Grape Collective

12/12/2025

🍷 RAVENSWOOD IS BACK 🍷
The legendary Ravenswood Zinfandel has been resurrected, and founder Joel Peterson is back as "spirit guide" for the brand. In Dorothy J. Gaiter and John Brecher's latest column for they interviewed the 78-year-old icon who founded Ravenswood nearly 50 years ago to talk about where wine has been and where it's going.
Peterson's insights are fascinating:
📉 The wine industry is facing real challenges—from neo-prohibition messaging to GLP-1 drugs that "suppress your desire for joy" (his words!)
💔 "The joy got corporatized and complicated"—wine used to be about discovery, not just another expensive hobby
✨ But there's hope: smaller, authentic producers who "live the life and walk the walk" are keeping the magic alive
And the best detail? Those tiny initials on the new Ravenswood back label—PFM—stand for "Pure F***ing Magic," from a story about ravens singing to him during his first harvest. 🖤
Read the full conversation about authenticity, the state of American wine, and why Peterson is cautiously optimistic about the future. Link in bio.

Ravenswood Zinfandel is back! And if you’re wondering if the new owners honor the old owner-winemaker, there is a tiny hint on the back label that might provide a clue.  A half-century ago next year, Joel Peterson founded Ravenswood in Sonoma and proved what a great wine Zinfandel could be. Now 7...

12/11/2025

🍷 Bulgaria was the world’s 4th largest wine producer. Then it imploded. What came next? Nobody expected this.
In the 1980s, Bulgaria churned out millions of bottles for the Soviet Union. When communism fell, production dropped 85%. Vineyards were abandoned. Ancient grape varieties nearly went extinct.
For anyone watching in the 1990s, the story was over.
But from those ruins came something extraordinary: a wine revolution focused on grapes that grow nowhere else.
Meet the winemakers entire families of indigenous varieties lost for decades
From 14 massive state wineries to 280+ boutique producers. From quantity to quality. From conformity to authenticity.
This is the Bulgarian wine story nobody’s telling—until now.
📖 Read the full story on GrapeCollective.com (link in bio)
🎥 Watch the video series on YouTube
Featuring Melnik (World’s Top 100), , & the winemakers risking everything on grapes the world forgot.

12/01/2025

🍷 The Wine Gift That Won’t Backfire 🎁
Gifting wine is tricky. Too basic? Too pretentious? Dorothy J. Gaiter and John Brecher’s new column.
Their latest column for features wines that work for anyone: the curious beginner, the seasoned collector, everyone in between.
An elegant Petite Sirah that pairs with salmon. A Brunello that justifies its reputation. Beaujolais from cru villages that reminds you why this region matters. Dry Rieslings and and Gewürztraminers and that prove these grapes deserve more attention. Even a profound kosher wine that will surprise anyone who thinks they know what kosher means.
Each recommendation introduces something broader—a style, a region, a possibility.
Read the full column at grapecollective.com 🥂

11/29/2025

Quick visit to the Finger Lakes - of course had to Riesling

11/26/2025

🍷✨ The “Cooperative” Wines Selling for $500 at Michelin Restaurants ✨🍷
“Please don’t run away when I mention we’re a cooperative winery.”
In Alto Adige, this disclaimer from ’s Julia Springeth opens the door to a fascinating story that turns everything you think you know about co-op wines on its head.
Nestled between Austria and Switzerland, this tiny Italian region produces less than 1% of Italy’s wine—yet its cooperative model has become legendary for QUALITY over quantity. 🏔️🇮🇹
Here’s what makes it special:
→ 70-75% of the region’s wine comes from co-ops
→ Growers are paid for quality, not just volume
→ Even the smallest family vineyards have access to world-class equipment
→ A cultural concept called “Heimat” (deep connection to land) drives everything
From ’s iconic Gewürztraminer to Cantina Terlano’s age-worthy Pinot Bianco (spotted on NYC Michelin menus for $500!), these aren’t your average co-op wines.
As one winemaker puts it: “Compared to other famous wine regions, we’re often ten times cheaper. The value is extraordinary.”
Read ’s deep dive into Alto Adige’s cooperative revolution on —link in bio! 🔗

11/23/2025

Better Together: How Alto Adige’s Cooperatives Set a New Standard for Collective Winemaking By
"“If you look back more than 100 years,” says Wolfgang Klotz, Marketing Director of Cantina Tramin, another of the region’s leading cooperatives, “there were only a few large wineries buying grapes, and nearly 5,000 small growers who sold grapes to them without any bargaining power.”"

When Julia Springeth travels the world as sales and marketing manager for Cantina Terlano, she always starts with the same disclaimer: “Please do not run away when I mention the fact that we’re a cooperative winery.” She is referring to how “cooperative” is often shorthand for bulk product...

11/23/2025

🏆✨ Incredibly honored that our film “Noah’s Vines” won an award at in Villafranca del Penedès!
This documentary explores cultural preservation in Armenia through the lens of its ancient winemaking traditions—a story that feels more urgent than ever in our age of globalization.
Huge shoutout to the dream team:
📹 for his brilliant camera work
🎬 Jason E. Borrows, our super producer (some call him the Robert Evans of independent wine documentaries!)
✂️ Yan Vega our talented editor who couldn’t be with us but whose work shines through every frame
The festival was incredible—so many powerful stories being told through wine and culture.
Also thank you to the team at who were so helpful in the making of the film, and for the work they do to promote Armenian wine.
Grateful to Most Film Festival for celebrating stories that matter and to everyone who believes in preserving cultural heritage. 🇦🇲🍷

11/21/2025

What an incredible day at Finca Parera! 🍇✨
Had the privilege of visiting Ruben’s beautiful estate in Penedès and diving deep into his world of natural winemaking. The passion, the philosophy, the pure dedication to working with the land rather than against it – it’s everything we dream about when we talk about authentic viticulture.

Meeting Ruben’s father Jordi (who Ruben says does the work of two men) and cousin Jordi made it even more special. You can feel the generational knowledge flowing through this place, the kind of wisdom that only comes from decades of listening to the vines and respecting the terroir. Oh and those donkeys - not only do they help with the viticulture- they are seriously cuddly!

Ruben’s approach to biodynamic farming (creating a polyculture cultivating cherry and olive trees, 🐝 keeping and working with animals alongside minimal intervention winemaking) isn’t just a technique – it’s a way of life. Walking through those vineyards, tasting with Ruben and understanding the “why” behind every decision…a very special estate. The wines based around the native varieties Xarel·lo and Sumoll are super interesting.

Grateful for keepers of the land like this family. They’re not just making wine; they’re preserving a legacy and showing us what’s possible when you let nature lead the way.

Salud to many more visits! 🍷

11/20/2025

Le Beaujolais Nouveau est arrivé! 🇫🇷

11/19/2025

🥂 Tired of defaulting to “VC” every holiday season?
Wine legends Dorothy J. Gaiter and John Brecher are here to change your bubbly game. In their latest column, they share why it’s time to venture beyond V***e Clicquot—not because it’s bad, but because there’s a whole world of sparkling wine waiting to wow your guests.
From a $20 California gem that pairs perfectly with mac ‘n cheese 🧀 to a profound $120 late-disgorged masterpiece, from New York’s Finger Lakes to Italy’s Piedmont, they’ve tasted dozens of sparklers to bring you the best.
The secret? It’s not about finding one specific bottle—it’s about understanding what to look for wherever you shop.
✨ Want to know what “Brut Nature” means and why it matters?
🍾 Curious about American sparkling wine houses that rival Champagne?
💎 Ready to discover why “expensive” sometimes means something special?
Read their full guide - Link in bio!

Alternative shorter version if needed:
Beyond the Bubbles 🥂
Why settle for the same old sparkler? Wine experts Dorothy J. Gaiter & John Brecher tasted dozens of bubblies to help you find something special this season—from $20 gems to $120 treasures.
The best part? You don’t need to find their exact picks. Learn what to look for and discover amazing sparklers wherever you shop.
Read the full column (link in bio) and give your guests something to talk about! ✨

11/18/2025

🍇✨ A Biodynamic Beauty in Penedès
The Grape Collective team including cameraman extraordinaire and Super Producer at with Joan Cusiné, exploring one of Catalonia’s most inspiring family wineries! Since 1790, this estate has been crafting magic just 30km from Barcelona, and today they’re leading the charge in organic (since 2002) and biodynamic viticulture (since 2012).

Walking through vineyards tended by their own flock of sheep 🐑, surrounded by buzzing bee hives 🐝, and tasting wines and Cavas that truly express the terroir—this is winemaking with soul. Joan’s passion for the land is infectious.

From their expressive still wines to their exceptional Cava (they’re one of only 14 “Elaborador Integral” producers controlling every step from vine to bottle), Parés Baltà proves that farming in harmony with nature creates something extraordinary, even at scale.

And yes, attempted to saber a bottle… let’s just say his enthusiasm exceeded his ex*****on. We all learned that sabering is best left to the professionals. 🍾😅

Salut to Joan and the entire Parés Baltà family for an unforgettable visit!

11/17/2025

🍇 Priorat Magic with Jordi at Gratavinum 🍷
What a day in the wild and rugged heart of Priorat! The Grape Collective team with and had the privilege of spending time at with winemaker Jordi Fernández, where passion for biodynamic winemaking meets the dramatic beauty of Priorat.
Standing among century-old Garnacha and Carinyena vines, their roots diving deep into the famous llicorella slate soils, Jordi shared his philosophy: “It’s about respecting what nature gives us.” 🌿
The commitment here is real – biodynamic since 2014, no irrigation, native yeasts, and minimal intervention. These vines literally struggle for survival in the rocky terrain, and that struggle translates into wines of incredible depth and minerality.
Tasted their Silvestris the elegant Rocaforts Vi de Paratge, and the stunning 2πr – each bottle tells the story of this unique terroir. The transparency and lift in these wines? Chef’s kiss 👨‍🍳💋
Fun fact: The town of Gratallops has just 250 people but 25 wineries – that’s one winery for every 10 inhabitants! This is wine country at its most authentic.
Massive thanks to Jordi for opening the doors to your beautiful world. This is the Priorat we dream about. 🙏✨