Roger Morris
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Articles by Roger Morris
News / Russian River Valley
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Quivira Vineyards, Sonoma County (California) Sauvignon Blanc 2023 ($20)
Quivira is one of my favorite wineries to visit, especially for its rural poly-agricultural yet pristine setting. This affordable Sauvignon is on the leaner, spicier side of the style spectrum for California, with less emphasis on opulent green fruits. It would pair well with lightly spicy stir-fries, with or without meat. 89 Roger Morris
Are you hitting the target with your wine comms?
It may sound obvious but wine producers should be tailoring specific messages for different audiences. And it’s easier than you think to miss the mark, writes Roger Morris.
Check out my gravel pit: why The Rocks is on the ascent
The Rocks AVA in Oregon has managed to keep a relatively low profile, at least internationally, but its unique terroir, made entirely of basalt cobblestones, is producing first-rate wines with a hint of Côte Rotie. Roger Morris reports. Photo credit: Delmas Winery Wine critics favourably compare its Syrahs with those of Côte Rotie. Its terroir is a dead ringer for the galets roulés of Châteauneuf-du-Pape.
The art of the vintage
Wang Du, WA, “Our most symbolic example of translating a vintage into a sculpture.” Photography courtesy of Château Smith Haut Lafitte. Each year in which Château Smith Haut Lafitte produced a good vintage, Daniel and Florence Cathiard purchased or commissioned a new work of art for the Parcours de Sculptures scattered across their Pessac-Léognan estate. As Roger Morris relates, it all began in 1990 with Barry Flanagan’s leaping hare.
What is 'back sweetening' and why does it matter?
Most wine drinkers, even those working in the wine trade, may not have heard of the term “back sweetening”. Yet the increasing use of that process in making table wines is driving the most seismic shift in wine styles since Robert Parker and Michel Rolland ushered in a new era in the 1980s by making big, fruity and highly alcoholic red wines, and rewarding them with 100-point ratings.
What is ‘back sweetening’ and why does it matter?
Wines by the glass in the US are becoming sweeter as a global trend for ‘friendlier’ table wines begins to take hold. And European regions including Bordeaux and the Rhône are considering adapting legislation to follow suit, reports Roger Morris. Most wine drinkers, even those working in the wine trade, may not have heard of the term “back sweetening”.
Livermore Valley winemakers vote for two-grape strategy
Winegrowers in California’s Livermore Valley region have officially decided that their future lies in two signature grapes – Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc – with producers starting to rip out other varieties. Roger Morris reports.
Top table: how Prosecco seduced the on-trade
Now is an especially good time to be a Prosecco producer. In spite of the perfect storm of economic and political turmoil in the wine world, global Prosecco sales in 2025 nevertheless grew to almost 667 million bottles, up 1.1%, or about 7.3m units more than in 2024. The newer Prosecco Rosé category, made official in 2020, remains vigorous with more than 60m bottles sold, and the newer lower-alcohol category (8%–9%ABV) offers considerable and immediate growth potential.
Hunt Followers Embrace the Thrill of the Chase Around the Main Line
Most Saturday mornings from late summer through the following April, a pack of cars and trucks assembles at the starting point of the day’s Kimberton Hunt Club foxhunt. Meanwhile, at the kennels just off Doe Run Road outside Unionville, Michael Beeson readies his Ford F-150 XL and trailer to transport the designated number of foxhound “couples” to the start of the Cheshire Hunt’s morning outing.
Why amphora provenance matters
The characteristics of the clay used to produce amphorae for winemaking are as diverse as the many types of wood for barrels. The trade is only just beginning to chart and recognise this, reports Roger Morris. No matter what goes into the construction of a wooden wine barrel, it all begins with choosing the forest where the trees are grown.
Adaptive Reuse Structures Are Popping up Across the Brandywine Valley
Ted Trethewey is among a small group of area builders equipped to turn an old farmhouse into a “new” old farmhouse. Photos by Jim Graham Through adaptive reuse, architects and builders are cleverly—and authentically—converting older, neglected structures into modern residences. Earlier this year, the New York Times reported that many states and municipalities are taking outdated or abandoned prisons and repurposing them as residential dwellings.
Deconstructing Napa Valley
Over the past few decades, Napa Valley has built a world-class wine brand largely on the generic reputation of its Cabernet Sauvignons. Not all Napa Cabernets are created equal, however, and little has been done to educate the wine trade or consumers on distinctions in taste and quality among the valley’s “nested” sub-appellations.
Yes, the East Coast Is a Wine Region—and It's Really Exciting
In 2003, Swiss-born, American-educated Rutger de Vink decided to quit his job in the financial industry and establish a European-style wine estate in Virginia—“an American cru,” as he put it.
The Big Interview: Nicolas Joly
After years of being ignored, Loire winegrower Nicolas Joly continues to preach the gospel of biodynamics – even to the converted, writes Roger Morris. After 25 years of preaching the winemaking philosophy of “return to terroir”, Loire Valley winegrower Nicolas Joly, the pied piper of biodynamics, has lost none of his passion. “For 40 years, I’ve been saying the same thing,” says Joly, who turns 80 this month. “Today, some people may be listening.” It is difficult for them not to.
Smaller wineries lead economic turnaround in the US
According to the 2025 Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) direct to consumer shipping report, small wineries are helping the US wine industry to bounce back. Roger Morris reports. The American wine industry is beginning to show signs of a turnaround in the current downward sales cycle, and that turnaround is being led by growth in direct-to-consumer sales, with smaller wineries seizing the opportunity more than are larger ones, according to the just-released 2025 Silicon Valley Bank report on DTC sales.
US wine bodies lobby Congress for answers
During the last few weeks, Napa Valley Vintners, WineAmerica and the Wine Institute have all met with members of Congress to discuss issues affecting America’s wine producers. Roger Morris reports directly from Washington DC.
Washington wine firm donates 100% profits to worker health
Vital Wines is powered entirely by volunteers, with 100% of its net profits going towards improving healthcare access for vineyard workers and their families, writes Roger Morris. Most wineries have some sort of charitable or community programme in place. But one producer in Walla Walla, Washington, is directing 100% of its net income from the sales of its wines to supporting the healthcare of vineyard workers, many of them migrants, along with their families.
Axel Heinz launches Merlot-only Lascombes
Winemaker Axel Heinz is producing a new Merlot-only 2022 La Cote at Château Lascombes that will be about twice as expensive to buy as the estate wine, writes Roger Morris. Should there be any surprise that the estate director who elevated Merlot-icon Masseto during his tenure at Ornellaia is now launching a Merlot varietal wine in his new position as head of Château Lascombes, the large second-growth in Margaux?
meet St-Émilion's shy sibling
Fronsac, one of the trio of Bordeaux right bank fine wine regions, draws far less attention than its siblings, St-Émilion and Pomerol. But now it’s tired of being ignored, writes Roger Morris. Unlike its two neighbours to the east, Fronsac doesn’t make a lot of noise.
Early Mountain Vineyards, Virginia Red Wine “Eluvium” 2021 ($90)
Mulled berry flavors from oak aging are intermingled in this wine with pleasant green notes. It is a Merlot and Petit Verdot blend that offers lovely, soft fruitiness at the beginning that morphs into savory tannins and nice acidity in the finish. 92 Roger Morris
Top 5 findings from the SVB wine report
The Silicon Valley Bank’s 2025 wine industry report, released yesterday, suggests this “isn’t like any era” the trade has faced before. Roger Morris reports on the key takeaways. According to the 2025 wine industry report by Silicon Valley Bank (SVB), released yesterday, the current decline in wine consumption in the US is part of a market correction – but there is still no indication of how long it will continue or what might eventually reverse it.
Capstone Vineyards, Virginia “C2” Sparkling Wine NV ($35)
From the Blue Ridge foothills of northern Virginia, this sparkler is a blend of Chardonnay (72%) and Chenin Blanc (28%) with the typical floral elements of Chenin and the mellow apple and Asian pear flavors of Chardonnay. It is rich, creamy, a little gamey, and just a bit shy on crisp acidity in the finish. 91 Roger Morris
What does the future hold for Texan wine?
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Dr. Konstantin Frank, Finger Lakes (New York) Dry Riesling 2023 ($19)
This wine is a sleeper because it sneaks up on you – a testament to good fruit and basic, but very well-directed, winemaking. Close your eyes and forget about the flavors, concentrating on the structure, and you could mistake its metallic minerally and tart acidity as being from a cru Chablis. A friend who tasted (after I did) echoed my own thoughts. “It tastes likes Riesling,” he said, “…but it’s a subdued Riesling in flavor.” In this case, that’s a good thing. 93 Roger Morris
The Big Interview: Catherine Leparmentier
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Could the 'Boissenot Solution' change the fate of wineries?
Can blending a few extra drops into a glass of estate wine during its assembling dramatically elevate its evolution – and perhaps even influence the fate of the winery itself? Roger Morris asks Bordeaux master blender Eric Boissenot. When Bordeaux master blender Eric Boissenot visited his only American client, an up-and-coming winery in Virginia, this spring to help assemble its 2023 vintage, he blended a few extra drops into the glass. Call it the Boissenot 0.7% solution.
California's Axis of Sparkling Wines
In wine, as is the case in most everything in life, there is a standard, and then there is everything within the same category that is compared to it.
Tuscan Sampler
The heart of this The Dozen is five reds from Tuscan producer Montefili – all bearing the marks of Sangiovese’s raspy tannins to go with the cherry and blackberry fruitinesss. Montefili is fairly new to the U.S. market so you may have to search around a bit at online sites like wine-searcher.com to find where you can purchase them. The photo above is from the estate. 2022 Franciscan California Chardonnay ($13). Nice, intense, spicy apple and preserved fruit flavors with a crisp finish.
Chetwood Financial Announces Roger Morris as Group Distribution Director
Roger Morris has been unveiled as Chetwood Financial’s Group Distribution Director. Morris is one of the most well-known and respected voices in the UK’s mortgage industry. In a career stretching back more than 30 years, he has held a number of senior positions. He co-founded em Financial in 2001, before joining Affirmative Finance as Sales & Marketing Director in 2008.
The Drinks Business
Alongside the drinks business‘ first artificial intelligence conference in London, another event across the Atlantic highlighted the work being done on the issue. Roger Morris reports.
Is Voon Sustainable? Tale of a Virtual Winery
Evan Anderson has done something enviable – create a California winery from scratch, one that makes very good varietal wines using grapes from premium Central Coast vineyards. Even its labels reflect the quality of the wine inside. Anderson has called his winery “Voon.” I hope he is still in business this time next year. You see, Anderson does not himself grow grapes. Nor does he “own” a structural winery. Nor make the wine himself, even though he is very involved with the wine’s profile.
Napa wine legend Warren Winiarski dies aged 95
Stag’s Leap co-founder Warren Winiarksi died at home in Coombsville on Friday 7 June, just ahead of the production of his 60th wine vintage. Napa Valley’s Warren Winiarski, whose 1973 inaugural release of Stag’s Leap Wine Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon was judged superior to top French red Bordeaux in Steven Spurrier’s 1976 Judgment of Paris, died on Friday 7 June, at his vineyard home in the Coombsville AVA. He was 95 and had been preparing for his 60th vintage.
How Chardonnay became California's secret weapon
Decades ago, the mantra among wine fans was ‘anything but Chardonnay’, but today collectors are digging deep for the most luxurious expressions of this grape variety, writes Roger Morris.... Continue reading Get unlimited access to drinks business Already a subscriber? Login
Virginia wineries become latest to join the Wine Origins Alliance
US wine region Virginia has become the first East Coast state to join the global Wine Origins Alliance organisation, which works to safeguard wine place names. Virginia is today [2 May] becoming the first American East Coast wine-producing state to join the Wine Origins Alliance (WOA), the international organisation founded in 2005 “to increase worldwide attention to the protection of wine place names”.
Double Dozen - Mom's Favorite
Maybe Mom was the first to introduce you to the joys of wine, allowing you to have “just a sip” at some point early in your development or decided you could drinks a watered-down version, European style, in your teens. Or maybe, it was you who introduced her to fine wine on your visits back home for the holidays.
The Big Interview: Linda Reiff
For almost 30 years, Linda Reiff has guided Napa Valley Vintners to becoming one of the world’s most revered wine bodies, even though recently it has sometimes been a trial by fire, writes Roger Morris.... Continue reading Get unlimited access to drinks business Already a subscriber? Login
A Buyer’s Guide to Wine Auctions
Restaurant owners and managers from across the country were excitedly waving their paddles at this year’s annual trade-only Premiere Napa Valley (PNV) auction in February, each looking to secure one-of-a-kind lots of rare wines for their lists or to showcase at exclusive wine dinners. “It’s exciting to walk away having bought something,” says Jason Cooper, the owner of Velvet 48, a restaurant and wine bar in Burlingame, California.
The Dozen: Oak Knoll
Oak Knoll – officially Oak Knoll of Napa Valley – is the first appellation going north from Napa City before Yountville and one that does show a lot of flash in the marketplace. But it is an important transition area that grows red and white varieties equally well, profiting from the up-valley heat and San Pablo Bay fog and breezes. This edition has a handful of these OK/NY wines worth trying as well as a sampling of entry-level wines from Europe.
Has Napa recovered from its wildfires?
From new-build wineries to abandoned fruit, to what extent have wine producers managed to recover in the four years since the Glass Fire ripped through Napa Valley? Roger Morris reports. It is a gloomy and rainy February morning atop Spring Mountain – again – but the haunting memories are ones of towering walls of wildfires raging through the arid, autumn mountains of Napa Valley, destroying everything in their paths.
The Dozen - Sip of Howell Mountain
Howell Mountain has become legendary over the past half-century for its big and long-lasting red wines, especially Cabernet Sauvignons and Zinfandels, which has also made them quite expensive in most cases. But, as is often pointed out, a value wine doesn’t have to be an inexpensive one – it can also be an expensive wine that delivers enjoyment equal to its price tag. As always, that is the buyer’s choice.
Climate Change Coping: Will Barolo & Barbaresco Plant Their Northern Slopes?
Sometimes the simplest solution may also be turn out to be the most difficult. And maybe not even the best one. With global warming, most wine regions have been searching for ways to combat increased heat and sunlight in their vineyards as well as learning to cope with changing weather patterns, especially when it rains more or less than it historically did and does so during the wrong seasons.
The Dozen - Douro Runs Sweet - And Dry
For centuries, the Douro Valley of Portugal was known for its exquisite Ports – big, rich, sweet dessert wines – and it still is. As many people have now discovered, the region can also produce very nice red and white table wines, and, with a few years of practice, are getting better and better doing so. One of the traditional wine families of the Douro are the Symingtons, who own multiple Port brands and also were pioneers in introducing the world to dry table wines of the Douro.
The Dozen - Adult Spring Break
You don’t have to go Fort Lauderdale (why would you want to?) to have an adult spring break with lots of open bottles. From Portugal to Mendoza to Marlborough, sparkling to red to white to pink, bargains to unicorn, it’s time to party down. 2023 Domaine Bousquet Tupungato Unoaked Chardonnay ($13). Light in body and flavors, mainly of green apple. 2022 Dow “Vale do Bonfim” Douro White Wine ($15). Very enjoyable floral wine they tastes like a blend of Chenin Blanc and Chardonnay flavors.
Napa 2024: Gray's Sky Meets Blazing Paddles
Is the sky falling on Napa Valley? A colleague of mine, the writer W. Blake Gray, seems to think so. And maybe it is. Then again, maybe not. Toward the end of February, I was in Napa Valley to work on a few article assignments and to attend the Premiere Napa Valley Auction and the three days of winery visits, barrels tastings and big dinners that led up to it.
Slice of pie: The changing face of US drinks retail
Following the news that drinks delivery service Drizly will be dissolved by Uber this month, Roger Morris investigates the changing retail landscape for drinks in the United States ... Continue reading Get unlimited access to drinks business Already a subscriber? Login
The Dozen - Varietals Rising
In the several decades that I have been writing about wines, it has been interesting to see the wafting back and forth between preferences for blended wines and those made from a single grape variety, or at least dominated by it. Of course, some traditional regions regulate whether a single grape can be featured on a label, but some regions that once use only their names on the labels, such as Burgundy and Rioja, now sometimes feature the primary grape variety as well.
Double Dozen - Now That's Italian
For wine importers and wine drinkers, now is the age of exploring the huge variety of Italian wines on the market, red and white, from the Alps to Sicily, inexpensive to quite pricey. It’s similar to what happened in the last quarter of the previous century when wine lovers and the wine trade were looking beyond Burgundy and Bordeaux, the Loire, and the Rhone for what until then had been overlooked French wines.
Double Dozen - all Seasons
In much of the U.S., January has been one of those months that can’t seem to make up its mind – freezing or spring-like warm, snow or rain, gloomy or sunny. But whatever the weather or whatever mood you are in, we have wines for you. And, if you are thinking ahead to Valentine’s Day, we have Champagnes and other sparkling wines, as well as seductive whites and reds if you want to show him or her your fantastic cooking and entertaining skills.
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