Oct 30, 2009 -
Just because Summer is long gone but that doesn't mean you have to stop enjoying sangria. Depending on the ingredients you employ, the wine-based punch can be sipped all year round. Instead of using a warm-weather fruit like peaches, this sangria is infused with Fall's most woody herb, sage.
- 2 Comments
Oct 27, 2009 -
Have You Ever Taken a Tour of a Winery?
Yes
No
- 15 Comments
Oct 19, 2009 -
Last week while attending Wine & Spirits Top 100 tasting, I realized that there are tons of wines out there that I'm not all that familiar with.
Since I figured you might feel the same way, I thought it would be fun to put together a quiz. I'll list a varietal and you tell me where it's from.
- 5 Comments
Oct 14, 2009 -
My favorite dance scene from the 1963 Ann Margret musical Bye Bye Birdie is entitled "Lot of Livin to Do." In it, she sings of "drinking Champagne as if it were water." But, not just any Champagne — pink Champagne.
- 3 Comments
Oct 09, 2009 -
The menu for my harvest-themed dinner party is inspired by wine, so the tablescape will reflect this general feeling, too. To keep things casual and slightly rustic, don't cover the table with a tablecloth. Instead, place a linen runner down the middle and arrange bunches of ripe grapes as centerpieces.
- 0 Comments
Oct 07, 2009 -
A harvest party is an event that celebrates grape-picking, so I'm creating a menu that consists of dishes made with wine.
One of my favorite desserts to order when dining out is pears poached in wine. Although the technique is relatively simple, I've never poached pears at home.
- 3 Comments
Oct 06, 2009 -
The menu for my harvest party features a chicken dish braised in white wine. It's a variation on the more classic red wine braised chicken pictured below. Do you know what it's called?
- 3 Comments
Oct 06, 2009 -
In wine making, the harvest is one of the most crucial times of year. It's when the vintners pick the grapes and usually occurs between August and October. Since the harvest is such an important season, many wineries celebrate with a lunch or dinner.
- 2 Comments
Sep 30, 2009 -
When selecting wine from a menu, sometimes I like to choose a varietal I've never heard of. Take Nero d'Avola for example. Up until recently, I didn't know this red grape (that's been grown in Sicily for hundreds of years) even existed.
- 0 Comments
Sep 30, 2009 -
At a tasting recently, I had the opportunity to get acquainted with California pioneer vintner, Joel Peterson. In 1976, he founded Ravenswood Winery, one of the country's preeminent Zinfandel producers. More than 30 years later, he remains Ravenswood's head winemaker.
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