Cf june302025

Cellar Favorite: 1952 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Romanée-Conti Grand Cru

France: Burgundy, cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites, featured

Neal Martin, Jun 2025

1952 was a significant vintage: it marked the return of the Romanée-Conti cuvée after the monopole’s ungrafted vines were pulled out following the 1945 harvest. It was a complete privilege to drink this extraordinarily rare piece of history.

Cf june232025

Cellar Favorite: 2000 Noël Verset Cornas

cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites, France: Rhône & Beaujolais

Neal Martin, Jun 2025

A recent bottle of the 2000 Cornas was a pertinent reminder of how Noël Verset’s wines can bring such joy.

Richebourg bottles vinous

One Night in Taipei: Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Richebourg 1995-2017

France: Burgundy, featured, Verticals & Retrospectives

Neal Martin, Jun 2025

This was an invaluable overview of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti’s Richebourg—an opportunity to really examine a single cuvée, to observe how it interacts with the heterogeneity of growing seasons that leads to differing results in the bottle. It was also a timely reminder that despite this domaine’s lofty reputation, no bottle is beyond criticism.

Five line up at chevalier vinous

A Century of...Fives

France: Bordeaux, France: Bordeaux featured Verticals and Retrospectives, France: Bordeaux Verticals and Retrospectives featured, featured

Neal Martin, Jun 2025

My annual "Century of..." article revisits vintages on their decennial anniversaries. This year, we dive into Fives.

Cf june162025

Cellar Favorite: 1990 Hennebelle

cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites, France: Bordeaux, featured

Neal Martin, Jun 2025

The 1990 Hennebelle is a pertinent reminder of the glories of Bordeaux, how a modest quarter-century-old Haut-Médoc could deliver such pleasure.

Hamachi vt

Vinous Table: L’Ardente, Washington, D.C., United States

Vinous Table, featured

Neal Martin, Jun 2025

Located just a few blocks from Capitol Hill, L’Ardente offers unpretentious, straight-down-the-line Italian fare that has earned a reputation for quality. The atmosphere is lively and the sommelier team is impressive.

Cf june092025 widescreen

Cellar Favorite: 2021 Château Simone Palette Blanc

cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites, France

Neal Martin, Jun 2025

The 2021 Château Simone Blanc serves as a pertinent reminder of just how good wines from Provence can be.

Nm market report cover 2

Bordeaux: The Crisis Laid Bare

France: Bordeaux, featured

Neal Martin, Jun 2025

Bordeaux is facing its biggest crisis since the 1930s. After speaking candidly to people in and outside of Bordeaux, I felt a duty to depict the sheer scale of the calamity the Bordeaux wine industry is up against.

Bordeaux 2015 cover

Bordeaux 2015 At Age Ten

France: Bordeaux, France: Bordeaux featured Verticals and Retrospectives, France: Bordeaux Verticals and Retrospectives featured, featured

Neal Martin, Jun 2025

The 2015 vintage in Bordeaux was warmly received on release, but 2016 stole the limelight just 12 months later. How is the vintage faring now that the wines have reached age ten? Blindfolds on.

Cf june22025

Cellar Favorite: 1988 Dom Ruinart Brut Rosé

cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites, France: Champagne

Neal Martin, Jun 2025

If you have bottles of the 1988 Dom Ruinart Brut Rosé left in your cellar, do not hesitate to crack them open now.