CATEGORIES

Shipwrecked Champagne Hoard Discovered Near Sweden

It sometimes feels like wine has a habit of falling into the briny deep. On July 23, Polish wreck diver and underwater photographer Tomasz Stachura announced that he and his Baltictech team had discovered the wreck of a 19th-century sailing ship near Öland, an island off the coast of Sweden—and it was crammed with bottles of Champagne and mineral water.

Openings: The Latest in Napa Tasting

Several new tasting options have opened in Napa Valley, particularly in downtown Napa where wineries are launching satellite tasting rooms. Standing out from the crowd means trying new approaches. Here are some highlights:

War in Middle East Affects Vintners

The 2024 harvest at Israel’s Dalton Winery was punctuated by nonstop rocket and drone attacks launched from just across the border in Hezbollah-controlled southern Lebanon.

Wineries Sue Napa County in Federal Court

Three Napa wineries filed a joint lawsuit in federal court in September alleging that Napa County officials violated their constitutional rights.

Savoring Persimmon Season

For many, persimmons are an enigma ingredient. Chef David Nayfeld of Award of Excellence-winning Che Fico in San Francisco and its Best of Award of Excellence sibling dangling persimmons off the tree with a stick at a childhood friend's house before realizing what they were. \"I remember his parents saying, 'Hey, don't hit the persimmons, those are food!\"\"

Tasting Plate: A German Six-Pack

Though it boasts Western Europe’s largest population and biggest economy, Germany is nowhere near the cheese juggernaut its neighbors Switzerland and France are. That said, the Germans love their fine cheeses, and they do turn out some excellent ones, fortunately including more than a handful that are currently available here in the U.S.

Gigondas Blanc Est Arrivé!

Ask winemakers in the Southern Rhône to name the most exciting white grape in their region and you will hear a growing number of them say \"Clairette.\"

Kistler's DARKER SIDE

Russian River Valley Pinot Noir ups the ante at the house that Chardonnay built

THE SPLENDOR OF CHAMPAGNE

THE REGION'S LEADING PRODUCERS DELIVER HIGH QUALITY AMID A DIVERSE RANGE OF STYLES

MICHAEL BATTERBERRY: 1932-2010 Gourmet, Journalist, Gentleman

Before Food Network, Top Chef or Yelp ... before the term “foodie\" ... before tomatoes were heirloom and sushi was fast food... back when fancy restaurants were always French... Michael Batterberry and his wife, Ariane, were working to celebrate and elevate the status of American chefs and international cuisine. Julie Mautner, Food Arts' former executive editor, looks at the life and legacy of her late mentor, affectionately known as The Bat.

New Zealand's Success Story - From small beginnings, the country's wines have ascended to global prominence

Since then, New Zealand has become one of the world’s most successful wine nations. Currently there are 102,000 acres planted, and 40 million cases were sold in 2023, according to the New Zealand Winegrowers. The tiny country produces less than 2% of the global wine supply, but it’s the world’s sixth-largest exporter of wine by value. Another thing that’s evolved? The image of corks no longer applies, as most vintners there eschew cork (only about 15% of the wines we review still use the closure).

Wine Is Healthiest Choice for Drinkers - Decades of research has linked light to moderate drinking, especially of wine, to a range of health benefits.

There’s also strong evidence that alcohol consumption raises the risk of certain cancers and that heavy drinking carries serious health risks. But the reasons why moderate drinking seems to be neutral or beneficial for some people and harmful for others remains a mystery.A new study sought to solve that puzzle. Looking at health and lifestyle information for a large population, the researchers found that while any alcohol posed risks for adults with existing health problems from poorer areas, healthy adults from wealthier areas suffered no additional risks from moderate drinking, and those who drink wine with food even enjoyed better health.

In Pursuit of the Perfect Crust

“Dough is always the hardest challenge for any home chef,” explains chef and restaurateur Tony Gemignani. “But it’s the foundation of any great pizza.”

SEAVEY VINEYARD

In Napa’s Conn Valley, a family-run winery marches to its own drum

CALIFORNIA RHONES Show Their Range

RECENT VINTAGES DELIVER EXCELLENT REDS AND WHITES IN AN ARRAY OF STYLES

Tuscany Comes of Age

Anchored by the 2021 vintage, Tuscan reds set a new standard of quality

The Absolute Best Places to Eat and Drink in America

PROFILES OF THE 63 WINE SPECTATOR GRAND AWARD WINNERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY TODAY, AS THE PROGRAM MARKS ITS 44TH YEAR

Events- A Grand Tour for Wine Spectator- a perfect day with an evening of outstanding wines.

A young couple in shorts and festival shirts sped into the ballroom of the New Orleans Marriott on a mission.

Big Wine Players Target Pinot Noir - Plenty of small winery owners are cashing out, either because they're looking to retire or they see selling as the best way to keep their label growing

Plenty of small winery owners are cashing out, either because they’re looking to retire or they see selling as the best way to keep their label growing

Restaurant Awards- Lazy Bear- Lazy Bear bills itself as a modern American dinner party. But it's so much more.

Lazy Bear bills itself as a modern American dinner party. But it’s so much more. This Mission District restaurant effortlessly strips away the formality of a multicourse dinner and replaces it with conviviality, nostalgia and curiosity. With reverence for time and place, Lazy Bear is an ode to California where guests dine in concert with the season and can explore diverse wines, including an impressive collection of older California vintages.

KRISTEN BIELER

Can Sensory Analysis of Wine Deter Dementia?

JAMES MOLESWORTH Silverado Vineyards Charts Its Future

Silverado Vineyards is located prominently on the Silverado Trail, its winery facility perched atop a hill overlooking its 216-acre estate.

A Welcome Taste of Lyon

You’ve got to love a dish they call silk worker’s brains. You’ve also got to wonder how it acquired such a quirky name.

Sweet Harvest

Chef Dustin Valette shares childhood orchard memories and a recipe for warm plum cake

Wine Spectator Scholarship Foundation

Forty years of making a difference for future generations of wine and hospitality leaders

Warren Winiarski

Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Founder

Harvey Chaplin

Southern Glazer's Chairman

SPAIN NEVER BETTER

Newly released vintages of the country's prestige reds and a variety of distinctive whites invite exploration

THE YEATMAN

Portugal's best shines in the Douro

LE BISTRO DE L'HÔTEL

A Temple of Burgundy in Beaune