Fonseca Bin 27 and Clos des Amis dessert wine with chocolate choices
When romance is in the air, just say NO to wine and chocolate candy pairings, I always say. Just don’t go there. Dessert and wine in general is a terrible idea: to make a chocolate and wine pairing work, the wine needs to be sweeter than the dessert. And that’s where DESSERT WINES come in: they DO work with desserts, including chocolate as long as the chocolate dish is not too sweet. For your sweetheart, for Valentines Day or some other special occasion, a great dessert pairing is port –or a port style red wine–and pots de crème, Continue reading →
Until recently winemaker Susanna Vasquez plied her trade at Peltier in Lodi where a favorite activity was finding, feeling, and feeding the worms. Now we’re not talking about a conventional worm bin. Nope. Susanna feeds A LOT of worms.
Ànima Negra, Mallorca, in springtime Spain (photo courtesy of the winery)
Want to take your sweetheart to Spain for Valentine’s Day? We have ideas: an organic blend from the island of Mallorca? a Garnacha Blanca from northern Spain? Cava from Barcelona? All paired with Spain inspired dishes like mussels with smoke paprika and tomatoes (so sexy!), citrus salad with fennel, and of course, raw oysters plus tapas to start things off!
Around this time in 2020, I remember writing and dreaming about all the fun festivals in February and on the horizon. I was packing for Napa Valley Academy’s March Bud Break Spring Break WSET 3 class when the call came that it was postponed due to the pandemic, and the world locked down. While the threat of COVID isn’t over, and I’ve traveled in Italy, Oregon, and California since then, I’m loving filling my new planner with dates for tastings and travel; 2023 feels full of possibility and opportunity. I’m tempted to travel to Continue reading →
Some of the lesser known and affordable wine gems of Italy can be found on the scenic heel and spur of Southern Italy’s boot– Puglia. Across from Greece and almost surrounded by the sea (the Adriatic Ocean and the Ionian Sea), the slender heel offers oceanic views galore from its limestone based calcarious hills and bluffs as well as centuries-old farms providing fresh produce plus whitewashed towns with restaurants featuring regional specialties like ear shaped orrecchiette pasta, conical roofed stone structures, and shops to explore. Continue reading →
In 2023, Wine Predator is visiting South America, starting with Chile. While I’m looking at getting there personally, I’ll certainly be traveling there with my palate, taking on a different aspect of South American wine every month with the World Wine Travel group of wine writers. While our first stop is Chile, we’ll also be visiting Uruguay for red, white, and tannat, Argentina for Malbec and more, and returns to Chile to focus on organic wine in April, coastal wine in June, and Carmenere in November. Not really sure exactly all of the stops on our itinerary or when they’ll take place, but I’m excited to dive in and share the wines and the menus that go with them starting with a range of four Chilean wines with three classic dishes– with recipes for two of them! Continue reading →
Looking to enjoy French wine on a budget? France’s Rhône Valley Wines offer excellent values in reds, whites, and rosés that also provide a diversity of grapes and complex flavor profiles. Crisp and refreshing whites and rosés work well with winter citrus salads, seafood, and chicken. Red blends pair with heartier and richer fair including stews, braised meats like lamb shank, and my favorite, cassoulet Continue reading →
wine predator.............. gwendolyn alley 