Episode description

Today in Wine News

Recent vineyard acquisitions have been making wine news headlines over the past month. It seems that some of the most prestigious vineyards in California have changed ownership as of late, and it seems to be a trend that concerns an already weary crop of wine enthusiasts.

What does this recent fit of vineyard sales have to say about the state of the American wine industry as a whole? And what can wine lovers expect to shift with new ownership of their favorite labels?

Keep listening to learn more.

-

In Other News

Here are some highlights from the week:

Marchesi Antinori celebrated the 50th anniversary of Tignanello with a lucrative auction. An assortment of 170 bottles of Tignanello (plus a full barrel) from the Antinori cellar garnered almost $190,000 total at a Christie’s auction in London on November 26 and 27.

* “Super Tuscan Wine Tignanello Attracts Big Bids At Auction” (Kenny Martin/Wine Spectator)

A small natural winemaker has been selected to provide the official sacramental wine for the reopening of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. Husband and wife team Régis and Aude Anouil are practicing Catholics who retired from their careers with Catholic organizations to start Domaine de la Bénisson-Dieu in the Loire Valley in 2019. Domaine de la Bénisson-Dieu follows strict biodynamic principles, and is made with full compliance with Catholic canon law.

* “Notre Dame to Celebrate Opening With Natural Wine” (Oliver Styles/WineSearcher)

And finally, New York Times wine critic Eric Asimov has assembled his list of the best wine books for 2024. Included among Asimov’s highlighted books is sommelier Pascaline Lepeltier’s “One Thousand Vines”, the long-awaited English translation of her French best-seller “Mille Vignes”.

* “The Best Wine Books of 2024” (Eric Asimov/New York Times, paywalled)

* Follow up from feature story in Nov. 21 episode, New School Nouveau

-

That’s all the news this week. Thank you for listening to The Wine Press!

Become a subscriber and be the first to receive new episodes of The Wine Press, as well as Wine and Movie Pairings and more articles in your inbox every week. And while you’re in the subscribing spirit, be sure to follow along on Instagram and TikTok at brunellobombshell. You can also submit a breaking wine news story via email to thewinepresspodcast@gmail.com.

We’ll be back next week with a new crop of wine news. Until then, cheers and happy drinking!

The Wine Press is a Brunello Bombshell podcast, supported by listeners like you! To receive new posts and support this work, consider becoming a free or premium subscriber.