Wine

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

There’s nothing unusual about a winemaker changing jobs, but what happens when an entire winemaking team jumps ship to another winery? That’s just what happened in Washington wine country this week. Three winemakers from Quilceda Creek, the state’s most elite Cabernet producer, were lured away by Matthews Winery. There will be gossip aplenty in the

Is Champagne only from Champagne? What about шампа́нское? Producers in the Champagne region of France are in an uproar over a new law in Russia that they believe infringes on the protected name of Champagne for wines sold in Russia. The legislation, signed by Russian president Vladimir Putin on July 2, affects the back label

Chef Mario Carbone and Major Food Group opened their first Boston restaurant, Contessa, on June 22. It’s located on the rooftop of the historic Newbury Boston hotel in the Back Bay neighborhood, which reopened in May following a restoration process. “The project itself is what inspired us to open here in Boston,” Carbone told Wine

Animal lovers and wine collectors banded together once again for the eighth annual Wineapawlooza charity wine auction on June 19. The event, hosted virtually by Napa’s Jameson Animal Rescue Ranch, raised $1 million in live bids, a $200,000 increase from last year’s remote event. Auctioneer Fritz Hatton and wine retailer Vanessa Conlin co-hosted the live

On a gorgeous Tuscan summer day, Chianti Classico can look like a sleepy region resting on its history, but the region’s wine producers have been moving forward with major developments. The assembly of the Consorzio Chianti Classico, the official alliance of wineries, voted earlier this month on two important issues for the region. It agreed

Restaurants were put to the test this year. Many were forced to pivot, reinvent or reimagine their business entirely. Some were unable to endure. But the owners of those who did are now grateful for the opportunity to do what they do best again: offer great food, wine and memories. Despite the challenges, more than

Building an award-winning wine list takes unwavering passion. Maintaining a high-quality wine list requires uncompromising dedication. And expanding a wine list to make it worthy of world renown during a global pandemic is nothing short of a Herculean effort. This year, three restaurants have accomplished just that, earning Wine Spectator’s Grand Award—the world’s highest honor

Delicato Family Wines, which has quietly become one of the fastest-growing wine companies in California, is now adding the sizable Francis Ford Coppola Winery portfolio. The company announced today that it is acquiring the wines and brand names of Francis Ford Coppola Winery, including the Diamond Collection, Director’s Cut and Sofia, as well as the

On Saturday, June 19, OperaWine gathered 186 top Italian wine producers for a gala tasting in Verona. It was the 10th edition of the event, created by Wine Spectator in partnership with Vinitaly, the national trade fair. Normally, OperaWine kicks off Vinitaly, the nation’s most important wine trade fair. But for two years, nothing has

Oregon and Burgundy’s relationship is deepening. Evenstad Estates, the owner of Oregon’s Domaine Serene and Burgundy’s Château de la Crée and Maison Evenstad, announced today a significant expansion in Burgundy’s Côte d’Or with the acquisition of Domaine Christian Confuron & Fils. The domaine includes 15 acres of grands crus and premiers crus vineyards in the

More than a year after shutting its doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Wine Spectator Grand Award winner Eleven Madison Park has reopened. The New York destination typically debuts new menus every season, but this one comes with a twist: As of June 10, the restaurant is the first Grand Award winner to offer exclusively

Wine lovers may have had to wait an additional year to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Wine Spectator’s New York Wine Experience, with the event canceled last year due to the pandemic, but if ticket sales for this fall’s Wine Experience are any indication, they’re intent on making up for lost time. Tickets for the

Last year, the Napa Valley Vintners (NVV) trade association announced the discontinuation of Auction Napa Valley, one of the nation’s premier charity wine auctions. Today NVV announced that the nonprofit association’s fundraising efforts will become a year-round program, called Collective Napa Valley, with a series of seasonal, multifaceted events both in and out of Napa.

The U.S. and European Union have reportedly agreed to suspend tariffs related to their long-term dispute over aircraft subsidies for five years. Earlier this year, the two parties had paused the tariffs for four months, but that window was soon set to expire, adding renewed urgency to the situation for companies across multiple industries, including

Back in September, New York restaurateur Danny Meyer was begging governor Andrew Cuomo to permit 25 percent occupancy across New York City’s restaurants. The CEO of Union Square Hospitality Group (USHG), which includes Best of Award of Excellence winners Union Square Cafe and Gramercy Tavern, and Grand Award winner The Modern, had already laid off 90

Andy Walker may not be a household name in the world of wine consumers, but his impact on wine is legendary. Walker—formally Dr. M. Andrew Walker, but everyone calls him Andy—has educated hundreds of winemakers, grapegrowers and breeders around the world, and often educated their kids or even their grandkids. He’s edited the American Society

After a year largely spent at home, wine lovers are looking forward to reconnecting in person with friends and family, dining out, traveling to wine country and attending tastings again. How will you be enjoying wine this year? Share your story about your love of wine by submitting your short video to Wine Spectator’s 15th