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Wine Spectator takes a closer look at Randall Grahm's unconventional approach to winemaking and his long-running challenge to industry conventions through Bonny Doon Vineyard. The profile, aptly titled 'The Terroirist,' explores how Grahm's rebellious philosophy has shaped discussions around terroir, natural winemaking, and what it means to make authentic wine in the modern era.
Adrianna Catena is calling out how old colonial attitudes continue to shape the wine industry today. In a candid interview with Decanter, the influential Argentine winemaker discusses why she's regularly frustrated by entrenched thinking and how the sector needs to do better on challenging these inherited biases. It's a thoughtful take on modernising an industry steeped in tradition.
Michelin has started rating wineries, but wine expert Jamie Goode thinks they're getting it wrong. While he believes they could offer something genuinely useful to the industry, their current approach with three-grape ratings isn't hitting the mark. The piece explores what Michelin would need to do differently to make their winery ratings actually work for wine professionals and enthusiasts.
Stephen Pannell, one of Australia's leading voices on grenache, discusses what makes the variety work in Australian conditions, exploring how terroir shapes the wine and how tannin management influences the final product. This video conversation delves into the modern approach to grenache production that's helped establish it as an important varietal for Australian winemakers.
Andy Neather shares what he learned during a harvest trip to Spain's Ribera del Duero, describing how spending time with winemaking families has changed his perspective on Spanish wine and the country itself. The piece combines personal reflection with practical drinking recommendations, offering both insight into winemaking culture and some bottles worth trying this week.
South African wine faces a paradoxical problem: it's got the quality but lacks the visibility on the world stage. According to insights from winemaker Mike Ratcliffe's recent travels through Belgium, Switzerland and Canada, fine wines can thrive commercially when buyers are properly engaged and introduced to them. The real issue for South African producers is getting sustained market access, stronger backing from government, and leveraging tourism to build recognition alongside that quality product they're already making.
A new column explores La Celia, Uco Valley's historic winery, offering insights into one of Argentina's most established wine producers. The piece takes readers on a journey through the vineyard's heritage and what makes it a noteworthy destination for wine enthusiasts. It's a great read if you're curious about Argentine wine traditions and family-run wineries with deep roots in the region.
Tim James reflects on Capaia, a wine estate in the Philadelphia ward near Cape Town that promised much two decades ago but ultimately failed. The article examines what went wrong with this once-gleaming venture, offering a sobering look at the challenges facing ambitious wine operations in South Africa's competitive landscape.
Jamie Goode argues that old vineyards are at risk of disappearing during the current wine market contraction, not because they're poor quality but because they're unprofitable in the short term. He highlights how Australia's notorious vine pull of the 1980s wiped out exceptional Barossa old-vine plantings, and how Spanish producers like Comando G had to fight to save heritage Garnacha vineyards that fell out of favour during the Parker era. Goode poses a thought-provoking question: should there be laws to protect these special old vineyards as treasures?
Wine writer Andrew Jefford argues that while Argentina's Uco Valley is getting all the attention, Luján de Cuyo in Mendoza deserves recognition as a serious quality region in its own right. He describes Luján as having a gentler, more welcoming character with rounder tannins and broader textures—think more Right Bank Bordeaux than the dramatic intensity of Uco. The piece suggests the wine world risks repeating history by overlooking one fine region in favour of the newer, flashier one.
As we age, do our wine tastes change? Tim James explores this question prompted by American winewriter Terry Theise's recent essay, examining how age affects not just the wines we drink but how we experience them. It's a thought-provoking read for anyone in the trade thinking about how customer preferences evolve over time.
A journalist recently tasted one of only 19 remaining bottles of the legendary 1973 Stag's Leap Cabernet Sauvignon – the wine that beat French Bordeaux in the 1976 Judgment of Paris blind tasting. A sister bottle sold at Christie's for $22,500, nearly quadruple its estimate, underscoring the historical and financial significance of this Napa icon. The tasting notes offer a rare glimpse into how this historic wine has aged and why it remains one of America's most celebrated vineyard achievements.
Decanter's guide cuts through the confusion around sake classification and production. The piece explains key differences like Ginjo versus Junmai, clarifies that sake is fermented rather than distilled (and closer to wine than spirits in alcohol content), and offers practical serving and pairing advice for hospitality professionals. It's a handy reference for anyone selling or recommending sake to customers.
Wine writer Joe Fattorini argues that traditional sustainability conferences are ineffective because they preach to the converted rather than changing behaviour. He highlights the 'sustainability paradox', backed by research, showing that aggressive sustainability claims often backfire with consumers, who either dismiss them as greenwashing or assume 'sustainable' means 'tasteless and expensive'. His point: if the industry wants real change, it needs to win over skeptics and critics, not just celebrate good intentions among believers.
Wine critic Joe Fattorini questions whether online review platforms like Trustpilot are reliable trust signals for wine retailers. He argues that high star ratings and thousands of reviews can mask problematic business practices, citing recent investigations into subscription service Winedrops and an Advertising Standards Authority ruling against their claims. The piece suggests that personal recommendations from someone you know may be far more valuable than aggregated online ratings, challenging the assumption that more reviews automatically equal more trustworthiness.
A fascinating story about a hidden corner of Europe where grapes and terroir create their own unofficial wine region, completely unconcerned with borders and regulations. This nameless super-region proves that nature's logic often trumps human geography when it comes to quality wine production. It's a reminder that some of Europe's most interesting wine stories exist in the spaces between traditional wine regions.
A Spanish wine publication is raising the alarm about the wine industry losing sight of basic business principles. The piece argues that despite wine's rich cultural heritage, producers and businesses need to refocus on commercial viability and sound business practices to ensure the industry's long-term survival. It's a candid look at what's going wrong behind the romance of winemaking.
Wine writer Joe Fattorini argues that the wine industry's efforts to strip away 'snobbery' and 'demystify' wine could be a serious mistake. He contends that wine's high-status appeal is actually what protects it from health regulation efforts and what makes it valuable to consumers, drawing a parallel to how smoking declined once it became socially low-status. Fattorini suggests that wine's tastemakers should embrace—not reject—its ability to confer status if the industry wants to thrive.
Sweden's Munskänkarna wine club boasts 30,000 members across 180 local groups, making it the world's largest wine appreciation organisation, despite thriving in one of Europe's most restrictive alcohol markets. The unpronounceable name reflects the group's distinctly Swedish identity, though there are growing outposts in Finland, Norway, Belgium, and potentially London soon. It's a fascinating example of how wine community and enthusiasm can flourish in unexpected places.
Wine expert Jane Anson explores the growing phenomenon of single vineyard Champagnes in a new podcast episode, using Clos Lanson as an example of what makes these expressions so special and sought-after. It's a fascinating look at how Champagne producers are creating more distinctive, terroir-focused wines that stand out from traditional blended offerings. If you're curious about what's happening in premium Champagne production, this is worth a listen.