AN ELEPHANT AND A SHREW WALK INTO A BAR . . .
by HARVEY FINKEL, MD Tales have long been told of creatures of the wild encountering alcohol, with varying consequences. Perhaps most evocative is the apparently authentic story of the herd of wild elephants that crashed a brewery, consumed its great-tasting, less-filling product, and went on a rampage. African elephants have... Read More
ENDANGERED COCKTAIL OF THE MONTH – THE LADY REBEL COCKTAIL
by PINK LADY St. Patrick’s Day gets the lion’s share of cocktailing attention in the U.S. in March, but have you heard of International Women’s Day? It’s March 8th, which means you can A) raise a glass to badass women in your life and in general and B) get your... Read More
EXQUISITE CHAMPAGNE
by HARVEEY FINKEL Today we’ll discover the second of the pair of exquisite effervescent wines we began with in this space last month, this one from Champagne, the paragon of sources of such pleasures. It is no surprise that the Brut Nature is a product of Louis Roederer, a grande... Read More
ENDANGERED COCKTAIL OF THE MONTH – THE BUCK’S FIZZ
by PINK LADY Back in December I was co-presenting a virtual cocktail and wine event, when a guest asked me “who invented the Mimosa?” I told them to give me a minute, as I was certain I’d covered the origin story of this beloved brunch libation. I clicked away at... Read More
ITALIAN PINOT GRIGIO
by SANDY BLOCK, MW Pinot Grigio won’t go away. Ignored by critics, disdained by sommeliers and most wine professionals as boring, damned with faint praise (“mild, fresh, clean”), it still captures a sizable share of the wine drinking public’s purchasing dollar. What accounts for the unusual staying power of this... Read More
A FRESH LOOK AT MODERN DAY DOUBLE INDIA PALE ALE
by ANDY CROUCH Double India Pale Ale is what happens when you leave a perfectly respectable style in the hands of fanatical American brewers. Once referred to as Imperial IPA, a borrowed reference from the strong stout style, these outsized IPAs once exploded with a tongue melting cacophony of hops,... Read More
EXQUISITE EFFERVESCENCE
by HARVEY FINKEL I have lately enjoyed two sparkling wines for which the word “exquisite” was coined. Neither is of a run-of-the-winery genre. Both deserve wider renown, and you deserve to know about them. The first of the pair, addressed today, comes to us from England, not noted for its... Read More
ENDANGERED COCKTAIL OF THE MONTH-THE BOULEVARDIER
by PINK LADY We are more than happy to bid farewell to 2O2O, and welcome the New Year with a cocktail that fits our current mood: braced for a dark winter, fortified with a strong spirit, slightly embittered but nonetheless well-appointed and pretty to look at. We present to you... Read More
SYRAH
by SANDY BLOCK, MW Syrah occupies that hazy and crowded middle ground of red grape varieties somewhere between the grace and finesse Pinot Noir often flashes, and the powerhouse intensity of Cabernet Sauvignon. It’s no lesser of a grape variety than these two acknowledged superstars. Held back only by lack... Read More
ENDANGERED COCKTAIL OF THE MONTH – CHAMPAGNE PUNCH
by PINK LADY As we find ourselves in the home stretch of 2O2O, we can’t say we’re sad to see it go. Mixing up a bowl of punch is our preferred way to celebrate the Season of Giving, and though the groups gathering around our respective punch bowls might be... Read More