The Winery Il Cantinone of Elba of Toscane

By 1965, the vineyards of Condrieu had largely been abandoned – phylloxera and two world wars had decimated the place and its people. There were just 8ha of vines remaining on these granite slopes. If it weren’t for the hard work of a few steadfast vignerons, the appellation might have disappeared entirely, reclaimed by the forest. Thankfully, Condrieu survived and has since flourished – but great appellations have been lost before. We know this because some have recently been rediscovered. In f ...

After a two-year hiatus imposed by the global pandemic, the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV) is hosting its 43rd annual congress this week in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico. There is a sense of celebration among participants, but the joy of sitting around the same table again is clouded by urgency and worry as the industry faces significant challenges. The congress, a key event in the wine industry’s calendar, brings together a unique mix of stakeholders, including producers, ...

The auction featured more than 1,000 lots made up exclusively of Scotch whisky. The company gave a combined estimate in the region of $1.5m in the build-up to the event, so it exceeded expectations by more than 66%. The top three lots went to The Macallan, whose enduring popularity shows no signs of waning any time soon. The most expensive lot was The Macallan Millennium Decanter 50 Year Old from 1949, which sold for $40,000. A case of six bottles of Macallan 30 Year Old in their original wooden ...