Arturo Ciompi

I recently tried “Crianza,” “Reserva” and “Gran Reserva” styles from two separate Rioja bodegas – although both are sold under the banner of CVNE. The Compañiá Vinicola Del Norte De España is conveniently pronounced Cu-Nay, and their wines are well-distributed in the U.S. I tried three wines labeled “Cune” and three labeled “Viña Real.” These […]

Our recent record cold snap was reason enough to haul out some Madeira! Oh how those icy nights called out for walnuts, Panettone and warm, cooked fruit. There are numerous types of Madeira, from rather dry to sweet nectar. What I had was one of the sweet varieties called “Malmsey,” named for the grape, (Malvasia)

Montepulciano d’Abruzzo is a popular pick when you’re not sure what to get from “sort of” southern Italy. Actually Abruzzo is parallel to Rome, and there’s plenty of Italy south of it. It’s getting south, with summers pretty darn hot overall, but sea breezes adding zest to its most famous red, Montepulciano D’Abruzzo. Today’s wine

Here’s hoping your holidays include at least one bottle of sparkling wine to celebrate friendship, reminiscences and the coming new year. Today, a list of bubblies I’ve really enjoyed this year. As the prices increase, I’d like to think that what each wine represents somehow justifies the price. A merry holiday to everyone! Anna de

With the holidays come lists of wines to recommend as gifts. I think that most any red wine lover would welcome a first-rate California Cabernet Sauvignon, or a blend featuring Cabernet as its main component. So here, without too much ado, is a compendium of the best I’ve tasted this year from Napa and Sonoma

If by any chance your first reaction to Prosecco was “meh,” you were probably drinking one of the “sell it now while the gettin’s good” examples. There’s a lot more bad Prosecco available these days as its popularity has soared. (Nota bene: Price can be a fairly good barometer.) Today’s example is actually rather dry!

The Carmenère story is worthy of a full-length book. This red grape, once a solid part of Bordeaux winemaking in the Médoc, was decimated by the insect plague that ruined all the vineyards of France in the late 19th century. Despite the deep color and spice that it added, Carmenère was always a finicky grape

Zinfandel has been on quite a ride these past decades. In the 1970s, red Zin was losing business fast – many vines were torn out, and white Zinfandel saved a number of wineries from bankruptcy. Into the ’90s, those who stayed the course saw growing interest again in the the unique qualities red Zin offers.

I love Pinot Noir with a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. Not a French red burgundy, which are generally a bit too subtle and understated for this “free-for-all” meal. For it, I like the Pinots from California’s Santa Barbara region, made even more well-known by the movie “Sideways.” At their best, these are softer, richer and more

Chardonnay is not usually most people’s “go-to” Italian wine. That is, unless you know of the few outstanding producers scattered throughout that country. (I fell in love with Jermann’s “Dreams” many years ago.) One that actually has roots in the 19th century is Frescobaldi’s Benefizio, Castello Di Pomino. At upwards to 2,400 feet in altitude,