Robert Taylor
Verified- Podcast Director, Video Managing Editor and Digital Assistant Managing Editor, Wine Spectator
Philadelphia
Podcast Director, @WineSpectator's Straight Talk / Managing Editor, Wine Spectator Video
Is this you? As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.
Claim your profile
Articles by Robert Taylor
'Drops of God' Star Fleur Geffrier
Drops of God, the hit AppleTV+ series about a quest to identify some of the world's rarest wines, won the International Emmy Award for Best Drama Series this past year, and season 2 debuts Jan. 21. One of the show's biggest stars, French actress Fleur Geffrier, joined Wine Spectator's Straight Talk podcast and host James Molesworth in our New York studio to talk about the show and how it has impacted her personal relationship with wine, as well as the upcoming season.
16 Wine and Food Legends We Lost in 2025
Before we turn the page on 2025, Wine Spectator's editors would like to remember the wine and restaurant industry pioneers, innovators and history makers we lost this year. This year we said goodbye to many American wine industry leaders, none more personal to us than longtime Wine Spectator senior editor James Laube.
16 Wine and Food Legends We Lost in 2025
Dec 30, 2025 Before we turn the page on 2025, Wine Spectator's editors would like to remember the wine and restaurant industry pioneers, innovators and history makers we lost this year. This year we said goodbye to many American wine industry leaders, none more personal to us than longtime Wine Spectator senior editor James Laube.
The Man Behind Our 2025 Wine of the Year
Wine Spectator's Top 100 Wines of 2025 have now been revealed. Let the conversation begin! On the newest episode of Wine Spectator's Straight Talk podcast, host James Molesworth speaks with Château Giscours' Alexander Van Beek, the man behind our 2025 Wine of the Year.
It's Not About Michael Silacci; It's About Opus One
Few California wineries can match Opus One for global prestige. A famous partnership between Napa's Robert Mondavi and Bordeaux's Baron Philippe de Rothschild, the winery is still making elite Cabernets long after its founders' passing, thanks in large part to one man whose name you might not know: Michael Silacci.
Christian Seely and the '61 Palmer to Go
He's the man behind some of the most prestigious names in wine, including Bordeaux's Pichon Baron and Portugal's Quinta do Noval, and now AXA Millésimes managing director Christian Seely is opening up with host James Molesworth in the newest episode of Wine Spectator's Straight Talk podcast. Seely shares memories of growing up with his wine writer father, the bottle they shared that sparked Seely's passion, and many more highlights-and insights-from his long and accomplished career in wine.
Growing Up Chardonnay, Coming Home Pinot Noir
The season 3 premiere episode of Wine Spectator's Straight Talk podcast debuts with Occidental winemaker Catherine Kistler, who grew up with an in-house wine legend: California Chardonnay icon and also her dad, Steve. But Catherine came home to make Pinot Noir in 2017, and the father-daughter team landed at No. 2 on Wine Spectator's 2023 Top 10 Wines of the Year. "In California we're always self-conscious of being young compared to the Old World," she tells host James Molesworth.
9 Wine Legends We Lost in 2024
2025 is only moments away, but before we flip the calendar, Wine Spectator's editors would like to remember the wine industry pioneers, innovators and history makers we lost this year. In 2024, we said goodbye to longtime California wine industry leaders Warren Winiarski, Jan Shrem and Eleanor Coppola, as well as architect Howard Backen, who helped define the very look of Napa Valley.
From Grand Marnier to Carmenère: Celebrating a Chilean Wine Adventure
Clos Apalta is part of the Chilean wine empire founded in 1994 by Cyril de Bournet and Alexandra Marnier-Lapostolle, of the French family that created the Cognac-based Grand Marnier orange liqueur in the 19th century. For more than a decade now, their son Charles de Bournet has overseen Viña Lapostolle operations, including the flagship Clos Apalta estate and its century-old Cabernet Sauvignon and Carmenère vines. “2024 marks 30 years of adventure in Chile [for the family].
Cedric the Entertainer’s Setta Wine Honors His Mother
Comedian and actor Cedric the Entertainer didn’t grow up around wine. But he did grow up around books—lots of them—thanks to his mother, Rosetta Boyce Kyles, a longtime educator and well-regarded literacy specialist in St. Louis. But Kyles, who passed in 2015, did always enjoy a glass of red wine at the end of a long day, to “toast a glass with a touch of class,” as Cedric says she loved to say.
Straight Talk Podcast: Harvest Reality Check with Thomas Rivers Brown
Harvest 2024 is in full swing in California wine country. It's the busiest time of year, and Napa Cabernet superstar Thomas Rivers Brown took a break to tell Wine Spectator's Straight Talk podcast host James Molesworth about the realities—and rigors—of harvest season. Brown also shares his “Ziploc baggy mini-maceration method” for determining when a vineyard parcel is ready to be picked.
Champagne as We Know It Is 150 Years Old. Thank Madame Louise Pommery
Unfiltered sparkling-wines artists charity-events history new-york-city champagne
US Open Drinks Final: T-Swift’s Honey Deuce vs. R-Fed’s Golden Goblet
Sep 10, 2024 Did you hear about Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes drinking Honey Deuce cocktails at the US Open in New York? So did we. Yawn. True tennis aficionados know that there’s only one perfect pairing when it comes to celebrating one of tennis’ Grand Slams, and that’s grande marque Champagne (even when popping bottles are infamously interrupting Novak Djokovic’s serve at Wimbledon).
Straight Talk Podcast: Crushing It Softly at Kistler Vineyards
Aug 30, 2024 When it comes to California Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, few names command as much respect as Sonoma's Kistler Vineyards. In the newest episode of Wine Spectator's Straight Talk podcast, Kistler president and winemaker Jason Kesner tells us about growing up in the Napa wine industry—including a Robert Mondavi donut tradition that he proudly carries on—and how he strives to do a little bit less in the vineyard and winery with each passing vintage.
No Boone’s Farm in the Champagne Room: New Wine Rap Video Stars Cedric The Entertainer
Unfiltered actors black-voices los-angeles music musicians-singers
Chef Marcus Samuelsson's West Elm Furniture and Tableware
Unfiltered art design gifts-and-new-products
Are Tattoo-Inspired Wine Labels the Must-Have Accessory of 2024?
Unfiltered artists oddities california chile
Katie Ledecky's Road to Olympic History Goes Through Napa
Unfiltered sports California United States Napa
Straight Talk Podcast: Daniel Boulud on Legacy, 'The Bear' and Being American
Jul 26, 2024 Straight from the cover of Wine Spectator and the season 3 premiere of The Bear, legendary chef Daniel Boulud invites us into the Daniel dining room for an exclusive interview about what it means to be a chef today, his legacy of mentorship and why his next restaurant will reflect a shift in allegiance since becoming a U.S. citizen in 2021: "I finally became American. I always felt like I'm French … but with my family here, I'm definitely settled here ...
‘The Bear’ Goes Haute with Daniel Boulud and Thomas Keller. So Where’s the Wine?!
It's official: French culinary icon Daniel Boulud is summer 2024's it chef. Fresh off his cover turn and feature in Wine Spectator's Aug. 31 Restaurant Awards issue, Boulud stole the show in this week's season 3 premiere of FX's The Bear. For those in need of a Bear refresher, and to allow you another graf or two of safe reading before the spoilers start to spill, the Emmy-draped series produced by FX and streaming on Hulu stars Jeremy Allen White as chef Carmy Berzatto.
Straight Talk Podcast: Meghan Zobeck's 'Promiscuous Farming' Explained
A few days after winemaker Meghan Zobeck started her new job at Napa's historic Burgess Cellars, the winery burned down in the Glass fire. With the help of owner Gaylon Lawrence and CEO Carlton McCoy, not only did Burgess bounce back, but Zobeck's followup 2021 Cabernets are outstanding.
Straight Talk Podcast: James Hall on Buying Back His Own Winery
Patz & Hall co-founder James Hall is still pinching himself: After selling the iconic California Chardonnay brand in 2016, Hall was able to buy it back earlier this year. He tells us how he did it, and then takes us all the way back to landing his first winery gig in Napa … by pretending he could speak Italian?! Straight Talk host James Molesworth also welcomes Wine Spectator senior editors MaryAnn Worobiec and Mitch Frank to the newest episode.
Step Back in Time at This Wine Destination Built in 1776
It was June 1776 when the Thirteen Colonies built and launched the first warship of the American Revolution. It takes a navy to build a ship like the 80-foot Oliver Cromwell, and the Griswold Inn, just a few steps from docks along the Connecticut River, opened that same year, keeping those early patriots and shipbuilders well-fed, well-rested and, most important, well-quenched.
Salvestrin Winemaker Natalie Winkler, Plus … the World's Strongest Wine Thieves?!
Salvestrin Family winemaker Natalie Winkler struck a chord when the 2018 Salvestrin Dr. Crane Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon earned a spot among Wine Spectator's Top 10 Wines of 2021. But it all started with a bottle of Oregon Pinot Noir, she tells host James Molesworth in the newest episode of Wine Spectator's Straight Talk podcast.
What's the New Official Wine of the NBA? It's a Sonoma Winery You Already Know
Apr 4, 2024 For years, the NBA has been nicknamed the “Wine League,” but now it’s officially tipping off. The National Basketball Association is embarking on a partnership with California's Jackson Family Wines establishing Kendall-Jackson as the official wine of the NBA, and K-J's sister wine La Crema as the official wine of the Women's National Basketball Association. These affiliations will also extend to Teams USA for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Massican Founder Dan Petroski on the Blocking and Tackling of Wine
Host James Molesworth interviews the founder of Massican Wines about selling his brand to Gallo, the promise of Pinot Grigio and much more. Plus, Dr. Vinny is back! Or is she? Winemaker Dan Petroski joins Wine Spectator senior editor James Molesworth on the latest episode of Straight Talk. (Bob McClenahan/Lisa Weatherbee) Mar 22, 2024 Winemaker Dan Petroski made news when he sold his boutique California white wine brand Massican to Gallo late last year.
Hear 'Wine, Wine, Wine,' Dev the Somm's Cover of Jay-Z's 'Girls, Girls, Girls'
Los Angeles–based sommelier Devin Reed was singing in the shower on New Year's Eve when inspiration struck. "I think that day was the day," he recalls. "I was like, if I'm going to ever do it, I should do it now.
Oscars Wine List: Brad Pitt's Champagne, Prince Robert's Bordeaux … and Tequila Shots?!
The Barbenheimers, formerly known as the Oscars, were presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on Sunday at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Calif., and the wines were as star-powered as Ryan Gosling's performance of "I'm Just Ken." Oscar winner and Château Miraval co-owner Brad Pitt's Fleur de Miraval played the role of official Champagne of the 96th annual Academy Awards, while former screenwriter and current Domaine Clarence Dillon president Prince Robert of Luxembourg...
Paul Hobbs Opens Up: His Unlikely Intro to Wine, Making Opus One's First Vintage and More
From his teetotaling childhood home to Opus One's debut vintage to putting Argentine Malbec on the map, winemaker Paul Hobbs talks about his career-defining moments with candid humor and insightful analysis on the season 2 premiere of Wine Spectator's Straight Talk podcast. "I couldn’t think of a better way to kick off our second season than with Paul Hobbs," says host James Molesworth, senior editor and special projects director for Wine Spectator.
Watch Roger Federer and Coco Rocha in Moët & Chandon Champagne's 'Dinner Party' Film
The Australian Open, tennis' first major tournament of the year, concludes this weekend, and the stars of today have aligned for what will no doubt be a thrilling finish with names like Novak Djokovic, Daniil Medvedev and Coco Gauff all through to the semifinals. But as Djokovic continues to set new career records with each win, players, commentators and fans alike have been sharing their fondness for the former holder of all those tennis records, Roger Federer.
Pret à Pour: Supermodel Kate Upton's Ready-to-Drink Vodka Water
When Upton wasn't busy going viral with her quarantine Cabernet posts on Instagram during the pandemic, she was plotting her next big move in the adult beverage space. Last month, she joined canned cocktail maker Vosa Spirits as co-owner.
Wine's Greatest Balancing Act? 300+ Glasses Balanced on 1 Man's Head
Nov 10, 2023 Seasoned hosts and service industry pros know the temptation all too well: How many wineglasses can you carry when cleaning up after a large party? While the typical busboy's dilemma lands somewhere between a handful and a trayful, Aristotelis Valaoritis of Cyprus can carry enough for an entire Big Fat Greek Wedding reception. The Glass Dancing Tradition Explained Believe it or not, glass dancing, aka tatsia, began as a mating ritual.
Inglenook: Beautiful Wineries Around the World
Commissioned by Finnish fur trader Gustave Niebaum, Inglenook is now owned by American film director Francis Ford Coppola, who restored the original château in 1995. (Courtesy of Inglenook) From the Oct 31, 2023, issue Location: Napa, California Year Completed: 1887 Built to rival the beauty of the great châteaus of Europe, Inglenook is a proud Napa Valley standard-bearer.
Château Cheval-Blanc: Beautiful Wineries Around the World
Location: Bordeaux, France Cellar Under the Hill built: 2011 Founder Jean-Jacques Ducasse began acquiring what is now Bordeaux’s Château Cheval-Blanc in 1832, intent on building a grand estate, and his single-spired Renaissance Revival château remains a shining example of its era.
Beringer Vineyards: Beautiful Wineries Around the World
A landmark of St. Helena, Beringer Vineyard's Victorian mansion features German-style timber framing, along with a fountain from a contemporary sculptor. (Murad Osmann) From the Oct 31, 2023, issue Location: Napa, California Year Completed: 1884 Beringer’s Rhine House is an unforgettable St. Helena landmark. The 17-room Victorian mansion was completed in 1884 by architect Albert Schroepfer, at a total cost of $28,000; nearly a quarter of that budget went to its 40 panels of stained glass.
A la caza de un sueño histórico: remontada de la gran revelación de Europa
Ya veníamos advirtiendo desde hace tiempo que Kazajistán estaba dejando de ser la selección que todos pensaban. La selección número 100 del ranking FIFA fue dando pasos agigantados desde la pasada Liga de las Naciones, pero está siendo en esta fase de clasificación para la Eurocopa cuando se ha destapado definitivamente.
Belgium Cancels Champagne of Beers
Belgian surrealist René Magritte’s paintings are famous for suggesting that all may not be as it appears, but in the case of a recent shipment of the Champagne of Beers, Belgian authorities are really certain of one thing: Miller High Life is not Champagne.
Crossing the Cheese Aisle
If you've been reading Wine Spectator for the past few decades, you know we're living in a golden age for wine, in terms of quality, diversity and availability. Around these parts, that’s kind of overshadowed the fact that we're also living in a golden age for cheese. And it's not just among the cream of the crop, where American artisans are competing with and sometimes surpassing the Old World's standard-bearers.
Au Naturel Wine: Halle Berry’s Wellness Routine
The last time we checked in with Academy Award–winning actress Halle Berry, back in 2007, she was among the stars who’d been spotted in retro Boone’s Farm T-shirts, and her wine dedication hasn’t waned. More recently, Berry told Harper's Bazaar that red wine was an important part of her healthy lifestyle, and most recently, she shed the Boone’s Farm shirt to enjoy a glass of wine on her balcony, au naturel. Berry’s nude wine appreciation photo, captioned “i do what i wanna do.
On-Screen Menu: Our Editors’ Latest Favorite Starring Roles for Wine
It’s 2023 and we’ve pretty much all managed to venture back out into the world at this point, but that doesn’t mean we’ve stopped devouring dramatic wine plots and charismatic chefs on TV and in the movies.
Folly Follows Flood in Paso Robles Wine Country
Update, Jan. 21: Local winemakers from Tablas Creek, Adelaida Vineyards, Alta Colina, Parrish Family, McPrice Myers, Le Cuvier, Refind, Nenow, Hawks Hill and Daou gathered at the site of the viral concrete disturbance to celebrate Adelaida Road's reopening. The ongoing heavy rain and flooding in California has been national news this month, with at least 19 deaths and damages now expected to exceed $30 billion.
Sicily’s Planeta Winery Hosts HBO’s ‘The White Lotus’
Based on the recent successes of prestige TV shows like Succession, Servant, Big Little Lies and now The White Lotus, it’s safe to say that we’ve all been craving a little Lifestyles of the Rich–style escapism these past few years. Especially the kind where the obscenely rich wallow in self-made misery.
France's Macron Sips California Wine at White House State Dinner
There’s at least one thing that President Joe Biden shares with his White House predecessor: Both commanders in chief (unlike most) are teetotalers. But that’s never stopped either of them from hosting an epic dinner party, and Biden and his staff are taking their first crack at an official White House state dinner tonight—hosting avowed wine lover and French President Emmanuel Macron.
2022 Wine Spectator Grand Award Ceremony: In the Spirit of Inclusion
As the first full-capacity New York Wine Experience in three years, the 2022 event was buzzing with excitement from start to finish—not just over the inclusion of a strong European contingent unable to attend since 2019, but over the resurgence of New York City itself, including its vibrant restaurant scene. The Wine Spectator Restaurant Awards have honored the world’s best restaurant wine programs since 1981.
Thomas Matthews Earns 2022 Wine Spectator Distinguished Service Award
The celebrations started early on the first morning of Wine Spectator’s 2022 New York Wine Experience at the New York Marriott Marquis. Editor and publisher Marvin R.
Cuban Artist Wins 4th-Annual $25,000 Pommery Prize
Following a Bastille Day storming of the Hamptons Art Fair, Champagne Pommery continued to celebrate the art-loving legacy of Madame Louise Pommery at The Armory Show in New York this month with the presentation of the 4th-annual Pommery Prize. The Champagne Pommery Lounge and its satellite Champagne carts were supplying bubbly for all the art lovers making the scene, among them reigning People’s Sexiest Man Alive Paul Rudd.
Smooth Duet: Usher and Rémy Martin Cognac
The last time we checked in with R&B legend Usher, back in 2007, he was telling us about his Atlanta wine bar and contemplating a wine label of his own. While the wine label hasn’t materialized, the eight-time Grammy winner is making a big splash with his new Rémy Martin partnership, encompassing a (very) limited-edition Cognac and accompanying NFT as well as a “multi-sensory immersive experience” in association with the artist’s My Way Las Vegas residency at Park MGM.
Joe Jonas Adds Some Sparkle to Sangria Season
The premade canned cocktail landscape is growing by leaps and bounds, fueled by thirsty consumers and a lot of star power. Next up in the ready-to-drink spotlight: Joe Jonas’ new Fizzy Sangria. The famed brother, singer, songwriter, actor, Disney star and The Voice coach is partnering with canned mimosa maker Ohza to make two sparkling sangrias, one red, one white ($10 per 4-pack of 12-ounce cans).
NFL Greats, Top Chef Alums Raise $120,000 for Charity at Jordan’s 50th Anniversary
It was a true homecoming celebration at Denver’s Governor’s Residence Gardens this past weekend, with a full roster of Broncos stars past and present and Colorado chefs on hand to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Sonoma’s Jordan Vineyards and Winery.
God Save the Fizz: Wines of Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee
There are those who could not be less interested in the comings and goings of the Queen of England and her large and not infrequently scandal-adjacent family; this article is not for them. And then there are those who were riveted this morning as the 2022 Trooping the Colour military parade kicked off the Platinum Jubilee of Elizabeth II, a four-day celebration of the 70th anniversary of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, now 96 and the first monarch in history to enjoy seven decades in power.
Show More
loading
Actions
Get in touch with Robert
Contact Robert, search articles and posts on X, monitor coverage, and track replies from one place.
Learn more about Muck Rack