Wines of Washington State
First we must disentangle the state in the upper left corner of the country from the often unreal city on the bank of the Potomac. (There are 47 different Washingtons listed in the index to my atlas.) Next we must understand that, climatically, there are two Washington States. The more... Read More
Cognac & Brandy
As energy costs rise almost daily and people worry about the overall economy, it appears that many consumers are spending less disposable income on cognac, at least when it comes to home consumption. And when they do buy it, it’s often likely to be VS or VSOP, and not the... Read More
Rum
Last year marked a full decade of consistent upbeat momentum for this second-largest distilled spirits category in the US, now well up over 2O million cases in total volume sales, and continuing to build on its consumer appeal with an ever-expanding introduction of trendy lower-proof flavored brands, lower-calorie product alternatives,... Read More
It’s A Miracle!
Here is a wine full of flavor and elegance, intense, focused, long in both finish and life span, evoking fruits, flowers, even minerals, yet amazingly transparent and ethereally light. No other wine possesses this combination of qualities, no Riesling grown elsewhere either. Can we explain? Is it the slate-rich soil,... Read More
Tequila
Not only are consumers buying more high-end tequila than ever before but the majority of new tequilas coming onto the market are in the super-premium category. The importance of image, an interest in pairing nice tequilas with Mexican cuisine and some very innovative promoting and packaging have all helped to... Read More
Roberto Pighin
ROBERTO PIGHIN • 4O • Azienda Fratelli Pighin • Friuli, Italy There’s pinot grigio and Pinot Grigio; one’s a shameless, faceless bar pour from the Veneto flatlands, the other’s the proud, delectably suave and intriguing aperitif from the high plains of Friuli and Collio. Roberto Pighin’s father, Fernando, began making... Read More
Profile: Marcus Palmer
MARCUS PALMER • 38 • Sommelier & Wine Manager • Smith & Wollensky • Boston, MA How could such a terrific concept have borne such a sketchily conceived monicker? The story goes that the night before Alan Stillman launched his now-famous steakhouse chain, it still lacked a name. Alan and... Read More
My Geek is Showing
As a wine professional there is a part of myself that only comes out every once in awhile, and only with certain colleagues. It’s a little similar to Dr. Jekel and Mr. Hyde. My Mr. Hyde is the wine geek. This past mid-July I had the pleasure of attending the... Read More
Chris Campbell
CHRIS CAMPBELL • 4O • Owner/Manager/Sommelier • Troquet, Boston PROFILE Chris Campbell was a local pioneer of customer-favoring restaurant wine bargains during the eight years he and his wife Diane ran Uva in Brighton (1993-2OOO). Wine mavens fondly recall the young couple’s unheard-of rock-bottom markups ($1O over cost) and Wednesday... Read More
Good Luck Jim Tye
The role as ambassador for United Liquors is certainly not a new one for Jim Tye. With his ‘retirement’, that role is just a little more expanded, as he will be casting a wider if more informal net. Tye, a graduate of University of Miami and Columbia University School of... Read More