The best winemakers of Ombrie

A new-look Napa Valley barrel auction saw 75 lots raise a total $1.5m in aid of children’s mental health, organisers have announced. Many wines were from the 2021 vintage, and Napa Valley Vintners (NVV) reported an average price per lot of $18,683, which it said was a new record. The barrel auction is now part of Collective Napa Valley, a philanthropy-focused initiative created to offer events and sales for wine lovers throughout the year – replacing the previous Auction Napa Valley event that s ...

There’s no doubt that 2021 was a challenging vintage. Most explanatory statements or technical sheets handed out over the past few weeks have mentioned the unfavourable, oft disastrous weather conditions, the sometimes very low and disheartening yields and the slightly varied or unusual blends on offer in 2021. Difficulties faced by vignerons both inside and outside of the cellar have been explained in detail as has the raft of highly important decisions needed be made throughout the year, ...

When I started my nomadic winemaking project, in 2018 at Niepoort Vinhos in Portugal’s Douro region, I had no idea how large a part Spain would go on to play – I certainly never intended to make it the locus of my project. So how did it happen? Yes, there was an element of chance and taking opportunities where they arose. But also, among the talented winemakers to whom I pitched collaborations, I sensed an openness and a readiness to collaborate which seemed particular to Spain. Held in June las ...