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Cellar Favorite: 1946 Figeac
France: Bordeaux, cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites
, May 2022
During en primeur week, I attended a dinner at Château Figeac. Following a raft of wines in large formats that included the 1989 and 1975, the evening’s climax was a mystery wine that guests were invited to identify. A few brave souls raised their hands to give their tentative answer – all wildly off, not by years, but decades.
Cellar Favorite: 2011 Clos Rougeard Saumur Blanc Brézé
cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites, France: Loire
, May 2022
It was actually during a visit to Ducru-Beaucaillou that I chanced upon this week’s Cellar Favourite. Entertaining a fellow wine scribe for lunch, proprietor Bruno Borie invited me to choose their pre-prandial white before I had to shoot off to another appointment.
Cellar Favorite: 2010 Roagna Barbaresco Pajè
cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites, Italy: Piedmont
, May 2022
Luca Roagna’s 2010 Barbaresco Pajè is one of the Barbarescos we featured in a recent Roagna masterclass that kicked off this year’s La Festa del Piemonte; the other two were the 2014 and 2016 editions. From the moment I open the bottle, I know we are in for a treat.
Cellar Favorite: 1949 Louis Latour Pommard Les Epenots 1er Cru
cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites, France: Burgundy
, Apr 2022
During Les Grands Jours week in Burgundy, I had the pleasure of sitting next to owner Louis-Fabrice Latour.
Cellar Favorite: 1966 & 1990 Clinet
France: Bordeaux, cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites
, Apr 2022
I have probably drunk more than my fair share of Pomerol over the years. That said, some of my favourite châteaux possess scant reserves of mature vintages, the last remaining bottles of yesteryear vintages sold long ago.
Cellar Favorite: 2020 Clos de Vougeot Cuvée de l’Abbaye de Citeaux
cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites, France: Burgundy
, Apr 2022
This edition of Cellar Favourite concerns a brand new release. The 2020 Clos de Vougeot Cuvée de l’Abbaye de Citeaux is blended from the donations of 24 growers.
Cellar Favorite: 1921 Siran
France: Bordeaux, cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites
, Apr 2022
Recent vintages from this Margaux estate have shown much improvement under proprietor Edouard Miailhe. I also happen to have a growing appreciation for older vintages, thanks to two comprehensive verticals undertaken in recent years.
Cellar Favorite: Hamilton Russell Vineyards Pinot Noir 1981-2021
cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites, South Africa
, Mar 2022
Proprietors Anthony and Olive Hamilton Russell recently tutored a special tasting of Hamilton Russell Vineyards’ flagship Pinot Noir to mark 40-years of vintages.
Cellar Favorite: 2008 Tyrrell's Wines Semillon Vat 1 Hunter Valley
cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites, Australia
, Mar 2022
These days, as I am focusing on fewer regions, I taste less widely than when I started out. However, I feel it is important to take my palate out on “away days” and taste something different. I have always loved Sémillon from the Hunter Valley.
Cellar Favorite: Torbreck Library Wines
cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites, Australia
, Mar 2022
Dave Powell is a legendary Barossa winemaker. I have not seen the former lumberjack for a long time but remember him as a force of nature with enough energy to supply the entire Barossa.