Wine of the Day: 2016 Lua Cheia em Vinhas Velhas Secretum

This unique wine crafted from the indigenous Portuguese Arinto grape variety, is a distinctive wine that has me craving it with Lobster Ravioli! My tasting notes follow: Color – Very pale straw yellow Aromas – Very appealing Meyer lemon, ripe peach, sandalwood, and a hint of petrichor aromas Body – Full-bodied, complex and harmonious with vibrant…

Wine Pairings for Home for the Holidays #SundaySupper

This week’s #SundaySupper theme “Home for the Holidays”, and is all about holiday traditions. Americans are such a diverse people.  As such, we have diverse holiday traditions that reflect our multitude of heritages. I prefer to focus on the common threads that run through the our diverse national fabric.  Among those common threads are family…

How Port Is Made

From the “A picture (or moving pictures) is worth a thousand words” file, is this short that is the final installment in my dessert wine series.  The video explains how Port wine is made. This video is a one of the finalists in the Wine Spectator 2011 Video Contest.  Click here to check out the…

Dessert Wine Primer; Part I – Fortified Dessert Wines

Dessert wines are sweet wines served with, or instead of dessert.  Dessert wines are also known as “stickies” because picking the grapes makes the workers hands sticky.  The term originated in Australia, but has become ubiquitously synonymous with dessert wines around the world. There are essentially two types of dessert wines, fortified and late harvest.  In…

Cookies and Wine?

I know!  Sounds weird right?!  On the contrary –  I had a peanut butter chocolate chip cookie with Madeira, and they played well together! There’s a good chance you’re not familiar with Madeira.  I know I wasn’t.  I’ve seen it called for in a few recipes, and occasionally I’ve seen it listed among the dessert wines…