Sylvanus vineyard near harvest time
Smoky tea leaves and vanilla permeate throughout this blossomy, perfumed blend of white grape varieties (Muscat, Pinot Grigio and Pinot Blanc). It’s lusciously full bodied, yet spry, boasting concentrated stone fruit flavors framed squarely by savory tones of earth, wood and bitter tannins. Read More
—Anna Lee C. Iijima
This field blend of aromatic white varieties intoxicates with its exotic haze of cinnamon, orange peel and turmeric spices. It’s lusciously phenolic in mouthfeel, with a deep, penetrating core of dried peach and pear flavors that lingers on and on and on. Read More
—Anna Lee C. Iijima
From California doubling down on Tuesday night wines to Oregon's embrace of a new muse to the Savoie finally climbing out of the Jura's hip-cocked shadow, Jon Bonné lays out the wine stories that will make a difference in 2016. Read More
—Jon Bonné
The best Long Island wineries to visit feature gorgeous tasting rooms, special events like live music and plenty of perfect picnic spots. Vineyards have dotted the north and south forks since 1973, when Louisa and Alex Hargrave founded their eponymous winery, which would become Castello di Borghese. Today, the region is home to large producers with multiple locations as well as promising upstarts that make excellent wines in small quantities. Read More
Channing Daughters
A benchmark winery for Long Island, and a relatively rare vinous outpost amid the high-priced South Fork acres of Bridgehampton, Channing’s home vineyards date to 1982. Visitors to the spruce, terra cotta–floored tasting room have the chance to sip six wines (for $12), a surprisingly tough choice given that the winery produces bottlings from over two dozen varieties, including notable outliers like Tocai Friulano and Blaufränkisch.
—Richard Nalley
In 2015, I sampled about 3,500 wines from every continent but Antarctica in my never-ending search for the recommendable. My 10 most memorable bottles range from a great vintage of a rare riesling, to a pet-nat bargain from the Hamptons, to California’s über-classic cabernet. Taken as a whole, they communicate what’s important in the world of wine today (the rise of traditional winemaking styles and unfamiliar grapes, the new appeal of old champagne) and what might happen next (more hot young things out of Australia, among others). Read More
—Elin McCoy
