Divine

Loire

In our Magazine

Wineries

In 1855, Napoleon III curated the Exposition Universelle in Paris and, among polished marbles and mechanical wonders, inscribed the art of winemaking into France’s cultural canon—with Bordeaux’s châteaux taking center stage. Wineries have since whispered stories of land, lineage, and labor across landscapes far beyond Europe, from the sun-drenched hills of Napa to the slate-strewn terraces of the Mosel. A visit isn’t just swirling glasses and vineyard strolls—it’s a quiet immersion into centuries of trial, tradition, and terroir. Still, there’s a certain theatricality we half-expect: the silent rows of oak barrels, the vintner’s poetic monologue, the copper glint of ancient presses. Behind the scenery, though, lies a rhythmic precision—where factors like diurnal temperature shifts, soil drainage, and clone selection shape vintages year by year. In limestone-rich regions like Burgundy, for example, Chardonnay finds an ethereal minerality that stainless steel aging preserves with graceful restraint. To fully appreciate the layered narrative of a winery, arrive just after harvest: the cellars hum with fermentation, the air scented with damp stone and grape skins, and the stories—like the wines—are richer in their rawest form.
Uncover more nuanced perspectives and oenological gems in the articles that follow.