Valerie Kathawala

Valerie Kathawala is an NYC-based student of wine and a wine writer. She is WSET Level 3 and most recently completed Vinitaly's "Native Wine Grapes of Italy" seminar, taught by Ian D'Agata. Her wine journey began 20 years ago, with a shared bottle of Saint-Émilion. It has since taken her - and her husband and three children - to wine growing regions throughout Germany, Austria, Italy, Oregon, California and New York. Wines that matter most to her are those made by small-scale producers with a deep understanding of both tradition and potential. You can follow her exploration of wines of place on Instagram @valkatnyc

Articles by Valerie Kathawala

Michelin Takes Over Robert Parker Wine Advocate 11.23.2019

Two icons of food and wine have joined forces to bring the best coverage of both to a global audience.
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Ten Reasons Domäne Wachau Is Austria’s “Nummer Eins” 11.15.2019

Virtuosic terroir expression, impressive longevity, opulence without excess — all from a co-op.
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Through a Glass Darkly: Confronting the Nazi Legacy of Dr. Zweigelt and the Impact on Growers of Austria’s Most Popular Red Wine Grape 09.23.2019

Recent research has proven that Dr. Friedrich Zweigelt, a crucial contributor to Austrian viticulture and after whom the Zweigelt grape...
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Living Soils, Living Vessels, Living Wines: The Bottled Philosophy of Weingut Heinrich 07.12.2019

Gernot and Heike Heinrich have fully embraced biodynamics, amphora, and skin ferments as ways of expressing "sense of place" in...
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"True to Emilia": The Terroir Wines of La Tosa 06.20.2019

The rare terra rossa antica soils of the Colli Piacentini find singular expression in the wines of this small, organic producer.
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Zierfandler and Rotgipfler: Austria’s Treasures Hidden in Plain Sight 06.07.2019

Bernhard Stadlmann is the eighth generation of his family to specialize in this pair of rare indigenous Austrian varieties. Organic...
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The Mountain Wines of Helmut Dolde 04.27.2019

These are deeply personal wines from an unfamiliar terroir, revealing fresh facets of grapes we thought we knew.
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Weingut Roterfaden: A Bright Red Line Through Württemberg's Wine 03.29.2019

Talk to people with on-the-ground knowledge of the southern German wine scene and one name comes up again and again. A red thread, you...
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Jochen Beurer: Power and Vision in Germany’s Most Dynamic Wine Region 03.17.2019

Württemberg, long the sleeping giant of German wine, is suddenly wide awake. Jochen Beurer’s ideas are inspiring a generation of young...
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Donkey and Goat at 15: California Natural Wine Pioneers Take Stock 01.25.2019

"For us, natural wine is continuity from soil to bottle. It's about transparency, it's about making delicious wines." Tracey...
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Features
Terry Theise Asks Us to Bring More of Ourselves to Wine 12.15.2018

In a meditative new memoir and study of wine, an influential importer and writer urges us to deepen our experience of wine by being fully...
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RAW WINE: A place to feel the pulse of natural wine 10.31.2018

RAW WINE fairs are returning to North America in November! This is your chance to meet, taste and learn from the people and bottles that...
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Cultivating a diva: How Bernhard Ott gets greatness from Grüner Veltliner 10.10.2018

Long-range thinking, healthy soils, biodynamics and diversity are key.
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Why you should think (and drink) PFALZ FIRST 08.25.2018

If you want concrete eggs and amphora, funked-up pet-nats and glou, go elsewhere. But if you aren’t too cool to love the most achingly...
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Inside the Wines and Mind of Bellwether’s Kris Matthewson 07.14.2018

"I think you need to be able to see what you're doing in winemaking way ahead of when it actually happens." Kris Matthewson
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"Unheard of!" No More: Riccardo Baldi Wants to Put the Marche on Your Wine Map 06.01.2018

Riccardo Baldi of La Staffa in the Castelli di Jesi of the Marche wants you to know exactly where his Verdicchio comes from and what...
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Annette Hilberg: Biodynamic Pioneer in the Piedmont 04.13.2018

Piedmontese winemakers Annette Hilberg and Michelangelo Pasquero are redefining biodynamics.
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Northern Lights: A Closer Look at Michigan Whites 03.01.2018

Michigan whites are reaching their potential at a moment when the world is ready to give them a try.
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What's Behind the Stunning Rise of Finger Lakes Wines? 01.20.2018

An inside look at the factors propelling this region to new heights.
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Long Island Wines Reach for an Edge 10.30.2017

Experimentation, not mimicry, is what drives the most thoughtful winemaking here now. Valerie Kathawala on the state of Long Island wine.
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Features
Isabelle Legeron Asks Us to Think About What We Drink (But Then Relax About It) 10.23.2017

Grape Collective’s Valerie Kathawala spoke with Legeron about the RAW WINE movement and upcoming U.S. RAW WINE fairs in NYC and LA.
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The State of California Chardonnay 09.27.2017

"With close to 98,000 acres of vineyard planted to Chardonnay in California and the wine remaining far and away the most popular in...
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Features
Making a Case for the Marche: Is Verdicchio Italy’s greatest native white grape variety? 09.07.2017

Valerie Kathawala explores the underappreciated Marche region, home to Verdicchio, one of Italy's great white grapes. Silvano Brescianini...
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Winemakers
Nathan Kendall: Pushing the Limits of World Class Wine in the Finger Lakes 08.21.2017

What distinguishes Kendall is the tiny scale of his operation, his dedication to the study of individual vineyards and what they give to...
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Understanding German Riesling: Zeroing in on Sweetness 08.17.2017

The sensory allures of German Riesling are immediate: sublimely aromatic, electric in their acidity, and unrivaled for their lithe,...
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Element Syrah 2011 08.14.2017

Element Syrah 2011: Supercharged freshness and finesse from the FLX
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