This week’s wine round-up features major milestones in wine evaluation and regional prestige. The MICHELIN Guide has officially expanded into rating entire wine estates, launching its brand-new “Grape” system in Burgundy to honor exceptional terroir and craftsmanship. Across the Atlantic, East Coast viticulture is having a massive moment: Virginia wines swept top blind-tasting honors at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris 50 years after the Judgment of Paris, while a new feature documentary, We The Wine People, highlights the state’s collaborative winemaking boom. Finally, six new Master Sommeliers have joined the elite global ranks, completing another historic chapter for the trade.
This is not a score for a bottle. It is a rating of an estate. The new distinction is called the MICHELIN grape, awarded in One, Two and Three grape tiers, and it follows the Stars introduced in 1926 and the Key for hotels introduced in 2024. Burgundy as the starting point is not a surprise. The methodology is where this gets interesting for anyone who thinks about wine criticism. The inspectors are salaried MICHELIN Group employees, drawn from former sommeliers, wine critics, and production experts, conducting year-round assessments through site visits and tastings.
From the article:
The MICHELIN Guide now offers wine enthusiasts a trusted reference: the grapes, complemented by a curated selection of recommended wine estates, with each recipient evaluated through a rigorous and independent methodology.
This press release from Le Cordon Bleu Paris, published via Wine Business, covers a blind tasting called Old World, New Roots, held fifty years after 
the Judgment of Paris and serving as the capstone event for the school’s Art, Science and Wine Management Diploma program. The organizers are explicit that it was never meant to recreate the 1976 tasting, and the format supports that: twenty-four wines in four flights of three French and three Virginia each, across Chardonnay, Petit Manseng, Cabernet Franc and Bordeaux-style Merlot blends, judged blind by nine American and French wine professionals plus students using the American Wine Society’s 20-point system. And Virginia did well.
From the article:
Tanisha Townsend, an American-born wine educator based in Paris and founder of the wine education and lifestyle agency Girl Meets Glass, reflected on the broader significance of the tasting:
“When the Judgment of Paris happened 50 years ago, California was really the only American wine region in the conversation. Fast forward to today, and Virginia wines are standing shoulder to shoulder with some of France’s top regions. I’d call that progress, and I’m grateful to have been part of Old World, New Roots.”
Wine Business covers the D.C. premiere of the documentary We The Wine People. And what is it, you ask? Well, it explores the people whose passion, resilience, and spirit of collaboration have transformed Virginia into one of America’s most exciting wine regions.
About We The Wine People:
We The Wine People is a feature-length documentary exploring the people, history, innovation, and collaborative spirit driving Virginia’s emergence as one of America’s most dynamic wine regions. Directed and produced by Chrisa Giorgi, the film follows winemakers, growers, educators, and visionaries whose collective efforts are redefining what American wine can be. The documentary was made possible in part through funding from the Virginia Wine Board.
Amelie Maurice-Jones, writing for The Drinks Business, reports that the Court of Master Sommeliers has added six new Master Sommeliers following two days of theory and tasting exams at Vienna’s Grand Hotel, bringing the worldwide total to 299. Three of the six are firsts for their countries.
From the article:
The six new MS’s include Reza Nahaboo, the first person to pass from Mauritius, who is currently working at the Lausanne Hotel School, the first Czech MS Amar Boudjaoui, and the first Bosnian to secure MS status – Suvad Zlatic – who currently lives in Austria and works as a wine consultant.
London-based ex-67 Pall Mall sommelier Michele Fazari has also passed. Originally from Italy, Fazari works for Jackson Family Wines today.
Wine importer Adam Michocki has also secured MS status. Born in Poland and now Leeds-based, Michocki currently runs an import company specialising in wines from Central Europe. Finally, Michal Drozdowski, head sommelier at Bottiglieria 1881 restaurant in Poland, has also secured the prestigious title.
Alpha Omega Collective Napa is a downtown tasting room featuring wines from Alpha Omega in Napa Valley and Tolosa in Edna Valley. Guests can choose from three seated flights priced from $60 to $100, with a selection that ranges from Napa Cabernet Sauvignon to cool-climate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The space offers indoor and outdoor seating, food from The Dutch Door, and does not require reservations, although they are recommended on busy days. It is a convenient option for visitors who want to explore two distinct California wine regions without leaving downtown Napa.
The 2022 Alpha Omega Stagecoach Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is a powerful Atlas Peak Cabernet with cassis, blackberry, cedar, and graphite flavors. Firm tannins and noticeable oak give it a compact, structured profile. It should benefit from several more years in the bottle as those elements become better integrated.
Chandlers Prime Steaks & Fine Seafood is an upscale Boise steakhouse known for prime beef, fresh seafood, a deep wine list, and nightly live jazz. The menu stays rooted in classic steakhouse cooking, with aged steaks, composed seafood dishes, traditional sauces, and substantial sides. Service is polished, the dining room is lively without feeling casual, and the wine program is handled with particular care. It is best suited for celebrations, business dinners, and diners looking for a traditional fine-dining experience.
Corkage Fee: $40 Per Bottle / Max 2
Corkage Fee: $35 Per Bottle / No Limit
New York, NY
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ilili is a modern Lebanese Mediterranean restaurant in NYC and Washington, D.C., serving lunch, brunch, and dinner, with catering and nationwide shipping.