Latest dispatches

The deadly history of Champagne bottles #champagne

Before it was a luxury symbol, Champagne was a literal hazard. 🍾💥 In the early days of the traditional method, glass bottles couldn't handle the 90 PSI of pressure created during the second fermentation. Cellars were basically minefields. Did you know Dom Perignon actually spent years trying to stop the bubbles? Let us know your favorite Champagne house in the comments. 👇 #champagne #winehistory #domperignon #sommelier #sparklingwine #bighammerwines

Piemonte, Fine Wine and the US Market with Laura DePasquale MS

As an official media partner, Italian Wine Podcast brings you firsthand insights from Grandi Langhe e il Piemonte del Vino 2026, Piedmont's premier wine event that took place on January 26-27, in Turin. Join top producers, buyers, and experts to explore emerging styles, winemaking innovations, and market trends shaping the region's future. From Barolo and Barbaresco to hidden gems, this series offers in-depth interviews and behind-the-scenes insights, revealing Piedmont's impact on the global wine scene. Today, Stevie Kim’s guest is Laura DePasquale MS, Master Sommelier and one of the leading voices in fine wine distribution in the United States. Laura shares her perspective on Grandi Langhe e il Piemonte del Vino 2026, describing the event as a unique opportunity to taste some of the best wines being produced in Piedmont, meet producers directly, and explore the many identities of the region, from Barolo and Barbaresco to Barbera, Dolcetto, Pelaverga, Freisa and Ruchè. In this co

🇪🇸Juega #España, vayan a #costco que acá está el🍷Estaremos en Todo Vino a partir de las 3pm.

Do Struggling Vines Actually Make Better Wine?

Most wine gets talked about in the cellar. Dylan Grigg works a season or two earlier than that — out in the vineyard, reading vines — and he's the one a lot of winemakers quietly call when theirs aren't behaving. We sat him down for an hour (after an hour of talking before we hit record) to get at the stuff that decides a wine long before anyone picks up a glass. Why this year's crop was effectively locked in seasons ago, before the grapes even existed. Whether a vine that's "struggling" is doing you any favours at all, or whether that's just a story we've all told ourselves since uni. And what he reads off a vineyard in the first few seconds of walking in — which isn't what you'd expect, and isn't on a vine at all. It goes deep — buds, balance, the timing tricks that bend a vine to your will — but the throughline is simple: the grape is mostly decided before the winemaker gets near it. Also in here: why Australian sun cooks everything it touches, abandoned mountain vineyards in Spa