Winemaker Interviews

Orin Swift Cellars: Extraordinary Wine Labels & Beyond

An Instant Mega-Hit You could call it a cult following. Since introducing his untraditional style nearly a quarter-century ago, winemaker Dave Phinney’s iconic brand, The Prisoner, has had a magnetic pull on…

At The Wine Foundry, You Are the Winemaker

Imagine crafting your own wines via a process that allows you to choose your prestigious vineyard site, dictate your taste preference, sort and crush your grapes, blend varietals, and design your own…

Under-The-Radar No More: Mathew Bruno Winery

Mathew Bruno Winery produced its first vintage of Cabernet Sauvignon in 2009, yet the Napa Valley winery has flown very much under the radar these past many years. A small production accounts…

The Duckhorn Portfolio: Luxury in Every Bottle

Over the past decade, and most recently with the launch of the company’s IPO in March of 2021, The Duckhorn Portfolio has emerged as one of the most dynamic and successful mid-sized luxury…

Wine of Character: Ornellaia “La Generosità”

Ornellaia, the haute Italian Super Tuscan, is celebrated  for its persistent quality and luscious flavor. Year after year, this Bolgheri Rosso Superiore DOC cuvée of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit…

All-Star Winemaking Team Lifts Matthews to New Heights

Matthews, a family-owned and operated winery focused on expressing the purity of Washington state’s Columbia Valley, has released its first wines under its all-star winemaking team that joined the Woodinville-based winery in…

Quilceda Creek Winery: 45 Years of Vinous Perfection

It takes passion and focus to craft some of the world’s greatest Cabernet Sauvignon. That’s the intention of the Golitzin family of Quilceda Creek winery. At their state-of-the-art facility, just outside Seattle,…

Dolce & Gabbana and Donnafugata: Sicily’s New Dream Team

Everything about the Donnafugata partnership with the Dolce & Gabbana fashion house is based around the Mediterranean island of Sicily. The two powerhouses with Sicilian roots joined forces in 2019 to create an even more powerful collaboration—a wine collection designed with Dolce & Gabbana style and Donnafugata wine expertise.

The Guardsmen’s 47th Annual Wine Auction

On Saturday, February 10th, 2024, The Guardsmen hosted its 47th annual San Francisco Wine Auction at The Palace Hotel. The event welcomed 345 people for dinner, a live-lot auction, and a wine tasting…

Nearing 50, Calera Continues to Captivate

In 1975, legendary vintner and pioneer Josh Jensen founded Calera (Spanish for “lime kiln”) high in the mountains of California’s majestic Central Coast. In the nearly five decades since, Calera has helped…

Tor Kenward, Iconic Napa Winemaker

If These Grapevines Could Talk “It was 50 years ago when I first stepped foot on this fertile soil, and Napa Valley was a very different place,” Tor Kenward recalls. “There were…

Healdsburg’s Vérité Raises the Bordeaux Bar

Chateau Montelena and Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars proved in 1976 at The Judgment of Paris that California could produce wines that were every bit as good as those produced in France. The…