Amongst the clutter in the world, it’s comforting to know there are still wineries with soul. After seeing the gigantic chateaux emerge from the expensive dirt, and experiencing the grueling Napa traffic, I’d begun to think Northern California’s wine country had morphed into one ... Read More »

Congratulations. You’ve found the coolest eight-bottle wine rack to adorn your barren kitchen countertop. Besides figuring out the direction it should face for full decorative impact, the fun part is filling the rack with wine and then, of course, drinking it. But selecting the right wine for ... Read More »

Have you ever wondered why soups, stews and pot roasts are so fabulously soothing when the weather’s crappy? I hear all the stuff about comfort food and the like, but isn’t it just because they warm the cockles of your soul? Winter seems to be the time when these dishes

Juicy, tender, white meat turkey; tangy, acidic cranberry fruit explosion; warm, cornbread stuffing bathed in salty giblet gravy. Mmmm, all these flavors equal sheer, home-cooked Thanksgiving bliss, but the same comforting flavors wage war with wine. What to drink when so many flavors are mingling ... Read More »

Nowadays, airline travel is a pain. As I’m herded through the cattle line into coach class, I glare greedily at the smug “Platinum” or “Elite” passengers clutching their glasses of free liquor. When the chosen liquor is wine, my curiosity naturally gets piqued. But then ... Read More »

Everyday, we hear about small, local businesses dying beneath the dagger of behemoth chains. Called the “category killers,” these chains offer lower prices for similar merchandise found at local stores.
Does this dilemma pass over into the wine realm? Definitely yes.

News flash: Wine snobs lurk everywhere (as if you didn’t know). And once in a blue moon they live a story worth making fun of. With that in mind, I polled every wino I know to discover their most embarrassing or amusing wine moments. So the next time you’re feelin’

If we were all millionaires, we could guzzle great wine every day. But since most of us fall outside those elusive parameters, we evolve into bargain hunters. To uncover the amazing deals, though, you have to stretch your boundaries and explore unfamiliar territory — like Chile, Argentina and ... Read More »