This month, we'll take a tour of some of my favorite wine regions in the Southern Hemisphere, and there's much to be excited about. From the Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs of Australia and New Zealand to the iconic Marlborough Sauvignon Blancs that helped redefine the variety, there's something here for every kind of wine drinker.
Read MoreIf you had to choose grape varieties to define New Zealand and Australia, they would surely be Sauvignon Blanc and Shiraz, respectively. And with good reason, since both countries have made an indelible mark upon on the wine world with those varieties. In recent years, however, Burgundy enthusiasts increasingly have been turning to the Southern Hemisphere to explore new styles of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. With such a wide range of climates and regions across the two countries, there is a style to suit every palate.
Read MoreAustralia has so many incredible deals available from the familiar names who produce some of the most collectible wines in the country. So while you’re cellaring that bottle of Grange, Hill of Grace, or the like, these are my selections for cracking open now.
Read MoreNew Zealand’s gift to the wine world is undeniably Sauvignon Blanc, especially that from the Marlborough region, which is located at the north end of the South Island. Steely, rac,y and bursting with a veritable cornucopia of herbaceous and fruit-forward aromas, Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough not only helped to redefine the variety but also put New Zealand on the global wine map–today, almost 90% of New Zealand wine exported to the U.S. is Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc.
Read MoreI’ve just returned from a buying trip through Spain and Portugal, and I’m more energized than ever about what these regions are delivering. Across the board—red, white, and sparkling—the quality is high, the styles are distinctive, and the pricing still works strongly in the customer’s favor. From Spain’s broad, well‑established appellations to Portugal’s incredible diversity of native varieties, the consistency and craftsmanship I tasted were impressive. The wines highlighted here are some of the bottles and categories I’m genuinely excited to share with you.
Read MoreFor decades, Cava was the dependable workhorse of the wine bar: reliable, ubiquitous, and, if I’m being honest, often uninspiring. Even in Spain, 90% of Cava sells for under 10 euros per bottle. The issue has always been one of geography. Unlike Champagne, which is a place, Cava is a method. You can make it in Catalonia, of course, but also in pockets of Rioja, Valencia, and even Extremadura. This multi-regional approach to an appellation has long frustrated small producers who believed that it obscured the quality and potential of small-scale sparkling winemaking in Penedès, where the style originated.
Read MoreNo individual is more closely associated with Bairrada’s modern identity than Luís Pato. Beginning in the 1980s, he championed single-vineyard Baga wines at a time when the grape was often dismissed as too rustic or difficult. Through meticulous vineyard management and lower yields, he demonstrated that Baga could produce wines of finesse, aromatic complexity, and aging potential comparable to great wines elsewhere in Europe. His work helped reposition Bairrada from a region known for tough, tannic reds to one capable of elegance and terroir transparency.
Read MoreSpain offers some of the best wine values in the world because it combines ideal growing conditions with deep-rooted tradition and relatively low production costs. Much of the country, especially regions like Rioja, Ribera del Duero, and Aragón, has abundant sunshine, varied elevations, and old vines that produce wines of great concentration and complexity.
Read MoreProducing everything from delicate, almost ethereal wines to intensely concentrated and juicy styles, Garnacha is a true chameleon. This, in my opinion, makes it a fascinating variety to explore. And with the world’s highest concentration of old vines, Spain is the country to turn to in order to understand this historic grape.
Read MoreIn recent years, Rioja has been experiencing a tidal wave of change, with many young and new winemakers eager to make their mark upon the classic region. And while Rioja might still be most well-known for the long-aged wines of the Crianza, Reserva, and Gran Reserva classification system, smaller wineries are increasingly rejecting this system in favor of the flexibility to craft wines that represent a more modern, terroir-driven perspective. The resulting “modern” Rioja wines bear the generic Rioja label, but they are anything but generic!
Read MoreThe quality arising from small, family-owned wineries in the Cava DO has never been better. These are wines made in the traditional method, aged just as long (if not longer) than Champagne, and offered at incredibly reasonable prices. If you haven’t had Cava in a while–or tried a Corpinnat–here are my top selections that will probably surprise you with just how good they are.
Read MoreBordeaux grapes have traveled farther, and adapted more brilliantly, than any varieties in the world. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot, and Sauvignon Blanc have taken root in new landscapes, absorbing local character while retaining the structure and poise that define their origins. This month, we look at how these grapes express themselves from the Gironde to the Andes, from Napa Valley to the Tuscan coast, and beyond. Along the way, our buyers highlight the benchmark wines, the unexpected values, and the producers shaping the next generation of Bordeaux-inspired winemaking.
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