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The SOMM Journal is the hospitality industry's go-to resource for the best new releases, most influential faces, and most exciting regions.

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11/11/2025

In our November issue, .wineauthor writes, “Brands come and brands go—more and more fantastic California Cabernet Sauvignons are produced each year—yet continues to hold its own. Through thick and thin, it’s absolutely dominated
the on-premise market as a fixture on fine-dining wine lists in every state of the Union for multiple reasons, some of which you may be surprised to learn. First, sommeliers and restaurant buyers well know the sensory profile of a Jordan wine: It’s a true medium-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon, never over-the-top “big” yet never exactly “light.” It has plenty of tannin and restrained oak (100% French oak since the 2015 vintage, to be exact) to bolster the palate feel, but more than anything, it’s driven by perceptible acidity. That has been the case for every vintage since the 1976, through all the phases of the category’s evolution in the state—even when the most ultra-ripe, massively dense and oaky Cabernet Sauvignons grabbed
all the accolades.” Swipe to read more about how this icon is staying true to its roots.

10/11/2025

Our November issue recounts how recently hosted a dinner paired with eight single-vineyard wines from its portfolio that—like all offerings from Quintessential—had a point of differentiation in that they were entirely produced
by family-owned and -operated wineries. Founded in
2003 by Steve Kreps Sr. and Dennis Kreps, Quintessential shares the same overarching philosophy as many of the 50-plus multigenerational producers it works with from 12 countries around the world: Place is everything. Swipe to read more.

06/11/2025

When Elisabetta Gnudi Angelini (right) took the
reins at in 1998, she brought both vision and substantial investment to a property primed for evolution. Working alongside her children, son Igino and daughter Alessandra (left), she pursued an ambitious goal: combining time-honored traditions with cutting-edge innovation to make wines that express the estate’s terroir with uncompromised precision.
Gnudi Angelini’s influence extends far beyond Caparzo, however. As one of the few women to own multiple top estates in Tuscany—including Borgo Scopeto and Doga delle Clavule—she has demonstrated that female leadership can drive progress in Italy’s traditionally male-dominated industry. For instance, long before
sustainability was mainstreamed in the wine world, Caparzo was implementing comprehensive environmental practices that would set new standards for responsible production. The estate was among the first wineries in Montalcino to install solar panels, reflecting its early recognition that renewable energy was the only path forward. Swipe to read more.

04/11/2025

Winemaker/partner Fred Merwarth of
Hermann J. Wiemer in the Finger Lakes
of New York, where he is cultivating the red-skinned variety known in Austria as Blaufränkisch, in Germany as Lemberger, in the Czech Republic as Frankovka, in Hungary as Kékfrankos, and in Slovenia as Modra Frankinja, to name just some of its monikers. The grape is making waves with winemakers and consumers alike. Swipe to read more.

03/11/2025

Luciano García-Carrión is vice president and fifth-generation vintner of , the fourth-largest wine producer in the world and the biggest in Spain. According to a June 2024 Nielsen report, although wine sales in the United States decreased 3.8% last year, García Carrión’s sales were up 3.1%, largely thanks to the dramatic growth of the sparkling wine brand. “Although the wine business is declining, we’re up right now,” says Jayme Chianella, García Carrión’s national sales manager for the U.S. “We’re going against what’s happening with the market because we’re becoming more in tune with the American customer, and we’ve restructured a lot of our brands—and these products, like our Opera Prima, are connecting with [young consumers].” Swipe to read more.

31/10/2025

Do you saber? Successful sabering involves a few key
steps. You should choose the right bottle: a traditional-method sparkling wine with a mushroom-style cork and wire cage. The wine should be chilled below 45 degrees Fahrenheit (a cold bottle has more internal pressure and less chance of cracking). Wipe the bottle to remove condensation, as dry glass is safer. Hold the bottle at a 45-degree angle and make sure the neck
is pointed away from people. Remove the foil and loosen the cage but do not take it off. Keep your hand on the cage, then find the seam of the bottle. (Champagne bottles are made with two vertical seams;
these are the weakest structural points, where the glass is likely to have a clean break.) Using the blunt side of the saber, slide it back and forth along the seam toward the lip, using the force to break the lip. Inspect the bottle and pour gently. Read more about the .official Sabering Challenge at the digital edition on www.sommjournal.com.

29/10/2025

In our October issue, writes, “ is making a comeback. The winery produced estate Cabernet Sauvignon from 2001 to 2011 under the guidance of winemaker Heidi Barrett, who was also producing her own labels, La Sirena and Amuse Bouche, at the time. Now, thanks to the winemaking talents of Thomas Rivers Brown, Revana is in a new phase, aided by in-house associate winemaker Rose Ballantine. “Brown is my mentor,” notes Ballantine. “He knows each block, each row, not just the vineyards as a whole.” In addition to operating Revana, which became Napa’s first Indian-owned winery when it was founded in 1997, Dr. Madaiah Revana is also proprietor of two other estates: Alexana in Oregon’s Dundee Hills and Bodega Corazón del Sol in the Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina. The Revana wines exhibit purity of fruit in the most classic of Napa Valley styles, showing power and concentration as well as grace. “We’re all concentrating on acid and backbone,” general manager Jeff Lewis explains. “Our goal is for these wines to get even better in ten or 15 years.” Swipe to read her tasting notes.

27/10/2025

In his October column, takes on the topic of “compellers,” wines that drive revenue by compelling guests to order them. He writes, “Any well-organized
list, regardless of its size, will incorporate compellers into its various categories. There is no singular criterion for what makes something a compeller, though the
best examples are varieties, appellations, or vintages (and often a combination thereof) that are widely recognizable to the majority of consumers. For instance, many consumers have visited locales like
Napa, Sonoma, Provence, and Tuscany, making them more likely to be emotionally connected to and interested in consuming expressions from these regions. Either way, the essential element here is price. Compellers should be priced well below the competitive set and/or what a reasonable full markup would be. Let’s use a practical example of a Napa Valley Cabernet that tends to be priced around $150 on most wine lists. If you instead price it at $120, it performs several vital roles. First (and arguably most importantly), it might prompt a guest to purchase above their original threshold. Many will happily spend up to their break point—say, $100—but will rarely be inclined to exceed it. However, when you position a compeller slightly above that threshold but far below the typical cost of the wine, it triggers the desire to take advantage of that amazing deal.” What do you think of this strategy?

24/10/2025

In her October column, caught up with Natascha Patterer, director of beverage at
the Waldorf Astoria New York, where her vision is for New York bottlings to be a dominant presence: “Bringing New York wines into a luxury space like this, my intention is to put a bit more of a scope on it and elevate it. . . . It’s beautiful stuff,” she says. They’re joined by domestic wines from California, Oregon, Virginia, and other states as well as international offerings from appellations throughout France, Italy,
Chile, New Zealand, and beyond. “My mother is from Spain and my father is from Austria, so you’re going to find Spain and Austria sections on almost all the wine
lists that I do,” she explains. Swipe to read more.

16/10/2025

“This is a wine for my generation,” Agustina Hobbs, the founder of new Napa Valley label . “There aren’t a lot of wines that focus on trying to get young
millennials into drinking wine.” As the daughter of legendary winemaker , Augustina is primed for success, but not resting on her laurels. She believes that two factors will give her an edge in attracting that demographic as well as Gen Z. One is that the wine comes from the iconic 68-acre Nathan Coombs Estate, which sits at the foot of the Vaca Mountains in Napa’s Coombsville AVA. The second is the suggested retail price of $75—significantly lower than that of most Paul Hobbs wines, which run well into the triple digits. Swipe to read more from .

13/10/2025

In his October column, caught up with Tim Healy, beverage manager at , where he is implementing changes through interesting selections that invite guests to discover something new. His message to suppliers is, “Bring me the weird stuff. Tell me a story. I’m not here to push the same old tech-money Cabernet. I want something with soul. And if I’m going to pour a $100 dram, I want it to be experienced—not just shelved.” Swipe to read more.

07/10/2025

Our October issue’s cover story takes a look at some of the sparkling wines from the García Carríon portfolio making an impact on U.S. wine lists and retail shelves. Stay tuned for more exciting stories in this issue!

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