Author name: Linda Whipple, CSW

Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW). WSET 3 Advanced with merit. Grateful for the grape and all things growing.

Slightly sweet Cava Brut ups your grilling options (#winePW)

Sweet wines have their detractors. Fact is, sweet wines get a downright bad and largely undeserved rep. A wine with a touch of residual sugar or bubbly with a slightly sweet dosage can be perfect for spicy or sweet barbecue sauce. Can’t say the same for Cabernet Sauvignon, right? I’ve said it before and I’ll […]

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In praise of Manchego cheese and Navarra wine for any season (#winePW)

By now, most of us know that many of the old wine and food pairing rules no longer apply. Grilled salmon on the menu? Go ahead, open that Pinot Noir or Cabernet Franc calling you from the wine cellar. If you’re in doubt, smother those salmon filets in pan-fried mushrooms for extra umami (the savory

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Two Verdicchio stars in the Marche wine firmament (#ItalianFWT)

“These are two very different wines,” Carol notes as she pulls down a Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi and a Verdicchio di Matelica from the shelves in her retail store. “Sounds great!” I reply. I’m liking the idea of comparing the same white variety from two different subregions of Marche, Italy, for this month’s Italian

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Sheep in the Vineyard, Wine from Organic Grapes in My Glass (#WorldWineTravel)

They had me at sheep in the vineyard. Yes, the image of grazing sheep is pastoral. Beyond the pretty pictures, though, sheep serve a useful purpose in a vineyard. They cut the grass, aerate the soil and minimize compaction. Their manure adds nitrogen to enrich the soil and help healthy vines to grow and prosper.

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Join us to explore Abruzzo and Le Marche (#ItalianFWT)

Of the many potential Italian destinations, one near the top of my bucket list is wild and wonderful Abruzzo. Located on the Adriatic (east) coast of mountainous central Italy, Abruzzo is just a short drive east of Rome and more affordable than Tuscany. High peaks in the Apennine Mountains, the spine of Italy, gradually slope

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