America is the world’s leading market for wine, thanks to an unprecedented ve-decade boom that transformed wine from a cottage industry to a cultural phenomenon here. So what do the next ve decades hold? Challenges loom, but if wine embraces its strengths, the future offers even brighter days.
Starting in the Vineyards
Wine starts in the vineyards. And that’s where its fu-ture will begin, too. A bottle of wine, whether vinified by a mom-andpop winery making just 1,500 cases a year or by a global corporation turning out tens of thousands of cases, starts with bunches of grapes growing on a vine.
Somehow in the past decade, the wine community has allowed that idea to fade. Consumers today say they want products that are natural and artisanal. Wine perfectly fits that definition, but is somehow losing market share to fermented malt beverages with added fruit flavors and carbonation. But wine doesn’t need to pander to younger consumers or abandon its loyal fans. All it needs to do is embrace its strengths and remember what makes it unique unto itself.
"WE HAVE OVER 5,000 VARIETIES OF [WINE GRAPES]. AND YET WE DO SO MUCH WITH JUST A FEW OF THEM."
Talk to any winemaker about the future and they will tell you that climate change is the biggest concern they have. Fifty years ago, vintners were focused on new ideas for maximizing ripeness: planting vines on southfacing slopes, trellising the canes for maximum sunlight, thinning leaves and dropping bunches to fully ripen the remaining fruit.
Denne historien er fra March 31, 2023-utgaven av Wine Spectator.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Denne historien er fra March 31, 2023-utgaven av Wine Spectator.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
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.
