From above, the vineyards of the Tepusquet Bench look like corduroy draped in the evening light of the Santa Maria Valley AVA in Santa Barbara. Raised benchland at the foot of the San Rafael Mountains, cut away by the Sisquoc River, the Tepusquet Bench represents some of the earliest plantings of Pinot Noir in Santa Barbara wine country, dating back …

Chardonnay. A grape both worshipped and reviled. It is the magical stuff of Montrachet, making $18,000 bottles of the most coveted white wines around, yet also responsible for the $6 bottles of movie-theater butter and tinned pineapple that have some people crying “Anything But Chardonnay!” In my opinion, great Chardonnay can be epic, mind-blowing stuff, with a serious deliciousness quotient. …

  A candelabra flickers on the massive oak table in the cool, musty subterranean room. Old wine crates are stacked to the ceiling, each etched with the name of a venerable château. Dusty barrels in one corner were filled with cognac distilled a century ago. Through the stone archway, racks of cobwebbed bottles stretch into the distance. Many wine lovers …

Early reports have suggested a significant frost impact in the Mendoza region, although producers were still assessing their vines. ‘We [are] talking about 10,000 hectares of vineyards affected,’ Mendoza’s sub-secretary of state Sergio Moralejo told reporters on Thursday, 4 November. The Mendoza regional government has declared an agriculture state of emergency after temperatures plunged to as a low as -4 …

Old vines garnacha. (Wikimedia) In Reuters, Joan Faus and Vincent West report on a Spanish research laboratory studying climate-resilient old vines and grape varieties that could become key in the future of wine production. Eric Degerman looks at the key roles women have played since the early days of Washington State wine, and highlights three women leading the future of …

‘Remember, remember…’ Lest you forget, the 5 November, also known as Guy Fawkes Night or Bonfire Night, marks the failure of a plot to kill King James I in 1605. Fires were lit to celebrate, and the annual public day of thanksgiving eventually became a gathering in which people ‘burn’ their sorrows and merrily protest against the establishment. For that …

Westland distillery matures its whiskeys in local Quercus garryana oak Whisky is emphatically a product of place. The flavours in the glass conjure images of the spirit’s origin, from an Islay malt’s distinctive peat smoke to the exotic perfume of a Japanese blend. Traditionally, however, that local accent is lost when spirit is filled into cask. The vast majority of …

Ridge Vineyards’ Lytton Springs vineyard. Credit: Robert Holmes Poised on a secluded mountaintop, just 16km (10 miles) from its mega-tech neighbour Silicon Valley, Ridge has been considered one of the pre-eminent California wine estates for the past 60 years. Its Cabernets—especially the one from the famed Monte Bello Vineyard—are coveted by collectors, never more so than after the Thirty Year …

A sculpted Champagne that’s firm and mouthwatering, yet the fine and creamy mousse softens the impression, bringing overall harmony. The baked white cherry, raspberry coulis, pickled ginger and anise notes are underscored by a streak of salty mineral, and accents of lime blossoms and graphite chime on the finish. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Disgorged February 2021. Drink now through 2025. …

An expressive, fruity style, this red features cherry, raspberry, plum, floral and wild herb aromas and flavors. Dense and lively, with a lingering aftertaste of red fruit and herbs. Sangiovese, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Best from 2023 through 2036. 10,000 cases made, 7,000 cases imported. Source : e16c05065c264c48d4ee4cc92d3165b7

dilhman26 has added a photo to the pool: Autumn vines Source : https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/52461100909/in/[email protected]