Things are askew with this issue of Wine Spectator – the front cover is sideways. Apparently that’s the only way to feature the Antinori Family – “aristocrats, vintners, and innovators.” [level-members]
WS reports that the US is the world’s largest wine market, whether measured in volume or price. 339.6 million cases of wine were consumed in the US in 2014. France was next in line, followed closely by Italy and Germany. China is considerably lower in consumption, but growing at a much faster pace, unsurprisingly.
The cheese column is all about Swiss, which is undergoing something of a renaissance.
2013 Bordeaux Whites are deemed to be “worth pursuing” even though the reds of the vintage are “difficult.” Pricing ranges from the reasonable – Chateau Timberlay is $18, as is Graville-Lacoste. Haut Selve is $20 – to stratospheric. (Haut-Brion will set you back $982 a bottle.)
Spectator Selections include the Highly Recommended Lewis Chardonnay Napa Valley 2013 for $50, the Smart Buy Les Mines Priorat 2010 for $19 and the Best Value Alamos Malbec Mendoza 2013 for $13.
Matt Kramer waxes poetic about Pinots from New Zealand’s Otago. Bruce Sanderson discusses Piero Antinori’s success through quality control.
San Francisco restaurants and wine lists get a look, as do a range of wine producers “pursuing value” in up-and-coming wine regions.
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