“Tis the season for the big bold brash and vibrant red wines that inspire fall parties and grace holiday tables the toasty tannins of Italian Barolos and Brunellos and the rich complex blue black and red fruits of California Cabernet Sauvignon and French Bordeaux. Like shortsleeve shirts and Bermuda shorts that are packed away for […]
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These red wines were summer hits
Two weeks ago, I evaluated the best of the white wines sampled this summer, from May to September’s Labor Day. Here’s the best of the reds that made their way into the pergola with the Wine Goddess, Wine Butler and others. Pinot Noir and red blends dominated the scene. All these wines were purchased either […]
Drew Bledsoe goes deep with 'Doubleback' cabernet
I’m calling an audible this week. Instead of writing about the best red wines I tasted during “summer school”(I’ll do that next week), I’m going to tell you about my meeting with former NFL star quarterback turned winemaker Drew Bledsoe, who is producing an outstanding Washington State Cabernet Sauvignon called “Doubleback.” The name is derived […]
Summer school: These white wines made the grade
The 1960s who so wickedly said of her favorite cocktail: “I love Martinis Two are the most – Three I’m on the table Four I’m under the host.”; Actually, we didn’t drink all that wine alone. We had plenty of help from the Wine Butler (Michael Pigeon), his wife (Judy) and some splendid neighbors and […]
It's B (Barolo) and B (Barbaresco) time
Here is its the last week in August, the beginning of the end of summer. The backyard birch tree is shedding its leaves and the dogwood is signalng a color change that makes me realize I’m a year older too. Depressed? Not really. I arrived home from Saratoga to find the September issue of Wine […]
'Tis the season for the taste of Italy
Here is its the last week in August, the beginning of the end of summer. The backyard birch tree is shedding its leaves and the dogwood is signalng a color change that makes me realize I’m a year older too. Depressed? Not really. I arrived home from Saratoga to find the September issue of Wine […]
Taste of Italy for the fall
I’ve been impressed with some recent Italian wine purchases I’ve made. The new wines arriving from Sicily are particularly intriguing, inexpensive and mouth-watering. I’ve tried two that standout: 2010 Stemmari Pinot Noir and Stemmari Nero D’Avola. The Stemmari Pinot Noir was lighter colored in the glass than most others I’ve tried. Normally, I look for […]
Across the board, a good wine always wins
A week ago today, I was in Saratoga Springs, enjoying the summer splendor of up state New York while trying to add to my 401(k) by handicapping the ponies at historic Saratoga Race Course. Needless to say, my retirement plan did not receive the financial boost I had expected after five days of reading the […]
Buying wine with a stock picker's strategy
Now is the time to be looking for good buys on fall wines — the big, full-bodied reds or Italian and French favorites that will grace holiday tables or make for fine pairings with meals. While the wine press has been lamenting the fact about a shortage of grapes inCalifornia, which means rising prices, there […]
It's all by the numbers — art, wine and love
One of the key fascinations about the Wine Goddess is that she never ceases to surprise me even after more than two decades of marriage. She hates to be cooped up in a room — any room — unless she is reading a food magazine, entertaining, or charting out a garden strategy for new plantings […]
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