2024 Vintage Port: Symington Family Estates After a substantial seven-year hiatus since the last major Vintage Port declaration, the anticipation surrounding the 2024 Vintage Port from Symington Family Estates has reached a peak. Richard Mayson delves into this much-anticipated release, highlighting the distinctive qualities of the wines offered by Symington. This latest declaration showcases several… Read More »

Most wine aficionados dream of having a cellar large enough to lose a few treasured bottles in. Paul Bocuse, the celebrated Lyonnais chef and national icon of France, achieved just that—unintentionally hiding 18 bottles of Ruinart 1926 in a forgotten corner of his restaurant’s cellar. These bottles, purchased to mark the year of Bocuse’s birth,… Read More »

Tawse Winery, a prominent player in Canada’s wine scene, is celebrating its 25th anniversary. On my recent visit to Niagara, ahead of the National Wine Awards of Canada, I had the pleasure of dining with Magdalena Kaiser and sampling several exceptional Tawse wines. Founded in 2001 by Moray Tawse, the winery’s beginnings were inspired by… Read More »

Coq au Riesling is a classic dish from Alsace that differs significantly from Burgundy’s coq au vin. This variation utilizes a white wine known for its acidity, along with the addition of crème fraîche, making it distinctly unique. Various recipes highlight the differences, with some omitting traditional ingredients like lardons and mushrooms in favor of… Read More »

When wine promotions roll out at supermarkets like Tesco, savvy shoppers find themselves with a wonderful opportunity to explore a variety of wines at discounted prices. Tesco’s regular 25% off six bottles or more offers, once reserved for occasions like Christmas and Easter, have now become more commonplace. Despite being an experienced wine editor, I… Read More »

The Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA) 2026 results are set to be unveiled on June 17, offering a comprehensive guide to exceptional wines sourced from acclaimed winemakers worldwide. This prestigious competition, now in its 23rd year, features rigorous blind tasting evaluations conducted by a panel of experts. With nearly 17,000 submissions this year, the judging… Read More »

Singular Beauty Inspired by a single half-bottle of the 2011 Hugel Grossi Laüe Gewurztraminer, Andrew Jefford reflects on a wine experience that transcended expectations. Jefford laments only purchasing one half-bottle, remembering how disarming and authentic the wine proved to be. Despite its smaller format and 14 years of age, it presented itself in spotless condition,… Read More »

Márcio Lopes is creating remarkable natural wines in Vinho Verde and Douro, showcasing his dedication to low-intervention winemaking since he began in 2010. Each year, he produces around 50 different wines sourced from over 200 plots, reflecting a commitment to old and endangered grape varieties, with 15 unique varieties discovered in Melgaço alone. During a… Read More »

The release of the 2023 Ornellaia wine signals a moment of both challenge and renewal for the Tenuta dell’Ornellaia estate. This vintage has unfolded amidst significant personnel changes that have left the estate’s leadership in transition, but it also reveals a bright potential thanks to its new technical director, Marco Balsimelli. The turmoil began in… Read More »

Luis Seabra, a prominent figure in Portuguese winemaking, is renowned for his commitment to producing authentic wines. Previously the winemaker for Niepoort, Seabra embarked on his own journey in 2013 with a vision of crafting uncompromising wines that reflect the true character of the Douro, Vinho Verde, and Dão regions. He emphasizes low-intervention winemaking techniques,… Read More »