The distress call came in at 7 o’clock on a Saturday night. My twin brother John, who is two minutes older than me, said his home winemaking operation was in jeopardy. Several friends who regularly drink his wine failed to show up and help him de-stem and press 200 pounds of newly arrived Napa Valley […]
Author: Jim Campanini
Gratallops' Black Slate red unleases Priorat's power
On the evening when I’m planning to drink a new wine from Priorat, the October issue of Wine Spectator arrives with a cover story titled “Great Spanish Reds: Alvaro Palacious Leads Priorat to New Heights.” The Wine Goddess smiles, thinking I’m an “expert” able to spot wine industry trends, especially after I glowingly tell her […]
October kicks off big wine deals
October is a good month for wine. Tutto Bene Wine & Cheese Cellar on Prescott Street in downtown Lowell is offering a month-long promotion of a 25 percent discount on each 12-bottle case purchased. Proprietor Richard “Ricardo” Rourke says customers can mix and match from any products in the store. Other discounts are also available […]
Alto Adige wines are alight in tradition, uniqueness
On summer evenings in June in Italy’s northernmost province of Alto Adige, residents sit in cafes drinking pitchers of wine and eating plates of bresaola (air-cured beef) while gazing for hours at the fuochi burning in the mountains. The fires are symbolic of warning signals that used to alert citizens of an impending invasion. Today, […]
Le Volte dell'Ornellaia 2013: A Super Tuscan at a super price
Marchese Lodovico Antinori produced Ornellaia Estate’s first vintage in 1985, marking the historic launch of the Super Tuscan blend of Italy’s Sangiovese grape with that of France’s Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. While the Marchese is gone and the Ornellaia Estate has changed hands several times, the wine world has never been the same. While bottles […]
Wine clubs with a taste of distinction
I joined four wine clubs on my June tour of Washington State wineries, sharing membership with two travel companions. We all came to a consensus that the hard-to-get wines were too good to pass up. These are distinctive wines you’d look forward to serving around the holidays or on a special occasion. New Massachusetts direct-shipping […]
Wine clubs: What's the value in joining?
Dunham Cellars wine-tasting room in Walla Walla. What’s the advantage of joining a wine club? Several people have asked me that question and I’ve never had a good answer — until now. You should join a wine club if you like the wine, it is unique and only available through the club, and it fits […]
Roger Smith's Bump City Wine Co. heats up
Roger Smith, 66, is the “coolest” winemaker I’ve ever met. Best known as the iconic keyboardist for the West Coast soul group Tower of Power, Smith’s rapidly making a new name for himself as co-owner of Bump City Wine Co., of Sonoma, Calif. Since 2008 Smith and his business partner, Mike Smolich, have been sourcing […]
White blends that capture balance and beauty
At the end of a satisfying day of gardening, The Wine Goddess likes to toast her prized daylillies with a chilled white wine. The “St. Francis”, following a patient, two-year subterranean incubation, bloomed early one recent morning eliciting a cry of excitement from the front yard. Bella the cat, watching from a window, backflipped off […]
When you Pinot, do you Grigio or Gris?
Why would you favor drinking a Pinot Grigio from America as opposed to one from Italy? Key factors should be quality, taste, and price. Some Americans grab the cheapest bottle on the shelf, believing it’s all the same. It’s not. While the Pinot Grigio grape is widely planted throughout the world, its best flavor profile […]
