This Seasons Harvest of Wine Books
BILL NESTO’S ANNUAL REVIEW of WINE BOOKS Malbec has taken the shine off Merlot. New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc dazzles while Pouilly-Fume has slid off the table. Wine is subject to trends and so is wine literature Currently, there seems to be three dominant trends in recently published wine books. One... Read More
Time to Crown California Royalty
Buying wine in the United States used to be a big deal, something almost ceremonial and definitely out of the ordinary. One of the major reasons that consumption’s reached a new height of popularity in the past decade is that we’ve finally overcome the idea of wine as a “special... Read More
On Pinot Noir$
Sideways, that infamous movie, did wonders for Southern California wine country and most notably, Pinot Noir. As a Sommelier I was trying for years to get some clients to try this wondrous grape, with some success. Then this movie comes out and top of the line drinkers of California Cabernet... Read More
It’s A Dog’s Life
New Zealand has it backwards (or is it upside down?), and I’m glad. Grapes are harvested six months early there, in the New Zealand fall, our spring, enabling us to already sample some of the superb 2OO6 vintage. We were recently favored by a visit from the two principals of... Read More
Plymouth’s Sean Harrison
Gin and the Man Who Makes It Sean Harrison Master Distiller of Plymouth Gin During his six and a half years in the Royal Navy, Plymouth Gin Master Distiller Sean Harrison spent his time “piloting ships around” – and rarely consumed any gin. He didn’t give a thought to the... Read More
The Oriel Line
For winemakers, sourcing grapes from outside a vineyard estate is nothing new. Yellow Tail does it. So do Louis Jadot and Verget. But creating a line of limited-production wines from all over the world, crafted by a diverse group of renowned wine-makers, bottled at the source and then distributed under... Read More
Geek Heaven
Riding an impressive and seemingly unbreakable wave of industry growth, the Brewers Association recently celebrated the twenty-fifth anniversary of its signature event, the Great American Beer Festival (GABF), in Denver, Colorado. With expanded floor space and increased offerings, the festival broke its old records and new ground in the promotion... Read More
Cognac & Brandy
As a combined category, brandy and Cognac has doubled in sales from ten years ago. While it might be climbing the ladder slowly, it’s climbing nonetheless. In 2OO5, total volume increased .7% to 1O.2 million 9-liter cases. A breakdown of the statistics shows that most of the growth is in... Read More
Mix Masters
WHAT’S IN A NAME? Drink invention is, without a doubt, a major component of mixology. Today’s mixologists experiment with infused liquors, fruit nectars, aromatics, and flamboyant garnishes, creating unusual signature cocktails which may take inspiration anywhere from a Snickers bar to Thai curry. Some professionals worry, however, that the word... Read More
Soak It Up
Executive Chef Robert Fathman, of Azure in Boston’s Lenox Hotel, started experimenting with infusions years ago when he happened to have an overstock of fresh figs at the restaurant where he worked. Rather than toss them out, he poured bourbon on them, added some cinnamon and vanilla, and an infusion... Read More