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It’s ironic that Chablis, a geographic place name adopted to adorn jugs of standardized branded blends for the last several decades in the US, is actually among the most distinctive and inimitable wines produced anywhere. The signature aroma and flavor of its wines are even “more unique” than those of... Read More

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... Read More

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”)... Read More

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,... Read More

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... Read More

Provence is recognized widely as the most important zone for rose wine production, making 8% of the world production of rose. In France, Provence wine is virtually synonymous with rose wine. The most important center of Provence rose production is the Cotes de Provence AOC which lies roughly between Aix-en-Provence... Read More

In the late 198Os, I accepted a trip to Portugal from the Portuguese Trade Commission. It was led by the late Pasquale Iocca, an Italo-American from Illinois but a lover of all things Portuguese, including its literature. He was the quintessential gentleman, soft-spoken and always polite, but once on the... Read More

A mountain of evidence based upon sound medical science indicates that abstinence can be considered a health risk, that heavy drinking dangerously damages health and shortens life, and that moderate drinking improves health and lengthens life. The J-shaped curve rules. It illustrates that moderate drinking is associated with a lower... Read More