One of the highlights of attending En Primeur in Bordeaux this year for me had been the opportunity to taste the new vintage of prestigious, historic Chateau Cheval Blanc, famed for nearly two centuries for its unique terroir. It received the highest rank of Premier Grand Cru Classé (A) status in the Classification [...]
In his new book Setting the Table, Danny Meyer sets himself up as the king of hospitality. In the real world, does he practice what he preaches? Marisa D’Vari finds out … Rather daring, don’t you think, for a restaurateur to write a book titled Setting The Table: The Transforming Power of [...]
Recently my friend and I were enjoying blind tasting a wine as is a typical practice at dinner. After a few moments of careful examination, it was safe to concluded it was from the Old World, likely a 2007, and a Pinot Noir. Yet what [...]
What better way to spend a summer weekend than by blinding tasting two whites and out of all the whites in the world, analyzing their variety and origin? Of course, this sort of Sherlock Holmes antics is familiar to students in the Master of Wine program. Typically I ask wine retailers that [...]
… So I just had a fabulous lunch at Avra in NYC with Nicholas Miller, whose family owns the Bien Nacido brand (Pinot Noir and Syrah) and Solomon Hills brand (Chardonnay) in Santa Maria, California. “Bien Nacido means ‘born with a silver spoon’ – or some such in Spanish,” says Nicholas. As the [...]
Quick! When you think ‘Carneros’ what varietal comes to mind?
The appellation was officially created in 1983, as its cool climate is excellent for creating Pinot Noir and Chardonnay with a Burgundian tone of delicacy and finesse.
Recently I’ve tried the 2009 Saintsbury Pinot Noir which is dark purple with a bit of violet in terms [...]
Hello from Marisa D’Vari! If you are between 21 and 32 years old, live in Manhattan, and you are interested in social media I would like to invite you to be part of a focus group I am creating to explore the subject in greater depth. Please email [...]
Brooks Painter, winemaker
… so recently I received three wines from V. Sattui Winery, a family owned winery dedicated to making handcrafted wines in small lots. As is the current trend, the wines are only sold at the winery or direct shipped. This is a practice that makes sense in our competitive market, and rather smart [...]
Crave an exotic island rarely seen by American eyes? My first venture to the Greek island of Santorini revealed neat white houses up the sort of steep hill that later earns pedestrians of either sex complimentary shout-outs about their well-exercised calf muscles.
The trip also introduced the magic of the Santorini Vines. Unlike a vineyard you [...]
Do you like Greek wines? I do … they come in a variety of styles and price points and pair well with a wide variety of food. Typically they are also a very good value for the money, especially when it comes to reserve wines where you can still get [...]
“I want a wine that tastes like summer,” the chic woman tells the clerk at an upscale wine store. “Something that pairs well with grilled skewers of fresh shrimp and swordfish. What do you recommend?” If you were the clerk, what would you advise? A briny Muscadet? A buttery Chardonnay? Perhaps an exotic Albarino [...]
When I was head of Deg.Com Communications in Boston, working with small companies to build buzz for their business, I often spoke at a variety of conventions ranging from the Institute of Management Consultants to Book Expo America to the National Speaker’s Association. No matter what the business I always suggested that media-hungry [...]
baron
The WSJ recently published an article titled: Luxury Wine Market Reels from Downturn which Dr. Vino brought to the attention of his wine community. You can see the entire thread on his blog — and the comments are quite interesting.
Reading the comments, one gets the sense that Facebook and Twitter (FB/T) are basically great ways [...]
View Full Album “Help! I need a hotel recommendation for the Northern Rhone!” I hadn’t planned on visiting the Northern Rhone, yet when I had a change of plans during a trip to Provence, I went to the Stephen [...]
Chateau Prieuré-Lichine In March of 2010, several Master of Wine students – myself included – were invited to visit several prestigious Chateaux in Bordeaux. We were each assigned a Chateau to cover, and I had the good fortune of being able [...]
… Grillo is a white grape from Sicily that red wine drinkers would love! Something about this strong-willed grape that pairs well with firm, white fleshed fish such as swordfish or chicken with exotic spices. Grilled fish (and chicken) is also difficult to pair with most delicate fish, so Grillo is a winner.
Recently I tried [...]
montefalco
… Montefalco is both a town in Umbria, Italy and an area known for its DOCG (top quality level) wines as well as simple drinking wines. It is also the home of the Sangrantino grape, considered one of the most tannic varieties in the world with an almost-black center. The bouquet is one of dark, [...]
Domaine de Clairefontaine is a charming restaurant and apparently luxurious hotel in the N. Rhone. We rushed here after a visit to E. Guigal, terrified we would miss the last seating and miss one of the last opportunities for a Michelin rated lunch as we had in Arles. [...]
Rosé wine from Provence has been famous for thousands of years, yet many people do not realize that the whites and reds of Provence are refreshing and delicious, with many of the barrel-aged reds worthy of long-term aging. Though many people think of glitzy jet-set St. Tropez or touristy Marseilles [...]
“Welcome!” exclaims vivacious Remy Devictor (wearing stripes), who with his brother Oliver owns Domaine La Sangliere, just a stone’s throw from the beaches of St. Tropez. With much pride, he shows me around his winery, asking that I not take pictures of the empty spaces were the fermentation tanks once stood (“we’re getting brand [...]
