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Position Portland, OR, just nabbed in Smart Asset’s ranking of the Ten Best Coffee Cities in the U.S. The ranking considers several factors including the number of “exceptional” roasters and coffee shops. After Portland, the top cities in descending order are: Seattle, Oakland, San Diego, New Orleans, San Francisco, San Jose, Denver, Austin, and Honolulu. Four of the cities are in California, the best state for overall buzz.

The Piedmont region in Italy’s northwestern corner is renowned for Barolo and Barbaresco, two expensive reds. However, what grape variety is the most widely planted in this famous region?

A. nebbiolo

B. moscato

C. dolcetto

D. barbera

Barbera, an indigenous variety, accounts for a majority of all the vines planted in Piedmont, even though the region is best known as the home of nebbiolo, the grape that makes the famous wines Barolo and Barbaresco. (After barbera, the next most widely planted grape is moscato). Nebbiolo is high in tannin and therefore Barolo and Barbaresco are capable of being cellared for decades. By comparison, barbera is an everynight drinking wine. Because (like pinot noir) it’s relatively high in acidity and low in tannin, it is very food flexible. In northern Italy, barbera is considered perfect for braised meats, grilled sausages, and pasta with tomato sauce. In other words, it’s great right now in the fall.

Cloudy

Descriptive term, not necessarily negative, for a wine that is not brilliantly clear. A wine can be slightly cloudy because it has not undergone FINING or filtering (See FILTER). Some wines, however, are cloudy as… Continue reading

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