2008

The Amorim family’s fortune had its beginnings among the rambling port lodges that line the hillsides above the Douro River in Porto, but the family did not amass its wealth by making Portugal’s famous fortified wine; rather, its members were engaged in the less glamorous business of manufacturing cork stoppers. Their success, however, later enabled […]

Although Calistoga is home to what is perhaps Napa Valley’s most fabled and historic vineyard, the region was only very recently approved by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau as an American Viticultural Area, or AVA. First planted with Riesling and Zinfandel in the 1880s, the Eisele Vineyard is one of the rockiest […]

In an era when so many legendary wine labels belong to multinational corporations, Domaine Jean-Louis Chave stands apart, not only for the decadent beauty of its incomparable wines, but also for the fact that this family concern in the Northern Rhône has been passed down from one generation to the next since 1481. The current […]

Chateau Ste. Michelle is not only the oldest winery in Wash­ington State, but also the largest. While greater size does not usually connote greater quality, this estate consistently proves itself to be an exception to that rule. Though the winery dates back to 1934, the present company was formed 20 years later as American Wine […]

In whichever hemisphere or country Paul Hobbs exercises his purple thumb, the vines prosper. A New York native, the distinguished winemaker began his career in Napa Valley, working for such esteemed labels as Robert Mondavi Winery and Opus One. In 1991 he established Paul Hobbs Winery, whose inspired wines from Napa Valley and Sonoma County […]

Perhaps one of the most significant events to occur at Maison Louis Jadot since its doors first opened in 1859 will occur at the end of this year, when, after more than four decades, winemaker Jacques Lardière at last retires. Lardière joined the maison—operated then and now by the Gagey family—in 1970, when it was […]

Since 1859, the Gaja Winery in the Barbaresco region of Piedmont, Italy, has been committed to producing fine wines that express the highly individual characters of its vineyards’ varied soils. Yet despite the winery’s commitment to tradition, its present patriarch, Angelo Gaja, imbues his family’s operation with a modern spirit. Since first joining the business […]

In the minds of most enthusiasts, Médoc is the cradle of Bordeaux. After all, this important region on the Left Bank of the Gironde River is home to four of the great châteaux that received First Growth rankings in the definitive 1855 classification: Château Lafite-Rothschild, Château Latour, Château Margaux, and Château Mouton Rothschild. Its prominence […]

Before embarking upon his own vinous enterprise, Robert Foley produced some 15 vintages for Pride Mountain Vineyards, one of the region’s most alluring labels. He has also lent his gifts to such preeminent producers as Hourglass and Switchback Ridge, but his primary passion is currently his own label, for which he makes not only magnificent […]