Malbec News:
Angiolino Maule’s 30-year career has been one long “competition” with his chief winemaking rival: himself.“I am never content,” Maule says one foggy winter morning at his kitchen table, looking out upon the hills of northeastern Italy’s tiny Gambellara appellation, neighbor of the more famous Soave. “It’s in my DNA.”Maule’s competitive drive has turned this former pizzamaker and son of a small grapegrower into a leader among European “natural wine” producers. He takes a meticulous approach to cu...
Last summer, I finally trekked to the Finger Lakes to eat at FLX Table. It was the sole purpose of my trip: I had been trying for a year to get a reservation (which is hard to come by as it is) that matched up with my schedule.Its difficult to get into FLX Table not just because of who is behind it—husband-and-wife team Christopher Bates and Isabel Bogadtke, well-known restaurateurs and winemakers in the region—but also because of its novel concept. The restaurant has just one big table that sea...
In southern Spain, in the coastal port town of Dénia, I was recently instructed to eat my napkin.The venue was the Michelin 3-star restaurant named after chef Quique Dacosta, a modern-day pillar of Spanish avant-garde cuisine. Though Dacosta, 47, has five restaurants and bars in the Valencia area, this 30-seater is his most daring—and expensive, with long tasting menus priced at 210€.Here in the sleek, white interior decorated with modern sculptures that look like they were inspired by a kid’s t...
I thought I knew something about rice. Then I travelled to southeastern Spain.In early winter, I had lunch at a simple restaurant called Paco Gandía in the hilly wine country of Alicante province. It was a life-altering experience, certainly changing my perspective on the possibilities of rice and the meaning of “paella.”I didn’t get there by accident. I came for lunch with members of the Gil family of Gil Family Estates—best known for their powerful Cabernet-Monastrell blends from their boutiqu...
Lets face it, youre probably not going to be doing triathlons by the end of the year, nor will you have read a book every week. Its OK, dont beat yourself up about it. Last year, I tried to make resolution-making more fun by recommending wines for each pledge you made to yourself in 2018. But this year, I have a few actual wine resolutions in mind that are easy to put into practice; theyre not about deprivation or restrictions, but rather about pleasure and learning.Have you already made a wine ...
The stories that most moved me in 2018 were from parts of Italy that are less developed and less affluent, but sunnier, more agricultural and more soulfully Italian. In other words, the south.Italy is still going through a decades-long wine renaissance—rediscovering its myriad native grape varieties through better viticulture and winemaking. And when it comes to investment in wine, the south generally trails the rest of the country.I have some theories about this. One of them starts with the not...