One Great Buy: 2007 Les Aphillanthes Vin de Pays de Vaucluse
August 30, 2010 – 11:13 pm | One Comment

This is one of the most enjoyable wines I’ve had all summer. And I’d say that even if it weren’t $14.99, a darn good price for a wine with this much personality.

Read the full story »
Spin The Basics

Learn the fundamentals of wine, Spin The Bottle-style.

The Spinsider

Notes, tips, and other information just for class members.

Spin The Blog

My Spin on wine news, reviews, and advice.

Spin the Plate

Because you should never drink on an empty stomach.

Spin TV

Travels, tastings, and all else video-worthy.

Home » Archive by Category

Articles in Headline

One Great Buy: 2007 Les Aphillanthes Vin de Pays de Vaucluse
August 30, 2010 – 11:13 pm | One Comment
One Great Buy: 2007 Les Aphillanthes Vin de Pays de Vaucluse

This is one of the most enjoyable wines I’ve had all summer. And I’d say that even if it weren’t $14.99, a darn good price for a wine with this much personality.

In Defense of the 100-Point Scoring System. Kind Of.
August 19, 2010 – 9:32 pm | 6 Comments

Want to get a serious wine lover’s knickers in a twist? Just ask him what he thinks of the 100-point scoring system. Nothing is quite so controversial — and ubiquitous — as the 100-point scale.

Italian Wine Week: The Final Chapter
August 10, 2010 – 9:04 pm | No Comment
Italian Wine Week: The Final Chapter

Italian Wine Week ended on a strong note. (It also ended a week ago, so I’m taking a very Italian approach to deadlines here. What can I tell you, it’s August.)

Italian Wine Week IV: 2005 Lupi “Le Braje”
August 1, 2010 – 9:36 pm | No Comment
Italian Wine Week IV: 2005 Lupi “Le Braje”

Another day, another region, another variety. This time we’re heading over to Liguria for the 2005 Lupi “Le Braje”, a wine with a split personality if there ever was one.

Italian Wine Week III: 2009 Torre dei Beati Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Cerasuolo
July 29, 2010 – 12:16 pm | No Comment
Italian Wine Week III: 2009 Torre dei Beati Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Cerasuolo

Wherein I raise my glass to a versatile summer wine that’s like Reese Witherspoon in a glass.

Italian Wine Week II: 2008 Gran Sasso Pecorino
July 29, 2010 – 9:57 am | No Comment
Italian Wine Week II: 2008 Gran Sasso Pecorino

For day 2 of Italian Wine Week, I made the switch from red to white and tried a 2008 Pecorino, or, as I like to call it, the Chardonnay gateway drug.

Italian Wine Week I: 2007 Cantine Sant’ Agata “‘Na Vota” Ruchè
July 27, 2010 – 8:22 pm | 2 Comments
Italian Wine Week I: 2007 Cantine Sant’ Agata “‘Na Vota” Ruchè

Italian Wine Week got off to a rousing, if somewhat obscure, start last night with this 2007 Cantine Sant’ Agata “‘Na Vota” Ruchè di Castagnole Monferrato.

STBNY’s First Annual Italian Week
July 26, 2010 – 10:01 am | No Comment
STBNY’s First Annual Italian Week

This week is STBNY’s First Annual Italian WeekTM wherein I will drink nothing but Italian wine. I’ve already selected an eclectic line-up of Italian whites, pinks, and reds, all priced under $20, to enjoy over the next seven days.

The Tastemaker: Filipinas, Papayas, and Training Your Palate
July 22, 2010 – 12:21 am | No Comment
The Tastemaker: Filipinas, Papayas, and Training Your Palate

Drinking wine is easy. Tasting it is hard. That’s why I’m introducing The Tastemaker, an occasional series on STBNY about the challenges, joys and mysteries of wine tasting.

Happy Bastille Day!
July 14, 2010 – 9:46 pm | No Comment
Happy Bastille Day!

As my regular STBNY readers (all 4 of you!) know, I’m a Francophile. To paraphrase Chico Escuela, France has been bery bery good to me.