Eat & Drink
I have a prejudice towards today’s kind of wine. Because I am such a fan, I am also a harsh critic if one of these wines doesn’t live up to its name. It’s Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. Today’s example is made with 100 percent of a particular Sangiovese grape clone, […]
It’s Prosecco time! But, when is it not Prosecco time? The popularity of this northeastern Italian bubbly continues to increase, and the producers are well aware. In short, there’s a lot more acreage dedicated to the fascinating Glera grape now, and not all of it is very good. Today’s example […]
No global warming? Tell that to the intrepid German winemakers! They haven’t had an unripe vintage since 1991, whereas in the past, cold, cloudy summers were the norm as the grapes struggled to reach ripeness. Dryer Rieslings are now the best ever, because the grapes achieve the requisite ripeness to […]
Chilled Beet and Goat Cheese Soup with Beet, Fennel and Pistachio Relish By Bleu Olive‘s Sam Papanikas 7 red beets, cleaned and trimmed 1 yellow onion, chopped 1 leek, washed and chopped 2 carrots, peeled and chopped ½ bunch celery, chopped 8 garlic cloves 1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves 4 […]
For its fall Seasons of the Sea dinner – a seasonal, multi-course dinner featuring guest chefs, fishermen and organizations supporting sustainable seafood – Piedmont Executive Chef John May brings Chef Dean Neff of Wilmington’s PinPoint restaurant on board for a six-course Gullah-inspired dinner celebrating sustainably farmed oysters. As Dean’s restaurant […]
Founded in 1986, Talley Vineyards has shown the way for glorious Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from the Arroyo Grande Valley/ San Luis Obispo region of California. Two of their sites produce very limited Pinot Noir bottlings: Rincon and Rosemary’s Vineyard. These are hillside sites located just miles from the Pacific […]
If you’re one of those people who wonder why Pinot Noir and Cinsault were ever combined to create a viticultural cross grape called Pinotage, join the club. No, seriously, this was once the dominant red wine in South Africa, and some past examples were a rubbery, stewed mess that sometimes […]
Years ago, there was a wine advertisement that stated: “If you can say ‘Gundlach Bundschu Gewürztraminer’ three times quickly, we’ll give you a free bottle!” I sometimes wonder how many people avoid drinking this fragrantly rich wine because they simply can’t get past the name? Sonoma County, California produces excellent […]
Local-made ingredients add a distinguishing flair to any meal. Pantries stocked with bottles and boxes accrued from small artisan food shops are revered for their beauty and variety of flavor. Yet high-quality items crafted by small-batch makers are often sold only in stores. Maintaining a comprehensive selection of artisan food […]
Italy isn’t the only country to make Vin Santo, although Tuscan Vin Santi do sometimes approach a heavenly status. On the Greek island of Santorini, another traditional version of this wine, called Vinsanto (one word), is made. These wines are seemingly from another slower, more thoughtful, world. White grapes are […]
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