It’s always difficult to get back into the swing of work after an extended period of time away. Fortunately, I have plenty to write about as a result, having spent the first few days in Walla Walla at Northstar’s inaugural Merlot Camp and the rest of the time in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. There will be fewer tasting notes from the latter, as a result of the volume of cigars I smoked on the golf course and the subsequent dulling of my palate (it’s better now, thank goodness). But there will be lots of news, information, and notes from the former, during which I tasted more great Merlot than I ever have before in such a short period of time. Look for that coverage in the coming weeks as I collate my notes and impressions from what was an utterly remarkable excursion to what I’m convinced is one of the world’s best Merlot-growing regions.
For now, however, I thought I’d start off the week with a link to my most recent column in Food Republic, this one on five Italian reds that you really should try this summer. They range from the light and refreshing to the dense and complex, and cover all kinds of ground in between.