Dana Nigro
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Managing editor of WineSpectator.com, senior editor at @WineSpectator. Into sustainable/organic/biodynamic #wine. And #cheese. #jerseystrong
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Articles by Dana Nigro
Make Sure You See Wine Spectator Reviews and Articles at the Top of Google Search
If you count on Wine Spectator 's editors to help you make smart wine-buying decisions and keep you updated on the latest trends in wine, dining and wine-country travel, you can now make sure we show up at the top of your Google search results. A new feature called " Preferred Sources " lets you choose which media outlets will appear first in the "Top Stories" section on search-results pages, as well as in a "From Your Sources" section.
Do You Have What It Takes to Win Wine Spectator's 2025 Video Contest?
Does wine occupy a special place in your heart? Do you think of certain people, places or memories when you enjoy a glass? Do you plan meals and trips around it? Share why and how you enjoy wine by submitting your short video to Wine Spectator's 19th Annual Video Contest-now easier than ever to enter.
What’s the Wine Jon Hamm Stole on Your Friends & Neighbors?
Wine lovers and collectors watching the new Jon Hamm vehicle Your Friends & Neighbors on Apple TV+ took note of a very special cameo in episode 3: A bottle of white Burgundy, but not just any white Burgundy.
What Are Restaurants Doing to Make Their Wine Lists Greener?
Wine Programs Leaning Green Cellars at eco-friendly restaurants are reinforcing the environmentally friendly approaches emphasized in their kitchens ILIS, a new concept in New York City from chef Mads Refslund, is home to a hyper-seasonal experimental menu paired with wines that are ethically and sustainably made.
Do You Have What It Takes to Win Wine Spectator’s Annual Video Contest?
Jul 25, 2024 Does wine add something special to your life? A way to connect with friends and family, a chance to travel the world without even leaving the table, a reason to head out of town to explore other regions, countries or cultures? Share why you love wine by submitting your short video to Wine Spectator’s 18th Annual Video Contest.
Growing Greener: Our Guide to Being a Sustainable Wine Drinker
The world’s environmental problems can seem overwhelming. Can the actions of individual wine consumers make a difference? “Yes, absolutely,” says Kimberly Nicholas, a leading global sustainability scientist with a specialty in wine and the author of Under the Sky We Make: How to Be Human in a Warming World.
What Does Country Star Scotty McCreery Have in That On-Stage Solo Cup?
Fans of country music and long-time American Idol viewers know musician Scotty McCreery for his hits such as “You Time,” “Five More Minutes” and “Damn Strait.” But last year, the singer and guitarist gained a new legion of followers among wine lovers with the release of “Cab in a Solo,” a song in which Silver Oak—an icon of California Cabernet—plays a prominent role.
$200 Rosé. Wine with Jon Bon Jovi. Gérard Bertrand Is Shaking Up the Languedoc
A tall, lean, charismatic, former pro rugby player from the Languedoc in southern France, Gérard Bertrand has, over three decades, “almost single-handedly raised the reputation and quality of the region,” Wine Spectator senior editor Kristen Bieler said, introducing him to the Wine Experience audience. From modest beginnings, Bertrand has amassed an empire of 17 wine estates, totaling 2,200 acres of vineyards—all farmed biodynamically.
Wine Star Pierre-Henry Gagey-New York Wine Experience 2023
After 31 years running Burgundy powerhouse Maison Louis Jadot, Pierre-Henry Gagey is stepping down as president. Before pulling back from day-to-day operations, Gagey appeared once more at the Wine Experience, with both an explanation and an exhortation—a reflection on the reasons for Burgundy’s success and inspiration for those shepherding the wine region (or others) into the future.
Silver Oak Goes Country Original
During a vacation on one of the last weekends of August, Unfiltered was driving at night, flipping through local radio stations the old-fashioned way. Suddenly a catchy country lyric poured out of the stereo: "Drinking Cab in a Solo/solo in the cab of my truck." Wait, what? Unfiltered had stumbled over the just-released single from American Idol winner Scotty McCreery, possibly referencing Toby Keith's 2011 ode to the iconic party/tailgating plastic vessel, "Red Solo Cup".
Grand Award-Winning Restaurant Bleu Provence Sold
One of the top restaurants in the world for wine is changing owners. On June 29, executives at Hoffmann Family of Companies announced it is purchasing Wine Spectator Grand Award winner Bleu Provence, an iconic wine destination in Naples, Fla. owned by wife-and-husband-duo Lysielle and Jacques Cariot. The Bleu Provence deal will likely close by mid-August. Neither side disclosed the purchase price.
Paul Dolan, Champion of Green Grapegrowing in California, Dies at 72
A California wine pioneer and global advocate for organic, biodynamic and regenerative viticulture, winemaker and grapegrower Paul Dolan died on June 26, at age 72, after battling cancer. As a 27-year employee of Fetzer Vineyards, starting as winemaker in 1977 and rising to president in 1992, he helped the Fetzer family (and later Brown-Forman Corp.) grow their brand into a multimillion-case juggernaut and transition the company to organic grapegrowing.
Paul Dolan, Champion of Green Grapegrowing in California, Dies at 73
A California wine pioneer and global advocate for organic, biodynamic and regenerative viticulture, winemaker and grapegrower Paul Dolan died on June 26, at age 72, after battling cancer. As a 27-year employee of Fetzer Vineyards, starting as winemaker in 1977 and rising to president in 1992, he helped the Fetzer family (and later Brown-Forman Corp.) grow their brand into a multimillion-case juggernaut and transition the company to organic grapegrowing.
Making Sense of Wine and Your Health
One day, headlines sing the virtues of a glass of Pinot Noir with dinner. The next, they proclaim that no amount of alcohol is safe for anyone. What’s behind this vacillation? And what’s a wine lover to do? Read on for answers to common questions about wine and health, including concerns about the definition of moderate drinking, alcohol study methodology, polyphenols, Dry January and abstaining from alcohol in the short term, wine and sleep, and COVID-19.
Bonterra Bets Big on Regenerative Farming with New Line of Eco-friendly Wines
Giving a big boost to the eco-friendly and socially conscious farming approach known as regenerative agriculture, Mendocino County-based Bonterra Organic Estates is releasing a new tier of wines, its first bearing the Regenerative Organic Certified (ROC) logo. The company, which changed its name from Fetzer last year, is the largest vineyard holder to date to earn the ROC designation, and these wines will be available nationally and in some international markets.
Wine Spectator's Top Feature Stories and Tasting Reports of 2022
After two years of lockdowns and losses, social distancing and swabbing before showing up, 2022 was a year of growing optimism as many did their best to embrace a post-pandemic ‘new normal.’ Although COVID-19 continues to circulate, many people are again enjoying the pleasures of being together, preferably around a table with good friends and family—and, of course, great food and wine.
Jackson Family Pushes for Greater Action on Climate Change and Sustainability
Aug 25, 2021 A little over a week after a United Nations panel issued a stark report on the rapid pace of climate change, one of the world's most influential wine companies, California-based Jackson Family Wines, announced a 10-year plan to help fight climate change and pursue other broad environmental and social responsibility goals. It's one of the more ambitious efforts ever by a wine producer to help the environment.
Green Teams
Winegrowers band together to address environmental challenges and ensure long-term success From the Apr 30, 2021, issue The existential and economic threats of 2020 didn’t stop wineries from pressing ahead with critical environmental and social initiatives.
The Top Wine Stories of 2020
Dec 31, 2020 The past 12 months have been a year to remember ... and one almost everyone would like to forget. A global pandemic killed more than 1.76 million people and shut down multiple nations, often more than once. The restaurant and travel industries were particularly devastated and have yet to recover; in the United States, more than 110,000 restaurants have permanently closed and the number is expected to rise.
Court of Master Sommeliers Chairman Steps Down After Sexual Harassment Scandal
Nov 6, 2020 Updated Nov. 9, 2020 The chairman of the Court of Master Sommeliers-Americas (CMS-A) stepped down Friday, Nov. 6 and the group announced plans for an overhaul, following its earlier suspension of seven male Master Sommeliers from all activities and the resignation of another. All stand accused of sexually harassing women who were pursuing certification with the group.
Long Island Wineries Set Out to Prove Their Green Cred
Not content with simply being “local,” winegrowers create a sustainability certification and education program to spread eco-friendly practices Surrounded by water, stretched out along the east end of an island sticking 120 miles out into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island wineries are confronted by environmental challenges on all sides. Their vines sit atop the island’s sole drinking-water aquifer.
Tasting the Top 10 Wines of 2017
A tour de force showing of what really matters in wine Passion, natural beauty, tradition, life … the 10 wines deemed the “most exciting” of 2017 encapsulate all these things and more. When K Vintners founder Charles Smith launched into an emotion-filled declaration of the things he wants in his wine, he struck a chord with generations of vintners and wine drinkers in the room.
Here’s the True Can’t-Miss List for the New York Wine Experience
Earlier this week, Wine Spectator staffers Ben O'Donnell and Emma Balter debated the hippest wines to try at the New York Wine Experience Grand Tastings, Oct. 18 and 19 at the New York Marriott Marquis in Times Square. Wine Spectator senior editor Dana Nigro and news editor Mitch Frank had some thoughts on their choices .... Mitch: Notice how our Millennial colleagues appear interested in just two things: celebs and looking cool?
Top Wine Stories of 2017 | News & Features | News & Features | Wine Spectator
A wave of devastating natural disasters dominated the conversation this year. But winecrime still had its moment, as did celebrities in the wine spotlight In 2017, the world watched as natural disaster after natural disaster befell the world. Wine Spectator reported on how the hurricanes in Texas, Florida and the Caribbean—particularly Puerto Rico—affected the restaurant communities. Winegrowing regions in Europe suffered the worst frosts in decades.
A Spanish White Not to Overlook
When executive editor Thomas Matthews served a Godello at the New World Wine Experience during his annual food-and-wine-pairing face-off with four celebrity chefs, I hoped that the little-known Spanish white wouldn't soon be forgotten by the audience. After all, though powerful, it was up against the ebullient Spanish chef José Andrés and his surprising choice of a Virginia wine, an excellent example of what the state can do with Bordeaux-style reds.
A Beaujolais for a Lakeside Dinner
For our end-of-summer vacation, my family rented a house on Lake Champlain for a week spent enjoying Vermont's beautiful scenery. After days out on the water or hiking, the six of us would take turns cooking dinner, taking advantage of the neighboring small farms’ fresh produce (sweet corn for the grill, just-picked tomatoes and apples), the state's artisanal cheesemakers and the homemade blueberry and apple pies at the local market.
A Racy Riesling Anchors a Family Day at Sea
The images of all the hurricane-destroyed boats along the Jersey Shore and the Raritan Yacht Club, where my mother used to go as a girl to stroll along the docks and dream of the day when she could own a boat of her own, were painful—boats that had been taken out of the water for the winter piled on top of each other, broken open, dumped on nearby highways and railroad tracks.
A Festive Fizzy Red for Antipasti and Parties
On the table with the holiday spread were Barberas and Nebbiolos from Italy, some reds from our favorite value producers in Spain and other wines catering to family members' tastes. And what did my brother declare as his favorite wine of the day? A Lambrusco. Wait, some of you may be saying, isn't that the same thing as the Riunite my parents drank in the 1970s and '80s? (Well, yes, but apparently you haven't been keeping up with Matt Kramer's columns.) Others may be nodding knowingly.
Books to Boost Your Green IQ: The Green Vine
When I first decided that how a wine is grown mattered to me as much as whether I enjoy the taste, I wished I had a handy reference that laid out all the environmentally friendly practices, certifications and wineries. Instead, I spent months reading books and websites, interviewing experts, tracking down certified or practicing producers, touring vineyards and wineries and poring over retail shelves.
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