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Santa Barbara 2024: Shifting the Spotlight
United States: California, featured
, Sep 2026
Wines across Santa Barbara County reached impressive heights once again in 2024, but not always in the ways you might expect. Though the region has long been broadly synonymous with high-quality Pinot Noir from the Sta. Rita Hills, the Chardonnays, Syrahs and Cabernets coming out of the county’s many subregions have exploded in quality in recent years. This year, the spotlight turns to these other players, setting the stage for the region’s very bright next chapter.
Monteraponi Trebbiano: A Whiter Shade of Chianti Classico
featured, Italy: Tuscany, Verticals & Retrospectives
, Sep 2026
Monteraponi is one of the recent success stories of Chianti Classico. Most of the attention naturally focuses on the reds, but the Trebbiano is just as compelling. This recent retrospective back to 2011 provided a fascinating opportunity to check in on older vintages and track the evolution of one of the world’s most distinctive whites.
Sicily: Realized Potential and the Road Ahead
Italy: Center & South, featured
, Sep 2026
Sicily’s unrealized potential has been clear for decades. While much of Italy struggles to adapt to climate change or restore biodiversity to regions dominated by monoculture, Sicily is already well ahead of the curve. It’s as if the entire island has awakened to the realization that its multitude of indigenous varieties offer something truly unique in the global landscape.
Cellar Favorite: 1949 Stellenrood Full-Bodied Burgundy
cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites, South Africa
, Sep 2026
The 1949 Full-Bodied Burgundy from Stellenrood that I tasted may well have been the last remaining bottle in existence. Privileged to have drunk this rarity, I must dutifully document it for posterity.
Vinous Table: Langosteria, Paris, France
Vinous Table, France
, Sep 2026
Located in the chic Cheval Blanc hotel, Langosteria is a beacon for fine Italian food and wine in the heart of the City of Lights.
2025 Mosel: The Full Gamut of Expression
germany: Mosel, Germany: Saar, Germany: Ruwer, Germany, featured
, Sep 2026
The warm, almost relaxed 2025 growing season in Mosel, Saar and Ruwer produced early-ripening, picture-perfect fruit. However, rain hit in late August and September, prompting record-early harvests where speed and sorting were key. The exquisitely fresh 2025 Rieslings are juicy, ripe and full-fruited, from dry to sweet. Downright gorgeous Spätlesen and Auslesen are a particular treat.
Mâconnais 2024 & 2025: Definitely Worth Your Time
France: Burgundy, featured
, Sep 2026
Like the Rocs de Vergisson and Solutré themselves, Mâconnais wines reach mesmerising peaks, though many Burgundy lovers remain blissfully unaware of just how high quality has climbed. With prices still remarkably accessible, there has rarely been a better time to discover this beautiful region.
Cellar Favorite: 2014 Petrus
cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites, France: Bordeaux
, Sep 2026
At nearly 12 years of age, the 2014 Petrus shows a very interesting and restrained dimension of Petrus.
Mount Etna: The Juggernaut of Italian Wine
Italy: Center & South, featured
, Sep 2026
From pioneering contrade and MGA classifications to an imminent DOCG ascension and a revamped sparkling category, Etna continues to push forward as a true juggernaut of Italian wine. But this ambition and momentum coincide with back-to-back volatile growing seasons, from a disease-ravaged 2023 to a drought-ridden 2024. Even so, this broad swath of new releases is full of gems that readers will not want to miss.
Australia’s Limestone Coast: The Limestone Effect
Australia Featured, featured
, Sep 2026
Though Coonawarra is well known, the wider Limestone Coast remains very much under the radar. The region’s leading wines display elegance and finesse thanks to its temperate climate and the rich veins of limestone in the soils. While the area offers classic, ageworthy Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz, it has also seen an increasing focus on future opportunities and innovation with alternative varieties.