Neil Empson, founder of Empson & Co. and a pioneering importer of Italian fine wine into the United States, died Sept. 14 after a long battle with cancer. He was 85. “My father won many battles but lost his most precious war, as he wanted to live and love as he did during his life,” Tara Empson, his daughter and …

Nikka Whisky’s Yoichi Distillery, founded in 1934 Celebrating its 90th anniversary this year, Nikka Whisky – and indeed the entire Japanese whisky category – owes its existence to one man: Masataka Taketsuru. The company’s founder was born in Takehara, Hiroshima, in 1894. His family had owned a sake brewery since 1733 and he was destined to join the business before …

View from Veuve Clicquot Solaire Journey, aboard the luxurious Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, A Belmond Train. ‘Dream on, but don’t imagine they’ll all come true. When will you realise… Vienna waits for you…’  The lyrics from Billy Joel’s Vienna could have been the soundtrack to my trip to Austria’s capital. But in fact this was a visit where dreams just might have …

The post The Full Monte (Vecchie Terre di Montefili Recent Releases) appeared first on 1 Wine Dude. From America to Tuscany’s Chianti makes sense. From Franciacorta to Sangiovese makes… maybe less sense? Thus is the tale of Vecchie Terre di Montefili, a producer situated on the Monte Fili hill in Greve in Chianti, which is a spot that is actually …

With the autumn equinox on the horizon on 22 September, days are getting shorter and late summer nostalgia weaves into the appeal of longer evenings and richer meals. Darker rosés are some of the best transitional wines for this period. As we enjoy the last of the season’s barbecues and garden parties, these deep-hued pours are best enjoyed alongside some …

International Grenache Day is celebrated annually on the third Friday of September. One of the world’s most planted grape varieties, Grenache is widely grown in southern France, Spain (where it is known as Garnacha), the United States and Australia. It ripens late, requiring warm and dry conditions to fully ripen, but is versatile both in the vineyard and winery where …

Aerial view of the San Sano estate. On Monday 10 September, at the historic Villa Antinori Cigliano, Marchese Piero Antinori announced the addition of three new Chianti Classico Gran Selezione wines to the Antinori range. ‘When you speak of Chianti Classico it is music to my ears,’ he said. ‘Chianti Classico is part of the DNA of the Antinori family …

Torti Wine launched the Hello Kitty range in 2009, and the wines have been sold at specialist UK retailers for several years. However, they will now be stripped from shelves following a crackdown from The Portman Group, a regulator funded by the drinks industry. The watchdog received the following complaint from a shopper: ‘Astonished to see alcohol sold under a …

Bottega vineyards in Treviso, Italy. Few bottles catch the eye like Bottega’s selection of Prosecco. The sleek bottles with their striking designs are easy to spot in restaurants and bars. Now, the range has show-stopping new premium additions – Gold Cru, Gold Extra Brut, Gold Diamond, Black Stardust and Gold Stardust – with extended fermentation periods. Bottega Gold Cru is …

Vineyards on Spring Mountain. Napa Cabernet 2021: full vintage report and top-scoring wines Spring Mountain The idyllic and mountainous Spring Mountain AVA, reaching up to 640 meters of elevation on the northern and eastern slopes of the Mayacamas range, has always been about rugged individuality and an almost heroic performance from the vines, even in easy-going vintages. In 2021, however, …

Bodegas Bianchi’s Valle de Uco vineyards As it celebrates its 96th vintage, Bodegas Bianchi can look back on almost a century of excellence in Argentinian viticulture. Seeking to reflect the diverse terroirs of the Uco Valley and San Rafael in Mendoza, the winery relies on the experience of the Bianchi family, the skill of its winemaking team, and the vision …