Falstaff International

DEAR READERS! It is hard to believe that this already is our third issue – the second in print! Kind readers sent us pictures of Falstaff on display in New York City, Stockholm and Tuscany – please do keep them coming! Now that you hold our spring issue in your hands, we are pleased to tell you that it is as jam-packed as ever, covering the three topics that are closest to our hearts: wine, food and travel. We have just put the cold and dark months of winter behind us, at least in the northern hemisphere, and are looking forward to entering the most hopeful and optimistic time of the year when everything launches back into life. Appropriately, we have chosen a theme of ‘Discovery and Rediscovery’ for this issue. Yes, we…

In line with its Reithian ethos “to inform, educate and entertain,” the British Broadcasting Corporation has launched a series of online courses on subjects as varied as dog training and cooking, taught by experts in their field. Jancis Robinson MW hosts 25 lessons, lasting a total of six hours. The course promises viewers can “become a wine expert, painlessly and at your own pace.” Robinson herself says: “I am going to take you on an adventure into my world. This is a course designed for anyone who likes drinking wine.” Aimed at beginners and experts alike, An Understanding of Wine costs £80 and is available internationally. bbcmaestro.com ! More news Get news directly into your inbox with our newsletter. Sign up at falstaff.com/newsletter…

BORDEAUX LEGEND ANTHONY BARTON DIES (1930-2022) Born in Kildare County, Ireland, Barton joined his uncle Ronald Barton in Bordeaux in 1951 and later became the charismatic owner of Châteaux Léoville Barton and Langoa-Barton. Tributes were paid to his charm and storytelling wit. leoville-barton.com FOURTH SOMM TV MOVIE TO BE RELEASED IN SPRING 2022 The immensely popular Somm TV franchise will release a fourth movie in spring 2022. Following the success of the original 2013 film that followed four Master Sommelier candidates though their exam process, two further documentaries were released in 2015 and 2018. The fourth movie Cup of Salvation “deals with the origins of religion and wine,” says filmmaker Jason Wise. “The story spans 8,000 years and includes locations all over the world.” sommtv.com CHAMPAGNE HAILS RECORD SALES FOR 2021 The Comité Champagne (CIVC)…

Californian red wine, especially from Napa Valley, has a certain image. The wines are thought of as big, bold, sometimes even brash – and sinfully expensive. But while they undoubtedly speak of Californian sunshine, they come with more nuance than they are given credit for. They are joined by equally expressive reds from Sonoma and the Central Coast. The winemakers and estates may not look back at centuries of tradition, but they are at the cutting edge of wine-making. Because their wines are valued in the market, they can afford to lavish care on vineyards, invest in progress and attract talent. They are also dealing with a changing climate and are re-assessing what it means to make wine in California – in all their numerous styles and philosophies. We are…

A PERSPECTIVE Katie Lazar and Christopher Howell, both 70 years old, have lived at Cain Vineyard & Winery on Spring Mountain in Napa Valley for years and Howell has made wine for the past 30 vintages there. In September 2020, they narrowly escaped the Glass Fire that raged through Napa County for days. They lost their home and some vineyards to the fire. After so many years, and this great loss, Howell has some perspective on the evolution of Napa Valley – and thus California. He is wondering what to replant. “Places like the Napa Valley might be likened to the growing up of a person. At first, as a young child, we are full of potential, and certain proclivities might declare themselves, but it is really too soon to know what…

100 2018 SCREAMING EAGLE Napa Valley Intense dark berry aroma streams from the glass. Cabernet concentrate of cassis, liquorice, lavender oil, ethereal and floral at the same time, supported by fine oak, fresh red fruits and salty minerality. Fullbodied, but not exuberant, powerful yet elegant, carried by ripe tannins and driven by a racy acid core, a hedonistic wine of enormous length and incalculable potential. PM 99 2016 PROMONTORY Napa Valley A hint of lichen, of moss and conifer clings to the dark fruit, almost with a citrus intensity. That perfume also informs the palate which seems compact, bullet-like, contained, seamless. There is luscious, melting, ripe fruit with a crushed blackberry character. The tannins are fine, freshness pervades the wine. This is firm, ripe, taut, fresh, dense, sleek, aromatic. There is focus and elegance. AK 98 2017…