Argentina’s high-altitude wines have captured imaginations. But there’s more to the country’s modern wine evolution than dizzying heights, says Alistair Cooper in Club Oenologique, who explores how perceptions of oak usage have changed among winemakers.

According to Margaret Rand in Wine-Searcher, merchants are not happy with Bordeaux’s En Primeur campaign this year. “Prices were up on average just under 15 percent, but for the top châteaux they were up 20-40 percent. Collectors who buy every year bought again this year – but there were fewer of them, and many of them bought less wine. Some wines seem to have been a particular struggle…”

Jamie Goode highlights the organic and regenerative farming practiced by Steve and Jill Matthiasson, and how it affects their wines.

Jancis Robinson profiles Barbara Banke, widow of Jess Jackson, and the Jackson family’s winemaking empire.

Grape Collective chats with Karlen Manasserian of Tushpa Winery about the rebirth of Armenian wine.

In the Washington Post, Dave McIntyre looks at how a late spring frost affected Finger Lakes winemakers this year.

Chianti Classico’s Unità Geografiche Aggiuntive (UGA), which divide the classic Tuscan denomination into 11 specific and officially delimited production areas, have been approved for use on Gran Selezione labels, reports Marisa Finetti in Decanter.

This week I have a round-up of new releases from France, Spain, and Italy.

My first international wine trip was a deep dive into the Languedoc region of Southern France ten years ago. I was blown away by the history, the different terroirs and wines, the rock outcroppings, and gnarly old vines. Today, I’m revisiting Southern France with four diverse wines, classic styles, and varied regions. The quality and value in these wines has always been attractive to me, and that trend continues here.

I also have some really interesting Tuscan red blends for the Super Tuscan lovers out there. Podere Sapaio and Tenuta Luce deliver some cellar worthy gems.

In summer, Albarino has been a favorite of mine for a long time. And it is expressed most clearly in Spain’s Rias Baixas region. But there are also a ton of styles and nuances in the different subregions and producers. This week, I have a few that would hit the spot this summer.

These wines were received as samples and tasted sighted. Read the rest of this entry »

Bottles of pét-nat.

Has pét-nat jumped the shark? In PUNCH, Megan Krigbaum explores how the category went from niche party wine to full-on brand. “In the mad dash to assimilate pét-nat, plenty of other outstanding sparkling wine was pushed to the side. Pét-nat the brand may have paved the way for everyday sparkling wine appreciation, but it also flooded the zone…One undeniable pitfall with pét-nats is that if there are any flaws, the bubbles make those flaws all the more apparent.”

In the New Wine Review, Virginie Boone looks at what makes Cathy Corison such a beloved winemaker. “This story is about how Corison knew precisely what she wanted to do, then did pretty much exactly that for her entire career as the world of fine wine changed dramatically around her.”

In Wine Enthusiast, Marshall Tilden III explains how to determine a wine’s QPR and why it matters. “QPR is certainly subjective. One person’s assessment of quality may be widely different from another’s. However, there’s no question that evaluating a wine’s QPR can help you make more educated decisions about which wines to buy and enjoy.”

Vicki Denig offers some tips for finding value in high-demand regions in Wine-Searcher. “As prices for entry-level wines from Burgundy, Piedmont, and other in-demand areas soar higher than ever before, finding value within said places – or budget-friendly alternatives to “replace” them altogether – has become increasingly necessary, from the importing side of business all the way down to the consumer level both on and off-premise.”

Soaring demand for New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc allowed the country’s wine producers to increase exports by 25% in the past year, reports Martin Green in Decanter.

VinePair shares its list for the best Sauvignon Blancs to try this year.

In the New York Times, Eric Asimov looks at how sherry producers are using older methods and forgotten grapes to reveal the magic of the wine’s terroir and tradition. “In sherry country…history was ignored for decades as the sherry business grew and consolidated, focusing on inexpensive, mass-market bottles primarily for foreign markets,” he writes. “But in the last decade or so, a small group of winemakers have focused intently on the region’s past. They have re-examined the terroirs, rediscovered long-lost grapes that were nearly extinct and resurrected unfortified styles that had largely disappeared. In short: They are producing some of the most exciting wines in the world.”

In Wine-Searcher, Kathleen Willcox looks at why female and BIPOC corporate stars are turning to wine education to help break the glass ceiling.

Thieves recently stole $700,000 worth of wine from Lincoln Fine Wines in Los Angeles store by cutting a hole in the ceiling above its cellar, with some of the stolen bottles costing over $5,000 a piece.

Flooding in central Chile has left vineyards underwater, and a red alert has been issued in some areas of the country, with Maule and Bíobío among the regions affected, reports the Drinks Business.

In the Wine Independent, R.H. Drexel visits the Sea Smoke estate in the Sta. Rita Hills. “It’s a sprawling estate—1,100 acres—but only 170 of those are planted to vines. The balance of the land is a beguiling mix of organic apple orchards (the apples are sold for cider), cattle grazing land, forests, an idyllic pond, and fields of organically grown hay.”

Wine Enthusiast highlights low-alcohol wines to drink this summer.

Contour farmed vineyards.

In SevenFifty Daily, Danielle Beurteaux on why the agricultural technique called contour farming is taking off in vineyards. “Contour farming is an old agricultural method that is finding favor in vineyards as part of new sustainability programs that aim to combat the growing effects of climate change. As a nature-based and regenerative agriculture approach, contouring is a sustainable tool to manage water and erosion, but it’s not suitable everywhere. To contour or not to contour? Some vineyard managers are seeking an answer.”

“The current presidential administration issued an executive order to promote economic competition two summers ago called Promoting Competition in the American Economy. In response to it, the Alcohol and Tobacco, Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) released a 64-page report entitled Competition in the Markets for Beer, Wine, and Spirits in February 2022, detailing how the drinks market functions on a legal level and how the TTB interacts with other government agencies,” reports Liza B. Zimmerman in Wine-Searcher. “Many of the responders, a good portion of whom remained anonymous, noted that the drinks industry did not need more – and actually probably warranted – less regulations.”

In the New York Times, Alex Halberstady profiles Maggie Harrison of Antica Terra in the Willamette Valley. “Harrison makes some of the most-sought-after wines in the country, and even Michelin-starred restaurants like the French Laundry and Gramercy Tavern have to work to secure an allocation. At the moment, consumers who want to buy from Antica Terra join a two-year wait-list…Harrison’s techniques seem, on the surface, to be the antithesis of terroir. When my friend told me that Harrison had “declared war on wine,” this is what he meant.”

In Bloomberg, Elin McCoy offers her picks for the best rosés to drink this summer.

Stephen Brook checks in on the 2013 Bordeaux vintage in Decanter.

In VinePair, Shayna Conde profiles Ikimi Dubose-Woodson, CEO of The Roots Fund.

In Wine Enthusiast, Arielle Weg highlights sparkling rosés for every budget.

Georgian kvevri. (Wikimedia)

In Club Oenologique, David Kermode explores Georgia’s indigenous grapes. “…the country has – at least – 525 indigenous grape varieties. A population of just 3.7 million (according to a World Bank estimate) means there’s theoretically one variety for every 7,000 people…Georgian grape names don’t exactly trip merrily off the tongue (anyone for a glass of Mtsvivali Mskhvilmartsvala?), however it is well worth the investment in some elocution, for it leads to a new lexicon of loveliness.”

In Wine-Searcher, W. Blake Gray looks at why winemaker is inoculating her vines with fungus in an effort to fight drought.

“Stagecoach Vineyard bills itself as the largest contiguous vineyard in Napa Valley, and it has secured tentative Napa County approval to grow still larger,” reports Barry Eberling in the Napa Valley Register.

Liz Thach highlights the top 10 selling American sparkling wines in Forbes.

In Decanter, Darrel Joseph delves into Welschriesling, a versatile white variety with lots of potential.

Grape Collective’s Dorothy Gaiter and John Brecher talks to the wineries battling fire, smoke, and frost this year.

In Robb Report, Mike DeSimone and Jeff Jenssen offer tips for big, bold reds to pair with burgers this summer.

I can’t believe it’s July. This summer is speeding past, but I’m making plans to take advantage of the weather and time with friends and family. I wish you all a great summer break, wherever and whenever you find it. And as the Fourth of July approaches, it’s a good time to highlight some diverse wines from all across America.

Long-time readers know I’m a big Virginia wine fan, and recently wrote about the Governor’s Cup winners. I’m back with a producer I’ve talked about before, and will do again, because they’re great: Stinson Vineyards. They make some Virginia gems and are not afraid to experiment, from Tannat rosé to skin-ferment Rkatsiteli, I find anything with their label worth buying.

From sea to shining sea on the West Coast, I have some delightfully zippy and coastal Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from Fort Ross Seaview Winery that brings serious value to the table. And Fiddlehead Cellars has two seriously complex summer-friendly wines from the Central Coast.

Napa’s Newton comes out swinging with some heavy hitters. Their unfiltered Chardonnay is a regional classic. And the single vineyard Cabernets do an incredible job of showcasing the diversity of Napa regions through their different properties. Taken together, these wines represent a celebration of Napa Cabernet and the varied, exquisite sites where it thrives. The 2019 and 2018 vintages are both singing, and these elegant Cabs would make great gifts or cellar stockers.

From the sun-roasted, high elevation Sonoran Desert comes Aridus, an Arizona-based winery that puts out solid Southwest wines at very reasonable prices. I’m a huge fan of Arizona wines, and this producer offers a nice intro into the state’s industry.

These wines were received as samples and tasted sighted.

California Read the rest of this entry »

In the San Francisco Chronicle, Esther Mobley, who is heading out on maternity leave, shares what it’s been like to be a pregnant wine critic. “Actually, pregnancy didn’t change my day-to-day work very much… What was frustrating was the intense scrutiny I often received in social situations. At a party, one insensitive acquaintance asked me, “Do you have to quit your job now?” I had to explain that, like most people, I’ve never spent my workdays getting drunk. (I don’t know how I’d get anything done.) Interactions like that one really reinforced the unfortunate fact that many people still feel entitled to offer unsolicited, and usually uninformed, advice on how pregnant women should treat their own bodies.” 

In SevenFifty Daily, Alex Russan explores the science of thiols, the aroma compounds often associated with Sauvignon Blanc’s tropical and citrus notes.

In Wine Enthusiast, Christina Pickard reports on how Australia’s wine industry is working to empower the nation’s Indigenous populations and allow them to reclaim their history with the land.

Big wine companies are already using AI to get a competitive advantage. In the Meininger’s, Felicity Carter reports on a new project from Treasury Wine Estates.

Lettie Teague ponders the meaning of the term “wine geek” in the Wall Street Journal.

Jancis Robinson explains what makes the Oakville AVA so special.

In Decanter, Nicole MacKay explores Canadian rosé.

A Domestique Wine collaboration bottling.

Private-label wines have long existed for restaurant and retail chains, but now a growing number of small wine retailers are collaborating with boutique wineries to make their own limited-release wines. In SevenFifty Daily, I talked to the wine shops and producers working on such collaborations.

For the first time, an international still-wine producer is making a major investment in English wine. From their base in Sonoma, California, Jackson Family Wines have premium properties in France, Italy, Australia, Chile, South Africa and, most recently, on Vancouver Island in Canada,” reports Jancis Robinson. “They have just announced their intention to acquire 65 acres (26 ha) of land to be planted with vines in Essex’s Crouch Valley, one of the warmest parts of England, described recently by Tam as England’s Côte d’Or.”

The Old Vine Registry, designed by Alder Yarrow with data provided by JancisRobinson.com, is now live. Learn more about the database in Tamyln Currin’s write-up.

In the Vintner Project, Tamara Turner explores the future for Malbec in Oregon.

Red wine sales within France have declined by half since the 1990s, according to the American Association of Wine Economists.

Fourth generation California vintner Paul Dolan died June 26 after a long battle with cancer. Dolan was a senior statesman and pioneer of the sustainable, organic, biodynamic, and regenerative wine movements.

The USDA has released a five-year strategy to combat the spotted lanternfly.

In Wine Spectator, Bruce Sanderson explores Barolo’s “exemplary” 2019 vintage. “From barrel, the nascent Barolos were austere and tannic, with assertive acidity. A year later, they’re beginning to take shape, revealing fine balance between the fruit and savory components, texture, acidity, tannins and alcohol. There’s tension, and still some youthful austerity, but there’s also plenty of site-specific expression and long-term aging potential.”

Growers in the Rhône have echoed their peers elsewhere in France in claiming the wines of the difficult 2021 vintage herald “a new classicism.” The reality, as Simon Field finds in the World of Fine Wine, is more complex.

The Rhône is famous for its reds, but the region’s white wines are also catching consumers’ attention, says W. Blake Gray in Wine-Searcher.

In the San Francisco Chronicle, Esther Mobley and Jess Lander highlight Napa Valley wineries where you don’t need a reservation.

Noël Burgess offers a 24-hour wine-tasting guide to downtown Napa in Wine Enthusiast.

In Food & Wine, Céline Bossart makes the case for dessert wines, which “are just so much more than we give them credit for.”

It’s time to give retsina a second chance, says Kate Hawkings in the Buyer.