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Remembering Daniel Cathiard
Vinous Remembers, France: Bordeaux
, Feb 2026
I was deeply saddened to learn of Daniel Cathiard’s recent passing. With his wife and life partner Florence, Cathiard transformed Smith Haut Lafitte from a sleepy, run-down estate into one of Bordeaux’s most respected châteaux.
Rocca di Montegrossi: Act Two
Italy: Tuscany, Verticals & Retrospectives, featured
, Feb 2026
This recent vertical was a terrific opportunity to revisit a number of older wines, essentially picking up where my 2018 article, “Rocca di Montegrossi: Chianti Classico Vigneto San Marcellino 1995–2013,” left off. From his first vintage in 1995, Marco Ricasoli-Firidolfi has crafted powerful yet elegant wines that capture the truest essence of this very special part of Chianti Classico.
Cellar Favorite: Château Latour 2026 New Releases
France: Bordeaux, cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites
, Feb 2026
There’s a lot to like in the 2026 releases from Château Latour. I tasted the wines with Estate Director Hélène Génin during a visit to the château in December 2025.
The Fantastic Four: Alto Piemonte, Canavese, Valtellina & Valle d’Aosta
Italy: Piedmont, featured
, Feb 2026
My annual trip through northern Italy once again highlighted the extraordinary diversity of the stretch of tiny appellations often marked by heroic viticulture and rugged landscapes. Here at the foothills and lower slopes of the Alps, readers will find some of the most fascinating, complex wines in the world. This report focuses on Alto Piemonte and also looks at Nebbiolo and Nebbiolo-based wines in nearby appellations, including Canavese and Valtellina. For the first time, I also include wines from a handful of estates in Valle d’Aosta, which shares a border with Carema.
Moon Mountain Bounces Back with the Exceptional 2023s
featured, United States: California, sonoma
, Feb 2026
The 2023s from Sonoma’s Moon Mountain District are exceptional. A long, cool growing season with no shock events gave producers ideal conditions to turn out intensely aromatic, layered, structured wines. That’s a far cry from 2022, when intense heat and drought challenged these sites severely to the degree that some selections were not bottled at all. Readers will delight in exploring the 2023s, wines that represent Moon Mountain at its very finest.
Cellar Favorite: 1970 Hanzell Vineyards Pinot Noir & Chardonnay
cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites, United States: California
, Feb 2026
The 1970 Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from Hanzell Vineyards are an extraordinary testament to the quality and ageability of the wines from this pioneering Moon Mountain estate.
Going to California: Sonoma’s 2024s & 2023s
featured, United States: California
, Jan 2026
January is always such an exciting time in Sonoma, heavy rains and flooding excepted. The promise of the new year lies ahead. Many estates are releasing their latest wines. This year’s new releases are mostly from 2024 and 2023, two strong back-to-back vintages that provide fascinating contrasts, as the growing seasons were diametrically opposite. The best wines from both vintages are superb.
The Marcassin Mystique
featured, United States: California
, Jan 2026
There are few wineries in the United States, or the world for that matter, with the level of mystique that surrounds Marcassin. “Have you heard anything about Marcassin?” I am asked regularly. “When is the next release?” inevitably follows. A recent visit and tasting provided some answers during a wide-ranging conversation that ran the gamut from wine to vineyards to jazz.
2022 Barolo: Half-Full or Half-Empty?
Italy: Piedmont, featured
, Jan 2026
Two thousand twenty-two is one of the most complicated vintages I have seen in the more than 25 years I have visited Piedmont on a regular basis. The 2022 Barolos are frustratingly erratic, wildly inconsistent wines, and yet some growers found a way to make the most out of the hand they were dealt by Mother Nature. It’s a vintage to approach with caution. There are some real gems in 2022, but they are very much the exceptions.
Cellar Favorite: 1997 Domaine François Raveneau Chablis Montée de Tonnerre 1er Cru
cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites, France: Burgundy
, Jan 2026
There aren’t too many things I enjoy more than a mature bottle of Raveneau Chablis. Approaching its thirtieth birthday, the 1997 Domaine François Raveneau Chablis Montée de Tonnerre 1er Cru is in magnificent form today.