The global wine trade. A U.S. perspective.
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Rodrigo Briseño, head sommelier at Barcelona restaurant Disfrutar, says wine service should focus on what guests want to drink rather than rigid protocols. He oversees a cellar of more than 1,500 labels and the restaurant’s wine pairings, while emphasizing an approachable experience for both newcomers and experienced diners.
Hospitality
Decanter columnist Katherine Cole profiles Boulder’s restaurants, wine retail and professional community ahead of the Sundance Film Festival’s planned move there in January 2027. She says the festival is expected to bring 85,000 attendees and highlights the city’s dining culture, local wine events and Colorado’s restrictions on bringing outside wine to restaurants.
Hospitality
Robert Mondavi Winery has reopened after a three-year, $200 million renovation that added a hospitality center, expanded indoor and outdoor tasting areas and upgraded production facilities. The 214,855-square-foot project also restored the estate’s signature arch and tower. The winery’s new cellar includes optical sorting, gravity-flow systems and temperature-controlled fermentation, while its visitor program offers several guided tasting experiences.
Hospitality
Odette wine director Vincent Tan will join Singapore-based Park90 as group wine director on Oct. 19, ending a decade at the three-Michelin-starred restaurant. The sommelier-led business is preparing launches in Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok. Tan plans to assess Park90’s existing list and team before making changes, while Odette’s succession process remains unresolved.
Hospitality
Decanter reports that wine bars, event organizers and retailers in the UK, U.S. and Europe are experimenting with DJs, casual food pairings and less formal tasting formats. Examples include a Brooklyn natural-wine party that draws more than 1,000 people, London events featuring lesser-known regions and a Wine Society pilot. The article also notes that some younger wine drinkers prefer serious, welcoming experiences over gimmicks.