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Wine Recommendations for Easter Sunday
Wondering what to serve with your Easter feast? Gemma, wine buyer at our Cambridge location, is recommending a light, crisp white for appetizers and a fuller-bodied, flavorful red to pair with a...
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A Matter of Taste
I recently read a blog post titled “What’s the Point?”. I was directed to it via the New York Times Diner’s Journal Blog. It’s worth a read but the opening paragraph gives you the gist: I didn’t start...
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A Fortified Favorite: Domaine de Montbourgeau Macvin du Jura
Time out from cheese for a brief note about one of our new favorite wines, a curious liquid called Macvin du Jura. Ours is made by Nicole Deriaux, the 3rd generation winemaker at Domaine de...
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VinItaly 2012: Tasting New Vintages and Reconnecting with Growers
With Giovanna Tiezzi of Pacina As Formaggio Kitchen Cambridge’s wine buyer, the long-awaited arrival of spring means traveling to Verona for Italy’s most significant wine expo, VinItaly. The enormity...
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Crème de Cassis de Dijon: The Secret to “Kir”
This week we’re highlighting one of our favorite French liqueurs, the inky black currant flavored Crème de Cassis de Dijon. These sweet little bottles of crème de cassis are made in Burgundy by...
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Thanksgiving Wines: Perfect Pours for Turkey
As tradition goes, Pinot Noir or Beaujolais are typically served with turkey and its many accompaniments. That said, it’s not always so easy to predict what will appear at the Thanksgiving feast,...
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Introducing Ihsan and Valerie: Owners of Formaggio Kitchen
Ihsan and Valerie own and run the Formaggio Kitchen family of stores. As is true of any folks passionate about their jobs, work intertwines throughout all aspects of their lives. Their travels –...
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Christmas Wines: Two Special Bottles from Italy
The holidays are in full swing – the season of festive gatherings and dinners with friends and family! These occasions often require a few different approaches when deciding what to uncork. Larger...
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Gemma’s Pick: Toasting the New Year with I Clivi’s Spumante
Wondering how to ring in the New Year? Our Cambridge wine buyer, Gemma, recommends welcoming 2013 with Az. Agr. I Clivi Spumante, a bubbly made from the native varietal Ribolla Gialla, cultivated in...
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Millésime Bio 2013: Staying Attuned to Inspiring Growers
This year marks the twentieth anniversary of Millésime Bio which has arguably become France’s most compelling organic wine exposition. As in previous years, it once again convened in Languedoc’s...
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A Favorite Sherry: El Maestro Sierra Amontillado – 12 Años
Sherry (“Xerez” in Spanish) is made in the region of the same name on the southern tip of Spain near Gibraltar. There, Palomino grapes are grown on chalky soils called albariza. The grapes are...
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Small Estate Port: Quinta do Infantado Tawny Porto
Porto, or “port” as it is known in English, is made in the Douro Valley of northern Portugal. There are many grapes port-makers are allowed to use, but the most common are Tinta Roriz (aka...
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Party-Sized Provençal: A White Wine for Spring
We’re welcoming the first sunny weeks of spring with magnums of elegant white wine from Provence. This minuscule production Bandol Blanc from Château de Pibarnon is a blend of mostly Clairette and...
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VinItaly 2013: Discovering New Gems and Finding Exclusives
This year, my trip to Italy’s most renowned wine show, VinItaly, took on a different emphasis and dynamic. In previous years, navigating thronged pavilions of growers and tasters and trailing fellow...
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Breakfast to BBQ: Four of My Favorite Rosés
Ahh, rosé season… Every March, I wait expectantly for the release of the year’s rosés like a puppy waits for a treat. I feel a special giddiness the moment we fill our wine shelves with pretty pink...
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Putting the Bubbles in Bubbly Wines
When we pop the cork of a sparkling wine at a party a flurry of bubbles are released. We love sipping those bubbles, but how do they get in the bottle? There are several ways that it can happen....
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Champagne History and a Mild Rant
Dom Pérignon statue in Épernay In part one of this sparkling wine series, we explored the many ways wines can become bubbly. In this post, we focus just on Champagne. The Champagne region of France is...
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Small Grower Champagne: Chartogne-Taillet Cuvée Sainte-Anne
Alexandre Chartogne At Formaggio Kitchen South End, we stock only small grower Champagnes made by winemakers who grow their own grapes. Chartogne-Taillet is one of our favorites! This small winery is...
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End of Summer Italian Rosés
Labor Day has come and gone – every year it creeps up faster and faster! It’s amazing the subtle shift in weather, these last days of summer. The farmers markets are bursting with the bounty of...
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Savoring Italian Vermouth: Vergano and the House of Cocchi
In my house, no gathering with friends and food is complete without vermouth. On hot summer days, I love an Americano on ice to cool off and prepare my palate for cooking and eating. On chilly winter...
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