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Beaulieu Vineyard Begins Ambitious Renovation at Historic Napa Winery

Few Napa wineries have the history of Beaulieu Vineyard. In 1900, Georges de Latour founded the winery when he purchased a four-acre vineyard in Rutherford. His wife Fernande commented “Quelle beau lieu” upon first seeing the land, meaning “what a beautiful place.” Over the next two decades, Latour acquired land holdings throughout Napa Valley, including the 1923 purchase of the …

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Couples Who Share Drinking Habits Stay Together—And Live Longer

For many wine aficionados, sharing a glass or two with someone they love is one of life’s great pleasures. That can be especially true with a spouse or partner. A new study, led by researchers at the University of Michigan and published in February in The Gerontologist, says that when both partners in a couple drink moderately, they tend to live …

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Pangaea: Putting the world in a bottle

A world blend from Michel Rolland: Pangea. Credit: Pangea Wine. When the very first vintage blend was finalised for Pangaea – a wine not of any singular terroir, region, or varietal expression but one that is a true global red blend – its founders paused and reflected on the magnitude of what they had created. Scroll down to see notes and …

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Andrew Jefford: ‘Is this California’s Mediterranean wine lab?’

I led the USA & Central America panel – including flights from Paso Robles. This was my first systematic exposure to the 16,600ha AVA sited almost exactly halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco. I still remember the quality of their Cab tannins: ample, tender, melting. Mental bookmark in place, I resolved to visit as soon as I could. That …

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Appellation Marlborough Wine strengthens regional protection

The launch of the AMW map. In addition to AMW’s recently launched map and tightening of the source area for AMW-certified fruit, it has updated its yield requirements with a minimum sugar ripeness level for members, whose grapes – other than those destined for low-alcohol products – must now exceed 18 Brix at harvest. It has also appointed its first …

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Quinta do Vallado Douro 2021 $23 (90 points)

A fresh, well-balanced red, fragrant with mountain herb and violet notes, this version integrates creamy-edged, sculpted tannins with an expressive core of ripe mulberry and black plum fruit, plus accents of cocoa powder, white pepper and paprika. Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz and Sousão. Drink now through 2031. 10,980 cases made, 1,000 cases imported. Source : 8967900c6e18b861060281adbb0285d5

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Sonoma’s Carlisle Winery Calls it Quits

The owners of Carlisle, California’s leading producer of quality Zinfandels, will call it quits after the 2024 vintage, Wine Spectator has learned. Co-founders Mike and Kendall Officer informed their wine club members of their decision today. “It was a decision that was a long time in coming,” Mike Officer, 62, said. “Financially, Carlisle is doing wonderfully. It’s just the owners …

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Croatian winemakers celebrate record-breaking performance at the Decanter World Wine Awards

Politicians, wine writers, sommeliers and trade professionals from across Europe gathered to celebrate Croatia’s record medal haul at the 2024 Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA). Tugomir Majdak, State Secretary for Agriculture, was among the dignitaries that gathered at the 5-star Kempinski Hotel Adriatic in Istria for the special event. Guests tasted the best wines from 40 different producers, who won 366 …

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Wine News: What I’m Reading the Week of 7/14/24

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. Credit Where It’s Due: The Unsung Heroes of the WineryThe people behind the scenes. …

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Barossa Shiraz 2022: vintage report and top scoring wines

Vineyards at dusk in Barossa Valley, Australia Barossa Shiraz 2022 overall vintage Rating: 4/5 A strong vintage with fruit of superb quality despite small yields. Winter rains nourished the vines, but frost, hail and wind events affected bunch sizes and reduced yields. Summer was cooler than usual; grapes ripened slowly and steadily in ideal conditions. The longer ripening period produced …

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Premium rosé wines: Refined styles to try

Among the big stories to emerge from the results of the 2024 Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA) was the rise of rosé. Wine drinkers are ‘drinking pink’, encouraged by the marketing clout and celebrity stardust of plush-pocketed rosé producers – and an uptick in quality. ‘It won’t surprise readers to know that our rosé wine entries grow with every year …

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