Credit: Kirill Rudenko / Getty Images
When choosing a wine, consulting tasting notes can offer some valuable insight. We can all be guilty of just scanning for scores, but when picking a wine to drink now, there’s a more important number to look at – the ‘drink from’ date.
A question of pleasure
When I visited Jean-Louis Chave last October I was lucky enough to taste something very special: his 2020 Cuvée Cathelin. It’s a Hermitage bottling he makes only in the best years. I also tasted a mature vintage of his classic Hermitage, the 2001, a less vaunted year.
Which was better? No question – the 2020 Cuvée Cathelin. Which would I like to drink? That’s easy – the 2001 classic Hermitage.
Scroll down to see notes and scores (and drinking windows) for 10 wines that are ready to drink now
{“content”:”PHA+VGhlIEN1dsOpZSBDYXRoZWxpbiB3YXMgYSBiZWF1dGlmdWwgY29tYmluYXRpb24gb2YgZGVuc2l0eSBhbmQgZmluZXNzZS4gWW91IGNvdWxkIHNlZSBpdHMgcG90ZW50aWFsLCBidXQgdGFzdGluZyB0aGUgd2luZSBvZmZlcmVkIG5vIGhlZG9uaXN0aWMgZGVsaWdodC4gUHJvZmVzc2lvbmFsbHkgaXQgd2FzIGZhc2NpbmF0aW5nLCBhIHZhbHVhYmxlIGluc2lnaHQgaW50byB0aGUgdmludGFnZSwgdGhlIHBsYWNlIGFuZCB0aGUgcXVhbGl0eSBvZiB0aGUgd2luZS4gQnV0IGl0IGRpZG7igJl0IG9mZmVyIGFueSBwbGVhc3VyZSDigJMgbm90IHlldC48L3A+CjxwPkl0IG1pZ2h0IGNvbWUgZnJvbSBhbiBpbmZlcmlvciB2aW50YWdlLCBidXQgdGhlIDIwMDEgSGVybWl0YWdlIHdhcyBhcm9tYXRpY2FsbHkgZXhwbG9zaXZlLCB0ZXh0dXJhbGx5IGhhcm1vbmlvdXMgYW5kIHN0aWxsIGZyZXNoLiBJdCBoYWQgdGFrZW4gb24gYWxsIHRoZSB1bm1pc3Rha2FibGUgZ2FtZXksIHNtb2t5IG1hcmtlcnMgb2YgYW4gYXV0aGVudGljIEhlcm1pdGFnZSwgd2l0aCBsYXllcnMgb2YgdGhyaWxsaW5nIGNvbXBsZXhpdHkuIEl0IHdhcyBqdXN0IGEgbW91dGhmdWwgaW4gYSBkYXJrIGNlbGxhciwgYnV0IGl0IHdhcyBhIG1vbWVudCBvZiBzaGVlciBwbGVhc3VyZSDigJMgYmVjYXVzZSB0aGUgd2luZSB3YXMgb3BlbiBhbmQgcmVhZHkgdG8gZHJpbmsuPC9wPgo8aDM+SW5jb252ZW5pZW50IHRydXRoczwvaDM+CjxwPuKAmDxhIGhyZWY9Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmRlY2FudGVyLmNvbS93aW5lL2dyYXBlLXZhcmlldGllcy9zYXV2aWdub24tYmxhbmMvIj48c3Ryb25nPlNhdXZpZ25vbiBCbGFuYzwvc3Ryb25nPjwvYT4gd2l0aCBzdGVhaz8gSXTigJlzIG5vdCB3cm9uZyBpZiB5b3UgbGlrZSBpdCHigJkgdGhlIHBvcHVsaXN0cyBwcm9jbGFpbS4gSnVzdCBhcyB0aGV5IHNheSB0aGF0IHRoZXJl4oCZcyBubyB3cm9uZyB0aW1lIHRvIGRyaW5rIGEgYm90dGxlIG9mIHdpbmUuIERlbXlzdGlmeWluZyB3aW5lIGlzIGEgbm9ibGUgYWltLCBidXQgb3ZlcnNpbXBsaWZpY2F0aW9uIGRvZXNu4oCZdCBoZWxwIGFueW9uZS48L3A+CjxwPkl04oCZcyB1bmRlbmlhYmxlIHRoYXQgYWxsIHdpbmVzIGhhdmUgYSBsaWZlc3BhbiDigJMgd2hldGhlciBpdOKAmXMgdHdvLCAyMCBvciAyMDAgeWVhcnMuIEFuZCBkaWZmZXJlbnQgdHlwZXMgb2Ygd2luZSBzaW1wbHkgdGFzdGUgYmV0dGVyIGF0IGNlcnRhaW4gcGVyaW9kcyByYXRoZXIgdGhhbiBvdGhlcnMuIEp1c3QgYXMgaXTigJlzIHRydWUgdGhhdCBzdGVhayBnb2VzIGJldHRlciB3aXRoIFN5cmFoLjwvcD4KPHA+U29tZSB3aW5lcyBmYW1vdXNseSBpbXByb3ZlIHdpdGggYWdlLiBUaGlzIGNvbmZlcnMgb24gdGhlbSBhIGNlcnRhaW4gbHVzdHJlOyBidXQgaXQgY2FuIGJlIGNvbW1lcmNpYWxseSBmcnVzdHJhdGluZy4gVGFrZSB2aW50YWdlIFBvcnQsIHRoZSBiZXN0IG9mIHdoaWNoIGNhbiBldm9sdmUgZm9yIGEgY2VudHVyeSBvciBtb3JlLiBUaGUgcHJvYmxlbSBmb3IgUG9ydCBtYWtlcnMgaXMgdGhhdCB3aW5lIGxvdmVycyBrbm93IGhvdyB3ZWxsIGl0IGFnZXMsIHNvIGhhdmUgbm8gaHVycnkgdG8gZHJpbmsgaXQg4oCTIGFuZCB3aXRoIGNhc2VzIGx5aW5nIGRlZXAgaW4gdGhlaXIgY2VsbGFycywgdGhlcmXigJlzIGxpdHRsZSBpbmNlbnRpdmUgdG8gYnV5IG1vcmUuIFBlcmhhcHMgdGhhdOKAmXMgd2h5IEkgcmVjZW50bHkgc2F3IGEgUG9ydCBwcm9kdWNlciBkZWNsYXJlIHRoYXQgeW91bmcgdmludGFnZSBQb3J0IGdvZXMgd2VsbCB3aXRoIHN0ZWFrLiBJ4oCZbGwgc3RpY2sgdG8gdGhlIFN5cmFoLjwvcD4KPHA+RHJpbmtpbmcgYSB3aW5lIHRvbyB5b3VuZyBpcyBsaWtlIHdhdGNoaW5nIHRoZSByZWhlYXJzYWwgb2YgYSBwbGF5IHJhdGhlciB0aGFuIHdhaXRpbmcgZm9yIHRoZSBzaG93IHRvIG9wZW4uIEl0IG1pZ2h0IG1ha2UgZm9yIGFuIGVuam95YWJsZSBldmVuaW5nLCBhbmQgeW91IGNhbiB0ZWxsIGlmIGl0IHdpbGwgbWFrZSBmb3IgYSBnb29kIHByb2R1Y3Rpb24gb3Igbm90LiBCdXQgZ2l2ZW4gdGhlIGNob2ljZSwgaXTigJlzIHN0aWxsIHdvcnRoIHdhaXRpbmcgZm9yIHRoZSBmaW5pc2hlZCB0aGluZy48L3A+CjxoMz5JZiBub3Qgbm93LCB3aGVuPzwvaDM+CjxwPktub3dpbmcgd2hlbiB0byBwdWxsIHRoZSBjb3JrIGlzbuKAmXQgYWx3YXlzIG9idmlvdXMuIFNvbWUgcmVkIHdpbmVzLCBsaWtlIHRvcCA8YSBocmVmPSJodHRwczovL3d3dy5kZWNhbnRlci5jb20vd2luZS93aW5lLXJlZ2lvbnMvYm9yZGVhdXgtd2luZXMvIj48c3Ryb25nPkJvcmRlYXV4PC9zdHJvbmc+PC9hPiwgYXJlIGJ1aWx0IGZvciB0aGUgbG9uZy1oYXVsLCBwYWRkZWQgb3V0IHdpdGggc3VzdGFpbmluZyB0YW5uaW5zIHRoYXQgd2lsbCBoYXZlIHNsaW1tZWQgZG93biBieSB0aGUgdGltZSBpdHMgZmxhdm91cnMgaGF2ZSBldm9sdmVkLiBPdGhlcnMsIGxpa2UgZ3JlYXQgQ2jDonRlYXVuZXVmLWR1LVBhcGUsIGVudGljZSB3aXRoIGEgeW91dGhmdWwgZGVsaWNpb3VzbmVzcyBmcm9tIHRoZSBzdGFydC48L3A+CjxwPlRoZSBhcmMgb2YgYSB3aW5l4oCZcyBtYXR1cml0eSBpc27igJl0IGFsd2F5cyBzbW9vdGggb3IgbGluZWFyLiBMaWtlIENow6J0ZWF1bmV1ZiwgbWFueSB3aW5lcyBoYXZlIGFuIGVhcmx5IHBlYWssIGEgY291cGxlIG9mIHllYXJzIGFmdGVyIGJvdHRsaW5nLCB3aGVuIHRoZXnigJlyZSBleHViZXJhbnQgYW5kIHZpdGFsLiBUaGVuIHRoZXkgd2lsbCBnbyB0aHJvdWdoIGEgbW9yZSBtdXRlZCBzdGFnZSBiZWZvcmUgb3BlbmluZyB1cCBhZ2FpbiB3aXRoIGEgbW9yZSBjb21wbGV4LCBlYXJ0aHksIG1pbmVyYWwgbWFuaWZlc3RhdGlvbi4gPGEgaHJlZj0iaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVjYW50ZXIuY29tL3dpbmUvZ3JhcGUtdmFyaWV0aWVzL3NoaXJhei1zeXJhaC8iPjxzdHJvbmc+U3lyYWg8L3N0cm9uZz48L2E+IGlzIG5vdG9yaW91cyBmb3IgZ29pbmcgdGhyb3VnaCB0aGVzZSBjbG9zZWQgcGVyaW9kczsgSeKAmXZlIG9mdGVuIHdpc2hlZCBJIGNvdWxkIGdpdmUgd2luZXMgdHdvIGRyaW5raW5nIHdpbmRvd3MgcmF0aGVyIHRoYW4gb25lLjwvcD4KPHA+QnV0IGl04oCZcyB0aGUgc2Vjb25kIHBoYXNlLCBvciB3aGVuIHRoZSB3aW5lIGlzIGZ1bGx5IG1hdHVyZSwgd2hlcmUgd2XigJlyZSByZXdhcmRlZCB3aXRoIGEgd2luZeKAmXMgZnVsbGVzdCBleHByZXNzaW9uLiBIYXJtb255IGFuZCBjb21wbGV4aXR5IHByaW5jaXBhbGx5LCBidXQsIGFzIEplYW4tUGF1bCBKYW1ldCBvZnRlbiBzYXlzLCB0ZXJyb2lyIGV4cHJlc3Npb24g4oCTIGEgd2luZeKAmXMgdW5pcXVlbmVzcyDigJMgc29tZXRpbWVzIG9ubHkgcmV2ZWFscyBpdHNlbGYgd2l0aCB0aW1lLjwvcD4KPHA+VW50aWwgd2UgZ2V0IGEgZmVlbCBmb3IgdGhlIGNpcmNhZGlhbiByaHl0aG1zIG9mIGVhY2ggc3R5bGUsIHRoZSBiZXN0IHdheSB0byBrbm93IHdoZW4gdG8gYnJvYWNoIGEgYm90dGxlIGlzIHRvIGNoZWNrIHRoZSBhbGwtaW1wb3J0YW50IG51bWJlcnMgYXQgdGhlIGVuZCBvZiBlYWNoIHRhc3Rpbmcgbm90ZSDigJMgdGhlIGRyaW5raW5nIHdpbmRvdy48L3A+CjxoMz5SZWFkeSBpcyBiZXR0ZXIgdGhhbiBncmVhdDwvaDM+CjxwPldoZW4gcmVhZGluZyByZXN0YXVyYW50IHdpbmUgbGlzdHMsIEkgdXNlZCB0byBzaW1wbHkgZm9jdXMgb24gd2luZXMgSSBrbm93IHRvIGJlIGV4Y2VsbGVudC4gQnV0IEnigJl2ZSBjaGFuZ2VkIG15IHN0cmF0ZWd5LiBOb3cgSSBzY2FuIGZvciB3aW5lcyBJIGtub3cgd2lsbCBiZSBvcGVuIGFuZCByZWFkeS4gQmVjYXVzZSBpbiB0aGlzIHNjZW5hcmlvLCBJIHdhbnQgdG8gcHJpb3JpdGlzZSBwbGVhc3VyZS48L3A+CjxwPkkgZG9u4oCZdCB3YW50IHRvIGhhdmUgdG8gd2FpdCBmb3IgdGhlIHdpbmUgdG8gc2hvdyB1cCwgcGVlcmluZyBpbnRvIHRoZSBib3R0bGUgdHJ5aW5nIHRvIGNvYXggaXQgb3V0LiBQaWNrIHRoZSB3cm9uZyBtb21lbnQgYW5kIHRhc3Rpbmcgd2luZSDigJMgZXZlbiB0aGUgZ3JlYXRlc3Qgd2luZXMg4oCTIGNhbiBiZSBhIHN0cnVnZ2xlLiBHZXQgaXQgcmlnaHQsIGFuZCB0aGUgd2luZSBqdW1wcyBlbnRodXNpYXN0aWNhbGx5IG91dCBvZiB5b3VyIGdsYXNzLjwvcD4KPHA+SWYgdGhlIHdpbmUgaXMgbW9vZHksIHlvdSBjYW4gYWx3YXlzIHRyeSBkZWNhbnRpbmcgaXQuIEluIG15IGV4cGVyaWVuY2UgaG93ZXZlciwgaXQgcmFyZWx5IG1ha2VzIG11Y2ggZGlmZmVyZW5jZS4gSXQgbWlnaHQgaGVscCB5b3VuZyB3aW5lcyB0byBvcGVuIHVwLCBvciB0byBibG93IGF3YXkgdGhlIGNvYndlYnMgb2Ygb2xkZXIgb25lcy4gQnV0IHlvdSBjYW7igJl0IGFjY2VsZXJhdGUgbWF0dXJpdHkgd2l0aCBhZXJhdGlvbi48L3A+CjxwPldoZW4gcmVhZGluZyBhIHRhc3Rpbmcgbm90ZSwgdG9vIG1hbnkgb2YgdXMgY29uY2VudHJhdGUgc29sZWx5IG9uIHRoZSBzY29yZS4gQnV0IGlmIHlvdeKAmXJlIGxvb2tpbmcgZm9yIGEgYm90dGxlIHRvIGRyaW5rIG5vdywgdGhlIGRyaW5raW5nIHdpbmRvdyBpcyBhcmd1YWJseSBtb3JlIGltcG9ydGFudC4gQWZ0ZXIgYWxsLCBhIGdvb2Qgd2luZSB0aGF04oCZcyByZWFkeSB0byBkcmluayBpcyBwcmVmZXJhYmxlIHRvIGEgZ3JlYXQgb25lIHRoYXQgaXNu4oCZdC48L3A+CjxwPgo=”}
Ten top wines ready to drink now:
{}
{“wineId”:”44624″,”displayCase”:”standard”,”paywall”:true}
{“wineId”:”80053″,”displayCase”:”standard”,”paywall”:true}
{“wineId”:”62273″,”displayCase”:”standard”,”paywall”:true}
{“wineId”:”80054″,”displayCase”:”standard”,”paywall”:true}
{“wineId”:”80055″,”displayCase”:”standard”,”paywall”:true}
{“wineId”:”80056″,”displayCase”:”standard”,”paywall”:true}
{“wineId”:”80057″,”displayCase”:”standard”,”paywall”:true}
{“wineId”:”80058″,”displayCase”:”standard”,”paywall”:true}
{“wineId”:”80059″,”displayCase”:”standard”,”paywall”:true}
{“wineId”:”80060″,”displayCase”:”standard”,”paywall”:true}
{}
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