Rioja, Spain, D.O.C. The bottle is empty, but the memory lingers on. This was definitely one of my top wine picks of 2021. Rich, fragrant and opulent, with layers of flavour, satiny smooth texture and lingering finish, all in very fine balance. Notes of tart cherry, vanilla, sandalwood, violets, leather, fine tobacco and earthy sous bois. I was impressed by the harmonious flow of all the elements, start to finish, throughout this wine. The acidity is just right, making i

Puglia, Italy A great wine for under $10.00? Yes! I love Sangiovese and this lip-smacking, fruity version is one more example of why. Tart cherry and sweet spice aromas followed by a delicious palate full of more cherry, vanilla, sweet spice, tobacco and dark chocolate. Vibrant acidity makes it sooo food-friendly, especially with pasta or chicken in tomato sauce, or a platter of cheese and salumni. What does vibrant acidity in a wine mean? Well, basically it means that th

While visiting Finland in 2019, I was given a couple of bottles of Finnish wine as a gift. I was curious to try them, because of course my first thought was "how can grapes grow so far north?" Well, David Cohen, the clever winemaker at AINOA Winery, is making wine from lingonberries, blueberries, cloudberries and even spruce tips. Voila! Wines of the forest! No grapes? No worries, be resourceful! And unique! Paola Guerro de Cohen is CEO at AINOA and is also gifted wit