(I’ve written a special Passover holiday column on Kosher wines. Here’s the link ) Easter is a wonderful holiday. It brings together family in a renewal of spiritual and loving bonds and also ushers in the season of spring. The holiday meal for Christians (Passover seder for Jewish people) is always a welcome feast. This year, […]
Author: Jim Campanini
Kosher wines of character for Passover
On Friday, April 3, the Jewish people will begin celebrating the Passover holiday. Recently Lowell attorney Phil Nyman inquired as to what Kosher wines are sold locally to accompany the holiday dinner, or seder. According to Jewish custom, four glasses of wine per person are consumed during the dinner. Kosher wines are not just for […]
One enchanting evening with Dolcetto and friends
The Wine Butler, Mike Pigeon, arrived at our front door the other night carrying two pizzas and a bottle of wine. Now this is what friends are for I thought to myself. I happily greeted him and hungrily hurried him into the kitchen. Mike’s wife Judy was visiting a sister in Florida, so the Wine […]
UTEC's Italian benefit was a night in good taste
When you open the evening with a sparkling, dry Prosecco and close it with a silky Chianti Classico, you have two key ingredients for una magnifica festa d’Italia (a magificent Italian feast). And so it was recently at Café UTEC (United Teed Equality Center) in downtown Lowell where Chef Sam Putnam, his culinary staff of […]
Chile's Riverbank wines flow impressively at Concha y Toro
Marcio Ramirez had endured a 10-hour flight from Chile, landing in Boston on a cold, wintry February afternoon where the snowbanks were probably taller than most Latin American grapevines. Still, the 44-year-old Concha y Toro winemaker was chipper upon entering the warm, cozy kitchen of Dr. Harvey Finkel’s Brookline home. In Ramirez’s arms was a […]
Chapoutier's 2013 Bila-Haut is a wine to treasure
If you are looking for an adventurous red wine, try the 2013 Bila-Haut Occultum Lapidem from France’s Roussillon region. It’s a blend of Syrah (50 percent), Grenache (40 percent) and Carignane (10 percent) that delivers character and complexity often found in more expensive wines from Burgundy and Bordeaux. This is the third Bila-Haut vintage I’ve […]
Wine-tastings you can warm up to in Feb., March
For the winter weary, but wine wicked, here are several key dates to put on the calendar. On Wednesday, March 4, I will be co-hosting an Italian Wine Tasting Dinner at the United Teen Equality Center in downtown Lowell with UTEC’s culinary team, headed by Chef Sam Putnam. Seating is limited to 40 persons, so […]
Romance can be this winter's ice-breaker
What do I want for Valentine’s Day? When the Wine Goddess asked, I didn’t hesitate a reply. I want one of those mammoth snow-melting machines that Gov. Charlie Baker just purchased for the Commonwealth. She didn’t laugh. Instead she felt my — our — pain. Since the new year, 77.3 inches of snow have […]
BostonWineExpo: Beat winter blues one sip at a time
(Note to readers: This article is three parts — general story on Wine Expo features, a tips box if you go, and ticket information.) We’ve reached the mid-way point of another snowy New England winter and just this week Punxsutawney Phil made it even worse: the furry rodent predicted another six weeks of winter. Unless […]
Chilean wines with divine inspiration
Chilean winemakers are turning out better wines every year, especially big, powerful reds like Cabernet Sauvignon that soak up the rocky, mountainous terroir and deliver a spicier edge than their California counterparts. Since 1987, the Montes Alpha winery has become a force to be reckoned with. You’ve probably seen its distinctive label: a Raphael-like angel […]
