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La Mancha Wine Seminar at the Culinary Institute of America
I love inspiring young culinary and beverage directors. It’s always such a joy to be invited to teach at the CIA, and recently I was asked by Professor Michael Weiss to lead a discussion and tasting...
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Bourbon 101: What is it and how is it made?
While it’s debatable about who actually invented Bourbon, it’s not debatable that it’s one of the greatest things around. History tells us that Elijah Craig was the first to make it – he was a baptist...
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Fruit of the Vine
You may have smelled apple, banana and pear in your glass of Napa Valley Chardonnay, but have you ever tasted wines made from these fruits? Don’t turn up your nose! Though the word wine comes from a...
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Revisiting the Classic Wine and Food Don’ts
Some Cabernet with Your Eggs? Are Americans becoming libation liberals when it comes to wine pairings? Are we finally taking a more relaxed approach to wine and food? Many of us have thrown out the...
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Shakespeare Wine Quotes
It’s unlikely that any one person has had so much effect on the way we speak as William Shakespeare. Even those who might read The Bard’s iambic tongue and say ‘it’s Greek to me!’ are using one of...
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The Gin Game – Gin 101
As springtime approaches (at long last!) our spirits turn lighter, and for some of us, that means turning to lighter spirits. While there’s nothing like a whiskey to warm you up on a cold winter’s...
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How To Make Any Wine Taste Better – For Free!
Simple: serve the wine at the right temperature! Many people serve their white wines too cold and their red wines too warm. It may not seem like a big deal, but trust me, it makes a huge difference!...
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The Deal On Decanting
I love decanting wine. Red, white, sparkling, fortified. I decant everything. I love the look of a decanter. I love the feel of a decanter. Actually, I collect decanters. To me, they are art meets...
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What Makes A Wine Organic?
As the movement towards health-conscious and environmentally-conscious food and drink gains steam, we see more and more wine producers getting on board, producing organic wines, and practicing...
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Wine Labels – What is A.O.C.?
The phrase “Appellation Sancerre Controlee” assures you that this wine originated in the Sancerre AOC. Geography can tell you a lot about a wine. But how can you be sure a wine is really from where...
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What Is Rosé?
It’s long past time to rethink rosé. So many people still associate the style with the sticky sweet White Zinfandels that became absurdly popular in the U.S. in the 1970s and 1980s. These rosés,...
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Waiter: My Wine Smells Like a Wet Dog!
Common Wine Flaws Due to improper production, handling or storage, there are a fair amount of things that can go wrong with wine – most of which should be cause to return a wine if ordering in a...
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What Is Taste?
Taste Pronunciation: ’tAst Function: verb Inflected Forms: tast·ed; tast·ing Etymology: Middle English, to touch, test, taste, from Middle French taster, from (assumed) Vulgar Latin taxitare,...
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The Four Noble Grape Varieties
While there are thousands of grapes that can be used to make wine, there are four grapes that are referred to as “noble grape varieties.” This quartet is known the world over for producing quality...
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The Cheese Course
I love cheese! I dream about cheese! I eat lots of cheese. (Usually while drinking lots of wine, cocktails or beer!) And my friend Jackie Gordon even sings about cheese. I have been blessed to...
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Terroir – What on Earth Is It?
What on earth is it? Earth? Place? Soil? Microclimate? Somewhereness? “Earthence”? There is not one word in the English language that conveys all of the nuances of this holy grail in the wine world…....
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Nice Legs!
Are legs the sign of a well made wine? It’s a question I hear every day – let’s walk you through the facts… The answer? Nope. Let’s call that Wine Myth #207! What the French call the “legs” – and...
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Que Syrah, Shiraz! 10 Things You Need to Know
Syrah grapes in Napa Valley, California Syrah? Shiraz? Whatever you choose to call it, there’s no denying the meteoric rise of this grape over the past couple decades. And I hope you’ll join me at...
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It’s Greek To Me! 10 Things You Need to Know About Greek Wine
The rise, fall, and stunning resurgence one of the world’s oldest winemaking traditions! 1. Greece has one of the oldest winemaking traditions in the world – dating back 6,500 years – and the world’s...
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