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The 2022 Barbaresco vintage presents a paradox: a hot, dry growing season yielding wines that defy expectations, often showing surprising freshness and purity. However, quality is inconsistent, with some wines exhibiting leanness and higher-than-usual volatile acidity. This report explores the challenges faced by producers which led to earlier-than-average harvests and lower yields. While some vineyards thrived, showcasing the resilience of …

Beaulieu Vineyard (BV) has announced that Nate Weis will assume the role of general manager and head winemaker. Weiss replaces Trevor Durling, who left last year for the winemaking job at Darioush. Weiss worked previously at Silver Oak. Located in Rutherford, BV is one of Napa Valley’s most historic wineries. “And it’s a history I actually know well,” said Weis, …

Henschke New Releases 2021 Given the glamour that surrounds the world of fine wine, it can be all too easy to forget that wine is an agricultural product, and that, as such, it’s subject to the vagaries of nature. Each year is a gamble for wine producers, with a spread bet that the combination of weather, yield and disease pressure …

The Tenute Capaldo Group will team up with the archaeological park’s management to create a six-hectare vineyard, which will focus on 100% organic production. The partnership will also build winemaking and ageing facilities, allowing them to conduct a complete production cycle within the archaeological park. The Feudi di San Gregorio winery, which is part of the Tenute Capaldo Group, has …

German winemakers planted more grape varieties usually associated with Europe’s more southern regions in 2024, replacing local vines with Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Merlot as growers adapt their vineyards to a warming climate. Wine producers in Germany increased the cultivation of Chardonnay grapes typically associated with Burgundy by 138 hectares (ha), the German Wine Institute (DWI) reported on Tuesday, citing …

Hey, Want To Go To France? When asks that question, I immediately had to renewed my expired passport in San Francisco, at the San Francisco Passport Agency. In order to get it renewed, I didn’t even blink an eye. I was one of the first ones in and was definitely THE last one out. (Yes, […] The post Do You …

My last trip to Portugal awakened my mind to the wonders of amphorae, being a world wine vessel of antiquity, and now revised modernity. Separate from my early adventures in Portugal, something very new was happening. It was the revived passion for vessels of clay with wine. One of the people playing a major role […] The post Alentejo Talhas …

The ‘classic’ 2019 Barolo vintage yielded exciting annata wines, and now the Riserva bottlings are under scrutiny with their release this year. This report delves into the vintage’s unique profile, examining how its structure translates at the Riserva level. Discover which producers and vineyards have harnessed these characteristics to create wines of exceptional quality and longevity. Explore the nuanced differences …

For over 30 years, ProWein has served as a premier platform for global networking in the wine and spirits industry. This March, approximately 4,200 exhibitors from 65 countries showcased their wines and spirits across eleven exhibition halls. The international trade event welcomed around 42,000 key professionals from 128 countries to connect with exhibitors, build meaningful business relationships and stay informed …

Credit: M Chapoutier Glossaries are normally published at the backs of books. This makes sense: it would be a tedious way to begin any story. But when talking about the 2024 vintage in the Rhône, it might be useful to start with a list of viticultural diseases and their effects. Because in 2024 the Rhône faced a barrage of problems. …

The Stitzel-Weller distillery created the Van Winkle Selection for the 2007 Kentucky Bourbon Festival. Sotheby’s assigned this ultra-rare bottle a pre-sale estimate of $30,000 to $50,000, but it easily exceeded expectations at the auction. The Van Winkle Selection ended up becoming the most valuable single bottle of post-prohibition American whiskey ever sold at auction. It broke the previous record of …

Stand Tora. I’m at La Maison du Saké in Paris’s 2nd arrondissement, watching the rain shatter the pavement outside as I sip a cockle-warming glass of sake from organic, natural producer Katori. It’s aromatically complex – smooth yet textured, much like the sandstone walls and blonde oak shelves of the shop. ‘I was expecting you to want something that tastes …

A first round of extra tariffs on US goods coming into the European Union, which was set to include a 50% levy on American whiskies, may be put back for around two weeks until mid-April, said European trade commissioner Maroš Šef?ovi?. EU counter-measures targeting ‘boats to bourbon to motorbikes’ were announced after the US said it would impose tariffs on …

Looking towards Verduno from Annunziata. The 2021 Barolo vintage has arrived, and it’s making waves. Tastings reveal a vintage of striking character, ripe fruit, and formidable structure, hinting at impressive longevity. But some wines miss the mark, highlighting the vintage’s nuanced complexity. Certain communes shine, while others deliver mixed results. Discover which regions and specific vineyards are producing the most …

Vineyard in Kakheti, Georgia. The progress Georgia has made in the last decade is astonishing – on two fronts, in particular. The first is the country’s work with its genetic treasure chest of grape varieties. On my first visit in 2013, these seemed a research curiosity, and their widespread adoption and use in the country’s most ambitious wines was tentative. …

Best Press Releases include the following: EVENT: CHATEAU MONTELENA partners with The Bungalows at Calistoga La Scolca Winery and Chiara Soldati on business trip in the US Hall Winery Event, Cabernet Cook-Off Need Wineries to Help Associate Professor of Agricultural and Resource Economics Women Led Wine Company Expands their board of advisors, during Women in […] The post Best Press …

Andy Howard MW, Melania Battiston and Victoria Daskal tasted 203 wines, with 13 Outstanding and 125 Highly Recommended Cru Beaujolais 2022: Panel tasting scores 203 wines tasted Exceptional 0 Outstanding 13 Highly recommended 125 Recommended 60 Commended 5 Entry criteria: producers and UK agents were invited to submit their 2022 vintage reds from any of the 10 Beaujolais cru sub-regions …

James Laube, longtime Wine Spectator senior editor and Napa bureau chief, has died at age 73 after a short illness. A writer and taster with the magazine for nearly four decades, Laube helped shape the California wine industry and educated and entertained thousands of wine lovers who read his articles. In the process, he helped build Wine Spectator into the …

Hello and welcome to this week’s dig through the pile of wine samples that show up asking to be tasted. I’m pleased to bring you the latest installment of Vinography Unboxed, where I highlight some of the better bottles that have crossed my doorstep recently. This week included some offerings from a Prince. Specifically the Prince of Liechtenstein, whose family …

Solène Panigai. Charming yet serious, the new technical director at Olivier Leflaive in Puligny-Montrachet is a breath of fresh air. She’s forthright and decisive yet profoundly modest, and to judge from the wines she’s producing, the house is in skilful hands. Solène Panigai grew up in the wine industry – her parents worked as agronomists in Champagne. She studied in …