Sarah Marsh MW

2 weeks ago | worldoffinewine.com | Sarah Marsh MW

A sunny winter’s day found me striding alongside the River Thames to Farr Vintners in London for a tasting of cork versus screw cap, largely from Guffens-Heynen, in a vertical that stretched back to 2003. You might suppose this face-off would be a forgone conclusion, particularly for wines many years in bottle, but on the contrary, the exercise was full of surprises. The first small surprise was the presence of Diam.

3 weeks ago | worldoffinewine.com | Sarah Marsh MW

Sarah Marsh MW reports from the launch of 2022 Ornellaia. La Determinazione was the one-word description chosen to represent the spirit of the 2022 vintage. “We had a clear vision of what we wanted to do,” explained Lamberto Frescobaldi, presenting the new vintage of Ornellaia at the winery in Bolgheri. “Determinazione has a double meaning. It represents the determination of our technical team to bring home this wine, which is so expressive, and the determination of the Ornellaia vineyards.

4 weeks ago | worldoffinewine.com | Sarah Marsh MW

“You’re in the milking shed,” I was told on arriving at Badenhorst Family Wines. “Drop your things … we’re opening wines now!” Yikes, but no cause for alarm. Cornelia Badenhorst used to write for the South African design magazine VISI and the accommodation is rustic-chic—un-showy, while showing attention to detail. The same might be said of Adi Badenhorst’s wines, although he would like you to believe they’re tossed together by accident. Making wine “naturally” requires careful management.

1 month ago | worldoffinewine.com | Sarah Marsh MW

“You’re in the milking shed,” I was told on arriving at Badenhorst Family Wines. “Drop your things … we’re opening wines now!”  Yikes, but no cause for alarm. Cornelia Badenhorst used to write for the South African design magazine VISI and the accommodation is rustic-chic—un-showy, while showing attention to detail. The same might be said of Adi Badenhorst’s wines, although he would like you to believe they’re tossed together by accident. Making wine “naturally” requires careful management.

1 month ago | worldoffinewine.com | Sarah Marsh MW

This is a tale of two vineyards on Twenty Mile Bench on the Niagara Peninsula—Foxcroft and Wingfield. When I made my first visit to Canada in 2022 I was surprised to discover an unfolding story of terroir as I tasted my way across the Niagara Peninsula, but nowhere more so than on the bench. The limestone slopes are somewhat similar to Burgundy’s, albeit this hillside faces north and the vast expanse of Lake Ontario moderates the climate.