Perfect Pairings: Riesling & Holidays

When in doubt, open a good bottle of Mosel Riesling; Sage table-advice for pleasing a holiday crowd. The reasons are simple. No other white grape has Riesling's versatility, and no other region has the soil and climate to craft Riesling like the Mosel. While some folks may hear the word Riesling and think cheap & sweet (a reputation built by an influx of mediocre wines  in the '60s and '70s), not all Rieslings are sweet. Riesling can vary in sweetness [...]

By |2022-12-09T15:56:38-05:00December 9th, 2022|Uncategorized|

Spirited Gifts: Virtual Wine Classes & More

AWS Holiday Gift Guide Shopping and gifting look a little different this holiday season, but American Wine School has some great options for the wine lovers in your life – or for yourself, because wine not!  AWS Virtual Classes Virtual Classes include: Instructor-led lectures online via Zoom Course Materials Recorded lectures and videos   Wine 101 How to Taste Wine: Whether you know a little or a lot about wine, Wine 101 is a great way to start your formal [...]

By |2020-12-04T10:59:00-05:00December 4th, 2020|Uncategorized|

Mother Nature Versus Human Nurture: How Both Greatly Influence The Vineyard

Due to some technical difficulties, I wasn’t able to catch last week’s class in real time – but thank goodness for Voice Thread! Reviewing the session and having the opportunity to pause and take very detailed notes. In this lesson, it was quite fascinating to learn about the specific parts of a vine, ripening and how much of a role that climate plays in the success of a harvest season. What I’m learning thus far about Level 3 is that [...]

By |2020-08-11T14:56:09-04:00August 11th, 2020|Uncategorized, Wine Blog|

Pairing Buttery Chardonnay

We have all seen terms like buttery, creamy, smooth on the back label of our favorite Chardonnay, but what does that mean in terms of pairing? For me, corn on the cob, lobster, and crab legs come to mind. The buttery texture of some Chardonnays just naturally stand up to foods that we often serve with butter. You might wonder why some Chardonnays have this creamy, buttery texture and flavor and others do not. In a word, malolactic fermentation. Ok [...]

By |2018-07-27T22:03:44-04:00July 27th, 2018|Uncategorized, Wine Blog|

Celebrating with Bubbles

Whenever I sip Champagne from a fluted glass  I think of Karen MacNeil, wine educator and author of The Wine Bible. Years ago, Karen joined me as a guide in producing a tour of Bordeaux for American Express Platinum cardholders. During the opening night celebration she addressed the group, raised a glass of Champagne and said, "Offer someone a flute of Champagne and watch their body language change. Regardless of the occasion, everyone sits a little straighter with a Champagne flute in [...]

By |2007-12-03T18:29:17-05:00December 3rd, 2007|Uncategorized|

Thanksgiving Day Wines

Deciding what wines to bring to your family Thanksgiving Day dinner is an interesting task. From a culinary perspective, you have spices, flavors and textures that vary more than anyother meal of the year. Take Aunt Betty's sweet yam casserole with marshmellows plopped on top. Makes me think of a German Spatlese Riesling. Serve the yams along side a slice of Tom Turkey smothered in spiced cranberry sauce and I reach for a bottle of fruity Dolcetto or a Pinot [...]

By |2007-11-16T18:23:41-05:00November 16th, 2007|Uncategorized|

Scary Wines

It's October and the pumpkins are starting to roll out in mass. I must admit that this is my favorite month of the year. The leaves are turning, the weather is crisp and the food moves from lightly grilled to savory and slow cooked. In terms of wine, that mean beefier examples such a Zins, Syrah, Bordeaux, Rhone, Shiraz for reds and blended whites or concentrated varieties such as Pinot Gris from Alsace and Spatlese Riesling from Germany that have the extra body required [...]

By |2007-10-04T20:04:37-04:00October 4th, 2007|Uncategorized|

Blends Are IN

I tasted a white wine today that realigned my analytical approach to whites. Medium in body with crisp acidity and just enough oak influence to give it curves on the palate, the wine was far from being varietally correct - and with good reason. It was a blend. Having tasted tons of high acid Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand, refreshing Roses from around the world and quaffing-worthy Pinot Grigio this summer, I was pleasantly at ease with the balance of the blend [...]

By |2007-09-25T14:50:34-04:00September 25th, 2007|Uncategorized|

Breaking it Down

One of the best ways to learn about a region is to focus all your vinous energy on a small region or set of regions. Take Italy for example. With so many different native grapes, Italy is a bear of a country to get your arms around. As such, every so often I break it down and focus my efforts. Right now, it is the north east regions of Veneto, Trentino and Friuli. I start by printing a map off the internet - the importer [...]

By |2007-09-12T11:38:46-04:00September 12th, 2007|Uncategorized|

Let the Dogs Out

Labor Day is over and the Cleveland Browns are ready to rumble. While the entire issue of dogs and lifestyle choices (a.k.a Vick) are at the top of everyone's mind - in terms of wine, dogs are generally honored and revered. Spend a few minutes at a winery and soon you will hear the rustling of a wonderful vineyard dog chasing a bug just a few rows over. Vineyard dogs are so prized that a great book, Vineyard Dogs, has been published on the subject.  [...]

By |2007-09-06T01:24:59-04:00September 6th, 2007|Uncategorized|

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