You say Vin Santo, I say Vinsanto. What’s the difference? Vin Santo, from Tuscany is made from Italian white grapes trebbiano and malavasia bianca. Vinsanto, from the Greece, specifically the island of Santorini, is made with native white grapes Assyrtico and Aidan. Both are luscious dessert wines, served slightly chilled, that can be made dry […]
Author: Jim Campanini
Unique grapes that yield stunning new wines
I consider spring a time of rebirth for lots of things, including my palate. Searching out exciting new wines is a favorite past-time, especially those made from unfamiliar grapes and innovative winemakers. Here are three discoveries to put on your white wine list. • Zymé From Black to White, Veneto 2014, $19.99 — Celestino Gaspari […]
Bixio Poderi's brave new world of Italian reds
If I had to select a Best of Show at the recent 2016 Boston Wine Expo, it would be Bixio Poderi, a small family owned winery (7.2 acres of vineyards) located in the heart of the Valpolicella Classico zone in Italy’s Veneto region. In truth, I sampled less than 3 percent of the 800 wines […]
Domaine Drouhin wines thriving in Burgundy, Oregon
Can “New World” Oregon wines match the quality of “Old World” Burgundy wines? For Veronique Drouhin, the winemaker for Domaine Joseph Drouhin’s global operations here and in France, the answer isn’t complicated. It’s not a competition of Burgundy vs. Oregon, she says. Instead, it’s bringing out the best of two uniquely different terroirs located a […]
Boston Wine Expo 2016: Something special for everyone
For those of you who’ve never been to the annual Boston Wine Expo, this is the year to make your debut. It’s the 25th anniversary of this classic event and its founders, the Boston Guild of Oenophilists, have come up with a spectacular program for the weekend of Feb. 13-14. Come to think of it, […]
Balletto Pinot Noir is worth the adventure
I had the good fortune of tasting several wonderful wines over the holidays, and it is with a sense of sadness I see all the decorations coming down. The parties are over… but the palate lives on! Drinking good Pinot Noir remains one of my lifelong pursuits. Finding the most sensuous, enduring taste — at […]
Bledsoe's Doubleback still scoring for Lowell charity
Drew Bledsoe’s 2012 Doubleback Cabernet Sauvignon (94 points, Wine Enthusiast) keeps scoring points — and dollars — for the WCAP Salvation Army Radiothon. The 2012 vintage is Doubleback’s best to date, and a signed bottle I donated to the Warren Shaw-led Radiothon brought in $1,500. Kudos to Ernest Linuk, a Billerica attorney, who made the […]
Four wines to jump-start the new year
OK, let’s all take a sip of Prosecco, refresh the palate and get ready for a great 2016 wine adventure. Seven days into the new year, I’ve already sampled two reds and two whites for my personal Wine Log. But first … looking back on the pages from 2015, I had the good fortune, along […]
'Racy' Rieslings for the holidays and beyond
Why Riesling for Christmas and the holidays? “It’s such a versatile, satisfying wine. It goes well with all foods. It’s refreshing on the palate,” says Lazarus Guisso, a self-described “amateur de vin” (wine lover) with a sommelier’s knowledge of all things vino fino. A week ago, I had the pleasure of meeting Guisso, who is […]
Christmas gift special: Tickets to 2016 Boston Wine Expo
If you’re looking for a nice Christmas gift for the wine lover in the family, how about a trip to the Boston Wine Expo? This year’s event will be held February 13 and 14 at the Seaport Hotel & World Trade Center and represents the 25th year anniversary of this wonderful gathering. Doors open each […]
