I’ve have never been to South Tyrol, an autonomous province in northeast Italy, and I’m pretty sure that before drinking Tiefenbrunner Pinot Grigio I’d never had a wine produced in the country’s smallest wine growing area.
A Gold-Rush Era Winery Makes a Lush Chardonnay
Simi Sonoma County Chardonnay, a complex wine full of citrus and vanilla flavors, is an exceptional value, even if it’s priced slightly out of the $10 range.
A Sicilian White for Welcoming Warmer Days
In the not-too-distant past, Sicilian wines weren’t very good, and in some cases they were awful.
A Spanish Red With a Long Pedigree
Single varietal wines from Rioja used to be hard to find and expensive. Recently, such wines have become more common, although they still tend to be priced well beyond the $10 range.
A Versatile, Affordable Chardonnay
If I were forced to drink only one inexpensive white wine all year, I’d choose Louis Jadot Macon-Villages Chardonnay. This wine from Burgundy is so clean and crisp that it almost seems like it was produced from an entirely different grape variety than the one used to make the weighty, oaked California Chardonnays, those wines with such rich vanilla and butter flavors that they are best drunk in cold weather.
A French Malbec From a Reliable Source
I’ve been a fan of Malbec from Argentina for many years, but after I recently tried Clos La Coutale, a dark, red version from Cahors in Southwest France, I have switched my allegiance.
Racy Label Can’t Obscure a Great Wine
When it comes to wine labels, I’m pretty conservative. I’m attracted to the clean, straightforward look, labels with clear type sporting a crest or a drawing of the chateau. I tend to avoid wines selling themselves with cute names, overweight circus animals and sadly portrayed dogs and cats, labels that, in my experience, often mask an inferior product.
Malbec Is the Flavor of Argentina
Malbec, the signature red wine of Argentina, is well-suited for winter drinking, full of dark fruit and chocolate flavors that go well with meats, rich soups and stews.
A Fine Bubbly for Welcoming the New Year
I’m looking forward to raising a glass to bring in 2018, and I’ve spent some time looking for the right affordable sparkling wine to go with the occasion.
A Festive Pink Wine for the Holiday Table
Sparkling rosé seems to lend itself to festive and holiday occasions. After all, it’s bubbly and pink.
