Travel & Tasting Notes From A Couple of Wine Lovers
First came the "Let's go to Priorat" decision. Followed by the "Should we stay in Barcelona?" question. Two hours by car each way; manageable but not ideal. A quick search brought up the city of Tarragona, 90 minutes from the wineries but a complete unknown to us. A few Wikipedia photos showed palm trees and… Continue reading Tarragona: An Ancient Coastal City and Gateway to Priorat
In October, we spent two days in the Priorat wine region of Spain, visiting six wineries across the DOCa. Four of those were absolute stand-outs. We wrote about Clos Mogador and Celler Cal Pla in our previous post. Today we finish up with En Numeros Vermells and Bodegas Mas Alta--two dramatically different but equally exceptional… Continue reading Part 2, Priorat Wine Tastings: En Numeros Vermells and Bodegas Mas Alta
The city of Bilbao was founded by Diego López V de Haroon, a Basque Country Lord, in 1300. Situated on the banks of the Nervión estuary, which flows into the North Atlantic, Bilbao prospered for more than 600 years as an industrial port city; a critical gateway to European and transatlantic markets. But by the… Continue reading Bilbao: The Guggenheim and so Much More
After a wine-soaked trip to Italy in April, where winery visits took center stage, we had a hankering for some big-city history and culture, heavy on the art, light on the vino. So we booked a trip to Spain, starting in Madrid [home of Dali, Miro, and Picasso], moving to Bilbao [home of the Guggenheim],… Continue reading Taking Flight in Madrid
OR, HOW WE SPENT [PART OF] OUR SUMMER VACATION Last Night's Pour of Acinore Like most wine lovers, we have favorite bottles that we return to time and again. From Puglia, two exquisite Primativos: Acinore and Rinforzo Primitivo Salento. From Napa, Edict and Burgess [a 2024 discovery] Cabernet Sauvignon. And from Trader Joe's by way… Continue reading Ten Wine Discoveries To Buy Now
It's easy to fall in love with a wine when you're surrounded by gorgeous vineyards and savoring local meats and cheeses while chatting with the staff. Every wine tastes good under those conditions! But sometimes, a wine that charmed us in situ was less charming when we got it home. You've likely had the same… Continue reading You Loved it at the Winery, but how Does it Taste at Home?
Put four opinionated oenophiles in a room with four Tuscan reds and you're sure to get a lively debate and a few surprises. Since our return from Tuscany [see our post], we've become evangelists for lesser-known wines from the Chianti region. So we threw down the gauntlet: we invited our wine-loving friends to a blind-tasting and… Continue reading Blind Tasting: Battle of the Super Tuscans
A Wine-Free Post about 36 hours on the Island of Sardinia Sardinia is having a moment. Like Portugal and Croatia before it, Sardinia tops plenty of European travelers' "must visit" list. It's hot and happening but still relatively uncrowded. And unlike Barcelona, Lisbon, and other overrun Southern European cities fed up with tourists, Sardinia graciously… Continue reading Three Days in Sardinia.
Siena is a glorious Tuscan city, markedly smaller than Florence but with its own storied history and fantastic architecture, food, and wine. Lisa had visited Siena 40 years ago (!) and Gary had never been, so we were eager to spend four days exploring its narrow streets and broad piazzas. Known worldwide for the Palio… Continue reading Drinking Chianti in Chianti
Great Wines from Our Trip to Umbria, Tuscany + Sardinia You Can Buy Locally from $18 to $100+ Stumbling on a small mom-and-pop winery in the middle of Italy can be a great joy. You sit with the winemaker, often in their kitchen/tasting room, and listen to stories about their passion projects. But ask where… Continue reading These 9 Wines have US Distribution
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