Wine
Light Dry Whites
April - May 2010Refreshing wines for the season Picture this: You just came home from a day at the beach or playing sports, and you know you are going to have dinner with some friends. You’re hot, and you take a shower. When you get out, your core temperature is still on high. What is the first wine…
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The Art of WinemaKing
February - March 2010Unveiling the heart and craftsmanship in production Sugar plus yeast equals carbon dioxide, heat and alcohol. This is the basic equation that every winemaker is bound by. But to distill the “art” of making wine to simple mathematics is a travesty to the heart and soul of what makes wine not just a beverage, but…
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Celebrating Champagne
December - January 2010There 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…
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Vineyards Of Southern Italy
October - November 2009Exploring 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…
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Summer Palate
August - September 2009Sip 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…
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Wine Down
August - September 2009Food and wine pairings liven up Wednesdays at town When it comes to days of the week, nobody likes Mondays – no explanation needed for that. Rock band The Cure is “in love” with Fridays, and from January to May, Tuesdays engage us with American Idol. But what about Wednesday? What can we do on…
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Hearty Pairings
June - July 2009Finding 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….
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Organic Wines & Cheeses
April - May 2009The 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…
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A Slice of Italy
April - May 2009Great wine and a fresh menu at vino in restaurant row On the Tv show Cheers, the featured bar was a place “where everybody knows your name.” Local master sommelier Chuck Furuya, co-owner of Vino Italian Tapas and Wine Bar, says his restaurant is the “Italian Cheers” – a hangout for great wine and great…
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Vine Cliff Winery
February - March 2009Get 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…
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