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Harvest in Julienas, Beaujolais, France. The third Thursday in November used to be a date of note in the oenophile’s diary. Since 1985, it had been decreed as the official release date of Beaujolais Nouveau, an annual cause for celebration of the fruity, purple-tinged debutante. The heyday of Beaujolais Nouveau has long since passed but at the higher-quality end of …

My curiosity grew with age and led me to sign up to my first wine course. Years later, I was determined to transform my interest in wine into a career. Naively, I assumed that passion would be enough, but soon realised that it wasn’t so. My lack of experience as a sommelier resulted in countless application rejections and unsuccessful interviews. …

Hello and welcome to my weekly roundup of the wine stories that I find of interest on the web. I post them to my magazine on Flipboard, but for those of you who aren’t Flipboard-inclined, here’s everything I’ve strained out of the wine-related muck for the week. Lulie Halstead Identifies the Opportunities in the Beverage Alcohol MarketLulie knows what she’s talking …

Five years after going public, Duckhorn will be leaving the stock exchange. Executives at the Duckhorn Portfolio announced this morning that Los Angeles-based private equity firm Butterfly has agreed to buy the Napa-based wine powerhouse for $1.95 billion. According to Impact Databank, a sibling publication of Wine Spectator, Duckhorn is the 20th-largest wine marketer in the U.S. by volume, producing 2.6 …

Gisborne vineyards on New Zealand’s east coast. Credit: New Zealand Winegrowers. Compared to Sauvignon Blanc’s stratospheric rise, New Zealand’s most-planted red variety has had a somewhat slower burn. The first Pinot Noir was planted in 1889 in Hawke’s Bay, but things didn’t really get going until 1980s pioneers such as Martinborough’s Dry River and Ata Rangi, and Central Otago’s Gibbston …

Chief blender Shinji Fukuyo used whisky from the company’s Yamazaki, Hakushu and Chita distilleries to create this exclusive blend. Hibiki 40 Year Old is described as ‘the pinnacle of generations of learning and craftsmanship, and a unique and incredibly rare embodiment of the finest standards of Japanese mastery, making a statement of the spirit of innovation at The House of …

Il Nizza DOCG in Piedmont, Italy Nizza, unlike the other Barbera-focused appellations of Piedmont – Barbera d’Asti and Barbera d’Alba – does not state the variety in its name. Instead, Nizza is a terroir wine in the French tradition, identified by its place of origin rather than its grape. First recognised as an official sub-zone of Barbera d’Asti DOC (later …

The Mazzei family’s Castello di Fonterutoli wine resort, north of Siena Everything that comes from Tuscany is perceived as more desirable. ‘Even water brand Acqua Panna achieved a boost in sales by starting to showcase the word Toscana on the label,’ observes Stefania Saccardi, head of the region’s agricultural department. Art, culture and marvellous landscapes contribute to the lofty reputation …

The stellar reputation of South America’s premium red wines has been built on the region’s iconic varietal wines: Argentinian Malbec, Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon and Carmenère, and Uruguayan Tannat. Yet these wines are a relatively recent phenomenon, only really gathering pace in the 1980s when South American wineries – their sights set on export – joined the wave of varietally labelled …

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 a dollop of Chardonnay from here and there in California. Let’s start …

Allegrini Marezzane vineyard in Fumane-Marano Famed Valpolicella producer Allegrini is renowned for its assortment of traditional wine styles – including Recioto della Valpolicella Classico. With its diverse terroirs and pioneering spirit, this dynamic Italian family has been growing vines in the Veneto hills for more than 500 years. In the 20th century, however, Giovanni Allegrini decided the time was right …

Castiglion del Bosco’s vineyards west of Montalcino Meandering for some 50 miles from the hills south of Siena to Mount Amiata, the Val d’Orcia passes through breathtaking countryside, ancient hilltop villages, and vine-covered slopes. Among these beautiful surroundings sits Castiglion del Bosco, offering its guests hospitality with a touch of true glamour, as well as the finest expressions of Sangiovese. …

Your wine choices, as your wardrobe’s, are subject to seasonal review. It’s a matter of weather and it’s a matter of mood. So what does the arrival of autumn (and the faint hope of an Indian summer) call for? Versatile wines with character and food-pairing appeal. Pale rosés give way to their fuller-bodied counterparts, chillable reds make space in the …

The Santorini vineyards of Boutari. Assyrtiko, a robust and versatile grape, has firmly established itself as a symbol of Greek viticulture and has recently become one of the most talked-about varieties in white wine, drawing comparisons to Hungary’s esteemed Furmint. With its origins on the Aegean island of Santorini, the cultivation of Assyrtiko has spread across Greece, and the exciting …

Portugal’s Douro region is one of the wine world’s most spectacular. Steep hillsides terraced with vineyards drop precipitously down to the water’s edge of a river that winds placidly through mountains on its way from Spain to the Pacific coast of Portugal. I published an exceedingly long, in-depth report on the Douro region this week, filled with gorgeous photos like …

Look closely enough at the fabric of nearly any major wine region around the world and you’ll find the threads of history intertwined with those of innovation and change. In some regions, however, the warp and weft of tradition and modernity are more tangled than they are harmonious. “The Douro is one of the oldest wine regions in the world …

Bodegas Nodus’ solar-powered winery If the introduction of sustainable viticulture and winemaking practices is increasingly becoming the rule in the wine sector, that’s thanks to pioneering producers such as Bodegas Nodus. Having championed organic farming, governance and resource management before such concepts were even fully understood, Nodus remains at the forefront of Utiel-Requena’s collective sustainability efforts. Longstanding commitment Bodegas Nodus’ …

Ruffino winery in Tuscany, Italy Since its foundation in 1877, Ruffino has gone from strength to strength, and the company is now recognised as a model of forward-thinking winemaking. From the outset, Ruffino has aspired to shape – and not simply follow – groundbreaking trends, while also being mindful of its heritage. This ethos continues to guide its seven wine …

The village of Carema lies in a natural amphitheatre of terraced vineyards on the west side of the Dora Baltea valley, on the Piedmontese side of the regional border with the Val d’Aosta. Below is the motorway which climbs up the valley to the Mont Blanc tunnel; above are the first high peaks of the Alps. Ten years ago the …

Alongside wines that have set benchmarks for Rioja’s most recognisable styles, the Remírez de Ganuza’s range includes wines that have pushed the boundaries of those same styles. Wines that have questioned assumptions and redefined expectations about Rioja’s identity and tradition, while reiterating that the quality of the fruit is both the point of departure and arrival. These game-changing wines put …