Wine

Who’s behind it: In the Historic Ybor area of Tampa, Fla., Ten Rooms is a new concept from local hospitality professional Ro Patel (formerly of Ciro’s Speakeasy and Anise Global Gastrobar in Tampa) and restaurant COO Zach Pace, previously of Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence winners Aphotic and Lazy Bear in San Francisco.

One of Washington state’s more beloved wineries has changed hands for a second time. Ackley Brands, a small but rapidly growing beverage firm, has purchased Betz Family Winery, founded by longtime Chateau Ste. Michelle winemaker Bob Betz, from Steve and Bridgit Griessel, the owners since 2011. The deal also includes Washington wine brand The Untold

Constellation Brands—the drinks giant whose portfolio includes Corona and Modelo beers as well as Meiomi, Kim Crawford and Robert Mondavi wineries—has signed a deal to purchase Sea Smoke, an iconic Pinot Noir and Chardonnay estate vineyard in Santa Barbara County’s Sta. Rita Hills, from founder Bob Davids. The sale includes 1,100 acres of land, 256

Some of Italy’s most amazing wines flowed freely in Verona on April 13 at the 13th edition of OperaWine. The gala tasting spotlighted 131 of Italy’s top names in wine. Created by Wine Spectator in partnership with Vinitaly and Veronafiere, OperaWine has become the unofficial kickoff to Vinitaly, Italy’s largest wine trade fair. “OperaWine—it’s an

In a matter of minutes on the evening of May 1, the 2024 vintage for Chablis was rewritten. A violent storm unleashed pelting hail on vineyards across the northern Burgundy appellation, known for its distinctive white wines made from Chardonnay. Vintners will not know how the vines will recover for several weeks, but the early

Who’s behind it: After closing Charlie Palmer Steak NYC in February, chef Charlie Palmer has re-envisioned the steak house as Charlie Palmer Steak IV in a new location in New York City. This is the latest steak house in Palmer’s restaurant collective, which includes Restaurant Award–winning Charlie Palmer Steak locations in Washington, D.C., and Reno,

The premise of Bordeaux en primeurs is fairly simple: The top wineries of the region sell futures the spring after harvest, while the wines are still aging in barrels. They get cash up front to help them cover production costs. The négociants—as well as the retailers, restaurants and consumers they sell the futures to—get first

The young couple in the shorts and festival shirts sped into the ballroom of the New Orleans Marriott on a mission. It was the opening night of Wine Spectator’s 2024 Grand Tour, and 235 of the world’s greatest wineries were pouring wines, all rated 90 points or higher. The pair had come straight from the

Salvestrin Family winemaker Natalie Winkler struck a chord when the 2018 Salvestrin Dr. Crane Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon earned a spot among Wine Spectator‘s Top 10 Wines of 2021. But it all started with a bottle of Oregon Pinot Noir, she tells host James Molesworth in the newest episode of Wine Spectator‘s Straight Talk podcast. Winkler represents

Who’s behind it: Tre Dita and the adjoining Bar Tre Dita are new endeavors from Evan Funke, the chef behind Los Angeles restaurants Felix Trattoria, Funke and Mother Wolf. Funke focuses primarily on Italian culinary traditions, particularly handmade pastas, and is the author of 2019 cookbook American Sfoglino. For the Tuscany-focused Tre Dita, he is

Marco Felluga, who made exquisite white wines that helped put the Collio area of Italy’s Friuli-Venezia-Giulia region on the global wine map, died April 3. He was 96. “Friuli and the Collio region have suffered a great loss,” said fellow winemaker Silvio Jermann of Jermann winery. Jermann says that Felluga, along with fellow vintners Count

It may be hard to imagine, considering Napa’s moniker as the preeminent luxury wine region in the United States, but it wasn’t that long ago that the valley was a small agricultural area populated with bootstrapping farmers. Today, the valley is renowned for its premium wines and grand estates. Four million tourists visit annually. While

Eleanor “Ellie” Coppola passed away April 12 at the age of 87 in her home in Rutherford, California. Eleanor was a visual artist, author and film director who was married for 61 years to filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola. Together with her husband, she also helped restore Napa’s legendary Inglenook winery. “Surrounded by creativity and fame,

China’s government has officially abolished punitively high tariffs on imported Australian wine. The Beijing government announced the removal of the duties—which ranged as high as 218 percent—March 29. Australia’s wine industry, which was China’s biggest source of imported wine before the tariffs were enacted in 2020, hopes the reversal will offer new opportunities at a

For years, the NBA has been nicknamed the “Wine League,” but now it’s officially tipping off. The National Basketball Association is embarking on a partnership with California’s Jackson Family Wines establishing Kendall-Jackson as the official wine of the NBA, and K-J’s sister wine La Crema as the official wine of the Women’s National Basketball Association.

Who’s behind it: La Bastide by Andrea Calstier is a new endeavor from chef Andrea Calstier and his wife Elena Oliver, the restaurant’s general manager. It is located above the duo’s Cenadou Bistrot, which opened last year in North Salem, N.Y., in Westchester County. Offering a chef’s table experience, La Bastide features just six tables,

Wine Spectator has learned that famed Napa grapegrower David Abreu and Trinchero Family Estates (TFE) have agreed to partner on a new wine brand in the TFE portfolio using grapes grown from Abreu’s four Napa Valley vineyards. The deal links one of Napa’s top names in vineyards with one of its most respected companies. Abreu

While the COVID-19 pandemic is no longer in the crisis stage globally, many people—including some wine lovers—continue to feel its effects. Anecdotal evidence has indicated a potential link between COVID infection and increased alcohol sensitivity. That sensitivity can cause headaches, severe hangover-like symptoms and other effects, including intoxication at low levels of consumption. Now, new

Winemaker Dan Petroski made news when he sold his boutique California white wine brand Massican to Gallo late last year. But that was just the latest step on a wine journey that started ignominiously as a Columbia University football player and began in earnest a decade later after an eye-opening dinner at Le Bernardin in

Who’s behind it: Finca Wine is a new San Diego wine bar and shop from Dan Valerino and Joe Bower, the former general manager and sous chef, respectively, of Wine Spectator Best of Excellence winner Juniper and Ivy. The duo also operates Bottle Boon, a hospitality management company. Veteran toque Ricardo Dondisch heads Finca Wine’s