Our most-popular videos of 2023 are odes to the joy wine brings us all, whether it be from winemaking, wine tasting, or just enjoying with friends. The best cheese pairings for different white varietals were a big hit, as were refreshing summer sangria recipes. An exclusive interview with wine legend Chuck Wagner of Caymus dove deep into the legacy of one of California’s most prolific labels, and an insider look into one of Bordeaux’s third-growth estates, as well as a profile on special Sonoma coast winery Wayfarer, all drew the attention of viewers interested in learning more about the process of producing some of the world’s best wines. Not to be outshone was this year’s Video Contest winner: returning champion Steve Jacobson of “Cabernet Tonight” fame, who produced another infectiously fun and upbeat music video that won the hearts of voters for a second year running. Catch up on all the best clips from 2023!
Wine Spectator‘s 2023 Video Contest Winner
Building on the success of his first submission in 2022, the smash-hit of the wine world, “Cabernet Tonight,” Steve Jacobson’s sophomore submission, “Love the Wine You’re With,” was more folksy in tone, but no less funky and flamboyant in nature. With cameos from vintners like Kathryn Hall of Hall and Dave Phinney from Orin Swift Cellars, Jacobson succeeded in winning the votes of thousands with his ear-catching tune for a second year running. Hot on his heels was runner-up Akiko Freeman of Freeman Winery, with her heart-felt video “Akiko Dreams of Pinot,” and explosive terroir was explored in the third-place film, “Volcanic Journey,” which followed the team at California’s Obsidian Wine Co. as they explored the uncharted territories of wine with their vineyards grown on layers of ash. Watch all of 2023’s honorable mentions and finalists!
Connecting on Screen: Wine’s Biggest Personalities
Between exclusive conversations, detailed interviews and touching tributes, there is so much content to catch up on featuring the most exciting people in the wine world for 2023. An up-close and personal interview between Wine Spectator and publisher Marvin R. Shanken and Napa Valley wine star Chuck Wagner was this year’s most watched series, with the two long-time friends covering a wide range of topics and sharing never-before-heard stories.
Chuck Wagner and Marvin R. Shanken Explore the Legacy of Caymus
This video series, featuring the exclusive interview between Wine Spectator editor and publisher Marvin R. Shanken and Chuck Wagner published in the Nov. 15, 2023, issue, is a wide-ranging discussion of family, legacy and Wagner’s iconic Caymus Cabernet. The conversation between these two titans is more than worth the watch.
A Tribute to Jean-Michel Cazes
This touching tribute to late Bordeaux icon Jean-Michel Cazes of Château Lynch Bages debuted at the 2023 New York Wine Experience, where Cazes’ son Jean-Charles was presenting a vertical tasting of the family’s wines.
Wine Spectator‘s Top 10 Wines of 2023
Along with the highly-anticipated Wine of the Year, a Wine Value of the Year was also named for the second year in a row. The Top 10 Wines of 2023 and the Top 10 Wine Values of 2022 lists are two of the most anticipated announcements of the year in the world of wine, chosen carefully by our senior editors from over 9,000 wines reviewed in the past year. Watch to find out which wines won the top spots!
Wine Spectator‘s Top 10 Wines of 2023
In this countdown to the crown, the Top 10 Wines of 2023 are each featured, leading up to the highly anticipated Wine of the Year. If you haven’t heard the news yet, tune in to find out which wines our senior editors chose to represent the best of 2023. Will there be a Bordeaux, a Tuscan, a Napa Cab? Click here to find out!
Wine Spectator’s Top 10 Wine Values of 2022
As usual, Wine Spectator’s Top 10 wines (including the Wine of the Year) garnered the most interest in 2023, but for its second year running, the Top 10 Wine Values was a close runner-up, with our senior editors weighing quality, quantity, and price to choose the best wines for a budget. Learn which wine grabbed the top spot as Wine Value of the Year, and which others came in close behind on this new and popular list.
Cheese Course: Best Wine Pairing Videos of 2023
Wine and cheese never fail to please. Among 2023’s favorite pairings were our match made in the cellar: cave-aged gouda and a ripe, peppery Zinfandel for a Halloween-themed cheese board, and the practically perfect Parmigiano with Prosecco for an Italy-themed match. Catch up on all of the year’s best pairings!
Spooky Seasonal Entertaining: Scary Good Wine Pairing Tips, Tricks and Treats
Your Halloween party is easy with Wine Spectator’s seasonal cheese board and wine pairings. With four wine and cheese pairings to choose from, these autumn-inspired matches are perfect for a costumed extravaganza or a cozy night in with a scary movie (or both!). Choose your own Halloween adventure with this fan-favorite video.
Classic Wine & Cheese Pairings
In this short-and-sweet cheese pairing series, Wine Spectator shares classic combinations that everyone should know, including mouthwatering Parmigiano with bright, bubbly Prosecco. Other palate partners include rich Roquefort with sweet Sauternes and creamy Camembert with Chardonnay.
Pouring It On: Top Cocktail Videos of 2023
Whether you’re looking for light, bright and fruity sangrias or old-fashioneds for the newfangled palette, Wine Spectator’s recipes, procured from Restaurant Award-winning drink experts from around the country, will deliver both quick and easy crowd pleasers as well as complex flavor profiles for cozy fireside drinks.
The summer of 2023 was a hot one for many, as evidenced by the popularity of our Sangria recipes, with three refreshing options to choose from for summer entertaining. Rosé, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay pair perfectly with their fruity additions, such as strawberries, oranges and honeydew respectively. Whether you choose to make the White, Verde, or Rosé Sangria, or maybe all three, your guests will be draining the punchbowl.
Two fresh takes on a classic cocktail caught many viewers’ attention as the weather got colder, with our autumn-centric Apple Cinnamon and Bananas Foster Old-Fashioned recipes both becoming fast favorites. The Bourbon-based Apple Cinnamon Old-Fashioned can be made with hot cider for added coziness, with the recipe courtesy of Lisa Brazil, food and beverage manager at Devil’s Thumb Ranch Resort’s Ranch House Restaurant & Saloon in Tabernash, Colorado, where they know a thing or two about cold winter nights. For its part, the Rye-based Bananas Foster Old-Fashioned is a dessert in and of itself, with brown sugar, black walnut bitters, amaretto and cinnamon all playing a role in this more complex drink. Watch the video to see how Gregory Rael, lead bartender and resident mixologist at El Monte Sagrado’s De La Tierra Restaurant in Taos, New Mexico, makes this sweet concoction.
Videos Around the World: Estates of Bordeaux
France is home to many of the most celebrated wine regions in the world, from Burgundy to Bordeaux to Champagne to the Rhône. This year’s most watched deep-dive into regional terroir features Château Cantenac-Brown of Bordeaux’s Margeaux appellation, with some wooly friends who help produce their world class wines. Check out the interview to find out who these unlikely workers might be…
Estates of Bordeaux: Grazy Day at Cantenac Brown
In this popular video, Wine Spectator gets a tour of Château Cantenac Brown from co-owner Tristan Le Lous (and some four-legged Scottish friends), where he illuminates the inner workings of this biodynamic third-growth estate with vineyards in the coveted Margaux appellation.
In the Vineyard
In our “In the Vineyard” series, Wine Spectator senior editor James Molesworth takes to the road to visit top California winemakers on their home turf. In this most-watched episode he meets Wayfarer winemaker and Sonoma Pinot Noir and Chardonnay star Cleo Pahlmeyer to learn what makes the Fort Ross-Seaview AVA so special.
In the Vineyard at Wayfarer with Cleo Pahlmeyer
While she jokes that the winery is nicknamed “Way Far,” due to its remoteness and high elevation, Wayfarer’s vineyards are worth the trek for the star Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays they produce, according to proud owner and winemaker Cleo Pahlmeyer. Learn more about the unique Wayfarer estate by watching the full video.
In the Vineyard with Paul Hobbs
Paul Hobbs planted his George Menini vineyard in Sonoma’s Russian River Valley in 2015. In this video, filmed among his 39 acres of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay vines here, Hobbs explains how cover crops benefit this still-young vineyard.
Wine Spectator‘s 2022 New York Wine Experience
Wine Spectator‘s 2022 New York Wine Experience was an event to remember. With the 2022 video contest-winner “Cabernet Tonight” ringing in the opening ceremonies, this years’ grand tastings and seminars were a resounding success, with videos of the notorious Chefs’ Challenge and the much-anticipated first-growth Bordeaux vertical tasting of Mouton-Rothschild over four decades being some of the most watched videos all year. Catch up on the event with these videos and more from this memorable weekend.
Best of the 2022 New York Wine Experience
Relive some of our favorite moments from the 2022 New York Wine Experience weekend in this compilation video, featuring the Chefs’ Challenge with José Andrés, Emeril Lagasse, Eric Ripert and Danny Meyer, vertical tastings of Mouton-Rothschild and Napa Cabernet star Dominus Estate, a seminar with screenwriter and winery owner Robert Kamen, and much more.
An ongoing tradition for every year’s Wine Experience is the widely anticipated Chefs’ Challenge, where top chefs and restaurateurs José Andrés, Emeril Lagasse, Eric Ripert and Danny Meyer compete in a food and wine battle with Wine Spectator’s own Bruce Sanderson. With delectable offerings from each chef, and unique pairings suggested by both parties, who will the audience choose as the winner of this wine-pairing showdown? Relive the competition to find out!
Mouton-Rothschild Vertical Tasting
The 2022 New York Wine Experience featured an elite vertical tasting of Bordeaux first-growth from Mouton-Rothschild. Hosted by senior editor James Molesworth and winery co-owner Philippe Sereys de Rothschild, 4 decades of some of the most coveted wine in the world shone brightly. Dive into the four-part seminar to learn more.