Latest dispatches

The Week in Wine: Episode 19, Wine-Searcher

Don returns to an old favourite – oaked Chardonnay; the multi-faceted beauty of Albariño; and varietal labeling – are we past that stage yet? This week's big stories spanned an interview with Napa winemaking power couple Philippe and Cherie Melka as well as last week's wine news roundup headed by the news of the so-called "Grand Cru Gang" trial. Don has high hopes for his top ten Irish Whiskey story, which is already doing well, and fans of the spirit from across the world (including, apparently, Irish expats in the UAE). This week, we also look at the news that the Michelin guide is getting into wine; the benefits/pitfalls of individual ratings versus panel tastings and Wine-Searcher's own aggregated critic score. Antonio Banderas drinks 18th Century Sherry; Italy and France wine exports to the US struggling as 2025 draws to a close; Champagne sales hit the doldrums (despite a raft of good news coming out of the region); Chianti Classico "a reliably affordable luxury"; French Bloom no

The Week in Wine: Episode 20, Wine-Searcher

To kick off 2026, Don rediscovers his love of Mosel Riesling and Olly raves about a California Chardonnay that's not your regular California Chardonnay. Meanwhile, a look over the top stories of the festive season proves that the big-name wines aren't always what people want and that Irish whiskey is getting a lot of attention lately. Other big stories include Napa dropping prices on its cellar doors, US dietary guidelines sidestepping wine, the continued interest in the Chateau Ste Michelle handover, and the word 'bankruptcy' being touted around both Argentina's Bodega Norton and France's Bordeaux wine region. Olly reviews the main headlines of the last seven days, including Taylor's Swift's endorsement of a Sancerre, a third winegrower suicide in Bordeaux, Lionel Messi's favorite drink (wine and Sprite), a Florida priest's wine and life podcast, a Spanish university looking for people to drink red wine for four years (as part of a study) and a solar-powered vineyard shade. This week'

The Week in Wine: Episode 21, Wine-Searcher

Don drinks an Elijah Craig Rye while Olly celebrates a birthday with grower Champagne. The suicide in Bordeaux and Silicon Valley Bank's bleak prognosis top the most-read wine news stories in what has been a relatively bleak week. Only Oregon Chardonnay looks to buck the trend, while both Don and Olly ask when, if ever, the time will come that Burgundy comparisons are not thrown at any Chardonnay or Pinot Noir made, globally – even in Burgundy, perhaps? Leonardo di Capro has a cameo in the vines of Champagne, promoting an organic push from Telmont but it's mostly bad news this week with US wine exports nosediving 30 percent, protestors baring their buttocks outside Rhône producer Chapoutier (Don also asks what is the correct past tense of the "ess haitch eye tee" word), the demise of another cooperative in southern France has Olly wondering if wine production wont take us back 150 years, and they ask who the current global wine scene is really helping. There's likely more bad news to c

The Week in Wine Episode 25 | Wine-Searcher Podcast

Don drinks a delicious McLaren Vale Shiraz while Olly has a lovely 'Carignane' from Lodi. Don talks Napa Merlot, RTDs taking over the drinks space, an oversupply of agave in Tequila and the latest from the Domaine de la Romanée-Conti tastings. Olly asks if there are positives to untended vineyards in wine regions (keeping bird pressure down?) and Don looks at Spanish wines – particularly whites – pushing into the USA. This week's wine news includes the revelation that Rhône wines are creating a pan-regional sparkling wine brand to produce bubbles under; there were a number of stories from the Wine Paris 2026 trade show, including cameos from former basketballer Tony Parker and singer Carla Bruni (leading Olly to question the value of celebrity wines/endorsements); wine/alcohol as a leading source of lead exposure in adult diets in France (after, it must be said, refined breads and alongside the likes of tap water); China threatens France with trade tariffs on wine; Chilean wines exp

Laura Catena

Junto a la Dra. Laura Catena desde Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, charlamos de la legendaria bodega mendocina. Prueben los vinos que hace esta extraordinaria casa de vino con más de un siglo de historia. #wine #catenazapata #catena #vinotinto #cabernetsauvignon #chardonnay #malbec

Editors' Pick: Perfect Rosé for Summer

Senior Editor Kristen Bieler is diving into summer with a perfect rosé for her Editors' Pick this week!⁠ ⁠ Check out more of Kristen's rosé recs at the link: https://www.winespectator.com/articles/new-rose-wine-reviews-france-provence-values

Inside the Vineyard with Catherine Kistler

At the Kistler family’s main Bodega Ridge vineyard, things are running early this year, thanks to a warm spell in February and March. The vines have jumped out to a quick start, which means aspects of the growth cycle are ahead of schedule. One of those is flowering, which will ultimately determine the size of the crop. An early season has both good and potentially problematic aspects, with frost and windy or rainy conditions a worry. Here, Catherine Kistler explains where the vineyard is in its early development and what issues have to be monitored.

Bandol Rose Wine in NYC Theater District

When in NYC Theater District, a great choice for dinner is Le Rivage, where we enjoy an elegant Rose Wine from Bandol, a charming seaside town in the Provence region of France. Bandol Rose is produced as a blend of Cinsault, Mourvèdre & Grenache grapes : what a perfect pairing for our dinner of Provence favorites Duck L’Orange + Ratatouille. #winepodcast #bandolrose #nycfoodscene #nycfood #nycfoodie

Italian Wine in Brazil: what you need to know with Vinicius de Miranda Santiago IWA