This is a motto I’ve come to live by. Yes, I like a lovely dry red or a minerally refreshing white. And there are wines that definitely make some foods taste better (and worse). A wine that’s almost universally wonderful, though, is sparkling wine. In France, Champagne. In Spain, Cava. In Italy, Prosecco. In the […]

I’ve been a fan of the Cune wines from Rioja since my days in Manhattan trolling wine stores for bargain bottles. I had a favorite shop that had lots of Spanish and Portuguese reds, and that’s where I first discovered their wines. I learned then what I know now: There isn’t a bad one coming […]

I was in the mood for a succulent red the other day, and I found myself in East Chatham Wine & Spirits. I love this store. It’s cozy and cute and stocked with great wine. The owner, Mary, is super-nice and happy to make recommendations. When I described what I was in the mood for, […]

I can’t help it, I just want to keep showcasing local wines. There are so many good ones in easy reach of Main Street enthusiasts. One not to be missed – especially this time of year – is Balderdash Cellars in Pittsfield. With Halloween just weeks away, how can you not want to try and […]

It’s harvest season for local wineries, so let’s focus on local this week. Here’s a post from Carlo DeVIto’s East Coast Wineries blog about some standouts at Benmarl Winery. They’re in Marlborough and open seven days a week. If you can’t find their wines in a store near you, consider a visit to their beautiful […]

Thankfully it’s still consistently getting up into the 70s during the day this month (September), but it’s getting dark earlier and earlier, and it’s as low as the 40s in the morning. As the hibernation instinct kicks in, so does the desire to sink into a glass of really full-bodied dry red wine when the […]

As the promotion promises, the Hudson Valley Wine & Food Festival is always “the Saturday after Labor Day!” It’s a huge event held at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds in Rhinebeck, and it draws wineries from all over New York State, not just the Hudson Valley. However, it’s the Hudson Valley that’s showcased at the festival. […]

OK, so it’s summer and everyone is drinking white wine or rosé. We get it, and that’s wonderful. Summer is definitely white wine/rosé time. But some of us just have red wine in our veins, and no matter how nice the whites, we need our reds. With the variety of grapes out there in the […]