Author Archives: thewineraconteur

About thewineraconteur

A non-technical wine writer, who enjoys the moment with the wine, as much as the wine. Twitter.com/WineRaconteur Instagram/thewineraconteur Facebook/ The Wine Raconteur

Italy Wine Tasting – Part Five

Posted on April 7, 2025 by thewineraconteur

The turnout for this Italian Wine Tasting was getting more jovial at The Fine Wine Source in Livonia, Michigan as the crowds increased. They were trying to have people come in at certain times of the day, but I think … Continue reading →

Posted in Wine | Tagged Amarone della Valpolicella, Bertani, Bolgheri Superiore DOC, Cabernet Sauvignon, Corvina Veronese, Corvinone, Enrico Santini, Grezzana, Italy, Merlot, Montepergoli, Rondinella, Sangiovese, Syrah, Tenuta Novare, Toscana IGT, Valpantena, Valpolicella, Veneto, Verona, Villa Ca'Vendri, Ville di Antane | Leave a comment

Italy Wine Tasting – Part Four

Posted on April 4, 2025 by thewineraconteur

The new room at The Fine Wine Source in Livonia, Michigan was filling up as more and more people were coming in to try the wines. The help was actually setting up additional tasting centers in the original part of … Continue reading →

Posted in Wine | Tagged Brunello di Montalcino, Cabernet Sauvignon, Fattoria di Basciano, Italy, Montalcino, Poggio Antica, Renzo Masi, Sangiovese, Super Tuscan, Tenuta Col d'Orcia, Toscana IGT, Tuscany, Vigne Il Corto | Leave a comment

Italy Wine Tasting – Part Three

Posted on April 1, 2025 by thewineraconteur

As the crowds increased around the latest structured wine tasting at The Fine Wine Source in Livonia, Michigan; I was still slowing everything down with my need to take photographs. The next wine featured the island of Sicily. We were … Continue reading →

Posted in Wine | Tagged Alicante Bouschet, Cannonau, Cannonau di Sardegna DOC, Chianti Classico, Chianti Classico Riserva DOC, Etna Rosso DOC, Gaiole, Grenache, Italy, Merlot, Nerello Mascalese, Passopisciaro, Passorosso, Podere Ciona, Sangiovese, Sardinia, Sella & Mosca, Terre Siciliane IGT | Leave a comment

Italy Wine Tasting – Part Two

Posted on March 29, 2025 by thewineraconteur

There I was at The Fine Wine Source in Livonia, Michigan for a wine tasting of Italian wines. We had just tasted three wines that were chilled and now we were going to start on the red wines. The first … Continue reading →

Posted in Wine | Tagged Azienda Agricola Tintero, Barolo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Dalla Terra, Italy, Langhe, Lazio IGT, Merlot, Nebbiolo, Perla Terra, Piedmont, Ronci Valley, Rosso di Ne, Tenuta Ronci | Leave a comment

Italy Wine Tasting – Part One

Posted on March 26, 2025 by thewineraconteur

Since I was out, after recovering from pneumonia, I stopped by The Fine Wine Source in Livonia, Michigan to pick up the Wine Club selections as well as to enjoy a wine tasting that they were holding. The first wine … Continue reading →

Posted in Wine | Tagged Andrea Faccio, Azienda Agricola Otella, Ciona Rosé, Cortese, Gavi DOCG, Italy, Lombardy, Lugano DOC, Piedmont, Podere Ciona, Sangiovese, Toscana IGT, Trebbiano di Lugano, Turbiana, Verdicchio, Villa Giada | Leave a comment

Fine Wine Source Club – March 2025

Posted on March 23, 2025 by thewineraconteur

It felt so good to get out in the real world as pneumonia really beat me up. It was seven weeks before I really attempted to join the world again, and did it feel good. My first stop was at … Continue reading →

Posted in Wine | Tagged Cabernet Sauvignon, Calaveras County, California, Chardonnay, Forlorn Hope, Il Colle, Italy, Muscat, Queen of the Sierra, Rorick Heritage Vineyards, Veneto IGT, Verdelho, White Wine | Leave a comment

Le Bistro

Posted on March 20, 2025 by thewineraconteur

Our final night at sea, and for me, it was fine. About two days earlier I started getting very lethargic and my Bride was starting to give me static that I was getting old. I did a quick check and … Continue reading →

Posted in Dining, Wine | Tagged Brut Yellow Label, Champagne, Chardonnay, France, Pinot Meunier, Pinot Noir, Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin | Leave a comment

Cagney’s

Posted on March 17, 2025 by thewineraconteur

When I heard that the steak house on the ship was named Cagney’s all I could think of was “you dirty rat” as I guess I have watched too many Warner Brothers films and watched Rich Little and Frank Gorshin … Continue reading →

Posted in Dining, Wine | Tagged Barolo, Castagnole delle Lanze, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Chile, Dogliotti, Domaines de Rothschild (Lafite), France, Grenache, Italy, Lange, Le Cellier de Princes, Los Vascos, Monastrell, Mourvedre, Nebbiolo, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, Vina Las Vascos | Leave a comment

A Brief Stop at the Dominican Republic

Posted on March 14, 2025 by thewineraconteur

While we weren’t scheduled for any excursions we did go and briefly explore the grounds off the port landing in the Dominican Republic. The island is rather unique in that it is known as Hispaniola and has two sovereign nations; … Continue reading →

Posted in Dining, Wine | Tagged Bodegas y Vinedos de Aguirre, Canada, Chile, Ice Wine, Inniskillin, Malbec, Morpho Helena, Niagara Peninsula VQA, Ontanon, Ontario, Valle Central, Vidal Blanc | Leave a comment

Birthday Greetings, Bottle of Wine

Posted on March 11, 2025 by thewineraconteur

If those two random thoughts flow in your brain with a medley, you are like my Bride and myself and of a certain age and era. We caught the first show of “The Beatles Invasion” and there were four different … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized, Wine | Tagged Borges Tawny Porto, Portugal, Sociedade dos Vinhos Borges, Tempranillo, Tinta Cao, Tinto Roriz, Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional | Leave a comment