Mark Tarlov, who produced movies for directors like John Carpenter, Sidney Lumet and John Waters before founding Evening Land and other wineries in Oregon’s Willamette Valley and Central California, died July 31 at his home in New York after battling cancer. He was 69. “He was brilliant and inspiring and a visionary,” said Larry Stone,
Wine
On Aug. 3, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that customers of restaurants and bars (as well as gyms and movie theaters) would be required to provide proof of vaccination to be served indoors. The mandate, so far the only one of its kind in the nation, officially goes into effect Aug. 16,
For several decades, scientific studies have found evidence that wine, cheese and coffee may all offer health benefits for your heart, when consumed in moderation. Recently, some researchers have questioned if these benefits have been exaggerated. But a new in-depth scientific review of recent research by a team at Italy’s University of Naples Federico II
Star chef José Andrés’ ThinkFoodGroup has arrived in Chicago. The group debuted an all-day casual spot, Café by the River, in the West Loop neighborhood in June, followed by the opening of Andrés’ Wine Spectator Restaurant Award–winning concept, Jaleo, in the city’s River North neighborhood on July 15. The group plans to open three additional
Caleb Ganzer, wine director and co-owner of the popular New York City restaurant La Compagnie des Vins Surnaturels, has been arrested and charged with arson for allegedly setting fire to garbage and to outdoor dining structures outside other restaurants in lower Manhattan in three separate incidents this year. The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office has charged
Drought, fire and smoke, earthquake and a deadly pandemic—Northern California wine country has faced a series of calamities worthy of the Old Testament in recent years. But even the Bible doesn’t warn about insurance companies. Insurance is the latest challenge facing California vintners. After the devastating Glass and LNU Lightning Complex fires of 2020, insurance
Two iconic wines of Bordeaux, châteaus Cheval-Blanc and Ausone, have withdrawn from the St.-Emilion classification, their decision reverberating through the region like a clap of thunder. June 30 was the last day to submit the lengthy applications necessary to be considered for the 2022 renewal of the rankings, which are typically reviewed once a decade.
Are you cutting back on wine to cut calories? Maybe you shouldn’t. As one food scientist pointed out during a health webinar last month, moderate wine intake during meals may help boost metabolism and support weight loss. On June 8, Dr. Rosa Lamuela-Raventos, associate professor of nutrition and food science at the University of Barcelona
Disregard the rumors that winemaker Randall Grahm is slowing down. Even after selling ownership in his wine company Bonny Doon last year, Grahm has continued making the wines while dreaming up his next big project. Now, he’s formed an unexpected alliance with E. & J. Gallo to produce a collection of California Central Coast wines
New York City’s famed Restaurant Week is back for a summer 2021 edition, running from July 19 through Aug. 22. Locals and visitors can select from over 500 participants, including more than 25 Wine Spectator Restaurant Award–winning destinations. Launched in 1992, Restaurant Week highlights the city’s dynamic dining scene, making eating out more accessible with
After an 11-minute space flight that took him 66.5 miles above the earth, Jeff Bezos tried to improve life on the planet below. At the end of a press conference following his flight on the Blue Origin New Shepard rocket, Bezos announced a $100 million award to José Andrés, renowned chef and co-founder of World
As the COVID-19 pandemic ravaged restaurant revenues across the United States this past year, authorities in 35 states threw eateries a lifeline in the form of relaxed alcohol restrictions, allowing restaurants to sell wine and cocktails to go in an attempt to support the struggling industry. Now that indoor dining numbers have picked up, diners
Torrential rains in Northern Europe last week triggered devastating flooding in parts of Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands. The rain caused rivers to overrun their banks and in some cases sent torrents of water surging through towns and villages. Some wine regions in northwestern Germany suffered extensive damage, with the full impact yet to be
U.S. mail carriers have not been allowed to deliver a bottle of wine since a 1909 law banned shipping alcohol in the mail. But 19 members of Congress, led by Reps. Jackie Speier of California and Dan Newhouse of Washington, introduced the USPS Shipping Equity Act on May 17 to end that ban. Companion legislation
Canned wine continues to be one of the most rapidly growing wine categories in the United States. Volume sales in Nielsen-tracked channels reached $253 million in the 52 weeks ending March 20, 2021, up 62 percent over the previous 12 months. And according to Market Watch, a sister publication of Wine Spectator, more wineries are
Wally’s, the retail-restaurant hybrid with a Wine Spectator Grand Award–winning location in Beverly Hills, Calif., has arrived in Las Vegas. This is the second expansion for the brand, which also has a Best of Award of Excellence winner in Santa Monica, Calif. The newest outpost opened along with the encompassing Resorts World property on June
The historic heat wave that blanketed Oregon and Washington at the end of June had the wine industry chewing its nails. Since then, growers and winemakers have spent most of their time in the vineyards assessing the impact of the heat. The verdict: Damage was negligible but there’s concern that it’s a sign of things
One of the largest winemakers in the U.S. is set to change hands. Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, a driving force behind the development of the Washington wine industry over the past few decades, is being sold by corporate parent Altria to New York–based private equity firm Sycamore Partners in a deal worth $1.2 billion. The
A series of violent storms with high winds moved through the Italian wine region of Gattinara in Piedmont this past week, pelting vineyards with hail and inflicting damage to the vines and young grape clusters in some parcels. The June 29 weather brought hail stones the size of hazelnuts for about 5 minutes, vintners report,
Updated March 30, 2021. Schedule subject to change. Straight Talk with Wine Spectator is an Instagram Live series featuring conversations with wine-and-food newsmakers. The live chats kicked off in early April 2020 amid widespread shutdowns from the COVID-19 crisis, in order to shed light on the changes and challenges these industries are facing, and have since