Wine Spectator March 31, 2023

Wine Spectator is well-versed in the history of wine in America. For more than four decades, we have chronicled the evolution of the wine market. We’ve witnessed American consumers’ growing appreciation of wine, especially at the dinner table. In this issue, we focus our attention on the future of wine. Senior editor Mitch Frank spoke with wine authorities from across the realms of viticulture, winemaking, climate science and business to get a read on what’s in store for fine wine in America. Some might feel that attempting to predict the future is a losing game. After all, back in 2019 who could have anticipated a global pandemic with implications across every walk of life, including wine. Restaurants and hospitality venues, key markets for wine, were devastated before eventually making a strong…

A Stirring Story Although I have been a reader and subscriber for 40 years, I have never written to Wine Spectator. After reading the Nov. 30, 2022, issue, I had to write in praise of the collaborative work by senior editors Mitch Frank and Tim Fish on the cover story on Robert Mondavi. In my 20s, I lived about 70 miles south of Napa Valley, toured vineyards as often as possible and learned much about wines due to the knowledge and kindness of many vintners. I left for the East Coast in 1980 but continued to follow the Mondavi name and buy the wines, including half-cases of Opus One. Although the Mondavis have often made the pages of Wine Spectator, no issue has taken such a deep and broad look at the original…

A crowd of disgruntled vignerons and their allies marched through downtown Bordeaux in December, calling for help to save their livelihoods. When the hundreds of marchers reached the doors of the Bordeaux Wine Council (CIVB), the local trade organization, they piled dead vines on its doorstep and hung a dummy from a tree outside, representing financially troubled grapegrowers at risk of suicide. The growers are demanding financial compensation to pay for grubbing up their vines, calling on the French government to subsidize uprooting efforts in Bordeaux’s less prestigious areas. They want roughly €4,000 per acre, but the government has said European Union rules prevent such payments—and that’s causing anger, frustration, even despair. For decades, Bordeaux has been grappling with shrinking sales of value wines. Consumption in France has dropped by more than…

Wine Spectator is pleased to announce the promotion of Aaron Romano to senior editor. Romano, based in Napa, is an invaluable member of Wine Spectator’s editorial team and is lead taster for the wines of Argentina and Chile. He joined the tasting department in our Napa office in 2012, was promoted to associate tasting coordinator in 2017, then to associate editor and tasting coordinator in 2020. Romano has shown passion and dedication for covering the wine industry, tackling news stories and writing cover features on topics such as the developing cannabis industry in California wine regions. His recent in-depth profiles include star winemaking couple Annie Favia and Andy Erickson. “I have followed Romano’s progress over the years,” said Marvin R. Shanken, editor and publisher. “I am happy to appoint him as…

Gaylon Lawrence Jr.’s wine ambitions now officially extend beyond Napa Valley. Lawrence Family Wine Estates, the wine company founded by the Tennessee billionaire and managed by Carlton McCoy, has purchased a majority stake in Château Lascombes, a second-growth estate in Bordeaux’s Margaux appellation. The deal is Lawrence Wine Estates’ first acquisition in Europe, joining a portfolio that includes Napa wineries Heitz Cellar, Burgess Cellars, Ink Grade and Stony Hill Vineyard. “We are honored to become the new stewards of such a historic estate,” said Lawrence. “This château has some of the greatest vineyards in Margaux, and our family looks forward to caring for Château Lascombes for many generations to come.” The deal includes about 300 acres of vineyards in Margaux and 24 acres in the Haut-Médoc. Annual production is about 20,000…

On a sunny afternoon last December, a woman stands at the counter at Sherry-Lehmann, frowning. She asks why she hasn’t received an overdue $200 refund. “It takes four to eight weeks for the credit to be processed,” the salesman says. He offers the woman the value of her refund in wine. But the pickings are slim: The shelves labeled red Burgundy, once lined with bottles from prestigious domaines, are vacant. Except for a bottom row of inexpensive wines, the same is true of the shelves labeled white Burgundy. And the Bordeaux selection, once vast, is gone. The woman asking for her refund is persuaded to take several bottles of a well-known Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. As she leaves the shop, an expensively dressed man strides up to the counter. “I need…