Browse using the new Vinous website now. Launch →
Southwold: 2016 Bordeaux, Ten Years On
France: Bordeaux, featured, Verticals & Retrospectives, France: Bordeaux featured Verticals and Retrospectives
, Apr 2026
The Bordeaux 2016s were lauded upon release. Now it’s time to put them to the test via two exceptional tastings, one sighted and the other blind, to see whether the wines deliver as they reach their tenth birthday.
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.
Fusion Over Force: The Sadie Family Columella 2001-2020
featured, South Africa, Verticals & Retrospectives
, Apr 2026
Eben Sadie’s flagship wine, Columella, played a crucial role in South Africa’s rise as one of the world’s most exciting wine regions. This article tells the story of The Sadie Family Wines and explores the philosophy of a visionary winemaker.
Vasse Felix Tom Cullity 2013-2022
featured, Verticals & Retrospectives, Australia
, Mar 2026
Questions of genuine longevity often hang over wines from the New World. A recent full vertical tasting of Vasse Felix’s Tom Cullity, partially made with fruit from Margaret River’s oldest vines, beautifully displayed not only the ageability but also the growing confidence and stature of Margaret River’s leading Cabernet Sauvignons.
Curse of the Fours: Bouchard Père 1861-2014
featured, France: Burgundy, Verticals & Retrospectives
, Mar 2026
The word for “four” might be unlucky in Japan, but it certainly was not unlucky with regard to a stunning tasting of wines from Bouchard Père’s cellar back to the 19th century. If that’s not enough, a second Bouchard Père dinner held without a numerical theme was just as enthralling. Together, they form an unrepeatable vinous journey through time.
Rocca di Montegrossi: Act Two
Italy: Tuscany, featured, Verticals & Retrospectives
, 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.
Salt of the Earth: Voliero Brunello di Montalcino 2006-2021
Italy: Tuscany, featured, Verticals & Retrospectives
, Feb 2026
A true wine of place, crafted by a man who applied a lifetime of acquired knowledge to conceptualize its creation, the Voliero Brunello di Montalcino reflects the potential of Montalcino's Southern territory. This 15-vintage retrospective explores the story behind the wine and Andrea Cortoneise, who created it.
It’s Rousseau’Clock: Grand Crus 1967-2019
featured, France: Burgundy, Verticals & Retrospectives
, Feb 2026
It’s Rousseau’clock! An epic tasting of Rousseau’s Grand Crus last November provided valuable insight into their Clos de la Roche, Ruchottes and Charmes-Chambertin. Whilst market prices have escalated in recent years, what has not changed is the calibre of their wines.
Philip Togni Cabernet Sauvignon Estate: 1983-2014
napa, featured, Verticals & Retrospectives
, Dec 2025
Philip Togni’s long, distinguished career stretches across eight decades, during which he has turned out some of the most brilliant wines in Napa Valley. This unforgettable vertical tasting and dinner at Union Square Café surveyed a vast number of vintages all the way back to 1983, Togni’s debut from his estate vineyard on Spring Mountain. The audience, which included several fellow winemakers who traveled to New York for this tasting and many consumers with deep cellars, left no doubt as to where Togni stands among the greatest estates in Napa Valley and the world.
Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2005: The Grand Backbone Vintage
featured, France: Rhône & Beaujolais, Verticals & Retrospectives
, Dec 2025
After 20 years, the 2005 vintage in Châteauneuf-du-Pape stands as a striking example of the region’s ability to deliver wines that age with grace. These wines combine notable structural integrity, enticing tertiary development and remarkable balance, offering both immediate pleasure and the occasional promise of further evolution. Two thousand five remains an outstanding vintage of classic beauty and intrigue.