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A Big Red from South Africa for Under $20

South Africa is an under appreciated wine region. They produce a wide range of wines using your favorite international varietals, as well a a few of their own, and there is no question they produce many world class wines. Several years ago we took a virtual tour of several wineries in South Africa’s Stellenbosch region.

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A Tiny Wine Shop with a Big Selection in Durham, NC

Tucked inside the Research Triangle Park, or RTP as it is known near our home in the Raleigh-Durham area of North Carolina, is a unique shopping and dining venue. It’s called Boxyard RTP, and is constructed of re-used shipping containers. All painted a deep blue, the containers are arranged in a two story rectangular structure,

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A Rock Solid, Reliable Value in Southern Rhone Red

It’s always good to have a short list of reliable producers you can rely on in just about any vintage. Having that familiar name makes a sometimes difficult choice easier. This wine and producer fit that mold perfectly. We always know we’re going to get a well made, good value wine. Here it is:

Wine:

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Two Recommended Restaurants in New Bern, NC

We recently spent a weekend in New Bern, NC. It was fun, and part of the reason we think so was that we found some great places to eat, drink and be merry. You can read more about the visit here. In this article we’d like to share two restaurants which we really enjoyed, and

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Vintage Update on Benza Vineyards Pinot Noir

Located in the Willamette Valley of Oregon, Benza Vineyards crafts red and white wines in the Laurelwood AVA, using grapes from the estate and surrounding areas. We’ve reviewed many of them in the past, and you can read about the some of those here. Their wines have made out Top 25 lists the past two

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Visit to New Bern North Carolina and the Benjamin Ellis House B&B

Continuing our post-Covid re-emergence Cheri and I recently took a drive down to New Bern, North Carolina for a weekend get away. New Bern is on the inner banks in a beautiful waterside location. It’s history is rich and colorful, having served as the original capital of the state before that seat moved later to

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Some Excellent Napa Valley Wines from Coquerel, and a Big Little Wine Shop in Raleigh

We recently took advantage of a local wine tasting in Raleigh, N.C., and tried some wines from a Napa producer we were not familiar with. The wine shop hosting the tasting was also not known to us previously, so it was a great chance to make two discoveries in one trip. The experience was excellent

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Wines of Uruguay Part 2: The Reds and a Torrent of Tannat

We wrote about the wines of Uruguay a few weeks back, and reviewed some interesting and delicious white wines. One was an addictive Vermouth made from the Tannat grape, which we have subsequently bought half a case of. It really is great. Another was a wonderfully crafted Sauvignon Blanc. You can read about them here.

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Solid Value in California Cabernet

Here is a wine that provides plenty of Cabernet Sauvignon character in a reasonably priced bottle.

Wine: 2020 Clos du Bois California Cabernet Sauvignon – Hand Selected Lots

Winery Location: Sonoma, CA

Tasted By: Neil & Cheri Date: March, 2023

Tasting Notes: this is a very dark, purple wine and opaque. There is a

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Something Different: Wines from Uruguay!

You may have never tasted a wine from Uruguay. That would be a shame, as the country produces some notable juice of both the white and red varieties. Red is more dominant, and the grippy, tannic Tannat grape is the star. Imported from the Madiran region of southwest France, Tannat is a dark grape which

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