2024 In Review: Highlights from Bordeaux and Beyond
Sometimes it doesn’t seem like it in the moment, but every year I look back and realize how blessed I’ve been to experience so many great wines, stories, and events. Often, it’s not the scale of the wine, but the people you’re with or the places you find yourself. 2024 was a roller coaster year for sure, but here are some of the peaks of fine wine that I was fortunate to be a part of last year.
Highlights from Bordeaux
As always, the availability of stock from Bordeaux affords the opportunity to taste and revisit wines over the years as they gracefully age and evolve. This year a few highlights among many jump to the top of my mind. First up, a generous friend shared a bottle of 2001 Yquem, my first encounter with the epic bottling, and one that lived up to ever expectation (which is difficult to do, considering what I had imagined it capable of). A ’96 Latour was astounding, with the property’s indelible signature that never fails to amaze.
From one of my favorites, Montrose, I was able to taste their landmark 2016 (hold or decant!) and the 2009 (just so good, will cruise for years to come). I might have drank more Domaine de Chevalier than is good for me, but I can’t stop pulling corks when it is consistently one of the most well-priced collectibles in my cellar. Sneaky-good 2019s from Rauzan-Ségla, Brane-Cantenac, Léoville-Barton, and Lynch-Bages are wines that I can’t get enough of.
Branaire-Ducru also made it on the list for a bunch of highlight moments. Their ’22 and ’23 are going to be epic, but it’s their 2009 that stole the show on multiple occasions in the past few months. Same could be said about Canon, where their 2020 is out of this world. That said, for the second time in as many years, their 1983 showed incredibly, a tribute to their stunning terroir that’s just full of surprises.
Speaking of great 2019s, early in the year I opened a bottle of 2019 Léoville-Poyferré to see what was up, and it was magical. A few months later, we had an event for K&L and I decided to share the same bottle—equally as brilliant. At the staff tasting a few months later, it clearly showed the class of the property and vintage. This is not to say that it is a wine above all others, but for the going rate, it is one of my absolute favorite wines on the market right now. So good young, so broadly approachable, it will also age beautifully. Kudos to the Cuvelier team on another monumental St-Julien.
The Joy of Dominus
Most years, I am lucky to go taste with the gracious team at Dominus, one of the most refreshing and down-to-earth visits you could have, especially considering the caliber of the wines in question. This year, I missed out on the trip, but lo and behold, a bottle of the 2013 and 2016 was open at a recent event. From the aromas to the palate, there is something that is so singular about these wines that it is impossible not to smile with a glass in front of you. For New Years, I pulled out one of my last bottles of 2013 Napanook, and although it doesn’t reach the heights of the Grand Vin, there is a signature to the fruit, texture, and tannins that certainly speaks volumes to a treasured terroir and team. New Years resolution? More Dominus in my life.
Barbaresco (and La Ca’ Növa) Keeps Delivering
This is just one small example, but back with the 2014 vintage, this property caught my attention thanks to some seemingly over-the-top reviews from Antonio Galloni. What I found was very affordable, best in class Barbaresco that speaks beautifully to their Crus. The Montestefano is almost burly while the Montefico highlights focus and purity, both textbook examples and undeniably delicious at the same time. They also show the genuine character of the vintage – the openness of the 2020s, structure of the 2019s, and the balance of the 2021s. This is just one example of many for a region that truly over-delivers and I cannot get enough of these days. Whether it’s new vintages (I really enjoy young Nebbiolo with a bit of air) or old, there’s so much to this region that goes undiscovered.
A First Growth with a Terrible Finish
I’ve gone to many football games in my life growing up, but to my knowledge, there was never wine at the Pontiac Silverdome. So, it felt a bit weird rolling into Santa Clara with a vintage Champagne and a classified growth Bordeaux. It was the NFC Championship, something also very foreign to me, but I felt right at home as Ralph Sands greeted me and my family with welcoming arms leveled me up with a glass of ‘01 Latour that was about as good as it gets. He went on to tell me how nobody has ever quite recovered from the Lions’ 20-point comeback against the Niners in 1957 at Kezar stadium. Well...they avenged it that day, and while I was on the wrong side of it, it is an experience I’ll never forget.
Retiring with Greg St-Clair
This past August, I was fortunate enough to be along for the farewell tour of our one-of-a-kind, retiring Italian wine buyer, Greg St-Clair. An icon in the industry, it was a pure joy to join him for meetings, lunches, and dinners where he graciously introduced myself and new buyer Orazio Campoli to the insiders of the industry. Not only was there genuine appreciation for Greg, but the wines shared were phenomenal, and I’m still recovering from all the pasta I had. Congrats to Greg on an awesome career, and welcome to Orazio, who has been an incredible addition to the team.
Opening That Bottle
Last up, I can’t recommend it enough…open that bottle. I’m one of those collectors who has a few too many “hands-off” wines that I can never bring myself around to opening. But every once in a while I’ll convince myself to pull the cork, whether for a special occasion or not, and the same thing always happens—I’m thrilled to have experienced the wine more than being concerned with having a hole in my collection. Even more so when I have lots of people to share the bottle with. So with that in mind, make 2025 the year you are opening that bottle. Find a reason, make one, or just take a leap and find a day where you need that uplifting moment. Either way, make sure to pull corks and get inspired.