My wine experts agree: Thanksgiving is an all-American holiday and the traditional turkey dinner with all the fixings goes best with American wine. However, there are some wonderful Italian, French and Greek wines that pair well with the holiday meal. That said, here are 21 suggestions from some of the best wine directors in the […]
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Wilson Creek's Peach Bellini: A unique holiday sparkler
So what will I be drinking with the Wine Goddess, Bella the cat, and the rest of the family on Thanksgiving Day? <a href=”http://blogs.lowellsun.com/winenovice/files/2016/11/Bellini.jpg”><img class=”size-medium wp-image-3531″ src=”http://blogs.lowellsun.com/winenovice/files/2016/11/Bellini-225×300.jpg” alt=”Wilson Creek Winery’s Peach Bellini is fine holiday starter.” width=”225″ height=”300″ /></a> Wilson Creek Winery’s Peach Bellini is fine holiday starter. There’s one definite on my list, and […]
Buying wine? Apps can help you make a decision
There are plenty of good wines on the market to fit everyone’s palate profile. This means there is no reason for anyone to overspend on a bottle of wine in order to enjoy a satisfying experience. I’ve preached this time and again, and yet wonderful people still call me and say, “Jim, I found this […]
Trump Meritage: Hail to the chief!
So what’s the best way to celebrate a new U.S. President? Drink his wine. On Tuesday night, the Wine Goddess brought out the beautifully decorated presidential wine case she purchased months ago at the Merrimack Valley Food Bank charity auction. It contained two Trump Winery bottlings and two glasses patriotically decorated glasses – one with Hillary […]
The revival of ancient Greek wines
Greece is the 14th largest wine producer in the world, an astonishing fact considering the country’s total land mass is slightly larger than the state of Tennessee. It’s not easy to plant vineyards there either. Of Greece’s 50,000 total square miles, 70 percent is mountainous and 20 percent is made up of islands. Up until […]
These four 2011 Brunellos are gifts to the early birds
Brunello di Montalcino is one of my favorite wines in the world. It’s a gorgeous wine of great complexity and character that relies on Mother Nature and incredible patience to produce. Under Italian law, regular Brunello must be aged for five years before it can be released for sale; the riservas must wait six years. From a drinking […]
Fab 50: Tickle your taste buds and celebrate a milestone at a Grand Tasting in Andover on Saturday
Wine drinkers, rev up your palates! On Saturday, the Wine ConneXtion in North Andover is hosting a Grand Wine Tasting event to celebrate its seventh anniversary. Co-owners Sam and Tina Messina and their staff have culled a list of more than 1,000 brands and come up with 50 favorites in all wine styles, varietals and […]
Two wines that clear up the confusion on Montepulciano
What’s the difference between Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and Montepulciano D’Abruzzo? The answer is simple: Both are wines made entirely from different grapes grown in different regions. Vino nobile di Montepulciano is named for the town/region in Tuscany where ancient Etruscans first planted vineyards. The wine is made from a clone of the Sangiovese grape; […]
Tenuta Sette Ponti's Crognolo: A consistently elegant Super Tuscan
The 2014 viintage of Tenuta Sette Ponti’s “Crognolo” — a Super Tuscan blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot — was released several months ago and is now available in Massachusetts and New Hampshire wine outlets. If you like full-bodied, dry Italian red wines with a lot of character and smoothness, this one is worth a […]
Say 'Ole!' to Jorge Ordonez' Spanish wines
If you know little about Spanish wines, today’s your lucky day. Craig Gandolf, a Lowell resident, is the USA Wine Director for one ofthe biggest and most respected production and importing houses in Spain — Jorge Ordoñez Selections. Ordoñez, who has strong roots in Massachusetts, including a home and office on Cape Cod, has helped to liberate and […]
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