Chardonnay harvest is underway in the Willamette Valley. Living in the Pacific Northwest, I think of 2024 as a relatively steady, somewhat cool summer, with a few hot days but no notable anomalies. I recognise that the weather where I live in Seattle is a bit different than that they receive in the Willamette Valley, and vastly different than that …
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The village of Laudun in the Rhône Valley. French officials have recognised Laudun as a communal appellation, and 2024 will be the first vintage for this new cru of the Rhône Valley. Classified at the lower level of Côtes du Rhône Villages with geographical designation since 1967, Laudun was promoted to cru level by the National Committee of the French …
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Pickers went to work at the Margaux third growth Château d’Issan this week (19 September), harvesting the crop for a new white wine due to be released next year. However, rather than picking Sauvignon Blanc or Sémillon, the two staple white grapes found in and around Bordeaux, they were instead collecting bunches of Viognier, Marsanne, Roussanne and Rolle (Vermentino) – …
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Hot air balloons over Napa’s Oak Knoll. Napa Valley Cabernet 2021: full vintage report and top-scoring wines The ‘OKD’ as Oak Knoll District is commonly referred to in Napa, is also considered by growers to be the Valley’s ‘Goldilocks’ AVA, located as it is in a sweet spot at the southern end of the Valley, typically marked by a long …
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Pizza is one of Italy’s great culinary gifts to the world, with traditional pizza-twirling in Naples enshrined by UNESCO as a skill of intangible cultural heritage. Beer is sometimes seen as a classic go-to for pizza night, but there are many mouthwatering wines that can work brilliantly with a range of toppings if you’re planning to celebrate ‘the art of …
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Casa Bigote, by the mouth of the river, was one of the few bars still open. We ordered a half-bottle of manzanilla (priced just €7) while we waited for Thomas de Wangen of Sotovelo. The copas glistened; the wine in them was steel-green. ‘Oh no,’ said de Wangen, walking in a few minutes later. ‘Look at that colour!’ The remark …
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As someone exposed to an awful lot of wineries, wine brands, and their winemakers, it’s hard not to have something of a soft spot for the rebels and innovators, especially when they also happen to make excellent wine. Dan Petroski is a former magazine publishing executive who, after spending a career-reset year in Sicily helping out at a winery, decided …
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