Jingle Bell Pinot: A Holiday Wine Wonderland in the Dundee Hills of Oregon
Credit: Durant Vineyards As the holiday season casts its warm and cozy glow over the Dundee Hills, the region’s wineries and vineyards are abuzz with festive cheer. December has arrived in Oregon’s wine country, and Durant Vineyards is at the heart of the celebrations. With its picturesque vineyards, olive groves, and rustic charm, Durant Vineyards is an ideal destination for those seeking a festive and unforgettable wine country experience. […]
A Vision Sparkles: The Enduring Legacy of Argyle Winery in Dundee in the Heart of Willamette Valley
Credit: Argyle Winery In the late 1970s, Rollin Soles, discovered the untapped potential of Oregon’s Willamette Valley. Entranced by its cool-climate terroir, ideal for crafting exceptional sparkling wines, Soles founded Argyle Winery in 1987. […]
A CIA Agent’s Secret Garden: The Birth of Lamborn Family Vineyards in Napa Valley
Credit: Lamborn Family Vineyards Inspired by his grandfather’s clandestine past as a CIA agent, Bob Lamborn Jr. embarked on a remarkable journey to create a Napa Valley legacy. His grandfather’s love of gardening, coupled with Bob’s own passion for wine, led him to the rugged hills of Howell Mountain in 1969. […]
respekt-BIODYN – Committed to biodynamic wines of quality and individuality
As wine enthusiasts and readers of wine journalism, you are likely familiar with biodynamic agriculture – which has its roots in methodology that Austrian Rudolf Steiner developed in 1924, a century ago. […]
Sabar Wine Estate – ‘A small hill of great wines’
Founded in 2009 by Gábor Ádám, Sabar Wine Estate is a small producer – only 7 hectares – located on Sabar Hill (hence the name) in the Badacsony wine region, part of the Lake Balaton area. […]
Németh János Pincészet
While the family’s winemaking tradition in the Iván Valley of Hungary’s Szekszárd region dates back four generations, János Németh is considered one of the area's young, up-and-coming producers.
Stina Cuvée Red 2022 – ‘Stina is Brač and Brač is Stina’
”Brač stone. It’s so special and inspiring. Some turn it into a song, some a sculpture, we into wine.” – Stina […]
TILIA Estate – House of Pinots and More
TILIA Estate in Potoče, Vipava Valley – in Slovenia’s Primorska region – was founded in 1996. […]
Don Melchor – ‘One story, one terroir, one wine’
As Viña Don Melchor celebrates the release of its 2021 vintage – its 35th – I had the opportunity to meet, taste with, and interview Enrique Tirado, the technical director (director of winemaking) and CEO of this iconic, singular wine for the past 27 years – at Napa’s Compline restaurant in January 2024. […]
Péter Pincészet – ‘Tokaj is my region. It is home.’
Located in Hungary’s Tokaj-Hegyalja region on the border between the villages of Tokaj and Tarcal, family owned and operated Péter Pincészet five hectares of vineyards, including Thurzó, Mézes-mály, Bige, Mogyorós, Mester-Völgy, Lónyai, and Kövesd.
Tajna Rizling Vlašský Zobor 2022
In 2008, husband and wife Rastislav Demeš and Anetta Demešová purchased and began replanting one of Slovakia’s historic vineyards in the Nitra region and Vrábel district – whose winegrowing tradition dates back to the 12th century – naming the winery Tajna (secret in Slovak), after the nearby village of Tajná. […]
Marcelo Papa – Amelia and Marqués de Casa Concha
In fall of 2023, the team at Viña Concha y Toro USA/Bonterra Organic Estates – which represents and imports the Chilean wines into the United States – invited me to lunch at Napa’s Compline restaurant to dine and chat with longtime esteemed winemaker Marcelo Papa, the Technical Director (Director of Winemaking) overseeing two of the company’s most prestigious portfolios, Amelia and Marqués de Casa Concha.
Fekete Pince Somló – The Fekete fkt ‘Gábor’ Hárslevelű is a golden elixir, vibrant and layered
Located in Hungary’s smallest appellation along the southern slope of the magnificent hill of Somló, the 4.3-hectare vineyard and winery is a true gem. Founded by the 1970s by Béla Fekete – the ‘Grand Old Man of Somló’ – and today led by Gábor Riesz – Fekete is committed to honoring the farming and vinification methods of ‘Uncle Béla’ while adding new twists to its flagship white wine varieties, Hárslevelű, Furmint, Olaszrizling, and Juhfark.
Benedek Pince – Third-generation winemaker Péter Benedek carries on his family’s legacy
In the village of Gyöngyöstarján in Hungary’s Mátra region, third-generation winemaker Péter Benedek carries on his family’s legacy in his grandfather’s original cellar, along with the assistance of his parents, who help care for the vineyards. […]
Márkvárt János – ‘I was born with 50% Kadarka in my blood.’
A descendant of a Swabian family, János Márkvárt, Jr. is a self-taught, third-generation winegrower and winemaker whose family has longtime roots in Szekszárd, Hungary.
Deurić Winery – A juicy taste of Serbia’s Fruška Gora region
Deurić Winery – located near the village of Mala Remeta on the sunny, southern slopes of the Fruška Gora region of Serbia – has a philosophy – “From grapes we draw the best that nature has given us.”
Merlot: It’s (expletive) fine!
"Merlot: It's (expletive) fine,” exclaimed Jonathan Cristaldi, the moderator for “Merlot Renaissance: Celebrating Two Decades Beyond Sideways,” at the annual Unified Wine & Grape Symposium in Sacramento January 23-25.
U.S. wine journalist Dr. Elizabeth Smith remembers Slovakia
In July 2023, wine journalist Dr. Elizabeth Smith visited Slovakia as a guest of Rastislav Demeš, owner of Tajna Winery. Across two and a half days, she visited three producers, the country’s famed grape breeder, and participated in a Riesling Vlašský and Dunaj masterclass. The editor of the Slovak wine magazine časopis Vinotéka, Ing. Juraj Mikula, interviewed Elizabeth about her visit, and published the Slovak-language article in the December 2023/January 2024 issue. With the magazine’s permission to republish, below is the English version.
Press Release: Information, Research and Discussions Highlight Wine and Winegrape Industry’s Largest Gathering GalleryPress Release: Information, Research and Discussions Highlight Wine and Winegrape Industry’s Largest Gathering
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Press Release: Information, Research and Discussions Highlight Wine and Winegrape Industry’s Largest Gathering
SACRAMENTO, CA, JANUARY 25, 2024 From every corner of the world, wine and winegrape professionals convened at the 30th annual Unified Wine & Grape Symposium this week in Sacramento. […]
Miraflores Winery: A Thriving Vineyard in Pleasant Valley, El Dorado County
Credit: Miraflores Winery Dr. Victor Alvarez, a successful pathologist, found himself mesmerized by the scenic beauty of Pleasant Valley, in El Dorado County, during a detour on a business trip to Reno. This serendipitous discovery led him to purchase a property that would eventually become the flourishing Miraflores Winery. […]