Rhone Rangers Tasting at Pier 59 Studios

“In a world of recognizable Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, Syrah ends up being a consumer’s third choice,” says Steffanie Anglim. Still a tough sell for wholesalers and restaurants, Syrah tends to sell well in the tasting room, a common observation among wineries. As a former wine bartender, this fact makes sense to me.

Making Vegetarian Pairings the Life of the Party

When was the last time you read a wine tasting note and found the comment: “This wine pairs great with artichokes, tomatoes, and rice!”?

Most of us would likely agree that suggestions like this are few and far between. There are many wine drinkers who believe that vegetables and wine do not mix.

Drink, Eat, Stay: Doing Sicily the Right Way

Historically Sicilian culture is diverse, fascinating, and routinely bloody. Thankfully today, the only red you’ll find running rampant is the wine.

The Hill: Finding Old-World Italy in the Heart of St. Louis

Visitors to St. Louis often want to go see the Arch, or take in a Cardinals game. But for our guests who are up for more than just the usual tourist sites, one of the places I take them, particularly if they’re foodies or lovers of urban neighborhoods, is The Hill.

Kiss the Cook

Years of themed dinner parties, bake sales, Fourth of July picnics, and cookie swaps have left us feeling like kitchen veterans, and maybe just a smidge overconfident at the stove. A one-day class at the renowned Culinary Institute of America seems like the perfect learning vacation.

Area North of St. Louis Pushing Organic Food, Wine

Bald eagles are regular winter visitors to Clarksville, Missouri, some 70 miles north of St. Louis, where a working lock for river traffic keeps the water open and the birds well-fed. The area may seem unlikely as an epicenter of organic food and wine, but a handful of locals are pushing the envelope to make that transformation.

Gusto in Scena: Good Taste on the Scene

Venice, Italy, recently played host to Italy’s Gusto in Scena—Good Taste on the Scene. The event, the brainchild of journalist Marcello Coronini, is the first show in Europe to combine three events in one: Chef in Concerto (Chefs in Concert), a gastronomic congress for top chefs; I Magnifici Vini (Magnificent Wines), an international wine tasting; and Seduzioni di Gola (Seductions of the Palate), an exhibition devoted to Italian delicacies.

A Delicate Balance

With modern fusion cuisine and wines from new regions around the world, the choices – and confusion – are abundant. One new school of thought is that any wine goes with any dish. However, most of us don’t put ketchup on our ice cream for the same reason as we don’t drink a delicate white wine with a hearty meat dish or a powerful red wine with sole – they are mismatched flavors and textures.

Galatoire’s

That was the system, we recalled. One course at a time. Finish the course, think about the next, talk about it, order it. A perfect way to turn a dinner into a celebration, to have an opportunity to chat, to observe the people in the dining room, even to join in to a couple of choruses of “Happy Birthday.” We didn’t leave until nearly 10 p.m., comfortably filled but not stuffed.

Sake does not get into fights with food

Nihonshu wa ryori wo erabanai. This Japanese saying essentially translates as “Sake does not get into fights with food.” It means sake pairs well with many different foods and generally won’t overpower anything on your plate.

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