In the wake of the tragedy that was Hurricane Katrina, devastating large parts of New Orleans, the odd became almost commonplace. Watching houses and cars caught up in the flood was horrifying, but in a city famed for food and drink, the sight of barrels floating down Frenchman Street, in
The nose has rich dark fruits and with a light floral background of violet. The palate has dark plums, elderberry, pencil lead, and violets. Tobacco leaf shows up on the mid-palate. Tannins are very fine. The overall impression is of smooth layers of dark depth. The finish is sweet and
While the airplane is taxiing, or during take-off and landing, I have to turn off the electronic devices. Sometimes I remember to bring a book, but other times that means I have to look in the seat-pocket for entertainment. If the crossword puzzles and Sodoku are done (dear airline, please
Challenged with pairing wines this Thanksgiving? Though turkey day is regarded as a most traditional American holiday, increasingly it is celebrated in the U.K., and foodies flock to gastronomic restaurants with highly educated sommeliers that are increasingly attaining the Master Sommelier level. Turkey is a traditional main dish for Christmas
I believe in the Tolstoy theory of history: great men don't really influence nations, but surf a tidal wave of societal change that was coming anyway. Thus it is with Robert Parker. Wine lovers spend a fair amount of time complaining about his malign influence. We want things he ignores,
Quite an unusual wine from this Okanagan Valley winery : a field blend of grenache, viognier and marsanne, pressed together and fermented together in oak barrels, thus creating an unusual, largely blanc de noirs, white wine. Coming from a cool vintage, it has an edgy, vibrant touch, combining the aromatics of
While most classic wine regions of the Old World, such as Bordeaux, Rioja and Tuscany, focus on dry reds, the Rheingau, in Germany, is one of the very few classic regions producing primarily top-class white wines. These wines span sweetness levels from dry to off-dry to dessert. They are characterized
Only an hour away from downtown Boston, is a lovely, well-situated parcel of vineyards, situated between the East and West estuaries of Massachusetts’ Westport River. Westport Rivers Vineyards has more than 25 years under its belt producing wines, though the former potato and dairy farm has been worked by the