Chêne Bleu winery sits in a ninth-century priory in the Dentelles de Montmirail, in southeast France. Its 30 hectares of vines are surrounded by forest within a UNESCO biosphere reserve, home to wildlife ranging from peregrine falcons and wild boar to around 1,400 species of butterflies and moths. Nicole and Xavier Rolet bought the estate… Read More »
Yew Tree is a five-hectare vineyard in South Oxfordshire, with vines planted in 2015 and 2020 on greensand soils. After selling its grapes to other producers for several years, the vineyard has released its own wines for the first time, from the 2025 vintage. They were made and bottled at contract winery Defined Wines and… Read More »
A dinner at Wiltons, hosted by Fine + Rare, brought together 25 wines from two celebrated Italian cooperatives: Cantina Terlano in Alto Adige and Produttori del Barbaresco in Piemonte. The tasting reached back to the 1960s, showcasing how well wines from both producers can age. Cantina Terlano Founded in 1893, Cantina Terlano brings together around… Read More »
Taste is often treated as fixed, but preferences can shift over a lifetime. A dog lover may become a cat person; a Bordeaux devotee might be won over by Burgundy. Reflecting on how his own palate has evolved, one wine drinker finds that some loyalties have endured while others have changed. Cru Beaujolais has remained… Read More »
Pascal Jolivet’s 2025 releases come from a good but challenging vintage in the Loire. After a wet winter, warm, dry conditions arrived early, with the driest May and June in 15 years. An August heatwave accelerated ripening, and harvest took place in late August and early September. The grapes were in excellent condition, producing ripe,… Read More »
Dr Laura Catena has built an unusual career across medicine and wine. A trained emergency physician, she spent decades working in California while helping lead Catena, her family’s Argentine wine business. She officially took charge in 2012, bringing a collaborative style to a company her father had run more hierarchically. Catena says she values teamwork,… Read More »
London’s wine and dining scene offers enough variety for a memorable long weekend, from classic breakfasts and relaxed pub lunches to Michelin-starred meals. Here’s a three-day itinerary built around good food and thoughtful wine lists. Friday Breakfast Begin at The Wolseley on Piccadilly, one of London’s best-known breakfast spots. Alongside a full English, try traditional… Read More »
In autumn, Austria’s Wildwochen—the traditional game weeks—bring venison to the menus of country inns and city restaurants alike. The season’s familiar dishes include Hirschragout, a dark, red-wine-braised venison stew, and Hirschgulasch, a venison goulash. Venison was not always widely available. In 1156, Holy Roman Emperor Frederick I reserved hunting rights in Austria for the nobility… Read More »
Despite growing up far from vineyards in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, Manfred Ing found his way into winemaking as a teenager. Today, after working harvests around the world, he leads Querciabella, the family-owned Tuscan estate known for its organic and biodynamic approach. Ing’s early connection to vineyards came during family trips to the Cape. His Italian… Read More »
António Maçanita is a Portuguese winemaker known for his work in Alentejo, the Douro and the Azores. Some of his most distinctive wines, however, come from Porto Santo, a small island near Madeira. Maçanita founded the project Profetas e dos Villões with his friend Nuno Faria, a Madeira restaurateur who spent childhood holidays on Porto… Read More »