The Wine Press is your weekly dose of wine news, covered in 15 minute episodes. Tune in each Thursday for the most eye-catching news from the wine world and beyond!
Host Maria Banson is a Certified Sommelier living and working in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband. Maria is the author of Brunello Bombshell, a blog that pairs wine with movies, TV shows, and more. She enjoys listening to Verdi operas and singing "Libiamo" while drinking Special Club Champagne... or old Brunello.
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Today in Wine News: Harvest has already begun in some of the Northern Hemisphere’s warmer wine regions, but after a rainy spring in notoriously chilly Champagne, Le Comité Champagne has decided to wait until mid-September to start picking grapes for the world’s best sparkling wines.
With a heat wave threatening to sweep through Champagne, how will the 2024 crop fare? And how much can Champenoise vineyard managers prepare for temperatures rising well above normal?
Here are some additional highlights from the week:
The Institute of Masters of Wine have announced five new Masters of Wine. The new class of MWs includes Neil Bernardi, Tone Veseth Furuholmen, Benjamin Hasko, Victoria Mason, and Wei Xing. There are now 431 Masters of Wine representing 30 countries throughout the world.
Today in the symbiotic critter and wine relationship… A South African wine estate is using drones to drop predatory wasps on their vines in an effort to curb the deadly leafroll virus. The project called SkyBugs, a collaboration between a Cape Town-based bug supplier and an agritech company, is helping Vergelegen Wine Estate manage its 130 hectares of vineyards in the Western Cape of South Africa.
And finally, American filmmaker Steven Soderberg has become the unofficial mascot for a little-known Bolivian spirit. In 2010, Soderberg collaborated with Bolivian singani producer Casa Real on a premium version, Singani 63, meant to be imported and shared with other countries. Soderberg worked with the TTB for eight years to formally recognize singani as brandy, and after that recognition came in January 2023, Singani 63 is now distributed in most U.S. states and the United Kingdom. And yes, this is a Soderberg fan account, thank you for asking.
Today in Wine News: Alsace recently approved a third Grand Cru vineyard specifically for Pinot Noir. In a major wine region that has thrived on the production and sale of prestigious white wines, Alsace has added three Grand Cru designations for Pinot Noir since 2022.
Why would one of the world’s best destinations start to expand their most high end wine production to red grapes now after decades of specialization in white wines? Is Alsace the new Burgundy, or can wine drinkers expect to see more red wines from Alsace in the near future?
Keep listening to learn more.
Further Reading
Some great reads on Alsatian red wines that may pique your interest.
Here are some additional highlights from the week:
A former city leader of Hong Kong is publicly pressing the Chinese government to only serve Chinese wines on official government holidays. Representatives from the Wine Association of Hong Kong have already indicated their support for a national mandate that features exclusively Chinese wines at national celebrations. The next public holiday will be celebrated in mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau on October 1.
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The Wine Press: The Culinary Oscars 2024
Tuesday, June 11, 2024 • Duration 05:04
Every year, the best of the best in the food world descend upon the Lyric Opera House in Chicago for the annual James Beard Awards. Presented by the James Beard Foundation, the “Oscars of food” present chefs, restaurateurs, and media figures with medals that represent the year’s finest contributions to the way Americans eat and think about food.
But wait a second. Why are we talking about the Oscars of food on a wine-and-movies blog?
Reason Number 1: Awards season is the best season. Moira Rose knows what’s up.
Reason Number 2: In my opinion, food is always wine’s favorite dance partner. Yes, they are delicious individually, but at the end of the day, finding a great food and wine pairing is like experiencing a Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers movie for the first time. There’s just something harmonious about that perfect bite together with the perfect sip.
Reason Number 3: Hospitality and beverage service on the restaurant floor remain key parts of the wine industry. Great chefs and great sommeliers work together every day to create unique dining experiences for everyone that walks through the doors of their restaurant. To understand what is happening in the food world is to celebrate restaurant culture as a whole.
On Saturday, June 8, the James Beard Foundation presented their slate of Media Awards, recognizing the best cookbooks, social media accounts, and documentary films from the past year. Michelle Miller, co-host of CBS Saturday Morning, acted as the Master of Ceremonies for the 2.5-hour ceremony that awarded industry luminaries like José Andrés, Sohla El-Waylly, KJ Kearny, and more.
Mondays are usually a day off for people in the restaurant world, and Monday, June 10 brought the Restaurant and Chef Awards. In a three hour ceremony hosted by Nyesa Arrington, Richard Blais, Amanda Freitag, and Marcus Samuelsson, 22 awards were presented to the best chefs, restaurants, and hospitality programs of the year.
Here are some of my wine-related highlights, and a few additional trends and takeaways from this year’s awards ceremonies:
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The Wine Press: Jan. 22, 2024
Monday, January 22, 2024 • Duration 04:40
Here are some highlights from the week in wine news:
RIP Drizly (and possibly more alcohol delivery services). Drizly, the alcohol delivery app, will be shutting its doors by the end of March. In an unexpected move, Uber (who had previously bought Drizly for over $1 billion less than three years ago) announced that company restructuring would fold the Drizly name and bring the liquor delivery function into its current Uber Eats program. In addition, speculation is swirling that Drizly was susceptible to some considerable cybersecurity risks, which were absorbed by Uber at the time of the buyout.
Silicon Valley Bank has released its annual 2024 State of the Industry Report. SVB’s Wine Division Founder Rob McMillan is the author of the report, in which he predicts that the wine industry is in for a difficult year. 2023 saw overall wine sales decrease by 2-4%, with more decreases on the horizon in 2024. The wine world needs younger consumers to reach for wine more often, as Baby Boomers are still far and away the most likely age group to bring wine to a party. There is a silver lining, however - while the losses in the report feel insurmountable McMillan is not predicting the U.S. economy to fall into recession this year.
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The Wine Press: Jan. 15, 2024
Monday, January 15, 2024 • Duration 05:03
Here are some highlights from the week in wine news:
Big deals keep on turnin’... Domaine William Fèvre, one of the most prestigious estates in Chablis, is now under new ownership. Domaines des Barons de Rothschild, the luxury wine conglomerate that also owns Château Lafite Rothschild in Bordeaux and Viña Los Vascos in Chile, acquired Fèvre in a deal for an undisclosed sum. Domaine William Fèvre has a total of 72 hectares of vineyards that cover the spectrum of quality levels in Chablis (village level to Grand Cru), all of which are organically farmed. The acquisition of the Fèvre estate marks the first holdings in Burgundy for the Domaines des Barons de Rothschild portfolio, which is now requiring all of its vineyards to be certified organic.
There’s a regime change at UC Davis’ Viticulture and Enology Department. Dr. David Block, who has been the Department Chair for over 12 years, quietly stepped down from his post at the start of the year. Associate Professor Dr. Ben Monpetit has been named Interim Chair. Dr. Block will be on sabbatical for part of 2024, and will focus on teaching and research upon his return. Dr. Monpetit, a yeast microbiologist who has served as Vice Chair for the last two years, has publicly stated his desire to enhance the student experience at UCD by updating classroom tools and providing more research opportunities.
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The Wine Press: Jan. 8, 2024
Monday, January 8, 2024 • Duration 05:35
Here are some highlights from the week in wine news:
The famed Pebble Beach Food and Wine Festival is returning for the first time since 2020. One of America’s premiere food and wine events will be making its anticipated return to Monterey from April 4-7 this year. Events on the docket include seminars about La Grande Dame, Opus One, BOND, and Laurent Perrier’s Grand Siècle. Expect to see a lot of celebrity chefs and sommeliers in attendance, including local favorites Chef Suzette Gresham (Acquerello), Chef Gonzalo Guzman (Nopalito), Chef Charles Phan (Slanted Door), and Master Sommelier Max Kast. Ticket prices range from $475 for a one day tasting pass to $10,000 for an all-access VIP pass to the whole weekend, including the PBFW Golf Invitational. The weekend is a fundraiser for Pebble Beach Company Foundation, a non-profit that assists low-income youth in the Pebble Beach area.
California’s “Bottle Bill” is now starting to take effect. Signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom in September 2022, Senate Bill 1013 enforces the recyclability of wine and spirits containers, which were not previously accepted for CA redemption value at CalRecycle locations. California residents may now redeem standard glass wine bottles for 10 cents each, any spirits or juice containers under 24 fluid ounces for 5 cents each, and large Tetra-Paks and bag-in-box containers for 25 cents per piece. Combined with new labeling laws regarding the “California Redemption Value” language on wine and spirits bottles, this is a sweeping piece of legislation that will help to curb the ongoing glass shortage in the beverage industry, in addition to giving glass, aluminum, and Tetra-Pak containers another life in the form of recycled goods. All California wineries and spirits producers are now required to register with CalRecycle (effective January 1 of this year), and the labeling laws with go into effect on July 1, 2025, giving producers time to design new labels.
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The Wine Press: Jan. 1, 2024
Monday, January 1, 2024 • Duration 04:29
Here are some highlights from the week in wine news:
Napa Green, the top sustainability certification body in Napa Valley, is outlawing Roundup use in vineyards. Napa Green announced last month that Roundup, the world’s most popular herbicide, will be phased out of certified vineyards by 2026, with a longer term goal of completely eliminating the use of synthetic herbicides in mind. This makes Napa Green the first sustainability credential in the world to completely eliminate Roundup. About 64 percent of the current Napa Green membership doesn't use synthetic herbicides, and at a recent town hall meeting about the subject, Erik Dodd from Wight Vineyard Management said, “I tell people to expect maybe a 15 to 20 percent cost increase”. With more of a focus on identifiable terroir and vineyard worker health, Napa Green has started an important worldwide conversation about the definition of sustainable winemaking.
The French are drinking less wine. A recent study by Ipsos has confirmed that French people are drinking wine less often, and the percentage of people who don’t drink at all is rising. In an abrupt change from the French Paradox craze that swept through American culture almost 30 years ago, millennials and Gen Z French people are quickly replacing boomers’ drinking habits by not drinking wine every day, with about 19% choosing not to drink any alcohol.
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The Wine Press: Dec. 18, 2023
Monday, December 18, 2023 • Duration 06:34
Your weekly wine news roundup is now in a new format, available here every Monday. Subscribers are the first to know when a new roundup drops, so if you haven’t done so already, subscribe to Brunello Bombshell today.
Here are some highlights from the week in wine news:
* American wine pioneer Miljenko “Mike” Grgich has passed away at the age of 100. Mike Grgich is perhaps best known for his contribution to the 1976 Judgment of Paris as the winemaker behind Chateau Montelena’s winning Chardonnay (just the second vintage of Chardonnay the estate ever made). Mr. Grgich made a second home for himself in the Napa Valley after his native Croatia was overtaken by Communist rule. With a resume including winemaking jobs at Souverain Winery, Beaulieu Vineyards, and Robert Mondavi, Grgich provided expertise and a newfound tradition to an emerging Napa Valley before settling into his own eponymous label. In the 1990’s Mr. Grgich returned to Croatia and established Grgić Vina winery in an effort to support the post-war rebuilding efforts. Grgich also worked with Dr. Carol Meredith from UC Davis to trace the roots of California Zinfandel to its Croatian origins in the grape Kaštelanski Crljenak.
* Willamette Valley AVA celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. In 1983, Willamette Valley became the 55th designated American Viticultural Area. Oregon’s premiere wine region has now blossomed in size, hosting 11 sub-AVAs within the boundaries of the original territory, with four sub-AVAs added within the last five years. Today, Willamette Valley is considered a landmark region for American Pinot Noir, with its variety of soil types and terroirs providing beautiful wines with incredible diversity. From cult favorite producers to household names, Willamette Valley is home to over 700 wineries and so much more than its signature grape. Willamette Valley Wineries Association is planning a year’s worth of special events to commemorate the special anniversary, including a wine tasting weekend that recreates tasting room environments from 1984.
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The Wine Press: Dec. 11, 2023
Monday, December 11, 2023 • Duration 04:38
Your weekly wine news roundup is now in a new format, available here every Monday.
The audio version of The Brunello Bombshell Newsletter, Edition 01.04: G.H. Mumm and T-Day Prep.
Northern California vineyards have the new state bat to thank for effective pest management. Since pallid bats and other types of bats have been taking the night shift of pest control, especially in organic vineyards, the California wine industry has saved approximately $1.3 billion dollars in pest control every year.
And finally, Wine Enthusiast has named its Future 40 Tastemakers for 2024. Among this year’s selections are two of my favorite wine writers on Substack: Chasity Cooper of Bright + Balanced and Amanda Joffee of Shitty Wine Memes. Congratulations to all the honorees!
That’s all the news this week. Thank you for listening to The Wine Press!
We’ll be back next Thursday with a new crop of wine news.
Until then, cheers and happy drinking!
The Wine Press is a Brunello Bombshell podcast, supported by listeners and wine drinkers like you! Please consider becoming a free or premium subscriber.
SOMM TV won the James Beard Award for Visual Media - Long Form for the fourth SOMM documentary (SOMM: Cup of Salvation). This marks SOMM TV’s second award and third nomination in three years, following 2022’s Sparklers (Nominee, Reality or Competition Visual Media) and 2023’s The Whole Animal (Winner, Visual Media - Long Form). Yes, Jason Wise - the filmmaker behind the original SOMM documentary that launched a thousand pins - has now established himself as one of the most trusted voices in wine media.
The Bay Area has walked away from the James Beard Awards ceremonies empty handed for the second year in a row. Two Bay Area-based chefs (Geoff Davis from Burdell in Oakland and Rogelio Garcia of Auro in Calistoga) and two Bay Area beverage destinations (The Morris and Pacific Cocktail Haven, both in San Francisco) were named as finalists in three categories. Mandalay, the first Burmese restaurant to open in San Francisco, was previously announced as one of the winners of 2024 America’s Classics.
I want to hear more from you. What are your takeaways from this year’s James Beard Awards? Have you dined at any of the winning restaurants? Are you planning a food trip based on this year’s winners? Let me know in the comments below!
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In an historic change of pace, more women are now running the storied estates of Chianti. Eric Asimov, the chief wine writer for The New York Times, traveled to Chianti Classico to profile the women who have taken over the day-to-day operations of Istine, Castello di Ama, Terreno, I Fabbri, and Podere le Boncie. Throughout Europe, and especially in Italy, it is common for fathers to pass along the family wine business to their sons. Recent generations of women have come to the forefront of these businesses, often getting university degrees in winemaking or working harvests elsewhere in the world before taking over the winemaker role at their family estates.
Abrie Beeslaar, the long time cellarmaster at Kanonkop Estates in Stellenbosch, will be leaving his role later this year. Beeslaar has worked for Kanonkop, arguably the most famous name in South African Pinotage, for 23 years, and will leave his full-time role in August to focus on his own eponymous Pinotage-driven label. While Beeslaar has agreed to serve as a consultant for Kanonkop, the winery will be restructuring and promoting from within the company, teasing some new releases along the way. Beeslaar started his work as Kanonkop’s cellarmaster before the age of 30, and in 2018, he became the first South African winemaker to earn a 100 point score from Tim Atkin MW for the 2015 Kanonkop Paul Sauer.
And finally, today in “Not On My 2024 Bingo Card”... Josh Wine is the meme of the moment. Josh Cellars makes the number one selling table wine in the United States, with $5 million cases sold in a year, but in the early days of 2024, it has cemented its meme status by the Internet. You don’t have to go far to see Josh at Da Vinci’s Last Supper, Don Draper and Josh, or the ever-popular Drake and Josh images circulating around the world wide web. Out of the bevy of articles on the recent Josh craze (there were so many I could have made this entire article a Josh Wine meme think piece roundup), my favorite critical analysis comes from GQ: What do two sommeliers named Josh actually think about Josh wines?
The team behind COTE Steakhouse has opened a new fried chicken concept with one of the largest Champagne lists in the US. COQODAQ opened its doors to the public on January 12, just down the street from the original COTE Steakhouse in the Flatiron District of New York City. Simon Kim, the owner of Gracious Hospitality Management, has expressed a desire to put a fine dining spin on Korean fried chicken, similar to the concept behind COTE. Victoria James, the Director of Beverage for all Gracious Hospitality Management restaurants, has assembled a 600 bottle wine list for COQODAQ, 400 of which are Champagne. The list includes Special Club Champagnes, niche grower-producer labels, and a special Gaston Chiquet cuvée made exclusively for COQODAQ.
Marchesi Antinori has started its own import company with a direct relationship to American wine buyers. Vinattieri 1385 formally opened for business on January 1 and will be fully operative by the end of the month. The new offshoot company will be responsible for directly importing Antinori wines to the United States. Vinattieri 1385 is a direct result of last year’s news that Marchesi Antinori had directly purchased Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, one of the most prestigious producers in Napa Valley. Between the current Antinori portfolio and the Stag’s Leap wines, Vinattieri 1385 is expected to handle 500,000 cases of wine and approximately $100 million in sales.
And finally, a wine news story specifically for TV lovers and awards season addicts. JUSTIN Vineyards and Winery will be pouring their Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc as an official sponsor of the 75th Emmy Awards. JUSTIN has served as the official wine for Emmy events in the past, but this is the first year that the Paso Robles-based winery will have a notable presence at the Governors Gala Winners Circle. As the newly crowned Emmy winners get their statues engraved, Master Sommelier Joseph Spellman will pour JUSTIN wines while winners receive personalized, engraved bottles of JUSTIN ISOSCELES. The ceremony will be televised live from Los Angeles tonight (Monday, January 15) at 5 PM on FOX.
Bordeaux’s historic châteaux are returning to French ownership after years of Chinese investment. In the early 2010’s, wealthy Chinese wine lovers were taking initiative and investing money into their favorite Bordeaux châteaux, sometimes going as far as to take on ownership, partnership, and even renaming rights. Between more restrictive Chinese investment policies, the COVID-19 pandemic, and lots of frustration from Bordeaux residents and consumers, these same Chinese investors are now quietly selling back their properties to French investors. The new owners typically share their deep knowledge of the land and the product in order to resuscitate the family-run estates of Bordeaux, but they face many challenges in getting these châteaux operating in the black.
SevenFiftyDaily has assembled a list of six stories to monitor in the new year. Rather than focusing on the anticipated drinking trends of 2024, Betsy Andrews has taken a holistic approach and cultivated a great list of six things to look out for in the wine industry. Among the trends to note are ensuring good working conditions and solid pay for labor, both in the vineyard and on restaurant floors, a focus on regenerative agriculture in place of more biodynamic certifications, and more BIPOC-led wine businesses.
And finally, as consumers find interest in Dry January and sober living, sommeliers are starting to reckon with their own relationships to alcohol. Lauren Paige Richeson has profiled three notable sommeliers - Laura Vidal, Sam Anderson, and Master of Wine Tim Hanni - about their professional and personal lives as sober sommeliers. Each of these sommeliers has a different approach to sobriety on the floor and at home, and it’s refreshing to hear about a side of the beverage industry that doesn’t often get air time.
Take a look at the 15 best moments for wine in pop culture this year. Wine Spectator’s Unfiltered editors have compiled some of the most - ahem - wine-conic headlines from 2023. From Belgians dumping massive amounts of “the champagne of beers”, to 6- and 7-figure wine heists, to the Taylor Swift-approved celebrity wine that flooded our Instagram feeds, these are the OMG moments that defined the year in wine.
In Memoriam 2023. Here’s a list of all the wine industry figures we lost this year, alongside their Wine Spectator obituaries. At the end of this year, we toast to the giants that have come before us, and may we keep their names and their wines in our hearts and glasses forever.
Kim Severson from The New York Times predicts some food trends for 2024. Food will always be wine’s dance partner, so it’s nice to see what to expect on restaurant menus in the coming year. That being said, there are one or two drink trends to examine. I haven’t been to Double Chicken Please (yet), so if anyone in New York wants to help with field research, please try a Waldorf Salad cocktail for me and report back.
And finally, we wrap up 2023 with some words of wisdom for drinking responsibly. Here’s a collection of sommelier-tested and approved ways to avoid hangovers and consume alcohol with mindfulness. A Balanced Glass is a great resource for people interested in no/low alcohol-related content, and especially for beverage industry professionals looking for a holistic approach to alcohol consumption.
* One of Champagne’s most unique têtes de cuvées is likely to become extinct. Bollinger’s Vieilles Vignes Françaises, a Blanc de Noirs champagne only produced in spectacular vintages, gets its name from the ungrafted vines that surround the headquarters of the esteemed production house in Aÿ. Most of the vines in Champagne were grafted onto American rootstock when phylloxera first invaded in the 1880’s. In an effort to concentrate flavor in grapes and establish a signature house style, it is customary for modern vintners to regraft vines onto new rootstock every 20 years or so. Because the yields on ungrafted vines is significantly lower, Vieilles Vignes Françaises is by definition a rarity for the Champagne region, and this outstanding cuvee has become known as a standard bearer for sparkling wines made from 100% Pinot Noir. Unfortunately, phylloxera has started to infect the historic ungrafted vines, and Bollinger is worried that some of the oldest vines in Champagne have produced the last vintage of Vieilles Vignes Françaises.
* The Languedoc region welcomes a new red wine appellation. Grés de Montpellier is the first new appellation in Languedoc since 2017, effective November 30. Grés de Montpellier is a red wine-only appellation, with Southern French favorites Syrah, Grenache, and Mourvèdre as focal grape varieties. Wines will be required to age for a minimum of one year before release. Starting in 2024, the region can state “Grés de Montpellier” on wine labels without the conjunctive Languedoc labeling.
* The eighth edition of the Langtons Classification for fine Australian wines has been published. The Langtons Classification was first released in 1990 with a three-tiered structure, and focuses on ranking the most in-demand Australian wines at auction. Inspired by the 1855 Classified Growths of Bordeaux, Langton’s Classification now condenses its picks into two categories: First Classified and Classified. 19 new wines have joined the list this year, of which 65% originate from cool climate growing regions, marking a difference in both Australian winemaking and consumer demand. Historic producer Penfolds continues to dominate the 100-bottle list with eight different cuvées, four of which have earned First Classified Status.
* The Court of Master Sommeliers-Americas has removed the terms “Old World” and “New World” in its blind tasting language standards. Previous generations of sommeliers have been taught that “Old World” wines generally come from Europe and exhibit less alcohol, tighter acidity levels, and more secondary characteristics than their “New World” counterparts from around the world. Now that winemaking techniques and climate change have caused viticultural lines to blur, the Court of Master Sommeliers-Americas will be assessing regional typicity for wines based on more current standards. The new blind tasting grid that eliminates “Old World” and “New World” will take effect in Court exams starting in 2024.
