When you are seated at a restaurant the hostess usually hands you two things to peruse, the menu and the wine list. Everyone knows that the menu was put together by the chef to tantalize you with his latest creations and his old favorites. Customers often don’t realize how the wine list is also put together with great care. Countless tastings with salespeople, going to trade tastings, trying to get the best prices and unique offerings for the guests, and then training and explaining the wines to wait staff to aid the customers in choosing a wine to enjoy their … Continue reading Celebrate International Cabernet Sauvignon Day August 29 with Newton, Unfiltered, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, 2011

Hard Cider, the alcoholic version of apple cider has a long history around the globe. Many nations around the world grow apples and produce apple juice. A natural extension of apple juice is to produce an alcoholic version of this beloved juice. Of course apples love a cool climate to grow in and countries in the Northern and Southern Hemisphere that grow apple have their own version of Hard Cider. This holds true for America, especially New England. Apple trees were plentiful in the northern states in colonial America and hard cider was easy to produce. This made it the … Continue reading Woodchuck Hard Ciders

H. Stagnari, Premier Vineyard 1X1, Cabernet Sauvignon, Salto, Uruguay, 2012 is dark plum red in the glass. Rich berry notes, including, raspberry, blueberry and strawberry dominate the upfront aromas. Minerals and a nice earthiness emerge as the H. Stagnari, Premier Vineyard 1X1, Cabernet Sauvignon opens up.   The palate opens with sweet cherry, raspberry and tart strawberry. There is some tobacco, earthiness, with flint on the back of the palate. The H. Stagnari, Premier Vineyard 1X1, Cabernet Sauvignon, comes packaged in an attractive black nylon bag tied with a red bow. Already to be given as a gift, no wrapping paper … Continue reading H. Stagnari, Premier Vineyard 1X1, Cabernet Sauvignon, Salto, Uruguay, 2012

Wine lovers are always looking for the next best wine region. Looking for bragging rights for the new big thing. It turns out the new beg thing; the best new wine region has been producing wine for centuries. Moldova is that country. Shaped like a bunch of grapes, Moldova is in between the Ukraine and Romania. Moldova’s winemaking history goes back over 5,OOO years and even today the tradition of winemaking remains strong. Many family and villages have vines growing to make their own wines. The Moldovan government has even set up a commission, the National office for vine and … Continue reading Wines of Moldova

Along the Mediterranean coast, Tuscany’s Bolgheri region produces some of the most highly rated and sought after wines. The winemakers from there took the bold move to plant non-native grapes, mainly grapes found in France’s Bordeaux. Planting Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, etc. in their vineyards alongside Tuscany’s prized Sangiovese grapes. Tuscany’s Antinori family founded Ornellaia, famed producer of “Super Tuscans” in 1981. Soon after California’s Robert Mondavi invested in the winery and became the eventual owner of the famed brand. The Mondavi’s partnered with the Frescobaldi family in 2005, eventually the Frescobaldi’s took over ownership and are still in charge of … Continue reading Le Volte, Dell’ Ornellaia, Bolgheri, Toscana, 2013

Captain Lawrence Brewing Company, Elmsford, NY, IPA, 6.5%abv is golden yellow with quickly receding fluffy white head. The nose has upfront grapefruit and lemon rind with plenty of floral hops and pine resin. The palate has light grapefruit up front followed with lemon, lime and tropical fruit acidity. The malt remains in the background, but it is always present in the rich mouth feel. The mid palate shows of the floral hops and pine comes in on the finish. The Captain Lawrence IPA is very well balanced between the citrusy floral hops and the malt. Despite the relatively high alcohol … Continue reading Captain Lawrence Brewing Company, IPA

Slovenia has a long history of wine making. Long before the Romans cultivated most of Europe with wines, Slovenia’s wine history dates back to the 5th and 4th centuries BC. Like most of Europe, Christian monasteries took over wine making in Slovenia during the middle ages. Private wineries flourished during the Austro-Hungarian Empire. After World War II when Slovenia was part of Yugoslavia, most winemaking was controlled by the government and bulk wine making focusing on quantity over quality. When Slovenia became independent from Yugoslavia in 1991 and the wine industry was again in the hands of privately owned wineries. … Continue reading Wines from Slovenia, puklavec & friends