The Italian countryside is a special place for many wine lovers, and with good reason. The blend of food, wine, culture, and landscape feels like the good life, especially to anyone from a major urban center. There’s also something about the skies that can be magical, with the sun going down on the vineyards, the birds chirping, and the sounds …

Canned wine is the fastest-growing segment of new wine storage innovations on the market, with their lightweight convenience, creative designs and recyclability all appealing to younger consumers. Sales are especially strong in spring and summer, when outdoor social events favor easily accessible, single-serving vessels over the classic glass bottle. But as canned wine becomes increasingly popular, a marketing disaster looms. …

Good, interesting wines can be found around the world these days.  Below, I give my observations on wines from Spain, Lebanon, Armenia, Georgia, Bulgaria, and South Africa.  Most of these wines are made with grape varieties indigenous to the country.  While South Africa has no indigenous grapes that I know of, Chenin Blanc comes close.  It was brought to South …

If you open enough bottles of older wine, it’s bound to happen to you. While opening a special bottle of wine, you remove the corkscrew only to find bits of cork attached. Staring down into the bottleneck you see the bulk of it remains, despite your best efforts. The worries are twofold: saving face as one battles with the obvious …

Top Burgundy and mature Bordeaux have been among the highlights at recent Hong Kong-based auctions by Sotheby’s and Christie’s. In April, a Sotheby’s auction featuring ‘a remarkable Burgundy cellar’ saw a six-bottle lot of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Romanée-Conti Grand Cru 1978 sell for HK$562,500 (£56,600), including buyer’s premium – albeit below the pre-sale high estimate of HK$800,000. White Burgundies …

This ‘resort-like’ Napa Valley estate in Yountville was recently listed for sale and comes with around 5,000 Cabernet Sauvignon vines spanning 0.8 hectares (1.9 acres). Its open-plan, modern lounge area blends into the sprawling garden space that includes an outdoor swimming pool, palm trees and views onto vineyards. Photo credit: Paul Rollins for Sotheby’s International Realty. DWWA results out 19 …

Lee Hudson among the vines on the Hudson Ranch estate in Carneros, California. Come August in the valley, even as the vines have taken on that beautiful, pregnant-with-fruit look, those of us who live here start to bite our nails. A kind of climate PTSD descends over the collective mood. It’s wildfire season – a term I’d barely ever heard, …

Rich flavors of black cherry preserves and blackberry coulis are enlivened by a tang of orange peel acidity, with lavish accents of licorice, violet and Earl Grey tea. A generous red, offering a muscular frame of tannins, yet this shows lovely poise and harmony throughout, expanding with hints of graphite and cocoa powder on the lasting finish. Tempranillo, Graciano, Garnacha …

This crowd-pleasing style’s melon, blueberry and white cherry notes carry a supple, creamy feel. Mouthwatering acidity joins fresh chive and spice notes, providing contrast. This is best with a good chill. Grenache, Cinsault and Syrah. Drink now. 84,000 cases made, 65,000 cases imported. Source : 83ca481d84c18cf341480559efebf6ff

Located on the highest point overlooking the village, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1999, this charming, peaceful and welcoming estate offers luxurious accommodation, an 18th-century exclusive-use château, Michelin star Les Belles Perdrix restaurant, and a state-of-the-art, family-friendly winery that creates an exceptional hospitality experience for wine enthusiasts and discerning travellers alike. The estate’s roots trace back to 1745 when …

Talisker Distillery on the Isle of Skye with the Cuilin Mountains in the background From shore to moor, up craggy hills or down to the coast, any adventurer to Skye, the largest of Scotland’s Inner Hebridean archipelago, will be beguiled by the natural wild beauty on this magical island. Shrouded in Norse folklore and famed for its unique smoky whisky, …