Had a great experience with Mionetto Prosecco the other night, at the book launch for my friend Barbara Lynn Davis’ new novel Casanova’s Secret Wife. As some may know, Casanova (who actually was a real person) spent a good deal of his enthusiastically-lived life in Venice and the Veneto region
Joel Peterson. Brice Jones. Richard Arrowood. Not so long ago, these three men were among the most-recognized winegrowers in Sonoma County, and all three can still draw a crowd whenever they pour wine. It has been years, however, since Peterson was in full cry at Ravenswood, demanding “No Wimpy Wines,”
An easy summer wine: mineral with a touch of lime and apricot. A hint of fruit-sweetness on the palate but with grapefruit around the edges. Flavors round out a bit as it warms in the glass; also good the next day! A finish of apricot skin and lime. Screwcap: take
If one asks an Italian their favorite summer dish, quite probably the answer will be tuna and tomatoes. Or pasta and tuna. Or simply tuna in a salad with fresh corn. Anyway, it’s tuna! In 2016, Italians consumed more than 150,000 tons of the canned fish, at a value of
An absolutely gorgeous bottle of wine. The mouth-feel is round and soft. Baked apple, pears, buttered toast and white flowers are redolent on the nose and on the palate. Full-bodied and round with a perfect acid counter-point, this is a marvelous food wine. Drink with crab cakes with a good
Have you tried them yet? DIY Vermouth Researching vermouth for my next book, I found not only a groundswell of popularity for artisanal versions, but also a whole DIY vermouth movement. Not so suprising, I guess, considering the current trend of make-your own cocktails. But I was somewhat startled to
This is PART TWO of L.M. Archer's exploration of Central Otago. Before continuing, read part one. Individuation: Fruit vs. Site Forsyth sees a decided march towards individuation throughout Central Otago’s vineyards. “So now, thirty years later, we’re at the stage where we can see better producers concentrating on individual vineyards,
Challenged by climate change, lack of available land and rising production costs, some of Burgundy’s top producers have established wineries in Oregon. But the more adventuresome are now flying much further afield -- to New Zealand’s Central Otago. Located on the 45 parallel in the Southern Hemisphere, Central Otago is