The first sip of Armand de Brignac (colloquially known as Ace of Spades) is an unforgettable moment. Mine was in the hotel bar of the Plaza Athénée—a legendary Paris hotel. The waiter came to our table and slowly poured a glass of the Gold Brut, the brand’s flagship cuvée. Armand de Brignac bottles are mesmerizing; it’s easy to find yourself staring. And yet, what is …
In 2014, Charles Smith won Wine Enthusiast’s global winemaker of the year. It was an accolade he thinks fondly on (with more than a note of surprise), but it was telling of the years worth of work invested in his Washington state wines. His latest project, unveiled on 25 July, happens to be a wine destination of epic proportions. Charles Smith Wines’ Jet City winery, …
As the world’s second largest country in geographical area, Canada’s vast terrain varies greatly. But as a nation stereotypically synonymous with ice hockey and year-round winter, it’s hard to imagine that in British Columbia there’s the Okanagan Valley, which includes the Osoyoos Desert—complete with rattlesnakes and prickly cacti. Nestled between the Coast Mountains to the west and the Monashee Mountains to the east is the …
