The 2020 Torre dei Beati Cerasuolo is a classic Rosato of Montepulciano from the central Italian region of Abruzzo. The winery is a small operation run by Fausto Albanesi whose father planted the family’s first Montepulciano vines in 1972. The Rosa-ae is created from 50% of juice bled from Montepulciano red production along with 50%[…]
Wines that surprise may elicit responses such as “I wasn’t expecting oak flavors in my Chablis”, or “I didn’t know they grew Malbec in the Loire”. Wines that delight could find us thinking “I remember drinking a great Sangiovese like this Wines that surprise may elicit responses such as “I wasn’t expecting oak flavors in[…]
The French Paradox Value Wine of 2021 In selecting a value wine of the year for 2021, we followed much the same criteria as we had in choosing the overall wine of the year. Just as before, the nominees were required to be compelling, available and (in this case) under $20. Our initial debates unearthed[…]
The French Paradox Value Wine of 2021 In selecting a value wine of the year for 2021, we followed much the same criteria as we had in choosing the overall wine of the year. Just as before, the nominees were required to be compelling, available and (in this case) under $20. Our initial debates unearthed[…]
2018 Suavia ‘Monte Carbonare’ Soave Classico (release the balloons!) This wine is just crazy good, shockingly so. Made of 100% Garganega (yes, I know, you’ve never heard of the grape), from the (no longer very) famous wine region of Soave, in Veneto, in northeast Italy, it’s just exciting and compelling and delicious and, and, and…our[…]
Okay, some criteria first…to be considered, I decided, the wine must be: Compelling (or at least interesting) Affordable (under $30 per bottle), and Available (for purchase) I announced the criteria to Matt and Ian last week, and we came up with 6 different wines pretty quickly…ranging from a red from Ventoux to a rosé from[…]
My Favorite Wine…2021 From the middle of December and into January, we’re typically inundated with ‘top wines of the year’ lists from various wine and lifestyle publications. Recently, it seems that every critic and even some liquor store chains are jumping in and announcing their own top ten (or twenty or one hundred). And although[…]
2019 Famille Lafage ‘Narassa’ Red Blend, Côtes Catalanes Roussillon, France Regular Price: $24.99 Sale Price: $19.99 Fact: There are more and better wines available today than at any time in history. Fact: Many of those wines are eminently affordable, in the $20-$25 range Fact: This is one of those wines This is really a simple[…]
2020 Fratelli Alessandria Verduno Pelaverga ‘Speziale’ Piedmont, Italy Regular price: $29.99 Sale Price: $23.99 If, for you, drinking wine is an adventure, I offer my favorite wine (this week, anyway), the 2020 Fratelli Alessandria Verduno Pelaverga ‘Speziale’! OK, so you’re probably thinking, just what the hell kinda wine is this, I’ve never heard of it,[…]
2015 Pagliarese Chianti Classico Riserva On Sale for $19.99 Tucked away in the southeastern corner of Chianti Classico is the village of Castelnuovo Berardenga, a sunny landscape of rolling hills dedicated primarily to the Sangiovese cultivar. The limestone and sandstone vineyards of the area offer all the tension and litheness one expects from Sangiovese, presenting[…]