Wine

Shortly after dawn on July 18, members of a New York-based joint FBI-NYPD major theft task force descended on Sherry-Lehmann, once the most renowned of Manhattan wine shops. The agents spent the day toting out materials from the shop and loading them into unmarked white vans parked along the shop’s Park Avenue curb. Asked to

How did you fall in love with wine? Was there a specific bottle, meal, trip or story around it that changed the way you think and feel about wine? How do you celebrate wine on a regular basis? With an everyday ritual, an annual tasting trip with friends, special moments with family? Do you have

Could a daily glass of wine help people stay healthy as they age? A team of scientists found that nutrients in wine and foods could help prevent the onset of frailty in adults over the age of 55. Their research suggests that adults who consume high levels of flavonols—antioxidants found commonly in wine, green tea,

We’re celebrating our annual Restaurant Awards in episode 11 of Wine Spectator‘s Straight Talk podcast, with an exclusive interview with chef Thomas Keller and Wine Spectator executive editor Jeffery Lindenmuth. Straight Talk host James Molesworth also welcomes senior editor for news Mitch Frank to catch us up on the latest dining trends. Later in the

Constellation Brands acquired luxury Napa Valley wine brand Domaine Curry from its founder for an undisclosed price, the company announced June 23. The boutique brand will join The Prisoner Wine Company’s house of brands, part of Constellation’s luxury-focused Aspira portfolio. At first glance, the deal might look surprising. Domaine Curry does not own any vineyards

Pappas Restaurants—owner of three Wine Spectator Grand Award winners in Texas—debuted its latest endeavor, Little’s Oyster Bar, in May in Houston’s trendy Montrose neighborhood. The new seafood spot takes inspiration from old Hollywood, with scintillating chandeliers, a bountiful raw bar, luxurious lobster platings, caviar service and a finely tuned wine list to match. For Robert

Vintner Michael Benedict, who co-founded and planted the Sanford & Benedict Vineyard in what is now the Sta. Rita Hills appellation of Santa Barbara in the 1970s, passed away on July 3 from melanoma. Benedict was also a botanist, mathematician, conservationist and expert sailor. He was 83. Sanford & Benedict Vineyard is one of California’s

One of the top restaurants in the world for wine is changing owners. On June 29, executives at Hoffmann Family of Companies announced it is purchasing Wine Spectator Grand Award winner Bleu Provence, an iconic wine destination in Naples, Fla. owned by wife-and-husband-duo Lysielle and Jacques Cariot. The Bleu Provence deal will likely close by

The owners of Château Latour and Château Lafite Rothschild have made a deal over a Chablis winery. Artémis Domaines, the French wine company that includes Latour and is owned by the Pinault family, announced that it has agreed to sell top Chablis producer Domaine William Fèvre to Domaines Barons de Rothschild Lafite (DBR Lafite) for

After opening in Yountville in 2012, Ciccio became a favorite among Napa Valley locals and visitors as a convivial gathering place for comforting Italian food and great Negronis. But, like many other restaurants, the beloved spot struggled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and eventually shuttered in 2022. It sat empty for nearly 18 months before

A California wine pioneer and global advocate for organic, biodynamic and regenerative viticulture, winemaker and grapegrower Paul Dolan died on June 26, at age 72, after battling cancer. As a 27-year employee of Fetzer Vineyards, starting as winemaker in 1977 and rising to president in 1992, he helped the Fetzer family (and later Brown-Forman Corp.)

The iconic winemaker Jean-Michel Cazes, co-owner of Château Lynch Bages and other vineyards in France, Portugal and Australia, has died after a lengthy illness. He was 88. Cazes was a larger-than-life figure, a tireless promotor of his vision of great wine in Bordeaux and beyond, and emblematic of the strides his region has made in

The art of hospitality is alive and well, with restaurants finding new and exciting ways to satisfy both their regular clientele and attract broader audiences. With sophisticated AI and other technologies spreading more broadly throughout our lives, restaurateurs and wine professionals are proving to be indispensible, offering advice, guidance and a sense of connection and

We’re welcoming summer with wall-to-wall California Chardonnay in episode 10 of Wine Spectator‘s Straight Talk podcast. Host James Molesworth is joined by senior editor MaryAnn Worobiec and an all-star cast of winemakers and grapegrowers, including Larry and Chris Hyde of Hyde Vineyards and HdV, Kistler’s Jason Kesner and Arista and Ferren’s Matt Courtney. Later in

America’s largest wine company continues to expand, particularly with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. E.&J. Gallo announced earlier this week that it has acquired Hahn Family Wines, one of the most notable wine companies on California’s Central Coast. The deal gives Gallo three new brands—Smith & Hook, Hahn, and Hahn SLH—but excludes the Hahn family’s impressive

For several years, Cathédrale’s vaulted ceilings, captivating atmosphere and Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence–winning wine list have been enchanting diners in Manhattan’s East Village. On May 1, Tao Group Hospitality debuted a new location of the concept in Las Vegas, at the Aria Resort & Casino. Part of a portfolio of more than

Time is running out for Sherry-Lehmann, once the royalty of New York wine shops. Wine Spectator has learned that the store’s landlord issued it a 14-day notice of default, warning that its owners must pay overdue rent, water and real-estate tax charges by June 16. If not, proceedings will begin to evict the 89-year-old merchant from

The Miami dining boom continues! On June 3, multi-floor culinary destination Julia & Henry’s opens near Miami’s Bayfront Park, in a 1936-built Art Deco building that once housed one of the first Walgreens stores. Part of a growing downtown community, the space promises a number of projects from celebrated chefs and beverage professionals, and Florida-based

Archeologists digging in the Negev desert in southern Israel have uncovered evidence of a booming wine industry dating back more than 1,500 years. They have also found and genetically analyzed two ancient winegrape varieties that thrived in the hot, dry climate of the region. Some members of Israel’s young wine industry hope to use the

Maison Joseph Drouhin has purchased two estates in Burgundy, totaling nearly 50 acres of vineyards: Château de Chasselas in the St.-Véran appellation and the Rapet estate in St.-Romain. The company did not disclose the price. Château de Chasselas includes 17.3 acres in the St.-Véran appellation, plus small parcels of Chasselas and Beaujolais. It’s already the