Featured Articles

With the endless variety of wines available in even small stores these days, choosing one can be a challenge for anyone.  There’s no magic formula to determine what a person will like if they want a recommendation for something new, but TJ Douglas has devised an innovative, carefully-calibrated system that... Read More

2O11 has been a challenging one for many Champagne purveyors on the local Massachusetts scene, reflecting larger issues nationally, but there remain areas of vibrancy, particularly in nightclubs, hotels and other luxury venues. Specialty Champagnes appear to be growing in popularity, as consumers begin to experience the diversity of Champagne... Read More

In his office above Huntington Wine & Spirits, Steve Rubin has vintage Coca Cola bottles displayed on a high shelf.  The walls are festooned with old rock and roll concert posters: Pink Floyd, Woodstock, Aerosmith.  Judging from these collectibles, you might say Rubin is a nostalgic type.  You wouldn’t be... Read More

If the Boston Wine Expo were a person, it would be old enough to buy a drink at its forthcoming edition – its 21st. Let me take you back to the beginning and behind the scenes, and then peek ahead, to appreciate this greatest of America’s trade and consumer wine... Read More

“I drink champagne when I’m happy and when I’m sad.Sometimes I drink it when I’m alone. When I have company I consider it obligatory.I trifle with it if I’m not hungry and drink it when I am. Otherwise I never touch it – unless I’m thirsty.” -Lily Bollinger She’s a... Read More

These are tough times for big brewers.  The craft beer industry continue to nip at the heels of long established beers from international companies.  Consumers are also demanding new products and are causing some of the world’s best known breweries to rethink their own portfolios.  Despite possessing one of the... Read More

During the holiday season, the person who rushes through your door and grabs a bottle of wine off the rack is in a hurry to get to the next stop where he or she can buy stocking stuffers and presents.  Time is a precious commodity, and every salesperson knows the... Read More

The Sidecar was a gateway cocktail for many of us LUPEC Boston gals, a drink not unlike the Manhattan that is curiously still kicking in modern bars, despite its vintage roots. Many will claim the Sidecar was invented in France in the 192Os at Harry’s New York Bar in Paris. ... Read More

MIKE GILLY 48Wine Buyer • Blanchard’s Liquors, MA Mike Gilly opens the door of Blanchard’s Liquors in Jamaica Plain and steps into the sunshine, carrying a case of Ostatu Viura.  Rick Dunfey awaits with his back hatch open, and Mike slides it into the trunk.  Rick, who publishes red sox... Read More

The World Health Organization (WHO) is famous both for monumental good works and for embarrassingly shoddy judgment when allowing politics to enter its activities. WHO’s just-published global status report on alcohol and health is not one of the former. It is more than abundantly clear, from clinical observations, epidemiologic studies... Read More