Boston’s Skinner Auctions will host its spring wine sale on May 13, 2010. Apart from over 500 lots of vintage Bordeaux, Burgundy, Italian, Spanish and New World wines, I’m really impressed by the attention taken in the catalogue. The sale is handled by specialist Marie Keep of Lower Falls Wine Shop (which is super) in Newton Lower Falls, MA.

Bidding will begin promptly at 6pm. Check out all the lots at Skinner. Examples from the catalogue follow.

This set is not only the absolute business, it is also on sale.

For my money, Cook’s Illustrated beats the pants off other food rags. The advice is sage. It doesn’t mess about with staged photo shoots. And, when you really need to know how to roast a chicken or which kind of grocery store bacon carries the touch… they’ve got your back.

17 years of quality can be had for for just $320 direct from Cook’s Illustrated.

Situated on a lovely plot in Avondale, PA, Va La Family Farmed Wines manages something of a rarity in the region – drinkable wine.

The property consists of 6.73 acres of land, all tended by winemaker/farmer Anthony Vietri. He produces between 500 to 700 cases a year. Each variety produced in a batch of one to nine barrels. Yes, it’s small scale. But, that scale allows for a careful investigation of every step.

The wines are blended – for example the delightful La Prima Donna includes tocai, malvasia bianco, petit manseng, pinot grigio, and viognier grapes. The wines are also only available direct from the vineyard. Combined with some spectacular Mexican eateries, well worth a drive up the Gap Pike this summer.

A look at the bottles and the farm after the jump.

Located in Houston, Texas, Saint Arnold is the state’s oldest craft brewery.

Saint Arnold shipped its first keg on July 9, 1994. Today the brewery produces 10 beers, five of them seasonal, mainly of German style. Their summer Pils is the most decorated in the line-up, winning silvers and golds at the Great American Beer Festival several times in the past decade. Other beers included at Texas Wheat, an Amber Ale, and the Fancy Lawnmower – a true German style Kolsch.

For the kids, and the DD’s, Saint Arnold also produces a cane sugar Root Beer.

Learn more at Saint Arnold.