Tom Stevenson

Closures are an essential consideration for any wine. A bottle’s closure contributes to how the wine tastes and how it ages. When choosing a closure, winemakers must evaluate how the closure might affect oxygen ingress, flavor, and bottle consistency. For Champagne, however, there are unique factors that impact producers’ decisions around closures. This article will explore the history of Champagne closures, the most…

There are currently 17 grands crus and 42 premiers crus in Champagne, and negociants work directly with growers to set prices in a completely free market. But the number of grands and premiers crus, the connotations of these terms, and the guidelines...

Tom Stevenson profiles the famous Benedictine monk Dom Pérignon, separating the myths about his involvement in Champagne history from the facts.

Tom Stevenson opens the pages behind his Sotheby’s Wine Encyclopedia, its perceived location in the geography of wine literature, its historical connection with the very first edition of Johnson’s The World Atlas of Wine, and highlights what’s new in the 5th Edition, which was published by DK on 31 October 2011.

 

I would never dream of writing anything as self-indulgent as this had Matt Stamp…