There are so many ways to drink sherry, and for this Sherry Week (November 6-12) I tasted through four different styles with tinned seafood conservas — a pairing they love in Spain. Tio Pepe is a Fino style, delicate and the most neutral, aged for 4 years under the flor. I liked it with the fish in olive oil. The Fino en … Continue reading
Normally by this time of the year I’m settling into a nice groove of light reds. But this fall we’ve seen a wild swing of temperatures, with some days a crisp 50 and other days hitting 80 (even in the end of October). And it always seems to be raining too. So, I’ve been reaching … Continue reading
Hitting the road this summer? You can also just sit in your backyard and travel through your glass. Here are some wines from less-travelled US wine paths. VirginiaMountain & Vine Screaming Hawk 2021 Meritage: With the grapes (50% Petit Verdot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 10% Malbec) you’d think would be really heavy but it’s not. Just … Continue reading
Some great summer cocktails involve vermouth, which is made from a neutral base wine and lots of botanicals. A common misperception is that red vermouth is made with a base of red wine, but actually the color just comes from different botanicals. Lustau, a prominent sherry house in Jerez, Spain, even makes a “rosé” vermouth. … Continue reading
Drinking outdoors yet! Of course you are! Don your summer whites and pour one of these great glasses to match. Mira Franc Blanc: One of the great things about wine is how vast a subject it is and how many grapes and winemaking styles there are. I love Cab Franc but had never had a white … Continue reading
My dad loves Pinot best, and it’s always a great gift. Here are few based on what style your dad (and of course you since you’ll be sharing it) likes. Dark red fruit: Humboldt County is near the Oregon border and, compared to other California winemaking regions, the shorter days and cooler climate produce some wonderfully balanced Pinots. … Continue reading
Marika Vida used to spotlight excellent female winemakers with these great dinners when she was the wine director at the Ritz, and she’s now doing a SOMM Series to continue the tradition. And what a revival last week, with an all-Taittinger dinner with Vitalie Taittinger, who recently took over as President of her family’s Champagne … Continue reading
I haven’t had many wines from Switzerland, and with good reason: The whole country only produces about 150 million bottles a year (for context, Mondavi and Yellowtail produce about as much each). Out of that, only about 2% is exported outside of Switzerland, and mostly to nearby Germany. Made at high altitudes, Alpine wines are crisp … Continue reading
Or did it ever end? With the ridiculous explosion of Aperol spritzes forming seas of orange in piazzas and bars worldwide, these all-in-one Almare Spritz cocktails are fantastic to have on hand. Comes in three flavors: Classico is your typical Aperol style with lots of bittersweet orange; Hugo which has very pretty elderflower in it; and our … Continue reading
As you get ready for those pink-bud selfies in the park, tap into another taste of Japan with some awesome Japanese whiskey. I’m a huge fan of the more delicate texture of these, and recently had the slightly heftier Takamine 8 Year Old Whiskey ($99). It’s full of really delicious burnt orange peel and just a touch of … Continue reading
