wine

12 judges, 20 wines, the finest bottles Burgundy and Bordeaux could offer, alongside a handful of upstart California labels that most of the French wine establishment had never heard of. When the scores were tallied, a 1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay had beaten them all. So had a 1973 Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon.

What better way to learn about the moment Napa was put on the map in the world of wine than from the local paper (with a byline from friend of the Variable, Keith Cousins). While I’m personally not a fan of their strict paywall, they’ve put in a ton of work to cover the 50th and this one is free for all to read. Highly recommend checking out this wonderful compiled interview with some of the best winemakers in the country (and world) and maybe crack open a special Napa Cab to celebrate.

SF Chronicle

Although Michelin has positioned its inspectors’ anonymity as a key component of its process in evaluating restaurants and hotels, the wine inspectors’ visits will not be anonymous.

I find the Michelin Guide to be absolutely fascinating—and their move into wine isn’t surprising. It’ll be interesting to see how their approach actually works in implementation and how it affects the Napa Valley, when they inevitably make their way out here.