The Winery Pacific Valley of San Antonio Valley of California

How’s the weather been this year? Awful. ‘La nature m’écoeure’, one of my wine-growing friends posted on Facebook on 8 April, having been out to look at the frost-crippled shoots on his vines that morning: ‘Nature disgusts me’. It takes a lot to make a wine-grower feel that. He wasn’t alone. Jeremiads echo around the northern hemisphere as 2021 closes. It’s been the year of all the miseries. None suffered more horribly than the growers of Germany’s Ahr valley, where floodwaters caused by the fou ...

Think of Colombia, think of balmy evenings dancing to salsa, fuelled by shots of aguardiente and arepas. But there’s plenty more than the anise-based spirit and cornmeal cakes to sample in the South American country. Chefs have stepped up their game to put gastronomy on the map, with sommeliers and bartenders following suit. Not just appreciating local ingredients and distilling spirits, they also seek out wines from around the world to accompany fine-dining experiences. Their endeavours have pa ...

A first for a Sonoma-based winery, the NFTs entitle investors to own three bottles of Judge Palmer Cabernet Sauvignon wine signed by the winemakers. ‘Wine has long been the ultimate collectible, so I think the NFT space is a natural extension for the wine market,’ said Emmitt. ‘An NFT is the perfect way for collectors to retain a digital record of a favourite vintage of wine, a reminder of the experience long after the bottle has been consumed.’ The wines – Judge Palmer 2 ...