There’s a saying on Dave Matthews’ Dreaming Tree winery website (dreamingtreewines.com): “Great minds drink alike.” I think it’s a beauty and I used it at the conclusion of my video (lowellsun.com/winenovice) on one of Matthews’ newest products, Everyday, a white blend of four European varietals that are grown in California’s sunny and dry Central Coast, […]
Author: Jim Campanini
Old vine Rioja rules at Spanish wine dinner
I made a trip to Spain recently without paying for the airfare and lodging. That’s the beauty of a wine dinner, where I can satisfy my insatiable hunger and thirst for great cuisine and be home by 9 o’clock. On Thursday, May 7, Spanish wines and food were featured at the United Teen Equality Center’s […]
Mom's 96 reasons to reminisce with Sauvignon Blanc
My mother, Dorothy, turned 96 on the Ides of March and despite being relegated to a wheelchair, she exhibited the radiant personality and inner strength that have defined her long, wonderful life. Mom’s legs have failed her over the past year. She can stand up with a walker but every step has taken on a […]
Bordeaux blanc is La Source of a splendid evening
It was our first bottle of white Bordeaux and we really didn’t know what to expect. The 2010 Chateau de Sours La Source Blanc, $33, came highly recommended. It’s not a Grand Cru — the price tells you that —yet it comes from an estate nestled between the great French vineyards of Libourne, Pomerol and […]
Kentuckey Derby Saturday: Run for the Rosés
Mint juleps will be the drink of the day at Churchill Downs for Saturday’s Kentucky Derby, but local wine shops will be featuring their own promotions, Run for the Rosés, will equal fervor. Rosé wines are capturing the imagination — and palates — of more Americans and for good reason. They are light and refreshing […]
Inkblot Cabernet Franc leaves indelible impression
The Wine Goddess took out the deck chairs last Saturday, even though it was a bit breezy. She instructed me to go into the shed, remove the water fountains and set them in position around the yard. Later, while she tended to her gardens, I raked the lawn of winter debris. These are all good […]
An Oregon Pinot Noir with a pioneer's spirit
If you’ve never tasted a Ken Wright Cellars Pinot Noir from Oregon, there’s still time. Just don’t delay. Right now there is a limited shipment of the 2013 Ken Wright Cellars Willamette Valley Pinot Noir circulating throughout Massachusetts, distributed exclusively by Winebow Boston. The Willamette Valley Pinot Noir captures all the characteristics of Wright’s many […]
Andover Classic Wines: New appeal all around
I stopped by Andover Classic Wines on Saturday and was impressed by the store’s wonderful makeover. The modernization effort shut down the store for several weeks in February and March. It was completed two weeks before Easter. The new design places a premium on accessibility and comfort for shoppers who enjoy browsing through well-lit, wide […]
Merlot pushes 'Sideways' out of the picture
The 2004 movie hit “Sideways” is often given too much credit for advancing the popularity of Pinot Noir while having the opposite effect on Merlot. The fact is Pinot Noir sales in the United States and other parts of the world were already on the rise when the comedy came out. Certainly, Paul Giamatti’s movie […]
Merlot pushes 'Sideways' out of the picture
The 2004 movie hit “Sideways” is often given too much credit for advancing the popularity of Pinot Noir while having the opposite effect on Merlot. The fact is Pinot Noir sales in the United States and other parts of the world were already on the rise when the comedy came out. Certainly, Paul Giamatti’s movie […]
