Winery PietracupaAnonimo Rosato

I started to write my thoughts on the vintage as the dust settled from the annual primeur’s week (or month in my case) and when my teeth and lips had finally lost their purple hue – an unsightly image I documented once on Instagram. This year more than 7,000 eager wine tasters were welcomed onto the red carpets of various historic châteaux buildings, past manicured gardens and into beautifully decorated tasting rooms to taste the new batch of baby wines before tucking into lavish spreads, often ...

The French photographer captured his subject resting against the side of the vat after completing the arduous task. ‘This beautifully lit and framed image encapsulates the dedication, the sheer physical hard work involved in making wine – no glamour here,’ said Caroline Kenyon, the founder of the awards ceremony. ‘There’s so much character in the subject’s face – weary but triumphant, she knows it’s a tough job well done.’ Gaudillère had already won the ‘People’ sub-category of the Errazuriz Win ...

Niagara’s summer? It’s hot, and sticky. I tried a walk near my hotel in mid-July but could only find a large retail mall. It was early; the shops were still shut. Even so, I had to dodge from awning to awning, avoiding the prosecuting sun. I’ve been there in autumn, too, which happened to be mellow and easeful – though it can also be wild, wind-whipped, rain-drenched. The ‘shoulder seasons’ are feared here: you never know what’s coming. The first time I went it was deepest winter. That made an i ...