🍷The Hottest New Wine Scenes Are Hiding in Middle America

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The Hottest New Wine Scenes Are Hiding Out in Middle America

Sommeliers in micropolitan markets are building robust, destination-worthy wine programs (despite the logistical headaches).

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Fettercairn 28 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky, $1,250

The complex palate opens with baked apple and toasted almond, plus a waft of campfire smoke, and winds into relatively dry flavors: chamomile tea, pipe tobacco and leather.

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Domaine Pierre Van Oost 2023 En Préssin Gamay (Saint-Amour), $38

The palate brings clusters of red-and-black fruit into a coherent whole followed by a finish that is lifted by relaxed, flowery tannins.

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Maison Wessman 2023 JJ White Raven Chardonnay (Limoux), $21

The palate is bracing with spritzy, lime-powered acidity that stays lively and fresh atop a rocky undertone.

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Featured Tasting Rooms

Napa, California

Nickel & Nickel

Mt Crawford, Virginia

CrossKeys Vineyards

Geneva, New York

Billsboro Winery

Weekend Reads

In Hawai‘i, a Once Banned Spirit Is Getting a Second Chance

Made from the fermented roots of Hawai‘i's ti plant, ‘ōkolehao has a complex cultural history that spans centuries.

The Wonderful Wine of Oz

Australia offers big skies, sprawling deserts, world-class dining and a thriving wine scene that goes well beyond its iconic Shiraz.

In Montréal, an Eating and Drinking Tour Always Ends with Poutine

On golden paper, fries, cheese curds and gravy sound deceptively simple, but here in Montréal they are like nowhere else. Dammit Montréal, you hold me hostage.

A Globetrotting Guide to Winery Restaurants

As if best-in-class wineries and restaurants weren’t enjoyable enough on their own, restaurants set on stunning wine-producing estates are simply divine.

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The “Stick Wine” Bottle Everyone’s Talking About

Good food, shared moments, and a glass of wine bring people together. This story traces one winery’s nearly 50-year journey shaped by tradition, place, and a small detail with outsized meaning.

Drink Service

The ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ Cocktail Makes for a Merry Christmas

Minty, creamy and a brilliant hue of bright green, this sipper is a glassful of holiday spirit.

Get the Recipe

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Sophistication, Available by the Pint

This isn't just a mug; it's a throne for your lager. Crafted from Italian glass with a traditional pewter lid to preserve the head, it turns a casual cold one into an event. Plus, with custom engraving for a name and phrase, nobody can "accidentally" steal your drink again.

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Travel Back in Time

Wine Enthusiast Magazine,
December 1995

Booting Up the Holidays 💻🍷 1995 was the year of the "Start" button, and by December, Windows 95 was everywhere. We caught the wave by sitting down with Microsoft's "Resident Dreamer" (and future modernist cuisine legend) Nathan Myhrvold to ponder the future of wine. To celebrate the season, we also uncorked "The Magic of Champagne." A truly visionary issue!