By the Glass: Reverence for heritage distinguishes Italian reds

By Chuck Furuya, Special to the Star-Advertiser on April 2, 2019
• Updated on April 2, 2019 at 9:32 pm

By Chuck Furuya, Special to the Star-Advertiser Posted on April 2, 2019
• Updated on April 2, 2019 at 9:32 pm

Italian and Mediterranean foods — a growing category among Hawaii restaurants — offer lots of vegetables in their preparations. When pairing wines with this kind of fare, search out lighter- to medium-bodied, tasty, savory and well-balanced Italian “country”- style red wines. Read More

By the Glass: Pizza best with easy-drinking wine

By Chuck Furuya, Special to the Star-Advertiser on March 5, 2019
• Updated on March 5, 2019 at 4:27 pm

By Chuck Furuya, Special to the Star-Advertiser Posted on March 5, 2019
• Updated on March 5, 2019 at 4:27 pm

Pizza is a comfort food, often casually served and thus requiring more value-driven wine suggestions. Read More

By the Glass: Never compromise on enjoyment with wine

By Chuck Furuya, Special to the Star-Advertiser on February 5, 2019
• Updated on February 5, 2019 at 5:01 pm

By Chuck Furuya, Special to the Star-Advertiser Posted on February 5, 2019
• Updated on February 5, 2019 at 5:01 pm

With all the facets of wine to appreciate, it can be easy to forget a most basic one: Wine should be enjoyable. Read More

By the Glass: Here’s to a new year of finding great wine

By Chuck Furuya, Special to the Star-Advertiser on January 1, 2019

By Chuck Furuya, Special to the Star-Advertiser Posted on January 1, 2019

In terms of finding great values in wine, there are indeed numerous approaches. Read More

By the Glass: ‘Wine Speak’ offers chance to share, learn

By Chuck Furuya, Special to the Star-Advertiser on December 4, 2018
• Updated on December 4, 2018 at 5:10 pm

By Chuck Furuya, Special to the Star-Advertiser Posted on December 4, 2018
• Updated on December 4, 2018 at 5:10 pm

In January, the inaugural Wine Speak event offered rare opportunities to learn from top wine professionals who shared their insights, wisdom and experiences from many perspectives. Read More

By the Glass: Corsican wines ready for world stage

By Chuck Furuya, Special to the Star-Advertiser on November 6, 2018
• Updated on November 6, 2018 at 7:14 pm

By Chuck Furuya, Special to the Star-Advertiser Posted on November 6, 2018
• Updated on November 6, 2018 at 7:14 pm

Many parts of Corsica, the birthplace of Napoleon, remain undeveloped. We drove for hours on almost perversely narrow, winding roads through mountainous, rocky, wild countrysides and never saw a hint of civilization. Read More

By the Glass: Wine seminars provide rare tasting opportunities

By Chuck Furuya, Special to the Star-Advertiser on October 2, 2018
• Updated on October 3, 2018 at 9:58 am

By Chuck Furuya, Special to the Star-Advertiser Posted on October 2, 2018
• Updated on October 3, 2018 at 9:58 am

The Hawaii Food & Wine Festival hits Oahu this month with a list of unforgettable events that feature chefs, winemakers, master sommeliers and mixologists who are superstars in their fields. Read More

By the Glass: Find finesse in pinot noir

By Chuck Furuya, Special to the Star-Advertiser on September 4, 2018
• Updated on September 6, 2018 at 11:28 am

By Chuck Furuya, Special to the Star-Advertiser Posted on September 4, 2018
• Updated on September 6, 2018 at 11:28 am

California pinot noirs that garner high scores from the wine media these days are showy, flamboyant, dark-colored at the core, quite viscous, wonderfully lush, surprisingly opulent and often oak-laden. But someone who buys wines based on media scores and accolades could miss out on wines like that stunning pinot I tasted the other night. And that would be a shame. Read More

Wines from family-owned projects worth checking out

By Chuck Furuya, Special to the Star-Advertiser on July 31, 2018
• Updated on August 2, 2018 at 2:21 pm

By Chuck Furuya, Special to the Star-Advertiser Posted on July 31, 2018
• Updated on August 2, 2018 at 2:21 pm

Wines from these family-owned projects, each from a different wine-growing region of the world, are worth checking out. Read More

4 Mediterranean wines great for gulping

By Chuck Furuya, Special to the Star-Advertiser on July 3, 2018
• Updated on July 3, 2018 at 4:17 pm

By Chuck Furuya, Special to the Star-Advertiser Posted on July 3, 2018
• Updated on July 3, 2018 at 4:17 pm

In the Old World, especially along the Mediterranean basin, wine was an integral part of dining. It still is. Through the generations, each region has developed food specialties, and along the way has figured out which wines add to the enjoyment of a meal. Read More

Wine seminar creates light-bulb moments

By Chuck Furuya, Special to the Star-Advertiser on June 5, 2018
• Updated on June 7, 2018 at 4:10 pm

By Chuck Furuya, Special to the Star-Advertiser Posted on June 5, 2018
• Updated on June 7, 2018 at 4:10 pm

A group of us at Vino Italian Tapas & Wine Bar were fortunate recently to explore the connection between wine and food through a workshop featuring seven of Hawaii’s top wine professionals. Read More

Finding true value in a bottle

By Chuck Furuya, Special to the Star-Advertiser on May 1, 2018
• Updated on May 1, 2018 at 5:28 pm

By Chuck Furuya, Special to the Star-Advertiser Posted on May 1, 2018
• Updated on May 1, 2018 at 5:28 pm

To find high-quality and affordable wines, find out where vineyard land is less expensive. Then seek out sites owned by one family for generations, where land mortgage costs minimally affect bottle costs, if at all. Here are four examples. Read More

Rhone Valley excels with grenache blends

By Chuck Furuya, Special to the Star-Advertiser on April 3, 2018
• Updated on April 3, 2018 at 7:17 pm

By Chuck Furuya, Special to the Star-Advertiser Posted on April 3, 2018
• Updated on April 3, 2018 at 7:17 pm

I am a wine person who believes that soils and growing conditions greatly affect what ends up in the bottle. Fortunately, Old World countries such as France and Italy have had decades — and in some cases, even centuries — to pinpoint the areas of truly special vineyards. Read More

Select chardonnays showcase concept of terroir

By Chuck Furuya, Special to the Star-Advertiser on March 6, 2018
• Updated on March 6, 2018 at 5:22 pm

By Chuck Furuya, Special to the Star-Advertiser Posted on March 6, 2018
• Updated on March 6, 2018 at 5:22 pm

A longtime friend recently contacted me to say he would be vacationing on Maui and wanted to come to Honolulu to have lunch. It turned out to be a special afternoon as we reminisced about the old days when I was cellarmaster at what was then the Kahala Hilton Hotel. Read More

Paso Robles yields great wine finds

By Chuck Furuya, Special to the Star-Advertiser on February 6, 2018
• Updated on February 6, 2018 at 4:01 pm

By Chuck Furuya, Special to the Star-Advertiser Posted on February 6, 2018
• Updated on February 6, 2018 at 4:01 pm

Although the daytime temperatures can be quite high in Paso Robles, Calif., they easily drop into the 50s at night. This range of temperatures has the potential to produce ripe, juicy grapes, and from those are made unique wines with a wonderful savory quality andintriguing minerality. Read More

Kalani grad returns to Hawaii for wine events

By Chuck Furuya, Special to the Star-Advertiser on January 2, 2018
• Updated on January 2, 2018 at 5:33 pm

By Chuck Furuya, Special to the Star-Advertiser Posted on January 2, 2018
• Updated on January 2, 2018 at 5:33 pm

Master sommelier Michael “MJ” Jordan is a guitar-playing, good-fun local boy (a Kalani High School graduate) who is a relentless, dedicated wine educator and is committed to making wine accessible, fun and enjoyable for all who will listen to his messages. Read More

Notable wines help top off 2017

By Chuck Furuya, Special to the Star-Advertiser on December 5, 2017
• Updated on December 5, 2017 at 8:30 pm

By Chuck Furuya, Special to the Star-Advertiser Posted on December 5, 2017
• Updated on December 5, 2017 at 8:30 pm

Looking back at 2017 and all the wines tasted, here is a shortlist of some of the most memorable ones that offer value as well as quality. Read More

Look to California for wine picks this Thanksgiving

By Chuck Furuya, Special to the Star-Advertiser on October 31, 2017
• Updated on October 31, 2017 at 5:18 pm

By Chuck Furuya, Special to the Star-Advertiser Posted on October 31, 2017
• Updated on October 31, 2017 at 5:18 pm

Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and wine professionals will typically recommend French Beaujolais for the holiday table. This is a solid choice, but this year give some good California wines a try instead. Read More

Hawai‘i Food & Wine Fest offers rare opportunities for wine lovers

By Chuck Furuya, Special to the Star-Advertiser on October 3, 2017
• Updated on October 3, 2017 at 4:24 pm

By Chuck Furuya, Special to the Star-Advertiser Posted on October 3, 2017
• Updated on October 3, 2017 at 4:24 pm

The Hawai‘i Food & Wine Festival provides a golden opportunity for foodies and everyone else to take an amazing food vacation without leaving home. Read More

Grenache wines perfect for fall

By Chuck Furuya, Special to the Star-Advertiser on September 5, 2017
• Updated on September 5, 2017 at 5:08 pm

By Chuck Furuya, Special to the Star-Advertiser Posted on September 5, 2017
• Updated on September 5, 2017 at 5:08 pm

As we head into the fall and winter months, it is an opportune time to change our wine selections. Popular grenache-based red wines are typically brimming with loads of lush red fruit, so its initial appeal for many wine lovers is its deliciousness and charm. Read More

Californian Neyers makes delicious, high-quality wine

By Chuck Furuya on August 1, 2017
• Updated on August 1, 2017 at 5:27 pm

By Chuck Furuya Posted on August 1, 2017
• Updated on August 1, 2017 at 5:27 pm

Over the many years I have been in the wine industry, one of the most influential minds I have encountered is Bruce Neyers. I consider him a “wine Yoda.” Read More

By the Glass

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