Grapevine

In last week’s column, we explored the elements of winemaking that influence the perception and the reality of our interaction with wine. I described four “influencers” affecting a bottle of wine: grape varietal and terroir, yeast, aging vessel and the

With a bit of a COVID-lite window, I’m resuming the private wine tastings I conduct during the year. For these events I offer my audience a sampling of several wines and pair them with individual foods. I then solicit input

This week we’re going to become acquainted with a very provocative pair. When the chemistry is right between them, the sparks fly, the senses are aroused, the experience is intoxicating and the urge to be together again is overwhelming. However,

There are very few things in life that are not in a constant state of change. Our lives are in perpetual motion as we traverse through numerous life passages, at times in total control of our destiny and at other

As we evolve as social beings, we’ve come to expect (demand?) our information in real time, instantaneously available on our hand-held devices. We can reach out to the vast internet for whatever inspires us at the moment or we can

Remember the wine lists of the 20th century? It was as if an invisible hand created the lists of every Italian neighborhood restaurant, every French bistro and every American steakhouse. This monotonous uniformity fit the moment in Americans’ wine education:

I’m confused. I’ve been reading reports on the health benefits of consuming wine. I tend to focus on those that align with my general evaluation of the risk and benefits of wine. I believe that alcoholic consumption (of any type)

The world is shrinking every day. We’re hurtling down the path toward monolithic world citizenry, each of us dipping into the deep well of global browsers, internet databases and social media, blurring the distinctions among us. The traditional distinctions of

Drinking responsibly can be a daunting task. The vernacular meaning tends to focus on the level of alcohol consumption. I view this well-worn phrase as a reminder, a self-directive if you will, to be mindful of not only the alcohol

“My Dad was an avid collector of wine, but I don’t know much about fine wines. He passed away recently. How do I know if the wines in his cellar are valuable?” “I found several bottles of wine stored in