From the category archives:

Wine Reviews

Wine Review: 2010 Charles & Charles Red Wine Blend

12 March 2012

The Charles & Charles Red is another offering from Charles Smith and Charles Bieler of Washington State. Both Glenn and I enjoyed their rosé last summer – fantastic price for the perfect summer staple. Their red wine, however, did not wow me. My initial thought was that this blend of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon and 49% [...]

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Lighten Up – Jean-Marc Burgaud “Les Vignes de Thulon” 2010

1 March 2012

“Lighten Up” – an occasional feature spotlighting lighter red wines
In our year-end piece, “Trends and Trending“, one of Katrin’s predictions – or hopes – for 2012 would be the growing popularity and appreciation of lighter reds, wines that are “lighter, fresher, less manipulated.”  Certainly this had been a topic covered by various wine writers during the last year in conjunction with its [...]

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Wine of the Week: 90+ Cellars 2008 Lot 56 Reserve Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley

15 February 2012

Move over Malbec! To date, my two favorite wines to be released by 90+ Cellars have both been Malbecs: the Lot 3 and Lot 36 from Salta and Mendoza respectively. But as of today, I have a new favorite: the Lot 56 Reserve Pinot Noir from the Russian River Valley.  Simply put, this is a [...]

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A Toast for Saint Valentine: 2008 Reginato “Celestina” Sparkling Rosé of Malbec (Wine Review)

12 February 2012

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, you might be thinking about which wine to share with your special someone. Perhaps something sparking comes to mind? Though French Champagne might be the obvious choice, the Reginato “Celestina” rosé from Mendoza is a perfectly romantic alternative.
As is quite typical of rosés made from the Malbec grape, [...]

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Wine Review: 2008 Kellerei/Cantina Terlan “Terlaner Classico”

6 February 2012

The Kellerei or Cantina Terlan Classico blend is another dual identity wine from Alto Adige. Part German, part Italian, I can’t get enough of wines from this region. Terlan is one of the region’s oldest wine cooperatives, and today has about 100 members. As Glenn and I have said before, don’t fear the term cooperative. [...]

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Wine of the Week: 2010 J. Hofstätter Pinot Grigio (Alto Adige)

1 February 2012

On Saturday night we served a lovely Pinot Noir from J. Hofstätter to 500 guests (see my previous post). I thought it was elegant and representative of a light, flavorful style of Pinot Noir that seems only to come from Alto Adige. To my delight, others enjoyed it as much as I did and it [...]

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Wine for 500 (or how to please everyone without resorting to the lowest common denominator)

31 January 2012

Saturday was a big night: a celebration with 500 of my organization’s nearest and dearest donors, volunteers, and friends. I had been mulling over the wine selection for weeks, tasting various options with colleagues and on my own, writing about the results, and even getting suggestions from you, our readers. In the end, the [...]

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My Winter Red – 2009 Rosenblum Cellars Vintner’s Cuvée Cabernet Sauvignon

31 January 2012

Typically, each winter, I seek out on a value-priced hearty red that becomes my go-to winter wine. For several winters, I drank a profuse amount of Excelsior, a South African Cabernet; this was eventually replaced by J. Martini’s Sonoma Coast Cabernet. To mix things up, I’ve also favored a French Malbec, “Le Cèdre”. What I look for is warm [...]

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“Argentina: Celebrating Diversity” with Nora Favelukes at the Boston Wine Expo 2012

22 January 2012

Saving the best for last, the final seminar of Saturday’s Boston Wine Expo featured Nora Favelukes of Wines of Argentina presenting on “Argentina: Celebrating Diversity.” The full house was entertained, while also being educated on Argentina’s wine, food, culture, and geography.
A lot has changed in the Argentina wine industry in the past 20 to 30 [...]

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Wine Review: 2010 L’Ecole No. 41 Chenin Blanc

14 January 2012

In the glass, the L’Ecole No. 41 is a pale yellow, with long, dense legs and viscosity giving an observable richness.  The nose is wonderfully fruit forward.  Aromas of quince and pineapple are rounded out by minerality and a hint of smoke. Peach pit, citrusy notes, particularly grapefruit, and ripe pears on the palate. The [...]

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