ALL-IN ON BOOK REVIEWS: Do you have a (non-fictional or fictional) book related to wine, spirits, or beer that you'd like reviewed? Contact me!

Friday, February 2, 2018

Flashback February Returns!

Every day for the entire month I'll be taking a look back at the (almost) 4 years of this blog's existence. I'll feature one flashback meme and one flashback article a day, so it really will be like a trip through the timeline with the speedforce.

On the blog all day you'll see that day's featured article at the top of the page. It will also be put out there on social media at night around 8pm. I'll also be posting an old original meme every day in the morning (or in the afternoon, it depends on how the day is going) on social media.

I hope all you old readers give these oldies a re-read. And all of you newer readers give them a first read. Think of them as back issues. They're quite fun, geeky, and informative.

Man, looking back at all of this old material makes me realize just how much I love doing this and how much work I've put into it. My current situation makes it very hard for me to give this blog attention that I used to, and it could very well force me to stop all together after April. But I'm going to do my damndest to not let that happen, I tell ya what.

Thursday, February 1, 2018

February Wine Pick: Cesari Mara Valpolicella Ripasso Superiore 2015


Amarone della Valpolicella, more known as just Amarone, is a pretty well-known wine. It’s usually being sought out by the older customers who remember it from years ago at the height of its modern day popularity. Of course once I show them some Amarone their jaw drops at the sight of the price. Amarone is not cheap and for a good reason: It takes a lot of work to produce. The grapes are dried on mats in the sun or, using the more modern method, stacked in open crates being blown with hot air until they’re basically raisins. Then they’re squeezed for the juice, which isn’t a lot as you can imagine. So prepare to spend some dough on an Amarone.

But never fear, Amarone lover! There are other options. Namely a Valpolicella Ripasso Superiore. A quality fine wine is made using the same grape varietals as Amarone (Corvina, Molinara, and Rondinella) in the same region of Veneto, Italy. “Ripasso” means “re-passed”, and this is because it then gets to sit and macerate with the pumice from recently made Amarone. This gives it a darker color, fuller body, more structure, that beautiful raisinated Amarone flavor, and it starts a second fermentation to give it more alcohol. Also, it’s much friendlier on the wallet.

Newer Posts Older Posts Home

Labels

*SPONSORED* ABriefHistoryOf Abruzzo Agiorgitiko Aglianico Airen Albarino Aleatico Alentejo Alexander Valley Alicante Bouschet Alsace Apothic Argentina Armagnac Arroyo Grande Arroyo Seco audio article Australia Austria Baco Barbera Barrossa Valley Batman Beaujolais beer Best Of biodynamic blend blog Bogati Bonarda book Bordeaux bourbon box wine Brachetto brandy Bulgaria Burgundy Cabernet Franc Cabernet Sauvignon Cahors Caino Blanco California Campania Canada Canaiolo. cans Cape Cod Captain America Carignan Cariñena Carmenere Catalonia Cava Central Coast certification Chablis Chalk Hill Champagne Chardonnay cheese Chenin Blanc Chianti Chile China cider Cinsault Clarksburg cocktails Cognac Colombard Columbia Valley comics Cotes-du-Rhone Counoise Croatia CSW Dane Cellars DC dessert wine Distill Wars Dona Blanco Douro Dry Creek Dunnigan Hills Edna Valley Falanghina February Felix Hart Fer Servadou Fiano fiction Finger Lakes Folle Blanche formulas France Franciacorta Frankovka Frappato Furmint Galicia Galilee Gamay Garganega Gascony Germany Gewurtztraminer gin Glera Godello Graciano greco di tufo Greece Grenache Grenache Blanc Grillo Gros Manseng Gruner Veltliner GSM guest blog Heroes history horror how to Hungary interview Israel Italy Japan Jerez Kansas kosher Lambrusco Languedoc-Roussillon Left Coast Leyda Valley Lisboa Livermore Lodi Loire Loureira love letter Macon Madeira Madiran Malbec Malvasia Marcillac marijuana Marlborough Marsanne Marselan Marvel Massachusetts Matchbook Mavrud Mazuelo McLaren Vale mead Melnik Mencia Mendocino Mendoza Meritage Merlot Mexico Michigan mixology Monbazillac Monstant Montecucco Montepulciano Monterey Montery Moscato Mosel Mourvédre Muscadelle Muscat mythology Napa Navarra Nebbiolo Nero d'Avola New York New Zealand news non-alcoholic nonfiction Norello Mascalese North Coast Oakville Oregon organic original meme pairings Palestine Pecorino Pedro Ximenez Perricone Petit Verdot Petite Sirah Petite Verdot photo gallery phylloxera Picpoul Piedmont Pinot Blanc Pinot Gris/Grigio Pinot Meunier Pinot Noir Pinotage Pliny podcast Port Portugal Press Release Primitivo product Prosecco Provence quickie quote rakia recipe retail problems Retsina review Rheingau Rhone Rias Baixas Ribera del Duero Riesling Rioja Rondinella rose Roussanne Rubin Rueda rum Russian River Sagrantino Sake Salta Sandanski Misket Sandeanski Misket Sangiovese Sangria santa clara Santa Lucia Higlands Sauvignon Blanc science scotch Sekt Semillon Seyval Blanc Sherry Sicily Somontano Sonoma South Africa South Australia Spain spark Sparkling Spider-Man spirits stemware storage study sulfites Superman sustainable SWE Syrah Tannat Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Temecula Tempranillo Tequila Texas thc The Flash Tinta Amarela Tinta Caiada Torrontes Touriga Nacional Traminer Trebbiano Trincadeira Turkey Tuscany Ugni Blanc Umbria USA Valdiguié Valiant Valpolicella vegan Veneto Verdejo Verdicchio Vermentino Vermont Vermouth Vernacca Vidal Blanc video Vinho Verde Viognier Virginia Viura vodka Walla Walla Washington State whiskey White zinfandel Wildstorm Willamette wine Wine Bloggers Off-Topic wine club Wine Pick Wolverine Wonder Woman Zinfandel Zweigelt