Bordeaux Vintages: Why the Year Can Beat the Château
A dozen 1961 Lafites sold for $4,335 in 1990–91 and a dozen 1965s for $190. This guide to Bordeaux vintages explains how weather sets a year, what First Growth means…
Alsace Wine Region: A Moving Border and a Mountain Wall
French drinkers once found Alsace's wines too green, too acidic and too expensive. This guide to the Alsace wine region covers the border that moved four times, the Vosges rain…
Loire Valley Wine Guide: Four Regions Along One River
A guide to Loire Valley wine: the four regions along the river from Muscadet to Sancerre, their grapes and styles, how to read the labels, and where the sources disagree.
Gamay vs Pinot Noir: The Child a Duke Banned
Gamay and Pinot Noir are parent and child, and a medieval duke banned one to protect the other. Here is how they differ in the vineyard, the glass and the…
Viognier: The Perfumed Grape That Almost Vanished
In the 1960s the whole world had fewer than 10 hectares of Viognier. By 2016 it had about 16,000. Here is what it tastes like, why it nearly disappeared and…
Burgundy Wine Region: A Complete Guide for Beginners
The complete beginner’s guide to Burgundy: the classification system, five sub-regions from Chablis to the Mâconnais, what the wines taste like, how to read a label, and where to find…