WINES of the FIRST WESTERNERS
A VERY OLD SAYING WARNS, “Beware of Greeks bearing gifts.” Perhaps prudent 32OO years ago in ancient Troy, the advice is now seriously out of date, especially pertaining to Giota and Andrea Englisis bearing wine. Their Athenee Importers Third Annual Road Show recently crossed the US, bearing dozens of tasting... Read More
ENDANGERED COCKTAIL OF THE MONTH: THE DARK & STORMY
THERE’S NOTHING QUITE LIKE whiling away a lazy summer afternoon on a boat. For sailors of all stripes, be they Ralph Lauren nautical or legit Navy blues, the Dark & Stormy is a delightful drink. As with so many great classic cocktail recipes, the origins of the Dark & Stormy... Read More
MAIA GOSSELIN of SIP WINE EDUCATION
IT MAY HAVE TAKEN AMERICA a while to catch up with the wine-drinking habits of Europe, but with record-breaking growth in 2O12 and a $34.6 billion dollar industry on our hands, it’s safe to say the US has arrived. We may be sipping and swirling wine but, as our own... Read More
THE VIRTUAL TASTING
WINE PUBLICIST Elizabeth Kane Tate of Ekt Communications organized an “intimate” wine tasting in a new setting via Skype. Tate’s email invitations (not e-vites) hinted that this novel venture will become a practical standard in wine-marketing and communication. The wines were real, the tasting conducted communally via long-distance. Tate’s invitation... Read More
REVIEW of CURRENT ARGENTINAIN MALBEC
ARGENTINE MALBEC CONTINUES TO SOAR on the American market. What’s surprising to me is that after what appeared to be a slight quality slump a few years ago, there is a renewed energy in the category and an apparent commitment to making more interesting and complex terroir-driven wines – albeit... Read More
90+ Boston’s Own
You can hardly blame a wine novice for feeling shy on their maiden visit to a wine shop, where difficult to pronounce labels and a confusing range of price tags abound. Even the seasoned consumers are sure to have their moments, wistfully murmuring “if only picking out Grand Cru Bordeaux... Read More
ECTOM: Punch
What could be more convivial than gathering around a punch bowl as you whet your whistle? Little do most imbibers know, punch was the predominant way to imbibe for nearly 2OO years – from the 167Os until the 185Os. Punch got its start in India, where the drink was made... Read More
A DRINK WITH . . . TROY CLARKE
TROY CLARKE – President of Boston Chapter of the United States Bartender Guild (USBG)Sales Manager at Martignetti Companies • Co-Owner of 1224 Cocktails Bar Bag Troy Clarke is used to juggling a lot of roles at the same time. With a long career in the hotel business, Clarke has overseen... Read More
Two Families of Verona
Despite the abundance of fine, characterful wines grown around Verona, only lately has there been fading of the stain left by dilute Soave and Valpolicella industrially produced from flat, moist vineyards during the wine boom of the 197Os. Not fair, but memories are long and unforgiving. Many of the most... Read More
Lowering the Ceiling on Overhead
Any owner of a retail beverage business who pays the bills at the endof the month knows finding ways of reducing those dollars floatingout the door or flying away electronically is a “no brainer.” But a nobrainer is a lot easier to put into action if the owner has a... Read More