The obvious answer is grapes.  A vineyard, however, is so much more as it ties to a specific place, a specific soil composition and a specific climate.   Those elements combined with the skilled hand of an artful winemaker can produce a bottle of wine that is so unique that you will recognize that vineyard’s fruit […]

  Why yes!  Even though it is late May and most of the United States this very week is heating up to encourage an early arrival of hot summer days, I do say “Cabernet” . . .  I just say “Cabernet Franc” with unbridled enthusiasm.   Hot weather screams for crisp white wines, the icy […]

Earlier this fall, a friend was chatting with me about upcoming food pairings and how I create my recipes.   With an article appearing weekly, if there are not others around the table to partake in the featured pairing leftovers are packaged and headed to the freezer.  The image of the contents of my freezer could […]

As 2010 wound to its finish, it did not extinguish meekly as the week leading up to New Year’s holiday was loaded with fast-paced last minute dealings, surprise visitors from out of town and an ever mindful realization that time is indeed fleeting.   When a week that was seemingly larger than life finally screeched to […]

In the world of wine, as most know, there is no legal definition for “proprietary red”.   Largely ambiguous when used in relation to a wine, the word “proprietary” infers a sense of exclusive right by the winery to the goodness that waits in that bottle and generally reflects a unique craftsmanship that a winery is […]