Innholdsfortegnelse for Winter 2025 i Wine Enthusiast Magazine

Being a parent to two or more children is becoming an alternative lifestyle. My husband and I always planned to avoid having three, as he was born into, but felt it was important for us to have two. This generational reduction is now playing out en masse as the number of people having only one child has doubled from from 11% in 1976 to 22% by 2015. Even more extreme is the newly normalized shift to having no children at all, which was the case for one in seven women in 2018. In 1976, that number was one in 10. The reasons for these societal changes are numerous. The increase in expense, lack of community support, diffculties with fertility and even the general realization that focusing on oneself is…

In a word, sustainable bartending is about “awareness,” says Renato Tonelli. “It’s not just about reusing leftovers.” Tonelli is the founder of Sustainable Bartender, an effort dedicated to reducing food waste and teaching sustainable drink-making techniques. “It’s about having greater awareness of everything, from your equipment to how much ice you’re using to are you keeping the water running too much?” The initiative began in 2020, during the height of the pandemic, while he was living in Australia. As a bartender, “I was already developing recipes to see how to prevent waste, and see how to reuse banana peels, stems from mint leaves, basil leaves, pineapple skins,” he recalls. “During lockdown, I began to compile recipes and share them on social media.” As response to his recipes grew (Celery…

CHARDONNAY 95 Xanadu 2023 Chardonnay (Margaret River). Bright crystalline citrus, peach and white floral notes open. Something more mineral, like crushed stones and chalk dust, comes next, and a whisper of something more lactic below. The palate offers a wonderful zing of vibrant acidity, tamed by some slippery texture. Juicy fruit and gentle spice flavors prickle on the long finish. Delicious now, but still young. There’s several decades of life left in this beauty. Lieber Fine Wines & Spirits. —C.P. abv: 12.5% Price: $38 94 Penfolds 2022 Yattarna Chardonnay (South Australia). Flinty and austere when first poured, this vintage of Yattarna needs some aeration via swirling or decanter if drinking now—to reveal stone and citrus fruit and lactic, roasted nut aromas—but it will evolve gracefully in the cellar. The…

AN EXPLORATION OF WINES FROM ROMAGNA In October, the Consorzio Vini di Romagna partnered with Wine Enthusiast to host a master class exploring Sangiovese’s dynamic and diverse expressions from Romagna. The lunchtime event was held at Arlo Studios in SoHo and led by Jeff Porter, Wine Enthusiast’s writer-at-large and reviewer for Piedmont and Northern Italy. Brand representatives from across 16 subzones in the Romagna region joined Porter to highlight the nuances of Sangiovese and bring a new perspective on what this varietal is and can be.…

Drew Horton, enology specialist with the University of Minnesota’s Grape Breeding and Enology Project, cites the university’s three main criteria for developing new grape varieties—cold tolerance is the most important characteristic, followed by good disease resistance and grape chemistry (meaning the ripening potential, pH and total acidity of the grapes). Itasca—a cold-hardy white grape—started life as any other potential variety in the program but was quick to shine. In 2002, researchers felt confident that they had something exciting. Then the polar vortex hit in 2014: Itasca retained 60% of its primary buds after those extreme colds, more than any other hybrid in the Horticultural Research Center’s experimental vineyard. The grape is also resistant to certain pests and diseases, so some growers are looking at the potential of reducing chemicals…

And that’s not exclusive to sushi. Edible seaweeds are red, brown and green algae that are incredibly nutritious and fast-growing (up to 60 times faster than land plants). They absorb carbon dioxide and nitrogen while rebuilding ocean ecosystems—worth the screech when they brush your foot in the water. Though not yet a staple in American diets, seaweeds are readily available and affordable—lending themselves to myriad culinary uses. Experiment with their range of flavors in soups, salads, pasta, stir-fries and anywhere you need a boost of glutamate-rich umami (think parmesan cheese, dried mushrooms and fish sauce). FAUX “TUNA” SALAD Rinse and drain 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, and coarsely mash in a mixing bowl. Toast 2 nori sheets by passing over a gas flame on both sides until crisp, and crumble…

Rip out this page and stuff it in your pocket for when you go to the wine shop next or just search wineenthusiast.com/ratings. Top 5 Best Buys These wines represent the highest quality-toprice ratio at $20 or less. 92 Château de Grandchamp 2020 (Montagne-Saint-Émilion) Price: $20 abv: 14% 92 Cascina Galarin 2023 Prá Dône (Moscato d'Asti) Price: $20 abv: 5% 92 Angove 2022 Family Crest Chardonnay (Adelaide Hills) Price: $20 abv: 13% 91 San Simeon 2023 Viognier (Paso Robles) Price: $20 abv: 14.1% 90 Casas del Bosque 2023 Gran Reserva Carménère (Cachapoal Valley) Price: $20 abv: 14% Top 5 Hidden Gems These wines may be atypical but they are worth trying—especially if you are looking for something different. 94 Copain Wines 2022 Tidal Break Vineyard Chardonnay (West Sonoma Coast)…

CHARDONNAY 96 Senses 2022 B.A. Theriot Chardonnay (West Sonoma Coast). This complex Chardonnay from a legendary vineyard brings aromas of Meyer lemon peel, pineapple sage, river rock and orange blossom on the nose. The acid-drenched palate displays flavors of sun-laden tangerine, lemon and white flowers before easing into a long finish marked by energetic acidity and waves of pithy citrus. As good as this is, it will blossom with a few years in the cellar. Cellar Selection. —T.R.C. abv: NA Price: $135 95 Cobb 2021 Doc’s Ranch Vineyard JoAnn’s Block Chardonnay (Sonoma Coast). Beautiful aromas of honeysuckle, orange blossom, river rock and Meyer lemon dominate the nose of this focused and lively wine. The palate vibrates with punchy citrus flavors and minerality, ebbing and diving through a long finish…

SPARKLING WINES TRENTO 96 Revi 2013 Re di Revì Riserva Brut (Trento). Evoking a spice market filled with roasted orange peels, baked apples and a hint of red fruit, this serious sparkling wine is a sensory adventure. Flavors of brioche, vanilla and citrus zest intertwine with vibrant energy on the palate, creating a dazzling display of elegance and intensity. This is a true showstopper that commands attention. Drink now–2040. Casa Bruno. Editors’ Choice. —J.P. abv: 12.5% Price: $NA 95 Ferrari 2012 Giulio Ferrari Rosé Extra Brut (Trento). There’s a lot happening in this glass, which is pretty and complex, with aromas that seem to endlessly swirl and evolve. Freshly picked raspberries, wild cherries and a hint of red currant mingle with rose petals and a whisper of blood orange…

WHITE WINES CHABLIS 95 Domaine Laroche 2022 Les Clos (Chablis). This wine strikes a beautiful balance between power and elegance, with a core of ripe citrus aromas, complemented by delicate white wild-flowers and a savory edge. Its freshness is striking, with bright acidity that accentuates a midpalate of mushroom and alluvial stone, leading to a saline finish. Stunning now, it holds great potential for aging gracefully. Wilson Daniels Ltd. —A.C.C. abv: 12.5% Price: $201 93 Alain Pautré 2023 (Chablis). Ripe and round, with vibrant Meyer lemon, tangerine and orange oil aromas. The palate is textured and with lemongrass and wet stone, while a subtle layer of peach and lemon oil adds complexity. It finishes with impressive depth and minerality. Enjoy now. HB Wine Merchants. —A.C.C. abv: 12.5% Price: $31…

All across California, the native landscape is decorated by a hardy, drought-tolerant plant community known as chaparral. Full of aromatic shrubs like bay laurel, juniper, chamise and multiple types of sage—one of which smells so strongly that it’s widely known as “cowboy cologne”—this ecosystem surrounds countless, perhaps even most, Golden State vineyards. Should we be surprised that so many of those aromas and flavors wind up in our wine glasses? Over the past decade, I’ve tasted around 20,000 wines from the Central Coast, and nary a blind flight goes by where I’m not using sage, bay, juniper, wild thyme and tarragon or even just the generic chaparral descriptor in my notes. (I was told to stop using chamise years ago, because our New York-based editors were confusing the plant…

Why call it Syrah when you can call it Shiraz? Australia’s most planted grape variety has, for decades, epitomized the Aussie affinity for doing things differently. Traditionally big, bold and fruity in style, the most highly prized Shiraz—a large portion of which grows on the world’s oldest vines (some over 180 years old) in prehistoric soils—comes from warm South Australian regions like Barossa and McLaren Vale. Its historic role Down Under is significant. But Shiraz today is struggling, both environmentally and economically. As the planet warms, Shiraz becomes increasingly harder to grow at moderate levels of alcohol and restraint. Shiraz sales are declining because of this, which has forced producers to refocus. In McLaren Vale, mid-weight Grenache has overtaken Shiraz as the darling variety, despite comprising just 7% of…

As I revise the latest vintage chart, something we take great pains to do every year, I wonder: Does anyone still use these things? I miss the days when someone would pull a crumpled, folded-up chart from their wallet, a little wine-lover’s bible. It had a certain charm. But now? Is this tool still relevant? These questions are not meant to undermine the usefulness of vintage charts. Rather, they’ve prompted me to think about improving this resource to support the way we drink today. For decades, vintage charts have been the go-to guide for determining whether a year was “great,” “good” or “poor.” A 95+ score usually would be awarded to warm, powerful vintages—igniting a rush for a “must-try” vintage with serious cellar potential. Well, where does this leave…

Tasting Panel Anthony Bates Ella Bennett Anna-Christina Cabrales John Capone Russell Peborde Cody Wexler Post your matches and tag @wineenthusiast so we can tell you if you got it right. “THIS MIGHT BE THE BEST WINE WE TASTED OF THE BUNCH.” “If this was in a flight of Provence rosés I was tasting, I wouldn’t be mad at it.” “This is trying to be everything to everyone and is doing so many things in my mouth. An everlasting gobstopper of a wine.” “It tastes artificial but not unpleasant. There’s a market for this—maybe people who like the taste of strawberry White Claw.” “Super approachable, nice and light, appley—I could just, like, crush an entire box of it.” (Hint: might not atually be a box wine—we were blind tasting) “It’s…

A public service announcement called “Why” popped up on my television screen in December 2023. A state agency called the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) suggested that to protect my health, I should stop buying wine. I almost blew the wine I was drinking through my nose—neo-prohibitionism was attempting a beachhead in my living room. Neo-prohibitionists seek to significantly reduce or stop alcohol consumption through a variety of means ranging from increased taxes and commercials to legislation restricting marketing and availability. If they succeed in fermentation-happy Oregon, they can prevail anywhere. The “Why” ad is part of the “Rethink the Drink” (RTD) initiative launched by OHA’s Public Health Division in the summer of 2022. It opens with a Dad and his young daughter shopping for groceries. After placing a case…

DOWN UNDER TO THE EMPIRE STATE I am one lucky gal. I get to taste from four of the most exciting corners of the wine world, although finding common threads among them might be harder than you think. Australia alone consists of 65 distinctly different wine regions, and good lord, the quality of this country is high. Textural yet fresh whites are a hugely exciting category. A surge of “alternative,” mostly Southern Italian varieties sees producers dialing down overt fruit and dialing up mouthfeel and non-fruit flavors (pine nuts, almond oil and hay in a waxy Vermentino? Yes please!). No stranger to texture and refreshment, Hunter Valley Semillon remains wildly underrated yet utterly on-trend, with low alcohol, high acidity and deliciousness both young and old (I mean, seriously old),…

CHARDONNAY 97 Kumeu River 2023 Coddington Chardonnay (Kumeu). A benchmark New Zealand wine that should have a place in every Chardy lover’s collection, this vintage of Coddington is especially gorgeous. It’s a tightrope walk of briny seashell and smoke characters with bright lemon and stone fruit. The palate is poised, elegant, linear, with racy, citrusy acidity that slices through the textural weight. It’s a complete and utterly drinkable wine now. But it’d be a shame not to wait. This will evolve beautifully over the next 10-20 years. Wilson Daniels Ltd. Cellar Selection. —C.P. abv: 12.5% Price: $65 96 Kumeu River 2023 Maté’s Vineyard Chardonnay (Kumeu). One of New Zealand’s most renowned single-vineyard wines, this vintage of Maté’s doesn’t disappoint. Less overtly reductive than the previous vintage, the flinty, struck-match…

RED WINES BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO 97 Pietroso 2019 (Brunello di Montalcino). You know how when a dish is very delicious, but then you add a sprinkle of flaky, delicate Maldon salt and suddenly it’s utterly transcendent—glittering with energy and pulsing with flavor? That’s what a great Brunello tastes like. And that’s what Pietroso is. Az. Agr. Pietroso. —D.C. abv: 14.5% Price: $90 97 Salvioni 2019 (Brunello di Montalcino). It’s unusual to have the first word that comes to mind for a Brunello be “springtime”—it’s a full, rich wine after all. But Salvioni projects the delight of clean linens hanging in the sun as new flowers and herbs bloom even as it captures the classic warmth and bite of Sangiovese. It’s embracing and hopeful. Salvioni. —D.C. abv: 14.5% Price: $NA…

WHITE WINES CROZES-HERMITAGE 94 Laurent Fayolle 2022 Hauterives (Crozes-Hermitage). This delightful blend of 60% Marsanne and 40% Roussanne, sourced from 50+ year-old vines, delivers richness, texture and a refreshing profile. Fermented with indigenous yeast in stainless steel, it unfolds with crisp green apple and grapefruit flavors, finishing with a satisfying touch of salinity. Approchable now. Skurnik Wines, Inc. —A.C.C. abv: 13% Price: $NA 93 Domaine Belle 2022 Les Terres Blanches (Crozes-Hermitage). A focused expression of vibrant orchard fruit, accented by pineapple, acacia and a dash of white pepper. The palate is impeccably balanced, offering a pure core of fresh fruit and a subtle floral lift. Ready now, but should be rewarding with additional cellaring through 2028+ Petit Pois. —A.C.C. abv: 14% Price: $45 92 Domaine Belle 2022 Roche Blanche…

NEW VODKAS A cocktail hero not to be overlooked. There’s not a single vodka cocktail in Jigger, Beaker & Glass, the ’round-the-world travelogue penned by Charles H. Baker Jr. in 1939, and most recently reprinted in 2024. That’s too bad: The globetrotting author chronicled more than 400 drinks in the volume. But when it comes to vodka, his assessment is slight. “Theoretically it should never be sipped, but tossed off with a flip of the head,” Baker opined. And while its inclusion would make a bar complete, he acknowledged, vodka is “unnecessary to medium or small bars.” Baker was wrong about vodka on almost every count. Of course it’s suitable for sipping, especially if well chilled. And a good bottle is a versatile addition to any size bar. But…

“Does it really make that much of a difference?” one French winemaker asked, reaching for a glass of sparkling mineral water and arching an eyebrow so hard I feared he might pull a muscle. The room fell quiet, and I could see the others bracing for a potential misstep. I met his gaze: “Trust me, I know what I’m talking about.” I pay obsessive attention to factors that can affect tasting wine: barometric pressure, glassware, garlic aromas floating in the air, what I ate beforehand—all the little details that add up, though I know it can never be perfect. Today, he zeroed in on one of my favorite topics—the impact of water. Our task was simple enough: Blind taste the wines brought by each attending Southern Rhône producer, determine…