Adrianna Catena (Catena and El Enemigo) – 1999 La Tache, Domaine De La Romanée-Conti “Christmas in Argentina is a summer affair – the days are long, and the heat is intense. This year we will gather with family and friends at our home in Mendoza, spending the day together – lunch and a siesta –…
Dr Adrianna Catena – of Catena Zapata and El Enemigo – is not just a winemaker, but a practicing historian. We sat down with her to talk about how wine shaped South America’s social landscape and how water conservation and sustainable irrigation practices will secure its future. The most famous vineyard in Argentina is named…
Venissa is an estate like no other, crafting wine from the indigenous Dorona grape grown on islands in the Venice Lagoon. Sophie Thorpe spoke to Matteo Bisol about his family’s mission to preserve this unique Venetian tradition “I met Anselme Selosse when I was 13 and that really entered in my heart. He’s really a…
Cashmere king Brunello Cucinelli has just unveiled his new wine venture – and latest project from the Umbrian hamlet he’s been restoring over the last 30 years, Solomeo. Here’s everything you need to know about the fashion icon’s Castello di Solomeo About the producer Castello di Solomeo is fashion designer Brunello Cucinelli’s new wine project.…
With eco-friendly trends on the rise in the world of wine, you’ve likely at least heard of organic, or biodynamic, wine. Maybe you’re curious to try one, or maybe you simply want to expand the horizons of your knowledge as a wine enthusiast. Perhaps you’re wondering if these wines would make a profitable addition to your investment portfolio.
In the world of wine, less is more—at least when it comes to handling and transportation. Whether you relish local wines or seek to collect cases from around the world, you want assurance that the journey from the vineyard to your doorstep was as straightforward and uneventful as possible.
Why? If you aim to enjoy the wine at your next dinner party, you’ll want to serve nothing less than the best a bottle has to offer. And if you’d prefer to resell the wine for profit instead, you’ll receive the greatest ROI from a bottle that’s all but guaranteed perfect provenance.
In either case, the best approach may be to buy directly from producers.
Shiraz grapes grow bountifully in the Land Down Under, where the climate is warm and the sunlight shines bright—particularly in the McLaren Vale wine region. This appellation is celebrated for consistently producing world-class Australian Shiraz—though Roman Bratasuik, owner of the Clarendon Hills winery, prefers to use this grape’s Old World name, Syrah, for his top-rated wines.
Some wines simply seem destined for greatness from the beginning. Hailing from the Côte-Rôtie appellation of the northern Rhône, a region rich with oenological history, Étienne Guigal’s empire was founded just over 60 years ago—not long at all, when you consider how many centuries many of the world’s top estates have existed. And yet, in just over half a century, Guigal has become a leading negociant for the Rhône and now vinifies as much as 40 percent of Côte-Rôtie wines.
Bordeaux’s Château Le Pin, generally referred to as just “Le Pin,” produces some of the most decadent and complex Merlot in the world. At the cost of $4,000 per bottle, on average, collectors are willing to pay top dollar to get a taste of these renowned wines. Château Le Pin’s best vintages can garner even higher prices on the secondary market; some of the top-ranked vintages are valued at $10,000 or more per bottle. Whether you’re a passionate fan of Bordeaux or an established investor looking to add to your portfolio of valuable wines, it’s important to know which years from Le Pin are considered the greatest in the estate’s history.
You don’t have to travel to Burgundy to find complex white wines with distinctive minerality and finesse. California’s northern Sonoma Coast is home to some of the most reputable Chardonnay producers in the world. Unlike most New-World Chardonnay, which is typically rich and buttery, top-rated Sonoma Chardonnay leans toward an elegant, acidic, and earthy profile. These wines have compelling notes of crisp green apple, refreshing citrus, racy acidity, brine, and wet stone—flavors and aromas that develop even greater depth with age.
Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Romanée-St-Vivant may not get quite the same attention from collectors as the producer’s other top wines, like La Romanée-Conti or La Tâche. However, it would be a mistake to pass over Romanée-St-Vivant. This wine is among the freshest and purest in Domaine de la Romanée-Conti’s roster and is deeply enjoyable to drink. With succulent red fruit, silky tannins, perfumed florals, and a complex underlying spice, Romanée-St-Vivant is an intriguing and versatile Pinot Noir that pairs well with a variety of foods. It’s also one of the few wines from this producer that can be drunk either young or old and provides excellent value for the price, making it a popular choice among Burgundy collectors.
Whatever your reason for wanting to buy a bottle of Krug Champagne or open one you’ve had in your cellar for years, your thoughts have likely started drifting towards food—if they’re not there already. Food and Champagne go hand in hand. Whether you’re celebrating an anniversary or just putting together a great dinner, picking the right dish to go with a bottle of Champagne—and vice versa—can feel like a momentous decision.