In the March 31, 2005 Issue

The Great Cork Debate

A Brave New World of Cheddar - Americans are finally making cheddars that stand up to the British benchmark

Inside Wine: Water Hazards - Irrigating vines is a necessity for some, but a crime for others

Challengers and Incumbents in the Capital - New Washington restaurants represent a sophisticated constituency

Coming Home - Ed Sbragia's new wines are a tribute to his father

2003 Northern Rhônes - Top estates produced dense, exotic wines in this hot vintage, but watch out for inconsistency

The New Man At Mouton-Rothschild - Winemaker Phillipe Dhalluin plans to shake things up at the first-growth

A Challenge for Bordeaux - In 2002, the top vintners triumphed over a difficult growing season

The Genie in the Bottle - The virtues of cork go beyond mere science

Cork's Time Has Passed - Twist-offs are a viable alternative to a marginal closure

The Science of Closures - Evaluating corks, twist-offs and other ways of preserving the quality of bottled wine

Sake Enters Western Wine Lists - Non-Asian restaurants are discovering a new trend for food

Japanese Restaurants Break Away - Western and Japanese ingredients and wines are now shared in a fusion cuisine

A New Australian Colossus? - Foster's attempts a $2.3 billion takeover of rival Southcorp

Naples Takes Over Top Spot in 2004 - Charity wine auctions are stronger than ever

The Buying Guide for this issue is available here.