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Riesling Revisisted

As I was packing to leave on a summer tour of the vineyards and wineries of the Rhine in Germany, I struggled with the weighty issues we all struggle with. Am I bringing too many clothes? What kind of shoes? Sandals? No, not sandals, not to efficient, practical Germany; pack...
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Roger Ormon

ROGER ORMON • 63 • Sales Manager • Brookline Liquor Mart • Allston, MA After 35 years at Brookline Liquor Mart, most of it as sales manager, Roger Ormon has acquired the long view of wine and wine sales. Having accrued plenty of wine (and people) wisdom, especially with tasting...
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Argyle’s Graig Eastman

Pulling holiday wines from the cellar brought to mind last spring’s tour of Willamette Valley, Oregon. (Argyle’s crisp and nutty 1997 Brut and plummy 2001 Pinot Noir would be gracing my festive sideboard of All-American entries.) By FRED BOUCHARD A visit to Argyle Winery, middle-aged by Oregon’s youthful standards at...
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Expo Conquered

Especially when the New England winter punishes our world with snow, wind and piercing cold, it makes me wonder what those Pilgrims were thinking. Surely there was someone on board the Mayflower shouting, “Left! Turn left!” but to no avail. For 15 years now, the happiest sight of winter has...
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I Love Sonoma!

This past August I spent my vacation in Sonoma, California. It was the first time I’d spent any serious amount of time exploring and tasting in that region. It was also my first vacation with my infant daughter, which was quite an experience, but I won’t go into that here...
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Can Tradition Be Saved?

I’ve been thinking about the movie Silent Running a lot lately when I look at the shelves in my favorite beer stores. The 1971 sci-fi classic was the story of an ark in space, studded with artificial habitats to save examples of Earth’s plants and animals from a world ravaged...
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Cantina Bostonia

Cantina Bostonia occupies a corner of the old Haffenreffer brewery complex in the Jamaica Plain section of the city, a massive Victorian brick edifice build 135 years ago. (The Boston Beer Company, brewer of Samuel Adams beers and ales, is also located within.) The owner and winemaker (“maestro del vino”)...
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Port

Many consumers no longer shun the drink because it’s sweet, say several industry insiders. This itself is progress, since to dismiss a good Port simply because it’s sweet would be like avoiding a rich molten chocolate-filled torte topped with ginger-laced ice cream just because it contains a little sugar. Moreover,...
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Divas Uncorked

I‘m having a pleasant tete-à-tete luncheon with Karen Holmes Ward in the popular Kenmore Square “ristro” Le Petit Robert, with some personal attention from chef Luc Le Gillec. We’re talking about Divas Uncorked, the women’s wine education group of which Ward is a founding member. Divas Uncorked is a Boston-based...
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