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Vinous Table: Rowayton Seafood, Norwalk, Connecticut
Vinous Table
, Aug 2025
Rowayton is one of the quaint, idyllic, seaside towns on the Connecticut coast that comes alive in the summer. Proprietor Kevin Conroy purchased his seafood market, once the oldest running Lobster Cooperative on the Long Island Sound, in 1978. He later acquired the adjoining restaurant in 1996 on the way to building a collection of shops and restaurants that offer a slice of coastal living.
Vinous Table: Le Tout-Paris, Paris, France
France, Vinous Table
, Aug 2025
Le Tout-Paris is one of the four restaurants inside the Cheval Blanc hotel. With its colorful decor and stunning views of the Seine, Eiffel Tower and other landmarks, Le Tout-Paris is an ideal spot for enjoying the best Paris has to offer in a refined setting. This recent dinner with my daughter was one of the highlights of the week we spent exploring the city’s many cultural and culinary delights. Le Tout-Paris is open from early in the morning until late at night, seven days a week, making it a very useful address for Vinous readers spending time in the City of Lights.
Remembering Frédéric Panaïotis
Vinous Remembers, France: Champagne, featured
, Aug 2025
I was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Frédéric Panaïotis in a diving accident earlier this summer. He was just 60 years old. Judging by the outpouring of support from the many people whose lives he touched, I was not alone. Panaïotis was one of the great ambassadors of Champagne, a rare Chef de Cave who was deeply versed in the technical aspects of winemaking and equally skilled in conveying tremendous passion and enthusiasm.
Littorai: The First Thirty Years
featured, United States: California, Verticals & Retrospectives
, Jul 2025
From humble beginnings in the early 1990s, Ted and Heidi Lemon quietly built one of the most impressive wineries in the United States. Along the way they influenced countless younger winemakers and spearheaded the development of what are now vibrant winegrowing communities in the West Sonoma Coast and Anderson Valley. This report combines tasting notes and impressions from two recent tastings of mostly older vintages, wines that capture all the beauty and pedigree of some of the best sites in both appellations.
Cellar Favorite: Castell’in Villa Library Releases
Italy: Tuscany, cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites
, Jul 2025
Time marches to its own beat at Castell’in Villa, where proprietor Princess Coralia Pignatelli della Leonessa releases her wines only when she thinks they are ready. These current library releases are fabulous choices for readers who want to taste wines with some age from this reference-point property.
Chianti Classico: Riding Out the Storm
featured, Italy: Tuscany
, Jul 2025
After an extraordinary vintage in 2021, producers in Chianti Classico faced two much more stressful growing seasons in 2022 and 2023. Those who were able to cope with those challenges turned out beautiful wines, but there is no getting past the simple fact that quality is inconsistent across the board. Even so, there is plenty to explore in this year’s new releases, ranging from wines from estates that handled the whims of Mother Nature to newer small projects and those that have made important strides in improving quality.
Vinous Table: Marea, New York, USA
Vinous Table
, Jun 2025
It’s hard to get to the top, but it’s even harder to stay there. Sixteen years after it opened in 2009, Marea remains one of New York City’s most vital food and wine destinations. Judging by packed rooms on several recent visits, that’s a view shared by many. Food, wine and service are as exceptional as they have ever been, something that was evident on the three recent dinners that inform this article.
Roederer Estate L’Ermitage: A Complete Retrospective
featured, United States: California
, Jun 2025
This complete retrospective of Roederer Estate’s L’Ermitage, the first of its kind, was illuminating on so many fronts. Most importantly, it proved that Anderson Valley is exceptionally well suited to the production of fine, world-class sparkling wine. I was also deeply impressed with how well the wines age. I had tasted L’Ermitage from time to time but not on a consistent basis; many of these vintages were new to me. I tasted this vertical with longtime Winemaker Arnaud Weyrich and President Nicole Carter during a visit to the property in January 2025.
Vinous Table: Drouant, Paris, France
France, Vinous Table
, May 2025
Drouant offers a menu of traditional brasserie fare, presented in a style that is upscale but not at all fussy. The wine selection is to die for.
Piedmont Odds and Ends
featured, Italy: Piedmont, Piedmont
, May 2025
This small update covers a selection of wines that have come across my desk in between major reports. Many of the wines are from Roero, a small appellation that lies across the Tanaro River from Barbaresco. Arneis and Nebbiolo can be especially fine here.