It happens all too often. A new restaurant comes to town (or maybe a new spot opens by local chefs). Hype ensues. Local bloggers attach themselves to the story. Buzz words like “homegrown,” “authentic,” “ethnic,” “local,” “natural,” and “gem” pop up in the stories. Usually, there is a very compelling story. Pick-me-up-by-the-bootstraps type of story….
On Judging a Wine Competition & the Results of the 2020 American Fine Wine Competition
For those of you who only see my Vino column or other articles I write about wine that end up online, you may not know that I’m also a wine judge for a couple of competitions–both take place locally in South Florida, but one has national reach. The American Fine Wine Competition just wrapped up…
February Vino Column “New World Reds that Aren’t Cabernet Sauvignon”
Shopping for wines can actually be a challenge at some of the standard wine stores around the country. If you really pay attention, you’ll notice that much of the selection is geared toward certain regions and grapes. In fact, if you walk down the aisles of Total Wine or ABC Fine Wine & Spirits, you’ll…
Discover Mendoza’s Wine Country on Winetraveler.com
Amazing Argentina: A beautiful country full of natural wonders and lots of wine. It’s the land of Malbec, which has a rich history and story to tell. Just last week, I had the pleasure of attending an event hosted by Bodega Catena Zapata, where we had the opportunity to taste through several lines of premium…
Sleeper Sample: Sosie Cabernet Franc
What makes a wine catch my attention? That’s a great question. As a wine judge for the American Fine Wine Competition and others, it’s something that I look for every time I’m tasting a wine. I’m asking myself, “does this wine stand out?” To be quite honest, the usual answer is “no.” It’s true that…
Discover Chile’s Wine Country on Winetraveler.com
Wine isn’t all fun and games and which bar are we going to next. Sometimes, we have to get down into the nitty-gritty about wine regions, grapes, soils, farming, etc… One of the great things about the website Winetraveler is that the site offers insights into all of these facets of wine. Discover Chile’s Wine…
January Vino Column “Alternative Old World Wines at a Bargain”
Wow, can you believe it’s 2020? Just think about it. 100 years ago, our fellow Americans were entering into 13 long years of alcohol prohibition. It’s hard to believe that someone could survive 13 years without being able to just go over to their neighborhood wine shop and buy whatever bottles they wanted. It’s unfathomable…
On The Vintner Project: 5 Local Wine Bars That Will Please Any Wine Lover In Miami
Ah, Miami! The land of the Mojito and the Rum Runner. Not exactly the town you think of when you think of cool wine bars. As a wine writer based in Miami, my job is to help you challenge those perceptions of what kind of drinking town you think the Magic City is these days….
The Battle of Verdun: How To Visit the Battlefield Near Champagne, France on Winetraveler.com
I’ll admit that I was reluctant to visit the battlefields in Northeastern France that mark the place where the longest battle of World War I took place. The drive is slightly out of the way from the vineyards of Champagne, which was our intended destination from the start. After visiting the historic sites of Verdun,…
On Coravin: The Perfect Pairing: Wine & Art with Leanne Laine
One of the original pillars of my blog, when I started writing it back in 2012, was to incorporate articles about art and artists. I believe that art is totally part of the “wine lifestyle,” as wine itself is a work of art (and science), and those who appreciate the finer wines of the world…
