Category Archives: Wine

A Thirst-quenching Summer Tonic

Posted on August 7, 2011 by upstatedowntown

By Christopher Matthews This summer’s relentless heat and humidity has stretched into August, a happy reason to sip some cooling “silly season” cocktails. The ideal summer drink should “invigorate, restore, refresh or stimulate”— Webster’s literal definition of “tonic” — but without a high alcohol content, … Continue reading →

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Hillary Clinton Still Plugging NY Wines

Posted on June 18, 2011 by upstatedowntown

By Christopher Matthews As New York’s junior US Senator, Hillary Clinton was an effective advocate for New York State agriculture, including its growing wine industry. Every fall she would host a “New York Farm Day” reception in the Senate’s elegant Russell Caucus Room — … Continue reading →

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Serious Spanish Wine Value: Toro’s Bodegas Fariña

Posted on June 10, 2011 by upstatedowntown

By Christopher Matthews For wine lovers seeking value, Toro, a historical and up-and-coming wine region in north-central Spain — traditionally known for its brawny reds — is well worth getting to know. And among Toro’s wineries, Bodegas Fariña is a flagship producer, turning out exceptional wines at … Continue reading →

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Chinon and Ramps? Mais Oui

Posted on May 2, 2011 by upstatedowntown

By Christopher Matthews Before the ramp season completely plays out for 2011, here’s one more ramp-related post, this one on a noteworthy food-wine pairing. As a pungent spring green, ramps are often labelled, like asparagus and artichokes, as tricky to pair with wines. The stock solution … Continue reading →

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Saddle Up: Paso Robles Wines + Steakhouse Chow

Posted on April 16, 2011 by upstatedowntown

By Kathryn Matthews Perhaps it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Paso Robles, a former ranching town turned fashionable winemaking region, can produce wines that go down easy with steakhouse fare. It’s the reason why, on a recent school night, … Continue reading →

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Blockbuster Homage from Tablas Creek

Posted on April 14, 2011 by upstatedowntown

By Christopher Matthews At our recent Paso Robles wine dinner at BLT Prime, all four wines poured that evening were excellent, as Kathryn reported, but one wine in particular — the 2007 Tablas Creek “Esprit de Beaucastel” Rouge — simply floored us. Jointly owned … Continue reading →

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Heirloom Vintages from California’s Centenary Wineries

Posted on April 7, 2011 by upstatedowntown

By Christopher Matthews This April, history is very much on our minds, prompted by the sesquicentennial of the US Civil War, and the 50th anniversary of the first man in space, Colonel Yuri Gagarin. On April 6, history was also the theme at … Continue reading →

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Not Your Average Pinot Grigio

Posted on April 1, 2011 by upstatedowntown

By Christopher Matthews We import more Pinot Grigio into this country than any other varietal wine, almost a quarter of the total, with some 90% of it coming from Italy. Despite our obvious, collective thirst for the grape, however, it has a … Continue reading →

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We’re #1 (in Wine Consumption)!

Posted on March 15, 2011 by upstatedowntown

By Christopher Matthews It might sound like a “man bites dog” story, but the US has overtaken France as the world’s largest wine-consuming nation in 2010, washing down a record 330 million cases from both US and foreign producers. I guess we wine … Continue reading →

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Estancia “Meritage”, Vertically

Posted on August 23, 2010 by upstatedowntown

By Christopher Matthews Some 22 years ago, a group of American vintners founded the Meritage Association (Merit+Heritage=Meritage, rhymes with Heritage), aiming to promote American wines blended from the traditional Bordeaux varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot. Estancia was … Continue reading →

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