Eat & Drink
To me, the best part about our local bottle shops is the fact that so many of them are also a bar where you can sample flights and pints before making your selections to take home. Most also have selections of cider, wine, mead, even kombucha, for folks who prefer […]
HAPPY HOUR 4pm – Augmentality Labs Try something a little different for date night! You’re sure to have a blast at the downtown virtual reality arcade on North Church Street. Challenge each other in Trickster or look on as your partner plays a single-player game. Book back-to-back sessions for 70 […]
Have you ever been lucky enough to have a grand tapas luncheon in Spain? Or have you simulated such a thing here at home, including same-day-caught shrimp, Jamón Iberíco, aged Manchego and addictive Marcona almonds? Then you know that the ultimate wine match for this appetizing spread is Fino Sherry! […]
Many wine lovers know that the Stags Leap District of Napa Valley produces remarkable Cabernet Sauvignon. Wines such as Shafer, Clos du Val and Pine Ridge make superlative cabs but, for some enthusiasts, there’s a catch. They need time in the bottle to make your investment pay off. Not necessarily […]
Verdicchio is a pretty well-known Italian white, but when was the last time you drank one? Many remember the green “fish bottle” that contained a Verdicchio from Fazi-Battaglia. This was a blessing and a curse because the bottle was cute but the wine not always. The Garofoli estate has been […]
If one goes back a few decades in bargain California wines, three names stand out for me: McManis, Bogle and, my personal favorite, the wines of Cline Family Cellars. These wineries have always delivered value, and I recommend you get to know them. But for me, Cline is outdoing itself. […]
This is a bit wacky but, then again, what isn’t when it’s from Greece? It isn’t that great wines are not emerging from these ancient vineyards, but it is sometimes hard for the American consumer to know what he or she’s getting. So it is with today’s wine, Feast Red, […]
Decades ago, I drank a 1975 Spring Mountain Reserve red from Cuvaison Winery. It was my very first “ah-ha” memorable experience with mountain-grown Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Skip ahead 38 years (gulp) to find Cuvaison the proud owners of Brandlin Estate, whose Mount Veeder fruit is harvested just a short skip […]
Polynesian Paralysis This drink is lit – literally. Its Hamilton 151 center is set on fire just before serving. Neon plastic monkeys line the side of the tiki-style bowl, and mermaids float on the lemon and lime slices that sit atop the citrusy cocktail. Its contents include orgeat syrup, demerara […]
Regular readers may know I have a soft spot for Vermentino, the Italian white. This grape thrives on Sardinia but also other Italian spots, namely Sicily and the Tuscan coast. That’s where today’s example is from. It’s Calasole Vermentino from the Rocca Di Montemassi estate. Vermentino must be fully ripened […]
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