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Santa Barbara: Out of Many, One
featured, United States: California
, Aug 2025
The refrain that kept running through my head over the course of two weeks of extensive tasting in and around Santa Barbara County was, “Is there anywhere else in the world that can do this many things this well?” The tapestry that makes up the Santa Barbara wine landscape is easily one of the most dynamic in the United States, if not the world. Through the lens of a long, auspicious growing season in 2023, Santa Barbara yielded an embarrassment of riches.
High Highs: Santa Lucia Highlands 2023
featured, United States: California
, Jul 2025
Nestled into a narrow, 18-mile stretch to the south of Monterey Bay, the Santa Lucia Highlands is one of the most consistent and consistently under-the-radar winegrowing regions in the United States. A long, even-tempered growing season in 2023 blessed winemakers with the opportunity to ascend to astonishing heights. And ascend they did.
Rosé Revolution: Light Red is the New Pink
featured
, May 2025
Rosé’s future looks redder, more serious and more satisfying than ever. The growing movement of bolder, ageworthy wines from far-flung locales is making it clear that Rosé isn’t just a season, it’s a category with staying power.
Cellar Favorite: 1995 Ridge Monte Bello
cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites
, Mar 2025
A wine of suave sophistication and supreme textural finesse, the 1995 Monte Bello is almost shockingly primary and fresh as a daisy.
Finger Lakes: Follow the Leaders
New York: Fingerlakes, featured
, Feb 2025
Making wine in the Finger Lakes is no walk in the park, and yet year after year, estates across the region turn out compelling Rieslings, Cabernet Francs, Chardonnays and a litany of other wines. But that’s not the full picture. The Finger Lakes has been the American wine scene’s underdog for decades. What will it take to break through?
Santa Cruz Mountains – The Chameleon
featured, United States: California
, Oct 2024
The Santa Cruz Mountains boasts a long and storied past that has given rise to some of the most legendary American wines of all time, but the region’s identity is still coming into focus. Zooming in, the 2022 vintage was quite challenging, with mixed results for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, while the 2021 Cabernets are among the most compelling and characterful in California.
Santa Lucia Highlands: Steely and Steadfast in 2022
featured, United States: California
, Aug 2024
The Santa Lucia Highlands weathered the challenges of 2022 with grace and aplomb, managing to stave off the punishing heat that afflicted so many of the other wine-growing regions in California. The wines further solidify the SLH’s position as a bastion of quality and consistency in the Central Coast.