Fine Wine

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Celebrating Champagne

There are those who think Champagne does not age well. Luckily for me, I don’t know any of them.
My friends and I value the way great Champagne ages. It matures just as well as the mighty Bordeaux or regal Burgundy. In fact, Champagne shares two of the major varieties of Burgundy, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. [...]

December-January 2010 | Roberto Viernes | 0 comments | Continued
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Vineyards Of Southern Italy

Exploring the rich and diverse wines of this beautiful region
Italy is a vine-swept nation whose wines are famous in every corner of the civilized world. Red wines such as Barolo, Barbaresco, Chianti, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, Brunello di Montalcino, Amarone and Valpolicella are well-known to wine cognoscenti, as are white wines Soave, Gavi, Albana di [...]

October-November 2009 | Roberto Viernes | 0 comments | Continued
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Summer Palate

Sip on crisp wines and other refreshing offerings this season
Summer is here, and the sun is shining longer through the day. Temperatures are rising, and it is more common to drink white wines than reds to cool us off. But there are some of us who will be grilling red meat outdoors with the extended [...]

August-September 2009 | Roberto Viernes | 0 comments | Continued
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Hearty Pairings

Finding the perfect meat dishes for robust red wines
Cult Cabernets are always a huge hit for guys. Their exclusivity is impressive, and their thunderous, palate-pounding intensity and flavor are sure to please. The usual names apply here, with the likes of Screaming Eagle, Harlan Estate and Colgin Cellars at the top of the list. But, [...]

June-July 2009 | Roberto Viernes | 0 comments | Continued
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Organic Wines & Cheeses

The choices for fully organic and biodynamic wines and wines made from organically or biodynamically grown grapes continue to grow in the wine industry (pun intended). Here are some fabulous Earth-conscious wines and some organic cheese pairings that are guaranteed to leave their imprint on your palate without leaving too much of one on the [...]

April-May 2009 | Roberto Viernes | 0 comments | Continued
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Vine Cliff Winery

Get to know Rob Sweeney of the famed wine name
Vine Cliff Winery, located on the Silverado Trail in Napa Valley, is a historic site. The original winery was built in 1871, with vineyards planted solely for Bordeaux varieties. A scourge of phylloxera wiped out the vineyard at the turn of the century; the last vintage [...]

February-March 2009 | Roberto Viernes | 0 comments | Continued
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Champagne and Caviar

Ring in the new year with this divine pairing
Champagne and caviar are a match made in heaven. Some purists say that you should wash down caviar with vodka. But my liver and head would disagree
the morning after. There is something more than intoxicating when you taste those fresh and complex beads of the sturgeon and [...]

December-January 2009 | Roberto Viernes | 0 comments | Continued
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Luxe Cheese

Charles de Gaulle once uttered, “How can one conceive a one-party system in a country that has over 200 cheeses?” I uttered something like “Where do I begin?” when I first began pairing wine and cheese. There is an ever-growing number of individual cheeses from all over the world and even more wines as possible [...]

October-November 2008 | Roberto Viernes | 0 comments | Continued
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SIPS AND SMOKES

Connoisseurs Fred Schrader And Michael Herklots Share Their Wine And Cigar Philosophies
Fred Schrader
If you are into hedonistically proportioned Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, Schrader is a name that you already should know. Fred Schrader, co-founder of Colgin-Schrader, burst onto the Cult Cabernet scene in 1992 with quality wines that wowed connoisseurs the world over. Since leaving [...]

August-September 2008 | Roberto Viernes | 0 comments | Continued
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Savor Fare

Our master sommelier shares his favorite indulgences
If heaven stocks certain beverages, great Cognac is one of them. And there is a place on earth that Cognac lovers would call heaven. That place is The Founder’s Warehouse at Hennessey where since 1774 Richard Hennessey and his descendants, eight generations worth, have stored their most treasured eaux [...]

June-July 2008 | Roberto Viernes | 0 comments | Continued
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