Buys $25 and under, Buys under $75, Lisa's Whites, Rosé Rosato etc.

Recent Favorites

Normally I would start a late-March post with "It's been a tough winter with cold and snow and we were stuck inside tasting new wines." I can't use that excuse this year, as our winter was remarkably temperate and dry. In fact, it was the perfect weather for seeking out new wines. Here are a… Continue reading Recent Favorites

Rosé Rosato etc., Tastings

Wide World of Rosé

Long-time readers know I’ve got a thing for rosé wines, particularly the robust ones from Italy and Spain. Usually, I’m a fan club of one amid a crowd of Napa Cab drinkers. But when friends who share a taste for serious rosé came to visit, I whipped out the mats and cups and had a… Continue reading Wide World of Rosé

Big Splurges $75+, Buys $25 and under, Lisa's Whites, Red; Mostly Napa Cabs, Rosé Rosato etc., Tastings

Our Top 10 Wines of 2021

After the wreck of 2020 all eyes looked towards 2021 for, what? Normalcy? Comfort? How'd that work out? As we look ahead to 2022, let's revisit the 10 wines that brought us the most joy while we all suffered the slings and arrows of an outrageous 2021. WHITE/ROSÉS Favorite White Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Feinherb Spatlese,… Continue reading Our Top 10 Wines of 2021

Rosé Rosato etc.

Some Napa Cab Lovers Walk into a Rosato Tasting

Rosé wines get a bad rap. Damned with faint praise as a “great summer sipper” and showcased by wine shops from June thru September, rosé wine is lumped in with pop top wine spritzers and sweet, beach-ready whites. I think rosé still suffers from the dreaded “blush” wine craze of the 1980’s—remember ‘White Zinfandel’?—and from… Continue reading Some Napa Cab Lovers Walk into a Rosato Tasting

Buys $25 and under, Rosé Rosato etc., Tastings

Another Stellar Italian Rosato

Altopiano Terre di Chieti Rosato, Feudo Antico 2017   $8/bottle In previous posts I've raved about Italian rosés crafted from Nebbiolo, Negroamaro, and Sangiovese red wine grapes. These Italian rosato wines aren't light summer sippers with adorable labels and soda pop flavors. The wines I favor have structure and substance while also feeling a little like… Continue reading Another Stellar Italian Rosato

Lisa's Whites, Rosé Rosato etc., Tastings

Summer Sipping – Great Finds

It's 95 degrees on Cape Cod this week, so light and bright are the watchwords for recent wine selections. Red or white, we're drinking wines that don't weigh us down like the wine we drink in December when the sun has disappeared at 4:30pm. White/Rosé Lorenzo Negro San Martin Rosato - $19/bottle A certain long-time… Continue reading Summer Sipping – Great Finds

Red; Mostly Napa Cabs, Rosé Rosato etc., Tastings

VinoDuo’s Favorite Wines of 2019

In our line of work/play, you taste a lot of wine. Some you sip and instantly spit. Some you sip, swirl, and then spit. Then there are those you savor, drink fully, and remember. These are the wines we've compiled into our favorite wines of the year list. Most are reasonably priced. Some are cheap.… Continue reading VinoDuo’s Favorite Wines of 2019

Buys under $75, Red; Mostly Napa Cabs, Rosé Rosato etc., Shops + Shows, Tastings

The Sound of Wine and Music/Part 3

We wrap up our review of the Carolina Wines Grand Tasting at Symphony Hall with three excellent wines from St. Helena in Napa Valley. ROMBAUER VINEYARDS, St. Helena, Napa Valley CA 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon $65/bottle Let’s start with “wow!” The balance between tannins, fruit and finish is truly a masterpiece. It’s got a full-body mouthfeel… Continue reading The Sound of Wine and Music/Part 3

Rosé Rosato etc., Summer Love

The Rosé of the Summer: First Crush Winery

I've run out of clichés for my favorite Rosé of the year: Summer in a glass. Party in a bottle.  Deck wine of deck wines. That's how over the moon I am about "Innocence," the 2018 Rosé from First Crush Winery on Cape Cod. Yes, Cape Cod.  The grapes don't emerge from sand dunes...they come… Continue reading The Rosé of the Summer: First Crush Winery

Rosé Rosato etc.

A Rosé for All Seasons

We were disappointed to learn that the Nordstrom in Burlington had closed the stylish Blue Stove restaurant, a small plates and wine haunt for VinoDuo. A few years back, Lisa discovered Whispering Angel rosé at Blue Stove and it quickly became a favorite before the wine took a dive into sweet and sad. The Blue… Continue reading A Rosé for All Seasons