In college, while funneling Crystal Light and vodka, we wasted precious study hours philosophizing about the various types of buzzes. The vodka buzz was different from beer was different from wine. But no final determination came out of the long hours of discussion. So I assembled a thirsty crew of ... Read More »

I happens all the time… the Bern’s Steakhouse sommeliers “find” a full case of 1983 this or a 1977 case of that. Just laying around in one of their many plain, white warehouse cellars which line South Howard Avenue in Tampa. But this most recent wine find is a doozy.

It’s that time of year when Thanksgiving, holiday parties and New Year’s Eve end up mounded on our collective butts. The guilt from this six-week indulgence can be as overwhelming as the shock that even your fat jeans don’t fit anymore. But fear not. Although eliminating wine from your daily ... Read More »

Nothing evokes social panache like serving a good port wine. A carefully chosen port can get you laid, secure a raise or impress the in-laws. Since it’s a mystery to so many, it always makes an impact, more than Scotch, more than liqueurs like Amaretto or Bailey’s, and definitely more ... Read More »

Each moment of each day presents another occasion to relax and open a bottle of bubbly: holiday shopping on the Internet, a formal dinner or snarfing down gingerbread men on the couch. I’ve answered the most frequently asked questions I receive.

So it’s coming down to the holiday wire and you need something fast. Anyone can give a bottle wine — and it’s a thoughtful gift — but how about something little more creative? Give wine AND and something edible to go with it.

Holiday parties — especially those with crappy food and drink — can really suck. But, like a bird that strategically aims its business at a clean car, a carefully plopped comment can make anyone raise an eyebrow or chuckle to live the mood. I’ve compiled a list of completely geeky, ... Read More »

Thanksgiving is an exercise in futile restraint. It’s the day to gorge on unbelievable quantities of carbs and collapse from the sheer weight of ingested food and drink. And a great bottle of wine helps wash down the potatoes and possibly wash away the guilt. But the real challenge lies in what ... Read More »

Sake is not a spirit, although the lower-quality ones certainly taste like a $1 shot in a college bar. It’s described as “rice wine,” but sake is actually a grain-fermented beverage like beer. However, it tastes closer to wine and isn’t carbonated. Since the good stuff can be wicked expensive ... Read More »