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Take your pick of the best food events to start the new year in style, from culinary conferences to the world culinary Olympics.What did 2018 teach us about wine? From walking the vineyards with top winemakers to learning new wine-friendly recipes to how to decant a bottle of wine, Wine Spectator‘s editors covered a lot of ground!
Among the most popular Wine Spectator videos of 2018 are Wine Spectator‘s Wine of the Year and the winner of our 2018 Video Contest. They’re joined by useful how-to tutorials and special insider intel from vineyards in Napa Valley. Grab some popcorn and, of course, a glass of wine, as we spool up this reel of the year’s best clips.
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Wine of the Year 2018
It’s no surprise that the video featuring Wine Spectator’s Wine of the Year, the Tenuta San Guido Bolgheri-Sassicaia Sassicaia 2015, was a hit with wine lovers. Senior editor Bruce Sanderson explains that Sassicaia began as an experimental passion project that became a pioneer of Bolgheri’s super Tuscan movement. For more information on the full Top 100, check out our Top 100 video page to hear from our senior editors about what makes the Top 10 wines special, and check out the Top 100 Bonus Videos and explore the regions, grape varieties and wine styles featured in this year’s list.
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The Soul of Barolo
The story of the Abbona family, the owners of Piedmont’s Marchesi di Barolo winery, turned out to be as captivating to viewers as it was to Seattle-based filmmaker Will Miceli, who chose to showcase it in his submission for Wine Spectator’s 2018 Video Contest. This behind-the-scenes snapshot of the family during and after work, was chosen by viewer votes. The theme of love and family continues with the contest’s second- and third-place winners “I am Brian Benson” and “Amore Amarone.” Check out at all the winners, finalists and honorable mentions!
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How to Serve Wine Like a Pro
We published three great tutorials this year. In addition to “How to Serve Wine Like a Pro,” we also presented viewers with primers on “How to Decant Wine” and “How to Open a Screwcap.” (If it sounds obvious, you might be surprised!)
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Nebbiolo 101
The 2017 New York Wine Experience brought vintners from across the globe to share their exciting wines and stories, including Italy’s Angelo and Gaia Gaja, who presented their family’s 2014 Barbaresco. Find out why Gaia calls Nebbiolo such a challenging grape variety.
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Perfect Match: Tuna Aguachile with Lime, Cilantro and Mint
A fresh, aromatic meal calls for a crisp, delicate wine. Wine Spectator‘s Hilary Sims explains why a bright Provençal-style rosé shines with this flavorful Mexican dish from Best of Award of Excellence winner Harvest by Roy Ellamar. Don’t miss our entire series of Perfect Match videos and accompanying recipes. Recent favorites have included Roast Salmon with Chardonnay, Lamb Chops with Barbaresco and Roast Chicken with Beaujolais.
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What Makes a Great Malbec?
Malbec is the star of Argentina, where wineries produce delicious, full-bodied versions. What are the signs of a high-quality Malbec? Winemaker Sebastián Zuccardi of Familia Zuccardi shares his insight.
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After the Fires: California Wine Country Rebuilds
Several months after the devastating October 2017 wildfires, Wine Spectator visited some of the hardest-hit wineries in California wine country, including Signorello, Mayacamas and Paradise Ridge, to see how recovery efforts were coming along. Watch the video to learn more about the rebuilding process, and check out our followup coverage.
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In the Vineyard with Mark Aubert
California Chardonnay and Pinot Noir master Mark Aubert talks viticulture in his top estate vineyard, Lauren. Find out the history behind this site, and learn why it’s so important to the Aubert label. And don’t miss senior editor Kim Marcus’ cover story, “Mark Aubert’s Ambition,” in the July 31, 2018, issue of Wine Spectator.
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In the Vineyard at Harlan Estate
At the cult Napa Cabernet producer, winemaker Cory Empting shares how vineyard conditions improve from planting new rows of grapevines. Read more on senior editor James Molesworth’s visit to Harlan, and check out his blog for regular reports from top estates in Napa, Bordeaux and beyond.
Enjoy less cleanup when you cook meatballs in the oven. Learn how to bake meatballs with these easy tips and delicious recipes.
Discover how to prepare a delicious tonkotsu ramen in your own kitchen. Did you know that it’s not a Japanese dish but a Chinese one?Edouardo Jordan’s knack for making great food came long before he began building up his résumé. “My background in cooking with my family allowed me to understand how food should taste and how to season things,” Jordan says. “Grandma … she just knew how to season her food—that was from the start. So maybe that’s innate in me.”
The Florida-born chef eventually took this foundation to the highest level of professional practice, going on to master a repertoire of cuisines and techniques ranging from Italian cooking at Lincoln Ristorante in New York to French-style methods at Per Se and Napa Valley’s the French Laundry.
“Everything I’ve learned is incorporated into how I perform in the kitchen on a daily basis,” he says.
Now he’s successfully running two Seattle-based restaurants: JuneBaby, serving the Southern comfort food he knows so well, and Salare, a melding of American, African, European and Caribbean cuisines. To those he added, just two weeks ago, a bar-style restaurant, called Lucinda Grain Bar, next door to JuneBaby, that highlights grains, legumes and whisky.
With three restaurants now, “it’s very difficult to actually be in one spot at any given time,” says Jordan. “My day to day has changed a little bit. I have little flurries of time in the kitchen and then I have flurries of time at the desk.”
But his busyness has been paying off: Earlier this year, Jordan earned two James Beard Awards, one for best Northwest chef and the other for best new restaurant, for JuneBaby.
So when it came down to selecting a dish appropriate for a New Year’s celebration, he didn’t think twice about centering it on black-eyed peas—a symbol of luck and prosperity—to keep this success flowing into 2019.
“It’s a classic, kind of southern tradition to serve black-eyed peas for New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day for good fortune for the year,” says Jordan. “I’m just kind of following tradition—what we ate as a family—and incorporating that into what we do now.”
The party-size salad recipe he shares—this serves 20, perfect if you’re hosting a crowd or are counting on leftovers—can be scaled back as much as you want, down to a meal for four (in which case it calls for just a pinch of each of the spices). The dish can be kept fully vegetarian, served as a side or topped with poached chicken, turkey, ham or any meat of your choosing to make a full meal.
For those unfamiliar with cooking with black-eyed peas, you can find them at most stores in the dried bean section. The peas should be soaked at least six to 24 hours in advance “to expedite the cooking process,” says Jordan. The salt should be added after the beans are done cooking, he adds, to ensure they actually absorb the flavors completely.
“This is a dish that you could essentially make a few days in advance,” Jordan says. “Let it sit and it gets better over time.”
Little screams New Year’s more than Champagne, and, luckily, it makes a perfect pairing with the salad. “When you think of black-eyed peas, you normally don’t think of Champagne, but it’s the other ingredient to bring everything together,” Jordan says.
He goes with a Suenen Cramant Brut Champagne Réserve NV. “It’s crisp and it has a good tartness to it,” he says. “It’s going to go well with the preserved lemon more than anything and the chopped herbs,” he says. Below, Wine Spectator shares recently rated selections of similar bubblies.
With all his successes, Jordan might not need the luck, but he’ll be serving this black-eyed pea salad for his family this New Year’s because, for him, tradition matters.
For the black-eyed peas
1. Place peas in a large bowl and cover with water by 4 inches. Transfer to refrigerator and chill for 24 hours. Drain.
2. Place all ingredients in a stockpot, cover with water by 3 to 4 inches and place over high heat. Skim as needed as you bring to a boil.
3. When the water is boiling, lower the heat to a gentle simmer. Cook until peas are nearly tender. This will vary depending on how long they were soaked; check after 15 minutes and every 5 minutes thereafter.
4. Let peas rest 5 minutes in the cooking liquid, then salt generously. Let peas rest in the water for a bit longer to absorb the salt, then drain.
For the preserved lemon sauce
Place all ingredients in a blender with 150 grams (2/3 cup) of water. Process for 90 seconds. Reserve.
For the salad
1. Generously coat the bottom of a large pot with oil and heat on medium until the oil is shimmering but not smoking.
2. Add the red pepper, green pepper and onion to the pan and stir to coat with the oil. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 to 3 minutes to “wake up” the vegetables; they will soften and lose some of their rawness. Do not let them brown. As the vegetables soften, add salt a pinch at a time, stirring between each addition. This is both to add flavor and to draw moisture out of the vegetables; the goal is to give them the same texture as the cooked beans. Stir in the thyme.
3. Stir in all of the remaining ingredients, as well as the black-eyed peas and the sauce, folding gently so as to not break up the beans. Can serve hot or room temperature. Serves 20.
Note: The following list is a selection of outstanding and very good sparkling wines from recently rated releases. More options can be found in our Wine Ratings Search.
ROEDERER ESTATE Brut Anderson Valley NV
Seamless and silky with an almost effortless sense of complexity, with notes of lemon and pear paired with toasty brioche, fresh ginger and hazelnut. Drink now. 80,000 cases made.
NICOLAS FEUILLATTE Brut Champagne Réserve Exclusive NV
Well-knit and mouthwatering, with a creamy mousse and flavors of glazed apple, grated ginger, smoky toasted brioche and hints of marzipan and lemon curd lingering on the lively finish. Drink now through 2021. 41,392 cases imported.
DIEBOLT-VALLOIS Brut Blanc de Blancs ChampagneNV
Ripe apricot and orchard blossom notes are set on the satiny bead of this well-balanced blanc de blancs. It’s fresh and personable, with accents of pastry cream and candied lemon peel. Disgorged November 2017. Drink now. 1,000 cases imported.
GLORIA FERRER Blanc de Blancs Carneros NV
Sleek and steely with delicate lemon and green apple flavors accented by blanched almond and clotted cream notes. Drink now. 2,000 cases made.
DUC DE ROMET Brut Champagne Prestige NV
Open-knit and fresh, with a smoky undertow and flavors of Honeycrisp apple, black currant, spring blossom and lemon pith set on the lively bead. Disgorged April 2018. Drink now. 1,084 cases imported.
LOUIS DE SACY Brut Champagne Originel
This fresh and open-knit Champagne is lightly chalky in texture, with honeysuckle, clementine and biscuit notes backed by zesty acidity. Moderate finish. Drink now. 8,300 cases made.
PAUL LAURENT Brut Champagne Cuvée du Fondateur NV
A mouthwatering Champagne, with a lacy mousse and a lively mix of Honeycrisp apple, nectarine, Marcona almond and chalk. Subtle finish. Drink now. 20,000 cases made.
In 2018, a year that brought no shortage of wellness “trends,” it’s no surprise that the relationship between wine and health was a hot topic. In addition to reports on new scientific research and answers to reader-submitted questions, Wine Spectator took deep dives into a wide range of pertinent wine-and-health subjects. From wine’s unique effects on women to the breakdown of polyphenols’ benefits, here are our most popular health topics from 2018.
Men and women are obviously different, but did you know that this is true even when it comes to how alcohol affects them? There’s a reason why the U.S.D.A. Dietary Guidelines recommend up to two drinks a day for men and up to only one for women: Women have less body water than men, and therefore are more likely to have a higher blood-alcohol content (BAC) than men after drinking the same amounts. Further, estrogen, the primary female sex hormone, suppresses the process that leads to the breakdown of alcohol, another contributor to a higher BAC in women. Wine Spectator rounded up studies that specifically pertained to women, including some areas of concern, such as breast cancer risk and reproductive health questions, as well as benefits, like cardiovascular protection and increased bone density, to help paint a better picture of the complex relationship between alcohol and female health.
About 70 million Americans have some sort of trouble sleeping, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, and for many, alcohol can be an accessible, and often appealing, option for relief. But its effects don’t end once you shut your eyes. While alcohol can help you fall asleep, it may not be quality rest, as a 2015 study demonstrated. There’s also the tricky matter of sleep disorders, such as insomnia and sleep apnea, that come with other factors to consider when thinking about drinking before bed. One of the first rules a wine lover can follow in order to sleep soundly and avoid a foggy mind the following day is to wait a while in between, drinking and sleeping and, as always, drink only in moderation.
If you’ve ever been to a wine tasting, you’re likely familiar with the most obvious effect of wine on your smile: stained teeth. But while that issue—whether temporary or more permanent—is certainly one to think about, there is a lot more going on that’s less visible. Wine Spectator spoke with dental health specialists about the different ways in which wine can affect our oral health—from the breakdown of tooth enamel to potentially helping prevent decay. Of course, we also threw in some tips for dealing with that purple wine-tasting grin.
As a product of grapes, wine is generally considered a safe beverage for those avoiding gluten—though there are some very specific exceptions. (And don’t assume all wine-based drinks are gluten-free.) While many people adopt gluten-free diets for various reasons, for those with celiac disease or an intolerance, it’s an absolute necessity to know whether a food or beverage contains any gluten at all. We spoke to experts about the rare cases in which wine might contain trace amounts of gluten, and whether you have to worry about them.
The health-conscious wine drinker may already consider polyphenols to be an added benefit to their beverage of choice, but many people don’t know why polyphenols are good for them … or, for that matter, what the word even means! We break down what polyphenols are, list the studied health benefits of many polyphenols found in wine, and even highlight some wines that are believed to be the richest in polyphenols!
Wondering how to make classic adobo chicken at home? Get some help from this video tutorial that demystifies this classic Filippino comfort food.
Which are the secrets behind so a long-living success in Bangkok? Great and different food, great cocktails and an artistic and always evolving atmosphere.My favorite cozy weeknight soup! Made so hearty with white beans, spinach, and the most tender chicken meatballs!
Happy post-Christmas day!
I hope you all had the most amazing Christmas yesterday. I ate about 17 donuts, opened all of my presents, and then finished off my night with some warm monkey bread.
Oh, and among my presents were freshly baked chocolate chip cookies from Grandma, which I had right before bed, in bed actually, with a tall glass of milk. And I’m not sorry about it at all!
Now we have a few more days here in Indianapolis but all I can think about is curling up in my own bed at home with a giant bowl of this soup (with a hidden stash of Grandma’s cookies for dessert, of course), sopping up all this goodness with perfectly toasted crostini bites.
I mean, really, there’s just so much treasure in this soup, from the hearty white beans to the baby spinach to the most tender chicken meatballs. Not to mention, the freshly grated Parmesan on top for that finishing touch!
My favorite cozy weeknight soup! Made so hearty with white beans, spinach, and the most tender chicken meatballs!
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