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General Wine

A Brunello for Caravaggio's Bacchus

Is Caravaggio’s Bacchus (1597-98) teasing us to join the party with his rich goblet of wine? Im sitting in the pergola reading Andrew Graham-Dixons fascinating new book on Renaissance artist Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (1571-1610) when I drift off to the last time I was in Rome, in 2007, and I saw the great painters […]

General Wine

Keep the wine mysteries coming, dear

I was planning on taking a vacation from writing this column this week, and came up with a novel excuse — palate fatigue. I told the Wine Goddess I will pass on this excuse to my readers who will inevitably turn to medical journals to find out if “palate fatigue” is terminal. She laughed and […]

General Wine

Napa Valley comes to New Hampshire

If you want to get a feel for what dining in California’s wine country is all about, you don’t have to fly 3,000 miles or spend $500 on airfare. Just travel up Route 3 North to Exit 4 in Nashua and head to Murphy Drive. Once there, take your first left in the industrial park […]

General Wine

Take a swing at Bill Lee's 'Spaceman' wine

Ex-Red Sox star Bill Lee is now pitching a California red blend. Bill Lee was one of the most colorful and controversial baseball players ever to perform in a Boston Red Sox uniform. He was on a different level entirely, especially when it came to analyzing his Leephus (or Space Ball) pitch, the longitude and […]

General Wine

A 'Phantom' red to warm your heart

Bogle Vineyards’ Phantom red wine had a unique effect on the Wine Novice. Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera remains my all-time favorite Broadway musical. I’ve seen touring productions in Boston and Providence but never with the original stars, the great Michael Crawford (The Phantom) and equally superb Sarah Brightman (Christine Daaé). My […]

General Wine

Five savory whites to protect your wallet

The Memorial Day weekend provided an ample opportunity to honor America’s military heroes, especially those who’ve paid the ultimate sacrifice in defending our country in foreign wars. A great tasting sauvignon blanc for less than $10. At a neighbor’s cookout, I met a Lowell couple and their son who is in the military and assigned […]

General Wine

Two guides to peak wine performance

I hit a major milestone in my life last week, turning 60, and I found great celebration in a short four-day trip to Washington, D.C., with my twin brother John, who lives in Providence where we were born in the Italian-Irish West End neighborhood. While we remain close, John and I are separate and distinct […]

General Wine

Save your 'green' on these bargain reds

The June 2012 issue of Wine Enthusiast features an attention-grabbing story on the cover: “30 Great Napa Cabs for $30 or Less.” If you like cabernet, it’s a must read. Most of the wines are rated 88 points or higher. Still, you can find less expensive cabs that fit right in with WE’s selections for […]