I’m back from a 10-day trip to the Great Northwest in which the Wine Goddess and I logged more than 1,100 miles visiting 18 wine-tasting rooms and six vineyards in Oregon and Washington State. Lewis and Clark we weren’t. Martin and Lewis — as in Dean and Jerry — was more like it. When the […]

In keeping with the patriotic spirit, here are my two Fourth of July wine selections: Federalist Zinfandel 2011, $17 — What better way to celebrate the nation’s birth than with a wine paying homage to Alexander Hamilton, a great Founding Father who was General George Washington’s most trusted military aide and a leading author of […]

I’ve always been impressed by Caymus Vineyards, owned by the Wagner family, which produces two of the best Cabernet Sauvignons on the continent. One is labeled “Napa Valley” and the other is the premium “Special Selection,” both of which wine experts have rated 90 points or better for 15 consecutive years. The fruit is sourced […]

Father’s Day is Sunday so why not surprise Dad with a special gift of his favorite Scotch, Irish whiskey, Bourbon or wine? On Saturday, at Andover Classic Wines in the Shawsheen Plaza off Route 28 in Andover, Manager Andrea DiFiore and her capable assistants, Maggie Griset and Chris Whitaker, will be pouring a top-notch selection […]

There are several big events coming up this weekend and next for wine explorers, starting with Saturday’s rosé tastings from 3-5 p.m. at Andover Classic Wines in the Shawsheen Plaza. Manager Andrea DiFiore always has a nice selection of the newest and fascinating wines from California, France and Italy, so you don’t want to miss […]

When it comes to wine, Giuseppe Sportelli describes Puglia as a “philosophy, a landscape, a testing place, an experience.” Located in southeastern Italy, Puglia is a hot, sun-swept region which forms the famous high-heel on the “boot of Italy”. Its landscape is mostly flat terrain. Sea breezes blow over the land from three sides — […]

The Wine Goddess put on a Tapas party this past weekend, which coincided with my 62nd birthday. She insisted it wasn’t a birthday party, since it had been planned weeks ago with neighborhood friends and yet I was extremely satisfied: a birthday cake glowing with lit candles mysteriously appeared along with other luscious desserts. I […]

Portugal and Spain have a lot more in common than the Iberian Peninsula: they’re turning out quality wines at affordable prices. At a recent wine tasting, I was pleasantly surprised by the freshness of recent vintages and the dramatic consumer-friendly pricing. Portugal is famous for its port wines from the Douro River valley in the […]