First and foremost, I’d like to give a shout out to Tishbi Winery for a most memorable experience on my recent trip to Israel. If you make it to the Tel Aviv area this place is worth a trip for both the wine and food, but you don’t have to go there to experience the wine as it is exported. You can’t go wrong with anything here, but the Brut Sparkling and Viognier are my favorites. Donnafugata One of the most memorable things I ever did was to spend a weekend in a cottage in the middle of a vineyard. It was on the property of Donnafugata in Pantelleria , Italy. During those three days, and in the following days at their Marsala winery, I was able to taste and enjoy many Donnafugata wines. I recently received some of Donnafugata's latest vintages and they are even better than ever. They are also still readily available in the U.S. so pick up… Sedara -A bit of fruit and a bit of spice make this red, made mostly with Nero d’Avola grapes, easy to pair with an...

It’s that time of year when a chill starts to come into the air. What better way to warm up than with a glass of something tasty. Here are some of my recent finds. Walnut Street Winery Shanle Tropical Breeze This small winery in the suburb of Rochester, Illinois, went big, using grapes from all over the world and then blending the raw grapes into their own products. I’ve only tried one so far and it’s a winner. The Shanle Wines Tropical Breeze is an ideal viognier, easy drinking with light citrus and tropical notes. Baglio Di Pianetto Ficiligno Viognier This viognier from Sicily is quite different than the Shanle. It’s not quite as sweet and easier drinking, with hints of kiwi and lemon. Vigna di Pettineo Also from Sicily are two wines for those who want drier reds. Vigna di Pettineo Nero d’Avola is an excellent choice with strong chocolate flavors. It’s got a Chianti-like taste, dry, but fruity. Vigna di Pittineo also has a Sedara which is well done, but ...