by Tom Lewis
Ever since a tasting with Chile's Vina Undurraga, I have been taking an increasing interest in Chilean terroir.They key principle to remember with Chile is that elevation, a function of distance east-west relative to the Pacific coast, is generally more significant than north-south latitude. And as Quentin Sadler who was running the Errazuriz stall at the Taste of Christmas event explained, the Andes rise much more steeply in Chile than in next-door Argentina, meaning that distances of even just a few kilometres can be very significant.We started with an impressive Pinot Noir from the Casablanca Valley - Chile's premier white wine region which is also produces some interesting red wines, especially Pinot Noir which needs a cool climate to thrive.Quite dark in the glass for a Pinot, it had ...
by Stefanie Phillips
Here is a look at some common white Italian varietals and their characteristics. It is important to note that Italian Chardonnay, though not included on this list, is aged in steel barrels, making it much different than its California counterparts, which are aged in oak barrels. Many of these varietals are used to make wine blends, so learning some of their characteristics will indicate how the wine will taste and its influences. ArneisArneis, which means “little rascal” because it is sometimes difficult to grow, comes from Piedmont. It is part of the DOC group of wines and is sometimes blended with Nebbiolo grapes. Arneis characteristics: crisp, floral, dry and full-bodied; notes of apricots and pears.GarganegaGarganega, one of Italy’s most popular grapes, are grown in the Venice re...
by Stefanie Phillips
There are hundreds of varietals in Italy, with more than 350 authorized by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. Here is a look at some of the most common Italian varietals and their characteristics, with a focus on reds. BarberaBarbera is the most common grape grown in the Piedmont and southern Lombardy areas of Italy. It is often named after its town of origin (Barbera d’Alba, Barbera d’Asti).Barbera characteristics: light to medium bodied, fruit forward with notable acidity and low tannins. DolcettoDolcetto is a grape from Piedmont known as “little sweet one” because it grows easily and makes good wine.Dolcetto characteristics: fuller body and dry, with notable tannins; dark fruit notes of concord grape and blackberries. MontepulcianoMontepulciano, not to be confused with th...
by Lauren Chalupsky-cannon
Holiday Food & Wine Pairing GuideBy Lauren Chalupsky-Cannon:Owner & Operator of The Secret Cellar Wine & Gift Shop in Shueyville, Iowa The holidays are a time for family, friends, food, and frivolity. Choosing the perfect wines to serve during your special gatherings can be stressful. Forget the worry and leave this detail to me! During my six wonderful years of operation at The Secret Cellar, I have had the privilege of providing many food and wine pairing suggestions. I stock hundreds of quality wines to make your food and wine pairing a breeze. Here are some of my top, sure-win recommendations to help you plan your holidays like a pro!Guests are Arriving: What do I Pour Now?Whether you are the host or a holiday guest selecting a bottle to bring to the party, there is no better way to ju...
by Ron Kapon
Things have changed since 2006 when I was last in Cleveland, both for the city and for the 500,000 residents and more than 10 million visitors annually. The city has opened its arms to the art world in major fashion. Sports have taken on a new veneer with the Browns, Cavaliers and Indians all playing in new stadiums situated in the downtown area, almost touching Lake Erie and each accessible by public transportation. Take a train from the Cleveland Hopkins International Airport to Tower City Center and shop, eat and walk through a skyway to Quicken Loans Arena (basketball & concerts) and Progressive Field (baseball). Browns Stadium (football) is but a few minutes away along Lake Erie and is also easily accessible by subway.Cleveland is a city of neighborhoods. They have done more for art a...
by By Andy Perdue
Ste. Chapelle in Caldwell won best dessert wine for its 2007 Riesling Ice Wine.The competition was conducted by Wine Press Northwest, a quarterly consumer magazine based in Washington. Editors Andy Perdue and Eric Degerman, who write a weekly wine column for the Statesman, ran the competition, and Moya Schatz, executive director of the Idaho Wine Commission, coordinated the entries and communications with the wineries. A total of 208 wines were entered from 26 wineries, with five winning unanimous double gold medals, 13 winning gold medals, 51 winning silver medals and 58 winning bronze medals.The judges were Ilene Dudunake, proprietor of A New Vintage Wine Shop in Meridian; Dave Krick, owner of Red Feather Lounge in Boise; John Berryhill, owner of Berryhill & Co. restaurant in Boise; Winn...
by Vera Czerny
We have been traveling through Spain with a group of fellow salesmen, seeing two to three superior wineries a day, tasting the top wines of the region. Every wine lover's dream. Definitely, nothing to complain about except it was 100°F of dry heat, and the schedule was really tight. But we loved every minute of it. When we arrived at Remelluri estate (the full name: The Granja Nuestra Señora de Remelluri) close to Labastida, in the Rioja Alavesa, it was early morning and we were still tired from the night before. The village of the same name doesn't exist anymore, but a perfectly preserved burial ground, probably the oldest monument in the region, is still there. The Granja originally belonged to the Monastery of Toloño, and by the 14th century was independent. They were already ...
by Chelsa Brown
After a long day at work all you can think about is getting home to that nice chilled bottle of Moscato, popping that cork, pouring a glass and taking that first sip. Ahhhhh… There’s nothing like a nice tasting bottle of wine to enjoy at the end the day, right? Well if you enjoy drinking wine that much, you’ll also enjoy the many experiences of which wine is centered around; wine tastings, wine festivals, and the adventures of going to a winery and vineyard learning about winemaking. There are so many different wines and brands of wines that learning about it is never-ending and fun. The longer you drink wine, the more information you should gather about it. Wine tastings are a great way to learn more about wine and you will discover how important your sense of taste and smell really...
by Tom Lewis
I've been keen on basic Bordeaux ever since my first proper wine-buying trip to France now almost a decade ago, but it's only since we had a rather special bottle last Christmas that I have begun to start looking for the kind of wines whose texture really sets them apart from the everyday.Last weekend, I went to the 2010 Fine Wine Fair in Chelsea and decided to use the opportunity to sample a range of Bordeaux wines to get familiar with the more-nuanced differences of this region and its vintages. Almost all Bordeaux wines are blends, so as well as variations due to vintage and terroir, there are also variations from the different grapes that dominate in the blend.We started with two whites; Bordeaux's reputation rests on its dry reds and sweet whites, but the dry whites in the mid-range a...
by Tom Lewis
A while ago I bought several cases of Laithwaite's wines under two different schemes - Discovery and Mystery; the Mystery cases are an unknown batch of bin-ends with a minimum 1/3rd discount whilst the Discovery case is the first in a regular series of deliveries of what, presumably, are their showcase wines.We worked our way through the mystery wines first and were able to approach them with no preconceptions. In practice, most were well-enough-made, but middling, with a small number of impressive ones plus a few real disappointments.By the time we got round to the Discovery case, I felt I had a sense of what to expect from a Laithwaite's wine but also less inclined to put anything disappointing down to experience.From the Discovery case, I found two of the reds disappointing (and overly ...
