An afternoon of wine and words with Jancis Robinson

The British wine writer and critic Jancis Robinson has been described by Decanter magazine as “the most respected wine critic and journalist in the world.” She writes daily for her website, jancisrobinson.com, pens a weekly column for the Financial Times of London as well as a bi-monthly syndicated wine column.

Among the many wine-related subjects Robinson has explored and written about recently include: “Why is wine so expensive?” She explains: “Inflation is a worldwide phenomenon and it applies from the bottom to the top of the scale.”

Robinson is perhaps best known for her critically acclaimed wine reference books, including The Oxford Companion to Wine, and The World Atlas of Wine, which she co-wrote with Hugh Johnson. This fall, it published its 8th edition (and first since 2013). Although it weighs a ton, it’s an invaluable reference tool and a great companion read. One thing worth noting is The World Atlas of Wine is renowned for its superlative cartography. The 8th edition has – count ‘em – 230 “unique detailed” maps of the world’s wine landscape, “including specially created soil maps, helping readers to understand the link between the wines and their source.”

A New York Times review of The World Atlas of Wine stated: “The atlas is so good in so many ways, with concise sections on the history of wine, how it’s grown and made, climate change and how to store and serve wine. But the maps are the thing, along with the brilliant descriptions of terrain and terroir. A great way to learn about wine is to open bottles and read this book.”

Recently, I enjoyed a rainy, NFL-free Sunday afternoon at a Smithsonian Associates wine event in Washington, D.C., “Jancis Robinson and the Newest World Atlas of Wine.” It was time well spent – and that was before sampling the tasting menu!

Throughout Robinson’s 90-minute conversation with Washington Post wine columnist Dave McIntyre, I learned about wine’s newest regions and listened as Robinson discussed several oenology-related topics such as the recent changes in the global winescapes. She also spoke on the accelerating effects of climate change that’s forcing the wine industry to take decisive measures in which to counter or adapt to the shifts.

Later, Robinson led a tasting of selected 21st century wines from Uruguay (Albariño Bouza 2017), Cyprus (Tsiakkas Xinisteri 2018), Israel (Flam Classico 2017 and Sphera First Page 2018) and Virginia (Cabernet Franc Riserva 2014, Ramiisol). The local red from Virginia was enjoying its first public tasting and among wine drinkers attending, it proved to be a popular favorite.

Credits: Photos by Michael Dickens, © 2019.