Beware: chocolate is a such a strong, evocative flavor that it neutralizes most wines – especially sparkling wines. Here’s a much better, more lyrical pairing: Chocolate with Bourbon. Specifically, the Limited Edition partnership of Compartés Chocolates paired with Woodford Reserve...
(and a couple where you may not want to bring the kids at all!) Warm-Weather Winter Breaks Susurros del Corazon, Auberge Resorts Collection | Punta Mita, Mexico A private beachfront escape nestled between the jungled cliffs of Punta de Mita,...
The hilly Chianti Classico region in the heart of Tuscany reminds me of Piedmont where wineries huddle around the hill villages of the 11 Barolo communes. In Chianti Classico, the number 11 now has a special meaning. In July 2021,...
Improbable as it sounds, not that long ago the current head of one of Napa’s major wineries spent six years farming oysters in a small Massachusetts town south of Boston. Which is where I met Olav Goelet, CEO of Clos...
Before I visited Calabria, all I’d heard was that this is a remote region, populated mainly by small farmers, along with smugglers and others in similar vocations. Oh, and the region is the ancestral home of famous Hollywood personalities such...
With Chef Deborah Mullin at the helm, The Grove restaurant at Napa’s Copia is female chef-centric. A Culinary Institute of America (CIA) alum, Mullin feels right at home at this CIA location, which is located across a path from an...
Rombauer winery has a superpower: food and wine pairing. This time it’s zinfandel with Ham Hand-Pies. Last time it was Chardonnay with Butter Chicken. Both times they nailed it. Of course, it helps that Rombauer does a good job with...
A Film, Food, Wine, and Fundraising Event Celebrating the Best of Culinary Cinema: “The Taste of Things,” “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs,” “The Hundred-Foot Journey,” and “Tampopo” Film Screenings Curated by Dave Karger (Turner Classic Movies) and Food and Wine...
ICE WINE: Naturally Frozen On the Vine Ice wine grapes must be naturally frozen on the vine for a period of time, which usually happens in late December or January – several months after the table wine harvest date for...
A creamy aroma wafted up from the glass when I first poured this chardonnay. As the wine opened, more of a buttery aroma and flavor kicked in. Some hints of fruit and vanilla emerged. All in all, it felt like...
2022 Stags’ Leap Napa Valley Chardonnay So surprised when I opened this bottle to find that it’s lean and grassy, more like a northern Burgundy white wine than a “typical” California chard. In fact I had a hard time believing...
The first thing I thought of when I tasted this wine was that it would be a good idea to buy a case of it. Though this wine is made to be consumed now, it has the structure to age...
So, what happened when we started sipping this wine, is that we didn’t stop. It was right before dinner, and we almost didn’t notice how easily the wine slipped into our mouths. Almost. Then we reigned ourselves in and started...