Yearly Archives: 2013
Complete Wine Selector by Katherine Cole Has Fierce Freshness
I wish I had come up with the phrase “fierce freshness“. But I have to give credit to Katherine Cole, author of the new book, Complete Wine Selector. (I first heard about her latest book when she was a guest on my podcast.) This alliterative duo is deployed in the first section of book, which [More]
SlantShack Beef Jerky and Lambrusco For Championship Snacking
How did I become acquainted with the glorious dried meat that is SlantShack Beef Jerky? I was speaking with the good folks at Open Sky, a site that pulls together entrepreneurs and those who like to purchase thoughtfully selected goods, about a collaboration. One problem. They don’t sell wine. But, thankfully, they do sell food. [More]
How Does a Winemaker Decide When to Pick Grapes?
When to pick grapes? It’s one of the biggest decisions a winemaker will undertake each year. So what tools and tricks of the trade are deployed? Is it a process assisted by: Science? Art? Taste? Voodoo? Clairvoyance? Luck? Fortunately, I know Ross Andrew Mickel, winemaker at Washington State’s Ross Andrew Winery. And I was able [More]
Dry Creek Valley Wines and Vineyards Provide 9 Noteworthy Finds
I just returned from visiting wineries and vineyards in Dry Creek Valley, California. It’s a region within Sonoma County that will surprise you like it did me. Here are a few things I found remarkable about the region during a trip sponsored by the Winegrowers of Dry Creek Valley. 1) Dry Creek? Not dry. Visual [More]
Label Lust: Sokol Blosser Evolution Sparkling
The playful side of Oregon’s historic Sokol Blosser winery comes out in this Evolution Sparkling label. A new release in its popular lineup of red and white, this sparkling wine especially gives me Label Lust when you peruse not the front of the bottle but rather the rear. It pleases me to view a back [More]
Sonoma Wine Country Vineyard Views: Gloria Ferrer
Couldn’t paint a more vivid picture of a Sonoma wine country vineyard than this view of some of the vines that go into making the wines of Gloria Ferrer. Though they produce still Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, this California wine icon is best known for sparkling wine. I spent a couple days in the Carneros [More]
Cognac Cocktails For Savoring Fall Evenings
Summer’s long gone in Seattle, OK? I do not mourn the passage of time and seasons. Instead, I celebrate. How? By shifting my beverage style and preference towards Cognac cocktails. This is one (of many) reasons why I’m fond of the new book Savory Cocktails by my friend Greg Henry. Ulysses Press was kind enough [More]
Italian Sparkling Wine: 7 Effervescent Thoughts About Ferrari
Greetings from the Trentino-Alto Adige area of Northern Italy. Close to the borders of Austria, Switzerland, and Slovenia, I’m hanging out in Trento. Not only is it a city in Italy but, more vitally to my predilections, it is also the name of a wine region solely dedicated to Italian sparkling wine. Produced in the [More]
