Valerie Kathawala
Valerie Kathawala is an NYC-based student of wine and a wine writer. She is WSET Level 3 and most recently completed Vinitaly's "Native Wine Grapes of Italy" seminar, taught by Ian D'Agata. Her wine journey began 20 years ago, with a shared bottle of Saint-Émilion. It has since taken her - and her husband and three children - to wine growing regions throughout Germany, Austria, Italy, Oregon, California and New York. Wines that matter most to her are those made by small-scale producers with a deep understanding of both tradition and potential. You can follow her exploration of wines of place on Instagram @valkatnyc
November 23, 2019
Michelin Takes Over Robert Parker Wine Advocate
Two icons of food and wine have joined forces to bring the best coverage of both to a global audience.
November 15, 2019
Ten Reasons Domäne Wachau Is Austria’s “Nummer Eins”
Virtuosic terroir expression, impressive longevity, opulence without excess — all from a co-op.
September 23, 2019
Through a Glass Darkly: Confronting the Nazi Legacy of Dr. Zweigelt and the Impact on Growers of Austria’s Most Popular Red Wine Grape
Recent research has proven that Dr. Friedrich Zweigelt, a crucial contributor to Austrian viticulture and after whom the Zweigelt grape was named, was an early, active, and enthusiastic Nazi.
July 12, 2019
Living Soils, Living Vessels, Living Wines: The Bottled Philosophy of Weingut Heinrich
Gernot and Heike Heinrich have fully embraced biodynamics, amphora, and skin ferments as ways of expressing "sense of place" in their corner of Burgenland, Austria.
June 20, 2019
“True to Emilia”: The Terroir Wines of La Tosa
The rare terra rossa antica soils of the Colli Piacentini find singular expression in the wines of this small, organic producer.
June 7, 2019
Zierfandler and Rotgipfler: Austria’s Treasures Hidden in Plain Sight
Bernhard Stadlmann is the eighth generation of his family to specialize in this pair of rare indigenous Austrian varieties. Organic farming, top crus, and ultra-traditional vinifcation reveal fascinating facets of the Thermenregion.
April 27, 2019
The Mountain Wines of Helmut Dolde
These are deeply personal wines from an unfamiliar terroir, revealing fresh facets of grapes we thought we knew.
March 29, 2019
Weingut Roterfaden: A Bright Red Line Through Württemberg’s Wine
Talk to people with on-the-ground knowledge of the southern German wine scene and one name comes up again and again. A red thread, you could say, through the conversation about what's happening in German wine today.
March 17, 2019
Jochen Beurer: Power and Vision in Germany’s Most Dynamic Wine Region
Württemberg, long the sleeping giant of German wine, is suddenly wide awake. Jochen Beurer’s ideas are inspiring a generation of young producers to reimagine what’s possible in the “Trollinger Republik.”
January 25, 2019
Donkey and Goat at 15: California Natural Wine Pioneers Take Stock
"For us, natural wine is continuity from soil to bottle. It's about transparency, it's about making delicious wines." Tracey Brandt
December 15, 2018
Terry Theise Asks Us to Bring More of Ourselves to Wine
In a meditative new memoir and study of wine, an influential importer and writer urges us to deepen our experience of wine by being fully present for it. Much of what makes a wine worth drinking, Theise argues, is what we ourselves bring to it.
October 31, 2018
RAW WINE: A place to feel the pulse of natural wine
RAW WINE fairs are returning to North America in November! This is your chance to meet, taste and learn from the people and bottles that in many ways define our cultural moment in wine.
October 10, 2018
Cultivating a diva: How Bernhard Ott gets greatness from Grüner Veltliner
Long-range thinking, healthy soils, biodynamics and diversity are key.
August 25, 2018
Why you should think (and drink) PFALZ FIRST
If you want concrete eggs and amphora, funked-up pet-nats and glou, go elsewhere. But if you aren’t too cool to love the most achingly beautiful, classical, elegant, full-bodied, extract-rich, earthy wines, above all dry Rieslings from some of the best vineyards anywhere, you’re home.
July 14, 2018
Inside the Wines and Mind of Bellwether’s Kris Matthewson
"I think you need to be able to see what you're doing in winemaking way ahead of when it actually happens." Kris Matthewson
June 1, 2018
“Unheard of!” No More: Riccardo Baldi Wants to Put the Marche on Your Wine Map
Riccardo Baldi of La Staffa in the Castelli di Jesi of the Marche wants you to know exactly where his Verdicchio comes from and what makes it special.
April 13, 2018
Annette Hilberg: Biodynamic Pioneer in the Piedmont
Piedmontese winemakers Annette Hilberg and Michelangelo Pasquero are redefining biodynamics.
March 1, 2018
Northern Lights: A Closer Look at Michigan Whites
Michigan whites are reaching their potential at a moment when the world is ready to give them a try.
January 20, 2018
What’s Behind the Stunning Rise of Finger Lakes Wines?
An inside look at the factors propelling this region to new heights.
October 30, 2017
Long Island Wines Reach for an Edge
Experimentation, not mimicry, is what drives the most thoughtful winemaking here now. Valerie Kathawala on the state of Long Island wine.
October 23, 2017
Isabelle Legeron Asks Us to Think About What We Drink (But Then Relax About It)
Grape Collective’s Valerie Kathawala spoke with Legeron about the RAW WINE movement and upcoming U.S. RAW WINE fairs in NYC and LA.
September 27, 2017
The State of California Chardonnay
"With close to 98,000 acres of vineyard planted to Chardonnay in California and the wine remaining far and away the most popular in the U.S., understanding where it’s come from and where it’s headed is, in some ways, to understand the fate of California wine itself." Valerie Kathawala
September 7, 2017
Making a Case for the Marche: Is Verdicchio Italy’s greatest native white grape variety?
Valerie Kathawala explores the underappreciated Marche region, home to Verdicchio, one of Italy's great white grapes. Silvano Brescianini of the biodynamic estate Pievalta discusses the potential of the region.
August 21, 2017
Nathan Kendall: Pushing the Limits of World Class Wine in the Finger Lakes
What distinguishes Kendall is the tiny scale of his operation, his dedication to the study of individual vineyards and what they give to his wines, his deliberate minimalism in the cellar, and his long view on both the past and future of Finger Lakes winemaking.August 17, 2017
Understanding German Riesling: Zeroing in on Sweetness
The sensory allures of German Riesling are immediate: sublimely aromatic, electric in their acidity, and unrivaled for their lithe, mineral refreshment. But understanding the wines can be a life’s work. Here are five rules to steer you to a German Riesling you'll love.
August 14, 2017
Element Syrah 2011
Element Syrah 2011: Supercharged freshness and finesse from the FLX
