Exploring the menu of life.
On any given weeknight — and even with the extreme flavors of Chinese takeout — you can enjoy the beauty of a great wine and food pairing. You might think would be difficult to match them up, but it really isn’t. However, big red wine drinkers won’t find solace here, as Chinese ... Read More »
Bubbles can be sanity-saving– salve a bad day, make Meatloaf Night an occasion or help celebrate a holiday. Luckily, high-quality sparkling wine comes in all price points. So whether you have a Hamilton or a Franklin in your wallet, it’s easy to toast to the good life. Learn the difference ... Read More »
Mark my words – Chenin Blanc is the new little black dress. Comfortable, sleek, versatile and sophisticated, this white grape from France is making a new entrance to the big world of wine lovers. Thank the younger generation of drinkers who crave the unique, the little-known yet delicious in their ... Read More »
Americans love their sugar. The home of Dolly Madison, Coca-Cola and blush wine peddles tons of tooth-decaying junk, but for some reason, the masses have not welcomed sweet dessert wines into their lives. Wine snobs have loved them for years, and they’ve been around since Roman times. So we ... Read More »
It smells like skanky, stale vodka when you sniff your first one. Then it singes your throat with its flaming jet-fuel flavor, making your throat beg for mercy. Sake. This memory is why I avoided it for so many years. But recently a sake enthusiast transformed me, and I learned that this drink, the ... Read More »
A few years ago, the Lodi Wine Region hosted the Wine Blogger’s Conference and several hundred bloggers enjoyed some unique fruit of their vines. Sure, there were still overly extracted, high alcohol Zins and Cabs to be had (or not), but I uncovered some pretty incredible small lot, teensy production ... Read More »
Rosés are my “thing” in summer (well, anytime, actually) but great wines aren’t just going to land in my lap — research is needed. And foresight, since the best Sonoma County rosé wines sell out quickly. I already missed the window at some wineries, like Cartographe Wines ... Read More »
It ain’t easy being the underdog. When you have Chianti and Brunello as your big brothers and Super Tuscans as your sophisticated sister, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano has to do a lot to get attention. Add to that some pretty tough Italian regulations about growing, blending and a helluva long ... Read More »
I still remember when I set eyes on Oregon’s wine country, Willamette Valley. It smelled of perfumey Pinot Noir… wafting up through the vineyards, wineries and through my hotel window. It was harvest of 2007 and I fell in love. With Oregon Pinot Noir. The love continues to this day.
Willamette ... Read More »
So the cupboard of your wine and food family and friends are already stuffed to the ceiling with glasses, random gadgets, and other sometimes-drawer-filling items. Maybe you seek something a little out of the ordinary yet perhaps a little useful for your friends and family? Check these unique wine ... Read More »
It’s turkey time again and let the wine buying begin. Wine enhances any meal, but especially this one. Sharing a bottle, sharing memories and sharing stories about the year that just passed are always better over a glass of vino. Since everyone’s table looks different across the country, ... Read More »
It was called “Black Wine” for years – the Malbec wine from Cahors in France’s Southwest region. The British were the main consumers of this rich, unctuous and tannic drink until the root louse phylloxera decimated the vineyards in the late 1800’s. 100 years later, after replanting with ... Read More »