Wine

Napa’s Duckhorn Wine Company is making a big move in Chardonnay, buying fellow California winery Sonoma-Cutrer from spirits giant Brown-Forman for $400 million in a combination of stock and cash. The deal gives Brown-Forman a 21.5 percent stake in Duckhorn. Sonoma-Cutrer is known for Chardonnay ranging from $20 to $50 per bottle. The company owns

The winelands of South Africa’s Western Cape region were hit by the largest and most devastating storm in living memory at the end of September, while the country celebrated its Heritage Day weekend. Nearly 16 inches of rain fell in less than 48 hours in some areas, causing catastrophic damage as rivers burst their banks,

When members of Hamas crossed the border of Gaza and launched attacks against Israelis on the morning of Oct. 7, winemaker Victor Schoenfeld quickly learned that a number of his employees at Golan Heights Winery were being called back to military service immediately. That included his son, Shai, who is currently serving his mandatory military

What’s New at Napa Valley’s Dry Creek Kitchen? Over the two-decade run of Charlie Palmer’s Best of Award of Excellence winner Dry Creek Kitchen, the Sonoma County restaurant has seen a few touch-ups to its dining room in downtown Healdsburg, Calif., but nothing like the facelift that debuted this fall. Among the noteworthy transformations is

Treasury Wine Estates has made another move in the luxury California wine category, agreeing to acquire Paso Robles-based Daou Vineyards in a deal with a potential final price tag of $1 billion. The deal includes an initial payout of $900 million, with an additional $100 million if Daou reaches certain goals. The acquisition includes the

Something old, something new. Wine has a magical way of being both timeless and innovative. Winemakers are rooted in tradition, but always looking for new ideas for improving the quality of their wines and tending the land that produces the wines we treasure. Both of those qualities were on full display at the 2023 New

Imagine you’re invited to a fantastic reunion of family and friends. Now imagine those friends each brought some of their favorite wines, to the tune of more than 260 of the best bottlings in the world. That gives you an idea of what the opening night of the 2023 New York Wine Experience was like,

Ford Fry Opening Little Sparrow and Bar Blanc in Atlanta Along with other French-influenced dishes, onion soup gratinée helps add Paris bistro flair to Ford Fry’s Little Sparrow. (Little Sparrow) Who’s behind it: Chef-restaurateur Ford Fry and his Rocket Farm Restaurants hospitality group. Fry has built a portfolio of restaurants across the South, including Wine

The owners of Napa Valley’s Vine Cliff Winery recently sold its winery in Oakville to the SCW Fund Corp., a business entity run by Canadian entrepreneur Stephan Crétier, who also owns the nearby Roy Estate. The sale price was not disclosed. The deal includes the winery, 23 acres of vineyards and all other business-related assets, including unplanted acreage

Plenty of premium wines and lively bidding raised about $1.3 million for Northern California charities at the annual Sonoma County Wine Auction last month. Organized by the Sonoma County Vintners Foundation (SCVF), the auction funds community grants for nonprofit organizations in education, health, the environment and arts, as well as SCVF’s Emergency Relief Fund. “It

Star chef Michael Chiarello—who helped put Napa Valley on the culinary map and became a pioneering restaurateur, author and TV food personality—died Oct. 6 after an acute allergic reaction led to anaphylactic shock. He was 61. Chiarello had been hospitalized at Queen of the Valley Medical Center in Napa for several days before his death,

All along the West Coast, the original inhabitants of North America’s prime wine regions are investing in their nations’ future by putting down roots in vineyards. For Indigenous Peoples’ Day, Wine Spectator spoke to representatives from four native communities leading the way in the world of wine, to find out how their enterprises have evolved over the past

Don’t miss this Straight Talk podcast exclusive: Never-before-heard highlights from Wine Spectator editor and publisher Marvin R. Shanken’s one-on-one interview with Napa Cabernet legend Chuck Wagner of Caymus Vineyards. Host James Molesworth also welcomes Napa winemaker Maya Dalla Valle to the studio—and don’t miss James and Maya’s full conversation in our Bonus Episode! Also in

French Concept Bistro du Jour Expands to Capitol Hill Who’s behind it: Knead Hospitality + Design, the group behind Wine Spectator Restaurant Award winners the Grill and Succotash Prime. When it opened: Sept. 18 Why you should know about it: This is the second Bistro du Jour restaurant from Knead, a leading hospitality group in the

Sotheby’s recently announced it will sell what it hopes will be the most valuable wine collection ever to come to the auction market, encompassing 25,000 bottles from the private collection of Taiwanese businessman and art collector Pierre Chen. Though only a portion of Chen’s collection, the bottles hold an estimated top value of $50 million,

Scientists have long known that drinking alcohol impacts women and men in different ways. Women metabolize alcohol differently than men, and studies have linked drinking to an increased risk of some cancers, including breast cancer. But for breast cancer survivors, there’s another question: Should they reduce the amount they drink, or stop drinking entirely? A

The biggest business news in Napa this summer was E.&J. Gallo’s buying spree, scooping up Rombauer Vineyards and Massican in a matter of days. The two wineries could not be more different. Rombauer produces 350,000 cases a year and owns more than 700 acres of vines in Napa Valley, Carneros and the Sierra Foothills. Massican,

Who wants an encore? Fresh off his first Wine Spectator video contest win, in 2022, Steve Jacobson has earned the grand prize for the second year in a row with his latest video, “Love the Wine You’re With,” dedicated to all the enophiles out there. “I started working on this literally the weekend I got

We’re welcoming the one and only Sarah Jessica Parker in this episode of Wine Spectator‘s Straight Talk podcast. If you only know her as an award-winning actress and producer, let us show you her winemaking side! Host James Molesworth welcomes back senior editor MaryAnn Worobiec for a look at the New Zealand wine scene, and

Virginia’s state Court of Appeals has ruled that a wine shipping merchant that facilitates sales between wineries and consumers is violating state law and must either obtain licenses for each winery it orders from or cease selling wine in the commonwealth. The ruling comes after Virginia’s Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority (ABC) challenged California company Vinoshipper’s

While a dish dubbed “thousand-layer lasagna” is likely to pique your interest, things get even more intriguing when you add an Italian-heavy wine list that pays particular attention to Barolo, Tuscany and Franciacorta. Last week, Vine Hospitality debuted Rollati Ristorante, a modern Italian-American restaurant in San Jose, Calif. This is the first Italian-focused restaurant from

Hubert Trimbach, the sales director of his family’s winery in Alsace for more than 50 years, has died. He was 85 years old. His family announced his passing on Sept. 14. Today Maison Trimbach is a well-known and venerated name from France’s northeastern Alsace region. But that wasn’t the case when Hubert joined his older

David Myers is not only an acclaimed chef, but also an accomplished traveler who has crisscrossed the globe. Myers celebrates those journeys through his Adrift concept, which premiered in 2015 at the Marina Bay Sands resort in Singapore, before expanding to Tokyo, Dubai, New Delhi, Doha and Venice Beach, Calif., with each location having a

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

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

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

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