30 Second Wine Advisor
Feb. 5, 2009
Catching up a little belatedly with our WineLovers Discussion Group's Wine Focus for January on the Spanish red wines of Rioja, let's take a look at the Spanish wine term "Crianza." For today's example we examine the moderately priced, benchmark-style Rioja Crianza from the large but respected producer Sierra Cantabria.
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Wines compared by score and price
Feb. 5, 2010
This month's issue of WineBlueBook covers many many Southern Rhône, West Coast Pinot Noir and Red Burgundy wines that were scored last month by the wine critics. A total of 821 wines are profiled in the February 2010 issue. Click here for a taste, or the following link for direct information on WineBlueBook.
Neil Duarte's Vino e Cucina d'Italia
Vietti Winery — A Family Jewel
Feb. 1, 2010
The Vietti estate owes much its current success to the efforts of Luciana Vietti Currado and her innovative winemaker husband, Alfredo Currado. Neil Duarte visits the couple and samples their wines.
Read article. | Neil Duarte's Vino e Cucina d'Italia page.
Randy Caparoso
Santa Barbara — more than Pinot Noir
Jan. 21, 2010
Since the movie Sideways, people associate Santa Barbara with Pinot Noir. But, as Randy Caparoso points out, "Santa Barbara is made up of four officially recognized American Viticultural Areas plus at least another four unofficial sub-regions, known to vintners and aficionados by their varying climates, soil types and topographies." In his article in the Denver Wine Examiner, Caparoso details the grapes and wines from these regions.
Read this article in the Denver Wine Examiner. | More of Randy's Denver Wine Examiner articles | Randy's Culinary Wine & Food Adventures.
Amazon.com Wine Bookshelf
The 30 Second Wine Advisor: The book
Since I sent out the first edition of The 30 Second Wine Advisorin 1999, I've written over 2,000 columns. Over the years quite a few of you have asked, "Why don't you assemble a bunch of these articles into a handy learn-about-wine book?"
Makes sense to me! Here's the book, "The 30 Second Wine Advisor: Learn about wine in 30-second tastes - quick, easy & fun."
Neil Duarte's Vino e Cucina d'Italia
Germano Ettore: Innovation and Tradition in Barolo Country
Jan. 6, 2010
The Germano family has been farming and making wine for the past 158 years. Neil Duarte visits and tastes their wines.
Read article. | Neil Duarte's Vino e Cucina d'Italia page.
WebWineMan
Dec. 29, 2009
"We conducted our annual Champagne (and Sparkling Wine) Blind Tasting to help you with your upcoming festivities," writes Richard Fadeley. "Champagne is the world's celebratory libation, and they are going through tough times like everyone else in this tight economy." There are deals to be had, and not just in Champagne.
Read his full report. | More of Richard Fadeley's columns.
Vino e Cucina d'Italia
Maison Anselmet: A Great Small Winery
Dec. 1, 2009
Continuing his report on the wines of Italy's Valle d'Aoste, Neil Duarte visits Maison Anselmet, one of the region's best small wineries.
Read article. | Neil Duarte's Vino e Cucina d'Italia page.
Wine BlueBook
Ratings on Syrahs and Champagnes
Nov. 27, 2009
Two recent special issues of WineBlueBookcompare over two thousand West Coast Syrahs, and a thousand Champagnes, by score and price, based on recent scores from at least two of the major wine critics. While some prices have risen from three yers ago, a good number of better wines have dropped in price. Click here for an overview, or use the following link for direct information on WineBlueBook.
30 Second Wine Advisor
Nov. 20, 2009
Remember the old science joke about the "universal solvent"? An eager student rushes into the professor's office, jumping up and down with excitement. "I've invented a universal solvent," the student exulted. "It will dissolve anything!"
"Really," mused the prof. "So what do you intend to keep it in?"
Happily, today's Thanksgiving quest - the search for a universal wine to accompany all the meats, poultry and other goodies that load the holiday table - may be a difficult challenge, but it lacks the fatal flaw of the universal solvent. It can be done.
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Randy Caparoso
Nov. 13, 2009
Everybody loves chicken dishes, right? "Chicken must be eaten with wine because that's what elevates it – no matter how it's made," writes Randy Caparoso. There are thousands of chicken recipes – and wines to go with almost all of them.
Read this article in the Denver Wine Examiner. | More of Randy's Denver Wine Examiner articles | Randy's Culinary Wine & Food Adventures.
Amazon.com Wine Bookshelf
Hugh Johnson's 2010 Pocket Wine Book
If there's one indispensible reference for the wine lover, it's Hugh Johnson's Pocket Wine Book. Updated annually, this handy guide packs an incredible amount of information into a pocket-size volume. Thousands of wines are rated, described, and listed with coding indicating which vintages are preferred and which are ready to drink. I buy the new edition every year, and highly recommend it. The 2009 edition has just been published, with new and updated information. You can buy it now through WineLoversPage.com for $10.19, a 32 percent discount.
You'll find all the best wine books for beginners and experts - and the top wine magazines too - in our Amazon.com Wine Bookshelf.

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