Eat & Drink
Just when you thought it was safe – winter rears its ugly head. Although cold weather is no prerogative to enjoying a glass of Port, the chill in the air and a warm fireplace certainly invite it. Today’s selection is an old favorite. When we “welcome” our 1,400 Halloween trick-or-treaters, […]
Hop J.A.M. Pardon the pun, but this IPA is our jam! And apparently, it is for a lot of other folks, too. “This is the first and only IPA we’ve done – we had so many people ask for an IPA – and it’s the No. 1 seller as far […]
One of my PR people recently recommended drinking Cabernet Sauvignon with “Spaghetti al Pomodoro.” Well, I can’t think of a worse match-up! Young Cabernet, with tight tannins and concentrated weight would simply overwhelm any tomato-based pasta dish. Personally, I prefer many Italian wines with the right texture and acidity to […]
It’s evident by the number of cranes dotting Durham’s landscape that our city is in the middle of a major growth spurt, and it’s not just builders and investors who view this as prime time for new opportunity. The fact that we have seen several well-known restaurants expand and open […]
If you’re old enough, you know that Stony Hill Chardonnay, from Napa Valley’s Spring Mountain District, was (and is?) California’s first cult white. This is only the third time I’ve tasted it. Usually, one had to be on their mailing list to get any. But small amounts are now available […]
Chateau Fontenil is the “baby” of famed Bordeaux oenologist Michel Rolland. Located in Fronsac, near the St. Émilion and Pomerol appellations, this wine gets all the best treatment. Whole cluster fermentation in 100% new wood, and final aging in 60% new oak, the wine is treated royally – and it […]
In the rush to mythologize Oregon, and now New Zealand’s, Pinot Noirs, some wonderful releases from California’s cooler regions can get lost in the shuffle. So it is with today’s example, the 2015 Artesa Estate Vineyard Pinot Noir located in the Carneros region of Napa Valley. This wine is a […]
I’ve been recommending Spanish Cava (sparkling wine made by the true Champagne process with a second fermentation in the bottle) for decades. In the past, many of these inexpensive wines were rather “steely” and left a metallic taste in your mouth. But vinification methods improve, and now many Cavas can […]
In our gray and rather leafless backyards, Camellias can provide color during these dog days of winter. But for a reminder of bursting Azaleas and the fresh greenery of springtime, I like to think Beaujolais! I’m not talking about the catch-all variety, but rather the 10 village wines that represent […]
Carménère comes in all shapes and sizes. This French grape, originally part of the vineyards of Bordeaux, now finds its home in Chile. But the variety of styles it engenders must be confusing to the average wine drinker. What am I going to get? It can be very Bordeaux-like and […]
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