Wine Spectator March 31, 2021

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You don’t really understand the true meaning of “unconditional love” until you have a pet. For me, that means a dog. Dog owners tend to be passionate and even possessive. Twenty five years ago my love and devotion went to a Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier named Cristina. Sadly, she had a rare kidney disease and died at age eight. In my grief, I swore I was a one-dog man and never wanted another. But then along came Lionel, a Miniature Goldendoodle, who, since the day I met him, has been the love of my life. Lionel, now age 6, actually belongs to my daughter Jessica and her husband, Jay. But my wife, Hazel, and I sort of adopted the pooch when Jessica and Jay became parents to our grandson, Asher, almost two years ago. Hazel…

Key to portraits: Dog’s name (bold); owner’s last name (italic); concluding with breed and dog’s age…

A new president has taken office, but painful tariffs are not going away any time soon for many European winemakers and the American businesses that sell those wines. On New Year’s Eve, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer announced additional tariffs, part of the ongoing fight with the European Union over subsidies to airplane manufacturers. When in October 2019 Lighthizer imposed 25% tariffs on wines from France, Spain and Germany, he only applied them to wines below 14% alcohol. No longer. As of Jan. 12, French and German wines at 14% and higher face 25% duties. (Airplane parts will continue to face 15% tariffs.) In November 2020, the E.U. imposed $4 billion of its own tariffs on a wide range of American products, including orange juice, ketchup and tractors, after the World Trade…

Heitz Cellar owner Gaylon Lawrence Jr. and CEO Carlton McCoy Jr. are not slowing in their quest to acquire and preserve some of Napa’s most treasured wine estates. Three months after purchasing Burgess Cellars, the duo announced on Dec. 23 the acquisition of Stony Hill Vineyard, located in Napa’s Spring Mountain District. The purchase price was not disclosed. The sale includes the Stony Hill brand and inventory, winery and 30 acres of vineyards. Lawrence and McCoy have appointed Jaimee Motley as winemaker. “We’ve become almost hopelessly nostalgic about some of these sites in Napa Valley,” McCoy told Wine Spectator, citing the importance of the history and people behind the recent acquisitions. “Wine estates are not brands. They are expressions of terroir and the people behind it.”—Carlton McCoy Jr., Heitz CEO Stony Hill was one…

Half a million people know they can find the beauty and wonder of the world of wine on Instagram by following @Wine_Spectator. Wine Spectator’s Instagram account reached new heights to close out 2020, hitting the milestone of more than 500,000 followers. More than 100,000 people have signed on in just the past year. And we’re looking forward to bringing even more of social media’s most enthusiastic wine lovers along for the ride in 2021. Followers have access to the more than 2,000 photos and videos posted since our Instagram inaugural in 2013, including breathtaking vineyard scenics and cellar shots, exceptional recipes, news reports, videos of star winemakers, and advice from Wine Spectator editors. Most recently, we’ve added Instagram Stories and our IGTV “Straight Talk” series of live chats with winemakers, chefs and…