Recently, I came across a story highlighting the pricing tactics of a well-known Champagne house regarding their non-vintage blend. While I won’t disclose their name, this situation reflects a larger trend within the Champagne market, specifically concerning the inflation of list prices. During a visit to my local convenience store, I noticed bottles of this… Read More »
To judge a wine by its label isn’t necessarily a mistake; it’s a human inclination, particularly in a market flooded with options. Eliza Dumais explores the instinctive snap judgments consumers make about wine based on its packaging. Wine labels have mere seconds to communicate the essence of what lies within the bottle, often leading to… Read More »
Justin Leone, the sommelier and owner of Munich’s Sticks and Stones, recently claimed the title of the 2025 World’s Best Wine Bar. In a conversation reflecting on this achievement, he emphasized that such accolades are not just personal victories but are shared with the entire team. The success, he insists, is a collective effort, particularly… Read More »
In The Greek House: The Story of a Painter’s Love Affair with the Island of Sifnos, author Christian Brechneff wistfully recounts his arrival on the charming island back in 1972. After a grueling 15-hour journey on a rusty ferry, he found himself in the early hours of the morning, having to navigate from the ferry… Read More »
Neal Hulkower reviews Taste the Limestone, Smell the Slate: A Geologist Wanders Through the World of Wine by Alex Maltman, the latter’s second challenge to prevailing misconceptions about how soil and minerals affect wine. Following his earlier work, Vineyards, Rocks, & Soils: The Wine Lover’s Guide to Geology, Maltman takes a deeper dive into the… Read More »
Maison Krug has teamed up with esteemed composer Max Richter to unveil a unique project titled "Every Note Counts," which transforms the experience of enjoying wine into a musical journey inspired by three cuvées from the celebrated 2008 vintage. This initiative continues Krug’s tradition of blending music and Champagne, having previously collaborated with various artists… Read More »
The Alentejo region of southern Portugal is renowned for its significant wine production, boasting 23,000 hectares of vineyards within a diverse landscape of 2.3 million hectares that also includes vast wheat fields and cork oak forests. This region is characterized by its commitment to sustainability, exemplified through a well-structured sustainability scheme known as WASP (Wines… Read More »
Winemaker Virginia Willcock celebrated Vasse Felix’s 50th anniversary by presenting a selection of nine vintages of Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon in London. Established in 1967 by Dr. Tom Cullity, Vasse Felix is the oldest wine estate in Western Australia. Cullity started with just a couple of acres of Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, and Shiraz, taking inspiration… Read More »
CCTV footage captured a significant theft involving approximately 3,000 bottles of Ukrainian wine from a parked lorry at London City Bond. The incident highlights a troubling response from the Metropolitan police, who, after being informed about the crime, decided not to investigate further, stating the driver was unharmed and instead offered mental health support. Svitlana… Read More »
Carlos Raposo, an experienced winemaker who previously worked for Niepoort from 2011 to 2018, has embarked on his own winemaking journey in the Dão region of Portugal. Based in Nelas, he launched his first vintage in 2018, creating wines that emphasize precision through early picking to maintain their definition. Initially, Raposo produced high-end wines under… Read More »