Wine

It’s been a busy week for E.&J. Gallo and for white wine lovers tracking the news. Following the announcement of its acquisition of Chardonnay powerhouse Rombauer on Aug. 29, Gallo has purchased Napa-based white wine specialist Massican. The deal includes the Massican brand and its inventory of wines. Massican does not own vineyards or a

In the aftermath of the devastating wildfires in Maui, members of the hospitality community on the island and beyond have stepped in to provide relief. Local restaurants and nonprofits from both Hawaii and farther away are working to ensure the people of Maui are fed and taken care of, while giving them the space for

E.&J. Gallo is dramatically increasing its footprint in luxury California wine. America’s largest wine producer is buying Napa-based Rombauer Vineyards. The deal includes the Rombauer brand, three winery facilities, two tasting rooms and more than 700 acres of sustainably-farmed vineyards in Carneros, Atlas Peak, St. Helena, Calistoga, Sonoma Valley, and the Sierra Foothills. Neither side disclosed

New Jersey’s law barring wine shipments from retailers in other states is not going away anytime soon. On Aug. 22, federal district court judge Julien Xavier Neals upheld the ban, dismissing the case Jean-Paul Weg., LLC (doing business as the Wine Cellarage) and Lars Neubohn v. James Graziano and Matthew J. Platkin. (Graziano is director

On Aug. 25, Union Square Hospitality Group’s Marta and Maialino—known as “Maialino (vicino)” since reopening in 2022—will cease operations at the Redbury New York Hotel in Manhattan’s Nomad neighborhood, according to a statement from the restaurant group. Both restaurants hold Wine Spectator’s Best of Award of Excellence for their wine lists. This decision follows an

The Fladgate Partnership (TFP), owners of Taylor’s and several other leading Port houses, was the sole major Port wine company to only produce fortified wine. That’s changed now. The company announced this week that it has purchased the estates and brands of Ideal Drinks, a company founded in 2010 by Carlos Dias. The deal includes

Over 2,000 wine lovers gathered near Seattle on a sunny weekend to raise a toast to Washington State’s burgeoning wine industry and raise money for several good causes. The 36th annual Auction of Washington Wines (AWW) pulled in more than $4 million for children’s medical care and winemaking research from Aug. 10 to 12. That

Considered a master of Chenin Blanc in the Loire Valley, Jean Baumard of Domaine des Baumard passed away on Aug. 8. The Baumard family has been cultivating vines on their Anjou estate since 1634, but Jean was responsible for the quality surge of the domaine’s modern era—and for restoring prominence to the dry wines of

Muscadine grapes don’t get much respect from the winemaking community. They’re often overlooked for winemaking outside of the southeastern United States, thanks to naturally low sugar levels, thick skins and musky flavors. But recent scientific study has proven muscadines could be something of a superfood for health-conscious consumers. Muscadine grapes are abundant in polyphenols at

In Hawaii’s deadliest disaster since at least 1960, a series of powerful and fatal wildfires have devastated parts of the island of Maui, killing at least 55 people and burning hundreds of buildings in the historic resort town of Lahaina. Thousands of residents have evacuated and damage assessment has just begun, but Wine Spectator has

The steak-house boom continues! Empire Steak House opened a third New York City location, on West 49th Street in Midtown Manhattan, on July 12. Known as Empire Steak House Times Square, the new Theater District restaurant joins two Best of Award of Excellence–winning sibling locations nearby, as well as Award of Excellence winner Chazz Palminteri

Philippe Pascal didn’t want to spend his retirement simply drinking great Burgundy–he wanted to make it. After decades as an executive at luxury giant LVMH, working as CEO at Moët Hennessy Group (the wine and spirits part of LVMH), then heading its watches division and serving as adviser to LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault, Pascal purchased

For decades, studies have linked light and moderate drinking to improved cardiovascular health. Modest amounts of alcohol have been found to increase HDL cholesterol (the “good” kind) and inhibit the formation of blood clots that can cause heart attack and stroke. But a recent study, published in June in the Journal of the American College

Spring Mountain Vineyard, a historic and sprawling estate covering hundreds of acres on its namesake mountain on the western side of Napa Valley, finally has a new owner. The MGG investment group, a hedge fund based in New York City, announced it acquired the distressed property after a bankruptcy proceeding. The purchase was made at public

When Baron Benjamin de Rothschild died of a heart attack at his home in Geneva, Switzerland, on Jan. 15, 2021, at age 57, he left behind a business empire in banking, sports and wine that was worth billions of dollars. He also left behind a wife and four adult daughters, and in the two years

The Ocean House Collection restaurant group has announced a new wine director, Matthew MacCartney, for its Rhode Island resorts. Ocean House is the force behind the Ocean House and the Weekapaug Inn, homes to Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence winners Coast and the Restaurant, respectively. (The group also owns Watch Hill Inn, not

Count Alexandre de Lur Saluces, who spent 36 years managing Château d’Yquem and was a global ambassador for the Sauternes icon, died July 24. He was 89. During his decades at the helm of Yquem, he guarded the property with a passionate commitment to maintaining the highest possible quality. De Lur Saluces’ legacy was built

European wine leaders continue to see potential in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. Executives at Italian wine company Marchesi Frescobaldi announced today that they have signed an agreement to purchase Domaine Roy & Fils in Oregon’s Dundee Hills for an undisclosed price. The estate includes 40 acres of vineyards planted to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. It’s the

A federal court has issued a ruling that could change how consumers in Ohio are able to buy wine. In Derek Block v. James Canepa, the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals has reversed an earlier decision from the Ohio District Court and is remanding the case back to that lower court for further deliberation.

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