Wine Enthusiast Magazine May 2023

MANAGING EDITOR, PRINT John Capone TASTING DIRECTOR Anna-Christina Cabrales CREATIVE DIRECTOR Marco Turelli EDITORIAL MANAGING EDITOR, DIGITAL Rachel Tepper Paley SENIOR EDITOR, PRINT Stacy Briscoe SENIOR EDITOR, DIGITAL Arielle Weg DIGITAL EDITOR Kristen Richard ASSISTANT EDITOR, PRINT Jacy Topps CONTRIBUTING EDITOR, FOOD Nils Bernstein WEB PRODUCER Samantha Sette DESIGN ART DIRECTOR Monica Simon DIGITAL VISUALS EDITOR Evan de Normandie DIGITAL DESIGNER Eric DeFreitas VISUALS PRODUCER Jesse Reiter ASSOCIATE PHOTO PRODUCER Tom Arena TASTING SENIOR EDITOR, TASTING Jim Gordon SENIOR TASTING COORDINATORS Craig Chamberlain, Cody Wexler ASSISTANT TASTING COORDINATOR Augi Anagnostos, Russell Peborde, Dan Storm SOCIAL DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL MEDIA Elyse Estrella SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGIST Marco Bruno VIDEO SUPERVISING VIDEO PRODUCER Braxton Parr VIDEO PRODUCER Rob Martin WRITERS AT LARGE WINE Michael Alberty, Danielle Callegari, Mike DeSimone, Matt Kettmann, Christina Pickard,…

Recollections of the 1980s conjure a sense of unbridled joy that’s very specific to that decade’s style. Neon signs, fluffy hair, white blazers and, of course, sunglasses at night. It was a time that celebrated pleasure and fun in an unabashed fashion. It makes sense that a decade pulsing with so much fluorescent potential would begin trends that defined an entire generation. The decade was pivotal politically, culturally, and, all the while, the American wine palate was growing out of its infancy. It was that general sense of pent-up potential and innovation that drove my parents to create Wine Enthusiast magazine 35 years ago in 1988. When we look back three and a half decades, I’m so grateful for the time period that birthed this magazine. It gives us…

The Wine Enthusiast Podcast, hosted by Jacy Topps, is your serving of drinks’ culture and the people who drive it. The podcast, which airs twice a month, features real conversations about beverage-related topics. Recently, in a series we called “Wine and Basketball,” we talked to NBA stars who have gotten into the wine business. Listen in everywhere you get your podcasts or at winemag.com/podcasts. Châteauneuf-du-Pape is very interesting. If you know, you know, right? I wanted to create and invite my consumer and fan base into [regions] that they probably never even heard of. Carmelo Anthony NBA All-Star and cofounder of The Seventh Estate EPISODE 133: “We’re Creating Our Legacy:” Carmelo Anthony Talks About His New Wine Label There are many of the same values that you have in basketball…

BACK TO THE FUTURE Distance breeds nostalgia. Looking back into the coolers and at liquor-store shelves during the totally tubular decade, you can find the groundwork for some of the innovation that would alter the beverage landscape for years to come—from adding fruit flavors to everything to canning cocktails. Let’s jump in the DeLorean, hit 88 m.p.h. and sample these blasts from the past to answer the question, “Where are they now?” 1 ABSOLUT VODKA WHO DRANK IT: DARN NEAR EVERYBODY Thanks to memorable advertising, the Swedish vodka went mainstream in the 1980s giving the spirit artistic cache. It also helped introduce the concept of flavored vodka, notably in 1986 with Peppar, a spicy version and runaway success. Where is it today? Still around, placed among the endless stream of vodka…

There’s a running joke that bartenders hate making Espresso Martinis—the 1980s’ juggernaut drink that’s having a revival. Yet, Harrison Ginsberg, bar director at NYC’s sky-high Overstory bar, says he loves a well-made Espresso Martini (and not ironically, either). While his team can’t pull fresh shots of espresso (the 64th-floor bar has a tiny footprint and no espresso machine), he designed an alternative: the Matcha Shakerato. Instead of fresh espresso, he uses a combination of oat milk and matcha powder to mimic the texture, viscosity and weight of a freshly pulled shot. At the bar, a house-made green tea liqueur adds sweetness and complexity; this home-friendly version offers a similar flavor with cooled green tea and honey syrup. Vodka remains the base spirit. Ginsberg prefers Haku, a Japanese brand distilled…

THEY’RE BAAACK! SUN-DRIED TOMATOES, ubiquitous for most of the ’80s but whose popularity petered out shortly thereafter, are in fashion yet again—much like shoulder pads and Kate Bush singles. Chefs like Dominique Crenn, Bryant Terry and Eric Kim have recently extolled their virtues, and one of last year’s hottest TikTok recipes was a one-pot orzo with sun-dried tomatoes. Neither fresh nor canned tomatoes can compete with their complex combination of fruity brightness and umami depth. Most sun-dried tomatoes are dried in ovens, not the sun, which means if you find yourself with an overabundance of fresh tomatoes, they’re easy to make at home (halve plum or cherry tomatoes, remove seeds and juices, salt and bake at 250°F for at least 4 hours). At the store, you should try tomatoes packed…