Worried about sulfites in wines? An Argentinian winery with a long history of organic farming is trying to put those fears to rest. Domaine Bousquet of Mendoza is producing three all-organic red wines under its Virgen label that contain “no added sulfites” – except for those sulfites that are “naturally occurring.” The 2019 vintage wines […]
Author: Jim Campanini
‘Garagistes’ rule the day at Big River Winery’s 2020 Grape Crush
The 10th annual Big River Winery Grape Crush was another exuberant event, hosted once again by Big River Lodge owners and veteran vintners Jason and Lynn Arabian at their sprawling grounds in West Greenwich, R.I. “Garagistes” (a French term referring to a group of winemakers who made wine out of their garage) and friends began […]
Gerard Bertrand’s Art De Vivre wines bring the ancient Languedoc – and lavender -to life
Gerard Bertrand wines from the Languedoc and Roussillon regions in southern France are always interesting, well crafted and satisfying. They are also unpretentious. What I mean is that you don’t have to know France’s complex and convoluted wine classification system to enjoy Bertrand’s easy-drinking reds and whites. Two of my GB favorites fall under the […]
Three splendid dry, Douro red wines that take the “port” out of Portugual
Casa Ferreirinha, founded in 1851, has a long and accomplished wine-making history in Portugal’s Douro region. It was the first family-owned company and the first to be headed by a woman – Dona` Antonia Adelaide Ferreira. Called “Ferreirinha” by the locals (translation “the little Ferreira lady”), Dona` Antonia expanded the winery’s estates, added to its […]
Landmark Vineyards ‘Lorenzo’ Chardonnay: Four elegant vintages for the ages
I never gave much thought to drinking aged Chardonnay made in California, believing that French vintners from Burgundy had a monopoly on the terroir and grapes conducive to crafting such outstanding, long-lived whites. The good news is I was wrong – and happily so. In early August, I was among a dozen wine and food […]
Casa Ferreirinha: A virtual wine tasting from Douro region
Summer Delight: Ram’s Gate Chardonnay with my homemade lobster salad roll
If you are unfamiliar with Ram’s Gate Winery, a small-lot, premium wine producer located north of San Francisco in Sonoma’s Carneros appellation, don’t be alarmed. I was too until several weeks ago. That’s when I sampled bottles of their introductory Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. My first reaction was to repeat the refrain from Neil Diamond’s […]
Pasqua Family wines tell a love story about Italy with every sip
The Pasqua Family of Verona has a simple philosophy when it comes to winemaking: Put passion and quality into every bottle produced. It also helps that Pasqua’s portfolio of seven wines highlights native grapes – Garganega, Trebbiano di Laguna, Corvina, etc. – and unique terroirs that bring special distinction to the Veneto region. The Pasquas […]
Italy’s Dolomiti wines give rise to Alto Adige’s growing popularity
Besides tasting very good, Italian wines usually have an interesting tell to story. One can learn a lot about Italy’s culture, history and traditions just by reading the bottle label and then following up with an Internet search on the winemaker, the winery, and the region. Often overlooked are wines from Italy’s northernmost wine-growing regions […]
Un-Oaked Chardonnay? Try Pam’s and plunge palate first into Ron Rubin’s delicious Russian River Valley wines
When Ron Rubin purchased River Road Winery in the heart of the Russian River Valley in 2011, he took on the personal challenge of developing a Chardonnay that would win over his wife Pam’s palate. Pam, as the story goes, didn’t like most Chardonnays. And with the help of chief winemaker Joe Freeman, Team Rubin […]
