jcampanini@lowellsun.com The 142nd running of the Kentucky Derby is 16 days away, and I’m excited. That’s because I already have a winner — not the winning horse — but the winning wine. Once again, I’ll be drinking 14 Hands Winery’s Limited Release Kentucky Derby Red Blend with grapes sourced from Washington State’s Columbia Valley. The […]
Red wines
Bixio Poderi's brave new world of Italian reds
If I had to select a Best of Show at the recent 2016 Boston Wine Expo, it would be Bixio Poderi, a small family owned winery (7.2 acres of vineyards) located in the heart of the Valpolicella Classico zone in Italy’s Veneto region. In truth, I sampled less than 3 percent of the 800 wines […]
Bledsoe's Doubleback still scoring for Lowell charity
Drew Bledsoe’s 2012 Doubleback Cabernet Sauvignon (94 points, Wine Enthusiast) keeps scoring points — and dollars — for the WCAP Salvation Army Radiothon. The 2012 vintage is Doubleback’s best to date, and a signed bottle I donated to the Warren Shaw-led Radiothon brought in $1,500. Kudos to Ernest Linuk, a Billerica attorney, who made the […]
Gratallops' Black Slate red unleases Priorat's power
On the evening when I’m planning to drink a new wine from Priorat, the October issue of Wine Spectator arrives with a cover story titled “Great Spanish Reds: Alvaro Palacious Leads Priorat to New Heights.” The Wine Goddess smiles, thinking I’m an “expert” able to spot wine industry trends, especially after I glowingly tell her […]
Alto Adige wines are alight in tradition, uniqueness
On summer evenings in June in Italy’s northernmost province of Alto Adige, residents sit in cafes drinking pitchers of wine and eating plates of bresaola (air-cured beef) while gazing for hours at the fuochi burning in the mountains. The fires are symbolic of warning signals that used to alert citizens of an impending invasion. Today, […]
Wine clubs: What's the value in joining?
Dunham Cellars wine-tasting room in Walla Walla. What’s the advantage of joining a wine club? Several people have asked me that question and I’ve never had a good answer — until now. You should join a wine club if you like the wine, it is unique and only available through the club, and it fits […]
This wine had Triple Crown written all over it
When American Pharaoh clinched horseracing’s Triple Crown at Belmont Park two weeks ago, I was overjoyed for two reasons. First, the Sport of Kings had its first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed accomplished the endurance feat 37 years ago. Second, it confirmed my belief that something good was going to happen when I purchased four […]
UTEC's Italian benefit was a night in good taste
When you open the evening with a sparkling, dry Prosecco and close it with a silky Chianti Classico, you have two key ingredients for una magnifica festa d’Italia (a magificent Italian feast). And so it was recently at Café UTEC (United Teed Equality Center) in downtown Lowell where Chef Sam Putnam, his culinary staff of […]
Mission accomplished: The case of wine for under $100 is full
Tied for 12: Borsao Red Garnacha. Tied for 12: Borsao Red Garnacha. It’s easy to buy a 12-bottle case of wine of one brand. It’s much harder to fill that case with distinctly different, appealing and quality wines on a budget of $100. I completed the challenge, presented to me by Mike Pigeon the Wine […]
Wine Bargains No. 9 and No. 10 leave two to go
WineI’m closing in on my bargain case of quality wine for less than $100. I tasted and tested several contenders over my vacation week and made two outstanding selections: The 2011 Piazzo Barbera from the Piemonte region of Italy, and the 2011 Montes Classic Series Cabernet Sauvignon from Colchagua Valley, Chile. Both sell for less […]
