Slideshows

Founded in Napa valley in 1862 by the German immigrant Jacob Schram near the town of Calistoga, Schramsberg was an early benchmark of quality in the region and even figured in the writing of Robert Louis Stevenson, who mentions the winery in his accounts of his journey to California. About 30 years after Prohibition, the […]

When most wine collectors think of Australia, they think of Penfolds; and when they ponder Penfolds, their thoughts ineluctably drift toward Grange, the label’s flagship wine, which emphasizes Shiraz and was first produced commercially in 1952. Like Grange, Bin 707—which debuted with the 1964 vintage—is sourced from multiple vineyards in multiple regions that include Adelaide […]

Tucked among the hills of Santa Barbara County’s Santa Ynez Valley is a 600-acre laboratory where fascinating oenological experiments are carried out by Matt Dees. An alumnus of the University of Vermont and a veteran of the very different growing conditions of New Zealand and Napa Valley, Dees now presides over the complex winemaking at […]

Some years ago, the tide of opinion turned against Merlot after a scene in the film Sideways convinced audiences that well-tutored palates avoid this varietal. Today, Syrah has met a similar fate, falling out of favor with U.S. consumers. Yet, just as many of the world’s most captivating reds are produced from Merlot—Château Pétrus and […]

The winemaker Mark Aubert is perhaps best-known these days for the supple, silky Chardonnay he crafts from the finest vineyards in Calistoga. Yet he made his original reputation with the red wines he produced for such important labels as the Peter Michael Winery, Bryant Family Vineyard, Sloan Estate, and Colgin Cellars. His passion for Chardonnay—the […]

Never has necessity given birth to more arresting offspring than in Portugal’s Douro Valley, where production of fortified wines is capped by government regulators to ensure that the supply of port does not exceed global demand. The portion of each harvest that does not make the cut for Portugal’s best-known bottlings is diverted into table […]

Though Dana Estates’ first release was its 2005 vintage, the winery is nevertheless deeply rooted in the history of Napa Valley. The property’s owner, Hi Sang Lee—a longtime wine enthusiast and importer in his native South Korea—has developed close friendships with many of California’s leading vintners. His own career as a producer of fine wine […]

At gatherings where more than two oenophiles are present, the question inevitably arises—in one form or another—of which wine is a given grape fancier’s favorite. Though responses to this query are as varied as the varietals themselves, among the cognoscenti, Nebbiolo always figures prominently. The reason for this is simple: Just as certain gemstones reflect […]

Wine is often cloaked in a mantle of romance by marketing directors who are intent on moving inventory. True romance, however, does occasionally emerge from the vineyards, as the vintners Solène Christophe-Fabre and Guillaume Fabre well know. The couple, both natives of France, met among the vineyards of Bordeaux shortly before Guillaume traveled to the […]