Wine Enthusiast Magazine May 2020

Adam M. Strum PUBLISHER Susan Kostrzewa EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Jacqueline Strum ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER MANAGING EDITOR Lauren Buzzeo TASTING DIRECTOR Alexander Peartree CREATIVE DIRECTOR Marco Turelli DIGITAL CREATIVE DIRECTOR Julia Lea EDITORIAL ASSOCIATE MANAGING EDITOR Layla Schlack SENIOR ASSOCIATE EDITOR Sarah Daniels TASTING ASSISTANT TASTING DIRECTOR Fiona Adams TASTING COORDINATOR Craig Chamberlain DIGITAL ASSOCIATE MANAGING EDITOR Emily Saladino SENIOR DIGITAL EDITORS Dylan Garret, Siobhan Wallace SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER Elyse Estrella SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR Marco Bruno DESIGN ART DIRECTOR Monica Simon ASSOCIATE DIGITAL DESIGNER Eric DeFreitas VISUALS PRODUCER Jesse Reiter ASSOCIATE PHOTO PRODUCER Tom Arena CONTRIBUTING EDITORS EUROPEAN EDITOR Roger Voss ITALIAN EDITOR Kerin O’Keefe WINE Michael Schachner, Paul Gregutt, Virginie Boone, Jim Gordon, Matt Kettmann, Sean P. Sullivan, Anna Lee C. Iijima, Anne Krebiehl, MW, Christina Pickard SPIRITS EDITOR Kara Newman BEER EDITOR John Holl FOOD Nils Bernstein TRAVEL Lauren Mowery LIFESTYLE & ENTERTAINING Mike DeSimone and Jeff Jenssen ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Brett Rachlin SENIOR DIGITAL ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Greg Remillard WEST COAST DIRECTOR Allison Langhoff DIRECTOR, SPECIAL PROJECTS & EVENTS Jen Cortellini ADVERTISING WEST COAST ACCOUNT MANAGER Karen Moore TEL: 510.225.8537 kmoore@wineenthusiast.net CENTRAL CALIFORNIA ACCOUNT MANAGER Jen Hord TEL: 831.747.4635 jhord@wineenthusiast.net FLORIDA & BUYING GUIDE…

One of the greatest joys of vinous culture is how enriching a connection can be made between wine and our most imaginative and intellectual passions. The world of wine is a natural match for anyone who celebrates the excitement of the creative space, and, in the right circumstances, pastimes like art, music, cooking, fashion, sports and more can be enhanced with a glass in hand. Today, growing numbers of artists and other celebrities are moving into the wine industry, too, and wine lovers are increasingly seeking the intersection of those worlds. In this issue, we shine a spotlight on that crossover, with exclusive features like a talk with legendary actor John Malkovich on his Rhône wine venture, Les Quelles de la Coste (page 42), a discussion with pop star and winemaker…

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WINE SPEAK PASO ROBLES This year’s three-day January event gave around 800 members of the public and trade a chance to attend workshops, seminars and excursions in California. Paso Robles winemakers also brought bottles for tastings led by five Master Sommeliers. Among those speaking to the crowd was Wine Enthusiast Contributing Editor Matt Kettmann. WINE PARIS This two-day February expo hosted 2,200 exhibitors who brought wines from all over France and elsewhere. For many producers, it was the debut of their 2018 vintages. Wine Enthusiast is a partner in this event that combines Vinisud and VinoVision into one large and centrally located option for members of the trade to connect. PREMIERE NAPA VALLEY The Napa Valley Vintners held their annual February auction at The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in St. Helena, California. In…

TEQULA IN THE LIMELIGHT You could call it the “George Clooney effect.” Ever since the actor launched Casamigos Tequila with Mike Meldman and Rande Gerber in 2013, more celebs than ever have rolled out their own branded bottles. Arguably, 2019 represented a peak. It saw the arrival of labels from singer Rita Ora (Próspero Tequila) and Third Eye Blind’s Stephan Jenkins (SummerGods), as well as star collaborations like Nick Jonas and designer John Varvatos (Villa One Tequila), Sammy Hagar with Guy Fieri (Santo Fino Blanco Tequila) and Michael Jordan with four other NBA owners (Cincoro Tequila). Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson also announced plans for a brand (Teremana), though it wasn’t released before year’s end. WHY TEQUILA? WHY NOW? “Like pretty much everything in the marketplace, drinks have fashions,” says Ellis Cashmore, author of the 2019…

Though certainly not obscure, Tempranillo oddly seems as foreign as it is well-known. The third-most planted grape variety in the world, the majority of its vines are found in Spain. There, it has almost as many aliases as it does growing regions. In Toro, for instance, it’s best known as Tinta del Toro, while in Ribera del Duero, it’s called Tinta del Pais or Tinto Fino. Tempranillo’s first known reference dates to the 13th century, but its popularity really exploded around the turn of the 21st century. Between 1990 and 2010, plantings increased almost five-fold. Oaky versions became the standard in the early 2000s, but that’s changing, with fresh, stainless steel-aged young or joven bottlings becoming increasingly in vogue. More and more, the grape is also grown in other parts of…