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Is it possible to love something, but be tired of that very same thing? I emphasize the word “THING” to make sure the animate objects of my affection do not get the wrong idea. As you might suspect, I speak of wine. And not just any wine, but one of the greatest of all– chardonnay.…

Okay, fellow gourmands, on your mark…get set… go – to the nearest wine shop and begin stocking up for the marathon eating and drinking season which is about to commence. Thanksgiving is the beginning of this forty-day holiday season which includes Chanukah and Christmas, and culminates with the New Year’s celebration. It is also a…

I really do enjoy the change of seasons, particularly the transition from summer to fall. I am aware that autumn is more than five weeks old, but my internal thermostat is just now registering the change. I also know it’s fall because my body is getting urgent messages from my brain to start ingesting fuller…

Cabernet sauvignon lovers rejoice! Wines from the extraordinary 2007 California vintage are beginning to make their way to a retail store near you, and you would be wise to grab as many as you can afford. While the vintage as  a whole is exceptional with just about every red and white benefitting from an almost…

Charleston Area Wine Events Mark your calendars for two wine-related events over the next couple of weeks. On Wednesday October 13, from 5 to 8 p.m., the Liquor Company will have a special tasting of Joseph Phelps wines at their location in the Patrick Street Plaza. Phelps is one of the most prestigious and historically…

The next time you feel like complaining about the weird laws surrounding alcohol in the Mountain State, be thankful you don’t live in that land of plenty just to the north of us. To say that wine, beer and liquor laws in Pennsylvania are complicated and restrictive would be an epic understatement. In fact, getting…

Since I am able to trace one-half of my ancestry back to southern Italy, I am prone to wax poetically from time to time about the tasteful treats emanating from that remarkable boot-shaped peninsula bisecting the Mediterranean and Adriatic Seas. And while it would be a gross oversight to disregard Italy’s contributions to art, culture…

I have always maintained that a good meal can be transformed into a great dining experience when a complimenting wine accompanies it. This is particularly important for restaurants. Those that understand and incorporate this principle into their business model should be recognized. Now it’s one thing for this backwater gourmand to say nice things about…

So which pinot noirs at the International Pinot Noir Celebration (IPNC) stood out to yours truly at that lovely weekend event in the Willamette Valley? So many were special, but several exceeded my expectations. As I mentioned last time, there were two evening tastings at IPNC where approximately 100 wineries were featured. The task of…

I have a love affair with pinot noir! Among its many attributes, I am most impressed (and mystified) by the wine’s unique ability to pair incredibly well with an array of edibles, including fish, fowl, lamb, beef and a whole host of vegetables. Pinot noir is a very difficult wine to produce. From vineyard to…