The Connected Table SIPS!

Castello di Cigognola stands amidst the hills of Oltrepò Pavese in Lombardia, a region known for its sparkling wines. Owned by the renowned Moratti family, this 12th century castle and landscaped gardens are an Italian National Trust World Heritage site. CEO Gian Matteo Baldi oversees the vineyards and wine production with Gabriele Moratti, with a focus on cool climate Pinot Noir. He discusses thr...

South Africa’s Hamilton Russell Vineyards has produced world-class Pinot Noir and Chardonnay for more than 40 vintages. The wines have a classic Burgundian style and structure, balancing opulent fruit and spice with masterful restraint. Hamilton Russell Vineyards also makes wine in the Willamette Valley. Proprietors Anthony and Olive Hamilton Russell discuss their Oregon project and its first two...

J Vineyards & Winery is one of Sonoma’s top sparkling and varietal wine producers. Located in the Russian River Valley, the winery encompasses six vineyards with a visitors’ center near Healdsburg which offers signature events, from bubbly pairing experiences to behind-the-scenes tours. J Vineyards Executive Chef Carl Shelton discusses J Vineyards Cuvée 20 and Rosé, both made in the traditional me...

Louis M. Martini Winery is known for its world-class Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from exceptional vineyards in Napa and Sonoma. This historic winery dates to 1933 and underwent a major restoration in 2019. It offers a range of culinary experiences at its visitors center and wines are available nationwide. Louis Martini Winery Executive Chef Jeffery Russell discusses food pairing tips for Louis Mart...

Cairanne, a pretty hill town in the Côtes du Rhone, has a winemaking community committed to producing elegant wines with an eye on sustainability and authenticity. A cru appellation since 2016, AOC Cairanne requires vines to be hand-harvested and sulfite levels kept to a minimum. 26% of all vineyards are organic. Jean-Etienne Alary, 11th generation family member at Domaine Alary, discusses Cairann...

AOC Cairanne, the youngest of the Côtes du Rhone’s 17 crus, is located on the left bank of the Rhône River in the Vaucluse. Cairanne’s dry, sunny climate, cooling mistral winds and three distinct soil types provide the perfect setting for producing the region’s complex, lush grenache-based red wines and “rising star” aromatic whites blended from local grapes. Producer and negociant, Jean-Marie Ama...

AOC Lirac on the Rhône River’s right bank is a small cru appellation producing lush reds and aromatic whites. Lirac has an ideal terroir: over 200 days of sun, purifying mistral winds and three different soils: rocky galets, calcareous and sandy, with most vineyards organically farmed. AOC Lirac Co-President Rodolphe de Pins is owner of Château de Montfaucon, where some vineyards date back 140 yea...

One of the Côtes du Rhône’s first cru appellations since 1947, AOC Lirac is a wine lover’s rare gem, just northwest of Avignon. Lirac wines were prized among Europe’s nobility and the Avignon papacy in the 14th century. Lirac is rare among the 17 Rhône crus for its range of red, white and smaller amounts of rosé wines made from blends of mainly indigenous varieties. Château de Montfaucon’s Rodolph...

Located in the foothills of the Caucasus Mountains, Khareba Winery in the Republic of Georgia encompasses over 4,000 acres located in prime growing regions. Khareba Winery employs both traditional Georgian winemaking techniques and modern European methods to make its wines, working with more than 24 indigenous and international grape varieties. The wines have achieved international acclaim. Chief...

Rachel Martin and husband, Kurt Deutsch, are founders/owners of Oceano Wines, single vineyard cru wines sourced from the Spanish Springs Vineyard in San Luis Obispo, California. Oceano’s second release Chardonnay 2017 has earned national awards and critical acclaim. In 2019 Oceano released its first Pinot Noir to rave reviews. Martin is an advocate for women; 60 percent of every dollar spent in th...

Japanese master distillers are known for their pursuit of perfection. Rare bottles of whisky can command thousands of dollars at auction. But buying a bottle for home or gifting is easy thanks to dekantā, the world’s leading online retailer, which sells more than 2000 types of Japanese whisky as well as shochu, sake, other spirits and wines. Makiyo Masa, founder of dekantā, explains what makes Jap...

Arnaldo Caprai is a leading producer of Montefalco Sagrantino, a grape variety that has been cultivated in Umbria for nearly 500 years, but almost disappeared in the 1960s. Arnaldo’s son, Marco Caprai, has led efforts to revitalize the Montelfalco Sagrantino variety which today it is regarded as one of Italy’s noble grapes. He discusses the history and characteristics of this grape and shares two...

Everyone has sustainability and health on their mind when choosing food, especially red meat. Quality starts at the source of origin, including consideration for the environment and animal welfare. Matt Luxton, Director of Sales for Silver Fern Farms, New Zealand’s largest meat purveyor, explains what we need to consider when shopping for meat. Silver Fern Farms works with more than 14,000 New Zea...

India has a rich heritage in craft spirits and is the birthplace of the gin & tonic. Located in the foothills of the Himalayas, Radico Khaitan is India’s oldest and largest distillery. Company President Sanjeev Banga explains how India’s biodiversity helps define its styles of spirits and discusses two brands: Jaisalmer Indian Craft Gin, made with 11 indigenous botanicals, and Rampur Indian Single...

The Langhe region in Italy’s southern Piemonte produces many outstanding wines, notably DOCG Barolo and DOCG Barbaresco. Made exclusively from the Nebbiolo grape, each wine follows strict production and aging guidelines to create their distinctive styles, complexity and elegance. Matteo Ascheri, president of Consorzio di Tutela Barolo Barbaresco Alba Langhe and Dogliani, discusses the Langhe regio...

The two smallest winemaking appellations in the Côtes de Bordeaux are Francs and Sainte-Foy. Francs sits just north of Castillon and exclusively produces reds wines, primarily from Merlot but also Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Sainte Foy, located south and west of Castillon, produces both red and white wines. Both regions reflect a more laid-back agrarian way of life in Bordeaux. The wine...

East of St. Emilion, along the north side of the Dordogne River, lies the picturesque wine region of Castillon, named for the Battle of Castillon in 1453 which ended the 100 year war between England and France. The third largest appellation in the Côtes de Bordeaux by volume, Castillon is a red wine region. Merlot comprises 70% of the plantings which thrive in the rich limestone soil. Sommelier Ya...

Nestled on the right bank of the Garonne river, the southernmost winemaking appellation within the Côtes de Bordeaux is the region of Cadillac. Named for the Duke of Cadillac, who was a well-known lover of wines, it is the second largest appellation by production volume in the Côtes de Bordeaux. Red wines rule here, with Merlot and Cabernet Franc being the key grape varieties. Sommelier Yannick Be...

Situated in the northwest corner of Bordeaux across the Garonne River from the Medoc, Blaye is a land of family farms and undulating landscapes planted to just shy of 15,000 acres of vines in 41 communes, making this appellation the Cotes de Bordeaux’s largest region by production volume, predominantly red wines. Blaye has held historical significance in Bordeaux dating to Roman times, explains So...

Home to some of the world’s most well-regarded fine wines, Bordeaux is the largest AOC in France with 6500 growers and 65 appellations. At the heart is Côtes de Bordeaux, a flagship appellation of 950 producers. Created in 2009, the AOC Union des Côtes de Bordeaux comprises four distinct sub-appellations- Blaye, Cadillac, Castillon, Francs and Sainte-Foy. Sommelier Yannick Benjamin discusses key a...

Bordeaux is one of the world’s most renowned wine appellations with more than 6000 producers. For 30 years, the Bordeaux Wine School has been the premier education source for learning about Bordeaux. Located in Bordeaux City and online, the school educates more than 85,000 people annually through its global network of over 250 accredited tutors. Master of Wine Mary Gorman McAdams discusses the Bor...

Bérénice Lurton is a fourth-generation winegrower of Bordeaux’s renowned Lurton family. Her father, Lucien Lurton, acquired a collection of famous estates that he shared among his ten children. In 1992, Bérénice assumed stewardship of Château Climens at age 22. Considered a jewel of the Sauternes region, the 16th century Château Climens is a premier cru First Classified Growth of 1855 known as the...

Elisabetta Gnudi Angelini is owner of four historic Tuscan wine estates: Borgo Scopeto (Chianti Classico) Carpazo and Altesino (Montalcino) and Doga delle Clavule (Morellino di Scansano). Being a successful vintner is a fruitful third career for Elisabetta, who worked in the pharmaceutical industry and in the arts before studying oenology. Elisabetta and daughter, Alessandra, discuss Borgo Scopeto...

Founded in 1834, Champagne Boizel has been family-run for six generations-185 years. Located on the Avenue de Champagne in Epernay, Boizel works solely with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes sourced from the region’s top Grands and Premiers Crus. Wines are aged sur lie for at least three years and often longer to achieve balance and complexity. 5th and 6th generation family members Evelyne and Flor...

From his medieval Castello di Vincigliata in Fiesole, Bibi Graetz crafts his wines on a hillside overlooking Florence. His four organically farmed estates of both owned and leased vineyards contain many old vines. Graetz also produces white wines from native Ansonica and Vermentino varieties on Isola del Giglio off the Tuscan coast. In 2019 he acquired Hotel Villa Aurora near Florence to convert i...