Chianti Tasting with Famiglia Cecchi Wines One of the great perks of blogging about wine is the opportunity to attend private tastings hosted by wineries from all over the world. The invitations stopped cold in March 2020 as COVID swept across the country. In a hopeful sign of the “new normal,” we were invited to… Continue reading Tastings Return!
Category: Shops + Shows
Our Favorite Puglian Wine has Landed in the US!
Tenuta Giustini Tasting Room Our last wine tasting trip to anywhere except the local Packie [a quaint Massachusetts term] was in 2019, when we visited Puglia, in the heel of the Italian boot. During a memorable five-day bacchanal, we visited six wineries and tasted more than 40 wines. One of our favorite wineries was Tenuta… Continue reading Our Favorite Puglian Wine has Landed in the US!
Mexican Wine? Si!
When Americans hear “Mexico” and “alcohol”, we think Tequila. Then maybe Mezcal. Beer too. Wine, not so much. But Mexico has been producing wine since the 1520’s, when homesick conquistadors planted vineyards across Central and South America with cuttings from Spanish vines. Whatever devastation Spain wreaked on the countries it conquered, it left a legacy… Continue reading Mexican Wine? Si!
New $25 and Under Finds at Gala Tasting
In autumn, wine shops typically hold a “grand tasting” showcasing wines promoted by their various distributors. In advance of the holidays, wine-lovers flock to these events for free tastings and a few cubes of cheese. VinoDuo is always up for a free gala tasting, particularly if it’s held at a shop we’ve never been to.… Continue reading New $25 and Under Finds at Gala Tasting
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
The Sound of Wine and Music/Part 2
Continuing with our walk through of the Grand Tasting from Carolina Wines, here are three "must buys" and one "I'd buy it if it were cheaper" wines. TENUTE SANT'ANTONIO/SCAIA [Veneto] 2016 Scaia Corvina $15/bottle A pleasant surprise with floral cherries and red berries on the nose and light zesty cherry notes on the palate. At… Continue reading The Sound of Wine and Music/Part 2
The Sound of Wine and Music/Part 1
A grand tasting ought to be held at an opulent venue and Carolina Wines held nothing back when they put on the Ritz at Boston Symphony Hall on September 10th. With the Hall’s majestic organ pipes as a backdrop, 67 purveyors brought out their best wines and spirits for a truly grand tasting for the… Continue reading The Sound of Wine and Music/Part 1
Nickel & Nickel Redux
In a recent post I did a quick review of Nickel & Nickel's John C. Sullenger Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2007. I noted the Napa Cab was "Very well made, complex, silky tannins with syrupy dark fruits on the palate followed by long, dry finish." While the 2007 Sullenger is no longer available, we had the opportunity… Continue reading Nickel & Nickel Redux
The Urban Wineries of Dogpatch
FROM THE VINODUO ARCHIVE - 2014 This article was originally posted in March 2014 then lost to a Go Daddy cluster *%%#. We just found a few articles in cyberspace and re-post them here. Dogpatch was the place Li’l Abner and his hillbilly comic strip pals lazed their life away. For VinoDuo, Dogpatch is now… Continue reading The Urban Wineries of Dogpatch
Head to Hell’s Kitchen for Adella Wine Bar
On the Saturday of the March for Our Lives march in NYC, I had every intention of attending the rally or, at the very least, cheering from the sidelines. Instead--like Meg Ryan in "You've Got Mail," who got a manicure and forgot to vote for Ruth Messinger--I landed at Adella Restaurant & Wine Bar and… Continue reading Head to Hell’s Kitchen for Adella Wine Bar
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