The 2019 vintage in Napa produced a brace of fantastic wines that are classical expressions of California’s heartland. We talk to top producers about the year and the style of wines it produced Following on from the cooler, elegant 2018 vintage, 2019 is another excellent year for Napa – together forming an impressive duo that will…
No one is likely to forget the 2020 vintage – least of all Californians who saw their state swept by wildfires. We caught up with some of Napa’s leading producers to talk about the rest of the growing season, the implications of the fires and the style of the wines that were produced The 2020…
There are exceptions to almost every rule in 2022 – and, as ever, it’s essential to asses wines individually. Here, however, we break down the region by commune to offer an overview of how each subregion fared in this fascinating vintage The Left Bank The gravel soils of the Left Bank are beautifully free-draining…
Wine Advocate – William Kelley William Kelley’s greatly anticipated report is his longest to date. He feels that the complexities of 2021 and what he sees as a pivotal moment for the region deserved the extra word-count. He runs through the year’s conditions in detail, which we won’t regurgitate, although – contrary to our findings…
The 2018 vintage in Montalcino is certainly one to get excited about – particularly for those who love fresh, floral vintages packed with tension. Vintages like this are becoming ever rarer in today’s warming climate, and therefore all the more precious. Despite the pleasing results, the growing season was far from easy. A very wet…
Over two separate trips to the region, our team delved into the 2021 vintage – visiting, tasting with and talking to a wide range of producers up and down the Côte d’Or. The vintage was complicated, to say the least – but Burgundy’s vignerons have crafted some exceptional wines. Here we dig into everything you…
Fresh from our team’s initial, whistle-stop tour to the region, we offer our first thoughts on Burgundy 2021 – a year that possibly marks a shift back to the Burgundy of yore The seasons have shifted. Drizzle is once more the order of the day, russet tones spreading across the landscape, the soft tread of…
With the 2022 crop picked and in the winery, we visited a handful of Bordeaux’s leading estates to dig into the year. Sophie Thorpe reports on the vintage and its extraordinary potential. The 2022 vintage may only just have made it into the winery, but it’s already one for the record books. “Unique”, “historic”, “completely…
In a year that became infamous for historical curveballs, it is perhaps only fitting that the 2020 Burgundy harvest surprised us, too. Between pandemic-related predicaments and an exceptionally early harvest, this year’s vintage could easily have been a disaster. However, while the quality of this vintage will be somewhat variable, the grapes remained remarkably healthy, and the wines should impress even the most skeptical connoisseurs.
Some wines seem destined for greatness. Founded in Pauillac—one of the most prolific and praised Left Bank appellations of Bordeaux—by the Governor of the Médoc himself in the early 1700s, Château Pontet-Canet has produced some of the most poignant and intriguing Red Bordeaux blends to date.
If you’re eager to add a few radiant red wines to a well-stocked cellar of Bordeaux, or if you’re interested in starting a new Pauillac or Bordeaux collection, save a place for a few bottles of Château Pontet-Canet’s best vintages.
Shiraz grapes grow bountifully in the Land Down Under, where the climate is warm and the sunlight shines bright—particularly in the McLaren Vale wine region. This appellation is celebrated for consistently producing world-class Australian Shiraz—though Roman Bratasuik, owner of the Clarendon Hills winery, prefers to use this grape’s Old World name, Syrah, for his top-rated wines.
As one of the exceptional five first-growth Bordeaux châteaux, Château Lafite Rothschild has enjoyed over a century’s worth of acclaim for its delicately delectable wines. Today, it remains one of the most distinguished labels in the world—and if you are looking to build a top-quality Bordeaux collection, only the best vintages of Château Lafite Rothschild will do.