bostonzest

Tag: wine lists

  • Here’s to April with a Glass of Dibon Cava Brut Reserve, a Can’t Miss Favorite!

    When we set out to make 2018 a year of celebrating some of the best, most memorable sparkling wines we’ve tasted during the years of keeping Our Sparking Resolution, Dibon Cava Brut Reserve immediately came to mind.

    IMG_8681

    Not only is this a perfect, everyday bubbly that’s very reasonably priced, but it’s also extremely versatile and an exceptionally handy sparkler to have on hand at all times. We’ve seen Dibon used as a mixer at some top restaurant bars. And, when one prestigious eatery first came to Boston a few years ago, it charged more for a glass of Debon than for the entire bottle! (Perhaps an oversight, however it did give us some idea of the markup they were using on wines.)  

    Dibon-brut-nature-reserva
     

    It’s a wine we often recommend to anyone who likes bubbly whether a lifelong aficionado or someone just beginning to explore sparklers. It’s a great way to share with friends (Our Westie Poppy gifted a bottle to her favorite butcher and he is now a Dibon fan.) It's also a great way to make new friends as you share not only a bottle, but also show them how delicious a value wine can be.

    Etiqueta-dibon-brut-nature-reserva-220x669

    Another plus, in this year of old friends, is that Dibon comes from another favorite, trusted, and local importer, OZ Wine Company of Haverhill, MA. Our many OZ experiences make up happy to choose any wine from this line when we explore a shop or wine list. (We do wish wine lists included categories for some of the great importers.)

    Here's some of what we said in our first post about this outstanding cava:

    "If 'balance' is a fault, then it’s this wine’s only fault! It will please a wide range of tastes …"

    "It's light, refreshing, and inviting. Very food-friendly …" 

    "Dibon Cava would be a perfect opener for a party, at a restaurant with friends, to begin a meal or an evening. And, a special way to celebrate the start of a new month. Salud!"

    Related:

    Our Sparkling Resolution

    Our Sparkling Resolution Winner’s List

    What's on your Food Lover's Shopping List?

    Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photos: ©2018 Penny & Ed Cherubino (Top) The others are courtesy of Dibon.

  • Planeta Carricante from Neptune Oyster’s Great Wine List

    Whenever we walk into Neptune Oyster, we always check out the wine specials on the big blackboard across from the bar in the rear. You often find an interesting wine on offer. 

    IMG_4808 - Version 22012-03-21-planeta-carricante- sixilia-etna-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    A while back, it was a Carricante from Planeta, a vinyard that grows grapes in the volcanic soil of Mount Etna in Sicily. It was a perfect match for Penny's hot, buttered lobster roll and Ed's mussels. It's an island wine just made for seafood and a great selection for Neptune's menu.

    Carricante_259 - Version 22011-02-01-planeta-carricante- sixilia-etna-© 2011 Penny CherubinoVolcanic Soil & Wine

    To students of wine, every new bottle tasted is an opportunity to learn about what put that particular flavor into that particular glass. The Planeta Vineyard sent us researching volcanic soil. Here are some of the interesting articles we found around the web on that topic.

    Neptune's Wine Lists

    In addition to the main wine list with its well matched backbone of seafood-friendly wines, and the chalkboard specials, Neptune has a second list called, "The Pearls." Here, you'll find bottles that are fit for a celebration or that will turn a Tuesday afternoon with wine-loving friends into a celebration. 

     

     

    Vinny's Tip Jar update

    5863581_sta

    Here's an update on Neptune's Vinny Sapochetti who was hurt recently in an auto accident. We ran into Neptune owner Jeff Nace in the North End over the weekend and asked him how Vinny was doing. He told us that Vinny is in a rehabilitation facility and is making progress. 

    On May 11th, we told you about a special benefit, Vinny's Tip Jar Fundraiser & Auction being planned by his many friends in the hospitality industry. There is still time for you to support this event and put the evening on your calendar. Jeff also said that if you send cards or notes for Vinny to Neptune, they will see that he gets them.

    Vinny Sapochetti

    C/O Neptune Oyster

    63 Salem Street, Boston Ma 02113

    What's on your wine lover's shopping list? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

     


    Details:
    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photography: © 2012 Penny & Ed Cherubino  

    Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often those add a great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you.