Magazine Archives

Napa & Sonoma: Planning a Visit
Jun 30, 2020

Napa & Sonoma: Planning a Visit

Our cover story is a guide to the newest and best experiences that Napa and Sonoma have to offer. Coronavirus may delay a trip, but these regions have risen to challenges in the past, and when they do invite us back, we look forward to a visit.

Cover Stories

Napa: Where to Taste

Napa: Where to Taste

Editors suggest the best places to try wine in Napa, from legendary producers with long histories …
Jun 30, 2020
Napa: Where to Eat

Napa: Where to Eat

Editors recommend the best restaurants in Napa for visitors, ranging from award-winning bastions of …
Jun 30, 2020
Napa: Where to Stay

Napa: Where to Stay

Editors suggest the top accommodations in Napa, from cosmopolitan hotels to transportive resorts …
Jun 30, 2020
50 Top Napa Producers

50 Top Napa Producers

Cabernet is king, but the valley excels with other grapes too
Jun 30, 2020
Sonoma: History, Diversity and a Down-Home Culture

Sonoma: History, Diversity and a Down-Home Culture

Sonoma is more laid-back compared with neighboring Napa, but it also offers its fair share of …
Jun 30, 2020
Sonoma: Where to Taste

Sonoma: Where to Taste

Editors recommend the top spots to try wine in Sonoma County, from traditional growers in gorgeous …
Jun 30, 2020
Sonoma: Where to Eat

Sonoma: Where to Eat

Editors recommend the best restaurants for visitors in Sonoma County, ranging from farm-to-table …
Jun 30, 2020
Sonoma: Where to Stay

Sonoma: Where to Stay

Editors suggest the top hotels and resorts in Sonoma County, offering everything from rustic …
Jun 30, 2020
Wine Country Heartland

Wine Country Heartland

Napa and Sonoma vineyards nurture an extraordinary culture of food and wine in Northern California
Jun 30, 2020
Napa: A Concentration of Excellence

Napa: A Concentration of Excellence

Once a sleepy farming community, Napa has become a global hotspot of wine tourism, welcoming …
Jun 30, 2020
50 Top Sonoma Producers

50 Top Sonoma Producers

A guide to some of the top wineries in Sonoma County, producing world-class Chardonnays, Pinot …
Jun 30, 2020

Tasting Reports

Up to the Challenge

Up to the Challenge

Despite a harrowing 2017 growing season, California Zinfandel producers came out on top
Jun 30, 2020
Alphabetical Guide to California Zinfandel

Alphabetical Guide to California Zinfandel

Lately, California Zinfandel makers have faced drought, extreme heat and a slew of other challenges…
Jun 30, 2020
Strapping Sangioveses

Strapping Sangioveses

The 2015 Brunellos are big, brawny and destined for a long life
Jun 30, 2020
Alphabetical Guide to Brunello di Montalcino

Alphabetical Guide to Brunello di Montalcino

There is certainly a lot to celebrate about the new crop of Brunellos. For the most part, the 2015s …
Jun 30, 2020

Features

Celebrate Summer

Celebrate Summer

Across the globe, high quality sparkling wines are more affordable than ever
Jun 30, 2020

Grapevine

SPECIAL REPORT: COVID-19: Wine in a Time of Pandemic

SPECIAL REPORT: COVID-19: Wine in a Time of Pandemic

The coronavirus pandemic has sent shockwaves through the wine industry, wiping out restaurant sales …
Jun 30, 2020
Restaurants Shift From Shock to Survival Mode in Coronavirus Crisis

Restaurants Shift From Shock to Survival Mode in Coronavirus Crisis

With COVID-19 upending their business models, chefs and sommeliers look for assistance while …
Jun 30, 2020
In Memoriam: Michael Broadbent, Father of Modern Wine Auctions

In Memoriam: Michael Broadbent, Father of Modern Wine Auctions

The longtime head of Christie's wine department inspired a love for rare, old wines with his …
Jun 30, 2020
Roederer Champagne Owners Buy Napa's Diamond Creek

Roederer Champagne Owners Buy Napa's Diamond Creek

The deal, made just a year after Maison Louis Roederer bought Sonoma's Merry Edwards, gives the …
Jun 30, 2020
Businessman Mark Dixon's British Bubbly Bet

Businessman Mark Dixon's British Bubbly Bet

The billionaire innovator of coworking spaces at IWG is becoming a farmer in the south of France …
Jun 30, 2020
Oregon's Master Chèvre Chef

Oregon's Master Chèvre Chef

Pat Morford, of Rivers Edge, crafts distinctive chèvre in central Oregon, drawing on a creative …
Jun 30, 2020
Value Wines to Try

Value Wines to Try

Our editors select delectable wines that won't break the bank, including German Riesling, Italian …
Jun 30, 2020

Departments

We Can't Wait to Return to Napa & Sonoma

We Can't Wait to Return to Napa & Sonoma

Wine Spectator editor and publisher Marvin R. Shanken discusses the June 30, 2020, issue, with …
Jun 30, 2020
Beyond Pinot Grigio

Beyond Pinot Grigio

The Italian white might win the popularity contest in the United States, but there are myriad other …
Jun 30, 2020
All Aboard!

All Aboard!

A ride on the rebooted Napa Wine Train reveals it has more to offer than just touristy gimmicks
Jun 30, 2020
Unfiltered

Unfiltered

Netflix's Uncorked brings the world of sommeliers to the small screen, and researchers uncover the …
Jun 30, 2020

The Buying Guide

The Buying Guide for this issue is available here.

Web Exclusive Content

ONGOING CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE  How are the wine and restaurant industries overcoming the coronavirus pandemic? Get the latest news on restaurateurs' creative efforts to stay in business, charitable efforts, and how you can help.

BACKYARD DINING  Some of the country's best chefs share their cooking tips and delicious make-at-home summer recipes, while our editors give you great value wine matches from their recent tastings.

VALUE WINE PICKS  Wine Spectator's free Xvalues app for iOS and Android devices features a regularly updated library of our editors' latest reviews of highly rated, widely available wines in five categories: top values ($12 or less); reds for $20 or less; whites for $20 or less; sparklers at $40 or less; and seasonal or holiday picks. Look for it in the App Store and on Google Play!

WINE SPECTATOR VIDEO  Watch all our informative wine tips, winemaker interviews and tastings on your desktop, laptop, tablet or phone.

  • The Bedrock Boys: Morgan Twain-Peterson and Chris Cottrell  Don't miss this riotous two-part Q&A with the California Zinfandel stars behind Bedrock Wine Co.
  • Spotlight On: Robin Lail: Lail Vineyards' founder talks about how wine has inspired her to follow her dreams, her enthusiasm for change, and her most embarrassing moment.
  • Spotlight On: Newton Vineyard: Newton Vineyard general manager Jean-Baptiste Rivail and winemaker Alberto Bianchi discuss working with mountain versus valley floor Cabernet, sustainability, and their excitement for the future.

For Subscribers

SEARCH 390,000+ WINE REVIEWS  We've hit a new milestone in our online library of expert wine ratings! Use our powerful search to find the latest scores and tasting notes (we blind-tasted more than 15,000 wines in 2019 alone), check the recommended drink window and latest auction prices on your cellared wines, or delve into the historical performance of the world's great collectibles.

WINE SPECTATOR'S INSIDER WEEKLY  Get an exclusive first look at reviews of our editors' most exciting wines with our mobile-responsive newsletter. Insider Weekly showcases blue-chip collectibles, exciting new discoveries and extraordinary values; it's available as a stand-alone subscription or included as part of a WineSpectator.com membership.