561 - 570 of 802 results
Is This the World’s First Super Rhône?
Is This the World’s First Super Rhône?
"In the early 1970s, the world was first introduced to the concept of Super Tuscan wines. The catchy name was given to a group of Italian wines made by producers who didn’t like the restrictive Chianti DOC laws governing the grapes they could use in the blends of their wine. To bypass this, estates such as Marchesi Antinori and Sassicaia simply labeled their bottles vino da tavola, or table wine. Anyone who had the good fortune to taste them knew they were anything but, and they sold at high prices. "...Two decades later, Bordeaux experienced its own mutiny when several...
To read the full article, click here.
New Zealand Spreads Its Wings
New Zealand Spreads Its Wings
"Given its surging quality, it can be easy to forget how young New Zealand is in the world of wine. The country's original winemaking pioneers are still setting the pace as their signature white, Sauvignon Blanc, becomes one of the fastest-growing categories in the United States. "As the country's wine industry has matured, there have been subtle changes in the selection and style available. The breakdown of wines I've reviewed since my last report ("New Zealand's Bright Horizon," June 15, 2013) -- more than 400 in total, all blind-tasted in our Napa office -- reflects the changing landscape of New...
To read the full article, click here.
Chablis Needs To Tell Its Terroir Story
Chablis Needs To Tell Its Terroir Story
"Speaking to the drinks business during a recent visit to Chablis, Grégory Viennois, technical director at Laroche, said: "'It’s great that Chablis is a strong brand like Champagne, but we’re selling ourselves short in not telling the story of our different terroirs.' "'A lot of people think Chablis is a simple, unoaked white wine from Burgundy but at Laroche we’ve been working hard to differentiate the characteristics of the premier and grand cru climats.' “'...People are starting to take Chablis more seriously as a region for terroir-driven, quality wines so there needs to be more focus on the different vineyards...
To read the full article, click here.
Choosing Santa Maria for Pinot
Choosing Santa Maria for Pinot
"Finished in June 2013, the Presqu'ile winery is several things at once. It's an impressive piece of architecture and design as well as a showcase of top-of-the-line winemaking equipment and the manifestation of the owners' vision of an estate winery. "Yet it's also emblematic of the confidence of the company's president, Matt Murphy, and his family have in the Santa Maria Valley as the best place to make Pinot Noir in the United States. 'I prefer the style of wines that we get from Santa Maria Valley over anywhere else, and for my money I think it's the best place...
To read the full article, click here.
Masters of Chablis
Masters of Chablis
"Dating back to 1850 and since 2009 an integral part of the AdVini group, Domaine Laroche is one of the most traditional, 'purist' wine houses in Chablis, virtually synonymous with this region, but also one of the most progressive. In the cellar, under Technical Director Grégory Viennois, wines from each of the domaine’s individual plots—including nearly a dozen premier crus and three grand crus—are assigned to an individual 'tâcheron,' who sees the wine through to completion and ensures that it is a true expression of its terroir. I recently tasted these highly impressive wines from the 2012 vintage. Kudos to...
To read the full article, click here.
Botrytized Whites
Botrytized Whites
"Mold is a major enemy of wine. The wrong weather conditions can cause mold to destroy entire harvests. Vintners will do everything they can to prevent the spread of rot in their vineyards prior to picking grapes. Unless they plan to make a special kind of dessert wine. "Hungary has its own distinctive entry in this category. The wines of Tokaji rely primarily on the Furmint and Harslevel grapes. As the grapes are infected by bortytis, sometimes late into December, they are individually picked. Called Aszu, these berries are then crushed into a paste. A specific measurement of this paste,...
To read the full article, click here.
16 Diverse Wines from France
16 Diverse Wines from France
"If you’re looking for a diverse mix of varieties spread over dozens of appellations, it’s hard to beat the Loire Valley.... "Leading the way is a new project from Burgundy-based vigneron Anne-Claude Leflaive. Leflaive’s Clau de Nell label debuts with three reds, including a rare Grolleau bottling, of which she has just 5 acres of vines planted. It shows pretty tobacco and pepper notes on an elegant frame—a stark contrast to her Anjou bottling, which blends Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon to show a little more depth and flesh." To read more, click here.
To read the full article, click here.
Chablis 2012/2013
Chablis 2012/2013
"The tasting room of Laroche is tucked away opposite the abbey of Saint Martin de Tours in a former monastery known as the Obediencerie. Laroche's premier and grand crus are aged within its thick medieval walls, though the magnificent 18th century wine press is for tourists only. Jean-Victor Laroche founded the company in 1850, though it was his son Michel that made them one of the most significant growers/negociants in Chablis. They have set their sights further afield in South France, Chile and South Africa, something unusual in these parochial parts, but the mainstay of the business remains their 90...
To read the full article, click here.
Royal Tokaji building on memory
Royal Tokaji building on memory
“After the collapse of Communism in 1990, Royal Tokaji was the first foreign-backed producer in a region with a glorious past but an uncertain future. Two decades on, Margaret Rand charts the challenges, setbacks, and triumphs of a company that has played a crucial role in both the reinvention and the restoration of a lost wine culture, through dry and late-harvest offerings, as well as sublime single-vineyard Aszús and Eszencias. “It dawned only slowly, going around Royal Tokaji with managing director István Turóczi, that he has the most incredible memory. He can tell you exactly when the rain started in...
To read the full article, click here.
The Big To-Do: 50 Things to Do in Napa and Sonoma
The Big To-Do: 50 Things to Do in Napa and Sonoma
"A Wine Country escape is a prized ritual in Northern California. Tastings are a given, but add in the hiking, biking, spas, and hot springs, and it's easy to feel overwhelmed. We've narrowed down the possibilities and divided them evenly by county: The first 23 activities are dedicated to Napa, the second half is all about Sonoma. Choose your own adventure, just be sure to stay safe on the roads (or up in the air, or on the river, as the case may be). "18. Sip bubbly in historic caves by gothic candlelight. Schramsberg Vineyards."
To read the full article, click here.
561 - 570 of 802 results