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 [...]

 
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 [...]

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 [...]

“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 [...]

 
… 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. [...]

Memorial Day 2010 and everyone is making the rounds of outdoor parties. Wondering what wine to bring for a cookout? The first thing is to make assumptions that the food will be the usual items you see at many Memorial Day cookouts such as hot dogs and hamburgers, [...]

… it’s always fun to sit next to a winemaker / winery owner during a wine dinner at a top restaurant like Park Avenue Spring in New York City. It was the first time I would meet Dennis Cakebread, and it was a thrill to be able to taste the wines and pepper him with [...]

…I had a chance to catch up with new developments at J Vineyards and Winery today with George F. Bursick, VP Winemaking, who was showing many of the company’s wines. Though the company had its foundation in sparkling wine, it now has ten estae vineyards totaling 257 planted acres in the Russian River valley.
It’s always [...]

 
It’s always fun to compare wines from the same vineyard and different years. Recently I received two chardonnays from Fess Parker (both Ashley’s / Sta Rita Hills)
The 2007 is a pretty medium gold color, with a nose of melted butter and ripe apples. On the palate, more melted butter and apples and a medium-bodied texture [...]

John Falcone
As a Californian, I was incredibly loyal to my native state and spent many long, sun-soaked weekends checking out all the new wineries in the Santa Ynez Valley. Now that I am on the East coast and more Old World focused as a result of my (more Old World) wine studies, it is great [...]

Doug Frost MS MW & John Casella (blue tie)
Now if you are a Master of Wine student and fine wine writer, receiving an invitation to hear Master Sommelier / Master of Wine Doug Frost speak is a command that must be obeyed. Beyond the hard-won titles that attest to years of intense study, Doug Frost [...]

Banfi Brunello Tasting

So there is nothing quite like driving up to a romantic Italian castle in a private chauffeured limousine on a gorgeous sunny day – unless that includes tasting some of the world’s best wine.
Now the Italian castle in question is Castello Banfi, known in the 13th century as Poggio alle Mura. If you [...]

Review of Collio
 
One of the more indulgent pleasures in today’s frenzied world (especially when it comes to the tiny kitchens of Manhattan) is to buy a glossy cooking magazine with mouth-watering photographs of incredibly decadent cuisine, and just sit there, savoring a glass of wine as you read the recipe and pretend you are actually [...]

Lobster Course
If you love Spanish wine, you know that Tempranillo is one of the most popular red grape varieties. As it is grown in many areas of Spain, it goes by a variety of local names. For example, in Toro it is called ‘Tinta del Toro" and takes much of its expression from the distinctive [...]