Grapevine

The Loire Valley is mesmerizing. It enjoys a storied past of the high times of the French nobility. For centuries, the region provided the epitome of the finest of French life: fine cuisine, exquisite castles and chateaux and elegant wines.

Yes, it’s October, and this is the season our thoughts gravitate to Northeastern ski slopes and holiday travel to the homes of family and friends. I encourage you to take advantage of these remaining days of mild temperatures and still-changing

“A show of hands. How many of you have visited wine-producing countries?” This is how I typically begin one of my wine and food pairing events. A large percentage invariably raise their hands with smiles on their faces and a

In past columns, we’ve explored the rarified air of the high-end wine auctions. Typically, the domain of the 1 percenters, it might seem that these auctions are the playgrounds and/or the battlefields of the rich. Auction houses carefully curate their

The wines of France’s Burgundy region are famous for their unique aroma and flavor profiles – and their relative scarcity compared to worldwide demand. This imbalance has driven prices of the most famous wines into the collectors-only stratosphere. To a

Last weekend my wife and I streamed a movie recommended by our friends, the Gordons. “Widow Clicquot” is the story, told in a rather intimate style, of one of the women pioneers in the Champagne region of France. The presentation

We’re well into summer and my thoughts are fully engaged on the outdoors and gardening. This is my favorite time of year, when terms such as farm-to-table and hyperlocal have a special meaning for me. This requires a focused caring

“A show of hands. How many of you have visited wine-producing countries?” This is how I typically begin one of my wine and food pairing events. A large percentage invariably raise their hands with smiles on their faces and a

When I was a young man, I thought like a young man, acted like a young man – and drank like a young man (with apologies to the Bible verse from Corinthians 13:11). Now that I have matured, I think,

Today’s wine market is unlike any in the history of the retail wine trade. Never has there been more wine available at such high-quality levels and at such reasonable quality and price thresholds. Think about it. When was the last