Previous issue: May 31, 2007

 

Cover Story

The New Sonoma Northern Sonoma, with the town of Healdsburg at its center, has long been a winegrowing region. Now, thanks to new wineries and tasting rooms, restaurants and lodgings, it’s become a stellar food-and-wine destination as well.

• Wine Spectator Online:  For more great California wine country locales, check out our online Dining & Travel resources, which feature a newly revamped Hotel Search as well as Google maps to help you plot out your winery tour. You can also search for award-winning restaurants and even make reservations for them through a link on our site.

Regional Map of Northern Sonoma

Recent Wine Releases

Where to Stay, Where to Eat   From farmhouses to roadhouses, northern Sonoma features accommodations and dining venues that will appeal to visitors of many tastes

Healdsburg Originals   With an indoor market, a general store and a bakery, the charms of this small town are plentiful and varied

Wineries to Visit   We showcase 12 places that represent a variety of wine types and offer experiences ranging from the historic to the luxurious

Grapegrowing on the Sonoma Coast   The rugged coastline of northern Sonoma is home to an increasing number of fine Pinot Noir and Chardonnay vineyards

Features

Tasting Reports

Loire Valley While often overlooked, Loire wines present plenty of variety, with the superb 2005 vintage providing the perfect opportunity to explore.

• Wine Spectator Online:  Learn what goes into making an outstanding Savennières from Domaine du Closel owner Isaure de Pontbriand, whose family has made wine for generations. Plus, James Molesworth tastes three wines that show why Chenin Blanc shines in the Loire.

Austria   Riesling and Grüner Veltliner achieve consistent success in 2005, and 2006 promises to be even better

Travel

Basque Country   This historic French region offers natural beauty, a vibrant culture and distinctive food and wine

Wine

Sommelier Q&A   We talk to three sommeliers whose wine lists have garnered Grand Awards, to find out their secrets to success

Departments

This Issue

This Issue

Upfront

  

Bordeaux classifications come under scrutiny; suspects arrested in Silicon Valley wine heist; grape researcher breeds vines resistant to Pierce’s disease; Santa Barbara's Wine Cask store being sold; Small vineyard sites help young South African winery stick with its own style; popular Chicago wine retailer Sam's Wine & Spirits changes hands; GrapeVine

• Wine Spectator Online  Keep up with breaking news as well as the people, places and happenings that wine lovers are talking about.

Tastes

  

Unconventional grilling; boutique lamb; the world’s most expensive coffee; Cape Town Hot Spots: Aubergine, The Showroom; shake it, don't break it

• Wine Spectator Online  Shopping for a new grill? Read up on them in our Encyclopedia of Food or check out Sam Gugino's previous column on luxury grills.

Dining Out

Dining Out   Los Angeles

• Wine Spectator Online  For information on other great wining and dining destinations in and around Los Angeles, visit our online Dining & Travel section and use the Restaurant Search to locate Wine Spectator award winners.

Columns

James Laube   Sonoma's ascent

• Wine Spectator Online  In his recent blog posts, James Laube has written about arrogance in the wine business, Baja wines and upcoming movies on the Paris Tasting of 1976.

Matt Kramer   A great Aussie white

James Molesworth   South Africa’s challenge

Collecting

  

Rhône values are on the rise at auction; a quiet collector from Tennessee

• Wine Spectator Online New FREE Newsletter:  Our biweekly Collecting & Auctions e-mail newsletter provides ratings of collectible wines, answers to your collecting questions, auction news and more. Sign up or view a sample.

Wine Talk

Wine Talk   Superstar chef Thomas Keller

The Buying Guide

View a list of all tasting notes from this issue. Or for more than 196,000 tasting notes, use WineSpectator.com's Wine Ratings Search, where you can sort by region, variety, vintage, price, score and tasting date.

2006 CALIFORNIA CABERNET Coming Soon:  Senior editor James Laube previews the upcoming vintage, with a list of top-scoring wines from barrel. TRAVEL PLANNING  To find great places to visit in top wine-and-food destinations, check out our Dining & Travel section. Use our newly revamped Hotel Search to find great accommodations reviewed by Wine Spectator. Plot your route to nearby wineries using our new Google maps feature. AUCTION PRICES  Find out what your wines are worth. Our database tracks the performance of more than 15,000 collectible and cellar-worthy wines.

SUMMER ENTERTAINING Coming Soon:  Kick-start your summer with our Memorial Day guide to wines and meals that are perfect for enjoying outdoors. RESTAURANT SEARCH  Choose from more than 3,700 restaurants with award-winning wine lists. You can now also use our site to make reservations at many U.S. restaurants. VIDEOS  Watch one of the Loire's top vintners, Isaure de Pontbriand of Domaine du Closel, discuss how her family has made wine for generations. Plus, James Molesworth tastes three wines that show why Chenin Blanc shines in the Loire. E-MAIL NEWSLETTERS  Our four newsletters deliver essential information straight to your inbox: Wine & Healthy Living  Health news, answers to your health questions and wellness tips Collecting & Auctions  New ratings of collectibles, auction news and expert analysis of the market Video Theater  Weekly updates of new videos Sips & Tips  Great value-wine recommendations, plus dining, travel and wine advice VIDEO CONTEST  Win prizes by submitting your amateur wine videos to our first video contest and you may win a prize! Our editors will select the best videos, which will be shown on Wine Spectator Online. See complete rules and technical details.