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The warm, dry winter preceding the 2023 in Chablis heightened fears of frost damage among growers, but outside some minor episodes of frost on 28 March and 4 April, the spring passed without incident. Flowering in early June occurred under ideal conditions, and a very large crop was set on the vines. June through August saw scattered rain and cooler …

The 12th-century Basilique Ste Marie-Madeleine in Vézelay, with the La Ville vineyard just below. Chablis 2023 vintage rating: 4/5 Wine of the vintage Domaine François Raveneau, Les Clos Grand Cru As one grower in the region put it, ‘2023 was easy and not easy…’, and: ‘It was essential not to be tempted by the excess that nature had offered us.’ …

The wine offer from Booths – the ‘Waitrose of the north’ – is one of the UK’s best. If you live in the north of England, then you’ll know about Booths. If you live elsewhere, you’ll wish you had one nearby. Fondly termed the ‘Waitrose of the North’, it is a small chain of 26 stores with a focus on …

Premier cru status has been granted to four Chardonnay vineyard sites across the Pouilly-Vinzelles and Pouilly-Loché appellations in the Mâconnais area of southern Burgundy, as of the 2024 vintage.  Their promotion follows premier cru status for 22 sites in nearby Pouilly-Fuissé in 2020, and reinforces how the Mâconnais is gaining greater recognition after years of flying below the radar.  Premier …

Casual dining at Albariza en las Venas in Jerez de la Frontera, with Jagatas Rosado from León, made by Sara González. From tiny hole-in-the-wall bars to lofty Michelin-starred restaurants, Spain’s gastronomic scene is more dynamic and vibrant than ever. The next generation of restaurateurs, chefs and sommeliers are crafting remarkable wine lists, innovative food-and-wine pairings and unique fusion cuisine. It’s …

Our  host swept us away to Fitapreta’s Castle, one dark and mysterious night, to our first winery tour in Evora, in the Alentejo region of Portugal. There’s no way to express the awe of it all, but I’ll try. The cast of characters on this tour were wine writers: Gwendolyn Alley, L.M. Archer, Rich Cook, […] The post Swept Us …

The Nin-Ortiz winery at Finca Les Planetes, near Porrera. Wine rarely comes from ugly places, but few wine regions can compete with the beauty of Priorat, southwest of Barcelona. As you head inland from the coastal city of Tarragona – a particularly beautiful train journey that winds through the hills – the land starts to rise and the population becomes …

At just 30 years old, Alexis Leven-Mentzelopoulos stepped into a role that most could only dream of: CEO of a Bordeaux first growth estate – the family-owned, centuries-old Château Margaux no less. It would be easy to assume that he was guaranteed this role, groomed to take over and freely ‘given the keys’, as it were, by his mother Corinne …

Hello and welcome to my weekly 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 heavy hitters—expensive, prestigious wines that all seemed to show up recently …

Domaine de l’Aurage. I, and a host of London’s top sommeliers and journalists, were incredibly privileged to join owner Louis Mitjavile for a masterclass and lunch at Goodman back in May for what was an incredibly illuminating afternoon. For those unaware of who Louis is and what his father François Mitjavile’s impact have been on Bordeaux, the name that might …

It was a challenging vintage in Crozes-Hermitage, but the results are considerably better than for the disastrous 2021s. It’s also stylistically more consistent than the varied 2022s. Alcohols are fairly moderate, and levels of tannin and acidity are also quite low; they typically have a herbal freshness, with just-ripe blackberry and raspberry flavours. Not a subscriber? Sign up today to …

Jean-Charles Boisset and Gina Gallo-Boisset, the scions of two famous wine families, have purchased Flora Springs Winery in Napa Valley from the Komes and Garvey families, founders of the company. Though Gallo-Boisset and Boisset are industry veterans, this is the first winery collaboration by the couple. The sale includes the St. Helena winery, inventory and the flamboyantly designed tasting room …

All eyes on Aglianico. Scientists from a cohort of Italian universities have published a study on the potential health benefits of a specially-designed pomace made from the byproducts of Campania’s flagship grape. According to their paper, Aglianico could potentially spare diabetes patients from blindness. Almost a quarter of patients with type 2 diabetes will experience some form of diabetic retinopathy …

Many people don’t know that Japan has a vibrant and long-standing wine culture stretching back to the 19th Century, when the Japanese began to seriously cultivate the Koshu grape for winemaking purposes. Koshu is usually trained in large pergolas, but some of the best producers are increasingly interested in trellising, such as those in this vineyard owned by Grace Wine, …

This has been a momentous year for The Wine Society (The Society). The storied importer and retailer celebrated its 150th anniversary with a remarkable series of special tastings, dinners, talks and releases, alongside social and environmental sustainability initiatives that will ripple through in years to come. Among the most relevant is perhaps the Climate & Nature programme through which The …

The style of red Hermitage this year is relatively approachable, the structures are a little more rounded and less rigid than in some vintages. Not a subscriber? Sign up today to read the Rhône Report and all Premium articles. Use the code RHONE2023 at checkout to get 20% off your first… Source : https://www.decanter.com.master.public.keystone-prod-eks-euw1.futureplc.engineering/premium/hermitage-2023-report-and-top-scoring-wines-543883/

Coravin forest green Timeless Six+ systemWine-Opoly board game £25 Widely available It wouldn’t be Christmas without a board game. This wine lover’s spin on classic Monopoly aims to help you learn while you play. Choose either traditional play or a one-hour version. Wine Folly, Color of Wine poster £29 winefolly.com Perfect for wine students, this is one of a range …

The Sant Gregori Villa site. Researchers uncovered plots dedicated to viticulture and various structures for wine production during their excavation of the site. They identified constructions dating from the turn of the era (the year 1AD) to the 4th century at the Sant Gregori Villa. Researchers have not yet found evidence of any pressing rooms, but they have already uncovered …

It is the first time a Spanish producer has ever secured top spot in the highly anticipated Power 100 rankings from Liv-ex, a global marketplace for fine wine traders. Burgundy normally reigns supreme on this list. Domaine Leroy took the crown in 2020, 2021 and 2022, and Domaine Leflaive then topped the list in 2023. However, it has been a …

Relaxing at La Ardosa in Madrid, a popular haunt for locals and tourists alike since its foundation in 1892. It’s an iconic image straight out of a Hemingway novel: a sleepy bar on a Sunday afternoon, the floor littered with peanut shells; barrels with wooden spigots jostle for space above the bar. Short glasses – filled with ice, olives and …