Truffles, Dogs, & a 2003 Chiara Boschis Cannubi

I had the pleasure of previewing THE TRUFFLE HUNTERS film and organizing an at-home viewing party for members of The Napa Valley Reserve, which I was fortunate enough to test drive last evening. We brokered shipments of white truffles, at the tail-end of the season, with Tartufi Morra, one of the oldest purveyors in Alba, and Alessandro was such a dear that he sent me one as well.

truffle-barolo Continue reading

On Syrah

If you asked yourself which were the great red grapes of the world, and Syrah didn’t come to mind, please read on. If it did, read on anyway.


A deeply colored grape, rich in anthocyanins and a compound called rotundone that imbues fresher expressions with a powerful peppery note, Syrah is one of the world’s most noble grapes. Known for savory, almost meaty notes, high-toned hints of black pepper (from that same compound rotundone), black-fruited character, and at times even floral aromas, its myriad layers lend itself to producing wines of great intensity and expressiveness of place. In the best versions, wines made of Syrah can be hauntingly aromatic and seductive. Continue reading