Wine Spectator September 30, 2020

Visit WineSpectator.com/093020 to find links to all of the following resources. FREE RESOURCES FOR ALL WINESPECTATOR.COM READERS NEW RESTAURANT AWARDS SITE Easily find the 2020 award winners, with maps, or look for the perfect dining spot by wine strengths, cuisine type, pricing and more. Plus, enjoy all our dining articles in one convenient location—restaurant guides, sommelier and chef interviews, news and more. Visit WineSpectator.com/Restaurant! STRAIGHT TALK WITH WINE SPECTATOR A new Instagram Live series featuring conversations with wine-and-food newsmakers. Recent editions have featured California winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown, chef José Andrés, and wine journalist and educator Julia Coney. (All episodes are archived on our IGTV channel for viewing anytime.) Tune in to Straight Talk on Wine Spectator’s Instagram page every Tuesday and Thursday at 7 p.m. ET, and check out the chat schedule…

During this pandemic period of sheltering in place, many wine lovers have turned to their home wine cellars for enjoyment and escape. Pulling out a well-aged bottle of wine with a story to tell can transport us to a better time, and a better place. Unfortunately, sometimes the wine we’ve saved for years turns out to be disappointing. Maybe it wasn’t that good to begin with; maybe we kept it past its peak. Or, more likely, our storage conditions didn’t protect and nurture it to its full potential. Fine wine needs a space that stays at a cool, steady temperature, insulated from shocks of heat, light and movement. Those who care enough for wine to mature it safely–call them collectors—create secure cellars for their bottles. These cellars often reflect traditional design motifs, modeled…

Keep Us Posted Your recent “Health Talk” article (WineSpectator.com, July 8) on the loss of smell and taste from COVID-19 hit home for my wife and I as we have been living through the same experience following a mild case of the virus. Given the number of people worldwide who have contracted the virus, I suspect a fair amount of your readers have similar symptoms and, like ourselves, are concerned about the timing and degree that our senses will return to pre-virus levels. [Please] continue to provide information and case studies of the recovery of others who have lost their smell and taste, to give us hope and confidence that we will be able to appreciate and enjoy a bottle of our favorite wine on the other side of the recovery. Walter WinnitzkiManhasset,…

For close to 20 years, a dedicated group of Black vintners and other industry members has worked to change the lack of diversity in U.S. wine. With more Americans challenging systemic racism and looking to support Black-owned businesses, the Association of African American Vintners (AAAV) is hoping to highlight its members’ hard work and excellent wines while encouraging a new generation to see opportunity in the sector. The AAAV was founded in 2002 as a nonprofit to promote awareness of African American vintners, create a sense of community, and reach out to wine consumers. Currently the group counts 30 vintners among its ranks, such as Theodora Lee of Theopolis Vineyards and André Hueston Mack of Maison Noir, as well as other industry professionals. Since the protests sparked by George Floyd’s death…

Flavorful Expressions from the East Japanese whisky has burst onto the scene in the last few years. Though it may seem like a new sensation, the Japanese actually have a long history with whisky making, starting with the establishment of the Yamazaki Distillery in 1924. Though for most of the 20th century they exclusively made blends, that all changed in 1984 with the launch of Suntory Single Malt Whisky Yamazaki 12 Year Old and then Yamazaki 18 Year Old in 1992. Today, the single malts coming out of Yamazaki (as well as Hakushu Distillery) are as well-regarded and coveted as any from Scotland: soft and fruity, with hints of Mizunara oak and smoke, and tons of complexity. Suntory's Toki and Hibiki Japanese Harmony blends-using grain whiskies from the Chita Distillery-continue to break…

A typical Bordeaux futures campaign starts around May and drags slowly through June. But 2020 has hardly been typical, with the global pandemic canceling the influx of wine journalists and buyers into the region to taste the wines before they’re offered for sale, and global markets in economic turmoil, including the highly important U.S. market, which currently has 25% tariffs in place on many French wines. Though the châteaus got a late start on their campaign, they moved quickly, with most major names releasing futures within a few weeks. And they were thoughtful with pricing, dropping them by as much as 30% from last year’s campaign. Château Pontet-Canet lit the fuse, releasing its 2019 futures at 58 euros per bottle, exnégociant, down 31% on the 2018 opening price of 84 euros. U.S.…