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For the first time in more than 30 years of wine making, WineBoy has been able to acquire old vine zinfandel for his home winemaking. I’ve been a busy WineBoy lately! The annual harvest ritual at the Brown household is officially underway. This past Saturday, I picked up 22 lugs (36-pound wooden boxes) of old…

Look, I know I’ve always preached that wine appreciation is a very subjective undertaking, and that you should drink whatever you want, with or without food. I still feel that way. Yet you may have noticed that most of my wine recommendations also come with a suggested food pairing. That’s because I feel strongly that…

Washington State is a geographically schizophrenic state, a land of extremes with two distinct personalities. Seattle, situated along Puget Sound with the Cascade Mountains to the east and the Olympic range to the west, is more known for its annual precipitation than its well-deserved reputation as one of the most livable cities in the world.…

One of the most unique individuals I’ve ever met, Kay Dillon, is proprietor of Okay’s at 222 Leon Sullivan Way in Charleston. Kay is not only one of the most informed bar-keeps I’ve ever encountered, she is also a trained psychologist (which I feel should be a pre-requisite for tending bar), caring mother, devotee of…

____________________ EVENT: Bridge Road Bistro Wine Dinner, Aug. 25, 2008 Those of you who enjoy the culinary artistry of Chef Paco Aceves of the Bridge Road Bistro and the lovely wines produced by locally-owned Napa Valley winery – Falcor – are in for a treat. A special multi-course dinner with accompanying wines from Falcor will…

A 2004 Montevina Terre d’Oro Amador County Zinfandel ($22) will go great with the recipe below. I must admit: I am a carnivore — especially when it comes to beef. Give me a piece of red meat and I’ll rub that sucker with loads of black pepper, garlic and a little Kosher salt, and then…

The Willamette Valley is an area in Oregon that produces exceptional pinot noir. Okay, so we all know artists are a bit “out there” or they wouldn’t be able to create the amazing works they produce. In an otherwise mundane, complex, stressful and boring existence, artists provide a break from normalcy and present unique perspectives…

My name is John and I am a hedonist! This is a declaration I feel compelled to make after attending – for the second consecutive year – the International Pinot Noir Celebration (IPNC). The event is held annually the last weekend of July in the heart of Oregon’s Willamette Valley – the acclaimed American Viticultural…

A few decades ago, in another life, I spent a week “Down Under” courtesy of the US Army. What I remember of that R&R week in Sydney is a bit fuzzy, but one aspect of Australian life was crystal clear: those folks liked their adult beverages! While my beverage of choice that week was beer…

As you know, I really enjoy the sensory aspects of wine appreciation. Observing the beautiful hues and shades of wine and the myriad aromas and tastes of the fruit of the vine is truly a blessing. I also love trying to match a specific wine with a complimentary dish because, in my estimation, a good…