The Chronicle
Latest dispatches
10 results across all types
- news
The Wine Resistance: A New Wine Series About Culture, Climate, and People
I’ve been a little quieter than usual on my website and social channels these past months.Not because I had nothing to say — but because I was building something. For a long time now, I’ve been preoccupied by the state of the wine world. Wine has always lived through cycles of crisis and renewal. But today, the pressures feel unusually concentrated. Climate change is reshaping how and where wine can be grown. Consumption patterns are shifting, especially among younger generations. And public conversations around alcohol are increasingly reduced to binary, fear-based narratives that leave little room for nuance, culture, or lived experience. At the same time, many people feel pushed away from wine altogether — intimidated by its language, unsure of its place in their lives, worried about choosing or tasting “wrong.” And yet, everywhere I travel and work, I keep meeting people who are deeply engaged, thoughtful, and resilient. People who are adapting, rethinking, and refusing to let wine
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Champagne Bérêche & Fils: My Lunch with Raphaël Bérêche
The dining room at Marcus, in Montréal’s Four Seasons Hotel, gleams with marble and brass. Light streams through floor-to-ceiling windows, catching on polished glassware and the curve of plush banquettes. There’s a soft hum from the open kitchen. In a corner nook of cosy banquettes, Raphaël Bérêche stands as he speaks, a glass in hand, posture relaxed yet assured. His tone is both poetic and practical, shaped by years of experience. The conversation flows easily; technical at times but with such obvious underlying passion and conviction that it is captivating all the same . He talks about time as if it were an ingredient, and about how every step, from vineyard to cellar, serves the pursuit of a clearly defined goal. A Family Estate Rooted in Time and Place Bérêche & Fils was founded in 1847 in Ludes, a Premier Cru village perched on the northern slope of the Montagne de Reims. Today, fifth-generation brothers Raphaël and Vincent Bérêche carry the legacy forward. Vincent oversees the v
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Franciacorta’s Ca’ del Bosco: Icon of Italian Sparkling Wine
Yesterday was a gloriously sunny fall day. One of those echos of summer that puts you in a celebratory mood. And, happily for me, I was headed to lunch with the charming Giacomo Marzotto, a member of the wine powerhouse Marzotto family, in town to sing the praises of their Franciacorta estate. Ca’ del Bosco is one of the most renowned producers of Franciacorta sparkling wine. Over a lineup of both sparkling and still bottlings, Giacomo offered insight into the philosophy that has made Ca’ del Bosco a benchmark estate in Italy. Franciacorta in Context Franciacorta is a relatively young appellation, officially recognized in 1967 and elevated to DOCG status in 1995. In just a few decades, this Lombardy region has grown into Italy’s premier source of traditional-method sparkling wine, often compared to Champagne. With just under 3,000 hectares under vine and some 200 producers, Franciacorta remains small in scale but ambitious in quality. Chardonnay dominates plantings, with Pinot Noir and
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Okanagan Valley Wines: Resilience in the Face of Adversity
It’s been a rough few years for British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley wine producers. A region once defined by boundless promise is now navigating a new normal marked by climate volatility, crop loss, and uncertainty. And yet, in the glass, hope still speaks and often very eloquently. I recently sat down to taste a handful of wines from two premiere Okanagan wineries. They reinforced an already firmly held conviction of just how important this region is to Canada’s fine wine landscape. But first, let’s talk about the storm the industry is weathering. Fire, Deep Freezes, and the Fight to Survive The Okanagan has endured a brutal string of vintages. It started with the catastrophic 2021 wildfires. That summer, blazes tore through the South Okanagan, shutting down tasting rooms and threatening livelihoods. The aftermath was equally devastating. Many 2021 wines showed clear signs of smoke taint, forcing wineries to declassify or discard entire cuvées. Some producers skipped bottling altogethe
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Niepoort and the New Portugal
Exploring Niepoort’s Portuguese dry wine, their love of indigenous grapes, and the future of a wine powerhouse. Mention Portuguese wine, and most enthusiasts today will nod knowingly — Vinho Verde for crisp whites, Alentejo for bold reds, Dão and Bairrada for structure and ageability. Portugal has long shaken off its one-dimensional “Port-only” image. But how did this transformation happen? One of the most fascinating ways to trace Portugal’s wine renaissance is through the impressive evolution of one of its historic Port houses: Niepoort. Over the past three decades, Niepoort has risen from a respected producer of traditional fortified wines into one of the country’s most admired names in dry, table wines. Their story, from early risks, to region-hopping, championing indigenous grapes, and a dogged pursuit of freshness, mirrors the broader shift that has propelled Portugal to new heights in recent years. From Port to Portugal’s Wine Vanguard Founded in 1842, Niepoort was long respecte
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Farming with Philosophy: Johan Reyneke on Biodynamics & South African Wine
What happens when you mix philosophy with farming? You get Johan Reyneke — one of South Africa’s true pioneers in organic and biodynamic viticulture. In my latest YouTube interview, I sit down with Johan in Montreal to talk about his fascinating journey from philosophy student to vineyard labourer, and ultimately, to founder of Reyneke Wines — South Africa’s first certified biodynamic winery. Johan shares how reading thinkers like Thoreau and Arne Næss — and grappling with the philosophical tensions between development and nature — led him to question the conventional, chemical-heavy farming practices he encountered early on. His solution? A vineyard guided by ethics, ecology, and self-sufficiency. We dig into the practical side too — from using ducks and cattle as natural pest and weed control, to the challenges of going organic in the early ’90s, when few around him even knew what that meant. Johan also introduces Reyneke’s newly redesigned, lower-carbon-footprint wine packaging — a
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Wine Terms You Pretend to Know (But Don’t): A 3-Part Series
Let’s be honest—wine terminology can be confusing. In fact, some wine vocabulary is so esoteric and contensious that even connoisseurs argue about its meaning. Whether you’re new to wine or just faking your way through tastings, you’re not alone. In this 3-part wine education video series, I (Jacky Blisson, Master of Wine) break down the most misunderstood wine tasting terms and explain them in clear, no-nonsense language. If you’ve ever wondered what people really mean when they talk about grippy tannins, or a firm structure, or high volatile acidity, these short videos are for you. And, if you want to boost your wine language skills, check out my nerdy little guide to tannins descriptors and my explanation of why acidity in wine matters. Episode 1: The Classics of Wine Tasting Learn the basics: acidity, body, texture, tannins, and finish—what they are, how to recognize them, and why they matter. Episode 2: The Fancy-Sounding Jargon We’re decoding structure, balance, complexity, terro
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Organic Wine Values & Top, Recently Tasted Picks
Twenty years ago, when I first started out in the wine trade, organic wines were a rare find. In viticulture classes, I was taught the importance of regular chemical fungicide spraying regimes. Vines were carefully tended to pristine, bare soils with nary a weed in sight. Organic wines were the provenance of a handful of small-scale, premium wineries—or they were PR vehicles for larger producers that, more often than not tasted tart, lean, and vegetal. Fast forward to today, and it’s a whole different story. Organic wine has gone from niche to mainstream, with great options at every price point. Consumer demand has played a big role, but so have advances in vineyard management, making organic farming more viable even in regions that once relied heavily on conventional methods. However, organic doesn’t necessarily equate to environmentally perfect. For most organic wine producers, controlling fungal diseases without synthetic treatments generally means a heavy reliance on copper-based s
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Best Sparkling Wines for the Holidays 2024: Picks for Every Palate
How to choose sparkling wines for the holidays in 2024? Every year I get asked for my top picks. Happily, over the past couple of months, I have tasted a wide range of great sparkling wines, at all price points, for every palate preference. Check out my recommendations, tasting notes, and sparkling wine videos below. Tis the season. Time to stock up on sparkling wines for the holidays. Festive gatherings abound this time of year and nothing sets a merrier tone that a nice bottle of fizz. They also make excellent gifts. After all, who doesn’t want a bottle of bubbly? Nobody…that is who. Everyone’s needs are different when choosing sparkling wines for holiday gatherings – from budget-friendly options to supply big parties, to top of the line Champagnes for special occasions. And, we all have quite varied tastes. With this in mind, I have tried to make my recommendations as comprehensive as possible. There are categories for more affordable bubblies, mid-range sparkling wines , value Cham
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Introducing the New Pouilly-Loché & Pouilly-Vinzelles Premier Cru Terroirs
Nearly a decade in the making, the Pouilly-Loché and Pouilly-Vinzelles Premier Cru terroirs are finally approved. From the 2024 vintage onwards, four climats can proudly bear the 1er Cru mention on their labels. In an exciting development for the Mâconnais region, Pouilly-Loché and Pouilly-Vinzelles Premier Cru climats have have officially been granted, elevating some of the appellations’ finest vineyards to the ranks of Bourgogne’s most distinguished terroirs. Four years after the granting of Pouilly-Fuissé Premier Crus, the best climats of Pouilly-Vinzelles and Pouilly-Loché have finally joined their ranks. This long-anticipated recognition is part of a broader initiative to refine the identity of the Mâconnais, a region historically overshadowed by its northern counterparts in the Côte de Beaune and Côte de Nuits. The Newly Recognized Pouilly-Loché & Pouilly-Vinzelles Premier Crus Pouilly-Loché is celebrating its first Premier Cru with the approval of Les Mûres, an 8-hectare site. K