In the past two weeks we lost a few very important people in the wine world; Paul Pontallier of Bordeaux, Louis Latour of Burgundy and Etienne Hugel of Alsace. These are people who made an impact on the wines that we drink today. One of these people, whom I knew personally was Paul Pontallier of Chateau Margaux. He ...
There are few tasks as daunting as blind tasting a wine, and there is no questioning how difficult this task is. There is one monumentally important tip to help determine what a wine is, for the tasting beginner. This tip, is not to look at the glass, and listen to the voice in your head ...
A field in upstate New York is waiting to release a prize. Six shipping containers sit on grass, bearing the weight of the entirety of Taconic Distillery’s barrels. They contain Bourbons and Ryes that have aged slowly and exposed to the volatile New York seasons. What will soon be released is guaranteed to taste great, ...
Originally written for and published on: “Wine, Wit and Wisdom” The Official Blog of the Society of Wine Educators. Estate-bottled. Terroir. In the wine world these have long been terms that evoke respect for certain bottles and fetch higher prices. It’s significantly less typical to see an estate bottled spirit, where all the variables of ...
You are sipping dry Riesling in the summer sun, perched high on the inclined shore of Seneca Lake, on a winery porch cooled by lake breezes. Hard to imagine 22,000 years ago you’d be covered by a mile of glacier ice! New York State is home to the only prominent American wine regions to be ...
I am referring to the upcoming Easter holiday at my mother’s home in New York City. I have gained most of my love for food preparation from her. I have learned, very simply, it’s the quality of the ingredients that insure a great meal. Ah, that leg of lamb is like no other to me! ...
There are few white grapes that are as adaptable, age-worthy, and reflective of terroir as is Chenin Blanc. Perhaps the only other varietal that can be mentioned in the conversation is Riesling. Chenin Blanc makes its home in the Loire Valley, the same region that provides us with the much more recognizable Sauvignon Blancs of ...
I have been enjoying the pairing of fine wines with carefully and lovingly prepared foods for more than half my life. I have therefore established my pallet, my favorites, the foods that I absolutely love and foods that, well, get me through the day( a tuna sandwich, a slice a pizza, an apple, etc.) It ...
Who doesn’t love rosé wine? Well, when I started in the wine business over twenty years ago, drinking rosé wine was primarily done by the French or people in the wine business. It was our little secret that we endlessly tried preaching to the rest of America, but most of the time, it fell on deaf ears. ...
Darn, this is dangerous. My souvenir tin of Dominican Spiced Hot Chocolate from the Cacao Prieto Distillery, the maker of Widow Jane Bourbon, is tempting me every night after dinner. I regret buying it… okay, I don’t regret buying it! I recently visited the Redhook, Brooklyn, facility to taste the full Widow Jane line-up. What ...
