Author: Terry Connor

I must admit to having a sweet tooth and especially at dessert time when the choice is limited to only one – that being a pairing of wine and chocolate. Since chocolate can present a complexity of flavors, the same way that wine does, there are a few simple rules to follow to make this dessert course easy.

I have written about wine corks in previous articles, but something in a recent article I was reading caught my eye. It seemed like an update. I thought the information might be of interest, because the debate continues as to which is the better seal for a wine – a Cork or a Stelvin Screw Cap.

Spellbound is the name of a series of wines brought to us through the efforts of Rob Mondavi. Rob comes to us with a passion for wine and winemaking, and some very respectable credentials, being the son of Michael and Isabel Mondavi and the grandson of the world famous Robert Mondavi.

I first discovered Honig Wines at a wine tasting in Boston. The host for the evening asked me to stick around for a few extra minutes, saying that maybe, if I promised to behave myself, he would come up with a selection that he was featuring from one of his favorite distributors. I agreed to his terms and waited patiently. My reward was a Honig Cabernet Sauvignon, aged about four years, and it carried one of the richest and full-bodied flavors I had ever experienced. My only comment was “Where have you been hiding this?” and, in the same breath, I grabbed my order slip and immediately ordered six bottles. I was, to say the least, excited about this wine.

I am guilty. For the six years that I have lived here, I have overlooked the wines of Wente; taking no notice at all. I was equally guilty when I lived in Boston. I guess that I was just looking for something else. I should have known better because Boston is loaded with retail stores that stock Wente products and I was not paying attention. Oh well! Guilty no more, as the saying goes.

… To help you enjoy your favorite beverage. The recent issue of the Wine Spectator published an article on making it easier to enjoy, store, serve, and just plain relax as we throw off the shoes, sit in our living room or dining room chair and let the wine do its task. The article is presented by “Dr. Vinny,” a regular contributor the Wine Spectator. I wanted to forward some of the information contained in the article to our readers in the hope that it will reduce some of the mystery and confusion about wine and maybe contribute some additional enjoyment. Credit for the article goes to Dr. Vinny and his staff.   

… To help you enjoy your favorite beverage. The recent issue of the Wine Spectator published an article on making it easier to enjoy, store, serve, and just plain relax as we throw off the shoes, sit in our living room or dining room chair and let the wine do its task. The article is presented by “Dr. Vinny,” a regular contributor the Wine Spectator. I wanted to forward some of the information contained in the article to our readers in the hope that it will reduce some of the mystery and confusion about wine and maybe contribute some additional enjoyment. Credit for the article goes to Dr. Vinny and his staff.   

  Let’s start the New Year with a trip to Tuscany!   I know, I know. The holidays are over and we’re supposed to go back to work. But, with the possibility of a bargain rate for only a few days’ stay in Siena and some of the surrounding villages, and the strong probability that your boss is out of town until the end of the month, why not throw caution to the wind and fly to Italy!? You just might have a good time. I found a trip that will enable you to start in Siena, tour wine country for four days, and get back to the Lowcountry before anyone even knows you’ve left.    

For as long as I can remember, I looked upon d’Yquem as strictly a desert wine. My stereotype was broken when I was doing research for this article. I found out that the wine is an excellent accompaniment to some dinner preparations such as roasted fowl and duck. You can follow this up with your cheese course, but make sure that Blue Cheese, (”Bleu” if you prefer) is included.

Nous Sommes Arrives! We have indeed arrived at the fifth and final of Napoleon’s gift to the wine world. His committee selected Chateau Latour as one of the five first growths of the Classification of 1855, and from then on Latour was and is known as “Grand Vin de Chateau Latour Premier Grand Cru Classe.”