing Season**

The story of a vintage is rarely the story of a single year. Often it is a story of the preceding years. That is very much the case with 2021. I have written it before many times, but it bears repeating. The vine does not automatically reset each January 1; rather, it has a long-term memory of what has taken place in the past, especially the recent past. One of the keys to understanding 2021 is that it follows 2020, a year of severe heat stress and then a whole range of issues related to fires, from lack of sunshine to, in the worst of cases, actual damage from fire. For the sake of convenience, I will reproduce a passage from my article [**Napa Valley: The Frantic 2020s & Stunning 2021s**](https://vinous.com/articles/napa-valley-the-frantic-2020s-stunning-2021s-feb-2023) **,** published in February of this year below.

“The lack of sunshine in 2020 meant that the vines simply did not store the same amount of carbohydrates they usually do,” explained winemaker Nigel Kinsman. “This is especially true of cane-pruned vineyards, where there is less wood (and therefore less potential to store carbohydrates), as opposed to cordon-trained vines, where there is more wood,” he added. “In 2021, the vines responded to the accumulated stress of several years of drought by regulating themselves, with the most critical period being the late spring and early summer of the preceding year, when potential yields are set,” vineyard manager Mike Wolf elaborated. “We had shorter shoots and smaller canopies to work with. Because of that, we had to thin the crop to match crop loads with what the vines could ripen. A final blast of heat at the end caused further dehydration." Water, or lack thereof, was another issue. Irrigation can only help to a degree. Increasingly, though, water is scarce. In the most dramatic of cases, it was simply shut off by the county.

“Overall, 2021 was a relatively cool year,” Cathy Corison commented. “Temperatures were moderate in August. We only had one week of high temperatures.” Other winemakers offer a slightly different perspective. “The 2021 growing season was consistently warm, but we had no real heat spikes to speak of," Tod Mostero told me at Dominus. Harvest was once again on the early side. Moderate temperatures throughout most of the summer led to long harvests at many estates. “Our harvest stretched out over a month,” Winemaker Allison Tauziet explained at Colgin. Low yields, small berries and high level of tannin meant the wines extracted easily. Many winemakers reported easing off on extractions to avoid overly tannic wines.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1703169842016-Cathy+Corison+Napa+2023.jpg)

_Cathy Corison among her dry-farmed, old vines at the Kronos Vineyard, St. Helena._

**2021: A New Archetype for Napa Valley?**

In tasting, the 2021s show tremendous energy and finesse. As noted last year, the wines share some attributes with other drought vintages, specifically 2013 and 2014. But there are some major differences, too. As it turns out, I tasted many 2013s this past fall in Napa Valley. I was curious to see how the wines were shaping up at age ten and also wanted to taste them because conditions were similar to those in 2021. What I learned was far more interesting than I had first imagined.

I have often commented that the pace of change today is far faster than it was a generation ago. These two vintages, 2021 and 2013, make that abundantly clear. For most of the last forty or so years, the archetype for what makes a great Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon was a big, rich wine, regardless of whether vintages were cooler (such as 2001) on the warm side (like 2002) or somewhere in between. What stands out most about the 2021s, especially the best wines, is their finesse. Yes, that is a hard term to describe precisely, but it applies here. As I tasted the 2021s, I also checked in on dozens of 2013s for a forthcoming report. As noted above, the two years share some similarities. Tasting the 2013s today, the wines are considerably darker, richer, oakier and more extracted than the wines most producers made in 2021, just eight years later. That’s a pretty significant transformation in a very short amount of time, and it is evident. There is no question many producers are picking earlier, especially those who used to pick on the later side. It’s an interesting time in Napa Valley, a time of clear change.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1703169860485-Dunn+Napa+2023.jpg)

_Randy Dunn’s collection of vintage fire trucks. First, there was one; now, there are seven, all operational and ready for action that hopefully is not necessary._

**2022 – Welcome to the Heat Dome**

Vintage 2022 once again presented producers with a series of fierce challenges. It was another very warm, dry year in which vines struggled because of stress accumulated over several years of drought. A severe and sustained heat spike around Labor Day with historic highs over many days proved to be the defining moment of the year. Rain followed, further complicating matters. I remember walking around St. Helena on October 1 under cloudy skies, with temperatures in the 50s and wondering how the vintage would ultimately turn out.

There are essentially three harvests in 2022. Let’s start with the two extremes, before and after the heat. Wines made from fruit picked before the worst of heat or during the beginning of that episode – either because of site characteristics or stylistic preference – appear to be sound. Vines that were able to withstand the heat and continue to ripen also produced some very good wines. Based on what I have tasted so far, cooler, late-ripening sites also had a clear advantage. Vineyards that were close to optimal ripening during the heat spikes produced wines of extremely variable quality. Some of this just comes down to luck. If it were possible to forecast weather perfectly, no one would intentionally leave their vineyards in a vulnerable state. Naturally, this is not possible. Despite the intense heat and drought, many 2022s are underripe and/or lacking in depth because winemakers had to harvest before the vines simply crashed. Those wines literally feel empty in the middle. Not surprisingly for such a varied year, winemakers approached vilifications with wildly different approaches. Some shortened macerations for fear of overextracting. Others, seeing a year with light color and low tannins, sought to build the wines as much as possible in the cellar. Towards the end of my stay in Napa last year, ETS, the laboratory that does all the testing in Napa Valley, began alerting their clients to the presence of new, previously undetected strains of bacteria that could cause elevated volatile acidities. The theory is that, under severe stress, grapes were releasing juice within the berries. Producers were encouraged to sulfur their musts immediately as a preventative measure.

Many producers did not show their 2022s from barrel this year, as they felt they were still trying to understand the wines and the vintage. That certainly makes sense. Quite a few winemakers had not even started to work on blends for the same reason. The 2022s I tasted point to a wildly erratic vintage full of highs and lows.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1703169892904-Vineyardist+Napa+2023.jpg)

_Dirk Fulton, Becky Kukkola and Tony Biagi at The Vineyardist, where the wines are better than ever._

**First Thoughts on 2023**

It’s always fun to be in Napa Valley during harvest. Well, it is fun for me, maybe less so for owners and winemakers who would rather be solely focused on the harvest. Even so, this is the time to see the new vintage from a front-row seat as it develops. Two thousand twenty-three was a very late harvest, not so much by long-term historical trends, but certainly very late relative to what has become the norm over the last decade or so. It was also a very stretched-out vintage.

For example, when I visited Opus One on September 26, the crop was 45% in. A few days later, on October 1, Paul Hobbs told me he did not plan to start picking until the last week of the month. Ultimately, heat accelerated that schedule, but also resulted in a 30% loss of berry weight. Obviously the size of wineries and their stylistic choices play important roles, but there is still a pretty wide range of harvest dates in 2023. At a certain point, producers worried that colder, later-ripening appellations such as Howell Mountain might not ripen at all. Winemakers began calculating the amount of fruit that was hanging divided by the amount they could process per day and then the number of remaining days in the calendar to get that work done. Time was running out. Fortunately, a spell of heat in October pushed the fruit across the finish line.

Expectations are already high. We will see. I never make any evaluation of a vintage, good or bad, until I have tasted the wines. Every vintage is a clean slate. That’s how I approached 2010 and 2011, both of which were very poorly regarded at the outset, and how I have approached every vintage since then, in Napa Valley or anywhere else. However, there are other factors in play. It is very likely that producers will feel the pressure to bottle as much wine as possible in 2023, given that fires wiped out (or eliminated) much of the 2020 crop and that yields were down sharply in both 2021 and 2022. That is understandable. This also happened in 2012 following 2011 and in 2019 for those producers who knew they would make little or no 2020. On the other hand, the market for high-end wines has softened, and demand may not be there for larger volumes of wine. It will be interesting to see how things ultimately play out.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1703169917216-HdV+Napa+2023.jpg)

_Guillaume Boudet presented a spectacular set of wines at Hyde de Villaine._

**2020 – Coda**

I would be remiss if I did not include some thoughts on 2020 (reproduced from a previous article), a vintage I think it is safe to say everyone is happy to have in the rearview mirror. Although 2020 is mostly remembered for brutal fires and the enormous destruction they brought, in terms of the wines, the story is more complicated. Even before fires broke out in mid-August, 2020 was extremely warm and dry and trending towards a record early harvest. These facts are unequivocally true. When fires began to spread, most producers had to make very tough and fast choices about what could be salvaged and what would almost certainly be lost. A few select spots made it through this part of the year unscathed. The vast majority of wines that were made were from fruit that was picked as early as possible, in some cases far ahead of schedule. In the cellar, quality-minded producers discarded lots they felt had been compromised. Some winemakers took the dramatic decision not to bottle some or all of their wines.

The biggest problem with the 2020s is not smoke taint – most producers learned their lessons from 2017 – but from the lack of sunlight at the end of ripening. Reviews and scores must necessarily reflect the quality of the 2020s vis-à-vis the 2021s. Lower scores for the 2020s aren’t a commentary on shoddy farming, poor winemaking or a lack of diligence but simply a reflection of a year in which Mother Nature did not provide the requisite conditions for making extraordinary wines.

The typical 2020 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon offers an initial burst of fruit along with a good mid-palate and finish. Then, wait a few seconds. In virtually every 2020, I have tasted a kick of gritty and or searing tannin appears very late, on what I will call the post-finish for lack of a better or more established term. That’s 2020 in a nutshell. Over and over. It may very well be that the average consumer can’t detect this textural graininess in the wines. That is in no way meant to be disrespectful, it's just an observation. Tasting wine for a living is a great job in many ways, but it also can lead to extreme sensitivity, much in the way a professional musician immediately observes even the slightest imperfections with intonation or time.

Our job at Vinous is to report on the wines as we see them. Some of the 2020s are quite good, but they still reflect the shortcomings of the year. My preference is still to drink the wines on the early side, as there is nothing to be gained through cellaring, while the wines may begin to be more problematic over time.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1703169962751-Kinsman+Napa+2023.jpg)

_A superb set of wines from Kinsman Eades, one of the great recent success stories in Napa Valley._

**The Market for Napa Valley Wines**

It is no surprise that the fine wine market has begun to soften, albeit from ridiculous highs in some segments. Throughout my time in Napa Valley, I often heard about challenges in the market. Visitations are down sharply, I was told, at many places, the result of sky-high hotel prices, high tasting room fees, bad weather throughout most of the year, and a strong dollar that caused many consumers to vacation in Europe rather than in the Napa Valley. Curiously, no one mentioned that perhaps some Napa Valley wines are too expensive. That slowdown is not unique to the United States. The September releases of California wines on La Place de Bordeaux were met with only modest interest.

To be fair, many of the challenges Napa Valley faces are not unique to Napa. They are true pretty much everywhere. Sales are down in all regions I visited in 2023. That does not change the fact that demand has softened, at least in the short term. Some vineyard owners continue to test the upper boundary of pricing for their fruit. It is reasonable for owners who have made significant investments in quality to expect a return. But I still wonder what the market really is for $300+ Napa Valley wines.

It is obvious that the consumer demographic is changing quickly. The typical consumer who was 45-50 when I worked for Robert Parker 15 years ago is now likely buying less wine or no wine at all. Today’s consumers no longer want to be tied down to lists. “I used to be on five lists, now I am on two,” Vinous readers often report. Many wineries operate business models built on selling directly to the consumer, therefore avoiding the 30% distribution margin. What happens when wineries realize they are selling less direct and need traditional wholesale and retail channels to both sell their wines and ensure a presence on prestigious restaurant wine lists? Margins get squeezed is what happens.

Today’s consumer is the consumer of the Netflix generation. Consumers who want what they want, when they want it, delivered how they want it. Advancing technology and then COVID-19 have accelerated these expectations. My impression is that the wine business as a whole is woefully behind. I can’t say we have the answers. Probably no one does. But we are acutely aware of these developments.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1703169988404-Sloan+Napa+2023.jpg)

_Assistant Winemaker Javier Aviña, Winemaker Martha McClellan and Estate Manager Michelle Fox at Sloan on September 29, 2023, before a single grape had been pickled._

**New Vinous Maps for 2023**

I have always wanted Vinous to be about more than reviews and scores alone. In 2023, we released three vineyard maps as part of our mission to further wine education and appreciation. Coombsville is all new, while Howell Mountain and St. Helena & Conn Valley are fully updated Second Editions of two of our most popular maps. There is more to come in 2024.

[![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1703172390245-AG+3+Napa+Maps+960x540-01_copy.jpg)](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1703172401360-AG+3+Napa+Maps+960x540-01.jpg)

_The new Vinous Maps for 2023 are Coombsville, along with second editions of Howell Mountain and St. Helena & Conn Valley. Each map is the result of extensive on-the-ground research and countless interviews. © 2023 Vinous._

**Heavy Bottles Still Rule**

One thing that has not changed in Napa Valley is the propensity for using irresponsibly heavy bottles. I had hoped that between 2020, when less wine was bottled, and 2021, some things might have changed. Sadly, they have not. For a region that is under the constant threat of climate change-related issues, Napa Valley’s owners and winemakers display a willful disregard for the impact of heavy glass bottles on the environment. That is even more shocking considering all the work and money that has gone into clearing land to mitigate damage from potential future fires. Few things are more hypocritical than a producer extolling their sustainable farming practices and then presenting their wines in ultra-heavy bottles.

**How I Tasted the Wines**

I tasted most of the wines in this report in late September and early October of 2023, followed by numerous tastings in our New York City offices later in the fall. I tasted many wines more than once, especially those with high scores. A few estates I always cover are missing from this report, mostly having to do with either scheduling and the late and/or recent bottling of their wines. These include Beringer, Dalla Valle and Dunn. I will endeavor to add reviews for those wines as soon as practical. Lastly, this report typically includes many wines from the next vintage to be released, in this case, 2022. For reasons explained above, I did not taste as many wines from barrel this year as I do in most years. We will be publishing reviews of the 2021s in several pieces. The sheer number of good to outstanding wines in Napa Valley today makes tasting all the wines and then finishing the reviews a massive task, not just for me but also for our editorial team. Readers can look forward to updates to this article in future weeks and months, along with several smaller verticals and vintage retrospectives that are in the works.

_© 2023, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._

* * *

### You Might Also Enjoy

[Napa Valley: The Frantic 2020s & Stunning 2021s](https://vinous.com/articles/napa-valley-the-frantic-2020s-stunning-2021s-feb-2023), Antonio Galloni, February 2023

[The 2019 Napa Valley Cabernets: A Deep Dive](https://vinous.com/articles/the-2019-napa-valley-cabernets-a-deep-dive-jan-2022), Antonio Galloni, January 2022

[Napa Valley’s Thrilling 2018s & 2019s, Parts 1 & 2](https://vinous.com/articles/napa-valley-s-thrilling-2018s-2019s-jan-2021), Antonio Galloni, January 2021

[2017 & 2018 Napa Valley In Depth](https://vinous.com/articles/2017-2018-napa-valley-in-depth-jan-2020), Antonio Galloni, January 2020



The 2021 Napa Valley Cabernets, Part One

The 2021 Napa Valley Cabernets, Part One (Dec 2023)

Written in the Stars: Bordeaux 1865-2020

Written in the Stars: Bordeaux 1865-2020 (Dec 2023)

### 2022 Rheingau, Pfalz and Mittelrhein: Before, During and After the Rain

BY ANNE KREBIEHL MW | DECEMBER 22, 2023

Site and timing are critical in any vintage, but in the hot and dry summer of 2022, it mattered much more than usual whether your vines were on unforgiving, well-drained, rocky sites or slightly richer soils with just a little more water-holding capacity. Timing also mattered – because if you are in a warmer region like the Pfalz or the south-facing Rheingau, your ideal harvest point coincides with the early September rains. But this is as far as a general assessment can go – as individual sites and philosophies were decisive. In 2022, the wines – mostly Riesling – do not taste of heat; they are not opulent. On the contrary, they often struggled to reach the requisite ripeness and show slender elegance. Nobly sweet wines are a rarity, with just a handful of botrytised wines being made.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1703255876384-The+vaulted+cellar+at+Schloss+Johannisberg+in+the+Rheingau%2C+the+only+part+of+the+building+that+remains+from+1721+copy_copy.jpg)

_The vaulted cellar at Schloss Johannisberg in the Rheingau, the only part of the building that remains from 1721._

**Rheingau**

For a region as compact as the Rheingau, the diversity of sites is immense: there is the rocky, exposed and hot Rüdesheimer Berg rising steeply, but there also are flatter, warmer sites of loam, loess and clay and the famous _Brunnenlagen_ like Marcobrunn, Nussbrunnen and Wisselbrunnen, their names referring to their water availability. Then there is the relative distance to the Rhine River, which nowhere else in its course is as wide as here. Altitude also matters with the higher-lying vineyards in Hallgarten, Kiedrich and Rauenthal, benefiting from forest coolness and more water availability. It is thus not easy to sum up this region of 3,200 diverse hectares. In the Rheingau, there certainly are diverging philosophies.

### Before and During the Rain

Theresa Breuer of Weingut Georg Breuer in Rüdesheim, usually amongst the first to pick, started harvesting before the rain on 1 September. “Between mid-March and mid-September 2022, we had one rain event, and that was a deluge, so not really helpful,” she said, as the water ran off rather than seeped into the hardened soil. “As of mid-July, we all sensed the suffering of the vineyards. In a way, life was easy because we did not have to spray [the dry weather meant little disease pressure] or trim shoots in the steep slopes as the vines did not really flourish.” By the time they started picking, “we felt we harvested to relieve the vine of its burden. For the first time, the harvest was not made at that point for the grapes but for the good of the vine.” Breuer noted that the Rüdesheimer Berg suffered especially. Harvest was interrupted by the rain and finished in late September, but must weights did not change notably.

Peter Bernhard Kühn at the Peter Jakob Kühn estate in Oestrich-Winkel also started before the rain. During summer, he had cut off fruit from the young vines up to seven years old “to give them more energy for the coming years,” he said. “The estate wines were harvested in good health in late August. We then wanted to start the main harvest on 12 September. All the crew had arrived, and then the rain arrived. Within three days, we had 60 liters of rain\*, more than in the three preceding months. This changed the balance of the grapes and delayed ripeness. We had to pre-harvest to avoid burst and split grapes, to give the fruit time to attain a new balance, but this was the game: not to be too late.” Kühn noted that “the wine made from the pre-harvests were sold in bulk, the main harvest started on the 25th of September.”

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1703256038238-Theresa+Breuer+of+Weingut+Georg+Breuer+in+R%C3%BCdesheim+in+her+spacious+tasting+room_copy.jpg)

_Theresa Breuer of Weingut Georg Breuer in Rüdesheim in her spacious tasting room._

**After the Rain**

Stefan Doktor at Schloss Johannisberg waited to harvest until after the rain. He explained his reasoning: “Two thousand twenty-two was brutally dry. It was a viticultural challenge. With a few tiny exceptions, there was not a drop of water from the first of June to the end of August. Everything pointed to a very early harvest, but then the weather changed. We worried about nutrient levels in the grapes. You could see that the vines were lacking something. So, we decided to wait until after the rain.” Doktor made this decision knowing it would mean stringent sorting and loss of yield. They started on 25 September with a negative harvest, cutting out all rotten and split grapes and were again interrupted by rain. “Sugar levels went down because the grapes got water again, and their pre-rain concentration was slightly diluted, but they also gained nutrients,” Doktor said. Philipp Corvers of the Corvers-Kauter estate in Oestrich-Winkel agreed: “The wines picked before the rain had more must weight but less extract, with sharp acid; those picked after had some of the sugar diluted, but you had more ripeness and density.”

### Not a Year for Higher Prädikate

Doktor said that the highest Prädikat harvested at Schloss Johannisberg was Spätlese. The weather hampered the botrytis that came: the cool, rainy days stayed, so they decided not to wait any longer for the sun to dry out and further the concentration of botrytised grapes. Kühn in Oestrich-Winkel made a different observation, which illustrates how Riesling had just shut down in the summer. He fully intended to harvest nobly sweet wines: “In 2022, the grapes looked fully botrytised with raisins that could have been selected for Beerenauslese, but as the first juice came off the press, it was 83° Oechsle.” Readers must note that for the Rheingau, 85° Oechsle, or 11.44% potential alcohol by volume, is the ripeness threshold for Spätlese – Beerenauslese requires a minimum must weight of 125° Oechsle. This is how much the metabolic processes within the vines were slowed – and it explains why some in the region felt they needed to chaptalize to make Grosse Gewächse.

Richard Grosche of Weingüter Wegeler also remembers picking Riesling on 7 November, “purple with botrytis,” which only achieved 82° Oechsle. It was a harvest where things were truly turned upside down. Gunter Künstler harvested two Auslesen in the eastern Rheingau on the deeper soils of Hochheim. Mark Barth in Hatteheim picked a Beerenauslese in the Rüdesheimer Magdalenenkreuz on 10 October – but the concentration here came mostly from shriveled rather than botrytised grapes. Corvers-Kauter managed to pick a TBA in the Oestricher Doosberg, while Robert Weil presented breathtaking Spätlesen, Auslesen Beerenauslesen and TBAs, one each from Turmberg and Gräfenberg in Kiedrich. Weil put this squarely down to the excellent drainage of his mica schist soils and the ventilation that comes with the altitude of his sites, which enabled the botrytis to dry out and concentrate by late October. Weil concedes that this took immense effort for tiny quantities but proudly states that this is the 34th vintage in a row where Weil made the full range of Prädikate. Last but not least, the Spreitzer brothers in Oestrich-Winkel picked two Eisweins in 2022 in the Hallgartener Würzgarten on 17 December.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1703256070756-The+steep+slope+of+the+Bacharacher+Hahn+vineyard+in+the+Mittelrhein_copy.jpg)

_The steep slope of the Bacharacher Hahn vineyard in the Mittelrhein._

**A Rheingau Verdict**

Theresa Breuer summed up both the year and the philosophies: “There were people who harvested _very_ early, like us. Others waited until really late after the rain. All tried to find a solution. It was a year that challenged us all.” The stylistic spectrum is diverse – as diverse as the vintages presented. The VDP Rheingau decided to release GGs two years after harvest. This meant that some estates showed their 2021s, released in September 2023, while others showed their 2022s, not released for another year. While this delay is great for the wines themselves, it makes tasting and comparing harder – and this report a bit uneven in its coverage. Despite the great diversity of sites and often widely differing philosophies, some 2022s are stunning, while most are good, if slender and with less substance than 2021. Two thousand twenty-two certainly showed that times have changed significantly within a very short period and that new approaches are needed. When Robert Weil, who has made wine since the late 1980s, marvels at “how things used to be,” it is one thing; when Eva Fricke, who founded her estate in 2011, does, it is quite another. I ventured to Stefan Doktor that the people who master all these changes will be the winners. Without a moment’s hesitation, he countered: “No, they will be the survivors.”

### The Pfalz Landscape

With 23,721 hectares of vineyard, the Pfalz is Germany’s second-largest growing region after Rheinhessen. Its vineyards lie largely along the east- and southeast-facing slopes of the Haardt mountains. These are the extension of the French Vosges (or vice versa), created by the upheaval of the Upper Rhine Rift 50 to 20 million years ago, resulting just as in Alsace in various geological formations reaching the surface. Triassic limestone, or _Muschelkalk_ in German, and Triassic sandstone, or _Buntsandstein_, are two prevalent bedrocks, especially in the Mittelhaardt, where some volcanic formations are also present and further south. Slate and granite also crop up but with less frequency. The vineyards of the northern Pfalz are mostly on calcareous loams, and the northernmost have some of Rheinhessen’s Tertiary limestones. The area is large, with half a degree of latitude between the north and south Pfalz vineyards tasted for this report: Dirmstein is at 49.55°N, Schweigen at 49.05°N. Why all of these facts? To explain that no general Pfalz verdict is possible.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1703255999593-Nicola+Libelli+showing+off+his+stunning+range+of+2022+Rieslings+at+Weingut+Dr.+B%C3%BCrklin-Wolf+in+Wachenheim%2C+Pfalz_copy.jpg)

_Nicola Libelli showing off his stunning range of 2022 Rieslings at Weingut Dr. Bürklin-Wolf in Wachenheim, Pfalz._

**Localized Lottery**

Two thousand twenty-two was the driest year the Pfalz had ever seen since records began and the second sunniest. Heat and dry stress were thus also the hot topic here, even though it was less of a challenge with richer, loamier soils and loess. Some relief also came with very localized thunderstorms that brought refreshing rain, but heavy rain during harvest was also localized and turned the harvest, especially in the Mittelhaardt, into a huge challenge. It is evident in the wines how well some coped and how much others struggled. It all depended on location in the Pfalz, as precipitation was more devastating in some places than others.

### The Nordpfalz – Relatively Unscathed

The Knipsers in Laumersheim knew that their calcareous limestone-based and deeper soils, with their increased water-holding capacity, were a huge advantage in 2022. When the rain came in September, these soils soaked up a lot of it. Some of the grapes that already had soft berry skins, like Pinots Blanc and Gris, split in some places. Riesling fared better. But heat and dry stress took their toll in another way: “According to that gorgeous summer, there should have been 100° of Oechsle [or 13% potential ABV],” Werner Knipser said. “But even in the best sites, we achieved just 90-95° Oechsle [or 12-12.5% potential ABV].” All in all, they fared well, and 2022’s relative slenderness actually suits the usually rounder Pfalz style.

Andreas Rings of Weingut Rings in Freinsheim said, “dryness was the main concern, but we were not thwarted by it,” he reported. “We had a little rain in July, and this relaxed the situation. For us, the challenge was to find a balance between ripeness and freshness. We reduced yields early to relieve the vines. We do so much for the vitality of the vineyards via compost and winter mulch; we were relatively relaxed about dryness. The only thing that suffered were the young vines. We either cut off the fruit completely or sold the grapes from vines that were three to six years old. Older vines weathered the summer well. We finished the Riesling harvest on 24 September, and then the rain came. It was lucky we were finished by then.”

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1703256099991-Josef+Leitz+in+front+of+his+new+large+Fuders+installed+in+his+modern+winery_copy.jpg)

_Josef Leitz in front of his new large Fuders installed in his modern winery._

**Mittelhaardt – A Rained-On Harvest**

Nicola Libelli at Bürklin-Wolf in Wachenheim paints a vivid picture of 2022: “The year actually started well. Sufficient winter rains ensured that until July, things went without a hitch. Now and then, we had thunderstorms and some rain in early July. That was it, followed by seven weeks of dryness. It was not extremely hot. We had temperatures in the mid to high 20s [Celsius] with cool nights. On the last August weekend, we had 5-6 liters\* of rain, not much but better than nothing, so we started harvesting at the beginning of September. Then, on 6 September, out of nowhere above Forst, Deidesheim and Wachenheim, we had 70 liters\* of rain that came down within two hours. This was the moment we realized we had to hurry. We had small yields, and the weather worsened, but with a big team of 80 people, we were able to finish within three weeks,” Libelli recounted. This is no small feat for 85 hectares. “It was the right decision because, towards the end, things became diluted. The fruit lost its radiance, its energy.” Libelli credited the biodynamic soil management with a buffering effect for both wet and dry weather and is grateful that grapes did not split. His account makes clear that the very heart of the Mittelhaardt took a drumming.

Markus Spindler of Weingut Heinrich Spindler in Forst added that it remained cool once the rain had started, which helped to curb the botrytis threat, but noted that stringent sorting was necessary. He also observed that the vines took their time but, in the end, did react to the rain. While must weights did not change much, aromatic development occurred, especially in the older vines. Libelli and Spindler acquitted themselves very well, Libelli exceptionally well, but others struggled with concentration. I tasted some wines that seemed to lack a middle and some Erste and Grosse Lagen that were really rather short.

### Südpfalz: Fortunate Timing

Hansjörg Rebholz or his sons could sleep peacefully in 2022: “The 2022 summer led to almost ideal harvest conditions,” Rebholz remembered. “At the end of June, we had three days of very soft rain, about 90 liters\*, so we did not really see any dry stress. The vines came wonderfully through the hot July. It was only in late August that we realized it was dry, but not really stressed.” Son Hans Rebholz added that “yields had been curbed to allow for earlier ripening of acid as well as sugar. In the end, we hit the holy grail in terms of calibration of sugar, acid and aroma.” Hansjörg Rebholz continued: “We started the Pinot harvest in late August in ideal conditions, which lasted until the third week of September, when we also started harvesting Riesling, especially from the old vines. Then the rain started, and the younger Riesling vines had not been harvested yet. We were relaxed because we knew that all the important things were already in the cellar. We did not finish until mid-October; we had to select a lot, bringing in a third less than usual.” The Rebholz wines bear out these statements.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1703255942984-The+famously+steep+vineyards+of+the+Mittelrhein%2C+here+with+a+view+of+Bacharach+on+a+glorious+Septembr+day._copyCover.jpg)

_The famously steep vineyards of the Mittelrhein, here with a view of Bacharach on a glorious September day._

**Mittelrhein: More of the Same**

As always, there is a real difference between the upper Mittelrhein, where the vineyards are in narrow lateral valleys, south-facing but some distance from the mighty Rhine, and those vineyards that are on the river directly. The latter are known to produce bold, juicy wines, but in 2022, dry stress was an issue in such exposed, well-drained sites. But even in the lateral valleys, Jochen Ratzenberger described 2022 as “brutally dry. We had dry years before, but this was different. The old vines did not have a problem, but the younger vines did.” Ratzenberger’s harvest, the earliest ever with a 15 September start, was also interrupted by rain, which spelled botrytis pressure – so selecting was necessary. His neighbor Cecilia Jost of Weingut Toni Jost remembered spending the summer “cutting off grapes and whole canes in the younger vines” to relieve them. Further downstream, on the fully south- and Rhein-facing Bopparder Hamm, Johannes Müller of Weingut Matthias Müller started harvesting on 2 September. His wines, however, have bite simply because he has learned to handle his extreme sites.

Considering the challenges that nature threw at the winemakers in Rheingau, Pfalz and Mittelrhein, most delivered remarkable wines – but the estates reviewed are also among Germany’s best and are not representative of the average. Philipp Corvers of Weingut Corvers-Kauter in the Rheingau called 2022 the “vintage of the future, a harvest for the brave.” He has a point – there will be more years like this dry one, and those still sticking to the conventional methods of yesteryear will lose out. Others will continue to make thrilling wines.

I tasted the wines in this report during estate visits in mid and late August and early September of 2023.

_\*Readers should note that in metric measurements, one liter of rain per square meter equals one millimeter of rain._

_© 2023, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._

* * *

**You Might Also Enjoy**

[2022 Mosel-Saar-Ruwer: Old Vines and Steep Challenges](https://vinous.com/articles/2022-mosel-saar-ruwer-old-vines-and-steep-challenges-oct-2023), Anne Krebiehl MW, October 2023

[2022 Rheinhessen & Nahe: Rain in the Nick of Time](https://vinous.com/articles/2022-rheinhessen-nahe-rain-in-the-nick-of-time-sep-2023), Anne Krebiehl MW, September 2023

[Germany Pre-Auctions Report: Trier and Bad Kreuznach](https://vinous.com/articles/germany-pre-auction-reports-trier-and-bad-kreuznach-sep-2023), Anne Krebiehl MW, September 2023

[2021 Mosel and Saar – Tantalizing, Tingling, Thrilling](https://vinous.com/articles/2021-mosel-and-saar-tantalizing-tingling-thrilling-jun-2023), Anne Krebiehl MW, June 2023



2022 Rheingau, Pfalz and Mittelrhein: Before, During and After the Rain

2022 Rheingau, Pfalz and Mittelrhein: Before, During and After the Rain (Dec 2023)

2023: A Wild Rollercoaster Ride

2023: A Wild Rollercoaster Ride (Dec 2023)

2023: The Year In Review

2023: The Year In Review (Dec 2023)

### Sparkling Wines from Italy for Every Occasion

BY ERIC GUIDO | DECEMBER 14, 2023

Italy does a fantastic job covering all the bases and nearly always at reasonable prices. The Franciacorta, Trentodoc and Alta Langa categories can provide excellent Champagne alternatives. The wines are made using Metodo Classico or Metodo Ancestrale (both méthode champenoise) and a similar set of varieties, with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir making up the bulk of production. However, there’s also a lot to be said about the surge in the quality of modern-day Prosecco. While it’s still easy to find a slurpable and affordable Prosecco that will please most palates, this region is exploding with new terroir-driven wines and drier styles. Finally, looking beyond these big categories, it isn’t rare to find an amazing Metodo Classico from producers throughout Italy. This report is littered with wines that turned my head over the last few months. I have also included a few wines from Slovenia, which borders Friuli in Italy’s northeast.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1702564969398-Sparkling+Wine+2023+Cover.jpg)

One pitfall I’ve started to recognize is winemakers attempting to take advantage of the zero-dosage (pas dosé) trend. Much of the world has fallen out of love with the idea of residual sugar in wines, and many great estates in both Champagne and Italy have had triumphs with the category. Still, making a successful zero dosage is much more complicated than just not adding sugar. I have found this to be a big problem within Franciacorta and Trentodoc. Producers such as Mirabella and Ca’ del Bosco have done a fabulous job with the category, yet many others simply fall flat. It pays to recognize that many of the greatest sparkling wines in the world find their ideal balance with a well-measured dosage. Ultimately, these are growing pains more than anything else. Zero Dosage in these regions is about as useless a selling point as the Satèn category, which seldom delivers elevated quality level.

Overall, this report is a selection of sparkling wines that are easy to recommend for their combination of quality and value. The surge in new sparkling wines from all over Italy has motivated many of the Franciacorta and Trentodoc producers to push themselves further, which is a positive sign.

All wines for this article were tasted in our offices in New York City and on the road in Italy through November and December 2023.

_© 2023, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._

* * *

### You Might Also Enjoy

[Italy's Love Affair with Sparkling Wine](https://vinous.com/articles/italy-s-love-affair-with-sparkling-wine-dec-2022), Eric Guido, December 2022

[Italy’s Sparkling Wine Paradox](https://vinous.com/articles/italy-s-sparkling-wine-paradox-dec-2021), Eric Guido, December 2021

[Italy’s Sparkling Advantage: Prosecco and Franciacorta](https://vinous.com/articles/italy-s-sparkling-advantage-prosecco-and-franciacorta-dec-2020), Eric Guido, December 2020



Sparkling Wines from Italy for Every Occasion

Sparkling Wines from Italy for Every Occasion (Dec 2023)

Pump Up The Volume: 2019 Burgundy - Blind

Pump Up The Volume: 2019 Burgundy - Blind (Dec 2023)

### Buckle Your Seatbelts: 2019 Brunello and 2021 Rosso di Montalcino

BY ERIC GUIDO | DECEMBER 07, 2023

I’m happy to report that the current releases from Montalcino are an embarrassment of riches for collectors and fans of the appellation. My recent trip to the region included tastings of the newly minted and classic 2019 Brunellos, the high-energy and fruit-forward 2021 Rossos and a look back to many of the top 2016s, which I chose to include in this report for comparison to the 2019s. Placing these two fantastic years next to each other demonstrates that Montalcino continues to create world-class wines of the highest caliber and, in most cases, at reasonable price points.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1701959932477-1-Looking+north+from+the+high+elevation+vineyards+of+Uccelliera+in+Castelnuovo+dell%E2%80%99Abate+_COPY.jpg)

_Looking north from the high-elevation Uccelliera vineyards in Castelnuovo dell’Abate._

**A Return to Classicism: 2019 Brunello di Montalcino**

Producers and consumers have all been looking forward to the release of the 2019 vintage with great anticipation. For the past three years, I’ve been tasting the wines from barrel and watching their slow evolution with great satisfaction, especially as the wines from the arid 2017 and wet and warm 2018 vintages showed the challenges of their respective growing seasons. To be clear, both years had their high points and successful wines, but overall, the region suffered. That’s the first point in the corner of the 2019 vintage; this is a year where the entire region excelled, from southwest to east and northeast to west. Frankly stated, finding a 2019 that doesn’t show remarkable balance, vivid fruit and freshness is a difficult task. In my opinion, this is always a mark of a great year. The highs are exceptionally high, and the lows are few and far between. What’s more, this is a year where many lesser wines excelled, making picking out a 2019 Brunello a relatively easy affair.

Thinking back to those barrel tastings mentioned above puts the importance of this vintage into context. One of the pros of a wine like Brunello di Montalcino is its late release, meaning that each year I taste, analyze and compare at least four vintages while tasting with producers. Winemakers in Montalcino have been very excited about what's in barrel for the last few years. The 2019 vintage stood out to them immediately; this is the last genuinely balanced year in the previous seven vintages (more on that later). Then there’s 2020, an elegant year with massive concentration and high alcohol that produced wines that barely hold onto balance. Yet a few standouts succeed. Finally, 2021 presents a marriage of the previous two, with rich, intense fruit, elegance and balanced tannic structures. Frequently, in conversations, producers speculate as to which of these three vintages would ultimately produce the best wines, yet for me, there was never any doubt that while 2021 will be an exciting year to follow (just look at the Rosso’s included in this article) and 2020 will be suave and elegant, that 2019 comes out on top, for its utter harmony. In the end, 2019 provides a blending of power and elegance in a way seldom seen while maintaining a lovely balance of acidity and structure.

Giacomo Bartolommei of Caprili stated, “The 2019 is crunchy. Everything was easy during this vintage, and we had no difficulties in the vineyards and the cellar.” Crunchy is a word I often hear associated with the 2019s, which I believe fits the wines perfectly. Vintage comparisons often get thrown around regarding 2019, with most producers relating it to a perfect combination of either 2015 and 2016 or 2010 and 2015. For me, the similarities to 2016 are clear as day, but what 2019 adds to the dark fruit and radiance of 2016 is energy and that crunchiness to the tannins mentioned above. I believe the magic is in their acidity because even as the wines firm up through the finish, they leave a freshness and mouth-watering quality that adds a crunchy sensation to the tannins.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1701959959479-2-In+the+cellar+at+Le+Ragnaie_copy.jpg)

_The cellar at Le Ragnaie._

Some producers go as far as relating the 2019 vintage to years going back even further. I’ve heard of comparisons to 1990 and 1993. Francesco Buffi at the Baricci winery on the Montosoli hillside in the northeast explained 2019 as “Exceptional, in terms of quality and quantity. A vintage that takes me at least 20 years back… harvesting top-quality bunches in October, with excellent yields.” Granted, one must consider that from the standpoint of temperature ranges in modern-day Montalcino, even a balanced vintage like 2019 is still a relatively warm year. The difference is in the details of how the 2019 Brunellos arrived at what most procedures consider a return to classicism.

Many winemakers refer to the season as easy, something I have rarely heard from Montalcino in recent years. Alessandro Bindocci of Il Poggione called it “an ideal vintage from a weather standpoint.” Also from the southwest, Francesco Marone Cinzano of Col D’Orcia stated, “Every so often, you have a particular year when quality and quantity strike a perfect balance that delivers elegant and harmonious wines. The 2019 vintage is one of them.” This further illustrates the year's success across Montalcino, and even harvest dates between north and south are more in line with the traditional averages. In the south, the harvest mostly started between September 18th and 22nd, compared to the north, where the average start date was 26th to 28th. But no matter the harvest dates, one thing remained constant: there was very little stress regarding fruit quality and technical and physiological ripeness.

Following the rainy 2018 vintage, the winter of 2019 was relatively cold, with moderate precipitation. Rainy conditions and below-average temperatures prevailed throughout April and May, which slowed the vegetative process, disturbed flowering to a degree and reduced the size of the clusters. However, these same rains built up water supplies in the soils, which paved the way for a successful warm and dry start to the summer. The highest temperatures reached during the season never exceeded 35° Celsius (95° Fahrenheit), nearly unheard of in modern-day Montalcino. Moreover, the temperature swings between day and night were drastic (15-20 degrees). These conditions were ideal for both a healthy flowering and little in the way of disease pressure. The rest of summer, while warm, was balanced and perfectly offset by refreshing rains at the end of July, the third week of August and the beginning of September. Favorable conditions continued leading up to harvest, sunny and dry, with one last rainstorm on the 22nd and 23rd of September, without any damage to the ripe berries on the vine.

This is a vintage of radiance and appeal without any sensation of over-ripeness or lack of complexity. The wines are aromatically intense and full of dimension, with translucent color, fruit typicity and the ability to communicate a sense of place. They are structured and built for cellaring, often showing their best after being open for over two days in bottle. The terms classic, racy, cool-toned, crunchy and sleek litter my tasting notes, and while many 2019s display an inviting personality today, they are balanced for the cellar and sure to mature beautifully over the next ten to fifteen years, if not more. This is the vintage we’ve all been waiting for.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1701959981509-3-The+Biondi-Santi+Estate+just+south+of+the+town+of+Montalcino_copy.jpg)

_The Biondi-Santi Estate just south of the town of Montalcino._

**Falling on Deaf Ears: 2018 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva**

I recall tasting and [writing about the 2018s last year](https://vinous.com/articles/2018-brunello-di-montalcino-the-rubik-s-cube-vintage-dec-2022). The most amazing thing for me was how no producer could agree on the season's conditions. Whenever a problematic year comes around, it’s not uncommon that I regularly hear a “buy line,” as if all of the producers were pooled together and given a set of marching orders on how best to present the vintage to the press and consumers. I vividly recall the number of times that I heard that 2017 was “a happy surprise.” It took about one day in Montalcino before I started to feel like I was in some sort of reality TV show but that the joke was on me. However, with the 2018 vintage, there was no buy line, just static. One producer would explain that it was a rainy year, while another would swear it wasn’t. Another winemaker would say it was a cool vintage, and then the next would talk about how warm it was. The 2018 Riserva campaign seems to be following suit, where most wineries decided not to bottle any wines due to it being a poor vintage, while others hold onto their belief that it was a classic, throwback year that will create wines with amazing staying power.

Last year, in my article, [The Rise of Rosso di Montalcino](https://vinous.com/articles/the-rise-of-rosso-di-montalcino-oct-2022), I wrote, “The 2018 vintage will show many consumers how extended wood aging can strip a remarkably pretty and exotic vintage of some of its charms. Just like 2017, I believe we’ll see Rossos that show better than Brunellos within the same portfolio.” I echoed these thoughts when the 2018 Brunellos arrived, and now I think about it again when tasting the 2018 Riservas. The fact is that the character of the average 2018 is one of freshness, lifted fruit profiles and angular tannins, which created Rossos that performed beautifully but Brunellos that don’t offer another dimension that would warrant their price tags. In the end, only thirty-six wines from the 2018 vintage arrived for review, and of those, only twenty-seven were classified as Riserva. A trend toward shorter oak aging with Riservas has helped to some degree with many of these wines (technically, a producer can bottle a Riserva after just two years and then just hold it in bottle until release). However, the unfortunate reality is that most of the Riserva-level wines released from 2018 don’t show any better than the Brunello Annata released last year.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1701960002035-4-The+unfortunately+small+library+collection+at+Poggio+di+Sotto_copy.jpg)

_The very small library collection at Poggio di Sotto._

**Elegance in the Extreme: 2021 Rosso di Montalcino**

Tasting through a selection of 2021 Rosso di Montalcino in tandem with 2019 Brunello di Montalcino demonstrates that these two vintages couldn’t possibly be more different, but what they both share is balance.

I often write about gauging a vintage from the Rossos of the same year. If this set of new releases is any indication, the 2021 vintage will provide rich and fruit-forward Brunellos that teeter on the edge of balance yet ultimately succeed through a core of zesty acidity and tannins that maintain a classic feel. What that translates into for the Rossos themselves are wines with charming, wildly aromatic, drink-me-now personalities that come across as energetic with sweet tannins. The best part is that, while these wines are born of a warm and dry vintage, they don’t tire the palate or become cloying, which I have found many of the 2020s often do. If 2020 was a slice of the richest cake you could hardly finish, then 2021 is the proverbial souffle that leaves you craving more after each bite.

As mentioned earlier in this article, many producers are wildly excited about this vintage. Sofia Gorelli of Le Potazzine explained, “In 2021, we are producing Riserva, already this choice says how this vintage was for us.” It is hard for me to fault her logic, considering the success of their 2011 and 2015 Riservas, but this may be more of an example of location, with the bulk of their vineyards planted at 510 meters of elevation in the northwest. On the completely opposite side of the spectrum, another winery that touts the qualities of 2021 is Poggio di Sotto in the extreme southeast. Location matters.

Moreover, the reality is that producers in Montalcino are becoming much better at dealing with ongoing arid conditions. Some newer approaches included using cover crops instead of working soils, canopy management to shade the fruit, looking to higher elevations for new vineyards, fewer pump-overs, a move toward larger or more neutral barrels and, if possible, well-measured irrigation in emergency situations. Trust me, if more irrigation were possible, we would witness many more properties installing it. Nearly any Brunello producer will tell you that vines can adapt to the heat and make great wine, but they need water.

In the end, 2021 was a very warm and dry vintage. Severe frost in April reduced quantities at some estates by up to 30%. That was followed by seven months of virtually no rain. Drought conditions set in by June and lasted through harvest for many properties in the south, while other areas benefitted from sporadic precipitation. The saving grace of the vintage came in the form of rain in the spring, prior to the frost building, and significant diurnal shifts at night that maintained freshness and cooler temperatures from late July through September. As many producers will explain, the last few weeks of the vintage decide its fate.

For my money, the 2021 Rossos are an excellent choice for collectors. With the 2019s still mellowing out in readers’ cellars and the 2020s providing a little too much of everything–except balance and another warm and dry year ahead of us in the form of 2022, the 2021s will provide open drinking windows and gobs of pleasure.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1701960026295-5-The+La+Magia+vineyards+opening+up+to+a+valley+facing+Mount+Amiata_copy.jpg)

_The La Magia vineyards open up to a valley facing Mount Amiata._

**Lastly, One Point of Contention**

Montalcino still needs the infrastructure and tools that nearly all other high-profile regions excel at, such as zoning and maps. This is a topic of hot debate within the region, which is spoken about frequently with producers yet remains a sticking point with the governing members of the Consorzio. Some say that it's all about politics and how several of the most powerful wineries in the region would suffer from any form of delimitation or ranking of territories. Others look at the diversity of Montalcino’s soils and unique terroirs and claim that it wouldn’t be possible to classify these areas correctly. In my opinion, coming from a collector's background, a retailer and now a journalist, this is the one thing holding Montalcino back as a whole.

When I open a bottle of Bordeaux, Barolo, Burgundy or Napa Valley wine, I can find references to soil composition, exposure, vine age, surrounding vineyards and sometimes even a three-dimensional view of the vineyard. Considering the stark differences that location can create, how the northeast of Montalcino can overdeliver in the same vintage that the south might fail, or how a vineyard on the hillside of Montosoli creates a drastically different result than one just half a kilometer away in the Canalicchio area, demonstrates why this is so important. Montalcino, its fans and its consumers deserve better.

Due to the release schedule of some producers, a small number of wines could not be included in this report. They will be added to our database in early 2024. The wines for this report were tasted in Montalcino in July 2023 and again at our offices in New York City in November 2023.

_© 2023, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._

* * *

### You Might Also Enjoy

[2018 Brunello di Montalcino: The Rubik’s Cube Vintage](https://vinous.com/articles/2018-brunello-di-montalcino-the-rubik-s-cube-vintage-dec-2022), Eric Guido, December 2022

[The Rise of Rosso di Montalcino](https://vinous.com/articles/the-rise-of-rosso-di-montalcino-oct-2022), Eric Guido, October 2022

[The Pros and Cons of Rosso di Montalcino and Beyond](https://vinous.com/articles/the-pros-and-cons-of-rosso-di-montalcino-and-beyond-jan-2022), Eric Guido, January 2022

[Jekyll and Hyde: 2017 Brunello di Montalcino and 2016 Riservas](https://vinous.com/articles/jekyll-and-hyde-2017-brunello-di-montalcino-and-2016-riservas-dec-2021), Eric Guido, December 2021



Buckle Your Seatbelts: 2019 Brunello and 2021 Rosso di Montalcino

Buckle Your Seatbelts: 2019 Brunello and 2021 Rosso di Montalcino (Dec 2023)

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2021 Voliero Rosso di Montalcino

2020 Sella & Mosca Cannonau di Sardegna Riserva

2020 Morgan Cotes du Crow's

2021 Luli Wines Syrah (Santa Lucia Highlands)

2022 Leonardo Bussoletti Ciliegiolo di Narni Asla

2021 Barberani Polago

2020 Thorn-Clarke Wines Shotfire Quartage

2019 Avignonesi Nobile di Montepulciano

2021 Cambria Pinot Noir Julia's Vineyard

2021 Hitching Post Gen Red

2020 Antonelli San Marco Montefalco Rosso

2022 Cantine Dei Rosso di Montepulciano

2022 Presqu'ile Winery Pinot Noir (Santa Barbara County)

2022 Biscaris Nero d'Avola

2021 Andrew Murray Vineyards Syrah Tous Les Jours

2022 Tatomer Hinter der Mauer

2018 Cosimo Taurino Primitivo Settimo Ceppo

2019 Nine Hats Cabernet Sauvignon

2021 Farina Valpolicella

2022 Cep Rosé of Pinot Noir Hopkins Ranch 

2022 K Vintners Viognier K Art Den Hoed

2022 Morgante Rosé di Morgante

2021 Perlingieri Falanghina del Sannio Preta

2022 Casa Setaro Falanghina Campanelle

Vinous Table: Where Do I Eat In Burgundy?

Vinous Table: Where Do I Eat In Burgundy? (Jan 2024)

### [Dorian](https://www.dorianrestaurant.com/)

105-107 Talbot Road,

London, W11 2AT

(Nearest tube: Notting Hill – 20 minute walk)

BY NEAL MARTIN | DECEMBER 29, 2023

### The Food:

Gillardeau oysters

Prawn rösti

Sea urchin rösti

Scallop and red mullet with sea urchin sauce

Partridge, fig, cauliflower mushrooms and Guanciale

Turbot with parsley sauce

Pecan pie

Miyagawa sorbet

**The Wines:**

| 2021 Koehler-Ruprecht Kallstadter Kabinett trocken | 93 |
| 1990 Maucaillou | 83? |

Dorian bills itself as a “local bistro”. I always take the description with a pinch of salt. What does that mean exactly? Will there be some bouncer on the door asking for a utility bill to prove I live no more than a ten-minute walk away? If only I did!

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1703784653072-dorian+interior_copy.JPG)

_The Dorian interior_

But upon entering Dorian’s doors and surveying the clientele, I recognize no fewer than four acquaintances who live a stone’s throw from its entrance. There’s the former chairman of Manchester United, a wine-lover with whom I’ve shared a few fine bottles, dining with a Masterchef champion who attended one of my book dinners in May. Next table, a food/travel writer that, if memory serves, I last met for lunch just around the corner about 15 years ago. Ah, there’s Aiste Misevicuite, a super-model turned food writer (whose _Luxeats_ social feed/website I highly recommend, especially for those interested in the fine dining scene in Japan).

I double-check that Hugh Grant isn’t sharing a gazpacho with Julia Roberts.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1703784678207-oyster_copy.jpg)

_Gillardeau oysters_

Dorian’s credentials as a “local bistro” are therefore confirmed before I’ve even sat down, before proprietor Chris d’Sylva bounds over to our table brimming with bonhomie. I like this. The only other person who does the rounds of the table is Michel Roux Jr. in the now-shuttered La Gavroche. D’Sylva is already well-known in restaurant circles as the proprietor of _Notting Hill Fish+Meat_, so one can expect top-notch ingredients. Dorian’s other credentials stem from the staff. Chef Max Coen is ex-Ikoyi, currently one of the capital’s hippest restaurants, the bar run by Ale Villa, formerly of Clare Smyth’s Core, just round the corner. By now, you can deduce that Dorian is the place to be seen and hearing that the wine list was worth investigating, I booked a table. I was asked to pay £50 in advance, which has bristled some of my friends, though I understand given the number of no-shows these days. I became accustomed to paying in advance in Japan, where the practice is more common, and I suspect it will become more widespread here. The interior is comprised of a lengthy bar and a counter where customers can pop in for an impromptu bite, tables close but not too close together and olive-hued banquets round the side, so comfy that your backside will refuse to budge for three or four hours. The large window frontage lends plenty of natural light. It’s buzzy, not noisy, a reassuring background din of chatter, the clatter of pans and the occasional rattle of cocktail shakers.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1703862475967-prawn+rosti_copy.jpg)

_Prawn rösti_

The menu here is top-notch. Half-a-dozen Gillardeau oysters, which seem to be the Oyster de Choix at the moment, are tangy and saline and commence lunch in the perfect way, except I could always eat more.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1703862523629-sea+urchin+rosti_copy.jpg)

_Sea urchin rösti_

Dorian instantly became renowned for its rösti. Back in my student days, rösti were the ideal hangover cure, a sponge to soak the previous evening’s excess vino. Dorian seeks to reinvent the dish and does it with style. The prawn rösti are pink with an almost diaphanous gleam, yet they are so nuanced in flavor. The sea urchin rösti takes it to another level. Sea urchin is one of those delicacies where sourcing must be uncompromising, and these really are fabulous. It’s not just the flavor but the texture that makes great uni (I tend to use the Japanese word as I tend to eat them more over there). Who knew? The seafood delicacy makes a great rösti.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1703862561662-scallops_copy.jpg)

_Scallop and red mullet with sea urchin sauce_

The urchin theme continues with the scallop and red mullet that comes with a sea urchin sauce, all served in a shell. A little spicier than expected, this has a real kick that almost overwhelms the red mullet, but overall, it retains balance and is one of the highlights.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1703784786078-partridge_copy.jpg)

_Partridge, fig, cauliflower mushrooms and Guanciale_

Moving from sea to field, the partridge is served with fig, cauliflower mushrooms and Guanciale. The gaminess of the bird comes through nicely, well-cooked and lightly seasoned, though I am more taken by the succulent fungi that simply ooze flavor.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1703784818318-turbot_copy.jpg)

_Turbot with parsley sauce_

For the main, it has to be half a turbot. Inevitably, one compares the fish to Tomos Parry’s at _Brat_ and now _Mountain_ restaurants. If forced to choose, I’d probably still go with Parry’s, but that’s not to take anything away from this beautifully cooked fish whose meat slides off the bones and whose flavors are lifted by a punchy yet balanced parsley sauce. The difference between them is probably just the umami sensation that Parry imbues his turbot by cooking over charcoal.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1703784844065-pecan+pie_copy.jpg)

_Pecan pie_

To finish, it has to be good old pecan pie. Outstanding. It’s a perfect denouement to lunch, a bit old school, but there’s nothing wrong with that. The Miyagawa sorbet is a refreshing way to finish; Miyagawa is ostensibly a seedless mandarin from Japan that delivers bite and bitterness. The sorbet is the kind of dish that wakes you up if you’re about to depart for an extended lunch.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1703784863861-miyahawa+sorbet_copy.jpg)

_Miyahawa sorbet_

Now, the wines. Dorian is serious about fermented grape juice and has a wide selection of wines to choose from. When they first opened their doors, the wine list was overseen by Dan Keeling and Mark Andres from Noble Rot, though the sommelier informs me that they have expanded their selection, as well as listing mature bottles from shareholders’ collections.

Let’s get this out of the way. A cursory glance at the list demonstrates why Burgundy is pricing itself out of the pockets of all but the super-wealthy. Even a selection of regional Bourgogne Rouge and Blanc easily top three figures. I look on incredulously when I spot a 2013 Bourgogne Rouge from Roumier for £600. I know it’s a blue-chip producer, but surely there’s a limit? Flip the page to Bordeaux, and even some of the Grand Cru Classé are less than half the price. Interestingly, if you’re prepared to shell out more, I do find some mature clarets for very reasonable prices, and if I wanted to splash out, then I would go for that 1962 Cheval Blanc. There are plenty of wines from other countries, if that Roumier is above your budget, with some wines in 500ml servings, always a useful measure for two.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1703784882310-koehloer+riesling_copy.jpg)

I plumped for the **2021 Kallstadter Kabinett Trocken** from **Koehler-Ruprecht** – 10% of the price of the Roumier. German Riesling like this should be flying off shelves: taut and linear on the nose at first, it opens wonderfully with orange rind, linseed oil and litchi scents, gaining delineation with every swirl. The palate is beautifully balanced with a razor-sharp line of acidity that lends it perfect freshness. There’s real depth and a slightly honeyed finish to this Trocken, the kind of wine that you have to resist drinking too fast. Thankfully, at 11% alcohol, you can drink as much as you like with fewer consequences the following morning.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1703784896286-maucaillou+1990_copy.jpg)

Old vintages of Maucaillou can be excellent. Alas, the half-bottle of **1990 Maucaillou** was so oppressed by Brettanomyces that it was difficult to discern the fruit, however hard I tried. You can tell there is actually a very decent Moulis in the glass, but the palate is, again, hampered by Brettanomyces to the extent that I cannot finish even this demi-bouteille.

Dorian is a great place to visit for either lunch or dinner. I might prefer the former, but then again, I’ve not been at night. It’s very…Notting Hill. Everyone here seems to have done splendidly in life and appears determined to restore the tradition of a long and slightly boozy lunch, one that gobbles most of the afternoon. Dorian is not inexpesive. Then again, nothing is in this part of London. If it’s a local bistro, then it knows that locals won’t balk at paying premium prices, not least one that comes with plenty of atmosphere and the food reaches high standards without Michelin-starred pretensions. For oenophiles, the wine list has plenty to offer. We’ll ignore that aforementioned Roumier because it’s an extensive list for a bistro, blue-chips cohabiting with more affordable names like the Riesling I ordered.

_© 2023, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._



Vinous Table: Dorian, London, UK

Vinous Table: Dorian, London, UK (Dec 2023)

[
### Restaurant Gordon Ramsay
](https://www.gordonramsayrestaurants.com/restaurant-gordon-ramsay/)

68 Royal Hospital Rd

London SW3 4HP

Nearest tube: Sloan Square (20 minute walk)

BY NEAL MARTIN | DECEMBER 22, 2023

### The Food:

Gougères, pastrami beef tartare, whipped lardo with black garlic and bee pollen

Spiced duck tea infused with orange and Madeira

Isle of Skye scallops with maitake, pickled walnut and jus gras

Lobster, langoustine, salmon ravioli with lemon and sauce Americaine

Chestnut linguine with aged parmesan and white truffles

100-day aged Cumbrian Brue Grey beef, Tokyo turnips, black garlic and smoked bone marrow

Frangola, Moscato d’Asti and violet sorbet

Caramelized apple tarte tatin with Tahitian vanilla ice cream

**The Wines:**

| 2011 Keller Riesling Dalsheimer Hubacker Grosses Gewächs | 96 |
| 2014 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Grands-Echézeaux Grand Cru | 94 |

  

Let me lay my cards on the table. I’ve never been a fan of Gordon Ramsay. His splenetic kitchen tirades and grapeshot of expletives thrust him out of the kitchen and into the celebrity sphere, and before you could utter another four-letter word, he was globally recognized. I can live with that. But perhaps his heinous crime from my quarters was his restaurants’ blanket ban on BYO. I know, I know. If a restaurant’s survival is driven by the margins of its wines, then who am I to jeopardize that with my impudence? Therein lies my counterargument. Restaurants can not only survive but _prosper_ by a reasonable BYO policy. Secondly, how would a chef feel if the tables were turned, and I paid a tiny margin or even loss for my beloved fermented grape juice to accompany a main course costing hundreds of pounds? I guess what it boils down to is defending my right to match fabulous wine with commensurate fabulous food without having to win the lottery.

So, when a friend from the Far East invited me to Ramsay’s flagship Hospital Road restaurant for the first time, the spiteful side of my character rubbed its hands, ready to skewer his reputation and mock its three-starred status.

Annoyingly, from the moment I entered its doors to the moment I exited, I bloomin’ well loved it. Just about every facet was precisely what I wanted on a rainy Friday night in Chelsea. The ambiance was understated and cozy. Service was attentive and friendly without being overbearing. This first-timer was made to feel like a regular. The Japanese sommelier knew his claret from his Beaujolais without insisting on a wine that hadn’t been within 100km of sulfur. When asked if I could take the Tarte Tatin home for the kids, someone out the back performed origami with tin foil for no other reason than to make it look pretty and easy to carry.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1703260792327-ramsay+duck+tea_copy.JPG)

_Spiced duck tea infused with orange and Madeira_

In some ways, the food was not as complex or boundary-pushing in the vein of, say, [Moor Hall](https://vinous.com/articles/vinous-table-moor-hall-lancashire-uk-jan-2023) or that of Ramsay’s former protégé Clare Smyth, now at [Core](https://vinous.com/articles/vinous-table-core-by-clare-smyth-london-united-kingdom-jul-2020). Reflecting upon the dishes, the theme was one of deceptive simplicity. I didn’t feel as if I was putting my taste buds through a MENSA test. They just registered that everything was very, very delicious, which derives from impeccable sourcing and chef patron Matt Abé’s deft touch in the kitchen. No need to show off. None of the razzle-dazzle. Unnecessary.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1703260830069-ramsay+scallop_copy.JPG)

_Isle of Skye scallops with maitake, pickled walnut and jus gras_

The gougères were as airy as any enjoyed in Burgundy, and the pastrami beef tartare oozed freshness. My favorite amuse-bouche: the whipped lardo that came with black garlic and bee pollen. The spiced duck tea infused with orange and Madeira was a refresher in disguise, a palate cleanser. It was exquisitely balanced with a neutral opening but delivered a subtle tang on the finish.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1703261472611-ramsay+ravioli_copy.JPG)

_Lobster, langoustine, salmon ravioli with lemon and sauce Americaine_

The Isle of Skye scallops were cooked to perfection. These came with the elusive maitake mushrooms (I’ve searched everywhere, and they’re bloody impossible to find beyond Japan), pickled walnut and jus gras.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1703261501559-ramsay+linguine.JPG)

_Chestnut linguine with aged parmesan and white truffles_

The lobster, langoustine and salmon ravioli with lemon and sauce Americaine is one of Ramsay’s signature dishes. Yeah, it was just ravioli. But you wanted to just roll the flavors around your mouth for as long as you could before dribbling over the ironed white cotton tablecloth. Chestnut linguine with aged parmesan and white truffles? Shave away, waiter, shave ‘til your heart’s content. As I have said before, I’ve never quite understood the fascination of white truffles and sacrilegiously prefer the more rustic flavors of their black counterpart. But I’ve never claimed to be posh and won’t start now. Needless to say, I wanted to lick the bowl.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1703261537006-ramsay+beef_copy.JPG)

_100-day aged Cumbrian Brue Grey beef, Tokyo turnips, black garlic and smoked bone marrow_

Since I had eaten a lot of mainly vegetarian food over the previous few days, I treated myself to the 100-day-aged Cumbrian Brue Grey beef served with Tokyo turnips, black garlic and smoked bone marrow. I appreciated that the beef was not excessively large, which would have upset the overall balance of the dinner. In any case, if I want a large slab of cow, I’ll go to Angus Steak House (if they still exist). It was tender and succulent, the marrow lending a little spice and the black garlic a touch of smokiness.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1703261574161-ramsay+frangola_copy.JPG)

_Frangola, Moscato d’Asti and violet sorbet_

The pre-dessert consisted of frangola, Moscato d’Asti and violet sorbet that came with such an intricate lattice on top that it felt a shame to smash it with my spoon. It was the warm-up to the caramelized apple Tarte Tatin with Tahitian vanilla ice cream. My friend and I quartered it, which was sufficient for both, the other half winging its way back to Guildford as an apology for dining out gloriously while the kidds chucked something in the microwave.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1703261600492-ramsay+tarte_copy.JPG)

_Caramelized apple tarte tatin with Tahitian vanilla ice cream_

Since my host drinks a lot of white Burgundy, I asked if he fancied something different and whether he was familiar with the brilliance of German Riesling. “Not really,” he answered candidly, gesturing me to pick whatever I fancied. Not a difficult choice. The **2011 Riesling Dalsheimer Hubacker Grosses Gewächs** from **Weingut Keller** demonstrated the immeasurable talent of Klaus-Peter Keller to such a degree that the following morning my friend sent a text enquiring where he could acquire bottles. As usual, I wisely asked the sommelier to decant the Riesling to watch it unfold in the glass. As suggested by its deep color, there is a hint of botrytis: dried honey, acacia flowers, saffron and crushed stone, all delivered with stunning delineation. The palate is underpinned by an absolutely killer line of acidity and a salinity that gets the saliva in a blather. Alchemically, this dry Riesling seems to expand in the glass, revealing more and more layers while retaining pin-point precision. Magnificent.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1703261633357-ramsay+keller.JPG)

The **2014 Grands-Echézeaux Grand Cru** from **Domaine de la Romanée-Conti** was a prelude to my revisiting that vintage in the Côte d’Or that autumn. It’s at a beautiful place right now. Vivid Morello cherries, wild strawberries and hints of pressed violet petals unfold on the nose. It is not the most intense I have encountered from this wine, yet the delineated nose is dazzling. The palate is tensile right from the start, prioritizing energy and verticality over horsepower, bright red fruit laced with oyster shell that almost reluctantly fans out on the finish. At nearly ten years of age, I see no reason not to crack one open now, but it will give pleasure over the next 15 years.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1703261647314-ramsay+drc.jpg)

It was time to return home after a splendid meal and an overdue catch-up with my host. In retrospect, maybe Hospital Road was more low-key than expected. Maybe misled by its namesake’s showmanship, I had anticipated more razzle-dazzle, but that would be totally surplus to requirements. Is it expensive? For sure, but restaurants at this level are everywhere nowadays, and it’s easy to list pricier places elsewhere in London. As for the attitude to its founding chef, like most famous people I’ve met on my travels, they tend to be very different in the flesh than on TV. No doubt he’s a gentleman. I just wish that once in a while, his establishments would give momentary relief to beleaguered wine lovers being priced off restaurant lists…

Cue a volcanic tirade of expletives from Hospital Road.

_© 2023, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._



Vinous Table: Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, London, UK

Vinous Table: Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, London, UK (Dec 2023)

[
### FYN
](https://fynrestaurant.com/)

5th Floor - Speakers Corner

37 Parliament St

Cape Town, 8001

South Africa

BY NEAL MARTIN | SEPTEMBER 29, 2023

### The Food:

Yellowtail nigiri, Kosho salsa, aged shoyu/Mozambican crab with rice and seaweed salad, furikake/Lambert’s Bay abalone with truffle kaeshi

Burnt mushroom custard with Hokkaido milk bun

Binchotan seared gamefish, tempura dune spinach and pomelo chirizu

Robata-grilled springbok leg, pepperdew, black cardamom mealie pap with Cape Mountain sage

Poached kingklip, rack seaweed, crayfish espuma and black caviar

Wild mushroom fregola, globe artichoke, hazelnut, nasturtium and vegetable jibuni sauce

Cape Wagyu with kabocha, KZN black truffle and pumpkin hollandaise

Madagascan chocolate, mascarpone, pumpkin seed/Rice ice cream and shoyu syrup/Burnt pineapple with yuzu

**The Wines:**

| 2018 Saurwein Riesling Chi | 88 |
| 2018 Saurwein Pinot Noir Nom | 92 |
| 1948 Mouton-Rothschild | 92 |
| 1949 Mouton-Rothschild | 97 |
| 2019 Alheit Vineyards Lost & Found | 93 |

Visiting South Africa last year, there was a vivid conversation about the hottest ticket in town… FYN. Note the capitals, and for your information, its pronunciation, “fain,” inspired by “fynbos,” the wild and wondrous scrubland that plays host to a wild variety of flora and fauna. This excitement was in the wake of FYN being voted 37 in the “World’s 50 Best Restaurants”, a big deal for a country whose culinary excellence is woefully under-appreciated on the global stage. Unfortunately, I only learned of this accolade upon arriving, and subsequent attempts to secure a table failed because the waiting list was long. Returning one year later, I prioritized securing a table in advance to find out for myself what the fuss was about.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1695996879258-FYN+-+interior_copy+%281%29.jpg)

_The FYN interior_

South African chef Peter Tempelhoff and Jennifer Hugé, ex-La Colombe in Constantia, are the duo behind FYN, which opened its doors in 2018. Ashley Moss is the head chef. The restaurant is housed on the fifth floor of a 19th-century silk factory in central Cape Town. I must admit that it took a couple of minutes to locate the entrance. This part of the city is not dangerous, though tourists are best advised just to catch a taxi. Better to be safe than sorry. Guests take a small lift up to the restaurant reception, where I receive a typically warm South African welcome. It is a capacious restaurant with a mezzanine on one side, below which a drinks bar is installed. The eye-catching ceiling is festooned with what looks like hundreds of miniature flying saucers. The pastry section is planted right into the middle of the restaurant, and an open kitchen lies on the far side, creating a backdrop of action and noise. It looks modern and chic. The décor instantly conjures the sensation of being at one of South Africa’s top spots.

The menu is basically Japanese _kaiseki_ meets South African cuisine. To my tastebuds, that is a marriage made in heaven. The menu also has a strong ethos of sustainability, sourcing ingredients from sustainable producers and even training chefs to forage themselves. This resulted in FYN being awarded the Flor de Caña Sustainable Restaurant Award this year. There is a “reduced” and “full” Experience Menu, though I cannot imagine many opting out of the full experience if you’ve made all this effort to get a table. From a tourist’s perspective, carrying UK currency, at 1,875 Rand for the full tasting menu, that’s about £80 or $100 per person. These days you couldn’t buy a fish finger sandwich for that in London. Of course, everything is relative, and for this part of the world, that is top end.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1695996913669-FYN+-+amuses+bouche_copy+%282%29.jpg)

_Yellowtail nigiri, Kosho salsa, aged shoyu/Mozambican crab with rice and seaweed salad, furikake/Lambert’s Bay abalone with truffle kaeshi_

Certainly, the trio of starters of yellowtail nigiri with Kosho salsa and aged shoyu, Mozambican crab with rice and seaweed salad and most of all, the Lambert’s Bay abalone with truffle kaeshi, are strong starters, evidence of their meticulous sourcing. Indeed, I am reliably informed that Tempelhoff makes regular trips to Japan to research its endless culinary scene.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1695996963189-FYN+-+gamefish_copy+%281%29.jpg)

_Binchotan seared gamefish, tempura dune spinach and pomelo chirizu_

The gamefish sashimi with tempura dune spinach and pomelo chirizu is fine, though unfairly, I can’t help comparing it with the sashimi eaten around Japan just a couple of weeks earlier. Here, I just feel that the pomelo chirizu overpowers the gamefish.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1695996998965-FYN+-+springbok_copy+%281%29.jpg)

_Robata-grilled springbok leg, pepperdew, black cardamom mealie pap with Cape Mountain sage_

The robata-grilled springbok leg with pepperdew peppers and black cardamom mealie pap with Cape Mountain sage is delicious. Mealie pap is ostensibly South African porridge made from oats, and it is a nice touch, incorporating a dish that much of the population eats for breakfast each morning.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1695997035443-FYN+-+kingklip_copy+%281%29.jpg)

_Poached kingklip, rack seaweed, crayfish espuma and black caviar_

The poached kingklip with rack seaweed and a crayfish espuma, ceremoniously poured into the bowl at our table, comes with a generous blob of black caviar. This is a subtle dish that works very well, the salinity of caviar driving the dish without overwhelming the moist, succulent fish. The espuma is so well seasoned and delicious that I would mop up with a spare bit of bread if there has been one on the table.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1695997073990-FYN+-+fregola_copy+%281%29.jpg)

_Wild mushroom fregola, globe artichoke, hazelnut, nasturtium and vegetable jibuni sauce_

The wild mushroom fregola with globe artichoke, hazelnut, nasturtium and vegetable Jibuni sauce (a traditional sauce from Kanazawa on Japan’s northern coast) is brilliant, maybe my favorite, not least because I am a fully paid-up member of the artichoke fan club. This is perfectly cooked and matches the wild mushroom fregola with perfection, irresistible autumnal flavors that are all in complete harmony.  

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1695997114720-FYN+-+wagyu_copy+%281%29.jpg)

_Cape Wagyu with kabocha, KZN black truffle and pumpkin hollandaise_

I would love to rave about the Cape Wagyu with kabocha, KZN black truffle and pumpkin hollandaise. The problem is all mine. Just don’t even think about eating Wagyu if you’ve spent time in Japan, where the Wagyu literally melts on the tongue. You just cannot find that elsewhere, which is why I never choose Wagyu outside Japan. But the pumpkin hollandaise is delicious.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1695997151367-FYN+-+deserts_copy+%281%29.jpg)

_Madagascan chocolate, mascarpone, pumpkin seed/Rice ice cream and shoyu syrup/Burnt pineapple with yuzu_

The dinner ends as it began, as a trio: Madagascan chocolate, mascarpone and pumpkin seed, rice ice cream and shoyu syrup and burnt pineapple with yuzu. They do not possess the dazzling intricacy that you might find from a top pastry chef, and maybe the pineapple is superfluous. But the rice ice cream is delicious, and I can devour another of the Madagascan chocolate and mascarpone.

FYN has a very fine wine list that naturally cherry-picks some of the Cape’s most coveted labels. Of course, since South African wines have not succumbed to the price-gouging that afflicts Bordeaux and Burgundy, there are some real gems. On this occasion, we had pre-arranged to bring our own bottles, though it is only because my host is a long-term friend of the owners. I believe that BYO is only permitted in exceptional circumstances, and frankly, you’d be missing out on what the Cape has to offer.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1695997188160-FYN+-+riesling_copy+%281%29.jpg)

We started with two wines from winemaker **Jessica Saurwein**. The **2018 Riesling Chi** was her maiden vintage. It is still youthful on the nose with orchard fruit and light petrol-like scents, not complex but armed with admirable purity. The palate has a pleasant, slightly oily texture, with notes of lime, grapefruit, and tropical fruit manifesting towards the finish with pineapple and fresh Anjou pear. Drink this now if you wish, but it will easily give another decade of drinking pleasure. The **2018 Pinot Noir**  **Nom** is a wine I tasted last year, but I might have underrated it back then. I was really taken with this wine: less earthy than before, brighter with vivid red fruit and just the faintest of peppery notes. The palate still offers a silky-smooth texture, but again, this bottle was imbued with greater vitality and tension on the finish, reminding me of a Volnay. Wonderful.

I must admit that coming to South Africa, I did not anticipate drinking two post-war vintages of Mouton-Rothschild side-by-side, including one I had never tasted before. In fact, it is my first time drinking a 1948 First Growth, perhaps because it is a vintage more known for a cluster of Right Bank legends such as Cheval Blanc and Vieux-Château-Certan. I must admit to being intrigued by this particular growing season that was not as disastrous as 1946, but that has always been overshadowed by vintages on either side.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1695997212856-FYN+-+mouton+bottles_copy+%281%29.jpg)

The **1948 Mouton-Rothschild** acquits itself well in what was a cool summer that begat tannic, masculine wines. According to Michael Broadbent, it was green in its youth and required 20 years of bottle age. It remains fresh and well-defined on the nose with dark berry fruit, cigar smoke and light tertiary aromas. There is certainly no shortfall of fruit, more a Pauillac that must suffice with ‘rationed’ fruit that year. After all, it was born amid post-war austerity. What it lacks in substance, it makes up for with impressive balance and no evidence of greenness. Perchance that has been subsumed into wine over several decades? You could quibble that this Mouton is a bit conservative and lacks the flair of other vintages. Yet it has a stately presence, one befitting a First Growth in all but name. The **1949 Mouton-Rothschild** is a better wine than the 1948. I must admit that though this was a sound bottle, it did not reveal the spectral beauty of the previous bottle at the Four Seasons five years ago. Yet it has an entrancing bouquet, quite sensual and generous for a 1949 with those traits of graphite and delicatessen permeating vestiges of red fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, extant red fruit that is precocious and maybe more like a 1947 in personality. A peacock’s tail on the finish leaves you drinking in awe. Outstanding, even if not the perfection that this Pauillac can be on its day.

We finished with a sweet wine. The **2019 Lost & Found** from **Alheit Vineyards** is Chris Alheit’s straw wine made from 100% Muscat d’Alexandria. There are fig and quince aromas on the delineated nose. It feels a little more cohesive than when I first tasted this last year. The palate is beautifully balanced with Seville orange and tangerine, viscous in texture with a penetrating finish. Fabulous.

I thoroughly enjoyed FYN. I appreciated the buzz about the place. There were a couple of dishes where, with background knowledge of Japanese cuisine, I might tweak a couple of things. Still, overall, this kaiseki-Cape fusion is imaginative and, most importantly, delicious. As I mentioned before, I was prejudiced by my recent trip to Japan and an obsessive pursuit of detail that must be impossible to transfer to a team of chefs, however hard-working. Then again, this is not pure Japanese gastronomy, so looking back, I should not expect that level of detail and precision. What I cannot find in Japan are those wonderful ingredients that you only find in the Cape that give FYN a unique twist. As I said, for anyone visiting the Cape, it represents outstanding value for money, though be advised that you must book in advance as demand for a seat is high. Alongside Pot Luck Club and the aforementioned La Colombe, FYN should be on your must-do places to dine when visiting Cape Town.

_© 2023, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._



Vinous Table: FYN, Cape Town, South Africa

Vinous Table: FYN, Cape Town, South Africa (Sep 2023)

[
### Mountain
](https://mountainbeakstreet.com/)

16-18 Beak St

London W1F 9RD

BY NEAL MARTIN | SEPTEMBER 22, 2023

**The Food:**

Raw Sobrassada with honey

Spider crab omelette

Grilled red peppers with squid

John Dory (for two) with wood-fried rice, lettuce and anchovies

Torrija with blackberries and a light custard cream

**The Wine:**

2021 Antonio Madeira Branco 90

I love a mountain. The higher, the better. I’m obsessed. Whenever Mont Blanc shows its snow-capped face on the horizon as I drive up the RN74 in Burgundy, I cannot avoid returning its distant gaze - hazardous, given I should really be looking at the oncoming traffic. It’s because I was brought up in Essex, a county afflicted with S.C.D. - serious contour deficiency. Essex's highest “summit” is a pathetic 147m and requires neither oxygen canisters nor sherpas.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1695155178563-mountain+tomos_copy.jpg)

_The open kitchen at Mountain. Sorry, I couldn’t move the pillar, but Tomos Parry is standing just to the right._

When I caught wind that Anglesey-born chef Tomos Parry planned to open a new restaurant called “Mountain”, well, I could not quell my excitement. Was Parry about to open at the top of Mt. Snowdon…sorry…Yr Wyddf to give it its newly-minted and unpronounceable Welsh name? Sadly not. Mountain is in flat-as-a-pancake Soho, a couple of minutes trot from Piccadilly in a former burger joint. Title aside, my excitement was fuelled by Parry’s first restaurant, [Brat](https://vinous.com/articles/vinous-table-brat-london-uk-aug-2018), what many consider London’s most significant restaurant opening in recent years. Brat’s whole turbot is already a culinary legend. Since Brat opened its doors in 2018, Parry’s career has soared, thankfully, without the need for endless television appearances on Masterchef or yet another cookery. Instead, he simply operates the stove at all times to ensure every dish meets his standards. His take on Basque cuisine intermixed with his Welsh roots and utilizing wood fire was inspired and earned the respect of critics, fellow chefs and, judging by waiting lists, loyal customers. There must have been Everest-high expectations for what is surely the opening of 2023, and when The Times’ Giles Coren gushes that “The Most Exciting New Restaurant This Year” when we’re only halfway through it, well, it was time to find out.

Mountain is a spacious restaurant occupying the ground floor and basement of the red-brick corner building. The ground floor houses the open kitchen, so open that you could literally just walk in and pan-fry a fish before anyone noticed. (They probably would notice and manhandle you to the ground, so I wouldn’t try it.) It is a large team under Parry’s command, and apparently, it includes an in-house back and butcher, the latter enabling them to handle carcasses on site.

The tables are quite close together, and let’s be frank, it’s noisy. If you seek intimate conversation, or your fellow diner has the voice of a timid mouse with a sore throat, then request a table downstairs. I habitually dislike basements, shut off from the hustle and bustle of the kitchen and tucked away out of sight, like a naughty corner for misbehaving diners. But Mountain rethinks the idea of basement dining to create a totally different and, for me, attractive ambiance. It’s quieter, more clubby and more relaxed but not dead – there is a cool atmosphere as the wood fire oven burns in the far corner. There is a separate drinks bar behind which a retooled turntable plays a selection of choice vinyl (not “vinyls”, which has entered parlance amongst less knowledgeable in the collector world and is WRONG). Anyway, it’s much cooler than lazily programming a Spotify playlist through a naff speaker. It’s these little touches that make the difference. Next time, I may check out downstairs and maybe bring some of my own discs to play. Don’t worry, TP, it won’t be Rick Astley.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1695155257344-mountain+squid_copy.jpg)

_Grilled red peppers with squid_

Mountain offers a straightforward à la carte menu that neatly fits onto one A4 page, but there are plenty of options. Like Brat, it leans more towards fish than meat, and there are plenty of dishes to share. I notice some menu crossover with Brat, which is no bad thing, though perhaps Mountain pushes the envelope, more experimental? I had to ask my waiter to identify two or three of the dishes – always good to expand one’s knowledge.

We share three starters. The raw Sobrassada with honey is superb. The Spanish ham is subtle in flavor, a little sweeter and not spicy, and the clear honey is not too intense or unctuous. Laid atop charred toast, lending an acrid note, this is a solid, very appetizing start.

The Spider crab omelette is a dish that I am eagerly looking forward to, and we are advised to slice it open as soon as it lands. I feel like a surgeon. The omelette itself is beautifully cooked, light and airy. Personally, I would have liked to taste a little more of the crab itself because it comes across more like an upmarket omelette, and it could use just a pinch more seasoning. The Welsh-sourced seaweed just needs a little more punch. There’s potential in this dish, but it needs pimping up.

According to our waiter, the grilled red peppers with squid only appears intermittently on the menu, depending on availability. Our tentacled friend is fished from Cornish waters. The squid is grilled, maybe just 30 seconds too long. The less-cooked part is more flavorsome and tender. The ribbons of red pepper are sweet and divine, ditto the caramelized onion, though the knob of black pudding is perhaps surplus to requirements.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1695155294913-mountain+dory_copy.jpg)

_John Dory (for two) with wood-fried rice, lettuce with anchovies_

The main course delivers on my high expectations. We choose a medium-sized John Dory to share, and the fish is served whole with a fabulous citrus dressing that we are advised to mix into the skin to lend umami. Cooked to perfection, this must be one of the finest fish courses in London right now. The Dory is slightly meaty in texture, soft and moist. Unlike Parry’s aforementioned whole turbot, you cannot enjoy the delicacy of the fish’s cheeks, but by the time I was scraping morsels from the bone, I was basking in the afterglow of a memorable dish. For sides, we order wood-fired rice that proves to be a marriage made in heaven with the John Dory. The rice is a short-grain Bimba rice mixed with olive oil and lemon so that when oven-cooked in a shallow metal pan, it develops a slightly crunchy surface while semi-caramelizing the rice. A simple dish elevated by technique. Accompanied by a bowl of lettuce and anchovies, these three are gustatory heaven, and my tastebuds are swooning.

Dessert o’clock. We share a torrija with blackberries and a light custard cream. I will confess that I wanted the dish I spied our neighboring table eating, and stupid me, I misordered. Torrija is not unlike a fried brioche with a sugary coating, and it’s just not my kind of dessert these days. Calories and whatever… My fault. I should add that our waiter offered to change it, but I’ll save it for next time.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1695155392461-mountain+rice_copy.jpg)

_The wood-fired rice that accompanies the dory_

The wine list is impressive. Parry later tells me that the extensive list is sourced from around 30 suppliers, whereas the team at Noble Rot curates Brat’s. Mountain’s vinous selection is eclectic and, at times, daring in its choices, leaning towards low-intervention producers with an entire page devoted to orange wines. It is particularly strong in regional France, Spain, Iberia and Italy. I’d like to see a few more New World wines, particularly from South Africa, that would marry well with the current selection. Bottle prices seem reasonable compared to elsewhere, with the predictable exception of Burgundy. Today’s ex-Domaine prices are such that even regional wines look poor value to other regions. Also, I notice nary a Bordeaux. I enquired why. The sommelier replies that she just hasn’t found anything exciting to list. I’m about to launch into a lecture and command her to subscribe to Vinous for enlightenment, but on second thought, I know where she’s coming from. It signals the significant challenges that Bordeaux faces. While I cannot discern prejudice against the region, with faceless château names and lack of winemaker identity, it seems like a throwback to another time, conservative and unintentionally aloof, not least to younger drinkers. Maybe a pertinent reminder to the Côte d’Or that you can easily price yourself out of mindset.

I decide to venture to Portugal because their whites are criminally overlooked. The **2021 Branco** from **Antonio Madeira** is a gem from the Dão. A field blend of no less than twenty biodynamically-farmed, autochthonous grape varieties, the nose is initially arresting. It’s a little oxidative with pungent marine, fish scale scents. On its own, it feels a bit raw. However, once the dishes arrive, the wine finds its groove, the aromatics’ oxidative slant abating, and the thwack of salinity partnering the John Dory with style. It’s a white Portuguese wine surfeit with character, uncompromising in the word's positive sense and great value to boot.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1695155425798-mountain+dessert_copy.jpg)

_Torrija with blackberries and a light custard cream_

Afterward, I chat with Parry, standing by the service counter. Given his success and adulation, it’s refreshing to meet a chef without airs and graces, implacable and relaxed, however busy the restaurant, always happy to talk. Even though a couple of the starters could be tweaked, Mountain has hit the ground running. Thursday lunch and the restaurant is packed to the rafters, while evenings need to be booked long in advance. Even the counter, where passers-by can grab a spot sans reservation if free, is full of contented diners.  

Not so long ago, Soho was lacking destination restaurants. Now, it has both Mountain and the nearby branch of [Noble Rot](https://vinous.com/articles/vinous-table-noble-rot-soho-london-uk-sep-2020), as well as stalwart [Andrew Edmunds](https://vinous.com/articles/vinous-table-andrew-edmunds-london-uk-oct-2022). Service is excellent throughout, courtesy of a crack team of cool dude waiters. The waitress mentions that the team has been cherry-picked from existing affiliated restaurants, explaining why things already operate like a well-oiled machine. That is something to appreciate at a time when even famous restaurants struggle to recruit experienced staff.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1695155455641-mountain+wine_copy.jpg)

Where next for Welsh wünderkind?

I hope that he doesn’t expand too quickly and risk diluting his talent. He could easily franchise out his name, but he’s too clever for that. He’s a chef committed to what is on his plate and, refreshingly, less interested in the rock star lifestyle. Parry’s name is synonymous with quality. I would say “soulful” cooking, perfectly attuned to the move toward less fussy or pretentious cuisine, basing dishes around fastidiously sourced ingredients that are perfectly cooked.

Currently, there is no chef whose food I would rather eat than Tomos Parry’s.

_© 2023, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._



Vinous Table: Mountain, London, UK

Vinous Table: Mountain, London, UK (Sep 2023)

### [64 Goodge Street](https://64goodgestreet.co.uk/)

64 Goodge Street

London W1T 4NF

Phone: 0203 747 6364

Nearest tube: Goodge Street (obviously)

BY NEAL MARTIN | SEPTEMBER 15, 2023

### The Food:

Scallops, lentils & beurre blanc

Half a Basque chicken with girolles, tarragon & Savagnin (for 2)

Gâteau Marjolaine: Meringue, chocolate ganache & hazelnut

**The Wines:**

| 2018 Domaine des Carlines Côte de Jura La Vouivre | 87 |
| 2014 Domaine Guyon Côteaux Bourguignons Les Glapignys | 89 |

Restaurants named after their address…could that be due to a lack of inspiration? Instead, I like to think that it is a considerate gesture. No need to look up the address – you already have it. Of course, this meant that I sauntered straight past the front door of 64 Goodge Street since I presumed to know where Goodge Street is. Logically, it is where Goodge Street tube station is located, right? Well, now I know that Goodge Street tube station is, in fact, located on Tottenham Court Road. I guess the tube station down the road had already nabbed that name. Now enlightened about which thoroughfare is Goodge Street, I made my way back for a much-needed supper after a day marred by sad news that morning. Opportunity to raise a glass to a departed friend.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1694788222301-64+-+kitchen+%281%29.jpg)

_The 64 Goodge Street kichen_

64 Goodge Street is part of the growing portfolio of London restaurants under the Woodland Restaurant Group, co-founded by Will Lander, that includes Quality Chop House, Clipstone, Portland and Emilia. Lander being the son of Jancis Robinson, it is no surprise that all feature strong wine lists. Lander’s latest addition opened in early August 2023, and like all his restaurants, it enjoys a very central location in Fitzrovia, in what was once a travel agency. It’s not a large restaurant. There is a ground floor with around 30 covers, a brightly-lit open kitchen at the far end and a basement that houses a swanky private room. The vibe is upmarket bistro, with dark olive-painted walls and low lighting, ensuring the interior feels cozy and lived-in.

Quoting directly from their website, 64 Goodge Street is “French cooking from an outsider’s perspective.” The head chef is Stuart Andrew, who started out at Portland eight years ago. It’s a straightforward à la carte menu with five or six choices per course, perhaps along the lines of [Noble Rot](https://vinous.com/articles/vinous-table-noble-rot-mayfair-london-uk-jun-2023) or [Wild Flor](https://vinous.com/articles/vinous-table-wild-flor-brighton-uk-nov-2022). Of all Landers’ restaurants, I probably like Andrew’s menu the most. It’s unfussy, nothing flashy or pretentious, but every dish is very well executed and hearty without being excessively rich. Execution is a facet of gastronomy that I have become sensitive to since spending time in Japan, where execution is paramount. I couldn’t fault the dishes.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1694788284037-64+-+scallops_copy.jpg)

_Scallops, lentils & beurre blanc_

I commenced with two scallops served with lentils and a beurre blanc. This was a delicious starter. The scallops were perfectly cooked, with just the right consistency, and the beurre blanc lent a little bite and frisson. The balance here was just right.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1694788317289-64+chicken+%281%29.jpg)

_Half a Basque chicken with girolles, tarragon & Savagnin (for 2)_

Together with my dining partners (one entering his final trimester…I’m glad he’s eating well even before he’s born), we opted for the shared half-a-Basque chicken with girolles, tarragon & Savagnin. One is naturally drawn to comparisons with [Noble Rot Soho’s](https://vinous.com/articles/vinous-table-noble-rot-soho-rotter-s-christmas-gutbuster-mar-2022) signature dish. I think they are both wonderful. Here, the chicken was moist and beautifully seasoned, the girolles reminding me that no fungi tastes as good, and the tarragon and Savagnin lending a background edginess to keep the dish on its tippy-toes.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1694788352128-64+-+gateau+%281%29.jpg)

_Gâteau Marjolaine: Meringue, chocolate ganache & hazelnut_

As good as those two were, the dish I really fell in love with was the dessert: the Gâteau Marjolaine, layers of meringue, chocolate ganache & hazelnut. This was a guilty pleasure, the hazelnuts sharp in flavor and offsetting the sweetness of the meringue (any more might have unbalanced the dish). It was perfectly prepared and comes highly recommended.

The wine list is excellent, as I expected, with a smattering of mature bottles, thankfully without gouging mark-ups and many wines available by either glass or carafe, the latter always helpful when, like me, I was not in the mood for over-indulging. There is a clear preference for Burgundy over Bordeaux with plenty of choices, no blue-chips growers, rather names with good reputations.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1694788390193-64+-+jura+wine+%281%29.jpg)

The sommelier recommended the **2018 Côte de Jura La Vouivre** from **Domaine des Carlines** , and after a sip, I ordered a glass. This is one of those wines that I really tried my best to enjoy. The oxidative element hovers in the background on the nose, but I could live with that as the palate displayed freshness and an appealing nutty/smoky quality. As time went on, that oxidation began to grow on confidence and started to impede upon the flavors of my chicken. Maybe I just wasn’t in the mood. Instead, I switched to a **2014 Côteaux Bourguignons Les Glapignys** from **Domaine Guyon**. This is a delicious Chardonnay/Pinot Blanc blend with pretty grapefruit, lime and orange pith scents on the nose. The palate is not complex yet is well balanced with commendable acidity, just a sliver of peachiness towards the finish. Unlike the Côte de Jura, it knows its place on the dinner table – to complement the food, not quarrel with it.

Overall, 64 Goodge Street is a welcome addition to the capital’s dynamic dining scene. Prices are reasonable, and the décor is tasteful and classy. I always like an open kitchen, and the service is absolutely top-notch. A central location and tempting wine list mean that oenophiles venturing to London will enjoy its take on Gallic cuisine. Plus, of course, no need to look up the address.

_© 2023, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._



Vinous Table: 64 Goodge Street, London, UK

Vinous Table: 64 Goodge Street, London, UK (Sep 2023)

### [Planque](http://www.planque.co.uk/)

322-324 Acton Mews

London E8 4DY

BY NEAL MARTIN | JULY 07, 2023

### The Food:

House sourdough and butter

Carlingford oyster, Savagnin & chicken fat

Razor clams with calamansi and nasturtium leaves

Asparagus, faisselle, capers and kombu

Chickpea panisse, anchovies and Espelette

Smoked eel, squash and brown butter

Grilled pollack, leek and wild garlic

Pork collar, collard green shoots and white bean puree

24-month aged Comté

St Jude ice cream, meringue and bread caramel

**The Wines:**

| 1982 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne | 94 |
| 2001 Morey Blanc Montrachet Grand Cru | NR |
| 2017 Domaine Etienne Sauzet Montrachet Grand Cru | 91 |
| 2006 Château Rayas Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc | 95 |
| 2009 Château Rayas Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc | NR |
| 1990 Château Rayas Châteauneuf-du-Pape | 99 |
| 2005 Château Rayas Châteauneuf-du-Pape | 98 |
| 2006 Château Rayas Châteauneuf-du-Pape | NR |
| 2009 Château Rayas Châteauneuf-du-Pape | 97 |
| 2012 Domaine Georges Roumier Chambolle-Musigny Les Cras 1er Cru | 93 |

Once upon a time, not that long ago, while I would not claim to have poured Rayas onto my Rice Krispies each morning, bottles intermittently deigned me with their presence. Rhône has never been my focus. However, your palate would seriously malfunction if it failed to swoon each time it was acquainted with this most quixotic of wines. A vertical tasting of the Rayas Châteauneuf-du-Pape, a dozen or so vintages back to 1978, is indelibly printed in my memory. A merchant organized it in the glory days when such tastings could exist without remortgaging the house. Like nearly all producers whose wines were deemed a cut above the rest, not least those with fabled owners such as Jacques Reynaud and later his nephew Emmanuel, Rayas turned from a niche cult to a global cult. Market prices soon had a couple of extra zeros added to the end. Rayas suddenly disappeared from view. Therefore, when invited to a supper featuring a clutch of vintages, I canceled whatever was in my diary (nothing) and made a beeline for Planque.

_![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1688742871032-planque+oysters_finalcopy.jpg)_

_Carlingford oyster, Savagnin & chicken fat_

Planque is located in the hipster-ville of East London in Haggerston and is a self-described “wine drinkers’ clubhouse”. Run along similar lines to 67 Pall Mall and Oswald’s, Planque is a private members’ club for oenophiles wishing to conveniently store their wines, access a private dining room and BYO, all for the price of what, in London terms, is a relatively modest fee. The venue is open to non-members, albeit without the benefits. Admittedly, it’s not the easiest place to find, with an innocuous entrance you could simply walk straight past, and the club itself accommodated inside two converted railway arches. The décor is easy on the eye: a chill-out lounge area stocked with magazines and glossy coffee table books, an alcove housing a private room, a wall-spanning cellar illuminated behind thick glass and its centerpiece, a magnificent 10-meter-long communal oak table. Ex-Chiltern Firehouse chef Seb Myers helms the open kitchen.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1688741011777-planque+asparagus_copy.jpg)

_Asparagus, faisselle, capers and kombu_

The food is top-notch. The house sourdough bread was gooey and moist, and the Carlingford oysters in Savagnin and chicken fat were tangy and saline. My favorite was the razor clams with calamansi. The nasturtium leaves sported optimal chewiness, while the calamansi imparted flavor-enhancing acidity and married perfectly with the nasturtium. From this, we moved on to smoked eel, served with squash and brown butter, a very competent dish. However, I have unrealistic expectations because I am accustomed to eel _(unagi)_ that I relish over in Japan, and it’s impossible to find equal quality in the UK. Yet the grilled pollack with leek and wild garlic was perfectly executed, moist and meaty. Kudos for showing just what this underrated fish is capable of.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1688741022875-planque+chickpea_copy.jpg)

_Chickpea panisse, anchovies and Espelette_

Asparagus, perfectly cooked and seasoned, was served upon a mousse of faisselle, capers and kombu, a lovely, refreshing combination. Chickpea panisse, anchovies and Espelette dish was one of the highlights. The anchovies lent the salty tang, while the Espelette brought a welcome fire without shading the subtle flavors of the panisse.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1688741043015-planque+eel_copy.JPG)

_Smoked eel, squash and brown butter_

We chose just one meat dish: the pork collar with collard green shoots and white bean purée conveyed autumnal warmth despite it being early spring. The pork had just enough fat.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1688741055660-planque+pollock_copy.JPG)

_Grilled pollack, leek and wild garlic_

We finished with plates of 24-month aged Comté. I could not resist the St Jude ice cream that came with meringue and bread caramel.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1688741066555-planque+pork_copy.jpg)

_Pork collar, collard green shoots and white bean puree_

Though the food was excellent, this evening focused on exceptional bottles proffered by the six guests. We commence with the lesser-spotted **1982 Comtes de Champagne** from **Taittinger**. Its arresting nose seems initially too oxidative, though against expectations, I soon become accustomed to this trait, and it complements the grilled walnut and autumn bonfire scents, the aromatics coalescing only after 30 minutes in the glass. Pungent, in an uncompromising and positive way. The palate is lovely: walnut and hazelnuts flanked by wild peach and nectarine notes. Harmonious and persistent with impressive weight on the finish, this is a love-it/hate-it champagne that, for myself, goes from the latter to the former. This is accompanied by a Blanc de Blancs Les Perrières from Ulysse Collin, though I do not find out the vintage base and do not take a note, probably because I am instead fixated on the mercurial Taittinger. _Désolé_.

_![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1688741077157-planque+cheese_copy.jpg)_

_Twenty-four-month aged Comté_

A pair of white Burgundy wines follow from its noblest _climat_. The **2001 Montrachet Grand Cru** from **Morey Blanc** , the négociant side of Domaine Pierre Morey in Meursault, is disappointing. Again, there is some oxidation on the nose with touches of walnut, crème brûlée and sea spray fighting against it. The palate is powerful. However, I find this bottle distastefully oxidative, erasing the _mineralité_ one expects in a Montrachet. Maybe there are better bottles out there? Perhaps the second would compensate? Not really. The **2017 Montrachet Grand Cru** from **Domaine Etienne Sauzet** has an intense nose with nectarine, white linen and pressed flower scents. It's fairly backward with a subtle petrol-like tincture. The palate is very well-balanced, harmonious and slightly peachy in style, though I want more tension and more electricity running through the finish, prompting me to lower my score because that is something that I expect from whites in this cooler vintage, not least from this Grand Cru.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1688741095575-planque+ice+cream_copy.JPG)

_St Jude ice cream, meringue and bread caramel_

We move on to the main event and a run of bottles from **Château Rayas**. The **2006 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc** is sensational. Tight on the nose, it unfolds with scents of lanolin, hazelnut, melted candle wax and orange rind, even a suggestion of freshly picked strawberry, until you are completely mesmerized. The palate is precocious, perhaps with a little botrytized fruit, vanilla pod and almond shavings. It’s slightly creamy in texture with wild peach on its caressing finish. Just a joyous wine. We all have high expectations for the **2009 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc,** but lo and behold, TCA rears its ugly head and flattens the aromatics.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1688741150196-planque+1982+taittinger_copy.jpg)

To the reds!

The **1990 Châteauneuf-du-Pape** flirts with that tantalizing intangibility of perfection. The bouquet is heavenly, loaded with melted red fruit, kirsch, touches of Christmas cake, leather and aniseed. Aromas seem to billow and, like your favorite aunt, give the olfactory senses a warm maternal hug. Armed with stunning delineation, I could have just inhaled its perfume all night. The palate is sweet on the entry with cashmere tannins and perfect acidity. Tart cherries and rooibos intertwine towards the sensual finish. It is an utterly spellbinding Châteauneuf-du-Pape that surpasses even my own sky-high expectations. God invented wine to drink wines like this. The **2005 Châteauneuf-du-Pape** has the unenviable task of following the 1990 and does with some chutzpah. A cornucopia of scents: brambly red fruit, Kalamata olives, black pepper, Seville orange marmalade and fresh-picked fennel. Whereas the 1990 has reached its aromatic peak, you feel as if this has more in reserve. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins, a satin-like texture with fine depth. Seamless, harmonious and sensual, there is a trace of rosemary and sage towards its precise finish. You could almost describe this as “clinical,” yet that would be a disservice to its personality and charm. Unfortunately, our **2006 Châteauneuf-du-Pape** is slightly tainted – two Rayas casualties in one night being two too many. The **2009 Châteauneuf-du-Pape** is the third Rayas to blow our minds. Stunning delineation on the nose, this offers layers of red fruit, menthol, lavender oil and rosemary, the fruit just a notch darker than the 2005 alongside. The palate is perfectly balanced with a hint of Lapsang Souchong, fanning out gloriously towards a finish that shows disarming tenderness and restraint. I am utterly smitten by its elegance. Why are not more Châteauneufs like this?

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1688741172282-planque+rayas+line+up_copy.jpg)

Bringing up the rear is no less than the **2012 Chambolle-Musigny Les Cras 1er Cru** from **Domaine Georges Roumier**. This vintage was actually missing from the vertical a few months ago, so it is a pleasure to revisit. Raspberry and wild strawberry on the nose that is bolder than expected. The 2012 eventually calms down and reveals more _mineralité_. The palate is still relatively backward with grippy tannins, suggesting that it might benefit from another couple of years in bottle. Persistent with vibrant redcurrant and raspberry on the finish, this is an impressive Les Cras that will drink longer than initially expected.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1688741196621-planque+bottles_copy.JPG)

This was a splendid evening bejeweled with memorable bottles. While regretting how market demand has made Rayas a fetish producer, when tasting wines like the 2009, 2005 and not least the spectral 1990, you understand why wallets open as wide as they do. At least if you look around, there are still a handful of restaurants in France that sell mature vintages on their list for less inflated prices…one recently with vintages mentioned here under €400 a bottle, and no, I’m not divulging where they are. You have to stumble upon them as I do. Planque is a fine addition to the London dining landscape. There was a buzzy atmosphere and a satisfying feeling of dining a bit geographically off-piste in a hideaway den that only you and your mates know about, whereas 67 Pall Mall evokes the feeling of being in the center of things. The food was excellent from start to finish. The service was attentive without being overbearing. Maybe Planque is a bit too out of the way for me to visit regularly, but certainly, I hope to return, especially if wines like these are at the destination.

_© 2023, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._



Vinous Table: Planque, London, UK

Vinous Table: Planque, London, UK (Jul 2023)

[
### Osteria Le Logge
](http://osterialelogge.it/en/home-osteria)

Via del Porrione 33

53100 Siena

T +39 0577 48013

F +39 0577 224797

lelogge@osterialelogge.it

BY ANTONIO GALLONI | JUNE 30, 2023

### The Food:

Vitello Tonnato; Salsa Ponzu

Poached Eggs ‘Parisi’; Dried Tomatoes, Pecorino Foam, Black Truffles

Spaghetti ‘Mancini’; Onion, Rigatino, Pecorino

Stuffed Rabbit; Prosciutto, Blueberry, Dried Grapes, Pistachio, Potato Cake

Hazelnut Variations

**The Drinks:**

Le Logge Negroni 91

The life of a wine critic might seem glamorous at first glance. To be sure, we have an opportunity to taste fabulous wines on a regular basis and to travel to beautiful destinations, the sort of places people dream of visiting once in a lifetime. But it is also a hard job that involves tasting a lot of wine, much of it far from the sorts of rare bottles that end up on social media, along with extended time away from home and the never-ending pressure of deadlines. When I am on the road I rarely go out for fancy meals, much preferring the comfort of something simpler.

After a week of travel and tastings, I decided to pay a visit to Osteria Le Logge in Siena, one of my local favorites. It was my first time back since before COVID, a reminder of the time gap created by a pandemic that disrupted everything for several years.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1688135844161-VT_June302023_3.jpg)

_Poached Eggs ‘Parisi’; Dried Tomatoes, Pecorino Foam, Black Truffles_

Osteria Le Logge is conveniently located just off Siena’s Campo, in the center of town. Well, convenient only if you are in Siena already. I had forgotten what a hassle it is to park here, something readers should keep in mind. Siena is about an hour’s drive from the northern reaches of Chianti Classico, 20-30 minutes from the southern part of the appellation and about an hour away from Montalcino. It is well worth the trip.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1688135714543-VT_June302023_1.jpg)

_Le Logge Negroni_

Brunello di Montalcino producer Gianni Brunelli and his wife, Laura, founded Le Logge in 1977. Sadly, Gianni Brunelli passed away in 2008. In the ensuing years, Laura Brunelli gradually transitioned management and ownership of Le Logge to her long-standing team headed by Manager Mirco Vigni and Chef Nico Atrigna.

The interior dining room is classic old-school Italy, a bit stuffy, and very much linked to another era. Le Logge comes alive in the spring and summer, when the dining room expands onto the street and becomes a classic Italian scene of eating, drinking and people watching. The tiny bar space across the street, a recent addition, is the perfect place to grab an aperitivo.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1688135698433-VT_June302023_4-Pasta.jpg)

_Spaghetti ‘Mancini’; Onion, Rigatino, Pecorino_

Atrigna offers a menu of creative dishes with links to tradition but in an updated style. Le Logge is not the place to come for the classics of the Tuscan kitchen. Plenty of other establishments will fit that bill. Diners will find a small, seasonal menu of beautiful, creative dishes, perfectly cooked and presented. And there is the wine. Vigni has built a breathtaking cellar that will satisfy even the most demanding oenophiles. I won’t share all the treasures on the list, readers will have to discover those on their own. Let’s just say the selection is dazzling. Prices are also quite fair, given where the market is today. If you are looking for large formats, ask for a special list dedicated to big bottles.

After a day of tastings I was more in the mood for a cocktail than wine. Le Logge’s take on the Negroni is a blend of equal parts of Port infused with dried _gentiana_, a medicinal root found in various regions throughout Italy and a touch of framboise (meant to represent the Campari/vermouth portion of the cocktail) and gin infused with grapefruit zest and poppy seeds. It’s a complex, rich drink probably better suited to the cooler fall and winter months, but a tasty cocktail I am happy to nurse over dinner.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1688135816491-VT_June302023_2.jpg)

_Vitello Tonnato; Salsa Ponzu_

I must say the Vitello Tonnato does not stand out as an obvious choice on the menu, as it is a more typically Piedmontese dish, but it comes highly recommended, so I give it a try. I am not disappointed. The tonnato sauce as it were is delicately wrapped into slices of veal. Ponzu sauce adds a welcome touch of spice and nuance to round things out. Sublime. The first black truffles of the year adorn a poached egg topped with Pecorino foam. What’s not to love?

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1688135734607-VT_June302023_5-Rabbit.jpg)

_Stuffed Rabbit; Prosciutto, Blueberry, Dried Grapes, Pistachio, Potato Cake_

The spaghetti is the most classic of the dishes on the menu. Le Logge uses spaghetti from Mancini, a mill in Le Marche, which I am seeing on more and more tables these days. The topping of various onions, _rigatino_ (a local pancetta) and Pecorino is super-classic. And absolutely delicious. Rabbit stuffed with prosciutto, blueberry, dried grapes and pistachio is a more robust dish and typical of the more elaborate choices on the menu. It is very good, but I am still thinking about that pasta!

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1688135752158-VT_June302023_5-Dessert.jpg)

_Hazelnut Variations_

The hazelnut dessert is a composition of small bites of pan di spagna, mousse, ice cream and a small cannolo, all artfully arranged on a gorgeous plate. It’s the perfect light summertime dessert for a warm, balmy evening in Siena.

Tuscany can be challenging for dining because so many places cater to the tourist crowd, and few establishments take proper care of their wines. Readers visiting this corner of Tuscany absolutely owe themselves a visit to Osteria Le Logge. It’s the real deal.

_© 2023, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._



Vinous Table: Osteria Le Logge, Siena, Italy

Vinous Table: Osteria Le Logge, Siena, Italy (Jun 2023)

### [Silo](http://www.silolondon.com/)

Unit 7, The White Building,

1st Floor, c/o CRATE Bar,

Unit 7 Queen's Yard,

London E9 5EN

BY NEAL MARTIN | JUNE 23, 2023

### The Food: 

Siloaf, butter

Quavers, vegetable treacle and goats’ cheese

Leeks with cuttlefish garum

Atlantic edge oysters with pickled seaweed

Savoy cabbage with sea buckthorn and pine

Beetroot with black garlic and preserved pumpkin

Celeriac with caramelized cream and cobnut

Koginut pumpkin, sour cream and Szechuan pepper

Oyster mushroom with allium and koji porridge

Panela ice cream with plum sauce and basil

Siloaf ice cream sandwich

**The Wines:**

| NV Franck Pascal Champagne Brut Nature Fluence | 88 |
| 2020 Domaine Lissner Wolxheim Riesling | 89 |
| 2021 Ditcheat Hill Cider Single Orchard Selection | NR |
| 2009 Domaine Comte Abbatucci Faustine Rouge Sciaccarellu | 92 |
| NV Holzer & Holzer Fernet Hunter | NR |
| NV Domaine de la Tournelle Macvin du Jura | 84 |

If humankind is to avoid the same fate as the dodo and avoid turning a celestial body that overcame the gazillion-to-one odds of sustaining life into a lifeless rock, then we must accept that we are polluting ourselves into oblivion. The slowest mass suicide ever. So there is much talk about climate change and what we can do about it, strategies such as zero wastage. It’s a goal that is easy to talk about but much harder to put into practice, not least for the restaurant industry in terms of sourcing and transporting ingredients, all that packaging, gas and electricity required…

Impossible?

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1687529369616-silo+bar_copy.jpg)

_The Silo bar_

Silo is purportedly the world’s first zero-waste restaurant. Chef Douglas McMaster, ex-St. John Bread and Wine, opened Silo in Brighton in 2015. When the five-year lease ran out, he relocated to Hackney Wick in East London, close to the Olympic Stadium. A friend suggested we visit. I felt some trepidation since I would surely be trespassing outside my gustatory comfort zone, notwithstanding the threat of…eek…natural wines. I packed sunglasses in case they were too orange and a bag of excuses if they were faulty.

But Silo was revelatory. It shifted my dietary horizons and surpassed expectations. That’s not to say everything hit the bull's eye, and _plus ça change_, I am not going to pull any punches in this respect. Yet Silo is an important fixture on London’s dining scene given its tenets. Because of this, the ramifications if we do talk about global warming instead of acting, this Vinous Table enters into unprecedented detail describing the lengths Silo has undertaken in achieving their aim, the practicalities to “close the loop.” I am indebted to general manager Dominique Easter for taking the time to furnish me with this information.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1687529485359-silo+quavers_copy.jpg)

_Quavers, vegetable treacle and goats’ cheese_

Entering the restaurant, I admired the capacious minimalist interior, the centerpiece a long L-shaped counter behind which chefs busy themselves. Echoes of Edward Hopper, though in his famous painting, the menu was not beamed upon an entire rear wall. Aesthetically, it’s a wonderful space, with plenty of inter-table room without feeling empty. Perhaps my only quibble was the lack of signage for the loos, resulting in three of four of us queuing needlessly with crossed legs. We decided to order the entire menu since the dishes are designed for sharing. Before continuing, I should emphasize that this is _not_ a vegan/vegetarian restaurant. Indeed, there was one venison dish on the menu that night. We exchanged this for a non-meat optional extra and the wine pairing menu.

We began with siloaf and butter. Siloaf? Never heard of that…but it was an awesome start that set the tone for the rest of the meal.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1687529525130-silo+leeks_copy2.jpg)

_Leeks with cuttlefish garum_

“We mill the flower in-house from YQ grain from Flourish farm,” Easter explains. “It is cut with the wild-farmed bread at a ratio of 10%. YQ is a heritage grain, taller than conventional wheat, and it has a stronger root system for foraging its own nutrients from the soil. It has a resilient yield as no two plants are the same, which means it will adapt to the environment and the season. The strongest grain thrives, and the weaker dwindles, meaning that the seed from each harvest evolves to become more suited to the farm that it's grown on. Each season it should produce a unique flavor, like wine. The current batch was harvested in 2022. The butter is cultured (soured) and churned in-house with cream from Hollis Mead Dairy in Dorset. [The cows] are 100% pasture fed at an organic dairy and delivered in beautiful pails that you can see under the stairs. No single-use packaging is used in the entire supply chain. The Cornish Sea Salt is smoked in the house over birch wood. The broth comes from surplus vegetables, their roots and skins, caramelized into a broth with dashi, rapeseed oil and thyme.”

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1687529680717-silo+oysters_copy.jpg)

_Atlantic edge oysters with pickled seaweed_

Next: quavers, vegetable treacle and goats’ cheese. They looked fairly innocuous, but they were stuffed full of flavor, and they had a tincture of something Japanese. My hunch was well founded. The quavers are made from a base miso mixed with a primary miso or garum. In this mix, we take a base of Yellow Split Pea Miso and blend it with a Dorstone garum, which is mixed with starch, dehydrated and then fried. The primary miso or garum in the quaver is made from collecting trim of previous cheese on the quaver. The vegetable treacle is made from reducing stock of various vegetable skins, roots and trims into a treacle-like consistency. The fresh (frozen) goats’ cheese is grated into a cloud over the top, and the overspray is diligently collected to make garums of the future.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1687529720504-silo+celariac_copy.JPG)

_Celeriac with caramelized cream and cobnut_

The third course was perhaps the simplest. Leeks seem de rigueur, and a fine leek needs no embellishment. “The leeks are provided by Flourish (see above) and steamed, while the cuttlefish garum is made from cuttlefish ink, koji and salt,” Easter explains. “At this point, the garum is three years old, and it’s a brilliant use of an abundant, native species to produce a fish sauce-like condiment. The onion top oil is made in batches out of any green onion tops we come across through the seasons.”

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1687529759345-silo+squash_copy.jpg)

_Koginut pumpkin, sour cream and Szechuan pepper_

Bivalve time! These oysters were top notch with their tangy salinity, a little lighter in style than others recently enjoyed. “The rock oysters come from Pembrokeshire in South Wales where they practice ‘restorative aquaculture’. Around 150 billion oyster larvae are released every year to help repopulate wild stocks. This was started and run by Dr. Andy Woolmer, a marine biologist with a passion for oysters. The seaweed is baked for 15 mins at high temperature and blended with rapeseed oil.”

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1687529811215-silo+mushroom_copy2.jpg)

_Oyster mushroom with allium and koji porridge_

Savoy cabbage with sea buckthorn and pine came next. Oo-er. I’m not a cabbage fan, not at all. But this was another lovely dish, and the cabbage seemed to have an uncommon sweetness. Easter shares, “The January King Cabbage comes from Flourish and is in peak season – dense, crunchy and juicy. It grows amazingly well in the wet and cold British autumn and winter weather. This dark green and purple-stained round cabbage becomes particularly sweet from months of winter growing. The Sea Buckthorn is foraged from coastline spots around the southeast of England, and here, we reduce the juice by half and season with our elderflower vinegar. The Pine Oil is likewise sourced, and the yogurt is made in-house from ‘Hollis Mead Milk’."

While no fan of cabbage, I am a beetroot fan, and this was served with black garlic and preserved pumpkin. “The beetroot, also from ‘Flourish’, is cooked overnight until chewy, then peeled and thinly sliced. The black garlic is from the blackening cupboard and held at 60° Celsius for three weeks, then blended into an emulsion, the cured and dehydrated pumpkin grated over the top and thereby closing the loop on last year’s excess,” Easter enlightens.

Hot on its heels, celeriac with caramelized cream and cobnut. The combination of ingredients worked beautifully here. “The celeriac is from Flourish, and to use their own words, it is one of the unsung heroes of the vegetable world. It’s peeled, steamed, brined and roasted, while the sauce is made from gently reducing cream until it caramelizes and fresh cream is whisked in. The cobnuts come from Kent, an ancient British variety of hazelnut used at least since the Tudor period. It’s great to use products of perennial agriculture as it's vastly more sustainable than annual agriculture.”

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1687529864880-silo+ice+cream_copy2.jpg)

_Panela ice cream with plum sauce and basil_

The flourish squash, sour cream and Szechuan pepper was one of the most eagerly awaited dishes and a highlight. The natural sweetness of the squash combined beautifully with the Szechuan pepper that, as it should, left the tongue tingling after swallowing. “The Koginut pumpkin is a hybrid squash of butternut and kabocha, and it offers the best of both in terms of sweetness, smooth texture, storability, yield and a built-in ripeness indicator to ensure it is picked for peak flavor. It takes 110 days to reach maturity. The pumpkin is peeled, carved, and then steamed, brined and smoked, its skins carefully cut into thin strips and pressure cooked with cider vinegar and sugar to produce a marmalade-like texture. The sour cream is from Hollis Mead, and the Szechuan spice mix is an equal blend of black pepper and Szechuan.”

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1687529907558-silo+champagne_copy.jpg)

The other high point was the oyster mushroom with allium and koji porridge. I cannot remember the last time I tasted _champignons_ as tender and flavorsome as these fellas.

“The mushrooms are from Merit, based in Elstree, and the Koji porridge is made of buckwheat koji. We sprout the quinoa in warm water for six hours and lightly steam it. Then it is cooled and inoculated with Aspergillus Oryzae spores which produce digestive enzymes that saccharify the quinoa, breaking down starches and proteins into their component sugars to impart natural sweetness. This is the base of all of our miso and garum production. Using the quinoa koji as a fresh product is a lovely way to show off the technique and flavor potential. The porridge is seasoned with amazake, another koji-based product and lacto-fermented mushroom trim juices. The final seasoning is done with a Meta dairy garum, a long ferment made of all kinds of surplus bits of dairy collected over time and fermented with koji.”

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1687529925711-silo+alsace_copy.jpg)

We finish with two desserts. The Panela ice cream with plum sauce and basil was extraordinary. “The Panela sugar is from north of California in Colombia and shipped directly by boat to London, then transported by canal boat or bicycle to the restaurant. The plum syrup is made from last year's plums, and lemon basil oil is from last summer.” The syrup was rich but not overpowering, and the basil lent further freshness. It was absolutely brilliant, likewise the Siloaf ice cream sandwich, a fun way to end the evening and essentially closing the loop. “The beginning and the end,” Easter says. “The wafer is made from bran from milling the flour, not currently done in-house, from Wildfarmed. The ice cream is made from leftover toasted sourdough ends and Hollis Mead milk, while the ‘Dulce’ caramel is made from leftover buttermilk from churning the butter and soured milk.” There was something that reminded me of a childhood treat about this sandwich, sweet but balanced with an irresistible texture.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1687529946026-silo+cider_copy.jpg)

Onto the wines. We began with a sparkler, the **NV Champagne Brut Nature Fluence** from **Franck Pascal**. The biodynamic Champagne is a blend of 54% Pinot Meunier, 26% Pinot Noir and 19% Chardonnay cultivated on flint and limestone soils, with no fining, filtering or acidification. This was a solid start, a feisty nose with Mirabelle and green apples. It’s perhaps not the most complex on the block but certainly clean and fresh. The palate is well-balanced with sharp acidity and admirable minerality, though I want a little more tension to sustain the finish. This was followed by the **2020 Riesling Wolxheim** from **Domaine Lissner** from Bas-Rihn in Alsace, fermented in stainless steel with one year on the lees. With crushed stone and background quince and mandarin scents on the nose, I appreciate the attack and delineation. The palate offers impressive weight, not overly sweet, with grapefruit and peach skin notes towards the easy-going finish.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1687529964891-silo+faustine_copy.jpg)

So far, so good. Then a curveball as our sommelier forewarned that the next was not a wine but a cider. Hmm…that’s cheating. We signed up for _wine_-pairing. Whatever. The **2020 Cider Wilding** from **Ditcheat Hill** is made from minimal intervention farming in the north of Somerset from a single orchard, a blend of 60% Ashton Brown Jersey and 40% Sweet Coppin varieties. Apparently, this was a great vintage for cider apples. This just did not work for me. The cider does not smell fresh, is a bit pongy, and is funky on the palate. Neither of us could drink more than two or three sips before shoving our glasses aside and praying for a return to fermented grape juice.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1687529986393-silo+fernet_copy.jpg)

We did, and with some style. The **2009 Faustine** from **Domaine Comte Abbatucci** was poured from magnum and turned out to be the surprise showing of the night. This is a blend of Niellucciu and Sciaccarello grown in the Tarvo Valley, biodynamic since 2000, with minimal intervention. Glorious! Black plum, basil, mulberry and black olives on the nose that retain freshness and delineation. The palate is quite structured yet not heavy, the acidity neatly counterbalancing the layered black fruit. There is Corsican warmth in every mouthful, still youthful considering its age, with an almost Tannat-like finish. I loved it and wished I could have ordered another glass.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1687530014455-silo+macvin_copy.jpg)

We finished with two wines that are rather out there, which is fine if they give sensory pleasure. I just could not get on with the **Fernet Hunter** from **Holzer & Holzer** made in Brunnwald in Austria, and transported in large reusable containers to avoid waste. This take on Italian amaro is really just not my thing. We finished with a **NV Macvin de Jura** from **Domaine de la Tournelle** in Arbois made from 100% Chardonnay that is biodynamically grown. The Macvin is made by boiling to reduce the Chardonnay and then fortified with brandy before aging in oak casks without fermentation. The nose is pungently oxidative, and it threatens to kill our delicious desserts. For the second time, glasses were put aside, and I began yearning for a lovely dry Jurançon or maybe a South African straw wine instead.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1687530036059-silo+menu+wall_copy.jpg)

_The Silo menu wall_

Silo made a big impression. They are taking on the seemingly insurmountable challenge of zero waste and proving that can be achieved without compromising quality. Perhaps such a policy nudges dishes in a different direction that enhances the originality of flavors and textures. On several occasions, I thought: “I’ve never had anything quite like that.” Part of me is yearning to go back – the litmus test of any good restaurant. It will be interesting to see whether other restaurants in an industry already being accused of flagrant waste adopt similar policies. There’s a lot to be learned. It’s clear that at Silo, nothing goes to waste. Everything that can be recycled is done so, often ingeniously. Taking the train home, I vowed that when I return to Silo, I’ll cycle from Guildford. Maybe.

_© 2023, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._



Vinous Table: Silo, London, UK

Vinous Table: Silo, London, UK (Jun 2023)

[
### Noble Rot - Mayfair
](https://noblerot.co.uk/)

5 Trebeck Street

Mayfair, London

W1J 7LT

BY NEAL MARTIN | JUNE 16, 2023

### The Food:

_First Dinner:_

Bread & butter

Raw Maldon rock oysters and salted gooseberry

Diver-caught scallop and cauliflower mushroom

Mushroom fritters

Roast duck and sauce Chambertin, potato and Cep gratin

_Second Dinner:_

Braised Octopus & Vesuvio Tomato

White asparagus, Aged Parmesan & Preserved Lemon

Roast Duck and sauce Chambertin, Braised Beans & Liver Toast

Hazelnut ice cream with Gariguette strawberries

**The Wines:**

_First Dinner:_

| 2005 Domaine Guffens-Heynen Pouilly-Fuissé Tri des 25 Ans | 94 |
| 2014 Domaine Guffens-Heynen Pouilly-Fuissé 35ème Vendange | 92 |
| 2000 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape Hommage à Jacque Perrin | 94 |
| 1952 Petrus | 94 |
| 1959 Petrus | 95 |
| 1964 Petrus | NR |
| 1940 Latour | 75? |
| 1949 Yquem | 98 |

_Second Dinner:_

| 1986 Poujeaux | 91 |
| 1986 Climens | 97 |

When ex-Island Records’ A&R man Dan Keeling and Master of Wine Mark Andrew cut the ribbon on the first Noble Rot in 2015 in a converted Holborn pub, they caused a shift in London’s gastronomic landscape. Under the culinary nous of executive chef Stephen Harris of the bugger-to-get-to-but-it’s-so-worth-the-effort [Sportsman in Kent](https://vinous.com/articles/vinous-table-the-sportsman-kent-uk-sep-2022), Noble Rot dished up “Franglais” cuisine that was elevated by fresh, seasonal ingredients given a subtle Gallic twist. What set Noble Rot apart was the meticulously curated wine list that rewrote the rulebook of what contemporary lists should aspire towards. Ye olde Classics rubbed shoulders with hipster Natural Wines. Rosy-cheeked youngsters commingled with bottles of pensionable age. Old World was suddenly best pals with New World. The genre of wine was irrelevant if it had it going on inside the bottle. The pair’s zeal for wine, placing it at the epicenter of the restaurant’s _raisin d’être_, created a formula subsequently copied though never matched across the capital, principally because curating such a wine list and keeping it enticing demands constant replenishing. Sadly, many restaurants, even the most lauded, are unwilling to put in the effort and/or take the risk.

In 2020, Keeling and Andrew took over the historic but down-at-heel Gay Hussar in Soho, and in spring 2023, they expanded into the West End. Noble Rot Mayfair lies in the heart of warren-like Shepherds Market. It follows their template of giving London’s heritage pubs a top-to-bottom makeover, the lucky boozer this time “The Running Horse”, one of the city’s first LGBTQ+ friendly pubs. Shepherd’s Market was once the red-light district for well-heeled gentlemen. This relatively unknown enclave of the capital retains a bohemian air, differentiating it from the most expensive square on the Monopoly board. A cursory glance at the menu indicates that Chef Adam Wood, formerly at The Square, has been allowed to introduce his own dishes in accord with Noble Rot’s culinary ethos. Having dined at both Soho and Mayfair branches within days of each other, Wood’s dishes are a little richer, indulgent and heartier in style.

My maiden visit to the Mayfair branch was a Friday night around three weeks after it opened its doors and again a few days later. Located on a corner spot with al fresco dining planned this summer, the interior feels more spacious than Soho, housed on two floors with a couple of hidden-away alcoves. Like other branches, the décor echoes the former premises, not dissimilar to a smart gastro-pub with its dark wooden floors and tables, wall-stranding banquettes and eye-catching artwork culled from the namesake magazine. It exudes coolness that money can’t buy – you either have it or you don’t. Star-spotting is a pastime. Between courses, I spy (no pun intended) a Bond baddie dining nearby and resist castigating him for what he did to 007 in his last outing. Mayfair is the liveliest (the noisiest) of the three restaurants and, consequently, where I would opt to go as a group. I’d go to Soho or Lambs Conduit if I wanted to chat without raising my voice too much, the former perhaps the most intimate of the three. Certainly, each has its own ambiance. This isn’t a chain.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1686923639951-nr+duck.jpg)

_Roast duck and sauce Chambertin, potato and Cep gratin_

There’s no need to analyze each and every dish. But I must highlight the roast duck with Sauce Chambertin, which, as I mentioned on social media, will likely become one of the capital’s must-eat dishes like Tomos Parry’s whole turbot chez [Brat](https://vinous.com/articles/vinous-table-brat-x-climpson-s-arch-hackney-united-kingdom-apr-2021). I enjoyed two iterations of this sublime dish, the first served with potato and ceps gratin, the second with braised beans and liver toast. The burning question is whether said sauce is made from Rousseau or Leroy? Neither alas. I was told that the sauce is, in fact, a vinegar made out of a mix of Chambertin and Bordeaux, though they did not specify any particular producer. It’s a decadent dish without ostentatiousness, the kind of dish you want to luxuriate in that lingers at the forefront of your mind.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1686925019203-nr+hazelnut+ice+cream.jpg)

_Hazelnut ice cream with Gariguette strawberries_

Also, on the second visit, the braised octopus with Vesuvio tomato was delectable, adding a bit of Mediterranean flair to central London. I must also nod to the simple but perfectly executed hazelnut ice cream and Gariguette strawberries.

I don’t need to say that the wine list at Mayfair is awesome, but it bears repeating. It is what you expect from owners whose restaurant won “Wine List of the Year” at the National Restaurant Awards in 2021 and 2022. Perusing the pages, the Mayfair list is speckled with higher-priced bottles to cater to the more monied clientele you tend to find here, thankfully, without compromising the treasure trove at the more affordable end (sub £40 per bottle). I must mention the cornucopia of grower-champagnes, including many hard-to-find names. Those with a penchant for bubbles will be spoiled for choice. On the first visit, we were allowed to bring our own wines. Noble Rot has always exercised a flexible policy with regard to BYO, and on the second, we plundered goodies on their list.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1686923707193-nr+pouilly+fuisse.JPG)

The **2005 Pouilly-Fuissé Tri des 25 Ans** from **Jean-Marie Guffens** is still firing on all cylinders. Taut and fresh on the crustacea-tinged nose, it offers irresistible scents of white chocolate, stem ginger and lemon verbena. Wonderful delineation. The palate has a slightly oily texture and comes armed with a killer line of acidity, touches of nectarine and wild peach towards its composed finish. It shrugs off its 18 years with aplomb and will continue to give pleasure long into the future. The **2014 Pouilly-Fuissé 35ème Vendange** has a prettier nose with wild peaches, lemon curd and a dab of lemongrass, again, beautifully defined and focused. The palate has a welcome bitter edge, quite linear and saline, with perhaps just a little brevity on the finish compared to some of “the magician’s” other cuvées. Still, it deepens with aeration and gains complexity from the ether over the course of 30 minutes. We shimmied over to the Southern Rhône for the exquisite **2000 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Hommage à Jacque Perrin** from **Château de Beaucastel**. Now at 23-years-of-age, it has a disarming nose of blackberry and redcurrants, just a touch of Band-Aid, courtesy of the 60% Mourvèdre, and a scintilla of Tuscan deli, one with sawdust sprinkled over the floor. The palate is medium-bodied with white pepper and clove, still quite youthful and nicely structured. With a brush of Provençal herbs towards the finish, I admire how this Beaucastel exudes typicité. It will continue evolving and repay cellaring over the next couple of decades.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1686923727374-nr+petrus+bottles.jpg)

One mature Petrus in a dinner is a treat. Two is an embarrassment of riches. Three is just embarrassing, but hey, I’m not complaining.

The **1952 Petrus** is a vintage that is rarely spotted these days, and I have only one tasting note of a Vandermeulen bottling. This château-bottled example is wonderful. The nose is typical of its age, with pressed rose petals, incense and lavender oil infusing the vestiges of red fruit, just a light chlorophyll scent that I also observed in the previous bottle. Like many Right Bank 1952s, there is an element of Left Bank austerity here before mutating into more estuarine/Japanese _wakame_ scents. The palate is framed by robust tannins, evincing the solid nature of the vintage. Fairly tannic and refreshingly saline, this might be less precocious than the aforementioned Vandermeulen bottling and perhaps just misses the roundness and depth of a tip-top Petrus. But at over seven decades, this remains a marvelous Pomerol that continues to give pleasure. The **1959 Petrus** is rightly hailed as one of the best ever made in the twilight years of owner Mme. Loubat. This bottle has a pixelated bouquet with fine _mineralité_ and red berry fruits with that hint of _pain d’épices_. The palate is medium-bodied and fine-boned with tobacco and bay, lightly spiced without perhaps the clarity on the finish compared to previous bottles. Nevertheless, it is a wonderful wine that will keep motoring along for many years. Now we were ready for the **1964 Petrus**. Sadly, this was funky on the nose, and the palate intimated that it had not received appropriate storage at some stage. Personally, I think the Bond baddie had something to do with it.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1686923747438-nr+yquem+1949.jpg)

It might sound odd, but I had hopes for my bottle of **1940 Latour** , based on the stellar 1940 Pichon Comtesse de Lalande I encountered a few months earlier and a half-decent note from Mr. Broadbent. Unfortunately, this reflected a challenging wartime vintage. I write down “smelly socks” on the nose, indicating some rot, and there simply is insufficient fruit. The palate is actually more promising…for a fleeting moment…before volatile acidity knocks it flat out onto the boxing ring floor. It was not undrinkable by a long shot but was probably best drunk during victory celebrations five years later.

After two misfiring bottles, we needed a pick-me-up, and the Sauternes delivered…and some.

The **1949 Yquem** is a vintage that I have not encountered. I will quote the official château website, which gives a succinct overview of the vintage… “This year had record temperatures as well as drought conditions that caused the biggest forest fire France has ever known. Showers in May and June limited water stress, and light showers in early September gave rise to botrytis. The whole crop was brought in thanks to just two passes [between September 27 and October 17]. Yields were low, but quality high.” Well, this bottle was divine. Iridescent in color, the bouquet explodes from the glass with a chorus line of Seville orange marmalade, quince and a distant tang of an outdoor lido, a trait that I often find in Sauternes in this era. The aromatics are brilliantly defined. The palate is tensile and energetic, a Yquem with real edge, tangy marmalade and freshly sliced apricot, a little drier on the finish than the 1947 but with otherworldly persistence. It is a fabulous Sauternes that will gallop to a century-old without breaking a sweat.

The second dinner took place just a couple of weeks later. On this occasion, we ordered from Noble Rot’s list.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1686923767147-poujeaux+1986+bottle.JPG)

The **1986 Poujeaux** represents everything great about mature Claret when not paying through the nose for the pleasure, this bottle the right side of three figures. Cedar, sandalwood and vestiges of black fruit and a mahogany antique bureau on the nose convey the austere nature of this vintage on the Left Bank, but with Poujeaux’s typical generosity. The palate is well balanced with fine tannins, a little conservative in style but with freshness and poise, gaining depth over the course of an hour. Dark berry fruit, leather and plenty of freshly-rolled tobacco are on the pliant finish. What a delightful Moulis-en-Médoc that is _à point_. The **1986 Climens** is ordered in a half-bottle, the perfect size for Sauternes. This is one of my favorite vintages of the Barsac estate. It has a vivacious, energetic bouquet with Seville oranges, quince and a touch of melted wax. The palate has a kind of streamlined intensity that knocks you for seven, full of energy with a captivating apricot-tinged finish that leaves you wanting more. It’s challenging to think of a wine that offers better value than this. We actually finished with a **Brut Nature Blanc d’Argile** from **Vouette & Sorbée** , though I did not write a note for this Champagne.

Two visits to Noble Rot Mayfair will not be my last. On reflection, it might be my favorite of the trio due to the ambiance and that duck. It represents Keeling and Andrew’s most ambitious opening thus far, given the higher number of covers and the fact that Mayfair doesn’t have the footfall of Soho. Judging by critics’ reception and the throng of diners on both nights, it is a successful expansion, an instant magnet for oenophiles. It must be said, for those wishing to dine earlier in the week, since, unusually in these post-COVID times, its doors are open every day except Sunday.

The only question remaining is, where next?

_© 2023, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._



Vinous Table: Noble Rot - Mayfair, London, UK

Vinous Table: Noble Rot - Mayfair, London, UK (Jun 2023)

[
### Aurora
](http://www.auroraedinburgh.co.uk/)

187 Great Junction St.

EH65LQ Edinburgh

Scotland, UK

BY NEAL MARTIN | JUNE 09, 2023

### The Food:

Salmon, kohlrabi with rock samphire and white gazpacho

Sardines with apricot, pine nuts and bay leaf

Asparagus with chickpeas, dill, potato and yeast

Croquette of duck confit with kimchi and spring onion

Cjarsons with hazelnut butter, cocoa nibs and rocket

Dry aged pork belly with black pudding, porcini and whisky

Aubergine with potato, vine leaves and baba ghanoush

Plant-based cheeses

Dark chocolate with mezcal, mango, habanero and peanuts

**The Wines:**

| 2008 Henri Boillot Meursault Les Cras 1er Cru | 90 |
| 2013 Domaine Hubert Lignier Gevrey-Chambertin Aux Combottes 1er Cru | 91 |
| 1986 Cheval Blanc | 94 |

I love Edinburgh. The history, the castle, the bohemian atmosphere, the haggis, black pudding, kids in kilts, tartan tarmac, dogs in sporrans…On every street corner, someone is tossing the caber. Perhaps my view of the city is skewed by the fact that every time I go north of Hadrian’s Wall, clouds clear, and the sun comes out. Who said Scotland was perpetually rainy? And, of course, it boasts a thriving, dynamic restaurant scene that is second to none. I spent a weekend in Edinburgh for reasons I will explain in a future Vinous Table, suffice to say that on the first evening, a good friend booked a restaurant that typifies what makes Edinburgh a gastronomic nirvana.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1686258156268-aurora+amuse+bouche_copy.jpg)

_Aurora amuse bouche_

Technically, Aurora is not in Edinburgh. It’s in Leith, the port area north of the city, down towards the Firth of Forth. En route to the restaurant, I was informed that the two distinguish themselves from each other: You are either from Edinburgh or Leith. That said, Aurora is only a 10-minute ride from the town center. The area is a bit like East London, a once down-at-heel part of the city that attracted younger people who have created a vibrant and culturally-active part of town, which has inevitably led to investment in its empty industrial spaces. As is frequently the case, that has spawned a dynamic restaurant scene that can be hard to keep up with. In fact, Leith has the highest concentration of Michelin stars in Scotland, with destination restaurants such as Martin Wishart and The Kitchin attracting epicures from afar.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1686258202589-aurora+salmon_copy.jpg)

_Salmon, kohlrabi with rock samphire and white gazpacho_

Chef-patron Polish-born Kamil Witek opened Aurora, though I noticed his name is not mentioned on their website for some inexplicable reason. It is a tiny restaurant, so small that we almost drove straight past its front doors. I bet many do the same. The frontage must be little more than a couple of meters wide. Inside is virtually the size of a living room, probably around 18 covers, with a small serving area on the left, and the kitchen is at the rear. It is spartan in terms of Nordic décor, all stripped floors and bare pine tables, though it conjures a homely, cozy ambiance thanks to the candles and a touch of greenery. The menu can be described as modern European with an emphasis on local ingredients and several courses with either/or options, which is much more preferable to take-it-or-leave-it menus that abound these days.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1686258433786-aurora+sardines_copy.jpg)

_Sardines with apricot, pine nuts and bay leaf_

Every course was outstanding. From start to finish, there wasn’t a single dish that did not impress. The technical detail and the execution were quite brilliant and belied its unassuming exterior. The amuse bouche augured that we were in for a treat, a dish of vine tomatoes and pine nuts with a scoop of fresh mozzarella packed full of flavor.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1686258472931-aurora+asparagas_copy.jpg)

_Asparagus with chickpeas, dill, potato and yeast_

The salmon tasted like it had been caught five minutes earlier, disguised under a mousse of kohlrabi, rock samphire and white gazpacho. Like most dishes, it was more of a tapas-sized portion, so I savored every mouthful. The sardines with apricot, pine nuts and bay leaf were perfectly cooked and seasoned; likewise, the asparagus that came with dill and a brittle potato and yeast wafer.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1686258447439-aurora+duck+confit_copy.jpg)

_Croquette of duck confit with kimchi and spring onion_

The croquette of duck confit oozed with succulence, the kimchi sweet and not overpowering, the spring onion imparting pepperiness that lent the dish a slightly bitter edge. The Cjarsons, a traditional pasta from Friuli, was the most aesthetically-pleasing dish, served with hazelnut butter, cocoa nibs and rocket. This was subtle in flavor with a lovely texture. I nabbed some of my neighbor’s dry-aged pork belly that was accompanied by black pudding, porcini and whisky, though I actually preferred my own aubergine that was wrapped in vine leaves, served with baba ghanoush inside a crunchy shell. I could have eaten this three times over.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1686321691716-aurora+cjarsons_copy.jpg)

_Cjarsons with hazelnut butter, cocoa nibs and rocket_

I skipped the quartet of plant-based cheeses, each served with its own unique jelly. I headed straight for the dark chocolate brownie and ganache flavored with mezcal, mango, habanero and peanuts. Stunning.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1686321710557-aurora+pork+belly_copy.jpg)

_Dry aged pork belly with black pudding, porcini and whisky_

The restaurant’s wine list is short and leans towards low-intervention wines. Customers can pay extra for a wine-matching menu, though we had prearranged to bring our own bottles.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1686321724453-aurora+aubergine_copy.jpg)

_Aubergine with potato, vine leaves and baba ghanoush_

The **2008 Meursault Les Cras 1er Cru** from **Henri Boillot** comes from century-old vines. It is a typically seductive wine in the Boillot mold: generous on the nose with light honeyed scents, frangipane, vanilla pod and grilled hazelnut aromas. The palate has impressive weight for the vintage, slightly lower in acidity than its peers, with maybe a little more sugar than I would have liked. Yet it is still well-balanced, a kind of “guilty pleasure” Meursault that doesn’t deliver the intellectual aspect of white Burgundy but tons of irresistible flavor. It’s drinking perfectly now.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1686321739405-aurora+cheeses_copy.jpg)

_Plant-based cheeses_

The **2013 Gevrey-Chambertin Morey Aux Combottes 1er Cru** from **Domaine Hubert Lignier** is still a couple of years outside its drinking window. With blackberry, iodine and a subtle dab of camphor on the nose, I felt that the aromatics remained rather closed despite aeration. The palate is quite bold in style considering the vintage, ripe and grippy with a slightly obdurate finish that needs time to mellow. Give it three more years.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1686321802835-aurora+chocolate_copy.jpg)

_Dark chocolate with mezcal, mango, habanero and peanuts_

Finally, the **1986 Cheval Blanc** , a vintage that I had not tasted for several years. This was not a renowned growing season for the Right Bank, but this Saint-Émilion bucks the trends to produce one of its most attractive wines. It has a gorgeous bouquet that you could lose yourself in with red berry fruit, quite tertiary at first, and scents of meat juices, fennel, juniper and wilted flowers. This is complex but also has the warmth I normally associate with the 1985s. The palate is medium-bodied with melted tannins, exquisite balance, light _sous-bois_ and black truffle notes that infuse the dark berry fruit towards the persistent finish. It’s like a less extravagant version of the 1985. It’s probably at its peak now, though this bottle suggests it will drink well for many years.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1686321856625-meursault+boillot_copy.jpg)

It was a perfect start to my short break in Edinburgh. The standard of cooking at Aurora was exemplary, and with a six-course menu at £65.00 per person, you would be paying twice as much in London, perhaps more. You could probably fly up to Edinburgh and save money. The service was superb, the room manned by two young Spanish ladies whose beautiful accents became a vital ingredient. Naturally, such a small restaurant means that you have to book in advance, but it is well worth traveling across the ”border” to Edinburgh…sorry, Leith…to experience one of the finest restaurants that I’ve visited north of the border.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1686321947229-cheval+blanc+1986_copy.jpg)

_© 2023, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._



Vinous Table: Aurora, Scotland, UK

Vinous Table: Aurora, Scotland, UK (Jun 2023)

### [Ristorante Al Fiume](https://www.alfiumevicenza.it/en/)

Contrà San Paolo, 2

36100 Vicenza, Italy

+39 0444 321320

info@alfiumevicenza.it

BY ANTONIO GALLONI | JUNE 02, 2023

### The Food:

Amberjack Carpaccio; pioppini mushrooms, dried tomatoes, marinated anchovies

Sarde in Saor

Spaghettino al Fiume; Durum Spaghetti, Garlic, Olive Oil, Chilis, Scampi Tartare, Lime

Fregola Sarda; Calamari, Shrimp, Scampi, Canestrelli

Fritto Misto

Coffee Crème Brulée

Chocolate Cake with Pistachio Sauce

**The Wine:**

2021 Lis Neris Sauvignon 88

I was fortunate to get to know the Veneto well during the three years I lived in Italy, as I had many clients throughout the region. I especially enjoyed the smaller, provincial towns, which to me, convey a truer essence of Italian lifestyle than the larger cities. Vicenza is at the top of my list of destinations that offer so much of what makes Italy so special, but without the crowds that make visiting some of the larger cities virtually unbearable these days.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1685718664769-Amberjack.jpg)

_Amberjack Carpaccio; pioppini mushrooms, dried tomatoes, marinated anchovies_

Located in the old town center, just a few minutes from the Basilica Palladiana and many other attractions, Al Fiume offers a wide-ranging menu of fish and seafood-based cuisine. Dishes are rooted in the classics but interpreted with enough creativity to offer a refreshing break from tried-and-true versions while avoiding coming across as over-the-top or too abstract. The restaurant is quite small, with just a few cozy rooms. We were seated in a covered veranda of sorts that offered views of the Retrone River, which has a rich history going all the way back to antiquity. Then again, that is Italy. The entire country is basically a museum.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1685718679784-Sarde.jpg)

_Sarde in Savor_

We start with Sarde in Saor, a traditional Venetian dish in which sardines are marinated in a sweet/sour combination of onions, vinegar, pine nuts and raisins. In this variation, the sardines are fried and then topped with the onion-based relish. A little polenta on the side certainly never hurts. Delicious. The Amberjack (Ricciola) Carpaccio is nicely brightened by the accompanying ingredients. It is a refreshing, impeccably prepared appetizer that sets the stage for the dishes that follow. Just as importantly, I am delighted to see my children becoming increasingly curious about food and wine!

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1685718696890-Scampi.jpg)

_Spaghettino al Fiume; Durum Spaghetti, Garlic, Olive Oil, Chilis, Scampi Tartare, Lime_

The Spaghettino al Fiume is another take on a classic that reaches a new level of sophistication thanks to an inspired grating of lime zest and the scampi crudo that is carefully arranged over the pasta. A beautiful and delicious creation, the spaghettino is a terrific example of the cuisine diners can expect here. Fregola Sarda, a Sardinian pasta made from toasted semolina, is even better. Sweet, rich flavors of the sea meld into a pasta that is immensely satisfying. I could have eaten a second portion.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1685718863043-Fregola.jpg)

_Fregola Sarda; Calamari, Shrimp, Scampi, Canestrelli_

A super-classic Fritto Misto follows. This is one dish on the menu that is presented without too many twists. But what is there to change? Nothing. Fritto Misto is one of those staples of the Italian kitchen that seems so simple but is very hard to execute well. We devour it.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1685718848643-Calamari.jpg)

_Fritto Misto_

The wine list at Al Fiume is pretty straightforward. If there is one area for improvement, this is certainly it. Choices from Veneto are limited, while the overall selection, in my view, is uninspired. This cuisine deserves better. The **2021 Lis Neris Sauvignon** , from the estate’s entry-level range, is solid, varietally correct and works well with the food. On this night, I wanted nothing more than that, and the wine certainly delivered.

I only had a taste of the kids’ Coffee Crème Brulée and Chocolate Cake with Pistachio Sauce, but enough to know they were delicious. Dessert, often treated as an afterthought, can be a disappointing way to end a meal. Not here, both are delicious.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1685718754903-Creme.jpg)

_Coffee Crème Brulée_

Readers visiting Vicenza will want to check out Al Fiume. The staff did an outstanding job on this night, during Easter weekend, even though they seemed to be short-handed, a challenge for all hospitality businesses these days. Judging by all the “Help Wanted” signs we saw in store windows throughout town, labor appears to be in short supply here as it is pretty much everywhere. For its food, ambiance and warmth of hospitality, Al Fiume gets very high marks from our family. Now, for that winelist…

_© 2023, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._



Vinous Table: Ristorante Al Fiume, Vicenza, Italy

Vinous Table: Ristorante Al Fiume, Vicenza, Italy (Jun 2023)

### [Tuscan Dinner @ 67 Pall Mall](https://www.67pallmall.com/)

67 Pall Mall

St. James's

London SW1Y 5ES

BY NEAL MARTIN | MAY 26, 2023

### The Food:

Scotch Burford Brown egg, MacSween haggis & piccalilli

Glazed Delica pumpkin, gnocchi, pickled squash, sorrel & sage

Apple crumble with vanilla ice cream

**The Wines:**

| 1982 Isole e Olena Cepparello | 90 |
| 2001 Soldera – Case Basse Brunello di Montalcino Riserva | 97 |
| 2010 Costanti Brunello di Montalcino Riserva | 96 |
| 2010 Montevertine Le Pergole Torte | 97 |
| 2007 Castello di Ama Chianti Classico | 91 |
| 2007 Valdicava Brunello di Montalcino | 94 |
| 2007 Valdicava Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Madonna del Piano | 91? |
| 1988 Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia | 96 |
| 1997 Antinori Solaia | 92 |
| 2012 Ornellaia | 90? |
| 2009 Fèlsina Vin Santo del Chianti Classico | 95 |

You might have noticed already, but Antonio and Eric handle Italy. I’ve heard they do a pretty good job. I’ve got my hands full with Bordeaux, Burgundy, etc., which precludes me from enjoying the country's bounty of wine. When I commenced my career, I tasted Italian wines regularly. However, I rarely ventured to any of its wine regions except for my “honeymoon” in September 2005, where we based ourselves near the town of Greve. I use quotes around that word. My daughter was disrupting life in the blissful way that babies do. I have two abiding memories of that trip connected with aromas. First, Marco Pallanti at Castello di Ama noticed that my six-month-old bundle of joy had pooped her nappy. Hey, great timing, kiddo. Without hesitation, Pallanti whisked the tot out into an adjoining room to change it while I continued to work through his latest releases. Somehow, I doubt that would happen in Bordeaux. Second, a very different odor, that of the intoxicating perfume of fresh black truffles as we walked into Greve one market day.

Therefore, when I was invited to join a Tuscan-themed dinner in the private room at 67 Pall Mall, I eagerly accepted. I wanted to reacquaint myself with Tuscan wines and placate my palate, which was protesting that it wanted to taste anything other than Cabernet or Pinot Noir. The bottles were deeply impressive and showcased Tuscany at its best.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1685111114838-67+pall+mall+burford+egg.jpg)

_Scotch Burford Brown egg, MacSween haggis & piccalilli_

I have eaten at the private members’ club 67 Pall Mall virtually since the day it opened its doors. The standard of cooking has definitely improved in the last couple of years. (I remember drinking La Tâche with a burger, but as nice as the burger was, it didn’t feel right.) I kept it simple on this occasion as I wanted to focus on the fermented grape juice. The Scotch Burford Brown egg, MacSween haggis & piccalilli is arguably their signature starter. It never fails to delight, the haggis marrying perfectly with the runny yolk of the brown egg and the piccalilli lending a touch of spice. It’s a bit of a guilty pleasure, and I’ve just never tired of it.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1685111149300-67+pall+mall+pumpkin.jpg)

_Glazed Delica pumpkin, gnocchi, pickled squash, sorrel & sage_

I decided to go vegetarian on this particular night. The glazed Delica pumpkin, gnocchi, pickled squash, sorrel & sage was a perfect foil for the Tuscans. A deceptively simple dish, it was perfectly executed and stuffed with flavor. The pumpkin was sweet and lightly seasoned, the picked squash lending edge and the sorrel and sage adding a balancing spice touch.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1685111179373-67+pall+mall+crumble.jpg)

_Apple crumble with vanilla ice cream_

Finally, the apple crumble with vanilla ice cream was, again, just perfectly executed with the right amount of acidity to balance the sweetness.

Now to the wines. After a magnum of **2010 Dom Pérignon,** for which I failed to write a note, we arranged the first quartet of wines. This was a mightily impressive flight and perhaps set a standard impossible to follow.

The **1982 Cepparello** from **Isole e Olena** has a slightly timeworn yet captivating nose, with layers of mulberry and raspberry coulis, albeit with an acetic note lurking underneath. Yet it has retained focus and developed nuanced licorice and balsamic notes with time. The palate is medium-bodied with tart red fruit on the entry. It is slightly angular at first though it coheres with aeration and evolves a quasi-Médoc finish, holding in rather than compelling. I am fortunate to taste many of the world’s most iconic wines, but Soldera is a producer with whom I have scant experience. The **2001 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva** from **Soldera** is blessed with a heart-stopping nose as if the aromas wrap their loving arms around your senses, so warm and inviting with its disarming pastille-like red fruit tinged with blood orange and bunches of violet, earthenware and lavender surfacing with time. Sensual saturated tannins, silky smooth in texture with astonishing depth, frame the palate. Perfectly balanced with a fresh and delineated finish that becomes Burgundian with time. This wine is clearly still in ascent after 22 years. The **2010 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva** from **Costanti** shows a slight reduction on the nose, with a mixture of red and black fruit, a background scent of tomato vine and freshly-picked wild mint. It’s slightly meaty on the entry with a touch of licorice and aniseed. You have to admire the structure and focus of this Brunello as it manifests more and more complexity on the minerally-rich finish, as if catching up with the 2001 Soldera served in the same flight. This is a classy Brunello that deserves another couple of years in bottle. The **2010 Le Pergole Torte** from **Montevertine** surveys the heavyweights in the flight from the likes of Costanti and Soldera and says, “Bring it on.” It elicits the word “wow” on the nose, equipped with breath-taking purity and killer delineation and focus, aromatics piled high with dark berry fruit, pinecones, cedar, a hint of Valrhona chocolate and punnets of freshly picked strawberry. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly grainy tannins, layers of black fruit mixed with white pepper and clove, harmonious and cerebral on the finish. This fabulous, multi-faceted Tuscan wine will give 20 or 30 years of drinking pleasure.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1685111256883-67+pall+mall+soldera.jpg)

The first flight was always going to be nigh impossible to match. Though the second flight was more variable, these wines did not feel like some kind of comedown.

The **2007 Chianti Classico** from **Castello di Ama** is a wine I remember tasting when first released. It proves you don't have to shell out a ton of money to find long-lasting Chianti. It is floral on the nose with iris and peony infusing the overripe strawberry scents, light cedar notes percolating up with time. The palate is actually better than the nose with vibrant red fruit, tart with finely-sculpted tannin and a judicious touch of spice towards its finish. This is drinking perfectly now. The **2007 Brunello di Montalcino** from **Valdicava** offers dark berry fruit, hawthorn and loamy scents on the nose, a little introspective in style but opens with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, a touch of balsamic infusing the red fruit, dark cherry and boysenberry. It’s a bit tight on the finish suggesting that it may well benefit from another couple of years in bottle. The **2007 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Madonna del Piano** is more complex on the nose compared directly with the regular cuvée, offering scents of dark plum commingling with star anis and cedar. There is a sense of sophistication to these aromatics. The palate is medium-bodied with a lovely structure, dark chocolate and espresso. Great depth, but upon reflection, I was not "moved" by this Brunello as I expected and oddly found more charm with the regular cuvée. Perhaps there are better bottles out there?

The final flight of reds shifted towards Super-Tuscans.

The **1988 Sassicaia** is a vintage that I have not tasted for many moons. It is sublime, albeit not one for those seeking the horsepower of the 1985. Showing little maturity in color, it has a divine bouquet, classically styled, almost Médoc-like with dark berry fruit, wild strawberry, cedar and a splash of espresso. Say 90% Bordeaux and 10% Tuscany? The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, beautifully balanced and fairly understated in style, restrained even. Yet it conveys unerring weightlessness in the mouth allied with a sense of composure and stylishness. Very Bordeaux-inspired on the finish, this sublime Sassicaia is drinking perfectly now. The **1997 Solaia** is a wine that I remember made a huge splash on release (I recall buying dozens of cases from Switzerland to ship to Japan). It had been many years since I last tasted it. Poured from magnum, I find a little smudged on the nose compared directly with the 1988 Sassicaia. This is a voluptuous, heady bouquet with Maraschino cherries, pine, pressed iris flower and cassis, with cherry liqueur evolving in time. The palate follows in a similar character, sweet and a little confit in style, with melted tannins, kirsch, cassis fruit and a dash of allspice. It fans out nicely on the finish, though I find it just a little hedonistic for my liking. Others who prefer that kind of style will like it more than myself. There is something almost anachronistic about this Solaia that I did not discern in the 1988 Sassicaia. The **2012 Ornellaia** was perhaps a little overawed by the mature Solaia and Sassicaia in the flight. Pretty backward and unresponsive on the nose, I find this a bit simplistic by comparison, with blackberry and bilberry aromas and a touch of VA. The palate is medium-bodied with dense tannins, muscular at the moment, moody and surly towards its grippy finish. I wanted to shout, “Lighten up, man!” Maybe it is going through a dumb phase?

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1685111277480-67+pall+mall+solaia.jpg)

One dessert wine to finish actually came from two bottles. The **2009 Vin Santo del Chianti Classico** from **Fèlsina** has a seductive nose with fig jam, quince and burnt honey, all well-defined with a subtle Aszú element. The palate is thickly textured and mellifluous, its power counterbalanced by the acidity, orange rind mixed with Seville orange marmalade towards its unctuous finish. This is drinking perfectly now, but it should age another 10 to 15 years. What a fabulous finish to any Tuscan-themed dinner.

These wines deepened my appreciation for Tuscan wines. No, I won’t be applying to take over coverage – I think Vinous has that covered. But I did make a mental note to drink more wines from a magical region tied up with many fond memories.

_© 2023, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._



Vinous Table: Tuscan Dinner @ 67 Pall Mall, London, UK

Vinous Table: Tuscan Dinner @ 67 Pall Mall, London, UK (May 2023)

### [Updown Farmhouse](http://www.updownfarmhouse.com/)

Updown Rd

Betteshanger

Deal CT14 0EF

BY NEAL MARTIN | MAY 19, 2023

### The Food:

Salted Catalan almonds

Buffalo mozzarella with blood orange, pistachio and radicchio

Raw white egg asparagus with egg yolk, Serrano ham and parmesan

Grilled hake with olives, tomatoes and agretti

Pork chop with artichokes, cime di rapa and anchovies

Choux bun with salted caramel ice cream and chocolate sauce

**The Wines:**

| 2017 Champagne Marie Demets Extra Brut Intransigeance | 93 |
| 2019 Domaine Marc Colin Saint-Aubin En Montceau 1er Cru | 92 |

Restauranteur, chef and Financial Times’ food writer Rowley Leigh is credited with his role in rejuvenating British gastronomy in the late eighties and nineties. Though Leigh spent time under the Roux brothers at La Gavroche, his cooking eschewed the froufrou and flair of Gallic cuisine. Instead, it focused on less complicated, perhaps less pretentious dishes that highlighted seasonal, high-quality ingredients from his home country. Nowadays, countless chefs pursue similar culinary ideals to varying degrees of success. In my formative years as a wine professional, I frequently dined at Leigh’s flagship restaurant, Le Café Anglais, which spread out over the entire top floor of a building in Queensway. I miss its presence several years after it shut its doors.

During a recent conversation about the dining scene in Kent, Leigh’s name cropped up again, this time not Rowley, but his daughter Ruth. Combining her experience in hospitality with Oli Brown (ex-Duck Duck Goose in London), the pair spent lockdown renovating Updown Farmhouse, and now work as its front of house and chef. As soon as I checked out their website, I was enticed to book a night’s stay. Before long, I was driving to the county of Chaucer, oast houses and cider.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1684512966207-upfolds+restaurant.jpg)

_The Updown Farmhouse exterior_

The 7.5-acre farm nestles down a secluded lane somewhere between Canterbury and the coastal town of Deal. Turning off the engine, I compulsively let out an audible sigh as the silence consumed the stress of everyday life. I already felt relaxed when I was lugging my suitcase towards the five-bedroomed Grade II-listed 17th-century farmhouse, quintessentially English with its red brick facade and rambling quaintness. The interior is tastefully decorated with striking hues, our bedroom obviously the "green room". Downstairs, there was an orange and blue room lined with newspapers and books. The color scheme lends an aesthetic quirkiness, and it works brilliantly. Peering out of my bedroom window onto the walled garden, I spied the terraced restaurant where I had booked a table for that evening.

Though the dining area is ostensibly classed as outside, that is misleading because it is completely enclosed with portable heaters dotted around so that diners feel snug as a bug in a rug even on the chilliest night. It conjures a homely yet buzzy atmosphere. A small team of chefs worked around an open natural wood baking oven in one of the corners, and their presence amongst the diners enhanced the bustling atmosphere.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1684513008577-updown+kitchen.jpg)

_The Updown Farmhouse kitchen_

I wondered how much Rowley Leigh’s influence would have over the menu at Updown Farmhouse, and I conclude that though perhaps there is a slightly more European slant, it follows his ideals of quality English ingredients served with minimal fuss and maximum taste.

After a small pot of salted Catalan almonds, we shared two starters. The Buffalo mozzarella with blood orange, pistachio and radicchio was delicious. The blood orange lent sharpness to the mozzarella, while the pistachio imparted a subtle sweetness. The raw white egg asparagus with egg yolk, Serrano ham and parmesan arrived differently than expected. I’m accustomed to the white asparagus being served whole, whereas this was perhaps unnecessarily cut into pieces at the expense of texture so that the asparagus got a bit lost in the other ingredients. The only misstep.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1684513040010-updown+pork.jpg)

_Pork chop with artichokes, cime di rapa and anchovies_

The two mains were superb. The pork chop was perfectly cooked and tender. Every mouthful was relished. The artichokes, cime di rapa or “turnip tops” (it _does_ sound more appetizing in Italian) lent texture and bite, and the anchovies added a little saltiness. Wonderful. Meanwhile, the grilled hake was moist, tender and matched perfectly with the olives and agretti.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1684513081747-updown+choux.jpg)

_Choux bun with salted caramel ice cream and chocolate sauce_

Finally, the choux bun with salted caramel ice cream and chocolate sauce. I shouldn’t have. But I did. It was fabulously decadent without being over the top, the ice cream to die for. Sorry, but it had to be done.

Updown has a short but well-considered wine list, though they were very amenable in terms of corkage. I must mention that we actually began with a pre-prandial cocktail. I opted for a “Last Word”, a mixture of gin, green Chartreuse, maraschino liqueur and fresh lime juice. Considering that the young lady confessed she was a bit of a novice at this cocktail malarky, it was exceptionally well mixed and a real palate cleanser.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1684513120450-updown+champagne.jpg)

For the wines, we began with my “Sparkling Wine of 2022”, introduced by a pal in Beaune last October. The **2017 Extra Brut**  **Intransigeance** comes from the small family-run **Champagne Marie Demets**. Pierre Demets is the third generation winemaker who took over the running of the house in 2014, joined by his wife Mathilde three years later. It’s a tiny house in the middle of nowhere, apparently closer to Dijon than Reims. Their Intransigence is a blend of 56% Pinot Noir and 44% Chardonnay from two parcels in the Côte des Bar, “La Forêt” in Gyé-sur-Seine and “Fins” in Neu-ville-sur-Seine, vinified in stainless-steel vat for ten months and then 40 months _sur lattes,_ disgorged in December 2021 with a low dosage of 1g/L. Just 2,772 bottles were made. This has a vivid bouquet with red apples, freshly-baked brioche and nectarine, the Pinot Noir more expressive than the Chardonnay. I appreciated its delineation and _joie-de-vivre_. The palate has real weight and race, a vibrant Champagne with a fine edgy, citrus-led opening before subtle white peach, lime and Clementine notes furnish the finish. It appeared to gain weight as we worked our way through the bottle. Prices for this are incredibly reasonable in the present inflationary climate for Champagne, so it is highly recommended.

The white Burgundy came from one of my favorite producers, Damien Colin. The **2019 Saint-Aubin En Montceau 1er Cru** is just singing. Re-reading my barrel score, I feel it has meliorated in the interim. Irresistible orange pith and lemon zest on the nose has certainly opened up. The palate shows delightful balance, still with a faint soupçon of Muscat, displaying more typicité and verve than out of barrel. Yes, it’s probably too young, yet the bottle offers so much pleasure!

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1684513148121-updown+saint+aubin.jpg)

Updown Farmhouse is in the opening pages of what will hopefully be a long and prosperous life. There are plans to move the restaurant into the barn for more permanence, though I hope they retain the outside area. Echoing the sentiments of The Guardian restaurant critic Grace Dent, Updown Farmhouse sells you the fantasy of rural England untouched by modernity. One where life is simple, and all you have to do is enjoy the food and the wine and perhaps take a stroll through the fields afterward. Ruth Leigh makes a perfect, amiable front-of-house who clearly makes everything run smoothly.

I cannot think of a more lovely, close getaway than perhaps staying here for a weekend and fitting in lunch at [The Sportsman](https://vinous.com/articles/vinous-table-the-sportsman-kent-uk-sep-2022) over in Whitstable. All of this is on London’s doorstep.

_© 2023, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._



Vinous Table: Updown Farmhouse, Betteshanger, UK

Vinous Table: Updown Farmhouse, Betteshanger, UK (May 2023)

[
### Hilltop Kitchen
](http://www.hilltop-kitchen.co.uk/)

Coombe Farm House

Alldens Lane

Godalming GU8 4AP

BY NEAL MARTIN | MAY 12, 2023

### The Food:

Our focaccia and olive oil

Charred leek with thyme honey, Rosary ash and hazelnut

Boquerones, parsley and chili

8-hour braised Herdwick lamb, white beans, salsa verde and rainbow chard

Basque cheesecake and forced Yorkshire rhubarb

**The Wine:**

2021 Bruno Lafon Pinot Noir Le Sud 87

Driving to Hilltop Kitchen, I am listening to a lunchtime talk show on Radio 2 when the presenter discusses the so-called “pork scandal.” An undercover investigation discovered industrial-scale, country-of-origin fraud as well as unscrupulous mixing of fresh meat with rotting carcasses at a processing plant. An anonymous insider calls in and divulges how rotten flesh is jet-washed away so that the meat can be reprocessed. A nation’s stomachs churn, and millions consider vegetarianism. What do you expect in a country subjugated by profit-ravenous supermarkets and a population accustomed to the cheapest food possible without considering the consequences?

How ironic that within an hour, I chew blissfully upon the most tender, succulent lamb that exhausted superlatives a while ago. It has been slaughtered about 20 meters from my plate. I could pay twice as much for the same dish in a hifalutin’ restaurant in London, and it will not be nearly as fresh. I make a mental note. Rethink where you eat.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1683834332703-hilltop+view.JPG)

_The view from Hilltop Kitchen_

A fellow Vinous subscriber had tipped me off about Hilltop Kitchen a week earlier. Though I inhabit a wealthy part of England, Surrey is bereft of worthy dining places. I’m not talking haute cuisine and Michelin fodder. Just places where chefs care about what they serve, restaurants with personality and individuality. The fact that Hilltop lies around 20 minutes from my front door is a bonus, ditto the stunning vista from our table across a grassy vale, where future lunches innocently chew the cud and offer the occasional baa or moo.

The genesis of Hilltop Kitchen came during COVID. Co-proprietor Alex Winch, who previously worked at Portland Restaurant and [Harwood Arms](https://vinous.com/articles/vinous-table-the-harwood-arms-london-uk-mar-2022) in London, explained how he and co-conspirator Sam Fiddian Green were frustrated about the lack of decent local places to eat. I know that feeling. With the hospitality industry in crisis during lockdown, the pair decided that instead of bemoaning the situation, they should do it themselves. Hilltop embraces the increasingly popular concept of opening a restaurant at a source of produce, in this case, Coombe Farm House, owned by Winch’s family. They constructed a makeshift wooden structure that adjoins an outbuilding equipped with a basic kitchen. They installed overhead heaters, decorated with wildflowers for that rustic farmhouse vibe, installed a few wooden tables and benches, et voilà. It stretches the concept of “restaurant” since it does seem a bit transitory, hence my use of quotes. Indeed, Green later details their plan to relocate to a more permanent residence with designs to create a Michelin-starred gastropub. If the standard of cooking is the level that I encounter, then that’s a given.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1683834361732-hilltop+anchovies.JPG)

_Boquerones, parsley and chili_

The menu could be described as seasonal European, using the products from the farm, including a vegetable patch out yonder. We share starters. The menu specifically states _our_ focaccia since it is baked on-site. This is light and fragrant. A little more rosemary and sea salt might not have gone amiss, but otherwise delicious. The charred leek with thyme honey, Rosary ash and hazelnut is divine. The leeks are perfectly cooked and seasoned, the thyme honey lending unexpected sweetness and counterbalancing the earthiness. The boquerones (anchovies) are refulgent, lined up on the plate. Parsley and chili offer vivid flavors, assiduously seasoned with just the right salinity and spiciness.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1683834395315-hilltop+lamb.JPG)

_8-hour braised Herdwick lamb, white beans, salsa verde and rainbow chard_

Given the provenance of the meat dishes, there is no alternative but the 8-hour braised Herdwick lamb, seasoned with miso before being resealed. It is the most succulent, tender lamb I can remember eating: every mouthful, pure joy. The accompanying salsa verde and rainbow chard lend a bit of bitterness to counter the meat’s sweetness, while the white beans provide substance and texture. A faultless main.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1683834433521-hilltop+cheesecake.JPG)

_Basque cheesecake and forced Yorkshire rhubarb_

Finally, the Basque cheesecake and forced Yorkshire rhubarb are worthy ways to finish lunch. The cheesecake has a blackened surface imparting a subtle charcoal element that balances the cheese. There is a touch more heaviness and less sweetness than normal cheesecake, and the Yorkshire rhubarb contains real bite and acidity.

The wine list is rudimentary, and I suspect they will upgrade to proper stemware once a more permanent location is found. I choose a simple wine from the Languedoc Pays d’Oc, a **2021 Le Sud Pinot Noir** from **Bruno Lafon**. Crunchy redcurrant and strawberry aromas are present on the nose. The palate is simple but balanced with plenty of crunchy red fruit. It has a bistro-like charm with no signs of any ripeness that you might find in some Pinots from the Côte d’Or. Considering the reasonable price, it does its job with minimal fuss.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1683834468987-hilltop+wine.JPG)

I adore Hilltop Kitchen. It offers delicious, perfectly-sourced, well-executed fare with minimal fuss and maximum care. It might be a temporary building built on a budget, yet it contains more charm than many a chichi yet sterile restaurant that one finds in the capital, notwithstanding they cannot offer that blissful vista across the English countryside. It must be beyond idyllic on a sunny day. Undoubtedly, we will be hearing much more about Sam Fiddian Green and Alex Winch in the future. I depart thinking about how soon I can return and feel that I have just witnessed the opening chapters of two glorious careers.

_© 2023, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._



Vinous Table: Hilltop Kitchen, Godalming, UK

Vinous Table: Hilltop Kitchen, Godalming, UK (May 2023)

### [Solar dos Presuntos](http://www.solardospresuntos.com/)

### 

R. das Portas de Santo Antão 150

1150-269 Lisbon

Portugal

BY NEAL MARTIN | APRIL 28, 2023

**The Food:**

Pata Negra and chorizo with Manchego

Galician-style sliced octopus

Cod fish cakes

Goat (kid) with potatoes and rice

Almond cake

**The Wine:**

2018 Quinta da Pellada Carrocel Tinto 94

I wanted to see what Lisbon’s more upmarket restaurants offer to discerning gastronomes. Not its cluster of Michelin stars, rather I sought a top-notch address serving traditional fare with a wine list that would leave me spoiled for choice. I was recommended Solar dos Presuntos and secured an early evening table. This was restricted to two hours, which remains a gripe of mine since I dislike having to keep looking at my watch, although I was not evicted from my table after my allotted time.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1682691375748-solar+exterior.JPG)

_The Solar dos Presuntos exterior_

Opened in October 1974, Solar dos Presuntos is another Lisbon institution specializing in cuisine from the northwest region of Minho. Approaching its entrance, you get the sense of heading somewhere special. A white neon sign illuminates its name over the cobbled street and large smoked hams dangle in the front window. The restaurant is far larger than its facade suggests. Solar dos Presuntos is enormous! It covers two floors with several annexes and private rooms. Every seat is full this Friday night, with numerous youngsters dining with their parents. Every square inch of the wall is plastered with the beaming smiles of celebrities that have entered its door: artists, politicians, athletes, pop stars and so forth. I enquire about their most famous visitor ever, and our waiter nonchalantly answers Nelson Mandela. I spot Cristiano Ronaldo just by the entrance. Apparently, his fellow ex-Manchester United teammate David Beckham is elsewhere. These photos ramp up the anticipation before you have even sat down. Overall, the interior, which I believe was recently refurbished, is brightly-lit, tasteful and luxurious: marble floors and racks of Portugal’s finest wines on display behind thick glass. The decor is spotless: all white linen tablecloths ironed to perfection. The atmosphere is quieter and more sober than [Cervejaria Ramiro](https://vinous.com/articles/vinous-table-cervejaria-ramiro-lisbon-portugal-apr-2023). A plate of Pata Negra ham lies waiting on your table as if to say: “I’ve been expecting you. Dare you to say no?” It’s not free. But I succumb. The glistening wafer-thin ham has just the right amount of melt-in-your-mouth fattiness, which is to die for; ditto the discs of oily chorizo. Yes, doing this is a bit cheeky, and I can’t believe many customers rebuff the offer.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1682691657362-solar+ham.JPG)

_Pata Negra and chorizo with Manchego_

For starters, I choose Galician-style octopus: slithers doused with olive oil and paprika. This is off the charts. Having lived in Japan, I’ve eaten more than my fair share of tentacles, and this ranks among the best I have savored, so tender and flavorsome. They are prudent with the amount of paprika, so I dab on more thoughtfully sprinkled around the rim to add a bit of fire. The accompanying cod fish cakes are decent enough, perhaps just a bit conservative in flavor compared to the octopus.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1682691633563-solar+octopus.JPG)

_Galician-style sliced octopus_

The main course has to be a specialty of the restaurant and the Minho region: kid goat. This dish is served with rice and boiled potatoes. Wow. This ranks amongst the most delicious dishes I’ve eaten. Tender, moist meat slides off the bone - every morsel is to die for. Having finished the three cuts, I almost do a little jig of joy when the waiter reminds me there is more on the plate. Even the potatoes seem to have been roasted in the meat juices and infused with more flavor than your normal spud.

_![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1682691618028-solar+goat.JPG)_

_Goat (kid) with potatoes and rice_

Nicely stuffed, I have just enough space to share an almond tart. This is another fabulous dish, crumbly and nutty, simple but perfectly executed.

As already mentioned, Solar dos Presuntos boasts one of the country’s most comprehensive wine lists. My only quibble is that I have to scroll through pages on my Smartphone. This is one occasion when I would like to peruse the list at leisure to make sure I choose wisely. You will find some of Portugal’s most coveted bottles, apparently including one made by Dirk Niepoort and produced exclusively for the restaurant. I push the boat out without going crazy, choosing a well-priced **2018 Carrocel Tinto** from **Quinta da Pellada** , from the estate resurrected by former engineer Alvaro de Castro in 1980. Youthful on the nose, it delivers pure blackberries, cassis, incense and crushed violets scents: think Margaux mixed with Dão, even though it is pure Touriga Naçional. The palate is beautifully balanced with saturated tannins, perfect acidity, seamlessly integrated oak and a long, tender, pure finish. At 13% alcohol, this wine doesn’t overwhelm, though it clearly needs several years before reaching its peak. Not for the first time, it leaves me wondering why more oenophiles do not drink Portuguese wine?

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1682691581359-solar+almond+cake.JPG)

_Almond cake_

Solar dos Presuntos fulfilled my expectations. It is a very impressive large-scale restaurant that operates like a well-oiled machine. The service was excellent throughout. My only regret was that I was the only person drinking that night. This would be a perfect place to join fellow wine lovers to make deeper inroads into the list. It is a restaurant that caters to families and couples, wine lovers and foodies, famous football stars and far less famous wine writers. I appreciate how it shuts out the outside world and foments its lively simmering atmosphere without compromising a sense of intimacy. Compared to the UK, it is well-priced at around €30 for many main courses (though you pay premiums for more lux dishes like lobster).

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1682691594391-solar+wine.JPG)

I will definitely be back to see who else I can spot on its hall of fame.

_© 2023, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._



Vinous Table: Solar dos Presuntos, Lisbon, Portugal

Vinous Table: Solar dos Presuntos, Lisbon, Portugal (Apr 2023)

[**Cervejaria Ramiro**](https://www.cervejariaramiro.com/?lang=en)

Av. Alm. Reis 1 H,

1150-007

Lisbon

Portugal

BY NEAL MARTIN | APRIL 21, 2023

### The Food:

Fresh oysters

Clams in garlic and parsley

Edible crab with crab mayonnaise

Scarlet shrimp

Citron sorbet, cheesecake and Morgado do Bussaco

**The Wine:**

2018 Buçaco Branco Reservado 92

Lisbon has become a must-see European destination. Practically everyone I know returns, eulogizing Portugal’s capital, and vowing to go back at the earliest opportunity. Enough was enough - time to see what the fuss is about for myself.

Like Rome, the heart of the city is draped over seven hills, and indeed, the Romans named it _Olissipo_ due to their similarities. Its highest hill, Sao Jorge, is crowned with the crenelated walls of the Castelo St. Jorge, surrounding red-tiled townhouses cascading down to the yawning Tagus River that feeds into the Atlantic. Lisbon’s famous colorful, ornately designed ceramic tiles cover entire facades and constantly stop you in your tracks. Cobbled, uneven pavements are like Roman mosaics. Streets echo with clanging rickety trams and funiculars. _Pastelarias_ bustle with customers devouring irresistible _patéis de nata_. (The best I stumble upon is Manteigaria - the pastry a little lighter and the filling creamier.) No wonder that even during the off-season in February, Lisbon’s narrow streets throng with tourists, by the voices I hear, particularly French, English and American. Perhaps Lisbon is a little ramshackle and timeworn? Maybe a bit dirty, even grimy in some places? Yet, it’s a bulwark against gentrification and thereby retains its unique character and charm, which is why many advise visiting now before it’s too late. I hope the encroaching homogeneity of modernity is not this city’s fate, though ominously, I notice a great deal of construction work in the heart of Lisbon.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1682084594340-ramiros+interior.JPG)

_The Cervejaria Ramiro interior_

Lisbon is a foodie paradise, not least for pescatarians. Its dining scene is so dynamic that after sage advice from a local, I altered every pre-booked dinner the day before departure. Be warned: you will want to dine at nearly every restaurant you walk past! Those wishing to sample local cuisines more conveniently can drop in at Time Out Market in Cais do Sodré, where 26 vendors and eight bars congregate under one roof. Choose what you fancy and carry your dish to one of the long tables in the central courtyard. It’s a Mecca for tourists and an efficient way to sample local cuisines.

My first port of call, Cervejaria Ramiro, is a Lisbon institution. It has been around since the 1950s. The late Anthony Bourdain dropped in to film an episode of his show here. Located on a major thoroughfare, it is larger than anticipated, with no free tables on an unseasonably warm evening. There’s a lively atmosphere, the din of animated conversation punctured by raucous laughter. Suffice it to say, it’s probably not the ideal rendezvous for a quiet, romantic date. Staff seems to consist entirely of men in branded pale blue shirts that are occasionally a little brusque in manner, but that’s probably because of the hectic pace. I have read elsewhere that you cannot book a table, though I was able to reserve one myself on a Wednesday night. I suspect that might not be possible during busy weekends.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1682084638880-ramiros+oyster.JPG)

_Fresh oysters_

Dishes at Ramiro revolve around crustacea rather than fish, a cornucopia of shrimps, prawns, crab, langoustines, clams and lobsters. Basically, if it’s got a shell, then it has crawled onto the menu. If it has gills and a fin, better to try a restaurant like Sea Me.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1682084704104-ramiros+crab.JPG)

_Edible crab with crab mayonnaise_

We commence with half-dozen fresh oysters served with a quartered lemon. These are subtle in flavor, sweeter and less saline than others, and delicious as they slip down the throat with ease. Steamed clams come with obligatory white wine and garlic. I feel this dish could be a little more generous - too many clams parted from their shells.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1682084785218-ramiros+scarlet+shrimp.JPG)

_Scarlet shrimp_

Crab is one of Ramiro’s specialties. You can opt to have it served without the shell, but that takes away the ritual of smashing the claws and prizing out the white meat. The crab meat is among the freshest I’ve encountered and comes with a scrumptious crab/mayo sauce. Granted, it makes a bloody great mess, and the amount of crab meat is a bit paltry, considering the effort. But if you love crab, Ramiro should definitely be on your list.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1682084820709-ramiros+cheesecake.JPG)

_Raspberry cheesecake_

We have to order the scarlet shrimp, known as _carabineros_ in Portugal and Spain, and _crevette impérial_ in France. They are fished in east Atlantic waters and, as their name infers, are limpid scarlet in color, renowned for their relatively large size and robust flavors. These are magnificent. The meat is sweeter and more succulent than your usual shrimp, meatier than I am accustomed to and with a deliriously long aftertaste. Superb.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1682084859141-ramiros+morgado.JPG)

_Morgado do Bussaco_

Desserts might be an afterthought, but these are highly recommended. The cocktail glass of citron sorbet comes with a generous glug of vodka, though the spirit is indiscernible. This is vibrant and sharp, revivifying the senses. The raspberry cheesecake has a wonderful consistency, like something your mum would rustle up, a bit rustic and all the better for it. The traditional dessert from Barriada, Morgado do Bussaco, boasts a generous sprinkling of crunchy walnuts that combine beautifully layered pancakes and egg whites. I don’t want to think of how many calories I ingested.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1682084922820-ramiros+bucaco_copy.jpg)

The wine list is brief and perfunctory. If you seek a comprehensive list of Portuguese vino, then this is not the place to come. However, I immediately spot one of the country’s most iconic and, until recently, elusive wines for way below-market price, the **2018 Branco Reservado** from **Buçaco**. The estate was incepted at the beginning of the 19th century when Alexandre de Almeida had the novel idea of combining his luxury hotel, the Bussaco Palace in the mountainous north Coimbra (depicted on the label), with its own bijou parcel of vines and unique wine. Almeida purposefully kept it out of the limelight, though news leaked, and over ensuing decades, he stealthily built a loyal following that continues to this day. A tasting of mature vintages a few years back proved its longevity and explained why they cost a pretty penny. This 2018 is arguably infanticide, but a pleasurable one. It is initially arresting thanks to its smoky, almost oxidative trait on both the nose and palate. It jars the senses. Over the course of a couple of hours, it coalesces and gains complexity, with scents of green olives, shucked oyster shells and sea spray, not a million miles away from Muscadet. The palate is beautifully balanced, edgy and very saline, not complex yet focused and poised. That green olive theme continues commingling with Anjou pear and hazelnut. It is difficult to resist another sip or order a second bottle!

Cervejaria Ramiro is the ideal way to commence your Lisbon epicurean odyssey. As the taxi driver put it on the way back, it’s a favorite with locals because it lacks pretentiousness and offers value for the money. There are plenty more sophisticated restaurants, such as the subject of my next Vinous Table, but this beloved Lisbon restaurant should be on your to-do list.

_© 2023, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._



Vinous Table: Cervejaria Ramiro, Lisbon, Portugal

Vinous Table: Cervejaria Ramiro, Lisbon, Portugal (Apr 2023)

### [The Woodsman](http://www.thewoodsmanrestaurant.com/)

4 Chapel St

Stratford-upon-Avon

CV37 6HA

BY NEAL MARTIN | APRIL 14, 2023

### The Food:

Winter salad of Jerusalem artichokes, pumpernickel & roasted lemon, preserved wild mushrooms with hazelnut vinaigrette

Beetroot & Elderwood cured chalk stream trout with pickled golden beetroot, blood orange and sesame mayonnaise

Bathurst Estate roast venison to share with roasted broccoli, dirty mash and wood-fired root vegetables

Glazed dark chocolate mousse with hazelnut praline, poached pear and pear sorbet

Blood orange tartlet, white chocolate and tarragon, olive oil cake with blood orange sorbet

**The Wines:**

| 2019 Domaine Hubert Lamy Puligny-Montrachet Les Tremblots | 93 |
| 2014 Pichon Baron | 94 |

  

_If food be the music of love, eat on – Thirteenth Night (sequel to Twelfth)_

Shakespeare spun some great yarns. The man could tell a story. But this spotty-faced schoolboy’s memories are comprised of endless hours staring gormlessly at a page completely befuddled. What the hell is he blathering on about? I should have been reciting sonnets like some foppish dandy out of the Evelyn Waugh novel. Instead, I clutched my dog-eared copy of Macbeth in the futile act of unraveling the wordy nonsensical prose and abhorring the haphazard punctuation. Like J.R.R. Tolkien, who _could_ write an intelligible sentence, I “disliked cordially” this supposed founder of the English language.

Come to my O-Levels exams aged sixteen. The Bard stood in the dock accused of forcing me to quit English literature. The jury found that he could stuff his adroit alliterations, soliloquies and iambic pentameter that left readers more stressed than (every other) syllable down his breeches. Henceforth, I would study subjects more useful in becoming a captain of industry by studying maths and economics. There’s nothing metaphorical in a quadratic equation or Keynesian macroeconomic theory. Alas, I was so overcome with ennui that I yearned for an occasional rhyming couplet. How ironic that my vocation involves threading words into sentences, some even remarking that they enjoy it, the fools.

Thirty-six years after quitting Shakespeare, it was time to make my peace with a pilgrimage to his birthplace, Stratford-upon-Avon. Perchance our rapprochement would inspire me? Naturally, once I had visited his original home and begged forgiveness at the foot of his statue, I could eat a horse. Thankfully, I had booked a restaurant nearby that epitomizes everything I love about eating out.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1681479750916-woodsman+facade.jpg)

_The Woodsman façade_

Even before broaching the menu, there are many aspects of The Woodsman that I admire. It nestles in a splendid 16th-century townhouse converted into a hotel, surfeit with antiquated charm, warped oak beams and flagstone paving greeting you at the entrance. The restaurant, part of the Hotel Indigo, was refurbished but maintains a comforting timeworn aesthetic, manifesting a very cozy ambiance, a background hubbub wafting in from an adjoining bar. There is a nice buzz about the place. Our table was in the direct line of a pizza oven, and fearing that by the main course I would be seared on one side of my face, I asked to move, which the waitress accommodated immediately.

Head chef Mike Robertson is known for his impeccable sourcing of local ingredients and nose-to-tail eating philosophy. I came close to choosing a nearby Michelin-starred restaurant. But I am more swayed by the meticulous detail of sourcing information gleaned from The Woodsman’s website, which is always a good sign. Our three-course dinner might have been simple, yet it was one of the most delicious I have eaten in a long time, every dish bursting with flavor and consistently well-cooked.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1681479811842-woodsman+artichocke.jpg)

_Winter salad of Jerusalem artichokes, pumpernickel & roasted lemon, preserved wild mushrooms with hazelnut vinaigrette_

We started with a winter salad of Jerusalem artichokes, pumpernickel & roasted lemon, preserved wild mushrooms with hazelnut vinaigrette. This was brilliant. There’s been a recent thread on the [Your Say forum](https://forum.vinous.com/discussion/14522/vegetarian-food-and-wine-pairings) in appreciation of vegetarian dishes, and this starter completely exemplified the joys of meat/fish-free fare. The ingredients worked in absolute harmony with each other: the sharpness of the artichoke and lemon, the sweetness of the pumpernickel and the acidity of the vinaigrette. I came close to re-ordering it. We also chose the beetroot & Elderwood cured chalk stream trout with pickled golden beetroot, blood orange and sesame mayonnaise. This was almost as good as the winter salad, the golden beetroot and trout, an inspired combination.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1681479848826-woodsman+venison.jpg)

_Bathurst Estate roast venison to share with roasted broccoli, dirty mash and wood-fired root vegetables_

For the main, we shared the joint of seasoned roast venison that Robinson butchers for the restaurant. Cooked to absolute perfection and bursting with flavor, this was partnered with roasted broccoli and pots of dirty mash (with shredded venison, sourdough crumb and deer gravy) and woodfired root vegetables. Straightforward but devastatingly effective, you would not want to be eating anything else at that precise moment.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1681479886606-woodsman+chocolate.JPG)

_Glazed dark chocolate mousse with hazelnut praline, poached pear and pear sorbet_

Moving on to desserts (after a ten minute pause to digest and reminisce about the venison), a plate of glazed dark chocolate mousse with hazelnut praline, poached pear and pear sorbet exited the kitchen with “Happy Birthday” scrawled in chocolate.

Took about three minutes to demolish that.

Who said that things sweet to taste prove in digestion sour? Not in this case.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1681479920740-woodsman+blood+orange.JPG)

_Blood orange tartlet, white chocolate and tarragon, olive oil cake with blood orange sorbet_

Perhaps the killer dessert was a sublime blood orange tartlet, white chocolate and tarragon, olive oil cake with blood orange sorbet. The tarragon worked perfectly with the olive oil cake, a dessert that was light on its feet, tangy and a bit like my artichoke starter, simply a perfect combination of ingredients.

With regard to the wines, The Woodsman has a decent but not extensive list. I appreciate that they are completely open to corkage with a very reasonable charge, prompting me to scarper to a local wine shop where I found a bottle of **2019 Puligny-Montrachet Les Tremblots Vieilles Vignes** from **Domaine Hubert Lamy** priced about one-third of its current market value. I was taken by this from barrel, so it was a chance to revisit the wine in bottle. It showcases Olivier Lamy’s brilliance. Much more tensile than you would expect from a warm vintage, this bursts from the glass with freshly-sliced Conference pear, crushed limestone and oyster shell scents. Say what you like about Burgundy, but no other region delivers aromatics like this. The palate is brilliantly defined with poise and a sense of electricity that keeps drawing you back for another sip. And this is not even the Haut-Densité incarnation! The **2014 Pichon Baron** followed. This has moved little since my last note. Blackberry and briary scents are interlaced with graphite. The bouquet opens nicely over a couple of hours, youthful but not disconcertingly so. The palate is beautifully balanced with a sense of coolness and class, an aristocratic Pauillac with crunchy tannins, pure black fruit and that flintiness on the finish that feels focused and abundantly fresh. No harm in opening bottles now, though I would afford it another couple of years in the cellar.

I must confess, I became rather star-crossed by The Woodsman. It delivers without pretension, the careful sourcing of ingredients plain to see and obvious to taste in every mouthful. Our dinner was a fraction of the price gourmands must fork out in the capital these days, and few restaurants can conjure such quaint Tudor surroundings. ‘Tis the kind of get-away-from-it place where diners can just relax, unwind and savor the cuisine. I look forward to returning anon. Who knows, I might have actually read Shakespeare by then? But I cannot promise to understand it.

_© 2023, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._



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