The latest thrilling vintage releases of the Mareuil-sur-Aÿ house’s top cuvées By Anne Krebiehl MW “We do not put our ancestors’ names lightly on a bottle,” said Mathieu Roland-Billecart of Champagne Billecart-Salmon. The seventh generation of his family to run the Mareuil-sur-Aÿ-based Champagne house, he was in London to launch two of Billecart-Salmon’s founders’ cuvées:… Read More »

The 2023/2024 season stands out as yet another peculiar phase for Chile. Unlike the severe summer during the 2023 vintage, this season has been earmarked by lukewarm temperatures. Remarkably, the weather has had varying impacts between the northern area and the rest of the country during the harvest of 2024. Due to the transitional phase… Read More »

Where is it? This area is situated in France’s northeast corner, close to 49 degrees north – the farthest boundary where grapes can ripen effectively. Influenced by both the quelling effect of the sea and the extreme climatic conditions seen in continental regions, the interaction of these two forces is a vital factor that brings… Read More »

Looking back on a 37-year relationship with Burgundy. By Harry Eyres Celine Song’s wonderful movie prompts Harry Eyres to reflect on a lifetime of Burgundy. The beautiful, exquisitely shot and acted, heartbreakingly poignant film Past Lives, directed by the Korean-Canadian playwright Celine Song, plays strange tricks with time. The action jumps forward and backward in… Read More »

Gladstones was widely known as the ‘godfather of Margaret River’ after recognising the region’s vast potential back in 1966. Two years ago, he was made an Officer in the Order of Australia in recognition of his distinguished service to viticulture and agriculture. The Australian Wine Encyclopedia described Gladstones as ‘in the view of many, Australia’s… Read More »

A vintner’s memoir should be compulsory reading for anyone considering a career as a winemaker. By Raymond Blake Raymond Blake reviews Climbing the Vines in Burgundy: How an American Came to Own a Legendary Vineyard in France by Alex Gambal. Gambal looks like he’s suffering from a week’s jet lag. A sense of relief rather… Read More »

‘If there is one varietal that cannot be accused of a lack of flavour, it is the German vine crossing Ortega, but when it comes to this bodybuilding grape, less is most definitely more’,  English wine – far from a joke now Jancis Robinson May 26, 2007. A critic I know was almost cancelled for… Read More »

A flurry of acquisitions and exchanges has brought significant change to the ownership of some of Burgundy’s biggest names. By Sarah Marsh MW There is nothing new about vineyards changing hands in Burgundy. Were it so, much of Burgundy would still belong to the Church. Nor does the acquisition of choice vineyards by outside investors—luxury… Read More »

During the Karakterre 2024 festival, I had the opportunity to visit Christian Tschida’s winery, accompanied by a collection of sommeliers and wine enthusiasts from the US and Canada. We partook in a casual tasting session, which was complemented with pizza. Additionally, I managed to capture the event on film. For those unaware, Karakterre is a… Read More »

The wine tasting was a fusion of diverse flavors where the distinction between ‘Old World’ and ‘New World’ seemed insignificant in the face of the nuance, texture, elegance, and balance. After an exhausting four-hour judgement of 32 wines – divided into eight pairs of whites and eight pairs of reds – the difference between Europe… Read More »