When it comes to wine, winter doesn’t have to be any less fun than summer. We just take it all inside, off the patio and deck, to the warmth of the hearth and home. ‘Tis the season for Malbecs from Argentina, Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile, and Chianti and red blends from Italy — heat, spice, […]
Author: Jim Campanini
From 'Rage' to 'Lust', Michael David's wines are Zin-ful
There’s a reason why Michael David Winery is capturing America’s attention. The wines are flavorful and fun. Wines are meant to be flavorful, but fun too? While marketing has a lot to do with it, the personality of the winemaker contributes to what’s in the bottle in subtle ways. If you’ve ever met David Phillips, […]
Kung Fu Girl Riesling kicks butt
I visited the Charles Smith wine-tasting room in Walla Walla, Washington in June and found it quite fascinating. A former top European rock band promoter, Smith grew up in California and returned to the Puget Sound area in 1999. Soon he moved to Walla Walla and produced 300 cases of his own wine. He’s never […]
Time to doubledown on Doubleback
I don’t know how the Messinas, Tina and Sam, do it, but the Wine Connextion in North Andover recently scored a big shipment of Drew Bledsoe’s highly-rated 2011 Doubleback Cabernet Sauvignon from Walla Walla, Wash. Sam’s been trying for several years to make a connection with Doubleback and finally made it into the end zone. […]
Going local uncorks a wonderful celebration
I’ve enjoyed 23 wedding anniversaries with the Wine Goddess, and most often we’ve planned an elaborate trip to a special place where we can celebrate. For the first five years of our marriage we’d schedule an off-season trip to the same Dennisport seaside hotel on the Cape. The late-September weather was beautiful for sitting on […]
Sam's picks highlight Saturday wine event
What do the best wine directors drink when they go home from work? Saturday, Sept. 21 you’ll get your chance to find out at the Wine Connextion when Sam Messina reveals his eight favorites during a tasting event at the North Andover store on Main Street. Sam is one of the most knowledgeable wine directors […]
Fall feast: Pairing the perfect book and wine
The Barnes and Noble package arrived the other day containing the four books I’ve selected for my fall reading schedule. I’ll enjoy them while sitting next to the fire, in the pergola, under the stars, on cool autumn nights. My al fresco reading will be complemented by sipping a glass of full-bodied red wine, a […]
Five wines that deliver a late-summer kick
Here are wines I’ve sampled recently which represent high quality and values. • 2011 Healdsburg Ranches Sonoma County “Unoaked” Chardonnay, $9.99 — It’s nice to taste the chilled minerality and fresh fruit without big, buttery oakiness, and this wine offers great sipping for this price. Clean grapefruit, apple and pear settle in nicely on the […]
Like wine, daylilies are worth savoring
It’s a bit sad when the last bloom of the Wine Goddess’s garden of daylilies desiccates like a raisin, surrenders its summer grip from its stem, and returns to the earth from which it sprang. Autumn is here. The life of a lily’s glorious bloom is but one day, hence the name daylily. The plant […]
Wine, winning (hopefully) and Saratoga Springs
In a little more than a week, I’ll be heading out on my annual trip to Saratoga Springs, N.Y., to take in the horse races, visit a few favorite restaurants, and greet old acquaintances. This year, because of the election season, I won’t be going with my regular group of horseracing buddies for this weekend’s […]
