Celebrating 19 Years as Barrington’s Signature Magazine
Barrington resident Jim Bryant is pursuing his passion and love of wine as an international wine consultant. This follows a 30-year career in senior financial and general management positions at two Fortune 100 companies. He is the owner of James R. Bryant L.L.C.; contact him at profwino@comcast.net.
MY LAST TWO ARTICLES on “Best White and Rosé Wine Discoveries” and “Great Value Red Wines” surfaced a problem that I will try to address in this article. By the time the November/December 2024 and the January/February 2025 issues were published, the wines I featured there were no longer available. So, occasionally I will add great value wines that show up between issues that focus solely on value wines.
OVER THE PAST several years, I have become a great admirer and fan of Raúl Pérez. He is generally acknowledged as one of Spain’s greatest winemakers.
Without a doubt my favorite recent wine discovery is the Alta Mora Etna Bianco. This wine is produced from the Carricante grape by the Alta Mora winery owned by Cusumano family.
After the previous day on the Duoro River, we toured Oporto and its sister city of Vila Nova de Gaia. This location presents many photo opportunities, especially those taken from the bridge spanning the Duoro.
After leaving the Spanish port city of Alicante, we passed Malta en route to Morocco. We had an extensive walking tour of the town of Asilah which was very clean and well planned vis-à-vis its layout.
On September 20, 2023, 19 of us left Chicago bound for Barcelona for a three-week trip, starting with a sevenday cruise on the Mediterranean. The highlight of the day was a lengthy mid-day tapas meal at what was recommended as the best tapas restaurant in Barcelona.
As noted in my Quintessential Barrington column in November/December 2021, I am occasionally going to feature articles on my other favorite wines due to readers’ requests. Although my fascination with Châteauneuf-du-Pape (and specifically with Beaucastel) dates from the 1969 vintage, my love affair with Penfolds® Grange dates from the 1981 vintage.
Our first winery visit was at Paolo Scavino. I have been visiting this property since 1995 and am a good friend of Enrica Scavino, daughter of Enrico Scavino, the owner and winemaker. This winery is well known for the utmost attention it pays to the viticultural aspects of winemaking. It could be the posterchild model of “wine is made in the vineyards, not the winery.”
The next day of our trip to Piemonte began with a visit to one of Italy’s best and most famous wineries— Gaja. I have known Angelo Gaja for 40 years and have drunk and owned many of his most famous wines over this period.
I have been fortunate to have visited the world’s greatest wine regions including Piemonte multiple times. I can report that no other region excites me as much.
I have found one of the best ways to depart Tuscana. This involves a side trip to Lake Como en route to Piemonte. We all know that good things must end, but this permits one to reach new heights before coming back to earth
The following day, we continued our Piero Antinori focus starting with our visit to San Casciano in Val di Pesa, a castello with the lovely gardens. This is the birthplace of one of Italy’s greatest wines—Solaia.
We began the last week of September with a visit to one of my favorite Sangiovese wine producers, Fontodi. The winery tour was very impressive and best captured in the photo of wine resting in amphorae as well as barrels.
Historically, I have devoted one or two issues about every five years or so to my favorite wines under $25. Although these articles have been well received, in the two months’ interval between my writing and the publishing of the issue, many or most of the wines have disappeared.
Sauvignon Blanc is one of the most widely planted grapes from which white wines are made. It varies widely in style according to the geographical location of production.
After our week exploring the jewels of Bordeaux, we returned to Paris for a long and filling meal at a bistro near our hotel. The next day, five of our original 15 members left us, and two joined us for the two-hour bus trip to Champagne.
After our week exploring the jewels of Bordeaux, we returned to Paris for a long and filling meal at a bistro near our hotel. The next day, five of our original 15 members left us, and two joined us for the two-hour bus trip to Champagne.
On September 30, 2021, our group of 15 people gathered in Paris
to begin a much-anticipated trip to Bordeaux—the first international
venture for all of us since the pandemic. This is the third article about
our adventure, with the first and second being in the January/February and
March/April 2022 issues.
On November 30, 2021, our group of 15 people gathered in Paris to begin a much-anticipated trip to Bordeaux—the first international venture for all of us since the pandemic. This is the second article about our adventure, with the first being in the January/February 2022 issue.
On September 30, 2021, our group of 15 gathered in Paris to begin a much-anticipated trip to Bordeaux—for all of us, our first international venture since COVID 19. Although all were vaccinated, we felt somewhat vulnerable going into the unknown.
Continuing from my last Quintessential Barrington article (July/August 2021) which focused on white and rosé wines, less than $25, this focuses on red wines at the same price point.
For those of you who have recently moved to the Barrington area, we’re glad you’re here! I wanted to reintroduce myself to you and other readers.
Following the 10-day tour through Spain, we met up with several other participants in our group for a voyage on Crystal Serenity from Barcelona to Spain.
After enjoying the Adrianna Vineyard Vinos de Parcela tasting, we adjourned to DiPiero’s Ristorante in Lake Zurich where we had an excellent dinner paired with great Italian wines.
Had Covid-19 not happened, nine of my friends and I were to attend
Wine Spectator’s 40th Wine Experience in New York City.
As the holiday season approaches, I find that many people ask for the same advice, that is, what are my wine choices for meals prepared for these festive and joyous occasions?
We arrived in Rioja and had a delightful tour and tasting at Muga. We started with the Muga Blanco 2018 which was a great wine with an abundance of large white asparagus (my favorite vegetable), red wines ( all Tempranillo based) included the 2018 Muga, 2015 Muga Reserva, 2015 Muga Selección Especial, 2011 Muga Prado Enea, and Torre Muga 2015.
After our whirlwind trip around Jerez de la Frontera, we flew to Madrid and picked up the rest of our guests. We motored north to my favorite Spanish wine region—Ribera del Duero.
In late September, my wife, Pat, and I along with Greg Pearson spent two days and nights in Jerez de la Frontera—the epicenter of all that is Sherry.
Departing Auckland on the Crystal Serenity we cruised the Tasmania Sea for three days and arrived in Sydney in mid-afternoon. We enjoyed the slow maneuvering through one of the world’s most beautiful harbors.
In early February of 2019, 16 people set out from Chicago and/or Nashville for a month of wine and food adventures in New Zealand and Australia.
After the luncheon and wines at Drouin-Laroze, we had a brief walking tour of Dijon and then motored north to Chablis and checked into the Hostellerie des Clos for our three nights.
After spending one week on the Esprit barge in Burgundy, half of the pas-sengers joined an equal number of new arrivals to visit some of Burgundy’s best wineries and restaurants.
Over the past decade I have heard from several of my friends about their wonderful experiences on barges in the small canals in several parts of France. In 2018, we rented an 18-passenger, 128-foot barge to ply the canals of Burgundy.
