Grapevine

I’ve penned several columns on the subject of sparkling wines. At this time of year, with the holidays looming and visions of tiny bubbles in a fluted glass dancing in my head, I become immersed in the joys of indulging

Last week I reported on the state of the cork industry. Improvements in cork technology and techniques have met the competing challenges of alternative bottle closures such as the screwcap and synthetic material. The incidence of cork taint, the result

Several years ago, I penned a column discussing the relative qualities and desirability of various wine bottle closures. Consumers continue to be confronted with an assortment of alternatives to the traditional natural cork. Plastic corks, synthetic corks, hi-tech natural corks,

In the last few years, a glass of wine being sipped in movie scenes has become as common as a cigarette dangling from an actor’s lips in films over a good part of the last century. Just as this is

It’s Friday night. My wife and I are settling in for one of our favorite ways to unwind for the weekend: pizza, wine and a flick. We began this tradition in the days of VHS rentals at Blockbuster (yes, it’s

In past columns I’ve enjoyed reporting on state dinners hosted by American presidents. The long-standing tradition of entertaining world leaders at the White House typically provides a valuable insight into the current state of affairs between nations and their representatives.

Yes, it’s November, and this is the season our thoughts gravitate to ski slopes and holiday travel to the homes of family and friends. But not this year. As I write this column, the leaves are still on the trees;

“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

In my two most recent columns, we’ve explored the rarified air of the high-end wine auctions for rare wines. Typically the domain of the one percenters, it might seem that these auctions are the playgrounds and/or the battlefields of the

In last week’s column, I presented the rarified world of wine auctions and my experience as a participant (more as an observer) of a high-end auction conducted by Christie’s Auction House. These world-renowned auctions, conducted in major cities, are responsible