Courtesy Valdez Family From left: Angelica, Ricardo, Elizabeth and Ulises Valdez Jr. When legendary Sonoma vineyard manager Ulises Valdez Sr. passed away unexpectedly in 2018, it was a horrible shock for the Sonoma wine community. Since then, Valdez Sr.'s widow and four children have been continuing his American dream, managing vineyards for dozens of wineries including Aubert, Pahlmeyer and Paul Hobbs. Follow their next chapter!
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED 96 points • $90 • 2,000 cases made, 500 cases imported A lush, ripe style, with açaí berry, blueberry and plum reduction notes giving this a slightly exotic bent, while singed bay leaf, worn leather and warm tar accents keep this grounded in a slightly old-school way. Displays ample heft, yet energy ripples through the finish, accompanied by lingering garrigue and tobacco echoes. Best from 2022 through 2040. From France.—James Molesworth
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SPONSORED CONTENT Bob McClenahan Photography Revana Winery began over 20 years ago when founder, Dr. Madaiah Revana, acquired and developed a small 10-acre parcel of unplanted land. Today, it is a critically acclaimed boutique winery that handcrafts Cabernet Sauvignon from the terroir of Napa Valley's most prestigious regions under the guidance of Winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown. Available exclusively to Wine Spectator Collectors, Revana is offering a small vertical allocation of their highly rated Terroir Series Cabernet Sauvignon. Limit 2 – Three-Packs Per Order
Ask Wine Spectator Q: I was opening a 2013 Cabernet and the cork broke. I pushed the remaining cork inside the bottle. It's been lying there for two days. Is it safe to drink? And if so, for how long?—Divyadeep, via Instagram A: We've all been there. Sometimes corks just break or crack or crumble when you're trying to open a bottle. If it's still stuck in the neck, you can try to retrieve it, but sometimes the best option is just to push the rest of the cork into the bottle.
A piece of cork floating in the wine won't cause any harm (after all, the wine has been touching the cork ever since it was bottled). But you might want to make sure you're getting all the bits of cork out—they can be unpleasant if they end up in your mouth. You can use a sieve, or cheesecloth (one trick is to use a rubber band to secure a piece of cheesecloth over the neck of the bottle). Or you can pout the wine into a decanter and hope that the bits of cork are left behind in the bottle. Be careful when pouring—sometimes the piece of cork can get lodged in the bottle neck and cause the wine to come out in spurts.
I would be worried, however, about a bottle of wine that has been sitting open for two days. The wine might start to fade or become oxidized after it's been open for that long, floating cork or not. Once you open a bottle, do your best to limit its exposure to oxygen, and store it in the refrigerator to give it a longer life.—MaryAnn Worobiec Have a question about collecting? E-mail us. Browse our archive of previous questions & answers.
Sandro Michahelles Trudie Styler and Sting have hired star winemaker Riccardo Cotarella. Il Palagio, the Tuscan estate of musician Sting and his wife, actor and director Trudie Styler, has hired star enologist Riccardo Cotarella to oversee the vineyards and winemaking. "The goal we have set ourselves is to make great wines," says Cotarella, who is widely considered to be Italy's leading consulting enologist. Get the scoop on Sting's next big collaboration!
Jimmy Hayes / Courtesy of Greg Norman Estates Coming Up: Father-daughter duos Bart and Jaime Araujo, and Greg and Morgan Norman Check out our Instagram Live series, "Straight Talk with Wine Spectator." Sponsored by Wines of Chile & Garyswine.com, the virtual chats with super chefs, winemakers, somms and more are airing every Tuesday and Thursday. If you didn't catch it live, watch our chat with sommelier and Domaine de la Côte proprietor Rajat Parr. At 7 p.m. ET tomorrow, Sept. 24, senior editor James Molesworth is chatting with Bart and Jaime Araujo of Accendo Cellars. And on Sept. 29 at 7 p.m. ET, senior editor MaryAnn Worobiec talks to pro golfer Greg Norman and his daughter Morgan, owners of Greg Norman Estates. Check out past conversations, see the full lineup and tune in!
Have you watched Wine Spectator's 2020 Video Contest winner yet?! You won't want to miss this year's honorable mentions either (including a special celebrity guest star), all creative takes on this year's theme: wine at home. Watch the winning video, runners-up, finalists and honorable mentions!
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