Wine

The Ocean House Collection restaurant group has announced a new wine director, Matthew MacCartney, for its Rhode Island resorts. Ocean House is the force behind the Ocean House and the Weekapaug Inn, homes to Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence winners Coast and the Restaurant, respectively. (The group also owns Watch Hill Inn, not
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A federal court has issued a ruling that could change how consumers in Ohio are able to buy wine. In Derek Block v. James Canepa, the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals has reversed an earlier decision from the Ohio District Court and is remanding the case back to that lower court for further deliberation.
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Shortly after dawn on July 18, members of a New York-based joint FBI-NYPD major theft task force descended on Sherry-Lehmann, once the most renowned of Manhattan wine shops. The agents spent the day toting out materials from the shop and loading them into unmarked white vans parked along the shop’s Park Avenue curb. Asked to
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We’re celebrating our annual Restaurant Awards in episode 11 of Wine Spectator‘s Straight Talk podcast, with an exclusive interview with chef Thomas Keller and Wine Spectator executive editor Jeffery Lindenmuth. Straight Talk host James Molesworth also welcomes senior editor for news Mitch Frank to catch us up on the latest dining trends. Later in the
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Constellation Brands acquired luxury Napa Valley wine brand Domaine Curry from its founder for an undisclosed price, the company announced June 23. The boutique brand will join The Prisoner Wine Company’s house of brands, part of Constellation’s luxury-focused Aspira portfolio. At first glance, the deal might look surprising. Domaine Curry does not own any vineyards
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Pappas Restaurants—owner of three Wine Spectator Grand Award winners in Texas—debuted its latest endeavor, Little’s Oyster Bar, in May in Houston’s trendy Montrose neighborhood. The new seafood spot takes inspiration from old Hollywood, with scintillating chandeliers, a bountiful raw bar, luxurious lobster platings, caviar service and a finely tuned wine list to match. For Robert
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Vintner Michael Benedict, who co-founded and planted the Sanford & Benedict Vineyard in what is now the Sta. Rita Hills appellation of Santa Barbara in the 1970s, passed away on July 3 from melanoma. Benedict was also a botanist, mathematician, conservationist and expert sailor. He was 83. Sanford & Benedict Vineyard is one of California’s
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One of the top restaurants in the world for wine is changing owners. On June 29, executives at Hoffmann Family of Companies announced it is purchasing Wine Spectator Grand Award winner Bleu Provence, an iconic wine destination in Naples, Fla. owned by wife-and-husband-duo Lysielle and Jacques Cariot. The Bleu Provence deal will likely close by
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After opening in Yountville in 2012, Ciccio became a favorite among Napa Valley locals and visitors as a convivial gathering place for comforting Italian food and great Negronis. But, like many other restaurants, the beloved spot struggled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and eventually shuttered in 2022. It sat empty for nearly 18 months before
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The art of hospitality is alive and well, with restaurants finding new and exciting ways to satisfy both their regular clientele and attract broader audiences. With sophisticated AI and other technologies spreading more broadly throughout our lives, restaurateurs and wine professionals are proving to be indispensible, offering advice, guidance and a sense of connection and
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We’re welcoming summer with wall-to-wall California Chardonnay in episode 10 of Wine Spectator‘s Straight Talk podcast. Host James Molesworth is joined by senior editor MaryAnn Worobiec and an all-star cast of winemakers and grapegrowers, including Larry and Chris Hyde of Hyde Vineyards and HdV, Kistler’s Jason Kesner and Arista and Ferren’s Matt Courtney. Later in
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America’s largest wine company continues to expand, particularly with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. E.&J. Gallo announced earlier this week that it has acquired Hahn Family Wines, one of the most notable wine companies on California’s Central Coast. The deal gives Gallo three new brands—Smith & Hook, Hahn, and Hahn SLH—but excludes the Hahn family’s impressive
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For several years, Cathédrale’s vaulted ceilings, captivating atmosphere and Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence–winning wine list have been enchanting diners in Manhattan’s East Village. On May 1, Tao Group Hospitality debuted a new location of the concept in Las Vegas, at the Aria Resort & Casino. Part of a portfolio of more than
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