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A month in wine

All the important issues affecting you across the globe, compiled by Chris Mercer

THE FUTURE OF WINE CELLARING

No cobwebbed old brick cellar to fill with dusty bottles and boxes? Technology is putting a different spin on wine storage: not so much hiding it away as centrepiece of your home decor, says James Button

TEQUILA: A TASTE OF TERROIR

As spirits connoisseurs show an increasing appreciation of premium sipping tequilas, the concept of terroir is starting to be explored with single-site bottlings. Laura Foster heads to Mexico to find out more

SMITH-MADRONE

The antidote to California bling, this Napa Valley pioneer is known for its well-priced and ageworthy wines. Elin McCoy ventures up into the Spring Mountain District AVA to taste

FAMILIA TORRES: CELEBRATING 150 YEARS

Founded in 1870, today Familia Torres is Spanish wine royalty with a global reach that includes wineries in Chile and the US. Sarah Jane Evans MW looks at what the company has achieved, including its current projects to restore ancient grape varieties and combat climate change

A CHEF'S TOUR OF ANDALUCIA

Celebrated Spanish chef José Pizarro has been visiting Andalucía in southern Spain since he was a small boy. Julie Sheppard joins him in the region to discover his food and wine inspirations

Semillon Gris: South Africa's Old-Vine Oddity

Growers in the Cape are nurturing this red mutation of the green Semillon Blanc grape. Malu Lambert investigates the unusual phenomenon, first identified in vineyards here back in the 1800s

20 Great Buys: South American Red Blends

As research and vineyard development continue apace, winemakers in Chile, Argentina andUruguay are producing a diverse range of accomplished red blends. Marina Gayan MW offers a snapshot of their work and picks her top wines from a tasting of more than 200

SUSANA BALBO

The pioneering winemaker has forged an outstanding career in Argentina, helping to put its wines onto an international stage and even extending her influence into politics and female empowerment. Sorrel Moseley-Williams meets the Queen of Torrontés

STAG'S LEAP WINE CELLARS

In the 50th anniversary of its founding, Matthew Luczy recounts how one of Napa Valley’s brightest stars found early fame as one of California’s great Cabernet Sauvignon producers

SOUTH AMERICAN WHITES: A NEW ERA

Increasing experimentation and the exploration of new terroir means South America is now the source of an exciting and diverse array of white wines, across all price points. Dirceau Vianna Junior MW highlights the regions and producers to watch

RUM COCKTAILS TO MAKE AT HOME

Keen to make your own Mojitos, Daiquiris and more besides? Laura Foster shows you how to use this complex and versatile spirit in an array of delicious mixed drinks

WHAT'S HOT IN CHILE?

In a country marked by change, winemakers are pushing boundaries to uncover the potential of their wines. Peter Richards MW shines a light on the latest developments in both vineyard and winery, profiling some of the exciting projects driving current trends

URUGUAY'S GREAT ASCENT

Revisiting the country after two decades, Tim Atkin MW reflects on the remarkable progress made by Uruguay’s winemakers and profiles the regions, grapes and styles to look out for

McLAREN VALE

This famous South Australian wine region, more than any in the country, has succeeded in balancing tradition and innovation, says Sarah Ahmed, who picks out 10 producers to watch and her top wines to try

Distilled by Decanter

A new guide to the latest trends in spirits and cocktails. Edited by Julie Sheppard

Wine not included in UK restaurant meals tax break

A lower rate of value added tax (VAT) will apply to meals in restaurants, cafés and pubs until 12 January 2021 in the UK, but the change does not include wine.

THE RISE OF THE URBAN WINERY

The line between wine and beer has blurred... and it’s a good thing, says Jason Tesauro

CRU BOURGEOIS EXCEPTIONNEL: The 2020 selection's top 14

It’s been a bumpy ride, but the latest official redrawing of Bordeaux’s oft-misunderstood ranking of the cru bourgeois producers was published in February this year. Jane Anson explains what lies behind the listings, and profiles the 14 highest-ranked and their 2016 vintage wines

Favourites emerge in Bordeaux 2019 sales

Price cuts and good ratings sparked strong buyer interest in several Bordeaux 2019 en primeur wines, beating low expectations for the campaign in some quarters.

Andrew Jefford - ‘Wine beauty can only be created by working hand-in-hand with nature'

Three months of pandemic induced lockdown are drawing to an end. It hasn’t been all frustration and anxiety. I’ve enjoyed being at home with the family – and the internet wine chat which has replaced the customary tastings, travel and research. Two interview questions, in particular, set me thinking.

Has The Champagne Price Bubble Burst?

We’ve been living in an era of bargain bubbly. Yet, despite ever-increasing costs, producers have for years kept a lid on the prices you pay. Change is on the horizon, says Tyson Stelzer, though your favourite celebratory tipple will remain a relative bargain in the immediate term

UNDERSTANDING IGP PAYS D'OC

Home of the cheap and cheerful? On the one hand, yes – but the can-do mentality of the producers and flexible regulations throughout this huge swathe of France’s Mediterranean lands are enabling a groundswell of fascinating, great-quality wine styles to rise up. Andy Howard MW reports

ROUSSILLON

In this proudly independent region, the individuality of its winemakers and the wide array of styles they produce are the perfect window into the character of France’s southwest. Rosemary George MW gives the lie of the land, and picks 12 fascinating wines to try

ROBERT M PARKER JR

The most influential wine critic of all time? He can’t be described as anything less than a towering presence over the last four decades. Prolific, informed, at times divisive, always unflinchingly honest, Parker’s writings have made fortunes and redefined wine styles in some of the most famous regions – and become the go-to reference for wine collectors, investors and trade alike. Having set down his wine critic’s pen for good, the time is right for Robert Parker to enter the Decanter Hall of Fame. Andrew Jefford explains why

OKANAGAN: CANADA'S GLOBAL WINE REGION

International wine experts are bringing their skills and knowledge to this part of British Columbia, Canada’s westernmost province, joining with local talent young and old. In this fast-developing region, the progress being made is clear to see, says Daniel Honan

HAMILTON RUSSELL VINEYARDS

With this pioneering South African estate’s 40th vintage now safely in tank or cask, Andy Howard MW looks at how it has become one of the New World’s most influential producers of Burgundian-style wines

LUBERON & VENTOUX

Captivating mountain views, welcoming châteaux and wines that match perfectly with the classic local cuisine. Look ahead to future holidays by planning a road trip through the beautiful countryside that straddles the regions of the Rhône Valley and Provence in southeast France, says Carolyn Boyd

ROBERT MARK KAMEN

His early move into Hollywood screenwriting seemed almost effortless, and it enabled him to buy his eponymous Sonoma estate on impulse in the 1980s. Elin McCoy meets the man behind The Karate Kid and Taken, to reveal why he believes making wine is his real destiny

ERIC BOISSENOT

He may be happy to maintain a low profile, yet consultant oenologist Eric Boissenot is as highly regarded as they come, appreciated by his many clients for his precision, skill and ability to bring vitality to a wine. James Lawther MW finds out more