I joined four wine clubs on my June tour of Washington State wineries, sharing membership with two travel companions. We all came to a consensus that the hard-to-get wines were too good to pass up. These are distinctive wines you’d look forward to serving around the holidays or on a special occasion. New Massachusetts direct-shipping […]
Events
Roger Smith's Bump City Wine Co. heats up
Roger Smith, 66, is the “coolest” winemaker I’ve ever met. Best known as the iconic keyboardist for the West Coast soul group Tower of Power, Smith’s rapidly making a new name for himself as co-owner of Bump City Wine Co., of Sonoma, Calif. Since 2008 Smith and his business partner, Mike Smolich, have been sourcing […]
White blends that capture balance and beauty
At the end of a satisfying day of gardening, The Wine Goddess likes to toast her prized daylillies with a chilled white wine. The “St. Francis”, following a patient, two-year subterranean incubation, bloomed early one recent morning eliciting a cry of excitement from the front yard. Bella the cat, watching from a window, backflipped off […]
When you Pinot, do you Grigio or Gris?
Why would you favor drinking a Pinot Grigio from America as opposed to one from Italy? Key factors should be quality, taste, and price. Some Americans grab the cheapest bottle on the shelf, believing it’s all the same. It’s not. While the Pinot Grigio grape is widely planted throughout the world, its best flavor profile […]
Washington State Wine Tasting Travelogue
Read my notes on wines from DeLille Cellars, Mark Ryan, William Church, Long Shadows, L’Ecole No. 41, Waterbrook, Gramercy Cellars, and Dunham Cellars during my June 24-29 trip to Woodinville and Walla Walla, WA.
My trip to Doubleback Winery, in Walla Walla
Doubleback Winery’s 3rd Annual Golf Tournament and outing sizzled – and not because of the heat. Drew Bledsoe and his staff were great and the Cabernet Sauvignon outstanding. My traveling companions, Kevin Couglin and TJ McCarthy, kept spirits high. Looking forward to 2016 – Jim Campanini, The Wine Novice.
Pieropan Soave with Prosciutto Pasta
The Wine Goddess fashioned a delightful pasta dish. Check it out.
A day at DeLille Cellars
Cool wines to shake up summer doldrums
Is the summer season half empty or half full? Some people believe the July Fourth holiday begins a downward trend to fall and then — egads!, winter — but I’m an ardent support of the summer doldrums. As the Italians say, “piano, piano” — easy, easy. Now’s the time to hang out, do little as […]
Savvy wine shoppers turn coupons into savings
Sharp-eyed wine buyers should always be on the lookout to make a “score”, and recently the New Hampshire State Liquor & Wine Outlets provided savvy consumers with such a savvy opportunity. The month of May featured a 15 percent discount on each purchase of Italian wine, including those previously marked down in clearance sale racks. […]
