Arturo Ciompi

Amarone is the Italian Veneto region’s most distinctive red wine. The “Recioto” version is the older iteration and vinified sweet. The “Amarone,” which combines shriveled grape unctuousness with a dry finish, has only been in existence since the 1950s. Older vintages of Bertani Amarone have always been my touchstone; but today’s wine exemplifies Amarone in […]

The wines from the Bodegas Godelia are new to me, but they’ve been creating quite a stir in the U.S. High standards, careful vinification and old vines contribute to the quality. Today’s red is their “entry level” release, but doesn’t taste at all secondary. It’s a 100% Mencia grape red from the Bierzo region of

Just when you thought it was safe – winter rears its ugly head. Although cold weather is no prerogative to enjoying a glass of Port, the chill in the air and a warm fireplace certainly invite it. Today’s selection is an old favorite. When we “welcome” our 1,400 Halloween trick-or-treaters, this is the bottle I

One of my PR people recently recommended drinking Cabernet Sauvignon with “Spaghetti al Pomodoro.” Well, I can’t think of a worse match-up! Young Cabernet, with tight tannins and concentrated weight would simply overwhelm any tomato-based pasta dish. Personally, I prefer many Italian wines with the right texture and acidity to do the job. Chiantis work,

If you’re old enough, you know that Stony Hill Chardonnay, from Napa Valley’s Spring Mountain District, was (and is?) California’s first cult white. This is only the third time I’ve tasted it. Usually, one had to be on their mailing list to get any. But small amounts are now available at retail, and I would

Chateau Fontenil is the “baby” of famed Bordeaux oenologist Michel Rolland. Located in Fronsac, near the St. Émilion and Pomerol appellations, this wine gets all the best treatment. Whole cluster fermentation in 100% new wood, and final aging in 60% new oak, the wine is treated royally – and it shows in the great 2015

In the rush to mythologize Oregon, and now New Zealand’s, Pinot Noirs, some wonderful releases from California’s cooler regions can get lost in the shuffle. So it is with today’s example, the 2015 Artesa Estate Vineyard Pinot Noir located in the Carneros region of Napa Valley. This wine is a joy to drink with or

I’ve been recommending Spanish Cava (sparkling wine made by the true Champagne process with a second fermentation in the bottle) for decades. In the past, many of these inexpensive wines were rather “steely” and left a metallic taste in your mouth. But vinification methods improve, and now many Cavas can compete with the wines they

Carménère comes in all shapes and sizes. This French grape, originally part of the vineyards of Bordeaux, now finds its home in Chile. But the variety of styles it engenders must be confusing to the average wine drinker. What am I going to get? It can be very Bordeaux-like and complex, or it can be