Feeling a little bit cheated over Christmas, as I could barely move and spent around 75% of it lying down. That meant I had only one glass of Pinot Noir (from Poland, Winnica Płochockich, quite exquisite) with the duck, and not even on Christmas Day but the day after. Funny how the body sometimes tells you to stop, with absolutely no regard for your plans or preferences.
This year has felt like a decade in one if you ask me how I feel at the end of it. It has brought incredible wine related opportunities, yet it has also taken me on quite a ride health wise. So if I have not followed through with some things, my sincerest apologies, but my priority had to be my health. It is something we so easily take for granted in youth until we suddenly do not.
That being said, I did manage to taste some truly wonderful wines this year, and I hope my recommendations reflect that.
Parató, Cava Guarda Superior Gran Reserva, Eliás i Terns Cuvée Especial Brut Nature
The best Cava I have ever tried. Beautifully complex, full of apple, brioche and nutty notes. Fantastic acidity, a chalky palate, and an exuberantly long finish. Their flagship wine is excellent as well. I would be delighted to see more Guarda Superior Cavas in London. This one is still looking for an importer.
Champagne Chavost, Blanc Assemblage Brut Nature
I have adored this Champagne since discovering it around two and a half years ago. Truthfully, I love the whole series, Ratafia included. This Brut Nature has accompanied me through every New Year’s Eve recently, and this year only differs because their Eureka will be helping me cope with the pain of waiting for the final Stranger Things episode. Great freshness, chalkiness, apple, lemon and citrus notes, with plenty of brioche. The labels also deserve full marks. Imported by Cépage and Shrine to the Vine.
Orma, Aola di Orma Bolgheri Superiore DOC, 2022
Cabernet Franc strikes again. If you follow my articles, you will know I am rather a sucker for it, and Bolgheri is in my view its ideal home. Aola di Orma, the finest expression from Orma’s Cabernet Franc plots, supported by 15 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, is a wine that simply keeps giving. Cherry, plum, raspberries, mushrooms, forest floor and even hints of the pine scented Tuscan coast unfold beautifully. Imported by Alliance Wine.
Vergelegen, V, 2022
One of the best moments not only of my year but of my life. I visited South Africa for the first time this year, speaking at the Wines of South Africa Summit about AI and tech trends. I had the immense pleasure of visiting Vergelegen and going on a safari. The flora, the fauna, the sheer beauty of it all made tasting V afterwards feel like a dream come true. Imported by Ellis Wines.
Stéphane et Vincent Perraud Clisson, 2012, Appellation Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Clisson Contrôlée (Magnum)
This was the wine I dreaded the most. I had genuinely never felt worse about the idea of trying something. And oh, how wrong I was. How entirely converted I have become. Melon Blanc is such an underrated grape, and this was the biggest surprise of my entire wine life. It is a beautifully complex, age worthy wine. We drink these too young, and it never shows its full potential that way. I am not sure if it is imported at all.
Domaine du Haut Bourg, Gros Plant du Pays Nantais Sur Lie, 2023
Another Loire grape that blew my mind, Folle Blanche. It was my first time trying it, and I returned to the bottle at least three times even though I had about fifty others to choose from. Absolute beauty. Citrus notes, soaring acidity, a chalky palate and a long, long finish. Also not imported, which truly ought to change.
Kamil Barczentewicz, Pinot Noir Dobre Major, 2022
A unique discovery at London Wine Fair 2023 that has now reached London’s fine tables. Dobre is a charming little place east of the Vistula, close to Lublin, the magical city of my childhood years and my university days. A wine region I never expected to see on my bingo card, yet another delightful surprise. Great acidity, lovely fruit and a touch of mushroom. Imported by Elevage Wines and The Wine Society.
Abbotts and Delaunay, Domaine de la Métairie d’Alon Le Palajo, 2023
Another gem and another discovery of the year. It turns out that Languedoc winegrowing paired with Burgundian winemaking precision can create wines that express Limoux’s complex terroir with unforgettable clarity. Beautiful fruit, vibrant acidity, chalk and a wonderfully complex palate and nose. This wine is also seeking an importer.
Château Figeac - Best performing at Bordeaux En Primeur this year
My first time trying Château Figeac, and it truly delivered. Another Cabernet Franc stealing my heart, this time from Bordeaux, and in slightly smaller proportions, shining brilliantly at the Berry Bros and Rudd En Primeur tasting. With all the past controversy surrounding the estate, I am convinced Netflix should make a series about it.
Donnafugata, Ben Ryé, 2023, Passito di Pantelleria
An absolute beauty. While Vin Santo remains my Italian sweet wine of choice, this comes very close. The little island of Pantelleria off Sicily produces the most gorgeous sun dried Zibibbo, also known as Muscat of Alexandria. It pairs perfectly with cannoli or panettone. Imported by Liberty Wines.
It was one of the hardest exercises to choose ten wines from the thousand plus I have likely tasted this year. Yet it was a valuable one, because my criteria were simple: do I still remember the taste. Only those that lingered in my memory made the list.
Here is to 2026 and to many more wines worth remembering. Wishing you all abundant health and prosperity.
