Category Archives: Wine + Food

Bargain German Pinot Gris: Villa Wolf

Posted on January 23, 2014 by upstatedowntown

By Christopher Matthews I’m always looking for quality, inexpensive wines…with some character (which is the tricky part). And, truthfully, I have found quite a few such bargains at Sipperley’s Grog Shop, a somewhat disorganized, but bustling shop in the center … Continue reading →

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Heritage Zin and Shiner’s Holiday Cheer: A Few of my Favorite Things

Posted on December 28, 2013 by upstatedowntown

By Christopher Matthews “Heritage” is a word that’s tossed around a lot these days, especially during the holidays — heritage recipes, heritage x-mas cards, heritage turkeys…etc. But one piece of heritage I’m comfortable with, whether during the holidays or not, is … Continue reading →

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Beaujolais Nouveau? OK, But Do a “Cru” for Thanksgiving

Posted on November 14, 2013 by upstatedowntown

By Christopher Matthews I’m not here to bury Beaujolais Nouveau — many have tried to do that already, and to little avail — but I’m not here to praise it, either. Designed for immediate gulping to celebrate the Beaujolais harvest (internationally), the cheap … Continue reading →

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What Wine with Rabbit Pappardelle? A Mercato Test

Posted on October 4, 2013 by upstatedowntown

By Christopher Matthews Last week was completely exhausting for me — and for many others, too. It was the annual madness of the United Nations General Assembly Ministerial Week, where a record number of world leaders descended on Manhattan’s Turtle Bay, bringing heavy security … Continue reading →

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Mosel Pinot Noir? Aber Ja (from Stein)!

Posted on August 30, 2013 by upstatedowntown

By Christopher Matthews Germany is rightfully known for its Riesling. Not only is Germany by far the world’s biggest producer of the noble grape; it’s also the international benchmark for Riesling styles and excellence — from delicate, shimmering off-dry Kabinetts and complex, dazzling dry … Continue reading →

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Sublime Savennieres: Baumard’s 2001 Clos Du Papillon

Posted on June 28, 2013 by upstatedowntown

By Christopher Matthews Imagine an “Open that Bottle Night” — a dinner where you open a special wine that you’ve been meaning to drink, yet never do. Now imagine: the crowd that has gathered is composed solely of wine writers, serious wine collectors, wine geeks and wine industry folks. It would be an … Continue reading →

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Affordable Bordeaux? You Bet

Posted on October 14, 2012 by upstatedowntown

By Christopher Matthews For most folks, “Bordeaux” and “affordable” are two words rarely mentioned in the same sentence. Considering the prices (and media ink) that the top Bordeaux wines — the “Grand Cru Classé”— fetch internationally at auction or in wine futures, this is understandable. Beyond the pocketbook of most wine consumers, they run from around … Continue reading →

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Wild Horse (Winery) Rides into NYC

Posted on August 24, 2012 by upstatedowntown

By Christopher Matthews Wild Horse Winery, a California Central Coast wine operation based in Templeton, CA (near Paso Robles), is best known for its Pinot Noirs…and its familiar galloping mustang image on its bottles. Last week, I had the opportunity … Continue reading →

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Poughkeepsie’s Culinary Cornerstone: The Artist’s Palate

Posted on July 9, 2012 by upstatedowntown

By Christopher Matthews Poughkeepsie, NY, a once-thriving river town on the Hudson, but long economically depressed, is often our gateway to upstate New York, via the Metro North train. But when we first bought our farmhouse in Dutchess County, there … Continue reading →

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Great Quaff Under $10: Chapelle-St-Arnoux Ventoux

Posted on March 10, 2012 by upstatedowntown

By Christopher Matthews It’s hard to find a decent wine with some character for under $10…but not impossible. Across a couple of vintages, I have discovered that the Chapelle-St-Arnoux Ventoux is a consistent, tasty quaff, and a gem of a value wine.

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