8 April 2026 2023 Heart & Hands Dry Riesling

2023 Heart & Hands Dry Riesling

April 8, 2026 By Leave a Comment

I’ve had a love affair with Finger Lakes wines for many years and a favorite producer is Heart & Hands Wine Company, located in Union Springs, NY, on the east side of Cayuga Lake. The boutique winery produces stellar estate-grown, Burgundy-style Pinot Noirs and excellent Rieslings.

Here are additional posts I’ve written about Heart & Hands and its fabulous operations.

I just ordered a case of this affordable Finger Lakes dry Riesling for the summer as it’s very food friendly and perfect for patio sipping.

Producer: Heart & Hands Wine Company, Finger Lakes, NY, USA

Color in the glass: Medium yellow

Aromas: Citrus and pear

Taste: Green apple and Meyer lemon, long and dry finish with just a tad of sweetness  

Price: $25.99

Grape(s): Riesling

Region: Finger Lakes, NY, USA

Cheers, Veronique

Filed Under: Riesling, United States, White Wine, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,
1 April 2026 2022 Evolution Big Time Red

2022 Evolution Big Time Red

April 1, 2026 By Leave a Comment

I was excited to see this delicious and affordable red wine at Total Wine & More recently. It’s great to have on hand for summer grilling season and pairs beautifully with many things like grilled pork chops, ribs, skirt steak, pizza and even grilled chicken wings.

It’s by Evolution Wine which is a label of Sokol Blosser from Oregon, which I had the pleasure of visiting on two occasions and highly recommend.

Get yourself a case for summer grill outs, I sure did!

Producer: Sokol Blosser Winery, Dundee Hills, Oregon, USA

Color in the glass: Bright purple-red

Aromas: Cherry, tart raspberry, tad herbal with floral notes

Taste: Medium-to-big bodied, juicy cherry, little stone fruit

Price: $14.99

Grape(s): Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, with a small percentage of Pinot Noir and a touch of Evolution Lucky No. 9 White

Region: Columbia Valley, Washington, USA

Cheers, Veronique

Filed Under: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Red Wine, Syrah / Shiraz, United States Tagged With: , , , , ,
24 January 2024 Emilio Moro Ribera del Duero 2019

Emilio Moro Ribera del Duero 2019

January 24, 2024 By

Hadn’t enjoyed an Emilio Moro wine is some time and need to more often! This is a classic Spanish Tempranillo that I served with roasted pork for a great pairing.

👁️ Inky purple

👃 Blackberry/ripe raspberry

👅 Juicy cherry, little mocha on the finish

💲 $25

🍇 100% Tempranillo

🗺 Ribera del Duero, Spain

Cheers, Veronique

Filed Under: Spain, Tempranillo, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , , ,

Tasting Notes Cave de Lugny Cremant de Bourgogne Blanc de Blancs

December 13, 2023 By

Friends brought this lovely, well-priced, crisp Crémant de Bourgogne to our home for a wine-filled weekend and we really enjoyed it as one of the afternoon sippers with munchies.

For fans of Cava and Prosecco, Crémant de Bourgogne is a great option, at a similar price point. I enjoy the warm biscuit and lemony flavors, typical of Chardonnay, this Crémant showcased. Lovely acidity also. Nice find for under $25.

In the glass: Pale straw yellow

Aromas (nose): Ripe pear and Meyer lemon aromas with baked bread notes.

Flavors (palate): Juicy green apply with citrus and nutty notes.

Texture/finish: Creamy mouthfeel, fine mousse with a medium finish

Pairings: Seafood, fish, grilled chicken

Wine type: Sparkling wine

Grape: Chardonnay

Region: Burgundy, France

Cost: $25

Adding the Cave de Lugny Cremant de Bourgogne Blanc de Blancs to my repertoire.

Cheers, Veronique

Filed Under: Chardonnay, France, Sparkling Wine, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , , ,
4 December 2023 2013 Giacomo Grimaldi Barolo Tasting Notes

2013 Giacomo Grimaldi Barolo Tasting Notes

December 4, 2023 By

Had this lovely Barolo at a dinner party I hosted at my home and boy did it deliver. Paired great with the beef I served, but also held up to the secondary meat, pork belly. Pretty traditional, classic version of Barolo.

In the glass: Dark ruby red

Aromas (nose): Leather, mocha aromas with some earthy notes

Flavors (palate): Chocolate-coated cherries flavor with some dried fruit notes

Texture/finish: Medium body, velvety medium finish

Pairing: Grilled or roasted meats (beef, lamb, duck), charcuterie

Wine type: Red wine

Grape: Nebbiolo

Region: Piedmont, Italy

Cost: $75 – $90

Adding the 2013 Giacomo Grimaldi Barolo to my repertoire.

Cheers, Veronique

Filed Under: Italy, Nebbiolo, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

2022 Stellenrust Heritage Collection Chenin Blanc

November 4, 2023 By

I don’t drink a lot of South Africa wines but I should!

Very crisp and fruit forward. This 2022 Stellenrust Heritage Collection Bush Vine Chenin Blanc was perfect with scallops and risotto.

2022 Stellenrust Heritage Collection Bush Vine Chenin Blanc

Adding the 2022 Stellenrust Heritage Collection Bush Vine Chenin Blanc to my repertoire.


👃Citus and ripe peach
👄 Medium body, bright, great minerality, rich pear and nectarine flavors, bit Meyer lemon tart on the finish
💲17.99
📍Stellenbosch, South Africa

Very food friendly and also lovely as a porch sipper!

Cheers, Veronique

Filed Under: Chenin Blanc, South Africa, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , , ,
3 August 2023 2021 Bodega Martin Codax Albarino

2021 Bodega Martin Codax Albarino

August 3, 2023 By

I’ve been a huge fan of Martin Codax wines for 15+ years. Love Albarino for its food friendliness, big flavors, great minerality and fantastic value.

This 2021 Bodega Martin Codax Albarino was great paired with seafood for on a warm Sunday evening.
👃Citus and ripe melon
👄 Medium body, bright, great minerality, citrus, touch of oak
💲14.99
📍Rias Baixas, Spain

Buy a case of this for the summer, it’s ideal!

Cheers, Veronique

Filed Under: Albarino, Spain, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , , ,
25 July 2023 2021 Il Pino Pinot Grigio Tasting Notes

2021 Il Pino Pinot Grigio Tasting Notes

July 25, 2023 By

I don’t typically go in this direction for white wine, but on a hot summer day, this 2021 Il Pino Pinot Grigio at a $15 price point did the trick.

Classic Pinot Grigio – light, clean, crisp with refreshing citrus notes.

👃Light, faint lemony aromas
👄 Citrusy/grassy palate
👅 Dry, crisp with nice acidity

Nice Summer porch sipper.

Cheers, Veronique

Filed Under: Italy, Pinot Grigio, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , , ,
18 May 2023 2020 Tenuta di Biserno Campo di Sasso Insoglio del Cinghiale

2020 Tenuta di Biserno Campo di Sasso Insoglio del Cinghiale

May 18, 2023 By

We ordered this Tuscan wine at a dinner where our party was divided foodwise and it worked well with all our dishes. This Italian wine was smooth and rounder than I thought it would be, which was great to pair with our various meals.

This Tuscan blend is a great value!

Look/in the glass: Medium purplish red

Nose/aroma: Floral aromas with a note of tobacco/leather

Palate/taste: Juicy cherry and dark berries with a touch of spice

Texture/finish: Medium body, fresh, crisp, great acidity, medium finish

Pairing: Pasta with red sauce, meats, charcuterie, even grilled salmon would work

Wine type: Red wine

Grape: 33% Syrah, 33% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc, 14% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Petit Verdot

Origin: Tuscany, Italy

Price: $37

Cheers, Veronique

Filed Under: Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Italy, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Syrah / Shiraz, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

Easy to Find Thanksgiving Wine Recommendations

November 16, 2022 By

You have just over a week to get to the wine store to find the ‘perfect’ bottle for Thanksgiving. In the USA, more wine is sold around Thanksgiving than any other holiday. Choices can be overwhelming with so many wines at various prices and for bottles that need to please people with very different palates.

One additional challenge I often hear from my wine drinker friends is that wine compilations are often for wines that aren’t easy to find or for wines that are available on limited bases. The following recommendations are for easy-to-find American wines for Thanksgiving at various price points.

Sparkling Wines for Thanksgiving

Sparkling wine should be on hand for any celebration and Thanksgiving is no exception. Bubbly is food-friendly and it’s simply festive! Whether you pour a glass as an aperitif or pop open a bottle to pair with richer foods, don’t leave sparkling wine off your holiday table.

Gruet Winery Blanc de Noirs NV, New Mexico, $16.99

Chandon California Brut Sparkling Wine NV, $17.99

Mumm Napa Brut Rosé NV, $17.99

Decoy by Duckhorn Brut Cuvee Sparkling NV, $19.99

Schramsberg Mirabelle Brut Rose NV, $32.99

Sparkling Pointe Brut Seduction NV, $52.99

2010 Gloria Ferrer Carneros Cuvée, $88.99

Thanksgiving White Wines

Riesling, Viognier, Chardonnay and Gewürztraminer are always top picks for Turkey Day with big flavors and great acidity that are a great match for white or dark meat and for the bold flavors of candied yams and spiced dressing. Here are 10 American white wines for Thanksgiving:

2015 Ravines Wine Cellars Dry Riesling, $19.99

2015 Red Newt Riesling Tango Oaks, $19.99

2016 Lenz Gewurztraminer, $20.99

2019 Stags Leap Viognier, $24.99

2020 Trisaetum Riesling Dry Coast Range, $26.99

2021 Pedernales Cellars Viognier Reserve, $42.99

2016 Grgich Hills Chardonnay, $43.99

2016 K Vintners Viognier Powerline, $49.99

2018 Ramey Chardonnay Rochioli Vineyard, $78.99

2018 Domaine Serene Chardonnay Evenstad Reserve, $64.99

Thanksgiving Red Wines

While Pinot Noir is THE go-to red varietal for Thanksgiving as it pairs well with most foods, the mighty Zinfandel with a touch of smokiness is also a great option especially for dark meat and meat stuffing. Here are 10 American red wines for Thanksgiving:

2019 Evolution Pinot Noir, $19.99

2019 Seghesio Zinfandel Sonoma, $19.99

2019 Turley Zinfandel Juvenile, $29.99

2019 Enroute Les Pommiers Pinot Noir, $32.99

2016 Domaine Drouhin Pinot Noir, 2016, $38.99

2015 Gary Farrell Pinot Noir Russian River, $39.99

2017 Limerick Lane Zinfandel Russian River Valley, $39.99

2018 Penner Ash Pinot Noir Willamette Valley, $44.99

2019 Ridge Zinfandel Geyserville, $45.99

2017 Flowers Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast, $49.99

When you head off to the wine shop, plan on one bottle of wine per adult, with more just in case.

Cheers,

Veronique

Filed Under: United States, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,
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