Wine Spectator November 30, 2021

Visit WineSpectator.com/113021 to find links to all of the following resources. FREE RESOURCES FOR ALL WINESPECTATOR.COM READERS TOP 100 COUNTDOWN On Nov. 8, we begin unveiling the Top 10 Wines of 2021—complete with videos, tasting notes and more—culminating with the Wine of the Year on Nov. 12 and the complete Top 100 list on Nov. 15. Don’t miss the year’s most exciting wines! STRAIGHT TALK WITH WINE SPECTATOR is an Instagram Live series featuring conversations with wine-and-food newsmakers such as winemakers Andy Erickson and Thomas Rivers Brown, chefs Eric Ripert and José Andrés, and wine industry leaders Barbara Banke and Rob McMillan. Tune in to Straight Talk on Wine Spectator’s Instagram page and check out the chat schedule at WineSpectator.com/LiveChatCalendar. WINE SPECTATOR IS NOW ON YOUTUBE Watch all our great wine and recipe tips,…

This issue’s cover personality, Prince Robert de Luxembourg, may not be a familiar name to every wine lover, but his flagship estate certainly is: Château Haut-Brion is one of the five elite first-growths of Bordeaux. Robert joined the company in the 1990s and is now firmly in charge of a growing enterprise. He continues a long family tradition. The Dillon family has been faithful stewards of Haut-Brion since banker and financier Clarence Dillon bought the Bordeaux estate in 1935. The family has also long been part of Wine Spectator’s community. In 1995, a vertical tasting of Haut-Brion was a highlight of the Wine Experience. Douglas Dillon, Clarence’s son and a former U.S. ambassador to France, with longtime winemaker Jean-Bernard Delmas, presented eight vintages back to the legendary 1961. Joan, Douglas’ daughter, took…

Name That Bottle I have been a subscriber for years, and I know nothing about basketball, but I have to say that your profile of Carmelo Anthony (cover, May 31) was one of my favorite articles I’ve ever read. His curiosity, humility and thoughtfulness regarding his journeys through both sports and wine were refreshing and compelling. His mentorship of fellow players and his “What’s in Your Glass?” platform are prime examples of how wine can spark conversations and connections, becoming so much more than a beverage. The photo on page 43, of Anthony, Dwyane Wade and Jimmy Butler with an impressive array of wines, was so inspiring that I shared it with my husband and two friends (wine buffs all), and we challenged ourselves to identify each of the bottles. This entailed…

Now In Our IGTV Archives SEPT. 22 Alberto Antonini, consulting enologist and producer SEPT. 15 Valentina Abbona, owner and marketing manager, Marchesi di Barolo SEPT. 8 Tiquette Bramlett, president, Vidon Vineyard SEPT. 1 Barbara Banke, chairman and proprietor, Jackson Family Wines AUG. 25 DLynn Proctor, sommelier and director of Fantesca Estate & Winery AUG. 18 Chris Kajani, winemaker, Bouchaine Vineyards AUG. 11 Christian Moreau, founder, Domaine Christian Moreau Père & Fils AUG. 4 Braithe Tidwell, wine director, Brennan’s Restaurant JULY 28 Rob McMillan, founder, Silicon Valley Bank wine group JULY 21 Michael Browne, co-founder, Kosta Browne Winery WATCH ON INSTAGRAM Scan the QR code to start watching on our IGTV channel, or visit instagram.com/wine_spectator/channel…

Paso Robles–based Justin Vineyards and Winery is acquiring Napa’s Lewis Cellars, adding to a growing premium wine company. The price was not disclosed. The deal includes the brand, winery and inventory. Justin is owned by the Wonderful Company—a large farming firm that owns brands such as Fiji Water and Pom Wonderful—and will provide a marketing and sales arm to Lewis, while co-founder Randy Lewis and president Dennis Bell will remain at the helm of operations, along with winemaker James McCeney. “Randy and I have been seeking a compatible partner to maintain the quality and consistency of our wines while taking Lewis Cellars to the next level,” Bell told Wine Spectator. “We’ve found that partner with Justin.” Lewis Cellars was founded in 1992 after Lewis put race car driving in the rearview mirror…

Lynda and Stewart Resnick have built an $8 billion fortune through shrewd investments and marketing. In 1978, Stewart bought farmland in the Central Valley. Lynda marketed the crops with companies such as Halo mandarin oranges, Wonderful pistachios and POM Wonderful pomegranate juice. In 2010, they entered wine, buying Justin. A year later, they acquired Landmark Vineyards in Sonoma. They’ve also harvested controversy, particularly by buying up water rights in the Central Valley that have now proved precious after years of drought. And in 2016, workers at Justin cut down an estimated 100 acres of oaks. The Resnicks issued an apology, calling it “a lapse in judgement” and began planting 5,000 oak trees on their Paso lands.…