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by HARVEY FINKEL Wine production in the Holy Land has been on a 4OOO-year slow roller coaster. Biblically renowned, reputed as of premium export quality before the Common Era, Israeli wine hit low points under various external dominations, especially during the 1,2OO years of mostly Islamic control, ending in a... Read More

by PINK LADY The trope of the drunken sailor is a time-honored one, and we owe many of our oldest classic cocktail formulae to its real-life incarnation. The Gimlet, Gin & Tonic, Dark & Stormy, to name just a few, were born on the high seas, where a daily ration... Read More

by SANDY BLOCK, MW In times of crisis we tend to gravitate to what is reassuring and familiar. In wine terms, this means trusted brands and categories that need no elaborate introduction are favored over new discoveries. So, in our current circumstances, the fact that Chardonnay has not been considered... Read More

By HARVEY FINKEL, MD Last month in this space we considered the components of wine, essentially what should be in wine or could reasonably be expected to be found in wine. Today we’ll look at what should not be in wine, but sometimes is. Further detailed scientific data is being... Read More

by PINK LADY On April 3O, we learned that the iconic New York City cocktail bar The Pegu Club would ring the last call bell, marking the end of an era for this SOHO institution. Modern mixologists and drinks enthusiasts alike owe a great deal to this NYC mainstay, founded... Read More

By PINK LADY What a difference a month makes! In the space of a few weeks — nay, a few days — we went from a schedule packed with casual martinis among friends at the Boston-area’s ever expanding list of cocktail hot spots to quarantinis at home with literally whomever... Read More

By HARVEY FINKEL We have been enjoying wine for a very long time, perhaps 9OOO years. Its sensual and spiritual enrichment of our lives was probably noted from the beginning. It seems, though, the emphasis has changed, now largely focusing on the health effects of moderate consumption, perhaps unfortunate, for,... Read More

By Andy Crouch Craft beer has long been defined by change but the beer industry has never seen anything like the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. Bars, restaurants, and other on-premise locations remain shuttered across most of the United States and throughout the commonwealth. Public officials are pleading with... Read More

By SANDY BLOCK,MW Among the first places I check on a restaurant wine list: where’s the Chenin Blanc? And, no, it’s not primarily because I don’t want to spend a lot of money, although that’s part of the equation. It’s more an acid test, no pun intended. If I’m seeing... Read More

By HARVEY FINKEL The iconic grape of central Italy is undoubtably the Sangiovese, which reaches its apogee in central Tuscany. But it was not ever so, nor is it everywhere. So variable is the variety, depending on clone, conditions, and treatment, that we can pick out a few foci of... Read More