Monte Belmonte Wines: Everything you ever wanted to know about cork taint: To wine snobs, cork taint smells like wet newspaper

Monte Belmonte Wines: Everything you ever wanted to know about cork taint: To wine snobs, cork taint smells like wet newspaper

By Monte Belmonte For the Valley Advocate Cork taint! It’s just fun to say. But when it comes to drinking wine, it is a less fun experience. When casual wine drinkers think of wine “going bad,” they often talk about it turning to vinegar. If wine is way too old or...
Monte Belmonte Wines: Ruminating over wine knickknacks: How far we have fallen culturally when we have replaced Syrah with schwag

Monte Belmonte Wines: Ruminating over wine knickknacks: How far we have fallen culturally when we have replaced Syrah with schwag

By Monte Belmonte For the Valley Advocate The somewhat suspect science that has told us for many years that “a little wine is good for you” seems to be going the way of leeching. When it comes to reliable medical advice, there has been some bad news for wine lovers....
Monte Belmonte Wines: What’s going on at Table & Vine in West Springfield?: Something fishy is afoot at the Big Y’s flagship location for fine wine

Monte Belmonte Wines: What’s going on at Table & Vine in West Springfield?: Something fishy is afoot at the Big Y’s flagship location for fine wine

By Monte Belmonte For the Valley Advocate What is going on at Table & Vine in West Springfield? Given that you are reading a wine column, I assume you partake of the grape. Then you probably know that Table & Vine is the wines, beer and spirits branch of the...
Monte Belmonte Wines: What will Trump’s tariffs mean for wine prices? Local experts voice predictions, as tariffs continue to be a moving target

Monte Belmonte Wines: What will Trump’s tariffs mean for wine prices? Local experts voice predictions, as tariffs continue to be a moving target

By Monte Belmonte For the Valley Advocate “Godspeed, everyone. May your supplier discounts be generous, and may wine on the water be saved by the powers that be.” It was a striking quote on a Facebook Group that I follow called the US Wine Trade Alliance. I...
Monte Belmonte Wines: Cheers to DEI: Must-try wines from Black winemakers, both at home and abroad

Monte Belmonte Wines: Cheers to DEI: Must-try wines from Black winemakers, both at home and abroad

By Monte Belmonte For the Valley Advocate Diversity. Equity. Inclusion. The leader of the free world is working diligently to rid the USA of DEI. And many organizations, large and small, public and private, are either obediently heeding our leader’s directives, or...