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In the far northern reaches of Lombardy, 1OO kilometers north of Milan, so near the edge of Italy that one might fall off into Switzerland, lies the isolated Valtellina, a region unique in its geography, its culture and its wines. Here is grown the noble nebbiolo of a character distinct... Read More

My brother-in-law Curt is a chef, and I love hanging out around the table with him.  He’s nuts about truffles, hates factory-farm chicken, loves fresh-picked fruit.  He’s fearless about what he’ll try, but he’s just as fearless in stating what he doesn’t like. One of the things he doesn’t like... Read More

COCKTALE The obscure cordial and liqueur bottles interspersed among the familiar spirits that line the back bar may be easily overlooked by most bar guests, but LUPEC Boston finds few bottles so intriguing.  Often steeped in history and tradition, many of these strange potions play an important supporting role in... Read More

Tucked away between coastal hills of Catalonia, southwest of Barcelona, is the Penedes wine region. Like Rioja’s reds, Penedes’ white wines are widely regarded in Spain and abroad. While the region’s oak-aged reds (think Priorat) and still white wines (Torres) are fine, Penedes is best known for Cava, the sparkling... Read More

COCKTALE Is there a more festive sound than the “pop” coming from an uncorked bottle of Champagne?  We think not.  As you gather with friends and family this holiday season, LUPEC urges you look beyond the Champagne bottle in your hand to the range of spirits, juices, bitters, and mixers... Read More

As those of us who are professionally involved in wine clearly understand, our business is in a state of constant evolution.  What’s “in” and what’s “out” never remains stagnant.  Part of the industry’s appeal is the fact that there always seem to be emerging regions, that previously obscure grape varieties... Read More

Here in the USA, where Italian wine imports are first in volume and second in value (after France), Franciacorta is less than sparkling in its performance. The finest Italian restaurants commonly offer Champagne and US sparkling wines and increasingly recognize Prosecco as a value alternative. Franciacorta however is rarely found.... Read More

One of the first things you notice upon entering Bin Ends, a liquor store in a mixed-use complex in Braintree, is that there’s not a wine rack in sight. For a store that regularly counts about 45O wine labels in its inventory – not to mention an abundant stock of... Read More

Although the American Indian word zaca means “restful place”, it appears that Zaca Mesa Winery in Los Olivos, California, founded in 1972, entered a blessedly restful phase only a few years ago. It’s original owners, a group of investors led by oilman Louis Ream, gave way in 1986 to the... Read More