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EDITOR’S NOTE: We have even more ‘spirited’ advice for Valentine’s Day over at Rich Ireland’s “Beers To You” gazzblog.

I know you’re just itching to get to the wine shop this weekend to spend a little hard-earned cash on some serious vinous elixir, so take a look at what I ‘m suggesting below. 2005 Melville Estate Pinot Noir ($30): Melville is a small producer in the Santa Rita Hills area in the cool, Pacific…

Let’s face it, not many of us venture outside when the ambient air temperature descends to single digits. This is an exceptionally bleak time of year when the only product selling more than adult beverages is anti-depressant medication. So what can you do to lift your spirits and alter your mood without a prescription? How…

One of Peter Meyer’s disciples was Bill Sohovich, owner of Soho’s (above) and Blossom and a culinary pioneer in his own right. Photo by Walker DeVille As a native of Clarksburg, W.Va., I am genetically predisposed to seek out and find good food. It is in my DNA! So when I moved to Charleston a…

The label for Michele Chiarlo 2005 Moscato D’Asti Nivole, available at the Capitol Market wine shop I must admit to an inauspicious introduction to the ‘fruit of the vine.” It was during a time when automobiles had fins, Motown was in its prime and most wine came in large jugs with screw cap closures. Guys…

It’s January. Cold, gray, dreary January! Things could get depressing were it not for my penchant to match ugly days with great food and wine. I’m actually thinking about Arizona and the Sonoran dessert. I’m getting inspired! Here it comes…I’ve got it: Grilled lamb over mesquite coals washed down with a bottle of Zinfandel so…

“The nose is quite developed, the tannins are still hard, but the fruit seems overripe and flabby, and the finish is a bit short.” Huh? While conducting a wine tasting recently, it was pointed out to me that I had begun to sound a little too ‘winesy-cutsey. ‘ It was a polite reminder I was…

You’re probably wondering about my qualifications to write this blog. So here’s all I can say about my credentials – such as they are. After a trip to the California wine country in 1981, I was asked to write a wine column for the Charleston Daily Mail. I wrote that weekly column until 1989 and…

Welcome to ‘Wine and Dine,’ a new Charleston Gazette blog about wine selection and advice, along with tips on pairing wine with food. John Brown is a seasoned wine columnist, whose writing on wine will also be seen in the Sunday Gazette-Mail on a regular basis. Also, we will be rolling out some wine tips…