Even if you didn’t see Sunday’s race, I’m sure you’ve heard about it. From the middle-of-the-night anti-doping protocols visited upon Jonas Vingegaard and Tadej Pogacar, to the devastating crash that sent one of them to the hospital with a broken collar bone, it was a stage that will be remembered for all the wrong reasons.

Here’s a recap in case, somehow, you missed it:

And, as usual, Armstrong, Wiggins, and Hincapie delved into the subject on The Move:

As for Tuesday’s time trial, it should really suit Remco Evenepoel, who had a great day on Sunday and currently sits in second place overall:

Wine Recommendation: 2023 Domaine Louis “Medinette” Dézaley Grand Cru AOC ($67; 13% abv)

Louis Bovard is the 10th generation winemaker in his family to make wine on the northern shore of Lake Geneva. The steep, terraced vineyards provide plenty of sunlight for the Chasselas grapes that comprise 100% of this wine. Soils are a mix of clay-limestone sediments and gravel. The wine matured on its lees and underwent regular bâtonnage over the course of 10 months in oak barrels. It is a rich, complex, structured Chasselas with the potential to age for many years.

About the Label Art

It represents the Bacchus of the 1905 Winegrowers’ Festival, a role played by a nephew of the family, Albert Bovard, who is shown here in his mythical leopard-skin outfit. The name Médinette refers to the city of Medinet-Habou, located near Thebes in Upper Egypt, one of whose temples is dedicated to the work and divinities of the vine and wine. In 1996, the illustrator Beat Brüsch, from Lausanne, was commissioned to renew the look of this label in a “pop-art” style inspired by Andy Warhol, using blue, yellow and red to dress the bottles of the Great Vintages of old.

Tasting Notes

Pale gold with aromas of ripe yellow apple and pear, Rainier cherry, and lemon. As it opens, there are richer, riper notes of golden raisin, apricot, quince, and peach. The palate reflects the nose, with ripe golden fruit, moderate acidity, and a rather unctuous texture that comes across as richness rather than heft. It reminds me of a dry, late-harvest wine in that way. It’s not sweet, but there are hints of caramel sweetness on the finish. This was a really interesting wine. I didn’t pair it with anything, but I think it would work well with a pork loin roasted with apples and pears.

Enjoy the beauty of Switzerland and (hopefully) a drama-free stage 16. I’ll be back tomorrow with a preview of Stage 17 and another nice wine to try.