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Latest Features

Hidden Italian Getaway Near Venice: Discovering Asolo’s charm, wine and history

2 min read

Looking to spend a few days in the Prosecco region last fall, I discovered a tiny, hilltop town where tourists stroll past medieval landmarks, and winelovers sip local proseccos or Bordeaux-style red wines, in cafés overlooking scenic valleys or set...

A History of Wine near Venice in Six Families

Becky Sue Epstein

Destination Features

9 min read

Today, we know Venice as the ultimate picturesque tourist destination in Italy. Charming canals, cobbled lanes, café-lined piazzas, tiny boutiques, and delightful trattorias. But for many centuries the Republic of Venice was a powerful, independent city-state, conquering and ruling hundreds...

Norah Jones Launches Wine from France’s Maison Wessman – and takes piece of ownership

Barrielle Barbara

Features

3 min read

Norah Jones Joins French Winery Maison Wessman As Co-Owner, Launching Her First Wine Brand This Life Wines Debuts with a Rosé and Sparkling Wine from Southwest France Maison Wessman co-owners Norah Jones (left), Robert Wessman (center), and Ksenia Wessman (right)...

Discover Cyprus for an Immersion into a Cultural Bounty

Barrielle Barbara

Features

2 min read

Cyprus has always been considered the birthplace of Aphrodite, the ancient Greek Goddess of Love and Beauty. In the 8th century B.C. (B.C.E.), Homer mentions Aphrodite as ‘Kypris’ and ‘Golden Aphrodite’ and there are many myths connecting her to the island,...

Wines and Spirits for the Holidays 2025

Barrielle Barbara

Features

2 min read

Doesn’t everyone love an adult beverage under the tree or as one (or more) of the eight gifts of Hanukkah?? With its storied past and continuing commitment to quality, Napa Valley staple, Chateau Montelena, still producing their stalwart Chardonnay and...

The Story of Prosecco in Four Bottles: Bellenda Prosecco

Becky Sue Epstein

Features

4 min read

For most people, prosecco suddenly began appearing everywhere about ten or fifteen years ago—and immediately became everyone’s favorite, everyday bubbly. However, wines called prosecco have been produced for more than a century in this region near Venice, Italy. The Cosmo...

Ten Reasons to Drink Port Wine

Becky Sue Epstein

Features

1 min read

Port can be dry or sweet, red or white—even rosé. All styles pair well with toasted walnuts, dried fruits, blue cheeses. Before a meal, sip dry ports: white or rosé. Tawny ports are great for teatime, or the cocktail hour....

Wines Made by the Wind

Becky Sue Epstein

Feature Stories

2 min read

The Tenuta di Castellaro winery, on the tiny Sicilian island of Lipari It’s been a while since I was so surprised by the wines from any particular winery. Tenuta di Castellaro’s red wine is mild and the whites are hearty—the...

One French Drink from Summer thru Fall: Pineau des Charentes

Becky Sue Epstein

Features

3 min read

Before dinner: a bold drink with rounded fruit flavors, not too sweet—isn’t that what we’re all looking for? To fill that position, I offer you a French aperitif you may not have heard of: Pineau des Charentes. It comes from...

2022 Merriam Blanc de Noirs, 25th anniversary sparkling wine: sustainably made

Becky Sue Epstein

Features

1 min read

2022 Merriam Blanc de Noirs, 25th anniversary sparkling wine, Russian River Valley From the outset, Peter and Diana Merriam, founders of Merriam Vineyards, have worked to create a sustainable environment for people, as well as for their land and...

A Sea (or SEE) Adventure off Santa Barbara

Don Sonderling

Features

3 min read

Experience a day like no other. The Channel Islands, located off the California Coast, approximately 20 miles from Ventura or Santa Barbara Harbor (and about a one-hour ferry ride), is a place to explore for hiking, camping, boating, and especially,...

Love Letter to a Volcano-with White Wine

Becky Sue Epstein

Feature Stories

4 min read

I haven’t been this carried away by any white wine since the first night I started my wine journey, decades ago, with a different white wine. What’s my new crush? Carricante, the complex white wine from the slopes of Mount Etna...

Flying Saucer Wine: 2019 Bonny Doon “Le Cigare Volant” Red Wine of the Earth

Becky Sue Epstein

Wine

1 min read

Maybe I’m suggestible, but when I opened the bottle, I did notice the aromas of bramble, blackberry and good clean...

Hidden Italian Getaway Near Venice: Discovering Asolo’s charm, wine and history

Becky Sue Epstein

Destination Features

2 min read

Looking to spend a few days in the Prosecco region last fall, I discovered a tiny, hilltop town where tourists...

A History of Wine near Venice in Six Families

Becky Sue Epstein

Destination Features

9 min read

Today, we know Venice as the ultimate picturesque tourist destination in Italy. Charming canals, cobbled lanes, café-lined piazzas, tiny boutiques,...