There is short and cryptic announcement on the Wine Spectator web site. I wonder what the real story is.
I enjoyed his port reviews and also appreciated his Bordeaux tasting notes. HIs palate aligned pretty well with mine and I felt he was one of the few critics who was passionate about port.
His port duties have been assigned to Kim Marcus, who is managing editor there and my guess is a temporary pick. James Molesworth takes over for Bordeaux, a better choice. I hope they do not put port on even more of a back burner.
This would be an opportune time to pitch Marvin Shanken, the publisher, on a part time job taking over the port beat. Could be a great opportunity for AHB, Uncle Tom, Roy Hersh, or someone else who is genuinely passionate about port.