Chris Howard explores the resonances between wine and the works of the great American abstract expressionist painter. By Chris Howard “I am interested only in expressing basic human emotions”—Mark Rothko The enigmatic allure of Mark Rothko’s glowing color fields has captivated audiences ever since their appearance in the early 1950s. A pivotal figure in 20th-century… Read More »
White Zinfandel is a category that rarely makes it to these pages (although it does get a mention in this blog post from 2016 when I commented on how Sutter Home White Zin made the fortunes of the Trinchero family). Well here’s one of merit, from Michael Cruse, who’s used Zinfandel to make a rosé-style… Read More »
Griveau remains upbeat about the organic conversion despite the seldom-seen pressure from downy mildew during the growing season of 2024. She notes that the organic methods are not a new initiative but the culmination of many years of work. Her predecessor, Roland Masse, held the first organic trials in 2010-2011, and the approach has been… Read More »
‘It all started in a class I was taking in Burgundy in 2016,’ says winemaker Katrina Rank about her winemaking partnership with de Villaine: Composition. On that day in Burgundy, Rank had asked Bertrand de Villaine if he’d ever considered making wine from Oregon’s Willamette Valley, a proven sweet spot for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.… Read More »
Owner Nick Clarke purchased the historic Blackdown Park estate in 2010 (near Haslemere, Surrey), and has planted 25 acres of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier vines located in five plots. The oldest plantings are from 2004 and the most recent from 2018. This site is the highest part of the South Downs, and the… Read More »
Website: https://chateaudelagreffiere.com/en/ Greffière is an exciting producer in the Mâconnais, based in La Roche Vineuse, and they also have a bit of history. The Grezuard family has been here since 1924 but the buildings, typical of the Mâconnais, date back to 1790. We met with Gaylord Petrillo and Xavier Greuzard. Xavier is mainly focused on… Read More »
A new record was announced by Switzerland-based merchant ARVI after it sold the 27-litre bottle of Bibi Graetz Colore 2016 for 100,000 Swiss francs (£87,104). It’s the most expensive bottle of Italian wine ever sold, said the retailer on its Instagram account. No details were given about the buyer of the wine, which contains the… Read More »
Andrew Jefford enjoys an original take on the complexities of Italian wine. By Andrew Jefford Andrew Jefford reviews Italy in a Wine Glass: The Taste of History by Marc Millon. Here’s a rarity: a wine book that rewards reading from beginning to end. I gulped it down, and I finished wanting more. Marc Millon is… Read More »
Website: https://terres-secretes.com/en/ The wine world needs good, affordable wine, and when cooperatives are well run, they can help provide it. Terres Secrètes, based in Prissé in the south of the region, is one such cooperative, and this was a good first visit. We were hosted by Xavier Ritton (export director) and then we were joined… Read More »
In a world where the trend is for ever greater focus on single sites, Harry Eyres considers the merits of blending. By Harry Eyres A singular, shining identity. The expression of a particular, unique place on the Earth’s surface—call it terroir—blessed by geological and microclimatic felicities, hallowed by a name rich in historical or at least… Read More »