It has been a few weeks since I’ve posted anything here, the reason being that I’ve been off traveling. Some of that travel has been for my day job, but some has been wine-related travel to Germany and Alsace, France. One of the producers I visited on that trip was Rolly Gassmann, in Rorschwihr, France, […]
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Domaine Kikones, Reviving Wine in Northern Greece
After a drive through the countryside of Thrace (northern Greece) we arrived at Domaine Kikones in Rodope, Greece. This is not a very touristy part of Greece. It’s in the country about 20 kilometers northwest of Maroneia. My first impression upon arriving is it felt rather simple. There was no fancy chateau. No grand entrance. […]
Port Wine for Beginners
When it comes to dessert wine, there’s no single type that gives you as much variety as Port. It’s one of my favorites, in part because a good Port is absolutely delicious and in part because there are so many ways to enjoy it. I’d say it’s much more more diverse than just a dessert […]
Tavel – A Rosé to Revere
If you’ve ever been to southern France, you know that rosé wines are the thing to drink there. Some of them are good, some of them are great, but the ones I most want to drink are Tavel. Located on the right bank of the Rhone River, Tavel has just over 900 hectares of vines planted solely […]
Marsala – Much More than a Cooking Wine!
Are you familiar with a wine called “Marsala?” What comes to mind when you think of that wine? Is it Chicken Marsala? You’re not alone and that’s a major challenge for this Sicilian wine region. In fact, go do a Google search on Marsala. What results do you get? I’m going to guess that you […]
Creating Vinho Verde at Quinta de Covela
One of the things that fascinates me when I learn the history of many wine producers in Europe is how common it is to find vineyards that have stayed in the same family for several generations. But that’s not always the story. Every now and then I come across a new kid on the block. […]
Grillo by the Sea in Western Sicily
At times it seems silly to me, how “into” wine many of us become. And I’m just as guilty as anyone. We study it, explore it, taste it, analyze it, debate it, praise it, criticize it, discover it, discuss it, write about it, share it, hoard it, celebrate it, and sometimes we just drink it […]
Biodynamic Austrian Wines
Last night I was invited to a #winechat on Twitter. The theme of was Austrian biodynamic wines. The biodynamic theme is tied to this being the week of Earth Day. For those who for those who aren’t familiar with biodynamics, it is an approach to farming that incorporates organic techniques plus crop rotation, biodiversity and other […]
Vinoterra – Tasty Wine from a Qvevri
In my previous post about Georgian wine I promised that my next post would highlight some Georgian wines that I know are available in the US — and available at very reasonable prices. I’m not only going to fulfill that promise, but I’m going to do so while sharing with you the wines that impressed […]
Discovering Magical Wines in Georgia
In the last few years I’ve been fortunate enough to visit a number of different wine regions and I always look forward to discovering new wines in new places. When I recently had the opportunity to explore wines in the country of Georgia, I jumped at the chance. It’s interesting to see how places compare […]