Cave HatanoGrand Chardonnay

‘As a farmer, especially as a Finger Lakes grape grower, you have to be unendingly optimistic. This year is no different in that respect,’ said vineyard manager Tim Hosmer of Hosmer Winery. Difficult years like 2023 are nothing new to Hosmer, who oversees 28ha for his family’s Cayuga Lake property. Hosmer Winery, which sustained minimal damage in the May frost, has been farmed sustainably since the 1930s. As the season ploughs on and new challenges surface, Hosmer’s ‘unending optimism’ is echoed ...

There are no easy vintages – and that was especially true in Chile this year. The widespread drought that has been affecting the country for several years – and the forecast of a dry and hot summer – indicated that 2023 would be a challenging year. But in mid-January the situation dramatically worsened, with voracious fires in Maule, Ñuble, Itata and Bío Bío, where more than 50,000ha of forests were devastated. The fire took towns, vineyards, wineries and at least 24 human lives in its wake. A t ...

For many, the appeal of modern-day Napa Cabernet is found in its unabashed excess. The Napa Valley, after all, is epitomised today by bold, fruity wines with an over-the-top ripeness, alcohol and muscularity. However, a recent retrospective tasting spanning 50 years of production from Bella Oaks Vineyard was a thrilling reminder that historically, a very different style of Napa Cab existed. And while climates have changed and winemaking styles may shift, beneath the excess, Napa is still a place ...