#old-vine-carignan

#old-vine-carignan

Researchers analyzed the DNA of nearly 50 wild and domestic grape seeds collected at archaeological sites mostly across France. The pips dated from the Bronze Age, or around 2300 BCE, through to 1500 CE, nearly 4,000 years.

The minerality is off the charts, exuberantly defining the wine after a barrel fermentation of nine months on the lees in 85% American and 15% French oak. This unicorn wine demonstrates exceptional quality and craftsmanship in its production and flavor profile.

the Strengthening Organic Enforcement (SOE) rules, set by the USDA, declared that importers-that's right, the firms that typically handle sales and logistics, not just the winemakers- also need to be certified organic in order for the wines to retain the label. According to a spokesperson from the USDA, the regulations are an effort to "better protect organic businesses and consumers" and "keep fraud out of the market."

Former consort braved the newly reincarnated Absolute Bagels & bailed when he found 45 people in line, in the cold. One of our oldest friends, who retreated to the Bay Area long ago, always used to say: "The more New Yorkers get fucked, the more they like it." Now with more Instagram...

I've visited California wine country several times over the past couple of years, including many trips to the iconic Napa Valley. And although I definitely recommend a trip to Napa, there's another nearby wine region that I find myself returning to even more often: Sonoma. More than just the city of Sonoma, the entire county feels like its own world. With rolling vineyards, rugged beaches, and redwood forests, it offers so much more than wine alone. Here's why this region stole my heart.

Hands up, who is dry Januarying? While it's not something I do explicitly, I do like to cut back a bit at the beginning of the year. The marathon that is Christmas socialising can be fun but relentless, and I imagine there are many others in the same boat. When it comes to wine, at least, the problem with cutting back is what to do with the rest of the bottle.

I've only worked for small family-owned wineries. When you work for a small winery, you're part of each step of the process, the production. I used to work all over the world. I worked in France, Italy, South Africa, Chile, Australia and California. It's challenging everywhere for a female winemaker, but I'm taking that challenge.

The Brain Science Here's where neuropsychology enters the vineyard. The human brain's relationship with wine is deeply emotional and multisensory. When we taste wine, our orbitofrontal cortex integrates sensory information with memory and emotion; it's why a particular bottle might remind us of our grandmother's kitchen or that study-abroad summer in Tuscany. This neural complexity is what makes wine special, and it's also what makes AI's role in the industry controversial.

Jesse Hall can't remember a time he wasn't inseparable from the sea. Born and raised in Sonoma County, Hall spent his youth surfing the Marin coast and sailing San Francisco Bay. By his early 20s, he was shaping surfboards in San Diego, where he rode the mellow waves of Pacific Beach. Winemaking is similar to surfing in that you're living moment by moment, said Hall, founder of Seawolf Wines in Mendocino County's Yorkville Highlands.

Jesse Hall can't remember a time he wasn't inseparable from the sea. Born and raised in Sonoma County, Hall spent his youth surfing the Marin coast and sailing San Francisco Bay. By his early 20s, he was shaping surfboards in San Diego, where he rode the mellow waves of Pacific Beach. "Winemaking is similar to surfing in that you're living moment by moment," said Hall, founder of Seawolf Wines in Mendocino County's Yorkville Highlands.

Romance and renewal are on the menu now and through February. It's a time to recharge and get moving on shaping a successful 2026. But that doesn't mean you can't slow down and enjoy an evening sip after a long day, or crack open a bottle with a loved one and celebrate the moment. These unique California reds offer an opportunity to relax and toast to finding joy in the new year.

Founded in 1992 by Miguel Torres and Robert Drouhin to promote the exchange of ideas, its members include Domaine Clarence Dillon (Château Haut-Brion), Famille Perrin (Chateau de Beaucastel) and Alsace's Famille Hugel, as well as Sassicaia makers Tenuta San Guido, the Douro's Symington family, Riesling specialists Egon Müller and Tuscany's 26 th-generation winemakers Marchesi Antinori. Earlier this week, all 12 descended on the Paris's Grand Palais for the launch of the PFV Generations Case, an ultra-limited-edition case of 12 wines - one from each family. Treats in the coffret include a 2016 Chateau Mouton Rothschild, a 2004 Vega Sicilia Unico, and a Champagne Pol Roger Sir Winston Churchill 2002 (which the house's 6 th-generation ambassador Bastien Collard de Billy was pouring on the night, and I can report tasted absolutely stellar). To sweeten the deal, each case also includes a VIP visit to every estate, some of which aren't open to the public. The case is priced at €32,000 and only a dozen have been created.

"Five to ten years ago, sustainability was often limited to buzzwords or isolated practices," he says. "Today, it is holistic, intentional, and deeply embedded into every aspect of the visitor experience."

In 2025, legacy Oregon craft brewery Rogue Ales & Spirits filed for bankruptcy and shuttered operations, California uprooted 38,134 acres of wine grapes (in order to cope with overproduction and stymie future excess crops), and Jim Beam announced it would cease production of bourbon at its main distillery for the duration of 2026. An increasing push toward sobriety has flooded the market with nonalcoholic alternatives to traditional tipples.

Starbucks' Reserve Roasteries sell whiskey barrel-aged cold brew, some beer is aged in bourbon barrels, and wine is an obvious beneficiary of this method too. Though the practice of aging wine in bourbon barrels is contested by some consumers - naysayers say the process diminishes the flavors that come from thoughtfully growing and sourcing the grapes, thus undermining the farmers - others are staunch fans of the finished product.

Only eight miles long by three miles wide, the small wine region established its AVA (American Viticultural Area) in 1982, just one year after Napa Valley. It's only one-tenth the size of its famous neighbor, yet the diversity in tasting rooms is impressive. You can travel from a blue Victorian house to gorgeous gardens, a vintage gas station-turned-tasting room, and even an award-winning modern architectural masterpiece all within minutes.

For wine collectors, the art of cellar management has always been as much about precision as it is indulgence. Temperature, humidity, and provenance all dictate whether a vintage will flourish or falter, and even the most meticulous collectors know that storage mistakes can be costly. Now, a new wave of technology promises to take out the guesswork. AI wine cellars, as futuristic as they sounds, are systems that use artificial intelligence to track bottles, catalogue vintages, and anticipate optimal conditions.

Of course, pasta is incredibly versatile and can be transformed into dishes showcasing an endless array of flavors. So when you're looking to pair your pasta meal with a glass of wine, it's important to consider what type of sauce you'll be using to ensure the ingredients work well with the wine. While some pasta sauces are more flexible to pair with, others require a bit more care to ensure the flavors aren't overwhelmed, muted, or negatively impacted.

As an editor and writer who regularly covers the world of nonalcoholic drinks, I have tasted more than my fair share of booze-free wines. Much like with regular wine, the results have been mixed some are bitter or super sour, or even worse, smell like nothing. But I've also had the pleasure of drinking alcohol-free wines that scratched the same itch as a top-notch riesling or champagne.