The best winemakers of Imereti

Growers in the village of Melambes in Crete saw devastating wildfires cause ‘complete damage to 300 acres (121.4 hectares) of old pre-phylloxera vines’ in July, according to an online crowdfunding page created to support viticulture in the area and help those affected. Although fire burned 90% of the vineyard, it’s hoped some damaged vines can be rescued, said winemaker Iliana Malihin, of her namesake winery and who has spearheaded a community project to revive the site in recent years. Ye ...

Josh Jensen was famed for producing elegant, silky Pinot Noirs at Calera Wine Company on the Central Coast.  Leading wine critic Robert Parker Jr once described Calera – the company that Jensen founded in 1971 – as ‘California’s Romanée-Conti.’ Jensen completed undergraduate studies at Yale, but his love of fine wine blossomed while completing an MA in social anthropology at Oxford University in the UK. He was a key member of the rowing crew at both universities, but he still found time to devel ...

A ‘Goliath’ 27-litre bottle of Sine Qua Non’s highly prized The Inaugural Syrah from the 2003 vintage provided the centrepiece for a charity event organised by The Legacy Cellar Foundation. Robert M. Parker Jr, the famous wine critic who retired from The Wine Advocate in 2019, donated the ‘unicorn’ bottle in order to help raise funds for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, which is marking its 60th anniversary. Held at a private residence in Bel Air on 14 May, 60 guests paid ...