When several people gather to celebrate, such as at holiday parties, the drinks are often not particularly high-end, which is perfectly appropriate.

In multi-party festivities, people rarely pay attention to the nuances that are in the glass. It doesn’t make sense to serve classics like the 1961 Chateau Petrus at large gatherings. Classic wines call for introspection and sharing with people who appreciate them and who won’t put ice on them!

Large holiday gatherings usually call for simple, flavorful wines. At such events some people may overindulge, which is a pitfall of any large gathering where the libations flow freely. Hosts should be aware of these issues and plan ahead.

Wine is one of the few restrained alcoholic beverages. From a moderation perspective, wine makes more sense than hard spirits, many of which can be made much easier to drink by adding extra flavors (e.g. cola) that can mask the alcohol.

But wine can also be risky.

For example, a chardonnay whose label says it contains 14% alcohol may seem moderate compared to whiskey’s 40% alcohol. But compare this Chardonnay to a German Riesling which contains 7% alcohol. Obviously, the latter can be healthier and possibly even tastier.

Those concerned about total alcohol consumption have several options today that were not available a few years ago. Among the low-alcohol wines available to consumers are also several New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs, such as Giesen, a Marlborough producer, whose de-alcoholized SB ($10 to $12) is flavorful and true to type.

Savvy wine lovers are also familiar with the exciting and refreshing white wine called vinho verde from Portugal. A superb value is from Broadbent, with just 9% alcohol ($11).

Low-alcohol beers can also be great choices. One of the more interesting soft drinks comes from Lagunitas, the Northern California brewer. It is a delicious non-alcoholic beer alternative.

Hoppy Refresher, as the company calls it (locals call it “hop water”) is described on the company’s website as “filled with Citra, Equinox and Centennial hops for a big splash of flavor surprisingly fruity”.

Mimosas are another festive drink that you can easily make at home with inexpensive sparkling wines (cava from Spain or prosecco from Italy) and orange juice. The more juice you use, the lower the quality of the sparkling wine. It is a waste of money to use quality French champagne to make mimosas because adding anything to a good wine almost always dilutes the qualities of the wine we are paying more for.

A popular mixed drink for festive occasions was once known as a “champagne cocktail”, with a lowercase c. He didn’t necessarily use real French champagne. It required a little sugar as well as a pinch of bitters, and today is not as popular as it was a century ago.

I suspect that the champagne cocktail became popular after the end of prohibition (1933), when quality French champagne (after WW1) was expensive. At the time, cheaper champagne was sour on American palates.

As a result, the drink needed a sugar cube to make it palatable.

No wine of the week.

To learn more about Sonoma County resident Dan Berger, and to read articles by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate webpage at www.creators.com.

Photo credit: TerriC on Pixabay

A FUN EVENING THAT HELPS A FESTIVAL AND SCHOLARSHIPS – Undo’s Upper Ohio Valley Italian Festival Christmas Gala will be held November 27 at Undo’s West, 5113 National Road East, St. Clairsville, with appetizers at 4 p.m., table wine, a cookie table, an Italian auction, a seated dinner at 5 p.m. and then a dance party from 6 p.m. Tickets are $40 with reservations available through Tuesday by calling (304) 233-1090. Proceeds help award 12 $1,000 scholarships to area students in Jefferson, Brooke, Hancock, Belmont, Marshall and Ohio counties. and with the annual Upper Ohio Valley Italian Heritage Festival, which marks its 40th year in 2023. Some of the auction items are, from left, Janice Whipkey, festival coordinator; Eric Filberto, member of the board of directors; and Michele Fabbro, Chair of the Board. — Contributed

You don’t have to be Italian to come to the annual Christmas gala hosted by the Undo’s Upper Ohio Valley Italian Festival Committee.

But the Nov. 27 event will definitely have an Italian flair, according to Michele Fabbro de Steubenville, president of the festival’s board of directors.

The Holiday Gala takes place at Undo’s West, located at 5113 National Road East, St. Clairsville, with hors d’oeuvres at 4 p.m.; table wine; a table of Italian biscuits; an Italian auction; a seated dinner of Italian cuisine at 5 p.m.; and music from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. by the famous Ray Massa and the Eurorhythms.

Tickets are $40 and are available through Tuesday by calling (304) 233-1090.

“We would like everyone to come” said Fabbro. “It’s a big party. You obviously don’t have to be Italian to come, but the theme revolves around Italian food and Italian entertainment, but that doesn’t matter. You will have a great time no matter what. she assured.

In addition to having a fun night out and kicking off the Christmas holiday season with a dress-up opportunity, patrons help create scholarships for 12 students across the region and contribute to the success of the annual Undo’s Upper Ohio Valley Italian Festival with overall expenses.

This is a special year in the life of the festival since it will be its 40th anniversary.

“The annual festival is held the last full weekend of July with two purposes: to promote and celebrate Italian culture and to raise funds for scholarships for students residing in six counties, Belmont and Jefferson in Ohio and Hancock, Brooke, Ohio and Marshall counties. in West Virginia, Fabbro explained.

“Each year we award two $1,000 scholarships to students from each county,” she added. “Throughout the year, we sponsor events to help raise funds for these scholarships, and over the years we have awarded nearly $400,000 to local students,” Fabbro continued.

“The festival is a non-profit organization that raises all operating funds and relies on volunteers at the festival and throughout the year”, she added. “We are grateful to our loyal supporters and to all of our volunteers.”

The festival has only been canceled once in its history and that was in 2020 due to COVID-19. The three-day 2023 event is scheduled for July 28-30. It is held at Heritage Port in Wheeling.

This is the third year of the Christmas gala, according to Fabbro, who also said he missed a year due to pandemic precautions in place.

“We expect to have a large group of friends, family and festival supporters, and anyone in the valley who enjoys Italian food, wine, music, entertainment and just having a great night out,” said Fabbro.

“Everyone is welcome to attend the gala – Italian or non-Italian”, said Fabbro. “It’s an Italian meal and Italian music that you can listen to or dance to. It really is a great event.

The gala will include what organizers call a Venetian auction in addition to a separate design for a Christmas tree with around $500 worth of gift cards on it.

“And Ray Massa is truly nationally acclaimed,” Fabbro said entertainment. “He’s been voted the best Italian artist in the country for a few years I think, and he’s from Bellaire, Ohio, if you can believe that. He’s from Bellaire and went to college and needed to earn some dollars on the side and started this little band, and then that’s what it became. she says.

“It’s kind of a good thing, because he’s a busy guy, you know, it’s hard to have him over Christmas, but he always helps us,” she says.

The gala is just one of the festival’s fundraisers.

“It’s pretty big, but we too this year are going to have what we’ve never had before – a golf tournament, and it’s going to be July 9 in Oglebay, and they can sign up for that,” she says. “We have a wine tasting, and it’s usually on the second Friday in June, and it’s at Casa di Vino – House of Wine – in the market area of ​​Wheeling,” she added. It is located at 2269 Market St., Wheeling

Fabbro pointed out that some people mistakenly think that the Italian summer festival is “A Wheeling Festival.” “But every year we give out scholarships, so last year in 2022 the two Jefferson County scholarships, one went to a student from Catholic Central High School and the other went to a student from Steubenville High School so that each of the counties benefits from this holiday,” said Fabbro.

The gala is “a disguised event” and a chance to kick off the holiday season in style. “We don’t do it enough, I don’t think,” she commented.

The annual festival attracts up to 50,000 people over its three days, according to Fabbro. “If we have good weather, we had 50,000 people at the festival.”

Planning is already underway for the summer event and that includes accepting nominations for the Italian-American of the Year award.

“Our final vote will be in January on who it will be,” Fabbro said, noting, “We’ve had three people nominated so far, and we’re taking nominations from the public. If the public knows someone who they believe has had a real impact on the community, usually a very charitable and well-known person, they can send a letter of appointment to the board office at 1200 Market St., Suite 3, Wheeling WV 26003.”

Fabbro said that one year the Italian-American of the Year award went to a community nominee, not a festival board member.

Nomination letters should be sent before the first of the year to arrive in time for the festival board to consider at its January 12 meeting.

Anthony Filberto is president of the festival. Members of the board of directors, in addition to Fabbro as president, are Marilyn Messino Wehrheim, vice president; Angie Clutter, secretary; and John Balzano, Treasurer. Council members are: Mario DiBias, Gay Lucci and Vince Gianangeli, Belmont County; Anthony Filberto and Eric Filberto, Brooke County; Louis Contumelio, County of Hancock; John Balzano and Michele Fabbro, Jefferson County; Marilyn Messino Wehrheim, Marshall County; Chrissy Clutter, Toni DiCarlo and Robert Triveri, Ohio County; Tiberio Ciancone, Frankie DiCarlantonio and Kathryn DiCarlantonio, partners; Ali Bonoo, Angie Clutter, Alicia DiCesare, Adri DiLorenzo, Erik Schramm, Rose Mary Baller and Rosie Sprows, at large; Janice Whipkey, coordinator; and Benny Battistelli, Anthony Zambito, Vincent Colaianni and Anthony Iannarelli Sr., Founders.

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NEW YORK – November 16, 2022 – Sixth North Group youoday announced that it has acquired a significant stake in WineFarm, a growing digital platform for great Italian wines. With this investment, WineFarm will be renamed Viniamothe leading digital platform for great Italian wines from family wineries.

Viniamo will be operated by wine and spirits industry veterans and Wine Farm co-founders Brendan Papariello and Carmine Berardi. Papariello, who previously worked at Breakthru Beverage Group, will serve as CEO.

Viniamo has been granted exclusive rights to sell a variety of Italian family winery labels in America. All labels are family owned and sourced from lesser known regions of Italy that capture the essence and authenticity of true Italian culture.

“So many regions of Italy have become well known around the world, but there are so many unknown regions that are rich in authentic, quality wines from family winemakers who do not have the resources or the means to distribute in outside of Italy,” Matt Rizzetta said. “It is the winemakers who capture the essence of authentic Italy, and we are honored to bring them into the homes and tables of American consumers through our venture with Viniamo.”

Viniamo is operational in five states, delivering customers in California, Florida, New York, Pennsylvania and Washington, DC, with more states expected to follow in the coming months.

“The wines in our catalog have been hand-picked to represent the best Italy has to offer when it comes to family-run vineyards from areas of Italy that are less recognized than traditional ones,” said Brendan Papariello, Co-Founder and CEO of Viniamo. “We created Viniamo to give these hard-working families the reach they deserve, and we look forward to introducing their wines to American consumers alongside our partners at North Sixth Group.”

For more information, visit www.viniamo.co.

ABOUT VINIAMO

Viniamo is the leading digital platform for fine, authentic Italian wines from family owned vineyards across Italy’s many unknown regions. Viniamo is currently available to consumers in California, Florida, New York, Pennsylvania, and Washington, DC, offering fast and easy shipping to customers in those states. Viniamo will soon be available in other states. For more information, visit www.viniamo.co.

ABOUT NORTH SIXTH GROUP

North Sixth Group is a family office that takes a hands-on approach to its investments. The company holds wholly and minority ownership interests in a variety of media, marketing, technology, and sports and entertainment investments. Additionally, North Sixth Group dedicates financial, networking and human capital resources to community initiatives driven by passion, purpose and progress.

For more information, visit www.northsixthgroup.com

Allen Shoup, whose leadership, marketing experience and eye for wine talent transformed what is now Ste. Michelle Wine Estates into a national powerhouse while helping Washington’s wine industry on the world stage, has died Monday of natural causes at his home in Seattle. He was 79 years old.

His death was announced by Long Shadows Vintners, the company he started in the Walla Walla Valley with a constellation of international viticultural stars drawn to the vision and success that seemed inherent in Shoup.

“He was to Washington wines what his friend and mentor, Robert Mondavi, was to Napa Valley,” Napa Valley winemaker Agustin Huneeus Sr. said in a statement by Long Shadows.

Among Shoup’s legacies is the Washington Wine Auction, which since its inception in 1988 has raised more than $59 million for Seattle Children’s Hospital and wine research at the University. of Washington State. Shoup was also the driving force behind the petition to create the Columbia Valley American Viticultural Area in 1984, the Washington State Wine Commission, and the Washington Wine Institute, a lobbying organization.

“Allen challenged the parochial naivety of our industry when he arrived in 1980,” said Bob Betz, a wine master and renowned winemaker whose career as a Ste. Michelle, known as Stimson Lane Vineyards & Estates until 2004, overlapped that of Shoup. “We were so focused on Washington from a production and marketing perspective that we didn’t really consider what was happening in the rest of the wine world to the extent that we needed to.”

Shoup grew up in suburban Detroit and earned a business degree from the University of Michigan. He added a master’s degree in psychology from Eastern Michigan University while working for Chrysler, then was drafted into the military. His two years of service, which ended in 1969, were spent mostly working at the Pentagon.

His marketing acumen led him to product development at Amway and then to Californian cosmetics company Max Factor. E. & J. Gallo Winery quickly discovered Shoup’s skills and hired him in 1975. After three years with Gallo, he nearly took a job at Stimson Lane. Instead, he spent a short time as communications director for Boise Cascade in Idaho.

In 1980, there were fewer than 20 wineries in Washington, and much of Stimson Lane’s inventory included fruit wines other than the classic vinifera grapes that had turned California into a rising power. Three years after his arrival, Shoup was named president and CEO of what has become the eighth largest wine company in the United States.

Investments by US Tobacco, which owned Stimson Lane, included vineyards, state-of-the-art wineries, enhanced consumer experiences, and research shared with the rest of Washington’s wine industry.

“I had a vision of what might happen, but the fact is that the credit is not mine, it is the parent company that gave me the resources to do what I did,” said Shoup at HistoryLink.org. a recent interview.

This includes the construction of massive production facilities in eastern Washington, namely Columbia Crest Winery, which have been overseen by a seemingly endless string of winemaking talents. In 1994, Stimson Lane created its Merlot-focused Northstar brand and later built a winery for it in Walla Walla.

Along the way, Shoup admired the success of Opus One in Napa Valley – Mondavi’s innovative collaboration with the famous French Rothschild family. This concept led to Stimson Lane’s creation of Col Solare, a brand launched in 1995 with the Italian Antinori family. The Eroica riesling partnership with German icon Ernst Loosen followed in 1999.

The following year, after two decades of corporate leadership and shareholder reporting, Shoup was ready for a new challenge. In 2002, he launched Long Shadows. In 2007, Food & Wine magazine named Long Shadows its winery of the year.

He is survived by his wife Kathleen, his son Ryan Shoup, his stepson Dane Narbaitz and three grandchildren. Both sons hold senior positions at Long Shadows, which will open a new tasting room in Woodinville in early 2023.

Wine lovers have enough to weigh the influence of soil and weather on the quality of their wines. Now comes clones – cuttings taken from an existing vine that are then grafted onto an existing rootstock. It was popularized following the devastation of vineyards caused by phylloxera in the middle of the 19th century. European winemakers grafted American vines onto their diseased vines and saved the industry. However, since then winemakers have gone a step further by introducing clones to create a certain flavor profile.

Each grape variety has clones, but none as much as pinot noir. For years, globetrotting winemakers have been secretly bringing cuttings from historic Burgundy vineyards and propagating them on their own rootstock. It was illegal – and risky – because these cuttings could carry disease. Today, the clones are created and carefully checked by the University of California at Davis before being introduced into the vineyards. Nevertheless, several of the so-called “suitcase clones” continue to exist.

The Swan clone, for example, was a combination of Burgundy and California cuttings from Joseph Swan’s vineyard in Sonoma County. The rest of his trail is pretty muddy. Dijon is another popular pinot noir clone, but there really are several clones of Dijon – 113, 114, 115 give red fruit character while 667, 777 and 828 bring darker fruit to the wine.

Wine lovers rarely get a chance to taste clonal variations because most winemakers like to blend them together to create a pinot noir with a wide range of fruit flavors. However, Bouchaine Vineyards in Napa sells three single-clone Pinot Noirs in addition to a blend. These blocks of monoclones are grown in relatively the same soil and using the same methods so that the differences are focused on the clones.

We had the opportunity to taste these wines with winemaker and general manager Chris Kajani. It was fascinating.

Kajani, who previously made wine at Pahlmeyer and Saintsbury, came to Bouchaine in 2015. She produces small quantities of single-clone Pinot Noir – Swan, Pommard and Dijon – as well as Chardonnay and other wines.

Bouchaine was founded in 1981 by Tatiana and Gerret Copeland. It is in the cooler part of the Carneros region of Napa Valley and benefits from the fog and winds of San Pablo Bay.

The 2019 Swan Clone Pinot Noir, planted in the 1990s, was light in color, which can be misleading as you don’t expect much depth from such a light red wine. However, this one was very fragrant and had flavors of cherry and spice. Its elegance contrasted with the 2019 Pommard Clone Pinot Noir, which darkened the palate with a load of smooth blueberry and plum flavors plus a hint of mocha – all traits Kajani attributes to the clone. The Pommard had less acidity than the Swan but more tannin.

She called the Pommard a “showstopper”. She’s right.

We liked the 2019 Dijon Clone Pinot Noir, the darkest of the three. It showed lovely elegance and structure, along with notes of black cherry, spice and tea rose. It comes from the 667 Dijon clone and has fine tannins and a long finish.

These wines sell for $65 each and are best found on the Bouchaine website.

The 2019 Bouchaine Vineyards Estate Pinot Noir ($40) combines several clones and is excellent value.

It can be argued persuasively that the whole is better than the sum of the parts and that single-clone Pinot Noirs are boring because they taste the same no matter where they are grown. A pinot noir in the hands of a winemaker with many clonal choices has more scope for uniqueness and complexity. We will buy this, but the Bouchaine wines we tasted were different from each other and it made for an enjoyable event.

These wines would make a great holiday gift for the wine lover in your life.

Jordan Winery is one of the mainstays of the modern era of winemaking in the Napa and Sonoma Valleys. Founded in 1972 by Tom and Sally Jordan and releasing their first Cabernet Sauvignon in 1976, the Jordans have been dedicated to creating wines that reflect a distinctive French style. Their wines possess a balance and restraint that sometimes clashes with the current fashion of certain Californian producers where bold fruity expressions and high alcohol degrees flirt with those of heady Port wine. Most vintages from Jordan yield wines of around 13%. Unlike the current fashion for buttered Chardonnays, Jordan limits malolactic fermentation.

We recently tasted two current vintages of Jordan wines and were impressed with their drinkability and adherence to their house style.

The Jordan Chardonnay Sonoma County Russian River Valley 2020 ($40) is definitely European in style with apple and pear notes, firm acidity and no overt oak.

Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma County Alexander Valley 2018 ($60) also reflects the understated, balanced house style with notes of cherry, cassis and plum with a hint of tobacco. Very easy to drink on its own or with a wide variety of cuisines. Wine picks

Reddy Vineyards “The Circle” 2017 Texas High Plains Exclusive Field Blend ($35). Texas is certainly not a heavyweight in wine production in the United States. Not making the top 10 in production, it even ranks behind states like Vermont and Kentucky. Although it has a low production, a recent tasting led us to believe that there was great potential in the quality of their wine. The Texas High Plains AVA holds the greatest potential yet for Texas wine producers, where more than 70% of total tonnage comes from. A blend of eight different French and Italian red grapes creates a formidable complex blend. Ripe cherries and strawberries dominate the wine with some acidity adding interest and liveliness. This wine can be hard to find but worth the effort.

Gary Farrell Pinot Noir Selection Russian River 2020 ($45). From the Russian River Valley, this round, delicious Pinot Noir exudes flavors of black raspberry compote, aromas of violets and herbs, and tantalizing notes of tea and star anise.

Frank Family Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 ($60). A bit of Petit Verdot and Merlot go into this ripe, juicy wine with flavors of plums and blackberries and a hint of cloves. Good length and depth.

Tom Marquardt and Patrick Darr have been writing a weekly wine column since 1985. See their blog at moreaboutwine.com. They can be reached at [email protected].

Christmas in Europe is beautiful, and in charming Italy it is sparkling! The Catholic country brings together all the beautiful ingredients for a wonderful experience. Everyone feels the festive spirit in Italy, and guests will enter it by strolling through the bustling squares, marveling at the neighborhood’s beautiful cathedrals, listening to cheerful music, admiring the city streets beautifully decorated and sitting in a trattoria that offers the most delicious local dishes. . Whether it’s a chic Christmas in Milan, traditional in Govone or Brixen, or Mediterranean in Trieste, people will find the most extraordinary Christmas markets in Italy. Home to mouth-watering pastries, homemade pastas and the finest wines, and famous for its fashion designers and artisans, customers won’t have to worry about finding the best gifts during their Christmas vacation in Italy. Here are the 10 most beautiful Christmas markets to visit.

Related: Get into the holiday spirit with these European Christmas markets

10/10 Milano

Travelers from all over the world visit the outdoor event in Milan, hosting more than 60 market huts spread around the magnificent Duomo, offering traditional Christmas goods. The Festive Market offers a wide variety of food products and combines culture, tradition and discovery. Visitors can take part in exciting workshops, charitable initiatives and entertainment for children and meet many artisans who will display their artistic products. They can also end their trip in some of the fanciest hotels in Milan.

9/10 Trieste

At the Christmas market in Trieste, people will find beautiful gift ideas, handicrafts and typical Central European gastronomic specialties. The market begins in Piazza S. Antonio with the feast of the Immaculate Conception, a holy feast attended by many Christians, especially of the Catholic faith. The Market hosts a living nativity scene with real animals to entertain children.

8/10 Verona

Known as one of Italy’s top tourist destinations, charming Verona is unique at Christmas. During this joyful season, Piazza dei Signori is immersed in a world of all things cheerful and joyful. The location boasts beautiful buildings and architecture, and the streets are decorated with twinkling lights, shades of red and green, and enchanting aromas of food. The market offers food and delicacies, chocolates, the pandoro star-shaped Venetian Christmas cake, warm slippers, mulled wine, cheeses and soap.

7/10 Govone

One of the most important Christmas events in Italy takes place in Govone. Travelers go to its amazing Christmas Village to observe Santa’s magic kingdom and feel the awesome Christmas vibes in this charming village. In winter, the whole town of Govone turns into a unique cultural and gastronomic place. It offers a dreamlike musical performance by Santa Claus in the royal Savoyard castle of Govone. The excellent Christmas market welcomes artisans from all over Italy and houses a street food area and a wine shop, where visitors can find all the local specialties.

6/10 Bolzano

Considered Italy’s Christmas capital, Bolzano is home to the “Christkindlmarkt”, Italy’s most anticipated pre-Christmas event. The city is filled with beautiful colors, traditional carols, Christmas sounds and great lights illuminating its beautiful streets and historic center. Piazza Walther and the old town are home to the Christmas market, with decorations and objects in glass, wood and ceramics, as well as gift ideas inspired by traditional crafts. Visitors also taste delicious Christmas cakes, such as “Zelten” from Bolzano.

5/10 Merano

Tyrolean holiday traditions are magical in the beautiful spa town of Merano. The Christmas market has various stalls displaying Christmas decorations, traditional fabrics, wooden statues and music boxes. Visitors will enjoy a walk along the Passirio River bordering the 80 beautiful stalls and savor local Tyrolean food products, including apple strudel, South Tyrolean Tagliatelle di Schüttelbrot, Leberknödel meatballs, all accompanied mulled wine and cakes while listening to the music of the bands.

4/10 Venice

The city of Venice becomes a small Christmas village with breathtaking scenery and countless lights illuminating the streets and canals. The Piazza di San Marco offers pretty wooden stalls, beautiful Christmas trees, decorated streets, small concerts and entertainment for children. Travelers will taste special treats and delights, including creamy almond nougat, Verona fruit-filled panettone, and delicacies made with white truffles from Alba.

Related: Christmas holidays: the most amazing things to see in Rome

3/10 Brixen/Bressanone

A unique Christmas atmosphere reigns over the cathedral square of Bressanone/Brixen and is adorned with hundreds of small lights. The Christmas market offers various original gift ideas from the region’s traditional Alpine crafts, as well as mulled wine and local specialities, all brought together in a cheerful evening atmosphere. People will also listen to the light music of “Soliman’s Dream”, animated in the magnificent courtyard of the Bishop’s Palace/Hofburg.

2/10 Torino

Located in Cortile del Maglio, the Borgo Dora market in Turin is one of the best traditional Italian Christmas markets. It is home to Christmas decorations, twinkling lights, stalls selling food, wine, ornaments, fabrics from around the world and Turin’s famous chocolates. There is also a unique themed market selling vintage clothing, art and vinyl. People try festive delicacies like agnolotti and toma cheese risotto.

1/10 Florence

Florence’s bustling market is an old tradition that started in Germany and has since spread to neighboring regions of Italy. Outdoor German-style wooden stalls are stocked with local and international produce. This market offers beautiful antiques, jewelry and delicious treats. People enjoy international delicacies such as Dutch pancakes and Austrian pastries, as well as kürtőskalács covered in delicious toppings such as cinnamon and chocolate with mulled wine to warm them up.

PARMA, Ohio — “The Godfather” was released in 1972, an iconic film that spawned an excellent sequel and captivated fans for generations with its story of the Corleone family’s power struggles.

The film turns 50, and what better place to celebrate than Corleone’s Ristorante and Bar.

The Parma Restaurant is hosting the Godfather’s Birthday Wine Dinner at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, November 15. The film will be screened on the patio and at the bar.

Menu

Reception wine: Francis Ford Coppola, Diamond Collection Prosecco Rosé.

First: Ceretto, Langhe Aneis Blange. Food pairing: Sicilian calamari salad with tomatoes, onions, pine nuts and capers in a red wine vinaigrette with grilled ciabatta.

Second: Tenuta Regaleali, Sicilia Nero d’Avola Lamuri. Food pairing: Spezzatino lamb chops – braised lamb with fresh herbs and roasted potatoes with lemon herbs.

Third: San Polo, Tuscany Rubio. Food pairing: Pappardelle Bolognese – Creamy Italian sausage Bolognese with pasta.

Fourth: Ceretto, Barbaresco (Wine Spectator, 92 points). Food pairings: Veal osso buco – braised veal shank, creamy saffron risotto, gremolata.

Dessert: Mini chocolate chip cannolis.

The cost is $75.

Corleone’s is at 5669 Broadview Road, Parma.

Do you like wine? Options vary for purchasing wine. Online retailers provide the ability to choose what you want, manage cases, and find discounts. Here is a selection to consider:

brightcellars.com: The monthly club offers you wines after taking a “palate quiz”.

Cellierwineclub.com: Allows you to choose the number of bottles you want.

exoticwine.club.com: offers subscription wine boxes from wineries located in less accessible markets.

spirithub.com: Bottles and freebies galore here – wines, spirits, sparkling, decanters, and more.

splashwines.com: choose a curated case or create your own.

winc.com: Four wines tailored to your tastes are shipped monthly. Has a review component.

wine.com: Large online sellers often offer discounts to new customers.

wineawesomeness.com: Organized shipments of three and six bottles.

wineenthusiast.com: Complete site for accessories – shelves, glasses, openers, storage, gifts.

wineonsale.com: Allows you to select by grape variety or by region.

zachys.com: Includes a variety of ways to search/buy, as well as auction information.

I am on cleveland.comfrom the Life and Culture team and covers topics related to food, beer, wine and sport. If you want to see my stories, here is a directory on cleveland.com. Bill Wills of WTAM-1100 and I usually talk food and drink at 8:20 a.m. Thursday morning. Twitter: @mbona30.

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Aldi’s festive offerings include luxury food, wine, hampers and Advent calendars, many of which are already available in stores and online.

Aldi is known for its wide variety of affordable products, including groceries, Christmas gifts and the growing Specialbuys aisle and online section.

With just over four weeks until the start of December, many are looking to upgrade the traditional chocolate Advent calendar and invest in a more exciting option.

Aldi has released a number of calendars over the next month, and the wine advent calendar is always a favorite with shoppers.

The calendar is £59.99 and includes 24 wines, one for each day leading up to Christmas.

Buy: Wine Advent Calendar (£59.99)

The design of the calendar is festive, with a Christmas scene that will help add a touch of Christmas decor from December 1st.

With an exciting surprise to reveal each day, the doors are numbered 1-24 and can be simply pushed open to reveal mini bottles of red, white and rosé wines.

Some of the wines included are:

JP. Chanet Original Dry Rose

Brut d’Argent Chardonnay

Calvert Reserve Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon

JP. Chanet Original Cabernet Syrah

Calvert Limited Release Merlot

Calvert Syrah

JP. Chanet Original Grenache Cinsault

Just Sauvignon Blanc

Just Pinot Grigio

Although the Advent calendar is a personal gift, it would also make a lovely gift for a friend and is a good way to discover a variety of Aldi wines and find new favourites.

The wines included are a blend including Sauvignon Blancs, Merlots and Pinot Grigios and many more.

The wines are an online exclusive, and they are often very popular and can sell out quite quickly.

The Wine Advent Calendar is ideal for wine lovers, and shoppers should also keep an eye out for other upcoming calendars on Aldi’s website, including a Beer Advent Calendar and a gin advent calendar.

Last fall, local composer Emma Kent Wine put pen to paper to begin her next creation, but before there was music there was an enchanting children’s story.

She imagined an adventure through time, writing about a curious young girl named Maria who returns to the Baroque era to meet Venetian virtuoso Antonio Vivaldi with the help of a musical magician.

“Maria’s Magical Music Adventure,” commissioned by Ars Lyrica Houston, is now available for purchase in English and Spanish, and on the afternoon of November 2, the early music ensemble will celebrate its official launch by hosting a fundraising lunch at Tony’s, an iconic Italian restaurant in Upper Kirby. While guests enjoy a gourmet meal, Wine will deliver a reading from the delightful tale, which will be accompanied by a live string quartet and followed by a book signing.

Supported by Connie Kwan-Wong and CKW Luxe Magazine, the event will benefit from Ars Lyrica’s educational outreach initiatives, namely a series of collaborations involving bilingual presentations of the children’s book, featuring translator Verónica Romero, with the Children’s Museum Houston, the Rothko Chapel, the Express Children’s Theater, Discovery Green, Miller Outdoor Theater, Harris County Public Libraries and more.

“I wanted to inspire children and adults to think about how history is made and experienced both in the present moment and hundreds of years later,” said Wine, who as lead of operations and outreach at Ars Lyrica, is eager to share her enthusiasm for the classic. music and hopefully sparking people’s imaginations in the process.

Although she never considered herself an author, Wine relished the opportunity to step back in time and reflect on what might have captivated her young self. First compiling her thoughts into an essay of several hundred words, she narrowed the narrative down to make it digestible for children before turning to music. For the accompaniment, she composes some original musical interjections and arranges excerpts, notably the recognizable theme of spring, from Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons”.

“The book has a bit of everything,” she said. “There is adventure. He has music. It encourages reflection on emotions, history and social studies. It’s also very Houston-centric.

Guided by a magician named Matthew – after artistic director Matthew Dirst, who founded Ars Lyrica in 1998 – Maria travels to 18th-century Venice, where shimmering waterways reflect the starry sky. Houston is her home, however, and references to the city of Bayou are sprinkled throughout the text as well as in the dazzling drawings by Ekaterina Ilchenko, an illustrator based in Europe. Whimsical scenes featuring Texas wildflowers are intercut with those of an Italian court, where revelers are dressed in clothing inspired by authentic Baroque fashion.

Not only does this concept of time travel align with Ars Lyrica’s mission to create experiences around Baroque-era music played on period instruments, but the children’s book also reinforced the organization’s impact in making early music fun and accessible to audiences of all ages. . The project – whose idea came at the suggestion of board member Kwan-Wong, a local magazine publisher and philanthropist – quickly grew into a multi-disciplinary endeavor that continues to expand community programming and whole collaborative partnerships.

In addition to being featured in an episode of Ars Lyrica’s “Musical Storytime” virtual series, “Maria’s Magical Music Adventure” can be experienced live, accompanied by a string quartet or a solo musician, through family reading events across the city, one taking place during the Menil Collection Neighborhood Community Day in April. This spring, the tale will also come to life on stage in a world premiere play, directed by Tim Fried-Fiori and co-produced with the Express Children’s Theatre.

“This project ticks a lot of boxes for us. It’s a great, empowering story for children, and it’s a continuation of our efforts that we started even before the pandemic,” said Ars Lyrica Executive Director Kinga Ferguson, speaking of the group’s commitment. improve social-emotional learning.

“Houston is a cosmopolitan city, and we need to represent, promote, and deliver programs that focus on different cultures, languages, and ethnicities,” she continued. “We sponsor this project to improve the lives of Houstonians, and that’s what we’re all working toward.”

Lawrence Elizabeth Knox is a Houston-based writer.

Where Pierre Sourzat goes, truffles follow. “Everywhere in the world where people talk about truffles, I’ve been,” says the 70-year-old Frenchman, founder of La Station Trufficole de Cahors-Le Montat more than 30 years ago and consultant on the development of orchards. truffles all over the world. Paso Robles, California to Perth, Australia. “I’ve been to China, I’ve been to Japan. I’ve been to South Africa, Morocco, Finland, everywhere, even the UK.

Today, black truffles — the most commercially viable version of this fungal treat, historically native to France, Spain, and Italy — can be found on every continent except Antarctica. “Where there is wine, you can produce truffles,” says Sourzat, who lives in southwestern France, very close to where he grew up. “It’s almost the same ecology, almost the same requirements.” The keys are a Mediterranean climate, high pH soils and strategic irrigation, as well as the presence of young trees whose roots have been properly inoculated with Tuber melanosporum spores. It sounds easier than it is.

Climate change allows the spread. “You can produce further north in the northern hemisphere and further south in the southern hemisphere,” he explains.

While truffle hunting runs in his ancestral blood – his paternal grandfather, who bore the same name, was a famous truffle specialist – Sourzat was not born a fan. He remembers looking for truffles with his maternal grandmother when he was four years old, and then being served their generosity. “The first time I tasted truffles, I wasn’t very interested because the truffle was black and I suspected something was wrong,” he recalls. He quickly converted, incorporating the search for truffles into his love of finding (and eating) mushrooms, such as morels and chanterelles in spring and summer, followed by porcini mushrooms in the fall. (He also collected snails to sell for change as a child.) His two adult daughters are also fans, inheriting his love and enjoying truffles in omelettes or on tagliatelle.

It is increasingly possible to find local truffles all over the world, thanks to people like Sourzat. Take Australia, where the country’s $40 million truffle industry rivals Old World production. The United States is another hotbed: you’ll find truffles grown on both coasts, ranging from North Carolina to Virginia and from Washington to Oregon, where there’s also a booming market for truffle picking. native. Oregon’s first farmed truffle was discovered in the Willamette Valley in 2013; Meanwhile, growers in the Walla Walla Valley are hoping to tap into a new market by harvesting truffles earlier than anywhere else.

In California, there are now reliable harvests in Sonoma and El Dorado counties, and truffles were just discovered in Paso Robles earlier this year for the first time. There’s an ongoing attempt to resurrect America’s first black truffle farm in Mendocino County, where the fungus was unearthed in 1987, and the state’s largest truffle farm was recently planted in Mendocino County. Lake. Napa is next, where French winemaker Jean-Charles Boisset has teamed up with the American Truffle Company.

Although not all of his compatriots are thrilled that their famous mushroom is now grown elsewhere, Sourzat is nonetheless proud of his work. “I was interested in sharing my experience with Australian scientists and American scientists because science can progress if you have a lot of exchange,” he says, adding, “but some people don’t understand that.”

This article originally appeared in the November 2022 issue of Passionate about wine magazine. Click here to subscribe today!

Posted on October 24, 2022