“My wines are like a person. They talk, they change, they tell you something different every sip. They taste different from one day to the next, from one hour to the next. That kind of complexity is what makes wine interesting.”
— Sean Thackrey
The Canary Islands
Hoyos on Lanzarote
A swell is forming 60 miles off the coast of Africa, on a smattering of volcanic islands, from some of the most bizarre-looking vineyards on the planet: wines so far off the beaten path that you needed a boat or plane to try them. Until now. Continue reading
Sean Thackrey
Down an intentionally-unmarked road in a remote section of Marin County, 500 yards from the Pacific Ocean, lies the largest, completely outdoor winery in California. Since his first 190-case vintage in 1981, Sean Thackrey has become an counter-culture icon in California winemaking. Continue reading
“I only want to sell wine I am proud of and I will only get a limited number of chances to do that in my lifetime… I would rather make a monumental stuff-up, than produce large quantities of mediocre wine.”
— Abrie Bruwer, Springfield Estate
The Summer of Riesling 2012
It’s the most fascinating, and probably most noble, white grape on the planet. It’s great in every style: dry, off-dry, sweet, very-sweet, and even sparkling. Riesling is the cool kid of the white grapes, well-dressed but not too fancy, charismatic and electrifying at the same time. Clearly, we love Riesling. Continue reading
The Guardian
There is a mutant lurking in Domaine de la Pertuisane’s 10 hectare vineyard in the village of Maury, tucked into the hills of the Catalan region of Southwest France. Grenache Noir and Carignan were the original plantings, up to 100 years old. The vines dig in to the black schist soils to weather the howling tramontane winds, gnarly and rugged. In this remarkable vineyard that produces just a half-ton per acre of red grapes, Mother Nature has spawned a grey mutant among them: Grenache Gris. Continue reading
Vivier
Stéphane Vivier is lazy.
Or perhaps he is working smarter, not harder. Letting the vineyards do the heavy lifting. He waits, watches, and plans. Tasting Stéphane’s wines are meant to be a pure expression of what made them, not who made them. The husband and wife team of Stéphane and Dana Vivier bring ancient traditions and a Burgundian sensibility to the youthful potential of American vineyards. Continue reading
Provence Rosé
Provence is still the international standard for Rosé — the Provençal have been perfecting their technique for 2600 years. In fact, Provence is the birthplace of French winemaking, as the Greeks brought vine cuttings to the area in 600 BC and founded the city of Marseille. Rosé now is more than just a delicious pink wine, it is a way of life. Continue reading
“For me, everything fits together; good food, wine, music, art, and architecture… the architecture needs to fit with the philosophy of the wine — clean, clear, straight.”
— Kathi Tinnacher, Lackner-Tinnacher