Rod Phillips on a special part of a special Canadian place. By Rod Phillips There’s something very special about the Naramata Bench sub-region on the southeastern side of British Columbia’s Lake Okanagan, says Rod Phillips. British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley, Canada’s second largest wine region in terms of production, is being divided into sub-appellations—a process that… Read More »
The renowned restaurant, Le Gavroche, shuttered in January after its owner Michel Roux Jr. chose to concentrate on other initiatives. The establishment was launched by his father and uncle, Albert Roux and Michel Roux Sr., in the core of London’s Mayfair region in 1967. Becoming the first UK establishment to earn three Michelin stars, it… Read More »
How did widespread mildew affect the Bordeaux 2023 vintage? By Simon Field MW Mildew was a persistent threat for Bordeaux châteaux in 2023. But how much say did it have on the character and quality of the vintage, asks Simon Field MW in his latest blog from the 2023 en primeur tastings. Shakespeare’s sorrows, we… Read More »
The wine sector faced another challenging year in 2023 as rising inflation hiked up prices and dwindled household budgets, leading to a decrease in bottle purchases by customers. The overall intake of wine declined by approximately 2.6% to a projected 221 million hl the previous year, plummeting for a consecutive year reaching the lowest ever… Read More »
This wine is novel to me. A natural Champagne where the foremost label resembles a back label, but it’s packed with intrigue. Champagne Telmont Réserve de la Terre Extra Brut NV FranceContains 12% alcohol. It’s a blend of 44% Pinot Meunier, 34% Chardonnay and 22% Pinot Noir. The Base year (70%) is 2020 and the… Read More »
Sarah Ahmed charts the irresistible rise of the cool-climate home of some of Australia’s finest Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. By Sarah Ahmed Two hundred years after he planted Tasmania’s first vineyard to produce “grape wine, made in imitation of Champaigne,” one expects Bartholomew Broughton would have been proud of the island’s reputation for sparkling wine… Read More »
Can an early campaign and lower prices save the en primeur model? By Simon Field MW The gaping chasm between what one might loosely term as reality and what one might even more loosely term as commercial reality tends to fall into starkest focus during en primeur week, which is now upon us. During the… Read More »
Christie’s announced that their upcoming auction on June 6 and 7 will showcase some of the most esteemed and elusive bottles ever made, in a sale they’ve christened as ‘A Legacy Preserved: The Last Treasures from The Avery Wine Collection’. The collection embodies purchases from various generations of the Avery family, who established the historic… Read More »
It’s been exciting to see the rise of Fino and Manzanilla en rama, a story explained in more detail here. This is the new release from Hidalgo La Gitana, which I visited last year. Hidalgo La Gitana Manzanilla en Rama NV (2024 release)15% alcohol. This is lovely. From La Cuadrado vineyard in the Balbaina Alta… Read More »
Simon Field MW is impressed by a (relatively) lesser-known grand cru. By Simon Field MW In his latest dispatch from the Bordeaux 2023 en primeur campaign, Simon Field MW visits Château La Tour Figeac, an over-performing, but under-hyped estate in St-Emilion. Bordeaux 2023 Field notes: Out of sorts? During a primeur campaign, it is a… Read More »