News

While the immediate imposition of broad-reaching tariffs has been postponed, the Canada-US trade war is far from over. Trump stated that the pause is meant to ‘see whether or not a final economic deal with Canada can be structured [that is fair].’ So while Canada’s concessions on border security spending appear to satisfy some of Trump’s demands, he continues to …

Alvaro Palacios, L’Ermita Gran Vinya Classificada, Priorat First vintage: 1993 It’s difficult to be indifferent to the trademark purity of fruit, chiselled tannins and intense minerality of L’Ermita. Hailing from the eponymous 1.44ha plot in Gratallops, in the heart of Priorat, the wine quickly became Alvaro Palacios’ most sought-after, following its first release in 1993, four years after the star …

The UK trade and press were the first to taste DRC 2022 from bottle. Domaine de la Romanée-Conti has released its 2022 wines in bottle and the UK wine trade and press were the first to taste them in London last week. The domaine’s co-directors Perrine Fenal and Bertrand de Villaine were present, alongside UK agent Corney & Barrow’s managing …

Arguably the biggest changes in wine over the last decade have not come in the bottle, but in the accessibility of the wineries themselves. It’s not that long ago that visits used to be largely of the ‘phone ahead, cross your fingers and hope for the best’ variety. Now the vast majority of producers are open for tastings and tours, …

My cigarette principles are as follows: I only smoke after midnight or in France – whereby packs of Marlboro Gold come plastered with close-up shots of blackened lungs or chains of rotting teeth. And while yes, I belong to the absolute lowest common denominator of smoker (neither debaucherous enough to lean in, nor righteous enough to properly abstain) my point …

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 past week included a bunch of really delicious wines, starting with the very long …

Airén vines in #garagewine’s vineyard in Toledo. In the early 1990s, Airén was the world’s most widely planted wine grape, with almost 480,000ha in Spain. But according to the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, by 2023 the surface under vine had decreased dramatically to 190,000ha. EU subsidies for grubbing-up and vineyard restructuring are to thank for this. In 2022, Tempranillo surpassed …

My love of far-off travel, cultural diversity, and wine in general is showing, based on incoming Emails: CROATIA, AUSTRIA, GREECE, CALIFORNIA, and DIVERSITY Official Website of Croatia: Croatia Sets Tourism Records in 2024; Looks to 2025 with Focus on Year-Round Travel, Sustainability, and Inland Destinations Austrian Wine: Austria continues to set benchmarks in environmentally conscious […] The post Best Press …

If you want to be able to get around, you gotta maintain your car. If you want to make wine, you’ve gotta maintain your barrels and your tanks. Whether you’re simply tuning them up, or rebuilding them completely, you need the tools of the trade. What are they? Don’t ask me, but a couple of them look like hammers. And …

Pepe Raventós. The road to where Pepe Raventós is now is neither obvious nor straightforward. Born into one of Catalonia’s most storied wine families – linked to the very origin of the region’s sparkling wine tradition – he didn’t set out to become the heir of his family’s legacy. But a combination of business challenges, a sense of duty and …

After a full-on month of new-vintage reviews, we take a breath in February. It’s a short breath (as it’s a short month), but hopefully more than enough time to properly digest the new vintages of Burgundy and Brunello we brought you in January. There’s still plenty to get your teeth into, though, in what I am calling ‘Fine Wine February’. …

Harvesting Sauvignon Blanc grapes at Cullen Wines Outside of Bordeaux, there aren’t many wine regions producing Semillon-Sauvignon Blanc blends, yet this white wine is a hallmark of Margaret River. Perhaps it’s due to the incredible heights to which Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay have risen that the region’s white Bordeaux blends are tucked away in their shadows.  Notes and scores for …

Vega Sicilia, Unico, Ribera del Duero First vintage: 1915 The fact that Vega Sicila became, in 2024, the first Spanish winery to lead Liv-ex’s Power 100 ranking is mostly due to the enduring and increasing investment appeal of its flagship wine, Unico (Spanish for ‘unique’). With origins dating back to 1864, Vega Sicilia was founded by Don Eloy Lecanda y …

Katie and Michael MorrisonWork begins on Scotland’s most westerly distillery Construction has begun on a new distillery in Castlebay on the Isle of Barra in the Outer Hebrides. The £12m project will be Scotland’s most westerly distillery and is scheduled to open in October 2026. Husband and wife team Michael and Katie Morrison founded The Isle of Barra Distillers Co …

Harvesting Pinot Noir grapes in Yarra Valley, Victoria. In Victoria, Australia, a new generation of talented winemakers is boldly re-evaluating the state’s key wine regions. With the aim of capturing more refined expressions from specific vineyards, they are introducing exciting twists to classic wine styles – producing Pinot Noir and Chardonnay of great finesse – and previously unheralded grape varieties …

What’s happening: Not long after expanding Nancy Silverton’s Italian gem Osteria Mozza to Washington, D.C., restaurateur Stephen Starr announced last week that he purchased an Italian dining landmark in Manhattan, Babbo Ristorante e Enoteca, along with its less-expensive neighborhood sibling Lupa, from the Bastianich family. Why it matters: One-time star chef Mario Batali opened the restaurant in the West Village in …

Making quality wines in Salta might once have been considered rebellious, even heroic. Today, faced with climate change, winemakers around the world are looking to alternative terroirs, at altitudes and latitudes once deemed too challenging and extreme. In this context, Salta stands out as a region ahead of its time. In the far northwest of Argentina, bordering Bolivia to the …

It’s impossible to will, or proclaim, the creation of an icon. Any Hollywood talent agent worth their salt will tell you as much. And yet, when achieved, icon status is undisputable. So what does the process of becoming an icon entail? What makes the 10 Spanish wines we’ve chosen worthy of the description? The answer is never straightforward. Producers themselves …

With so many bottles lining the shelves it can be hard to know where to begin in seeking out great-value red wine. Scroll down to see notes and scores for 20 great-value red wines Our selection comprises celebrated names, powerhouse regions and notable grape varieties as well as a few off-the-beaten-path picks, all offering a fantastic price-quality ratio. The 20 …

Chalksole Manor includes 2.8 hectares (6.89 acres) of vineyards. Chalksole Manor in East Kent lies in one of the key regions for English sparkling wine production and the property comes with a 2.8-hectare (6.89 acres) vineyard.  It has been listed for sale with a guide price of £3.3m, according to estate agency BTF Partnership. An aerial view of Chalksole Manor. …