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Castillo Ygay 1959–2016: A Legacy in Present Tense
Spain, featured, Verticals & Retrospectives
, Apr 2026
Marqués de Murrieta is central to Rioja’s identity, and few wines embody the region’s capacity for aging like the Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial. First released in 1893, Ygay has long served as a benchmark. In this vertical tasting, I examine its evolution through vintages spanning 1959 to 2016.
2022, 2023 and 2024: The Rioja Renaissance
Spain, featured
, Apr 2026
Spain’s best-known wine region is undergoing a transformation as economic contraction breeds stylistic rejuvenation. While the broader industry is suffering, a new generation of winemakers is redefining the style of the region’s wines and expanding Rioja’s appeal in the process. This report features in-depth commentary on those producers, along with several hundred reviews of wines that represent a bridge between Rioja’s past, present and future.
Sun, Limestone and Heritage: Exploring Catalunya and Levante
Spain, featured
, Nov 2025
Ample sunlight, calcareous soils and a melting pot of different approaches set the tone for wine country in Mediterranean Spain. This report features 650 wines from the mountains that stretch from the border with France down to Alicante and Murcia.
Gredos, Granite and Garnacha
Spain, featured
, Oct 2025
For some time now, the wines of Gredos have attracted global attention. How did this small, complex region become such a magnet for wine lovers the world over?
El Bierzo & Galicia: The Sil River Illuminates a Different Side of Spanish Wine
Spain, featured
, Sep 2025
The Sil River connects wine regions from Bierzo to Valdeorras and Ribeira Sacra, before continuing as a tributary of the Miño toward Ribeiro and Rías Baixas. In this report, I explore the many expressions of Mencía, Godello, Treixadura and Albariño that can be found along its shores.
Duero: From Ribera to Toro via Rueda (And a Few Other Detours)
Spain, featured
, Jun 2025
The wines of the Duero region—a diverse area shaped by a harsh climate—have earned a reputation as some of Spain’s finest. Journeying through the 600-plus wines reviewed in this report, I tour the region and share my interpretation of Ribera del Duero, the beating heart of Castilla y León.
The Diverse Villages of Rioja: A New Trend Emerges
Spain, featured
, May 2025
Rioja is changing. One of the most important factors in that change is the increased prominence of small and mid-sized producers and their interpretations of Rioja as village, vineyard or parcel wines. These wines stand in stark contrast to the region’s historically blended wines, and yet they may also represent the most promising future for Spain’s most famous winegrowing region.
Vinous Table: Casa Julián, Tolosa, Spain
Spain, Vinous Table
, May 2025
The Basque region is a foodie’s paradise, a cradle for some of the finest fish, meat and dairy in the world. Casa Julián is a bona fide institution, and will certainly be one of my top meals of 2025.
Rías Baixas & Ribeiro: The Beating Heart of White Wine in Galicia
Spain, featured
, Mar 2025
Located in Northwest Spain, Galicia is home to wines with an Atlantic soul. Among the region’s white wine DOs, Rías Baixas and Ribeiro present contrasting yet equally intriguing styles. From Albariño to Treixadura, the 300 wines reviewed in this report offer a journey through Galicia's diverse terroirs.
The Vivacious Reds of Ribeira Sacra and El Bierzo
Spain, featured
, Feb 2025
Ribeira Sacra and Bierzo share a climate and dominant red grape variety, and yet they produce two very different versions of Mencía. In this report, I survey over 300 wines to provide a comprehensive overview of the wine country that spans the mountains between Galicia and León.