Press

Each year, Wine Spectator editors survey the wines reviewed over the previous 12 months and select our Top 100, based on quality, value, availability and excitement. This annual list honors successful wineries, regions and vintages around the world….

The last half of the year always sees a rush of new releases in Champagne, and 2024 has been no different. What has changed, though, is the market, with sales down 15.2% in the first half of 2024 versus the same period in 2023…

The Rothschild family at Bordeaux first-growth Château Mouton-Rothschild has released the artwork for the 2022 vintage label, titled Hommage au Baron Philippe, a tribute to the late Baron Philippe de Rothschild…

Over the past 16 years, I’ve recommended several wines selected by Virginia-based importer Aurelio Cabestrero for his Grapes of Spain import label…

Charles Curtis MW was on the guestlist for a spectacular tasting which showcased wines from two remarkable sites: Clos de la Roche Grand Cru and Clos des Monts Luisants Premier Cru.

Apalta, Chile, one March morning. The veil of mist shrouding the mountain ridge that lends the region its name has only just lifted. Up on the slopes, the native forest perfumes the air, with its litre, peumo…

Here’s a textbook cabernet franc, with juicy cherry flavors scented with olive and tea…

Violet Hill delivers a delicious pinot noir that sings of Oregon at an affordable price…

The viticultural history of Spain goes back thousands of years. Today, Spain remains one of the world’s largest wine-producing nations…

Robust citrus, apple and pear flavors have a soft hint of vanilla, spice and toast, but the seamlessness and integration of the flavors along with the crisp acidity are to be admired…

California Rhône-style wines meet the demand for diversity in a crowded marketplace. The category includes numerous grapes, often blended together but also bottled individually as…

A densely-packed Fleurie with dark cherry, violet and crushed blackberry that are generous yet…

The past success of Friuli-Venezia Giulia (which I will refer to as FVG going forward) was built on the acclaim the region received many years ago for wines made in a highly international style…

The Albariño, Godello and Mencía grapes star in these new reviews of white and red wines from acclaimed Spanish appellations, up to 92 points…

Mount Etna keeps erupting, and the wines grown on her slopes persist on the palate with an expression of their place…

New reviews of Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel from California, Oregon and Washington state, all priced $40 or less…

Rosé in January? Why not, when it’s this delicious? This blend of pinot noir and gamay from a fine burgundy producer…

Sanguine and enticing, with tar, smoke and earth backed by raspberry puree and cherry. Shows good integration and length, with generous shaved iron softened by singed apple wood and violet accents…

Domaine Pellé specializes in sauvignon blanc from Menetou-Salon, a small appellation in the Loire Valley not far from Sancerre…

Jean Faure is a historic estate that first appears on the famous De Belleyme map from the late 18th century. It was rated highly by Féret in early editions of the Bordeaux et Ses Vins guide…

Offers showy raspberry and blood orange coulis flavors, laced with a racy savory note and carried by lively acidity. Reveals cedar and sanguine hints on the finish, which also has a touch of grain…

Clément Berthier and his brother Florent are young, savvy producers that not only make reliable Sancerre and Pouilly Fumé, with some own brand supermarket labels, but they are also Coteaux du Giennois champions. The 200ha appellation, created in 1998, is separated from Sancerre only by the Loire river…

Italy’s Piemonte isn’t known for chardonnay, but this example makes me want to try more. It’s fermented and aged in stainless steel…

The second generation of one of the five families that pioneered the creation of the Priorat DO in 1989, Sara Perez has embraced…

With Labor Day arriving next week, the unofficial end of summer is upon us. That means it’s time for one last hurrah!…

Bordeaux first growth Château Latour has launched its 2017 ‘grand vin’ on the market for the first time, after deciding to release the wine ahead of its 2016 vintage…

This winery is a perennial favorite, so consider this your annual reminder to stock up for casual dinners of seafood, roast chicken and anything with goat cheese…

Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair will be adding a Clos Vougeot grand cru to its output from the 2015 vintage…

This tart, refreshing pinot noir is light in texture, with crunchy flavors of tart currants…

Larkmead’s Cabernet Consolidation Bears Promising Fruit

With fewer bottlings and a renewed focus on old vines, Larkmead’s 2021 Napa Cabernets are wines to watch…

Three wines for the dog days of summer, including a chillable beaujolais, a casual Tuscan red for any cookout, and an exceptional California rosé to beat the heat…

Can every iteration of Decanter’s Wines of the Year be ‘the best ever’? I wasn’t convinced we could top last year’s tasting, which included a perfect 100 score from one judge, but it does seem to be the case with 2022’s crop….

One of Chardonnay’s virtues is its adaptability to various climates and winemaking styles. Location has as much to do with the resulting wine as winemaking choices. In recent years…

Three wines for the dog days of summer, including a chillable beaujolais, a casual Tuscan red for any cookout, and an exceptional California rosé to beat the heat…

In Piedmont, one of Italy’s northernmost regions, Barolo and Barbaresco reign supreme. Many of these reds command top dollar within the wine world for their robust tannins, 

Located within the Castilla y León region, about 120 miles northwest of Madrid, Ribera del Duero remains one of the preeminent wine appellations of Spain. At 2,800 feet above sea level, …

After getting a good glimpse at the 2022 vintage while visiting Gigondas and Vacqueyras last summer and then all the Northern Rhône appellations in autumn…

Unveiling the Diverse Palette of Sicily: New Releases and Beyond

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I can’t help but be amazed by the ongoing increase in the quality of the wines of Sicily…

Summer’s heat calls for refreshing wines to keep us from melting and to slake our thirst. This week 

New reviews of outstanding-rated Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, Merlot and more from California and Washington, priced $35 or less…

Miguel Torres is the local branch of the Spanish winery of the same name and one of the first in Chile to focus on the export market, beginning in 1982. An icon of the modernization of both the Spanish and Chilean wine scenes…

In a mix of typical Paso Robles wines, Tablas Creek’s portfolio stands out for balance, poise and purity. The contiguous regenerative vineyards of Tables Creek are located in the extreme western reaches of Paso Robles within the Adelaida District… 

“Here comes the Sun King…” sang the Fab Four on side two of Abbey Road . I have no allusions to Louis XIV. However, that hymnal song kept playing in my head during the annus horribilis that is 2024..

The 2022 vintage in Oregon was a nail-biter and a head-scratcher for winemakers throughout the Willamette Valley. It was a growing season fraught with challenges that…

California and Washington state square off in a Cabernet Sauvignon showdown this week. Napa Valley is among the United States’ preeminent regions for Cabernet, crushing around 90,000…

This week we have a red, white and a rosé for the July 4 holiday. Start your cookout with a standout rosé from Virginia, followed by a spicy California chardonnay and a lush red from Washington state.

In our latest Tasting Highlights, we’re taking a look at two of the Iberian Peninsula’s best-known regions for red wine: Rioja in Spain and Douro in Portugal. Rioja is historically significant in Spain…

Get a sneak peek at our newest tastings with reviews of impressive Syrah, Grenache and blends from California and Washington state, up to 93 points…

This is tempranillo sporting its savory side: blueberry, porcini mushroom and tobacco leaf. Yes, I know you’d never put those three ingredients together in your pasta, but it works…

The 2019 harvest was Jean-Michel Laporte’s second vintage as general manager of Château Talbot. One of the primary changes he has made…

2022 was the sunniest and, along with 2018, the warmest and driest year in Germany’s recorded history since 1881, and this is certainly also true for the cooler Mosel region…

 Respected second-growth Château Pichon Baron has been under the ownership of insurance company AXA since 1987; Christian Seely took over as managing director in 2000…

Mediterranean Breeze in Every Sip

This salmon-colored rosé is a perennial favorite of mine. It has a tannic grip with flavors of cantaloupe, wild thyme and sea salt, as if…

Tickets are selling fast for the Château Ducru-Beaucaillou masterclass to be held at the Decanter Fine Wine Encounter (DFWE) London. Join us to taste the 100-point 2018 vintage deemed ‘one of the greatest wines that…

CVNE has made its first foray into Rías Baixas by purchasing Albariño producer La Val for an undisclosed sum…

Iconic Marche winery Umani Ronchi is giving pride of place to two small-production wines that exemplify site-specific, terroir-focused winemaking…

This $15 White Wine is Bright, Crisp and Pairs Well with Shellfish

A playfully labeled muscadet, a textbook New Zealand sauvignon blanc with a Hollywood connection, and a gorgeous grenache from southwestern France…

The 2023 vintage presented challenges, but it wasn’t an overwhelmingly tricky year for the vignerons of the Southern Rhône…

If you’re looking for uncomplicated, fruity whites with a degree of concentration, Rueda is the place to come. This corner of Castilla y León is a safe bet…

Valpolicella is divided into two main zones. The Classico side is close enough to Lake Garda that its fronts are visible from many vineyards on a clear day…

To continue the musical analogy, the Jean-Pierre Large Morgon from Beaujolais adds an earthy basso profundo.

In Ribera del Duero, altitude and the precise origins of the grapes are a serious business. When producers talk about their vineyards, they mention the height…

Even though 2012 has become one of Champagne’s most celebrated recent vintages, ‘the beginning of the season was horrible,’ says Billecart-Salmon’s…

The Russian River Valley is famous for its pinot noirs, many of which are priced way out of reach of the average drinker. Here’s a fine example…

It’s seemingly hot everywhere lately. And when the sun doesn’t relent, it’s nice to have well-chilled bottles of wine at the ready. The California sparklers, whites and rosés…

Bright and tart, with flavors of quince and green apple, this is an easy-drinking white for sipping before dinner or…

Nearly 475 wines were reviewed by senior editor Alison Napjus for the global sparkling wines tasting report in the June 15 & 30, 2022, issue of Wine Spectator

With the rating of 94 pts, the Oremus 2019 Petracs Single-Vineyard Dry Furmint ranks 44th in the Enthusiast 100: The Best Wines of 2023…

Tom Hewson tastes and rates the new vintage of Billecart-Salmon’s prestige cuvée, Nicolas François, and finds that good things will come to those who wait…

Newly released vintages of the country’s prestige reds and a variety of distinctive whites invite exploration…

The 2015 growing season kicked off early with ‘just the right amount of sun/rain/heat for a successful bud break and no frost damage.’ A sunny July brought about worries of drought…

In this tasting, the producers determine the starting prices of the wine lots in consultation with the commissionaires, the only people who can bid at the auctions…

Founded in 1513, the current guardian of Alphonse Mellot is the 19th generation of Mellots working the family winery. It sits pretty in the center of the village…

These are fruit-driven, well-balanced wines, sourced from some of the Willamette Valley’s best vineyards. They show a lot of immediate appeal, with well-judged oak and even tannins…

Chateau Gilette is one of Bordeaux’s most unusual wines but the taste of this long-lived Sauternes definitely lives up to the myth, say Jane Anson…