Wine Enthusiast Magazine December 2022

Jacqueline Strum EDITOR & PUBLISHER MANAGING EDITOR, PRINT John Capone TASTING DIRECTOR Anna-Christina Cabrales CREATIVE DIRECTOR Marco Turelli EDITORIAL MANAGING EDITOR, DIGITAL Rachel Paley SENIOR EDITOR, PRINT Stacy Briscoe DIGITAL EDITOR Kristen Richard ASSISTANT EDITOR, DIGITAL J’nai Gaither ASSISTANT EDITOR, PRINT Jacy Topps EDITORIAL ASSISTANT, DIGITAL Jaime Brown CONTRIBUTING EDITOR, FOOD Nils Bernstein WEB PRODUCER Samantha Sette DESIGN ART DIRECTOR Monica Simon DIGITAL VISUALS EDITOR Evan de Normandie DIGITAL DESIGNER Eric DeFreitas VISUALS PRODUCER Jesse Reiter ASSOCIATE PHOTO PRODUCER Tom Arena TASTING SENIOR EDITOR, TASTING Jim Gordon SENIOR TASTING COORDINATOR Craig Chamberlain ASSISTANT TASTING COORDINATOR Cody Wexler ASSISTANT TASTING COORDINATOR Russell Peborde SOCIAL DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL MEDIA Elyse Estrella SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGIST Marco Bruno COMMUNITY COORDINATOR Ruya Kirac VIDEO SUPERVISING VIDEO PRODUCER Braxton Parr VIDEO PRODUCER Rob Martin WRITERS AT LARGE WINE Michael Alberty, Virginie Boone, Danielle Callegari, Mike DeSimone, Matt Kettmann, Christina Pickard, Jeff Porter, Emily Saladino, Layla Shlack, Jesica Vargas, Roger Voss, Aleks Zecevic SPIRITS Kara Newman BEER John Holl EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF…

This holiday season, all of us may find some joy in and celebrate the conventional. The last few years have looked nothing like those before them, and maybe we can use a festive homecoming to the comforting rhythms of routine. One thing is for certain, nostalgic nods to comfort proliferate these pages. Creamy, cozy cocktails and fortified sippers get their moments in the sun, and a beautiful “Last Drop” on the healing powers of the Santa Ynez Valley add to the warm feelings we hope you’ll get from these pages. It seems there’s so much to celebrate this season by indulging in the ordinary. My favorite piece, “Season’s Eatings,” pulls holiday food memories from our staff alongside perfect pairings. In reading it, I recall my own memories of holidays with the family.…

FUTURE 40 This past September, Wine Enthusiast hosted a cocktail reception with Jackson Family Wines. The evening celebrated the launch of Wine Enthusiast’s Future 40 and the 40th anniversary of Kendall-Jackson’s first pour at the iconic Oyster Bar in Grand Central Station.…

The Wine Enthusiast Podcast, hosted by Assistant Editor Jacy Topps, is your twice-monthly serving of drinks culture and the people who drive it. Recently we’ve talked with industry leaders about sustainability, representation, cannabis and more. Listen wherever you get your podcasts or at winemag.com/podcast. “Representation matters on every single level. Because the only way we’re going to change the system is by changing the rulebook and changing the game. And you can’t change the game from the sidelines.”Wanda James, Founder, Simply Pure Dispensary EPISODE: Who Gets to Participate in the Cannabis Industry (And Who Doesn’t) EPISODE: What is Regenerative Agriculture? “It’s really about recognizing that you’re a part of an ecosystem. Instead of trying to control that ecosystem, you’re trying to work with it and enhance it and understand that deep connection between the…

When we asked around the office what foods come to mind when our staff thinks of their own holiday traditions, we learned that if we all got together, we might end up with one very eclectic potluck. Dessert is covered and the influences span the globe, but, as you might expect, we all had one thing in common: The team would be bringing some heat when it comes to bottles and cocktail creativity. So, take notes—no matter what is being served at your family table, this should spark your shopping list. Retro dishes are feeling fresh again, so I keep thinking about the Waldorf salad—green apple, celery and walnut, occasionally with some shredded coconut (!)—that my mom would bust out for holiday dinners when I was a kid. –Nils Bernstein, Contributing Editor,…

There are competing tales as to why peppermint-flavored striped sugar sticks were bent into a cane shape starting in the 1800s. Most likely they were meant to resemble a shepherd’s crook from the Nativity scene, but their attractive presence (and ease of hanging) on the Christmas tree guaranteed them a place as a holiday hallmark. Something you may not have considered is pairing them with a glass of wine as an adult fireside treat. They’re more complex than you think. SWEET Above all, candy canes are sweet. The wine-pairing rule with sweets is that the wine should be sweeter than the food. (Yes, candy canes are food.) Canadian Icewine (one word) is the pride of the country’s wine production. Often made with Vidal Blanc, it gives intensely sweet flavors of tropical fruits…