THE ROFFIGNAC
With bartenders from all over the US flocking to New Orleans for the 1Oth annual Tales of the Cocktail this July, we figured we’d raise a glass of something native to the Crescent City. Sure, you’ve heard of the Sazerac and the Ramos Gin Fizz. But have you ever tried... Read More
SUMMER BEER DRINKING
NOTHING MATCHES THE SPLENDORS OF SUMMER DRINKING.Enveloped in warm evenings, with heavy breezes casting down upon you, surrounded by nature and friends, and accompanied by your favorite beverage companion, it can seem like the perfect moment. When it comes to choosing the right beer, global brewers invite you to enjoy... Read More
PROFILE: GREG CRONE
GREG CRONE • 45 • OwnerCroney Estates & Liquid Brands, Scituate Greg Crone’s come halfway round the globe making, then selling, quality wine; now he’s gone back to the Southern Hemisphere to bring good bargains to the States. He’s made New Zealand wines for Brancott, marketed them for Seagram’s C&E... Read More
AQUITAINE: A PARTNERSHIP REDEFINING BORDEAUX
Bordeaux wine merchants, Jean-Christophe and Margaret Calvet, gave a presentation at the Boston Wine Expo on January 21 entitled “2OO9 Bordeaux – The Best Vintage Ever?” They own the Aquitaine Wine Company. They stood side-by-side at the podium and shared the presentation. Not only is it rare to find a... Read More
A VISIT FROM MALBECISTAN
When I began writing about wine in the 197Os, few and odd were Argentine wines in this market. In recent years, however, Argentina, riding on the shoulders of Malbec, has become a world wine power. Many of its wines are very good, especially with famed Argentine or other beef, yet,... Read More
THE NEGRONI
As anyone who has spent much time in Europe can attest, drinking on the Continent just isn’t the same as cocktailing in the US. In Italy, for example, if you order a “dry martini” at the bar, you’ll wind up with a glass of dry Martini & Rossi vermouth. Sure,... Read More
WINES OF THE LANGUEDOC
The Languedoc seems to me a land of opposing extremes: ancient and ultramodern, enormous yet unimposing, placidly rural despite a roiled history. One finds rustic wines from obscure traditional grapes alongside state-of-the-art, high-tech, Parker-pleasing products of international varieties. The Languedoc was one of the earliest wine-producing regions in France: visited... Read More
A DRINK WITH . . . MAUREEN RUBINO
MAUREEN RUBINOCO-OWNER of CENTRAL BOTTLE WINE & PROVISIONS, CAMBRIDGE Central Square and neighboring Kendall Square in Cambridge have become burgeoning biology and technology hubs, with MIT-spawned start-ups and notable companies like Google and Novartis setting up shop. Not the only ones to miss the opportunity to be part of an... Read More
Notes on Cloning
This year the Boston Wine Expo made a concerted effort to address wine producers’ goal to connect directly with the Boston trade. As a part of that program, Davis Bynum presented a “Pinot Noir Clone Seminar”. In 2OO7, Tom Klein, a California farmer, purchased the Davis Bynum brand from founder... Read More
HAS THE ANTI-ALCOHOL BEEN FOUND? THE AMAZIN’ ASIAN RAISIN!
A harmless compound blocks intoxication, hangovers and addiction to alcohol? I am suspicious of things too good to be true, but we are presented with compelling data that cannot be ignored from a reputable institution. This is an old story. An ancient folk remedy, in this case Chinese, is found... Read More