Wine

Philippe Cambie, one of the most influential winemakers in the Southern Rhône Valley, has died Dec. 18, just a month shy of his 60th birthday. Cambie was consulting winemaker for dozens of wineries in Châteauneuf-du-Pape and the surrounding appellations of the Southern Rhône and in the Languedoc. He was also owner of his own Southern

MGM Resorts International, a collection of hospitality venues across the globe, named Douglas Kim as its new wine director this month. Kim now oversees the wine programs for hundreds of concepts including four Wine Spectator Grand Award winners at the company’s lauded Las Vegas casino-resorts such as Bellagio and MGM Grand. He’s been with the

Bill Foley is buying another Sonoma icon. His company, Foley Family Wines, has acquired Chateau St. Jean from Aussie wine giant Treasury Wine Estates. The deal includes St. Jean’s chateau in Kenwood, Calif., as well as a 6,000-square-foot visitors center and 39,000-square-foot production facility. The deal also includes Chateau St. Jean’s 79 acres of estate

Add one more salvo to the ongoing scientific debate on the health impact of moderate drinking. Multiple studies have found in recent decades that drinking approximately a glass of wine a day can lower the risk of cardiovascular disease. But there’s recently been pushback, with some arguing that other factors are at play and that

One of Santa Barbara’s top vineyards is changing hands. Kathy Joseph is selling her 100-acre Fiddlestix Vineyard to a partnership led by Justin Willett of Tyler Wines. The sale price for the Sta. Rita Hills property was not disclosed, but Willett and company will take over ownership of the land, while Joseph will release wines

The Chesapeake Bay Wine Classic Foundation (CBWCF)’s Grand Auction, held Nov. 6, raised $2.3 million for the Access College Foundation, which helps increase college admission for underrepresented and low-income students. “This was the best year for the CBWCF, raising about $1 million more than we did in 2019,” said Foundation executive director Jennie Capps. “Folks

The energy was electric inside Las Vegas’ Mirage ballroom Dec. 4 as wine lovers gathered for the first installment of Wine Spectator’s 2021 Grand Tour. This sold-out event was the first Grand Tour since April 2019, and represented a much-anticipated reunion for the wine community. “It’s really exciting to be able to reconnect with people

Wine has been largely absent from the raging debate over inflation in recent months. While the wholesale price of beef is up by 20 percent and gas costs are at their highest level in seven years, a bottle of wine has been one of the few products consumers could count on to stay stable. Not

The team behind Wine Spectator Grand Award winner Acquerello in San Francisco opened Sorella (Italian for “sister”) on Dec. 1. “After spending 32 years perfecting the fine dining experience at Acquerello, we are ready for a new challenge,” co-owner Giancarlo Paterlini told Wine Spectator via email. “The time feels right for us to introduce a

After an external investigation that began one year ago, the Court of Master Sommeliers-Americas (CMS-A) plans to expel six Master Sommeliers: Bob Bath, Fred Dame, Fred Dexheimer, Drew Hendricks, Joseph Linder and Matt Stamp. The move follows allegations by multiple female wine professionals who were studying for the organization’s certification exams that some of the

Winemaker Eloi Dürrbach, owner of Provence’s Domaine de Trévallon, died Nov. 12 at his winery. He was 71. “For my father, either you did something with passion and excellence, or you didn’t do it all,” said his daughter, Ostiane Dürrbach Icard. He was a winemaker who was proud to do what he loved—produce great wines.

Burgundy’s historic Hospices de Beaune charity auction roared back to life Nov. 21 after delaying and limiting its 2020 auction, setting a new record in front of a packed house. The 161st iteration of the auction raised a total of $15.3 million, including premiums, for multiple charities. The highlight of the sale was a record

One of the world’s largest wine corporations is buying a Napa Valley winery, taking another step in adding more premium wines to its U.S. portfolio. Treasury Wine Estates announced yesterday a deal to acquire Frank Family Vineyards for $315 million. Frank Family is known for Chardonnay and also makes Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir and sparkling

While chef Christopher Kostow’s Wine Spectator Grand Award–winning Restaurant at Meadowood has yet to be rebuilt after it was largely destroyed in the September 2020 California wildfires, his more casual Napa restaurant, the Charter Oak, is up and running. Now, the chef is bringing that concept to a pop-up at Montage Los Cabos. “The whole idea was

We all know that a glass of wine can impact our mood, whether it relaxes us at the end of the day, or increases our pleasure while drinking with friends while out on the town. But can it improve awareness of body, space and time? Researchers at the University of Lisbon in Portugal recently performed

It was a record-breaking weekend for the Emeril Lagasse Foundation’s Carnivale du Vin charity event, which took place on Nov. 5 and 6 in New Orleans. The 17th annual culinary-inspired wine auction raised $3.75 million to support local children’s charities focusing on nutrition and arts education, $175,000 more than the 2019 live event. Last year’s

Few French winegrowers will remember 2021 fondly. This year France recorded its smallest wine grape harvest since 1957. And it was just one of many nations that produced less wine this year thanks to challenges across much of Europe that included late-spring frost, hail, drought, vine disease and wildfire. Speaking from Paris last week about

Constellation is making it official. Following last year’s minority investment in California’s Booker Vineyard, the corporation is exercising an option in the agreement to acquire the collection in full. Constellation’s portfolio now includes the brands Booker Vineyard, My Favorite Neighbor and Harvey & Harriet. Constellation executives tell Wine Spectator that these brands saw double-digit growth

Producers in France’s Champagne region concluded this year’s harvest with a big sigh of relief. The 2021 growing season was one of the region’s most challenging in decades, dogged by frost, mildew and hail. But all is not lost, leading Champagne houses and growers insist. The reduced crop that they were able to harvest still

Perhaps no industry was impacted more directly economically by the COVID-19 pandemic than restaurants. According to the National Restaurant Association, sales in 2020 were $240 billion below estimates and more than 110,000 restaurants closed their doors permanently that year. Even as the U.S. recovers in staggered steps, the pain continues, with staff shortages and rising