Featured Articles

by SANDY BLOCK, MW Tasting dozens of Pinot Noirs blind, it’s unmistakable how dramatically individual a story each one tells. The grape is a chameleon. Highly reflective of its specific growing conditions, Pinot requires handling with utmost care, both in the vineyard and the winery. Its thin skins bruise easily... Read More

by PINK LADY The sound of a cork popping out of a Champagne bottle is fantastically festive and one we hear often at this time of year. Sparkling wine cocktails are sure to delight at the festivities on your holiday docket, and among these the Bellini is king. The Bellini... Read More

By Kirsten Amann ‘Tis the season for gifts and shameless commerce! The busy shoppers flocking to your store don’t have time to be trolling the web for unique gifts for their wine, cocktail, and beer loving friends – for that matter, neither do you! There’s mulled wine to be sipped... Read More

by HARVEY FINKEL The soul should always stand ajar, ready to welcome the ecstatic experience. -EMILY DICKINSON In the 15th and 16th centuries, Europeans invaded and subjugated what is now called Latin America, not at all benefiting the residents by these trans-Atlantic attentions. Marching alongside the conquistadors were priests, who... Read More

by PINK LADY ‘Tis the season for warm sweaters and full-flavored drinks! It’s roughly ten years since we started penning this column and we can hardly believe we’ve not mentioned the Rusty Nail, the grandpa of all Scotch classic cocktails, and (for some among us) a total dad drink. The... Read More

by ANDY CROUCH As fall slips into the early days of winter, beer drinkers slide from the maltiness of the Oktoberfest season into the arms of something more bracing. For some, this change in the seasons calls for whiskey or strong wine. For others, imperial stouts, barleywines, and double India... Read More

by SANDY BLOCK, MW Before the wines even finished fermenting 2O13 was widely hailed as a legendary almost picture perfect vintage for Cabernet Sauvignon in California. In this, yet another in a succession of drought years, the Cabernet vines produced ultra-concentrated grapes that balanced richness with structure. It was a... Read More

by HARVEY FINKEL The answer to the query posed by the title of this piece is a clear “no,” despite Oregon’s most important grape variety being Pinot Noir. The wines are not the same, even if both regions, the Willamette Valley of Oregon and the Côte d’Or of Burgundy, share... Read More

By Pink Lady Sherry and vermouth are two delightful types of fortified wine that became woefully misunderstood during the cocktail’s Dark Ages in the 197Os and ‘8Os. When we first stepped behind the bar sherry was understood as something sweet and cloying, associated with little old ladies and British people.... Read More

By Andy Crouch Saison is one of those underrated styles that has the ability to impress everyone who drinks it without leaving a lasting impression on most consumers. It is an enigma wrapped in a sketchy back story with dashes of style confusion mixed in. At its core, saison should... Read More