Portuguese Exploration

Portugal had been on my to-go list for a while. The last time I visited was in 2008, but since then, friends and colleagues have raved about the current experience: distinctive destinations from beach to city, great hotels and restaurants, ease of travel and the fact that English is widely spoken. And of course, for wine lovers, the Douro Valley.

LEGENDS OF CALIFORNIA CHARDONNAY

Winemakers who raised the bar for the Golden State’s star white grape

GIN or VODKA

Recipes that pull a switcheroo n classic gin and vodka drinks

Four Decades at Spain's Iconic Vega Sicilia

In celebration of his family's long ownership, Pablo Álvarez is on a quest to make an iconic white

A Grower Of Wine

Tony Soter helped set the course for Napa Cabernet before Championing Pinot Noir in California and ultimately Oregon

MARE ISLAND A RICH PAST ...

Despite its name, Mare Island is no longer an D island, and there aren't any horses. Rather, it's a 3.5 miles-long peninsula (attached to the mainland by fill from dredging), situated where the Napa River meets the San Pablo Bay, 23 miles north of San Francisco. It's connected to the city of Vallejo by Highway 37 and a causeway.

PHINNEY and FRIENDS

Dave Phinney has plenty of interests beyond wine. He expresses them through a multitude of business ventures united by his creative drive. With a lot of the projects, he explains, "there's either a personal connection to me, or somebody does work that I admire.”

Russian Oligarch Forced to Liquidate Stake in French Wineries

Shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine, the EU imposed sanctions on Russian businessman Dmitry Pumpyansky and his family, paving the way for the French government to freeze the oligarch’s assets, including Domaine Prieuré St.-Jean de Bébian in Languedoc and Domaine Ganevat in Jura.

In the PHINNEY SPIRIT

Savage & Cooke Distillery brings new life to Mare Island as a craft beverage destination

RISING TO THE CHALLENGE

Brunello's best producers combated the hot, dry summer of 2017 with careful work in both vineyards and cellars

Cabernet Country

Washington’s top red variety shines in recent vintages

Cult Cabernet Crime

The two Englishmen began showing up at investor conferences in 2015, armed with an enticing proposition. Investors could, via a London-based brokerage, Bordeaux Cellars, lend money to wealthy borrowers who needed fast loans, no questions asked. The loans would carry a 16% interest rate. The lenders would receive 12%, paid quarterly.

GLOBAL SPARKLERS GUIDE

10 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT THE WORLD OF BUBBLY WINE

Alsatian Spring Picnic

Four make-ahead dishes from chef Gabriel Kreuther

A Cup for Mind and Body

Your daily pick-me-up may offer unexpected health benefits

The Wine World, On Balance

Historic producers, new faces, limited bottlings, widely available options: All contribute to the ongoing dialogue on wine.

Wine in Primetime

Promised Land, Kings of Napa, and Grand Crew make their TV debuts

Sauvignon Blanc, California Style

New techniques in the vineyard yield a broader spectrum of flavors

Who Will Pick America's Wine Grapes?

When harvest came last fall, many Napa and Sonoma vintners weren’t sure who was going to pick the grapes. America’s labor crunch is being felt across California’s $43.6 billion wine industry. Fires and other weather challenges have shrunk grape-picking windows and pandemic travel restrictions have kept away seasonal workers from Latin America. But all these challenges have merely exacerbated a chronic labor problem that has been worsening for more than a decade: Workers are leaving the wine industry for good.

Wine To Go Could Come Back to New York State Permanently

Merlot to go could be back on the menu in New York state this year, giving an added revenue source to restaurants during hard times but worries to store owners concerned about competition. During her January State of the State address, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced her support for the permanent legalization of alcohol to go, which would allow beverages such as wine and cocktails to be sold for pick-up and delivery.

Charles Smith Revisited

Washington vintner Charles Smith has a big and distinctive personality. And if you taste through his portfolio as I do every year—labels such as K Vintners, Substance and Sixto—the carryover to the bottle becomes obvious.

RED BURGUNDY REPORT IN THE HEIGHTS

THE 2019 VINTAGE IN BURGUNDY DELIVERS STUNNING PINOT NOIRS AT RECORD PRICES

GEVREY-CHAMBERTIN'S CROWNING GLORY

FOR MORE THAN A CENTURY, DOMAINE ARMAND ROUSSEAU HAS BEEN A SHINING LIGHT IN BURGUNDY

Bordeaux Report Top Guns

Bordeaux’s elite estates shine in the inconsistent 2019 vintage

The New Face of Succession

Powerful women hold the reins at some of the world’s iconic wine estates

Coffee College

University of California, Davis, is known as one of the preeminent schools for enology in the country. For nearly a decade, it’s applied a similar rigor to coffee. Currently, a new 6,000-square-foot coffee center is being built, with support from Peet’s Coffee and others.

A Winemaker's Cup of Tea

Annie Favia of Favia Erickson Winegrowers grew up devotedly trailing her mother in the family garden, exploring and smell-ing her favorite plants.

Wines With Real Bouquet

The first time Aaliyah Nitoto tried her hand at winemaking, she was a little girl. Her mother was entertaining guests, and Aaliyah wanted to get involved with grown-ups enjoying wine. She mixed grape juice with Tabasco sauce and tried to share her concoction. No one was impressed.

PIEDMONT REPORT: FORTUNE FAVORS BAROLO

Despite early season setbacks, the 2017 vintage delivers fresh, complex reds from top estates

NBA's Chris Paul Goes Pink With La Fête Rosé

NBA star Chris Paul is taking his first shot at the wine busi-ness. The Phoenix Suns point guard and 11-time All-Star has joined La Fête Wine Company founder Donae Burston and his expanding wine brand as an equity partner. The size of Paul’s stake in the company was not disclosed.