Wine ChroniclesHeady wines, heady times
Climate change and the enduring appeal of Châteauneuf du Pape By Panos Kakaviatos for wine-chronicles.com 26 June 2019 A joyful ceremony earlier this month to induct 15 new ambassadors to the official fraternity of Châteauneuf-du-Pape – the Eschansonnerie des Papes – ended with soulful singing in the local Occitan dialect. But not before participants gathered in […]
Critics Wine Challenge turns 16
By Panos Kakaviatos for wine-chronicles.com 11 June 2019 For the third year in a row, I joined several judges in an intense, yet well organized and friendly one and one-half day tasting experience called the Critics Wine Challenge this past weekend, under the direction of Robert Whitley and Rich Cook. This year, 13 judges assessed […]
Hedonism and hard work
By Panos Kakaviatos for wine-chronicles.com 30 May 2019 I started reflecting on these two words while in Bordeaux during the famous Vinexpo event earlier this month. Every two years, this massive wine and spirits trade fair for professionals includes many fine lunches and dinners. I usually stay for the entire gig, but I was only […]
For hedonists and intellectuals: Bordeaux 2018
By Panos Kakaviatos for wine-chronicles.com 7 May 2019 My top barrel samples from 2018 Full tasting notes by appellation and area: Pessac-Léognan+Graves (reds) / Médoc-Haut-Médoc-Listrac-Moulis / Margaux / Saint Julien / Pauillac / Saint Estèphe / Saint Emilion / Pomerol / Fronsac and other bargains / Dry whites including Graves / Sauternes & Barsac NOTE […]
Fine Fronsac and more 2018
By Panos Kakaviatos for wine-chronicles.com 7 May 2019 In a very good vintage, you can find economically priced wines, and 2018 is no exception. Once again, many Fronsacs assessed at the always well organized Grand Cercle tastings – this year at the lovely Château La Dauphine – proved yet again the quality of this appellation. […]
Graves and Pessac-Léognan 2018 (reds)
Noteworthy vintage By Panos Kakaviatos for wine-chronicles.com 26 April 2019 The hotter gravely soils of this famous appellation may have been too … gravelly and hot for the vintage. Here is a case where the question of 2016 is quite relevant. In some cases, I do think that 2016 may be a better vintage than […]
Médoc/Haut-Médoc/Moulis/Listrac: 2018 from barrel
by Panos Kakaviatos for wine-chronicles.com 26 April 2019 Some lovely wines from the northern Médoc in 2018. A huge pity for the absence of the great Château La Lagune, as hail devastated the vineyards in 2018. I was able to taste the others that made wine in 2018, with oenologist Christophe Coupez in Pauillac (we […]
Margaux 2018 from barrel
by Panos Kakaviatos for wine-chronicles.com 26 April 2019 As a vast appellation, Margaux can be heterogenous in quality. 2018 is no exception. In many ways, however, it resembles the successful 2015 vintage. I feel that the acidity was slightly better in 2015, but the best wines from 2018 from Margaux are great. On the other […]
Wild n’ Crazy Saint Estèphe 2018?
By Panos Kakaviatos for wine-chronicles.com 26 April 2019 Saint Estèphe is an appellation that tends to thrive in hot and arid summers. Take for examples the torrid heat of the 2003 vintage. The cooler soils underneath gravel in Saint Estèphe seemed to counter the extreme weather better than any other Bordeaux appellation of note. Many tasters […]
Saint Emilion Sensations 2018
Change in style continues: Yahoo! by Panos Kakaviatos for wine-chronicles.com 26 April 2019 Very happy to see how much the “refreshing trend” is coming into focus in Saint Emilion. As stated in my introduction to the vintage, with regard to the 50 member estates of the Association of Saint Emilion Grands Crus Classés. Here we […]