Innehållsförteckning för May 31, 2022 från Wine Spectator

One of Napa’s iconic wineries has changed hands, part of a generational shift in the premier U.S. wine region. Doug Shafer, president of Shafer Vineyards, announced Feb. 16 that Shinsegae Property, a major luxury-brand firm based in Seoul, South Korea, with department stores, shopping centers, golf resorts, hotels and other interests, has acquired the winery. Details were not disclosed, but the price tag is reportedly $250 million, which includes 225 acres of prime Napa vines. Shinsegae acquired the winery through its U.S. subsidiary Starfield Properties, Inc. Winemaker Elias Fernandez and the core staff will continue with the winery. Doug Shafer, who also will stay on, said in a statement to customers that he hopes the sale will allow him more time to focus on the things that made him fall…

The Southwest Florida Wine & Food Fest (SWFL) charity auction is back on the scene after going virtual in 2021. The organization raised $2.1 million for local pediatric health care programs, with more than half of the money coming from live auctionbids. The 14th annual live auction was held Jan. 22 at Fort Myers’ Florida SouthWestern State College. More than 300 guests helped raise $1.1 million in live bids. Although the auction had to be moved indoors due to weather conditions, SWFL Children’s Charities executive director Heidi Davis said guests were excited to be able to attend in person. “Raising over $2 million for the first time in a few years to enhance pediatric health care in our region for children and families was the highlight of the event,” said…

From its first vintage in 1974, the Lohr family has been a pioneer and leader on California’s Central Coast. As J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines approaches its 50th anniversary, the winery is still family owned and operated today. Founder Jerry Lohr and his three children, Steve, Cynthia, and Lawrence, co-own and manage one of the country’s most popular and trusted fine wine labels. Known for quality, consistency, innovation and leadership, vertically integrated J. Lohr Vineyard & Wines embodies an ethos of sustainability that touches all facets of the business and is carried forth by this next generation. The second-generation Lohrs have been fortunate to grow up in the business, following in the footsteps of their father. As Steve Lohr recalls, “I will always treasure kneeling in the rows alongside my…

ZENATO: SOUL OF LUGANA, HEART OF VALPOLICELLA The Story of Zenato is the story of a family who firmly planted its roots in the land and has passionately championed local grape varieties from the best vineyard sites in the Lugana and Valpolicella regions of the Veneto for over 60 years. The Lugana DOC is synonymous with the Zenato family and its legacy, pioneered by Sergio Zenato through his dedication and passion for the land and its native white varietal, Trebbiano di Lugana. This decades-long labor of love has made the Zenato family one of the leading producers of the Veneto region, with their iconic estate on the banks of Lake Garda. Lugana DOC San Benedetto and Lugana Riserva Sergio Zenato, the family’s signature wines, are crafted from the most prestigious…

Bodega Luigi Bosca celebrates a history marked by innovation, a pioneering spirit and the pursuit of excellence in winemaking from generation to generation. By connecting the past, present and future, four generations of the Arizu family have amassed 120 years of experience in premium winemaking as they plan ahead, respect their roots and highlight the uniqueness of the terroirs of Mendoza. Each generation of the Arizu family has marked a turning point in the ongoing evolution of Bodega Luigi Bosca’s development by setting a course for continued growth and evolution whilst remaining faithful to its artisanal model and humanist values. The history of this leading luxury winery can be traced back to 1890, when Leoncio Arizu, heir to a multi-generational family of Spanish winemakers, began to import his knowledge, craft…

Fingerprints and wine are fellow travelers. Each unique, never to be exactly replicated, beautiful in their individuality. Both signifying smaller parts of something much larger. In Joseph Herzog’s office there is a winestained bottle of 1985 Baron Herzog Cabernet Sauvignon. The stains are the fingerprints of his late father, Ernest, a bottle passed from father to son in a family winemaking tradition dating back hundreds of years across nine generations and two World Wars. Today, the Herzogs are the oldest winemaking family in America, tracing their lineage back to 1840 when they established the Herzog winery and distillery in the town of Vrbové, in the Trnava Region of Slovakia. Within 50 years, the winery had grown to such renown that patriarch Philip Herzog was awarded the title of Baron by…

In 1962 when Maggie and Harry Wetzel bought the historic Cyrus Alexander homestead that would become Alexander Valley Vineyards, it was mostly prune orchards and pastures. While this land, stretching from the Russian River to the Mayacamas Mountains in California’s Sonoma County, was beautiful, the idea of farming and creating world-class wines here was farfetched, at best. However, the Wetzels thought the land had potential, and the family began the demanding work of planting and establishing premium grape varieties. Everyone pitched in. At first, they sold their grapes to nearby wineries. Then the family built a small winery, where Hank—Maggie and Harry’s oldest son—produced Alexander Valley Vineyard’s first wine in 1975. As fate would have it, their hunch and hard work paid off. In 1976, the wine world took notice…

Legacy implies the passing down from one generation to the next. In the case of Charles Krug, it’s actually five generations, and a longterm vision for many more to come. With a rich and long history, Charles Krug has been family-owned since its founding by the forward-thinking father of Napa Valley winemaking Charles Krug in 1861, establishing the winery that put Napa on the world wine map. In 1943, Cesare and Rosa Mondavi purchased this iconic, historic estate and continued to build on its reputation for innovation and uncompromising quality. Their son Peter Mondavi Sr., carried on this tradition, remaining active in the winery until his passing in 2016 at the age of 101. Today, his two sons, Marc and Peter Jr., steward the family business as co-proprietors intent on…

Franco Pola started Fontanabianca winery in Neive, in the Piedmont region, in 1969, paving the way for the second and third generations who together currently run the family business. Franco’s son Aldo and Aldo’s wife, Luisella, farmed the land with the philosophy that wines of quality reflect the terroir from which they are produced. Throughout the years, Aldo began to look beyond the Piedmont region, growing Fontanabianca’s reach and reputation and sharing “the taste and perfume of Neive” in global markets. Today, Aldo is joined by his son Matteo in running the family winery. A second son, Francesco, is currently attending school but is expected to join the business in due course. Both Matteo and Francesco grew up helping with the harvests and other aspects of running the winery and…

For lovers of red Burgundy, the past decade has offered almost nothing but good news. A nearly unbroken string of excellent vintages—some of them superb—have produced an array of choices from the Côte d’Or, as well as plenty of great options from the region’s outlying areas. The current crop of wines, primarily early releases from the hot, dry 2019 vintage, indicate another spate of brilliant Pinot Noirs that should provide allure and pleasure for decades to come, while offering instant gratification in some cases as well. That’s because the vintage features ripe fruit flavors that are beautifully defined, plus silky textures and plenty of flesh to cover the wines’ underlying structures at this stage. In terms of quality, the 2019s equal the refined and elegant 2016s, though they are closer…

The Maggios’ story is one of family, farming and winemaking. Angelo arrived in Lodi in 1906 after emigrating from Italy with wife, Louisa. On the property of their ranch home, the first cuttings were planted in 1928, laying the foundation for the production powerhouse Oak Ridge Winery. Built in 1934, the facility was once a winemaking cooperative. When it was placed on the market in 2002, Angelo’s grandson, Rudy, saw this as an opportunity to extend their grapegrowing history and produce quality wines of their own. Rudy’s three daughters, each winegrowers, now oversee Oak Ridge’s operations, focusing on community, sustainability, brand building and more. 2022 marks the Maggio family’s 20th anniversary as Oak Ridge proprietors. Today, they’re looking ahead with premiumization efforts. This renaissance is supported by continued efforts to…

The Franscioni family’s Swiss-Italian ancestors arrived in the Santa Lucia Highlands in 1907 and farmed vegetables for a century. A third-generation farmer himself, Gary Franscioni recognized the potential of his land’s rocky soils and climate of persistent fog and wind. He planted Rosella’s Vineyard in 1996, co-founded the namesake Garys’ Vineyard a year later and established ROAR Wines in 2001. Today, with Adam overseeing farming and Nick in the winery, the family farms four vineyards and has established ROAR and the Santa Lucia Highlands’ reputation among the highest quality for winegrowing and winemaking in California–a formidable legacy to leave for their children and grandchildren. “Generational family farming is the ultimate long game. There’s a deep focus on the future, to preserve the land and take care of our people. At…

The Hurtado family has been an essential part of our winemaking team at The Duckhorn Portfolio since 1987 when they moved to the Napa Valley from a small town in the Mexican state of Michoacán called Patzímaro de Aviña. Over the years, we have employed more than 30 Hurtado family members, as brothers, cousins, wives and several members of the next generation have rooted themselves in all facets of our business. Whether cultivating grapes in our estate vineyards, crafting wines in our cellar, or welcoming guests in our tasting rooms, the dedication and hard work of the Hurtados has helped our wineries grow and thrive. To honor their commitment across the decades and to show our gratitude for the invaluable contributions they have made to our success, in 1998 we…

Lisa and Ariana Peju spent their childhoods helping parents Tony and Herta (HB) build a legacy, established in 1983, that endures today. From harvesting grapes to suckering vines to welcoming visitors to the winery tasting room, Lisa and Ariana absorbed the knowledge, built on it and now oversee all aspects of the business as well as the family’s six Napa Valley estate vineyards. Lisa serves as Peju’s brand ambassador, incorporating both global travel and digital engagement to promote Napa Valley and Peju wines. Ariana, mom of two boys, is CEO. With an innovative eye, she responded quickly to pandemic realities, adapting Peju’s traditional direct-to-guest focus to a greater presence in e-commerce, an evolution she continues to champion. Sustainability is also a key commitment for the Peju sisters. They are continuing…

For more than a century, the Riboli family has been involved in California’s wine industry. As one of the fastest-growing wine companies in the United States today, it’s always thinking about what’s next. Today, Riboli Family Wines is being shaped and directed by these fourth generation family members, each committed to environmental sustainability, supporting others within the business and creating quality wines. Anthony Riboli, fourth generation winemaker, has led the way by purchasing land in Monterey and Paso Robles and planting sustainable vineyards. In addition, he oversaw the construction of a winemaking facility in Paso Robles in 2016 that also holds a sustainability certification. These investments allow for “ground to glass” control of the process, Anthony says, leading to improved quality each vintage: “Our family’s commitment to sustainability started with…

GRAHAM’S PORT: TWO FAMILIES DEDICATED TO PERFECTING THE ART OF PORT-MAKING Over the course of 200 years, Graham’s Port has been shaped by the commitment of two families to produce exceptional wines built on an enduring dedication to Portugal, its people, and the art of Port-making. Founded in 1820 by brothers William and John Graham, Graham’s Port was born from a shared ambition to produce outstanding Port wines. The brothers quickly gained an impressive reputation and their success culminated in the building of Graham’s Lodge in Vila Nova de Gaia and the acquisition of the flagship Quinta dos Malvedos estate in the Douro Valley in 1890. A few years earlier, in 1882, Andrew James ‘AJ’ Symington sailed from Scotland to Porto to work for the Graham family, beginning an association…

THE VINEYARD AND THE LAND: THE REASON FOR FAMILIA MARTÍNEZ ZABALA’S EXISTENCE Familia Martínez Zabala represents the dedication of a family that has lived and lives by and for wine and has always been inspired by the vineyards, which are the origin of everything they do. More than 160 years of excellence, know-how and passion for the vine inspires the fourth generation: Carmen and Lourdes Martínez Zabala. The sisters, with more than 20 years of experience in the winery, continue working with dedication and fervor to maintain this legacy, and they do it with a vision of the future, always focusing on progress and the search for excellence and respecting the land and the environment. In Familia Martínez Zabala, six wineries reflect the passion of a family that lives for…

Eric Rousseau peruses the wine list at Chez Guy, a chic restaurant favored by vignerons in the center of Gevrey-Chambertin. He settles on a Gevrey-Chambertin 2016 from Domaine Duroché, a colleague in the village. Decorations from the past weekend’s festival of Saint Vincent, patron saint of winegrowers, remain installed in the town and clearly there is pride and camaraderie among the Gevrey growers. Humble, boyish and soft-spoken, with smiling eyes, only the creases on his face bear witness to 40 years working in the vineyards. He raises his glass when proprietor Guy Rebsamen pours a taste. “C’est bon,” he says, and nods as if recognizing an old friend. Rousseau knows the terroirs of Gevrey-Chambertin well. As owner of Domaine Armand Rousseau, he farms parcels in some of its best cli…

IN both his Manhattan fine dining restaurant and his recent cookbook, Gabriel Kreuther: The Spirit of Alsace, the chef brings together past and present, Europe and the United States. Just as he grew up on a farm in Alsace and now cooks at the top level in New York, a meal at his eponymous restaurant might begin with a supremely homey tarte flambée and progress to a modern delicate sturgeon tart served under a wineglass filled with smoke. For this story, Kreuther offers four dishes from his childhood. They have the ease of making for home cooks, underscored by the knowledge and precision of a world-class chef. Regardless of the venue or complexity of a dish, Kreuther’s guiding ethic is that flavor comes first: “The tendency of a cook without…

America’s perennially top-performing charity wine auction outdid itself this year, raising $23 million for children’s charities. The Naples Winter Wine Festival (NWWF), which has consistently held the No. 1 spot among charity wine auctions in recent years, was held in-person on Jan. 30, after a virtual iteration in 2021. The funds raised help support underprivileged children in Collier County, Fla., through the Naples Children & Education Foundation (NCEF). The live auction was held at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort, where hundreds of wine lovers packed the tent to bid on 43 experience-focused lots. World-renowned vintners joining the crowd included Piero Antinori, Olivier Krug, Véronique Drouhin-Boss and Laura Catena. “On a scale of one to 10, the energy under the tent broke the meter,” said NCEF CEO Maria Jimenez-Lara. “Although we had…

“Chile is really a mosaic of terroirs,” remarks Emmanuel Riffaud, general manager for Baron Philippe de Rothschild Chile. “It has 15% more area than Bordeaux, but is stretched 10 times more than Bordeaux.” If this is true for Chile as a whole, then it’s equally true for the country’s subregions, each of them a mosaic of their own. In recent years, Chilean vintners tapped new and old winegrowing areas to broaden the variety of wines being made, from coastal-influenced Pinot Noir and Chardonnay to oldvine País and Carignane. Even with this ongoing expansion, one region has remained the focal point of the country’s wine industry: the Maipo district. The region comprises nearly a tenth of Chile’s more than 300,000 acres of vines, but it’s home to many of the most…

1772-2022: THE BOSCAINI FAMILY CELEBRATES ITS 250TH HARVEST Masi is a leading producer of Amarone and has always interpreted the values of the Venetian regions with passion. The history of Masi begins in 1772, date of the first harvest of the Boscaini family in the prestigious vineyards of the “Vajo dei Masi,” a valley in the heart of Valpolicella Classica. The winery celebrates its 250th anniversary this year. Masi offers recognised expertise in the Appassimento technique, a method of drying harvested grapes, practiced since Ancient Roman times to concentrate the wine, and continuously innovated by the Masi Technical Group. Masi is also one of the historical interpreters of Amarone: its President, Sandro Boscaini, represents the sixth generation of the family that has made Amarone one of the prestige names of…

For the Guedes family, wine represents a way of being and living. The owners of Sogrape seek to “bring friendship and happiness to everyone we touch through our wonderful wines.” The family has been living this mantra since Fernando Van Zeller Guedes launched Sogrape in Portugal’s Douro Valley in 1942. The Guedes family had a global vision. Fernando’s son, also named Fernando, diversified the company in key Portuguese wine regions. Then, his grandson, Salvador da Cunha Guedes, expanded Sogrape internationally and developed it into an increasingly global business. Salvador’s brother Fernando da Cunha Guedes, serves as president, keeping leadership in the hands of the third generation. In three generations, Sogrape has expanded from a single winery in the Douro Valley to a global company with winemaking operations in Portugal, Spain,…

On the border between Slovenia (ZGP Brda) and Italy (DOC Collio), the Kristančič family has cultivated the land of the Movia estate for more than two centuries. On 26 cultivated hectares divided among 12 vineyards, Movia capitalizes on the Mediterranean climate to produce Chardonnay, Ribolla Gialla, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Nero, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malvasia and Sauvignon vert. For the Kristančič family, wine represents the way of life. It’s their everyday, their base. Aleš Kristančič, who refined his winemaking skills in Bordeaux and Burgundy, belongs to the eighth generation of winemakers who began working the land in 1820. He farms organically using biodynamic principles in accordance with the traditions of his ancestors. Now, Aleš and his wife, Vesna, are sharing long-standing traditions and practices with the ninth generation of…

The Bonnie family bought Château Malartic-Lagravière in Léognan near Bordeaux in 1996. Alfred and Michèle Bonnie devoted themselves to an impassioned revival of the Classified Growth’s quality. The property today is one of the jewels of the Bordeaux region, managed with energy and rigour by their children Véronique and Jean-Jacques. This next generation, supported by a loyal team, manages the Grand Cru Classé to continue the family’s quest to further improve the quality of the wines in a sustainable, environmentally friendly manner. Guardians of a 300-year-old legacy, they also appreciate the importance of a vision that will carry the property into a new era with dynamism. Understanding the terroir and its expression remain the focus of attention. Visitors to the property are always welcome and have never been so well-received!…

FOUR WINEMAKERS. NEARLY 50 YEARS OF GROWING AND CRAFTING HIGH-QUALITY WINES Jack Cakebread launched Cakebread Cellars in 1973 with a focus on Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon. His sons, Bruce and Dennis, joined the winery in winemaking, and sales and marketing, respectively. Bruce took over as winemaker in 1979, bringing a strong focus on sustainability that endures today. Julianne Laks spent 15 years working with Bruce before becoming lead winemaker. She introduced the practices of hand-harvesting grapes exclusively at night and whole-cluster pressing for Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. Today’s winemaker, Stephanie Jacobs, absorbed that powerful knowledge from Jack, Bruce and Julianne, becoming winemaker in 2017 and leading the winery into the next generation. Stephanie created the Pinot Noir program, growing and producing vibrant wines from Anderson Valley. She continues…

THE VINEYARDS THE WINEMAKING HARVEST After picking, the grapes are now destemmed only, with the berries left intact rather than being lightly crushed as they were under Rousseau père. If the harvest is early and hot (e.g., 2018, 2019, 2020) the fruit is quickly chilled to 59° F. “In 2019, when the temperature was very high, we picked in the morning,” Rousseau notes. FERMENTATION The nascent wine macerates on the skins for 18 to 21 days, beginning with a cold maceration for five to six days. “We’ve done it that way for about 20 years,” says Rousseau. Punching down and pumping over of the cap of skins are both used to manage extraction. CHAPTALIZATION The warm 2018, 2019 and 2020 vintages required no chaptalization (addition of sugar to the fruit),…

wines worth buying BY THE CASE RELIABLE, WELL-PRICED BOTTLES TO STOCK UP ON No matter how adventurous a wine drinker you are, there’s value in keeping a few consistently great everyday picks on hand—whether you want a stash to pull from without eating into your cellar collection or simply like the idea of having a “house wine.” These somm selections, fairly widely available for purchase, range from an easy-drinking Pinot Noir priced at less than $20 to an affordable, robust Italian red your guests will think you splurged on. Marcello Cancelli | WINE DIRECTOR Boka Restaurant Group, Chicago, including Swift & Sons For an everyday white, find a fresh wine that works well as a sipper and on a budget. Ruffino makes a delicious Orvieto Classico that is widely available…

Wine has frequently been an accessory on primetime television, but three new shows have given it a starring role. And all of them are aiming to attract a younger and more diverse audience to wine-tinged drama. Screenwriter Matt Lopez was reading John Steinbeck’s East of Eden when executives at ABC asked him to create a drama about a Latino family. The third-generation Cuban-American loved the idea of a multi-generational “Steinbeckian” California story about land and agriculture. The result is Promised Land, which follows a fictional immigrant family’s pursuit of their American dream, in this case, a successful wine business. The first season of Promised Land, now on Hulu, follows Joe Sandoval (played by John Ortiz) and his family as they vie for the throne of Heritage House, a successful Sonoma…