NORTH ANDOVER — Sam and Tina Messina are a pretty good brother-sister team, complementing each other at their Wine ConneXtion enterprise just like the perfect pairing of a grilled veal chop and an elegant 2007 Gaja Brunello di Montalcino. Sam is the wine director and responsible for tasting and selecting all 700 kinds of domestic […]
Month: April 2013
Recent tastings: A divine Amarone from Ca' Bertoldi
RECENT TASTINGS: Domaine Pichot Vouvray 2011, $11.99. If you’ve never tasted Vouvray, this is a nice way to break the ice. It is among my favorite French varietals: Straw colored, aromatic, clean, peachy and refreshing. Any white fish will do … Zolo (Unoaked) Chardonnay 2010, $11.99. Very fresh mouthfeel with intense apple and pear taste. […]
Time to start cellaring red wines
If you’ve been to your favorite wine shop lately you’ve probably noticed a brighter interior than usual. That’s because smart wine merchants are redeploying their stock, putting new spring and summer white wines on prominent shelf space and reducing their big winter reds. It’s a good sign. With the warm weather and al fresco entertaining […]
A staff assignment to 'wine' about
What makes working at a newspaper exciting is the uniqueness of a new day of news. No two days are ever the same. In fact it’s almost a given that when someone in the newsroom says, “That’s it, I’ve seen it all,” the phone rings and someone says, “You won’t believe this but …” People […]
Making wine is a dream come true
On Wednesday, March 27, the Wine Goddess, myself and nine other pioneering oeniphiles made history, turning out our first batch of homemade wine. Well, at least it was the first time for Belvidere Hill Estates Winery, the name of the new Campanini enterprise. It was with proud eyes — and anxious palates — that we […]
