Just imagine a bunch of women hanging out, drinking wine and discussing the different aromas and bouquet they detect. Then, of course, they would start discussing what food would pair the best with the wine. I’ve seen this happen again and again, and it doesn’t matter if they’re in a formal wine tasting or a…
With the holiday season upon us, one can’t help to think about what to give the person who has everything. Of course, wine is a great answer to this perplexing question. When I give wine as a gift, I try to think out of the ordinary and choose something like Port, Prosecco, Moscato d’Asti or…
If my kids needed a quick buck, I would give them a dollar for every 1st growth Bordeaux Château they can name; Lafite-Rothschild, Latour, Margaux, Haut-Brion and Mouton-Rothschild. Why? Well, the Sommelier in me hopes that one day they might have the opportunity to try one of these aristocratic wines and I wouldn’t want them…
There’s just something inviting about a Bordeaux blend. Maybe it’s the rich, full-bodied, hefty sensation of blackberry and black cherry flavors with notes of spices, chocolate and vanilla. It might be the way they complement dishes that contain game, venison or pheasant. There’s no doubt that a Bordeaux blend is the classic example of a…
One of the most uncertain things for wine professional, restaurateurs or wine lovers is whether or not decanting wine is necessary. Will decanting release the aromatic components of the wine or will it increase the deterioration or oxidation process? I want to present a few thoughts about decanting from Emile Peynaud, “the man” (Director and…
There’s no doubt in my mind that wine fermented in oak barrels has a very different and distinct flavor than wine fermented in stainless steel. The phenolic material from an oak barrel ultimately imparts a variety of flavors depending on the growing region of the trees, tightness or width of the wood grain and toasting…
I recently participated in a barrel tasting and noted something that was quite interesting All of the barrels contained wine made from Pinot noir grapes grown at the same vineyard site, cared for in the same manner and produced by the same winemaker, yet they had strikingly different characteristics. The only difference was the type…
Since there seem to be so many Thanksgiving Dinner wine recommendations, I can’t help but to add my own. After decades of laborious research, drinking and eating. I’ve come to the conclusion that there is no one single wine that goes with Thanksgiving Dinner. My recommendation is simply to have a variety of different wines….
Müller-Thurgau and Pinotage are obviously very different in that one is a white grape and the other is red. Another striking difference is that one comes from the Northern hemisphere and the other from the Southern hemisphere. Despite these vast differences, both varietals are similar in that they are the product of varietal crossings. The…
Syrah is one of my favorite wines to make and drink. Shiraz, on the other hand, is not one of the wines on my list of favorites. I find this amazing since the wine is made from the same grape. It’s just the climate and winemaker that creates the vast differences in the style, aroma…
I was stunned during my Sommelier training to learn how much the taste and characteristics of wine are influenced by the soil in which the vines are grown. As the vine roots burrow through the earth, they absorb the mineral characteristics of each soil-type or rock layer they penetrate. Rieslings from Germany are notorious for…
So you’ve fallen in love with that new find, a trendy Pink Moscato wine that you found on the grocery store shelf with a sticker that says it’s only $5.99. You’d be surprised to know that Moscato is actually one of the oldest domesticated grapes in the world with a long, luscious history. Moscato, Moscatel…
Now that we are starting to be inundated with images of chocolate for Valentine’s Day, here are some simple guidelines for pairing your goodies with wine. These pairings will ensure that you’ll bring out the best qualities in both the wine and chocolate, while not allowing one to dominate the other or creating a…
The most gratifying occurrence for any wine drinker is to discover a great tasting wine for less than you’d expect to pay. I’m not talking about that wonderful little Barolo for $9.99 that was actually missing a 9. I’m talking about the wine you find yourself buying again and again because it tasted good yet…
I’ve come to the conclusion that the ancient Greeks were both thinkers and drinkers. It wasn’t until a near trademark infringement situation that I realized the Greeks had a plethora of vessels for wine. The Athena (mother) of all wine carrying vessels was the amphora, a large two handled carboy used in shipping large quantities…
Did you miss your fight to Los Angles (LAX)? Inclement weather strand you at Chicago O’Hare (ORD)? How about that 4-hour layover in Washington Dulles Airport (IAD)? Why not turn these unplanned, unforeseen and potentially unpleasant circumstances into an opportunity to visit the closest airport wine bar? There, you can discover a new favorite wine…
A sturdy and bold Chianti loaded with opulent flavors of dark cherry, plum, tobacco, walnut skin and licorice. The tannins are grippy, yet smooth and the pronounced acids make this the perfect accompaniment to a variety of hearty Italian dishes. This wine can be purchased at WTSO.com for $15.
