Wine Spectator November 15, 2020

FREE RESOURCES FOR ALL WINESPECTATOR.COM READERS GLOSSARY OF WINE TERMS Unfamiliar with a word on a label or in a tasting note? Check our glossary. WINE CHALLENGE From the basics of tasting to trivia about grapes, regions and styles, test your knowledge of all things wine by taking our quizzes. Every two weeks, we post a new set of questions. STRAIGHT TALK WITH WINE SPECTATOR is an Instagram Live series featuring conversations with industry newsmakers, hosted by our senior editors such as (top, from left) James Molesworth, MaryAnn Worobiec and Bruce Sanderson. Recent additions include (above, from left) Bart and Jaime Araujo of Napa’s Accendo Cellars, Greg and Morgan Norman of Greg Norman Estates, and somm/vintner Rajat Parr. All episodes are archived on our IGTV channel for viewing anytime, or tune in live…

As most wine lovers know, California has been battling wildfires this fall. They have damaged wineries, homes and vineyards. You’ll find all the latest news at our website, WineSpectator.com. The fires, and their smoke, have also impacted the 2020 harvest. We don’t know all the consequences, but some vineyards won’t be harvested, some grapes will suffer from smoke taint, and some wines will simply not be bottled or sold. In this issue, we present our annual report on the current releases of California Cabernet Sauvignon. Our coverage is led by lead taster James Molesworth, and his analysis focuses on the 2017 vintage. That year too, wildfires raced through the vineyards, causing destruction on the ground and adding to the difficulties the region’s vintners already faced in a season marked by heat waves…

When the fires came in the middle of the night to Spring Mountain, 2,000 feet above the Napa Valley floor, Steve Sherwin and his son Matt were not going to give up without a fight. They began helping fire crews, trying to keep the flames away from Sherwin Family Vineyards. “Steve and Matt had been courageously up there all night battling spot fires, trying to save homes and further loss on the mountain,” recounted Wesley Steffens, estate director and associate winemaker at the nearby Vineyard 7 & 8. “Their winery burned, as did the winery at Behrens, though other structures on both properties still stand. Fred and Andy Schweiger [of neighboring Schweiger Family Vineyards & Winery] were on the hill battling for over 30 hours. Efforts like theirs and the…

Charles Woodson isn’t new to the wine game. The NFL great and only defensive player to ever win the Heisman Trophy has been a presence in California wine country since he made his first barrel of wine in 2001. Over the past two decades, Woodson has founded two labels: TwentyFour and Intercept. Woodson recently spoke with senior editor Mary-Ann Worobiec on “Straight Talk With Wine Spectator,” an Instagram Live series, to discuss his days as an Oakland Raider living near wine country, his efforts to create an affordable Cabernet brand, and how he’s used lessons learned on the field when he’s in the vineyard. Woodson came to national attention while playing for the University of Michigan, where he won the Heisman in 1997 and helped the Wolverines earn a share of the…

After a career spanning more than 30 years at M. Shanken Communications, Thomas Matthews is stepping down as executive editor of Wine Spectator. Jeffery Lindenmuth, executive editor of sibling publication Whisky Advocate, will assume the role. The transition will take place at the end of 2020, announced Marvin R. Shanken, editor and publisher of both magazines. Matthews joined Wine Spectator in 1988, working in the London and then the New York offices. In 1999, he was promoted to executive editor, overseeing print and digital operations as well as events and special projects. Matthews has also been the magazine’s lead taster for the wines of Spain, and a principal travel and restaurant writer. During his tenure, Wine Spectator became the most widely read wine publication in the world, with more than 3…

Troy and Jill Campione were on the couch watching a Disney sing-along skit and sipping Piper-Heidsieck Champagne when inspiration struck. The sixtime Wine Spectator Video Contest finalists decided to write their own wine-centric lyrics to the Beauty and the Beast hit song “Be Our Guest” for this year’s “Wine at Home” contest theme, and film a music video. The end result, “Drink the Best in House Arrest,” took first place. The video was shot over the course of two days, almost entirely on an iPhone, with vocal parts recorded in a closet. Troy’s passion for wine started in 2000, when he moved to California and began hosting business dinners. He says the song’s lyrics borrow from his tastings at events such as Wine Spectator’s Grand Tour, and sommelier classes. Filmmaking responsibilities…