When visiting new locations, nothing is more rewarding or fascinating than exploring regions that may be off the beaten path or require a bit of travel time out of the city. There is just something alluring about losing oneself in the local landscape, people and culture and experiencing the country first hand. The challenge is…
Wine is inexorably linked to special, festive occasions, relaxation, and to a certain extent, decadence. The imagery and symbolism of sipping a glass of wine can elevate a simple travel narrative into a sensory experience. For this reason, travel writers should seriously consider slipping a mention, sidebar or descriptive paragraph about wine into their articles….
Chianti, Chianti Classico and Super-Tuscan wines are all produced from the same varietal of grape, Sangiovese, which is grown in the Tuscany region of Italy. During the twentieth century, the Chianti producers focused on capturing market share and not producing quality wine, thus tarnishing the Chianti name. Chianti became associated with low prices and low…
The French wine growing region of Champagne is often perceived as one specific area which produces some awesome spritzy wine. However, if you look a little closer you will notice that the region of Champagne is actually made up of five distinctive sub-regions which possess their own unique characteristics and soil types. The irony of…
If you just so happen find yourself passing by the quaint college town of Chico, California, you should definitely go out of your way to experience the Sierra Nevada Brewing Company’s Hoptimum Beer tour. Not only will you be blown away by the caliber of the tour itself, but the amazing beer samples at the end…
White Zinfandel wine is usually a popular choice among people who would not otherwise drink wine or are just starting to experiment with drinking wine. White Zinfandel is known to be quaffable and easy to drink for it possesses low alcohol, bold fruit and sweetness. Novice wine drinkers usually prefer these light, sweet, fruity wines…
Just a few decades ago, if you asked any wine expert to name the preeminent winemaking regions of Tuscany, they would place Chianti Classico and the surrounding sub-zone of Chianti at the top of the list. This latter expanse includes the prestigious hilltop towns of Montalcino, birthplace of the Brunello grape and Montepulciano, producer of…
When one thinks of German wines, one automatically thinks of big blonds… I mean white wines. You know, the typical Riesling, Müller-Thurgau or Silvaner. However, on occasion you will find a seductive red with great body that comes from Germany. The most common red German wines being Spätburgunder (pinot noir), Portugieser, Trollinger and Dornfelder. I’ve…
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…
For centuries, it has been the French tradition to release the Beaujolais Nouveau the third week in November. However, sometime in the later half of the twentieth century, French winemaker and marketing genius, George Duboeuf, exposed the rest of the world to this Beaujolais marketing madness. The funny thing is, Beaujolais wine is meant to…
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…
