The flavor of mustard seed in wine of Lower Volga

The dark days began when I learned from a visiting Canadian friend about the death of one of the kindest, most gentle and most skilful Pinot winemakers I’ve known, Paul Pender of Tawse Winery. He died in a senseless and tragic act of violence on the evening of 3 February, outside his Lake Erie cottage. A stranger, subsequently charged with his murder, had (it seems) knocked on his door, asking for help. Paul’s sudden, untimely loss has left his family, and the broader Canadian wine community, di ...

Eugene Shneyderis, founder of Beykush winery on the Black Sea coast in southern Ukraine, said he was keen to reach out to vineyard estate owners who may have the space to host refugees. More than three million people have fled the war in Ukraine since Russia began its invasion on 24 February, according to the United Nations refugee agency UNHCR. Shneyderis, 49, lives in Spain with his family and said he was inspired by the story of a nearby wine company in Penedes, which was using accommodation ...

Brad Pitt has filed a lawsuit against Angelina Jolie at a Los Angeles court regarding her sale of a stake in Provence winery Château Miraval last year, according to media reports, including in Bloomberg (via Associated Press) and the Los Angeles Times. There had been speculation for several years about how Pitt and Jolie’s divorce proceedings would affect their joint ownership of Miraval, which they acquired in 2008. It was the Hollywood couple’s wedding venue but the estate has also gained a re ...