Wine 101

With war looming, a knight sets his eyes on a plot of land in the Médoc. A brief prologue introducing the history and origins of this iconic Bordeaux First Growth.

We are at the point in our wine history where comparisons to Bourgogne are becoming less and less relevant.

A quick wrap-up of Legacy Lafite before we move on to the next First Growth.

The human element of wine might just be its most important constituency.

Nicolas-Alexandre de Ségur took his father's work, expanded it, and solidified the Lafite brand within the elite upper echelons of French royal culture.

It's one of the most popular grapes on the globe, especially in the US, particularly in Northern California. We have been in a big, bold trend for years, but after tasting bottles for this year's VinePair's Best Cabernet Sauvignons of 2026, I observed a shift.

When a military family enters the Bordeaux government, they discover the Médoc's untapped potential.

On this special episode of Wine 101, we share with you an episode that ran on The VinePair Podcast earlier this week. Adam Teeter is joined by Dave Phinney, the founder of Orin Swift, to discuss his storied career in the wine industry, why he's so committed to traveling to sell and support his wines, what reaching new consumers means in this day and age, and much more.

Before Château Lafite Rothschild existed, there was only a la hite in the Médoc archipelago. Allow me to explain.