Cantina Firriato 2011 Quater Bianco
This is not the first time we have reviewed a [link id=”11146″ text=”Firriato wine”], and it probably won’t be the last. They bring classic Sicilian wines to the American market in …
Bodegas La Magdalena 2011 “Sueno” Tempranillo
Ribera del Jucar is one of a dozen unknown yet exemplary wine regions in Spain. It’s an ancient wine region that was under vine during the Roman Empire. But it’s also …
Chateau L’Ermitage 2012 “Sainte Cecile” Costieres de Nimes White
Chateau L’Ermitage is the classical type of French winery. Nothing exciting except the wines they produce. For the past thirty years, Michel and Jérôme Castillon have owned the winery and made …
Curtis Winery 2010 Heritage Cuvée
I am not a fan of corporate wines. That is something most people in the wine trade know all too well. I am not a fan of large-scale wineries, even if …
Bodega Goulart 2010 “The Marshall” Malbec
This wine is a bit of Argentine history. Gastao Goulart originally planted the Bodega Goulart vineyard in 1915 to Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon. At the time, he was a Brazilian political …
Recipes from our Cooking Classes
This is the recipe from a previous cooking class. Check out our list of upcoming wine and food pairing classes. Fennel, Orange and Olive Salad 3 peeled oranges 1 fennel bulb, …
The Top BYOB Restaurants in Philly
We need to update this list. Let us know your current favorites in the comments below!BYO culture in Philly is unique among American cities. It came about due to the influence …
Poggio Scalette 2012 Chianti Classico
The Greve Valley is lined with terraced vineyards. Looking across the valley from this winery, those stone walls can look like a giant scallete (ladder, in Italian). At least it did for the …
Rosenblum Cellars 2010 “Harris Kratka” Zinfandel
A Little About Zin No matter its pedigree, Zinfandel is big, dumb, and fun. I don’t mean that in a pejorative way. There should always be a place for fun. This …
Evening Land 2011 Pouilly Fuisse
About Pouilly Fuissé Way back when I was in my early twenties, Pouilly-Fuissé was all the rage. The restaurant I was working at had three on their wine list. One of the …
Contino 2007 Gran Reserva Rioja
CVNE A number of years ago, I was fortunate enough to have a one-on-one tasting with Maria Larrea, the CVNE winemaker. A wonderfully gracious woman, she took me through her entire portfolio …
Saintsbury 2009 “Brown Ranch” Pinot Noir
Saintsbury Winery Most descriptions of Saintsbury Winery will include the word “pioneer” somewhere within the first paragraph. Go one and google it: you will get over 3.5 million pages describing how …
Spontaneously Exploding Prosecco (Video)
Fox News (June 18, 2014) – Exploding wine bottles in Pennsylvania are prompting a recall this morning. The bottles of 2013 Indigenous Selections Prosecco Brut are spontaneously exploding before wine drinkers …
Montecillo 2008 Rioja Reserva
If I could figure out a way to turn the Wine School into a religious institution (think of it: best communion ever!), Rioja would be one of our holy lands. It’s …
Salviano 2012 Orvieto Classico
Orvieto Orvieto used to be huge. I still am surprised when younger sommeliers and students don’t recognize the name. In the ’80s, it was one of those bottles that white zin …
Mainline Times: The Wine School of Philadelphia
Originally published in the Mainline Times.“There’s no pressure here,” instructor Michael Alleruzzo said. “We’re just going to sit back and have fun. We’re going to enjoy some great wines…So I’ll be …