Monthly Archives: May 2012

Champagne Sales Bubble Up

Posted on May 30, 2012 by don

According to the CIVC (Comité Interprofessionel du Vin de Champagne), the world purchased 323 million bottles of Champagne in 2011, of which 44% were exported. The single largest export market is the UK (35 million bottles), and the second largest … Continue reading →

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MacPhail Family Wines: 2009 Pinot Noir Releases from California

Posted on May 30, 2012 by mike

James MacPhail makes small lots of handcrafted Pinot Noirs from single vineyards in California and Oregon. His winemaking techniques let each vineyard express itself in the wine. In this article, we taste four of his outstanding Pinot Noirs from the … Continue reading →

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Cinghiale and Brunello: Love at First Sight

Posted on May 27, 2012 by mike

Cinghiale, or wild boar, is commonly found on restaurant menus throughout Tuscany and is famously paired with Brunello di Montalcino. We tasted several cinghiale dishes while traveling in Montalcino to prepare our upcoming report on The Wines of Brunello di Montalcino. Cinghiale … Continue reading →

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Top Ten South African Red Wine Values Under $20

Posted on May 25, 2012 by don

As we noted in our recent Special Report on South African Value Wines, South Africa produces inexpensive wines of very good quality. Here we list our favorite red wine values—wines priced under $20 showing an especially high ratio of quality … Continue reading →

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New Chilean Releases by Álvaro Espinoza: Antiyal, Kuyen, Coyam

Posted on May 21, 2012 by don

When we last went to Chile we stopped by Antiyal, Álvaro Espinoza (pictured here) and Marina Ashton’s estate in Chile’s Upper Maipo Valley.  In the Chilean world of huge commercial wineries, Álvaro and Marina’s venture is unusual. Their estate is … Continue reading →

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Portuguese Food and Wine at Ferreira in Montreal

Posted on May 16, 2012 by don

One of North America’s best Portuguese restaurants, Ferreira, can be found on Peel Street in Montreal where chef Marino Tavares crafts original and beautifully served dishes. On our visit last Saturday sommelier Paulo Ferreira generously helped us pair wine made … Continue reading →

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The Wines of Gérard Bertrand in the Languedoc

Posted on May 15, 2012 by don

Gérard Bertrand, a leading winemaker, producer and grower in the South of France, currently owns seven Languedoc with nearly 1,000 acres planted. He operates from the Château l’Hospitalet producing a variety of wines for different markets. Those reviewed here are … Continue reading →

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Chianti Classico Revisited: The Wines of Renzo Marinai

Posted on May 14, 2012 by don

During Vinitaly, we had the opportunity to meet up once again with Renzo Marinai, who with the assistance of winemaker Giovanni Cappelli makes some of Tuscany’s most authentic wines. We last met Renzo during our travels for our Chianti Classico … Continue reading →

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J Vidal-Fleury: New Releases from the Rhône

Posted on May 10, 2012 by don

Vidal-Fleury is the Rhône Valley’s oldest continuously operating winery, grower and negociant.  Year after year they produce a variety of reasonably priced wines from all the major Rhône appellations.  The wines are good quality, easy drinking and food friendly.

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