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VeroVino: A Taste of Spain and Portugal

Our wine travels continue to the Iberian Peninsula today with a tasting of three wines sent to us by VeroVino as tasting samples. Sheila Donohue has curated a collection of wines made by small producers following organic practices in the vineyard and low-intervention winemaking in the cellar. Many of the wines she sells are new to the US market. These […]

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VeroVino: A Taste of Austria and Czech Republic

Last week we introduced you to wine merchant Sheila Donohue and her website VeroVino. This week we begin tasting the wines she sent to us as tasting samples. Sheila was the first to import many of these wines into the US and all have several things in common: small production, family winemakers following organic, biodynamic or low-intervention practices in the […]

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VeroVino: Authentic Wine is More Than Just A Name

I’m always curious to know how wine lovers become so passionate about wine, especially those who go beyond a passing interest to pursue advanced education and accreditation, not to mention establish themselves in the wine business. When I was recently introduced to the VeroVino® website I was immediately impressed by the focus of the wines on offer: small production, family […]

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Celebrate Springtime with Albariño from Rías Baixas

Who isn’t ready for a little sunshine after the wet, unpredictable winter most of us have experienced? If the weather still isn’t sunny where you live, maybe look for a little sunshine in your wine glass. Rías Baixas Albariño is at your service. Today we’re tasting three such sunny wines that were sent to us as tasting samples. Hello Rías […]

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Uruguayan Wine: Tannat and So Much More

If you have had any introduction to wines from Uruguay it’s likely been Tannat, Uruguay’s flagship variety. I remember them for their firm tannins and complex, ripe fruit flavors. It makes sense that in a country where cows outnumber residents 4:1, and where grilling meat is a fine art (Uruguayans eat the most meat per capita anywhere in the world), […]

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Languedoc: A Small Taste of a Very Large Wine Region

Languedoc is big and it’s varied, which means there is a lot to learn to fully understand the region. We couldn’t possibly understand all of Languedoc’s appellations by tasting only four wines, but four wines can provide an introduction to the region that prompts further exploration. And each of these wines provides a short cut to its sub-region. We received […]

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Cabernet Sauvignon in Chile: A Taste of Two Regions

Cabernet Sauvignon is so well known in the wine world it’s commonly referred to by just its first name: Cabernet, or even just Cab. It’s best known as a major component of Bordeaux blends and is successfully planted worldwide. Terroir in Chile has proven to be perfect for Cabernet Sauvignon. At just over 99,000 acres, Cabernet Sauvignon represents 20% of […]

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Smith-Madrone Vineyards & Winery: Elegant and Affordable, Always

One of the many lessons I learned during weekly wine tastings at a local wine shop is that there are many very expensive bottles of wine that taste really good, especially from Napa Valley. It isn’t particularly difficult to find those wines, but what takes a bit more effort is to find those really good wines for less money. What […]