It’s that time of year again. It remains to be seen just how badly the hangover of supply-chain disruptions will impact this year’s holiday shopping, but that won’t stop most of us from our annual binge of commercial consumption. Of course, that’s all besides the fact that sometimes it seems positively impossible to find a decent gift for the wine …

A full moon hangs over the otherworldly landscape of the Santa Ynez Valley just before dawn, where in the distance, fog hangs over the vineyards of this unique section of the Santa Barbara County coastline. Formed when the Pacific plate smashed into the North American plate, this east-west valley grows a wide range of grapes, from some of the coolest …

Pizzini Wines vineyards in King Valley in Victoria, Australia. A delegation of wine producers from Victoria’s King Valley met with members of the Australian parliament in Canberra to reinforce their campaign to maintain access to the Prosecco name. Their visit follows fresh talks between Australia and the EU on a possible free trade deal, which may impact who gets to …

Image: vineyard slopes on Red Mountain Vine rows were abuzz with activity on an October morning. Vineyard teams picked perfectly ripe fruit in a late warm spell, almost bemused at their unlikely good fortune. The quality of wine grapes across the state and here on Red Mountain was uniformly superb, and there was no sacrificing quantity as yields were also …

Winemaker Jennifer Higgins of Lambert Bridge Winery picking Petite Sirah. Given the sheer climatic diversity, the California 2022 harvest was a story of variability, specific varieties and varied approaches to making it all work out. Yields are down, nearly across the board. Still, winemakers and vineyard managers report high-quality fruit throughout the state, and the prediction is that the potential …

Christmas presents Choosing an original gift isn’t always easy. Too often we resort to the same old favourites. But whether your grandpa loves his whisky or mum enjoys putting her feet up with a G&T, a bottle of spirits is always a welcome sight under the Christmas tree. From special seasonal editions to curated collaborations, this year spirits brands have …

We all have different motives in choosing wine. There are those hoping for a journey into unexplored regions of sublime sensation, and those with earthier desires, happy when the first glass has them seeing double. There are wines to accommodate them both: a prickly little Mosel on the one hand and a 15% Barolo on the other. Doesn’t the ideal …

Starts off dense and concentrated, with wild blackberry, blueberry and cassis flavors that have an appealing chewy quality, but details of Assam tea, cardamom, loam and sandalwood emerge on the long finish. Drink now through 2033. 4,500 cases imported. Source : 569d1104adebc01594dca354558f1097

A creamy, light- to medium-bodied white, with lively notes of melon, lychee and guava accented by lime blossoms and pink grapefruit zest. Zippy, mineral-laced finish. Drink now through 2025. 5,000 cases made, 2,500 cases imported. Source : 8b93519daf41831fabfb78c7be71af6c