Website: https://www.giantstepswine.com.au/ Giant Steps, a winery located in Yarra Valley, has recently garnered attention by winning the Halliday Guide Winery of the Year title for 2025. Interestingly, their 2023 Applejack Vineyard Pinot Noir also clinched the Pinot trophy, replicating the success of its predecessor. This marks a notable accomplishment for the winery. My journey to… Read More »

By David Schildknecht In a recent posting on his website The Morning Claret, Simon Woolf thoughtfully discusses the current status of wine competitions. The key elements of “discussion, retasting, and encouragement” among judges that frequently lead to re-evaluations and collective learning experiences are fascinating and promising. It is undeniable that humans are open to engaging… Read More »

Marco Ricasoli manages Rocca di Montegrossi, a vast estate situated in Monti in Chianti, to the south of Gaiole, encompassing 100 hectares. The estate is split into 20 hectares each of vineyards and olive groves, with the rest comprised of woodland. The soil is predominantly limestone, enriched with marlstone, sand, and clay. The farming has… Read More »

Do androids taste electric wine? By Barry C Smith Professor Barry C Smith explores the philosophical implications and practical possibilities, for good and ill, of the increasing use of AI in the wine world. Scarcely a week goes by without us hearing of an advance in artificial intelligence or a new application for it, whether… Read More »

Beyoncé, a global superstar recognized for her musical talent and activism in female empowerment, has sold over 200 million albums and has received 32 Grammy awards. Despite these accomplishments, she continues to venture into new fields, including the American whiskey market with her latest initiative. Her new venture, named SirDavis, is a collaboration with Moët… Read More »

Website: https://www.castellodiquerceto.it/?lang=en My journey took me back to Querceto where I had set foot in October 2008. Fast forward to 15 years later, Alessandro François, my host from the previous visit, welcomed me again. Remarkably, he looked the same despite now being in his 80s. Having managed his family’s estate since 1978, Alessandro suggests that… Read More »

By Sophie Thynne Leading Port producer Charles Symington, head winemaker of Symington Family Estates, has assumed the role of President of the esteemed Primum Familiae Vini (PFV) for the term from July 2024 to June 2025, and has committed to exploring future technologies during his tenure. Annually, PFV, which comprises 12 notable family wine producers,… Read More »

Here’s why. I’ve cherished wine for over half a century. Had I merely indulged in it within the confines of my home, it would have been merely a passionate pastime, a continual enchantment. Yet, my bond with wine transcends that—it’s profound, a union founded on mutual respect and comprehension. True, wine has intertwined with my… Read More »

Website: https://meldvillewines.com/about/ My encounter with Derek Barnett was in 2013 during my initial visit to Niagara. At that time, he was a wine maker at Lailey, a winery he joined in 2001 and departed from in 2015 after its sale. His involvement there included a part ownership, which likely made his departure difficult. Derek hails… Read More »

Pulling together some of the finest writing on Pinot Noir published on worldoffinewine.com By The World of Fine Wine Team The World of Fine Wine has published dozens of articles on Pinot Noir over the past 20 years, a period during which Pinot Noir’s status as perhaps the world’s most revered red grape variety has… Read More »