Arturo Ciompi

We’ve got at least six more weeks of rosé-inspiring weather (and probably more). Here’s a French rosé that is so very well made – the French often seem to have that touch where lightweight, dry but eminently sippable examples are desired. Today’s wine, from a very strong vintage, is from the estimable Rhône firm of

Who doesn’t like a good bubbly on a hot afternoon or evening? But have you ever tried a true red wine bubbly – one that’s been enjoyed for centuries? I’m talking about Lambrusco from the Emilia-Romagna province of Italy. (Think Rimini on the east coast and Parma to the west.) As sometimes happens, a middling

Two of Bolgheri’s greatest reds, Ornellaia and Masseto share their cellar with a dashing white? Not everyone knows that the Ornellaia Estate, on Tuscany’s wind-swept west coast, has produced Poggio Alle Gazze since 1995. Although the makeup of this exciting wine has evolved over the decades, it has always been a Sauvignon Blanc-based white. The

Once upon a time oak barrels, for aging wines, were in short supply. But when the need was there, practicality won the day. In a throwback scenario, today’s red is aged in new and used Bourbon barrels, just as some were decades ago. The result is fascinating. The wine is made by Bob Blue, a

There are barrels full of rosés available out there. But today’s wine isn’t the slightest bit red, let alone pink, at all. It’s Scaia Rosato from the Veneto region of Northeastern Italy. Made from 100% Rondinella, a red grape, this rosé, with a very short time on the skins, comes out a very light, coppery

Have you ever been lucky enough to have a grand tapas luncheon in Spain? Or have you simulated such a thing here at home, including same-day-caught shrimp, Jamón Iberíco, aged Manchego and addictive Marcona almonds? Then you know that the ultimate wine match for this appetizing spread is Fino Sherry! I’ve never understood why this

Many wine lovers know that the Stags Leap District of Napa Valley produces remarkable Cabernet Sauvignon. Wines such as Shafer, Clos du Val and Pine Ridge make superlative cabs but, for some enthusiasts, there’s a catch. They need time in the bottle to make your investment pay off. Not necessarily so for today’s wine, the

Verdicchio is a pretty well-known Italian white, but when was the last time you drank one? Many remember the green “fish bottle” that contained a Verdicchio from Fazi-Battaglia. This was a blessing and a curse because the bottle was cute but the wine not always. The Garofoli estate has been making Verdicchio for five generations.