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1 week ago | 
worldoffinewine.com | Simon MW
Rosé Champagne has taken some time to shake off a reputation for frivolity. Bollinger did not presume to make a Non-Vintage Cuvée until 2008, several decades after the death of the family’s eponymous matriarch, who was not, we infer, a great fan. Best left to the Folies Bergère or, heaven forfend, to the Moulin Rouge (Moulin Rosé?!). And as for Vintage Rosé…well, there we have had an amusing oxymoron to ponder.
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1 week ago | 
worldoffinewine.com | Simon MW
In a piece first published in WFW68 in 2020, Simon Field MW learns of a winemaking approach based on the twinned terroirs of vineyard and cellar when he visits Hidalgo’s home in Sanlúcar de Barrameda during the coastal town’s annual equestrian fiesta. It is hard, ordinarily, to believe that Sanlúcar de Barrameda is one of the poorest towns in Spain.
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3 weeks ago | 
cluboenologique.com | Simon MW |Mandy Naglich |Ciaran Griffiths |William Morris
The clocks have gone forward and there are the first hints that summer is on its way in the northern hemisphere. Adding to that feeling is this month’s selection of new bars, which is dominated by al fresco drinking venues, with rooftop bars opening in New York, Los Angeles and London. Those drinkers still not ready to embrace the great outdoors can consider cocktails and celeb spotting at an exclusive spot in London and drinks in a snug, speakeasy-style bar at a recently opened hotel in Osaka.
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3 weeks ago | 
cluboenologique.com | Simon MW |Mandy Naglich |Ciaran Griffiths |William Morris
The Errázuriz Wine Photographer of the Year 2025 shortlist has been revealed, offering new perspectives on the people, places and produce in vineyards and wineries around the world. Showcasing the effort that goes into wine production and snapshots from the lives of workers and the wines themselves, this year’s entries span everywhere from the Elqui Valley in Chile to the north-west region of Tenerife.
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3 weeks ago | 
cluboenologique.com | Simon MW |Mandy Naglich |Jacopo Mazzeo |Ciaran Griffiths
Paris welcomes a pair of new restaurants this month that will appeal to two different crowds: one is a small, experimental, ‘hyper-seasonal’ concept restaurant that develops a set menu around whatever ingredients are freshest, while the other is a glamorous, exclusive and opulent venue in a new five-star hotel that pays homage to the American chop house.
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3 weeks ago | 
cluboenologique.com | Simon MW |Mandy Naglich |Ciaran Griffiths |William Morris
In episode 207 of The Drinking Hour podcast, the first of two special episodes exploring the Côtes du Rhône, David Kermode is joined by Frédéric Lavau, a négociant, and Louis Barruol of Château de Saint Cosme to discuss just what makes the region’s wines so highly respected. Kermode’s guests explain the three-tiered appellation system in the Côtes du Rhône and what makes it so accessible.
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3 weeks ago | 
cluboenologique.com | Simon MW |Mandy Naglich |Louella Berryman |Adam Lechmere
In much of the winemaking world, small appellations often become famous for high-quality wines, while broader, region-wide designations are reserved for more ordinary bottlings – just look at Bordeaux. By contrast, Sicily boasts many wine denominations but its relatively short history in quality winemaking means that few of them are well-known outside the island.
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1 month ago | 
worldoffinewine.com | Simon MW
Simon Field MW reviews Bruno Paillard 2009 Nec Plus Ultra and 2015 Assemblage. Nec plus ultra (rendered ne plus ultra in the Anglo-Saxon world) describes the ultimate, the perfect example—of Champagne, in this case. The words were inscribed on the Pillars of Hercules on either side of the Straits of Gibraltar, offering a stark warning to ancient mariners not to venture beyond the known world.
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1 month ago | 
cluboenologique.com | Joel Harrison |Adam Lechmere |Simon MW |Nina Caplan
A 90-minute drive north of Adelaide lies a valley so bountiful that it isn’t actually a valley at all but several. Clare Valley – a series of dips on a high plateau – was once a paradise of market gardens and orchards, and before that, a paradise of indigenous vegetation.
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1 month ago | 
cluboenologique.com | Joel Harrison |Simon MW |Nina Caplan |Tyler Zielinski
Even if it’s possible to live on wine and cheese alone, one probably shouldn’t, especially while travelling in wine country and (over)indulging on a near-constant basis. But while many wine regions around the world have estates that feature full-on restaurants on the grounds, this concept isn’t as popular in Napa Valley with local beverage laws that complicate matters. Luckily, many wineries have discovered that a little culinary creativity goes a long way.
