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new york From the hills north of Verona, sheltered from arctic winds by the Alps, climate tempered by nearby Lake Garda, came one of Italy’s iconic wines, Amarone, a specialty of the Veneto, to one of the elegant, spacious halls of the New York Public Library in the fall. Members... Read More

Today, rum seems as ubiquitous as beer, as complicated and as broad sweeping as wine, as mixable as gin, and as sippable as a fine cognac.  That was sudden, some say.Not really!Let’s not forget the important role rum has played in international commerce for centuries, let alonein politics, especially locally. ... Read More

In the beverage alcohol industry, there is never a shortage of new products, flavors and ideas to grab the attention (and wallets) of ever-fickle consumers. While some have a short shelf life, others have staying power and can change the way we think and drink. Here’s a glimpse at emerging... Read More

I was astonished just before Labor Day by the media’s rolling boil over John Cloud’s piece in time, “Why Do Heavy Drinkers Outlive Nondrinkers?”, which had been stimulated by the online pre-release of a paper, later published in November,  in alcoholism: clinical and experimental research. Even the main editorial cartoon... Read More

Argentina remained the shining success story among exporters of wine to the US in 2O1O. Another year of substantial double digit growth has pushed the fashionable South American country’s export total here to 6.5 million 9 liter cases, representing a 2O% surge in volume over 2OO9. Even more impressive is... Read More

I am a reasonably earth-conscious consumer. My family belongs to a community-supported agriculture (CSA) program and gets boxes of great organic produce eight months a year. We drive advanced technology diesel cars that get better than 4Ompg. We compost yard trash. As they blow out, we’re replacing our incandescent bulbs... Read More

Ever sampled a Zombie, Suffering Bastard, or anything served in a skull mug or Scorpion bowl?  With out-there names and kitschy vessels, Tiki drinks are apt to inspire a giggle among cocktail neophytes.  In their original incarnation these were balanced, palatable drinks built upon rum, fresh juices and flavorful syrups... Read More

True or false: Champagne is a wine? Absurd as this question might sound to any professional, a significant percentage of consumers would answer incorrectly. Why? Because as a primarily blended product whose attributes are consistent from year to year, Champagne appears on the surface to share more with spirits, beer... Read More

Greece was the conduit of many essential elements of western civilization: philosophy, poetry and drama, painting and sculpture, architecture, mathematics, medicine, democracy, athletics, and wine.We have evidentiary traces of wine production from at least 65OO years ago, and a prominent viticulture dating back as much as 4OOO years. It likely... Read More