Suzanne Mustacich
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Contributing Editor, Wine Spectator; Author Thirsty Dragon. Opinions are my own. A retweet does not mean I agree with you.
Articles by Suzanne Mustacich
Solar panels as vineyard aid
Ayuda Buscar en la ayuda Buscar en la ayuda
An accused Russian counterfeiter and Burgundy bottles filled with Italian wine
The alleged mastermind of a multimillion dollar wine counterfeiting gang was conducting a transaction with a shady printer at Milan’s Malpensa airport when the Italian carabinieri moved in and arrested him on Sept. 26. At the exact same moment in multiple locations in France and Italy, various law enforcement officers launched raids and arrested five collaborators.
The Russian and the Burgundy Bottles Filled with Italian Wine
The alleged mastermind of a multimillion dollar wine counterfeiting gang was conducting a transaction with a shady printer at Milan's Malpensa airport when the Italian carabinieri moved in and arrested him on Sept. 26. At the exact same moment in multiple locations in France and Italy, various law enforcement officers launched raids and arrested five collaborators.
Maison Veuve Clicquot and designer Stella McCartney turn waste into fashion
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How Do You Steal Thousands of Bottles of Burgundy? A Few at a Time
News Crime Legal and Legislative Issues Burgundy
Chinese billionaire's money laundering conviction shocks Bordeaux
A Paris tribunal has found Qu Naijie, the 63-year-old founder of Chinese corporation Haichang Group, guilty of money laundering, sentencing him to a three-year suspended prison sentence, a €1 million fine and the confiscation of nine of his Bordeaux châteaus, worth an estimated €35.5 million ($38.4 million). The case has stunned Bordeaux.
Chinese Billionaire Convicted of Laundering Money in Bordeaux Wineries
A Paris tribunal has found Qu Naijie, the 63-year-old founder of Chinese corporation Haichang Group, guilty of money laundering, sentencing him to a three-year suspended prison sentence, a €1 million fine and the confiscation of nine of his Bordeaux châteaus, worth an estimated €35.5 million ($38.4 million). The case has stunned Bordeaux.
A 385-Year-Old French Winery Takes Aim at No-Alcohol Wine
Low-alcohol and no-alcohol (technically de-alcoholized) wines are surging in popularity. But French winemaker Jean-Frédéric Hugel wonders whether “no-lo” fans have thought this through, especially those who also push for a greener, cleaner planet. Hugel is the 13th generation to helm his family’s vineyards and winery in Alsace, where they've been making wine since 1639. He’s also known for enjoying a good joke.
How Did Stella McCartney and Veuve Clicquot Turn Grape Waste into Wine Fashion?
Fashion house Stella McCartney and Veuve Clicquot, both owned by French luxury group LVMH, have teamed up to create the first vegan leather made from Champagne grape waste. "I am so thrilled to be part of this first-of-its-kind partnership between a fashion house and a Champagne maison, connected by our shared passions for sustainability, craftsmanship and innovation," said Stella McCartney, creative director of her eponymous fashion house, which LVMH owns a stake in.
Burgundy's Hospices de Nuits-St.-Georges Raises Nearly $2.5 Million for Charity
Barrels of Burgundy were up for grabs. Encouraged by last year's impressive sale, Burgundy’s Domaine des Hospices de Nuits-St.-Georges hosted its 63rd barrel auction March 10 using an online, live streaming format. The charity event raised nearly $2.5 million (€2,281,500) for the medical facility. The overall auction total declined by 36 percent compared with 2023, partially due to the lower volume—there were 10 fewer barrels up for sale this year.
Does George Clooney Sell Wine Now Too?! After Nespresso and Casamigos, Why Not?
When it comes to attracting celebrity wine investors, only Napa Valley and Champagne can hold a candle to Provence's awesome gravitational pull on the galaxy's biggest stars. And the French Riviera will soon celebrate one of the most highly anticipated celebrity wine forays in years—from someone who already conquered the coffee and tequila industries.
Report on British Prime Minister's Wine Cellar Triggers Backlash
Deep in the bowels of Lancaster House, a mansion in central London near Buckingham Palace, a 32,301-bottle collection of wine lies on shelves. It belongs to the British government and has been a useful tool in diplomatic efforts for more than a century now. It’s also occasionally a source of controversy, however.
Bordeaux winegrowers join fellow French farmers on the barricades
Struggling Bordeaux winegrowers joined protests by thousands of farmers across France last week. Demonstrators blocked highways with tractors and hay, disrupted traffic on the busy motorway that rings Bordeaux city, and dumped manure and lit a bonfire downtown in front of the headquarters for the regional government, the préfecture de la Gironde. Guillaume Grandeau, general secretary of the young farmers union Jeunes Agriculteurs and a winegrower in Langon, expressed the vignerons’ frustration.
Thieves Steal Rare Wines from Paris' Legendary La Tour d’Argent
The owners of La Tour d'Argent, the legendary Parisian restaurant and Wine Spectator Grand Award winner, filed a complaint with police last week following an inventory taken of their extensive wine collection. More than 80 bottles, worth $1.63 million (€1.5 million), are missing from the cellar, including bottles from Burgundy’s Domaine de la Romanée-Conti. There were no signs of forced entry.
As Farmer Protests Paralyze France, Bordeaux Wine Growers Join In
Struggling Bordeaux winegrowers joined protests by thousands of farmers across France last week. Demonstrators blocked highways with tractors and hay, disrupted traffic on the busy motorway that rings Bordeaux city, and dumped manure and lit a bonfire downtown in front of the headquarters for the regional government, the préfecture de la Gironde. Guillaume Grandeau, general secretary of the young farmers union Jeunes Agriculteurs and a winegrower in Langon, expressed the vignerons’ frustration.
Jay-Z Celebrates With a Trip to Bordeaux
Is there a better way to celebrate your 54th birthday than with a wine-tasting trip? Music stars Jay-Z, Beyoncé and Rihanna arrived with others in Bordeaux earlier this month. Although the tight-lipped château owners refused to comment, the high-profile group shared their stay on social media. Could it have been a birthday trip? Jay-Z turned 54 on Dec. 4, and Jay Brown, the co-founder and vice-chairman of Roc Nation, recently turned 50.
Scientists Use Artificial Intelligence to Identify Bordeaux Wine Terroir
Artificial intelligence may not be able to appreciate the taste of a glass of red wine, but apparently it can tell you where it came from. And by doing so, modern technology might confirm the classic concept of terroir. A team of scientists used machine learning and gas chromatography to successfully analyze 80 wines and identify which seven Bordeaux châteaus produced them.
A 2021 Mouton Rothschild Label That Lifts the Heart and Helps a Good Cause
Château Mouton Rothschild has unveiled the artwork for its 2021 label, featuring a painting by award-winning international artist Chiharu Shiota. The art depicts the silhouette of a single human figure holding the strings attached to a floating, exuberant cluster of what could be balloons or grapes, evoking the fragile balance between nature and humans.
Why Did the Cava Cross The Road? Because Protesting French Winegrowers Threw It
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Protesting French Winegrowers Take Out Their Anger on Cava
It was a Spanish wine lover’s nightmare. For three hours on Oct. 19, an angry mob of winegrowers from the southwest of France blocked the A9 highway near the town of Le Boulou just across the border from Spain. They lit tires ablaze to stop traffic so it could be searched. They were hunting for trucks carrying Spanish wine. Two tanker trunks carrying red wine were emptied, their liquid cargo spurting onto the asphalt.
Protesting French Winegrowers Take Out Their Anger on Cava
Unfiltered Crime Economy Legal and Legislative Issues Sparkling Wines France Spain
Israeli Scientists Identify Byzantine-era Grape Varieties
Archeologists in the Negev desert have found possible evidence of an ancient wine industry In the Negev desert, archeologists have uncovered grape pips and winemaking artifacts. (Courtesy of Emil Alajem, IAA) From the Sep 30, 2023, issue Archeologists digging in the Negev desert in southern Israel have uncovered evidence of a booming wine industry dating back more than 1,500 years.
Advancing the Rotschild wine empire
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Scientists identify byzantine era grapes
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In Memoriam: Jean-Michel Cazes
Iconic winemaker Jean-Michel Cazes, co-owner of Bordeaux’s Château Lynch-Bages and other vineyards in France, Portugal and Australia, died June 28 after a lengthy illness. He was 88. Cazes was a larger-than-life figure, a tireless promoter of his vision of great wine in Bordeaux and beyond, and emblematic of the strides his region has made in recent decades.
Burgundy in Beaujolais: Philippe Pascal Bets on Juliénas
Philippe Pascal didn't want to spend his retirement simply drinking great Burgundy–he wanted to make it. After decades as an executive at luxury giant LVMH, working as CEO at Moët Hennessy Group (the wine and spirits part of LVMH), then heading its watches division and serving as adviser to LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault, Pascal purchased Cellier aux Moines, a run-down ancient monastery with vineyards, in 2004. Eight years later, he left corporate life behind to focus on it full-time.
How Can Moderate Drinking Promote Heart Health? Perhaps By Helping Your Brain
For decades, studies have linked light and moderate drinking to improved cardiovascular health. Modest amounts of alcohol have been found to increase HDL cholesterol (the "good" kind) and inhibit the formation of blood clots that can cause heart attack and stroke. But a recent study, published in June in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, claims we've been missing a crucial piece of the scientific puzzle. Maybe it's all in our minds, so to speak.
The Other Rothschilds of Wine
When Baron Benjamin de Rothschild died of a heart attack at his home in Geneva, Switzerland, on Jan. 15, 2021, at age 57, he left behind a business empire in banking, sports and wine that was worth billions of dollars. He also left behind a wife and four adult daughters, and in the two years since, they have been moving that empire forward. They may be the least-known branch of the Rothschild family in the wine world, but they are making a mark.
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.
Château Lafite Rothschild Owners Buy Domaine William Fèvre in Chablis
The owners of Château Latour and Château Lafite Rothschild have made a deal over a Chablis winery. Artémis Domaines, the French wine company that includes Latour and is owned by the Pinault family, announced that it has agreed to sell top Chablis producer Domaine William Fèvre to Domaines Barons de Rothschild Lafite (DBR Lafite) for an undisclosed sum. Fèvre is DBR Lafite’s first acquisition in Burgundy and only its second French winery outside Bordeaux.
Jean-Michel Cazes, Revered Winemaker Behind Château Lynch Bages, Dies at 88
The iconic winemaker Jean-Michel Cazes, co-owner of Château Lynch Bages and other vineyards in France, Portugal and Australia, has died after a lengthy illness. He was 88. Cazes was a larger-than-life figure, a tireless promoter of his vision of great wine in Bordeaux and beyond, and emblematic of the strides his region has made in recent decades. Cazes was raised in the sleepy Médoc town of Pauillac, where his father André Cazes had an insurance agency and served as the longtime mayor.
Jean-Michel Cazes, Revered Winemaker Behind Château Lynch Bages, Dies at 88
The iconic winemaker Jean-Michel Cazes, co-owner of Château Lynch Bages and other vineyards in France, Portugal and Australia, has died after a lengthy illness. He was 88. Cazes was a larger-than-life figure, a tireless promoter of his vision of great wine in Bordeaux and beyond, and emblematic of the strides his region has made in recent decades.
Scientists Identify Ancient Grapes from Byzantine Days
Archeologists digging in the Negev desert in southern Israel have uncovered evidence of a booming wine industry dating back more than 1,500 years. They have also found and genetically analyzed two ancient winegrape varieties that thrived in the hot, dry climate of the region. Some members of Israel's young wine industry hope to use the grapes to produce wines with a link to the region's long history. Napa for the Byzantine Empire? Prof.
Drouhin Expands its Burgundy Vineyard Holdings
Jun 1, 2023 Maison Joseph Drouhin has purchased two estates in Burgundy, totaling nearly 50 acres of vineyards: Château de Chasselas in the St.-Véran appellation and the Rapet estate in St.-Romain. The company did not disclose the price. Château de Chasselas includes 17.3 acres in the St.-Véran appellation, plus small parcels of Chasselas and Beaujolais. It’s already the main supplier of Drouhin’s St.-Véran wine.
Updated: Bordeaux 2022 Futures Prices and Analysis
May 12, 2023 This article was updated on June 6. Check back for additional updates as wineries release their 2022 futures. Some of the biggest names in wine are making a splash this month. Bordeaux’s top châteaus have begun releasing futures of their 2022 wines, giving wine lovers and collectors their first chance to grab hold of what is looking like the best vintage in several years. But is anyone buying?
Cos-d'Estournel Owner Michel Reybier Expands His Bordeaux Focus
Michel Reybier, the billionaire hotelier and owner of St.-Estèphe second-growth Château Cos-d'Estournel, has purchased neighboring winery Château Cos Labory. Reybier finalized a deal a few weeks ago, purchasing the fifth-growth from the Audoy family for an undisclosed sum. The deal expands Reybier's growing wine empire and his presence in St.-Estèphe.
$1.7 Million Wine Heist Pair Gets 4 Years in Prison; $1.7 Million in Wine Remains Missing
The wine-thieving lovebirds responsible for the $1.7 million heist at El Atrio restaurant in Cáceres, Spain, received their sentences for aggravated robbery in a Spanish court earlier this month: 4 years in prison and an $800,000 fine. It took nine months for Interpol and law enforcement in five countries to track down the culprits, Priscila Lara Guevara, 29, and Constantín Dumitru, 47. Guevara received a four-year prison sentence and Dumitru is looking at four-plus years behind bars.
Desperate Bordeaux Grapegrowers Get Aid to Pull Up Vines
Bordeaux grapegrowers are planning to tear out almost 23,500 acres of vines—and they're thrilled. After nine months of negotiations with local, regional and national government representatives, on March 1 the Bordeaux Wine Council (CIVB) reached an agreement with Marc Fesneau, France's minister of agriculture and food sovereignty, for financing the vine pull.
With Thirst for Burgundy Growing, A Barrel Auction is Gaining Attention
Burgundy's second most famous charity auction is grabbing a lot more attention these days. On March 12, the 62nd edition of the Hospices de Nuits-St.-Georges auction will take place both online and at its usual location, Château du Clos de Vougeot in Burgundy. This is the fourth year in a row that the Hospices has opted for a modern format with a livestreamed auction—anyone with an internet connection can bid online or simply watch via a French auction website. And the format is paying off.
Taming the Grapevine
Scientists collaborating across the globe have unlocked a new, astounding origin story for wine grapes, pushing back the domestication of Vitis vinifera, the grape species used for most winemaking, to more than 11,000 years ago. The findings suggest humans domesticated grapevines around the same time period they domesticated the first cereal plants.
Spree of 6-figure wine cellar heists puts European somms and retailers on high alert
They say there’s no rest for the wicked, but apparently there is plenty of wine for them. Thieves have recently targeted the cellars of wine-focused restaurants in Norway and Spain, as well as at retailer-grower Kracher in Austria. The spate of robberies-which are not believed to be linked in any way, other than great taste in wine—began in Norway in early November when thieves broke into Park 29 restaurant in Oslo, owned by Fridtjof Bade.
Perpetrators of Massive Wine Fraud Sentenced to House Arrest in France
In January, Bordeaux's tribunal handed down sentences for five wine professionals found guilty in the largest wine fraud case in recent memory. Tribunal president Marie-Elisabeth Boulnois passed out ankle bracelets for the worst infractions, on top of heavy fines all around. But both defendants and plaintiffs are claiming that justice has not been served.
French Government Offers Aid to Struggling Wine Grape Growers
Bordeaux's struggling farmers are unimpressed with government proposals to help them with a crisis that is threatening their way of life. France's agricultural minister has a plan to get rid of excess wine stocks across the nation, but without bigger changes, farmers will continue to face financial ruin. The source of the crisis is a Bordeaux built for a prior era.
Spree of 6-Figure Wine Cellar Heists Puts Somms and Retailers on High Alert
They say there’s no rest for the wicked, but apparently there is plenty of wine for them. Thieves have recently targeted the cellars of wine-focused restaurants in Norway and Spain, as well as at retailer-grower Kracher in Austria. The spate of robberies—which are not believed to be linked in any way, other than great taste in wine—began in Norway in early November when thieves broke into Park 29 restaurant in Oslo, owned by Fridtjof Bade.
Counterfeit Lafite, Penfolds Seized in $150 Million Fake Wine Bust
Whether it’s a meticulously recreated bottle of an ultrarare Burgundy, an obvious knockoff Chât-O LaFake or bulk plonk bottled as classified Bordeaux, fraud might be winecrime’s favorite pastime. Our latest such affront comes from China’s Fujian province, where a law-enforcement task force raided warehouses in the Longhai district of Zhangzhou, uncovering a massive counterfeiting operation.
The Existential Crisis of Bordeaux's Small Grapegrowers
Earlier this month, a thousand angry vignerons and their allies marched through the streets of downtown Bordeaux, calling for help to save their livelihood. When they reached the doors of the Bordeaux Wine Council (CIVB), the local trade organization, they hung a dummy from a tree outside, representing financially troubled grapegrowers at risk of suicide, and piled dead vines on the doorstep.
French Star Patrick Bruel Bets on Rosé with Jaboulet
It wouldn’t be the South of France without a new celebrity rosé, and the new year brings exactly that: French singer-actor Patrick Bruel has unveiled a new organic rosé from his Domaine de Leos in Provence, produced in collaboration with Rhône vigneron and wine merchant Nicolas Jaboulet.
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