Highlight That Special Bottle with Angelshare Single Bottle Cellar

Got that one special bottle to save for a special moment? Then dedicate it to its own wine cellar from Angelshare.  The specialness of the bottle is emphasized by the sculptural design of the unit.

Angelshare Single Bottle Cellar  |  $396 at Compact Impact

By Robert | December 6, 2007 in All Things Wine | Permalink | Comments (2)
Search Related Tags: wine cellar

Wines for Thanksgiving - Quick Links

• Thanksgiving Roundtable - Holiday Wines [Food & Wine]
• What to Drink in November [Epicurious.com]
• 10 Top Thanksgiving Wines by Natalie MacLean [epi-log]
• A Time to Behold Wine's Beauty [LA Times]
• Thanksgiving Wine Recommendations: 2007 [Good Wine Under $20]
• Value Vino for Turkey (and Sides) Day [Serious Eats]
• Thanksgiving Wines Under $25 [NY Times]
• Countdown to Thanksgiving [K&L Uncorked]

By Robert | November 19, 2007 in All Things Wine, Holidays | Permalink | Comments (0)
Search Related Tags: thanksgiving

Riedel Tyrol Glasses for Thanksgiving Dinner

By Michelle Alderson | November 5, 2007 in All Things Wine, Tabletop Design | Permalink | Comments (0)
Search Related Tags: thanksgiving

Wine Bags from Bob's Your Uncle

I'm not sure who Bob is, but I really do like these wine bags he's designed. It's a nice alternative to the fancy velvet roped sack, which is just so "yesterday". And it gives new meaning to "paper-bagging" it. Also, when the bag has made its rounds - you know we all reuse our wine gift bags, come on - it is even recyclable. Thanks, Bob.

Wine Bags from Bob's Your Uncle  l  $12 at greengrassdesign.com

By Michelle Alderson | September 25, 2007 in All Things Wine | Permalink | Comments (0)
Search Related Tags: gift bags, recyclable, winebags

50th Anniversary Riedel Decanter

How does Riedel keep doing it? Each decanter they design is just as or more beautiful than the prior. Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the opening of their factory in Tyrol, Austria, the Tyrol decanter is just another example of Riedel's excellence. 

Riedel Tyrol Wine Decanter I $156.95 at Wine Enthusiast

By Michelle Alderson | August 25, 2007 in All Things Wine | Permalink | Comments (1)
Search Related Tags: test

Drink Links - Summer Wine Recommendations

• 25 Best Summer Wines [Food and Wine]
• Top 2005 Napa Cabernets [Vinography]
• Weekly Wine Buys [eRobertParket]
• Mark Squire's July/August Tasting Notes [MarkSquires.com]
• Wines with Grilled Foods [Epicurious]
• Crisp New Chardonnays [Sunset]

By Robert | August 21, 2007 in All Things Wine | Permalink | Comments (0)
Search Related Tags: food and wine magazine

Winepocket

Gift your wine bottles with this wool felt wine bag. 

Winepocket  |  $29 at Branch Home 

By Robert | August 1, 2007 in All Things Wine | Permalink | Comments (0)

Food & Wine's Summer "Best of" Wine Lists

This month's Food and Wine Magazine has some great wine lists that are worth checking out.

• See their choices for the 10 Best Online Wine Shops
• Read if some of your favorite wines made their 25 Best Wines for Summer list
• And finally, see what wines they included on their 50 Wines You Can Always Trust list

By Robert | May 17, 2007 in All Things Wine | Permalink | Comments (0)
Search Related Tags: food and wine magazine

Metrokane Vacuum Wine Decanter

On those occasions where you've decanted your wine but didn't finish it all off, then Metrokane's Vacuum Decanter will let you store your left-over wine to keep it fresh a few days longer.

Metrokane Vacuum Decanter  |  $70 at Kitchenzing 

By Robert | May 14, 2007 in A Food & Wine Gift Guide, All Things Wine | Permalink | Comments (0)

Wine Excursion Backpack Gift Basket

Have a great picnic for two with Wine.com's great "gift basket in a backpack" package.  The Wine Excursion Backpack includes a California white wine, smoked salmon, cheese, and pistachio nuts along with wine glasses, plates, utensils and a corkscrew for two.

Wine Excursion Backpack - Gourmet Gift Basket  |  $99 at Wine.com

By Robert | May 9, 2007 in A Food & Wine Gift Guide, All Things Wine | Permalink | Comments (0)

Easy Wine and Food Pairing

A new wine company with a funny name, called Wine That Loves, has been founded to let consumers know which food to pair with right on the bottles' label.  Launching with the most common foods that Americans love, Wine That Loves offers five selections - 

• Wine That Loves™ Pasta with Tomato Sauce
• Wine That Loves™ Roasted Chicken
• Wine That Loves™ Pizza
• Wine That Loves™ Grilled Steak
• Wine That Loves™ Grilled Salmon

The concept seems so simple, we wonder if it's a concept that's too simplistic for consumers.  After all, 'two buck chuck" has its place, but do we really want to reveal our lack of wine/food pairing knowledge so upfront?

Need less to say, we haven't tried these out yet, and so let us know if you have and how you like it.

By Robert | April 27, 2007 in All Things Wine | Permalink | Comments (0)

Pocket Corkscrew

Suck UK’s collapsible corkscrew makes it easy to uncork a bottle just about anywhere. Don’t let it’s miniature stature—3 inches—fool you, it’s sturdy enough to give a good yank-and-turn to any bottle you’d like to open.

Final Word: Good things come in small packages.

Pocket Corkscrew  |  £15 at Suck UK

By Bryce Longton | March 2, 2007 in All Things Wine | Permalink | Comments (0)

Hayon Champagne Bucket and Bowl for Piper-Heidsieck

Turn heads with this striking Champagne bucket and bowl by Jamie Hayon for Piper-Heidsieck.  If you want one, you should be willing to make the trek to NYC, Miami Beach or Chicago, where the collection is showing exclusively until April 2007.  [Retail locations via NotCot]

Final Word: Iconic

By Bryce Longton | February 14, 2007 in All Things Wine, Tabletop Design | Permalink | Comments (0)

Glass of Truth Winetasting Glasses

Let your grip unleash flavors in your favorite glass of vino with these unique glasses. Built to maximize taste—the warmth from your hand will bring out aromas in the wine, while the tapered mouth keeps the flavors in—these glasses are a crowd pleaser.  $38 for two tumblers at NapaStyle.com.

Final Word: Don’t squeeze too hard.

By Bryce Longton | February 9, 2007 in All Things Wine | Permalink | Comments (0)
Search Related Tags: wine winetasting napastyle

Vinotagz ID's Your Wine Glasses

Unlike dangly little wine glass charms that can be confusing to claim after a glass or two--did I have the grape or the bottle charm?-- Vinotagz makes it easy and modern with their boxy wine glass rings.  The abstractly patterned rings slip on through a slight opening in the squared circle, and store neatly stacked on the neck of a wine bottle. To make it even easier, the rings are made to be written on with ballpoint pens, wiped and reused. They even do double duty as napkin rings.

Final Word: Square is the new circle

By Bryce Longton | January 27, 2007 in A Food & Wine Gift Guide, All Things Wine, Parties & Entertaining | Permalink | Comments (0)

94 Points

94 points. In school it meant an A. On your credit card, it means practically nothing. In the wine world, however, it means a pretty good bottle of fermented grapes. Each wine that made this wine list has been given a 94 or higher by highly regarded publications like the Wine Spectator and Wine Advocate. With over 80 wines to choose from, ranging from $11.99 to $679, there’ll be something tasty in your price range.

Final Word: Cabs, Muscats, Zin’s oh my.

By Bryce Longton | January 24, 2007 in All Things Wine | Permalink | Comments (0)

Wine Spectator's Top 100 Wines of 2006

The folks over at Wine Spectator have one of the toughest gigs around—culling 135,000 wines down to 100. Just imagine all the sipping and spitting they must have to endure over the course of the year. Now, finally, the results are in for their Top 100 wines of 2006, and you can enjoy the literal fruits of their laboring. All you have to do is click, and the wine will be delivered to your door.

Final Word: It’s a tough job…

By Bryce Longton | January 18, 2007 in All Things Wine | Permalink | Comments (0)

Fast Chilling Wine Decanter

Rapid Cool, by Eisch, is not your ordinary decanter.  Store it in your freeze to cool the anti-freeze/water mixture in its inner walls, then decant your wine to chill it at the dinner table from room temperature to about 45 degrees fahrenheit in just minutes.

Eisch Rapid Wine Cooler  |  $150 from Wineware

By Robert | November 14, 2006 in A Food & Wine Gift Guide, All Things Wine | Permalink | Comments (0)

A Moody Champagne Chiller

The Moodlight Champagne Chiller glows and changes color to your own programmed lighting scenarios through a control at the base.  Safe and waterproof, the chiller charges up to six hours away from its rechargeable base.

Mood Light Chiller  |  $184 at Unica Home 

By Robert | October 15, 2006 in A Food & Wine Gift Guide, All Things Wine | Permalink | Comments (0)

No Tip Wine Serving Tray

Glide easily through your mingling guests without fear of knocking over your tray of wine glasses with this Wine Tray from MuNiMulA.  Available in 9 different extruded aluminum colors.

UU22 Wine Tray  |   $98 at 2Modern.com

By Robert | September 7, 2006 in A Food & Wine Gift Guide, All Things Wine | Permalink | Comments (0)

When two bottles are just not enough...

BuiltNY introduces a new three bottle wine tote to go with their growing neoprene bag line.

Three-bottle Tote  |  $29.99 at BuiltNY.com 

By Robert | September 2, 2006 in A Food & Wine Gift Guide, All Things Wine | Permalink | Comments (0)

Conversation Starting Drink Coasters

At a loss for words at a cocktail party?  Bob's Your Uncle helps with their disposable coasters printed with irrevelant wine-tasting quotes.  With quotes like " Plummy With Strong Thrusting Overtones", you're sure to find something to talk about with your fellow partiers.

Bob's Your Uncle Wine-Tasting Disposable Coasters  |  $8 at Greener Grass Design

By Robert | August 1, 2006 in All Things Wine, Parties & Entertaining | Permalink | Comments (0)

Oenophiles... This one's for you

Unlike most traditional wine tours that come with the requisite showing of a temperature controlled barrel of a 95’ Cab—Cindy Newkirk of the Wine Yard takes it a step further, walking you through a step-by-step journey from an empty plot of land to a fruit-laden vineyard.

The vineyard has been in Cindy’s family for over a hundred years and she is steeped in wine culture. From the intricacies of pruning to pesticides Cindy is a wellspring of knowledge and explains things easily without relying on too much wine jargon. After the in-depth lesson on root stock, soil ripping and plotting Cindy takes you on a tractor-tour through the Steinbeck vineyard (no relation to the famous Steinbecks), and points out the differences in plots and plucks varietals for you to taste.

Located half way between Los Angeles and San Francisco, the WineYard is in Paso Robles—known as “Paso” to the locals—and it is an ideal spot for those craving an intimate wine tasting experience.

Paso, and nearby San Luis Obispo are both burgeoning cities with plenty to do and see. In addition to wine tasting (pasowine.com) and vineyard touring you can visit Hearst Castle, take long walks on the beach and if the season is right (from October through February) you can see the migrating Monarch butterflies at Pismo Beach.

By Bryce Longton | July 6, 2006 in All Things Wine, Education, Food & Wine Country Travel | Permalink | Comments (0)

Daily wine deals now at Woot Wine

Online gadget retailer, "one day, one deal" Woot, has started a new deal site for wines at Wine Woot, where wine lovers will find a weekly wine selection at a deal.  Seems like Woot fans started requesting more wine deals after Woot previously offered a Rinfrescante for sale.  Plus, the fun of Woot is participating in its online community discussion about its daily deals, which Woot feels is similar to the diversity of opinion in the wine world. [via Springwise]

"Gadgeteers and oenophiles alike have strong opinions, so we let them sound off in our community forums. And because winemakers make marketing predictions far in advance of product release – just like electronics manufacturers – wine inventory is equally subject to overstock, excess, and end-of-life opportunities." - Woot

Shop: Wine Woot 

By Robert | June 27, 2006 in All Things Wine | Permalink | Comments (0)

Saving the environment by French Rabbit

By using recyclable packaging by TetraPak, French Rabbit is bringing a unique branding experience to your local supermarket shelves with these one liter (instead of the standard 750ml glass bottle) containers.  Initially launched in Ontario, Canada in 2005, French Rabbit sold half their annual sales goal after just two weeks on the shelves.  Four varietals from the Languedoc Roussillon region of France are available - Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot at $9.99 retail.

Some ecological benefits of the Tetra Prisma packaging includes arriving at the bottling plant folded flat, saving on shipping weight compared to glass, protection from sunlight, and can be resealed with its screw top after squeezing out excess air.  Also cools faster than wine in a bottle. 

By Robert | June 8, 2006 in All Things Wine | Permalink | Comments (0)

The New York Times Follows the Blog Trend with "The Pour"

It seems that just weeks ago Daily Olive posted a link to the newly launched food critic blog from The New York Times. Oh we did. Now, Eric Asimov, the chief wine critic for the publication, has also joined the blogging trend with his new blog titled "The Pour", which launched today.

Read "The Pour"
Eric Asimov's biography is available online
Read Daily Olive's post about "The Diner" in our Food News section

By Michelle Alderson | March 15, 2006 in All Things Wine, Food News | Permalink | Comments (1)

WinePod: State of the Art Winemaking at Home

Mozaic's WinePod is the next step to at-home winemaking.  Wirelessly to your home PC or Mac, the WinePod tracks your winemaking process and directs you to make necessary adjustments.

The WinePod's a computer-equipped, two-foot-high metal egg/vineyard that yields up to six cases per batch. Any grape will do, but if you buy from ProVina you can watch your fruit ripen on the vine on their Vineyard-Cam -- an inspiring process, provided your life's completely empty. Once you've obtained raw materials, simply flip the lid, dump them in, and the mechanical press will start mashing.

The computer wirelessly connects to your PC/Mac, and makes daily suggestions (adjust pH or temperature, add water, "drink me", etc.). If you run into problems, the Pod's networking software puts you in touch with professional winemakers and wine enthusiasts -- you can ask them questions, or send them grape porn.

Fermentation time depends on the varietal: Beaujolais can take four months, certain Cabernets up to a year, Fecal Raisin Mad Dog about as long as it takes Dominos to deliver the medium Meat-Lovers you're pairing it with. Of course, any machine that can produce velvety Pinot is going to be expensive -- but well worth it to become your own vintner without risking the INS bashing down your door.

via Thrillist  

By Robert | March 10, 2006 in All Things Wine | Permalink | Comments (0)

Pairing Wine with Food: It's OK to Have Fish with Red

When most people start pairing wine with food, two rules are followed: drink red with meat and white with fish. Nowadays there are so many different kinds of reds and white wines to choose from, you can mix it up. Pinot with a seared tuna? Sure. Just make sure the wine isn't overpowered by the food, and vice versa. "But there are limits", as a Chicago Tribune article points out. Find out more about pairing wine with food in the entire article.

By Michelle Alderson | March 9, 2006 in All Things Wine, Cooking, Food | Permalink | Comments (0)

Wine Events in Chicago for St. Patrick's Day

March 11
St. Patrick's Day Wine Tasting
California Wine Extravaganza
A Tour of Italy

March 17
Wine & Cheese Uncensored
Syrah vs. Shiraz

By Michelle Alderson | March 7, 2006 in All Things Wine, Gourmet Food Events | Permalink | Comments (0)

Enjoy Food and Wine Abroad

Some say that you can't really learn the language unless you live in the country. Food lovers may argue the same can be said about cooking. Face it, it'd be much easier to cook an authentic Italian meal accompanied by the perfect local wine if you were actually IN Tuscany. There are many reputable wine and food travel tours out there, but we know a good place to start your research: Gourmet on Tour. It has excellent reviews and several tours to choose from. Check it out and hopefully your next marinara sauce will be simmering in an Italian kitchen.

By Michelle Alderson | March 6, 2006 in All Things Wine, Cooking Schools, Food & Wine Country Travel | Permalink | Comments (3)

Hip Wine Glasses: Stack 'em Up

Stackable wine glasses? It's new to us, but we think they're pretty cool looking. These stackable acrylic wine glasses from Crate and Barrel can spruce up any party. They come in green, blue (pictured), and clear and are much hipper than any plastic ones you can buy. And just a bit more sophisticated, don't you think?

By Michelle Alderson | March 3, 2006 in A Food & Wine Gift Guide, All Things Wine, Parties & Entertaining | Permalink | Comments (0)

Yuzu Wine: Sake or Wine?

In the April issue of Bon Appetit, you'll find a mention of yuzu wine and a bright blue bottle of Kiuchi Yuzu Wine (similar to what is pictured here). What is it, exactly, you may wonder. Yuzu fruit is a rare Japanese citrus, which offers a complex flavor of lime, lemon, grapefruit, and mandarin orange. Yuzu wine is simply fermented yuzu juice. Still confused? Bon Appetit writes "think Riesling crossed with sake". You can find out more about yuzu wine at the Kiuchi Brewery website.

By Michelle Alderson | March 2, 2006 in All Things Wine | Permalink | Comments (0)

A Wolfgang Puck Oscar Menu: Choose the Right Wine for Braised Food

If you like his Oscar recipes, you can buy Wolgang Puck cookbooks at ecookbooks.com.

By Michelle Alderson | March 1, 2006 in All Things Wine, Cooking, Parties & Entertaining | Permalink | Comments (0)

Wine and Cheese: A Fondue Oscar Party

Every year people gather to observe an American celebration: The Oscars. This year, instead of the usual appetizers, may we suggest something a lot more fun and delicious: melted cheese, followed by melted chocolate? The tradition of dunking cubed bread into melted cheese (a.k.a fondue) is a perfect way to gather around the couch to watch all those fabulous people thank each other for being fabulous. And they look fabulous. Probably didn’t eat melted cheese before the show. Unfortunate souls.

Find out what wine to serve with fondue in Daily Olive’s wine section.

Related Links:

• Find out how to fondue
• The Food Network lists several great fondue recipes for both cheese and chocolate
• Browse fondue books at ecookbooks.com
• Fondue pots can be found everywhere nowadays. For an inexpensive choice, shop at target.com. For those looking for the fancier versions, you can check out surlatable.com
• To buy cheese for the big event, go to igourmet.com
• For more information about the Oscars go to www.oscar.com

By Michelle Alderson | February 28, 2006 in All Things Wine, Cheese, Parties & Entertaining | Permalink | Comments (0)

Pairing Wines with Fondue Cheese

“Big, full-bodied reds are our first choice – from Cotes-du-Rhone to Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Bordeaux to California Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. If you’re going the California route, try to find wines that don’t overdo the rich vanilla oak, as they will overwhelm the fondue flavors. Also try Chianti and Barolo.

For a white wine choice, full-bodied Chardonnay works like a charm, as do the wines you’ve used in the recipes – Rieslings, Chenin Blancs, etc.”

By Michelle Alderson | February 27, 2006 in All Things Wine, Cheese | Permalink | Comments (0)

Top 10 List of Do's and Don't When Combining Cupid and a Cup of Beautiful Sake on Valentines

[via TrueSake.com] Herewith is a TOP TEN List of the Do's and Don'ts when combining Cupid and a Cup of beautiful sake:

1. If you will be "Hot Tubbing" on V-Day make certain to serve a sake that is best consumed at room temperature. Why? Cold sakes make your body work harder in heat and can be funny on the tummy, and hot sakes will make you too hot in the soup.
   
2. If you plan to take sake to bed, don't worry man! It's not red wine and won't stain the bedding if things get kicking and screaming (did I just type that?)!
   
3. If you plan to serve Champagne or Sparkling wine DON'T. These have sulfites added, whereas Sparkling Sake has been "slightly pasteurized" and is a cleaner buzz!
   
4. Body shot? That is so old school. Why not try the old "Lover's Chair"? Take your lover, remove her clothes, sit her very erect (no leaning back) in a chair and make her put her legs tightly together. Ahh and here is the fun yet tricky part. Hand your lover a glass of cool sake (cold enough to make goose bumps) and have her pour it down her neck between her ummmm breasts (does my mom read this Newsletter?) and watch as it races down her body, to her tightly closed knees, where the recipient shall drink from her kneecaps, which should be touching. This is called something else other than Lover's Chair, but I must first get a cable show before I say the real name. (Also for the guys detours often happen so improvise!)
   
5. Giving chocolate this V-day again? BORING! Why not mix it up by giving your valentine your favorite chocolate and a killer bottle of desert sake called Kijoshu. This 8-year aged sweet sake was made for chocolate and they go together like Donnie and Marie (does that sound incestuous?). Okay then they go together like France and cigarettes, fish and chips, Emelda Marcos and shoes etc. Point being the deep richness of this sweet sake works so well with anything chocolaty. It has the color and feel of a Port and hints of Sherry-like qualities. Amazing and so unique!
   
6. Beer is great. No questions. But when was the last time you drank a sixer and then started making out. You probably A) smelled like a brewery B) burped like a sailor and C) felt bloated like a traveling-for-2-weeks-piece of luggage. So don't even go there. Forget the brewski on the 14th and stick to the cleanest burning fuel that doesn't bog ya down, blow you up, or stink ya all over. Sake is recommended by 9 out 10 doctors for "making out," and is covered by most insurance carriers. Be smart. Be Sake.
   
7. If you are officially proposing to you lover on Valentine's Day, don't put the ring in the bottom of her wine glass. Do you how many times the gal has swallowed the ring? Countless times. This would be worse if you hid the ring in the bottom of cloudy/milky sake known as Nigori Sake. Bad idea! But, and this if for the very desperate, if you were intending to propose and forgot the ring (or lost it you idiot) then try this fail-safe impromptu engagement secret. When you twist off the cap of unopened sake a perforated separate piece of metal comes off. This little round piece of metal, which is usually gold or silver, looks just like a.... you know.... a ring! Tadah the perfect "he was so cute putting this little sake ring on my finger" moment. Guys you can thank me later!
   
8. How do you know when things at dinner are starting to turn for the better? You look at your date on V-Day and notice that she is starting to flush a little. Man! You think. She is really starting to get hot for me. WRONG! The real reason your date is starting to turn the color of the fake red heart on the V-Day card that you gave her an hour before is that the histamines in her red wine are kicking in. Her face and body are having a reaction to the surge in histamines often found in big red wines. So before you yell "Check Please" think about pouring sake instead of the Red Death that could get you in a ton of "presumptuous" trouble.
   
9. Of course wines and beers have some great names that do so well on Valentine's Day but they can never compare to the names of sakes. For example how about pouring a bottle of "Drunken Heart" or "Dreamy Clouds"? Not bad heh? How about whipping out a bottle of "Venerable Virgin" or "Beautiful Boy"? There is always "Midnight Moon" or "Star-Filled Sky." Perhaps you would prefer "Root of Innocence" "Southern Beauty" "Mirror of Truth" "Fair Maiden" or "Heaven of Tipsy Delight." Point being if you are feeling strong enough pour a bottle of "Man's Mountain" and let nature take its course.
   
10. This Valentine's Day take a "Sake Bath." First get an "Ishobin" (1.8L) bottle of sake, drink a large portion for dinner then take the rest to your bath. Run some hot water and then place your lover sitting in the tub. Take the remains of the bottle and pour it on her/his head and then have them do the same to you. And then wait for the steam and heat to kick in. Oh so steamy!

This excerpt has been reprinted from February's True Sake newsletter written by Beau Timken, owner of True Sake: America’s first sake retail store located in San Francisco, CA.  Beau is a professional sake taster and sake sommelier.  Visit his website True Sake.com to learn more, and shop for your perfect bottle of sake to ring in the new year.

Technorati Tag:  Food and Drink

By Robert | February 13, 2006 in All Things Wine, Valentine's Day | Permalink | Comments (1)

Food & Wine Classic in Aspen

After ski season is over and the snow melts, foodies and wine lovers from all over will be heading to Aspen for the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen. Sponsored by Food & Wine magazine, the three-day event will feature tastings and cooking demonstrations, and will include chefs Mario Batali, Emeril, Bobby Flay, Wolfgang, and more.

The event will be held June 16-18, 2006. Go to www.foodandwine.com for more information.

By Michelle Alderson | February 9, 2006 in All Things Wine, Chef News, Cooking Schools, Education, Food, Food & Wine Country Travel, Gourmet Food Events | Permalink | Comments (0)

Ordering Wine Off the List Is Not for Amateurs

By Michelle Alderson | February 8, 2006 in All Things Wine | Permalink | Comments (1)

Find your local beer spot with Beermapping.com

Want to know your local beer spots.  Beermapping.com uses Google's mapping technology to map out local beer spots from pubs and bars, to micro-breweries, to shops.  Cities include Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boston, NY, Washington DC and more.  And yes, Milwaukee is next up to get "beermapped".

Via: Saute Wednesday 

By Robert | January 31, 2006 in All Things Wine | Permalink | Comments (0)

San Francisco Hosts Zinfandel Wine Event

Starting tomorrow in San Francisco, Zinfandel lovers will be able to taste wines from over 300 participating wineries at the 15th Anniversary Zinfandel Festival. For wine and food lovers, you can also attend the Good Eats & Zinfandel. Forty-nine zinfandel wine-makers team up with restaurants so you can sample the wine with your favorite eats. The festival lasts four days, January 25-28, and is located in the beautiful Marina District. For more information, go to www.zinfandel.org.

By Michelle Alderson | January 24, 2006 in All Things Wine, Food & Wine Country Travel, Gourmet Food Events | Permalink | Comments (0)

Valentine's Day Wine Trips

Currently I am in San Francisco, tagging along on my husband's business trip. It's a nice perk. Tomorrow we head to Sonoma for wine tasting. That said, I have to say, that since Sonoma and Napa were my first real wine-tasting experiences, these regions have become my favorite. Especially for cabs and chardonnays. I really like what they produce up there. And I am very lucky to be able to live close enough to enjoy a visit often.

For those who can't make it to California this Valentine's Day, don't worry, I found a few other outings out there. Well, I found many, many wine country adventures available for the romantic holiday, but could only list a few that caught my eye:

Austin
Who knew Texas had a nice wine country? If you can't make it to Texas, maybe you can check out this article in The Austin Chronicle. It's helpful and fun.

Long Island
LongIslandWineCountry.com offers a "Sideways" tour this February. It'd be great to compare a Pinot from the East Coast to one highlighted in the movie.

Washington
Chocolate and red wine? Who could resist. Find out more at North Sound Wineries.

By Michelle Alderson | January 12, 2006 in All Things Wine, Food & Wine Country Travel, Gourmet Food Events, Valentine's Day | Permalink | Comments (0)

Veuve-Clicquot La Grande Dame Wrapped in Emilio Pucci

Fashion designer, Emilio Pucci, has designed a pattern just for a neoprene sleeve for Veuve Clicquot Champagne Bottle.  Available only with a Veuve-Clicquot La Grande Dame 1996 Champagne, we looked high and low for this bottle, and finally found it at at Sherry-Lehmann Wine.

Veuve Clicquot Emilio Pucci Gift Set  |  $199 at Sherry-Lehmann 

By Robert | December 28, 2005 in All Things Wine | Permalink | Comments (0)

Choosing a Great Party Wine

By Robert | December 26, 2005 in All Things Wine | Permalink | Comments (0)
Search Related Tags: food and wine magazine

New Year's Day – The Historical Use of Sake

The tradition of drinking sake on New Year's Day 

What if I told you that all of your ills and bad lucks to come would go away if you offered somebody a cup of sake? What if I told you that you could make amends for all of your "transgressions" if you offered a cup of sake to a stranger? And what if I told you that you could become as rich and famous as you so desire if you offered a cup of sake to somebody other than yourself? Hmmmmm I am saying that most of you would say show me the bottle!

The history of sake is not as crude as this, but it has always been a mainstay when praying to the gods. Sake has always and will always be an offering of sorts to those greater than ourselves for anything from producing a banner crop this year to having that boy that you always wanted. Most every religion in Japan incorporated the use of sake to make offerings and to bless things, lands, people etc. Sake was and will continue to be the elixir that defines a country's morays and traditions, and it has both an ancient and modern usage.

Continue reading "New Year's Day – The Historical Use of Sake"

By Robert | December 23, 2005 in All Things Wine | Permalink | Comments (0)

Wine Gift Basket Idea: Mark Oldman's Secret Wine Collection

Award-winning wine writer Mark Oldman has put together a great collection of lesser-known wines based on specific chapters in his new book, “Oldman's Guide to Outsmarting Wine”. Give friends and family Mark’s “Secret Alternatives Wine Collection” gift basket from wine.com, that includes six bottles of new wine discoveries plus a copy of Mark’s “Oldman’s Guide”.

Mark Oldman's Secret Alternatives Collection | $99 at Wine.com

By Robert | December 4, 2005 in A Food & Wine Gift Guide, All Things Wine | Permalink | Comments (0)

For Your Next Wine Tasting Party from RedEnvelope.com

Turn your next wine party into a first-class event. Wine bottles are slipped into faux-suede wine bags with charms labeling them one through four. After tasting each wine, guests write their descriptions on scorecards. Even if no one correctly identifies the wine, engaging conversation is guaranteed, and everyone will leave with a better grasp of the facets of wine tasting.

Wine Tasting Party Kit  |  $75 at RedEnvelope.com

By Robert | November 21, 2005 in A Food & Wine Gift Guide, All Things Wine | Permalink | Comments (0)

Wine Tasting: You Like What You Like and That's OK

One very important thing I learned from my husband when he began his now four-year teachings of wine tasting is this:  You like what you like.  This was proven at a recent wine club I hosted.  We brown-bagged five wines, ranging in price from $10 to $50.  Many guests selected the $10 wine. You'd assume they would have preferred the more expensive wine, but we all agreed: Everybody has their own taste and that's just fine.

In the November 17, 2005, online edition of the the New York Times, writer Eric Asimov concurs with my counterparts in his article titled "Wine of the Times: Eternal Question Not Really Answered."  In the article, panel members also blind tasted some wines and discussed their favorite Thanksgiving wines.  One thing was conclusive, consensus was rare.

Read full article:   Eternal Question, Not Really Answered

By Robert | November 18, 2005 in All Things Wine | Permalink | Comments (0)
Search Related Tags: thanksgiving

Handmade Wines from Winemakers Around the World by Oriel

Oriel commissions winemakers from around the world to create a limited quantitiy of truly handmade wine that is special to their region.  Assembled all under one Oriel label helps keep overhead low and wines affordable.  Oriel also offers quarterly memberships that include 6 bottles of handmade wine per quarter, special event invitations, and more.  Founder Memberships offer more privileges including a concierge service and access to wineries around the world.

See a sample wine spec for 2003 Courant Cotes du Rhone by winemaker Louis Barruol.

Oriel  |  Official Website

By Robert | November 17, 2005 in All Things Wine | Permalink | Comments (0)

Zinfandel Picks and Other Wines for Thanksgiving

Choosing wines for our Thanksgiving feast is never an easy choice for us at Daily Olive.  It should be so easy, but it comes with lots of anxiety.  Andrea Immer, at epicurious.com, gives us her wine recommendations for Thanksgiving.  Starting with Zinfandels, she also gives her white wine choices preferring Gewurztraminers, and great port and sherry selections for dessert.  Finally, she reminds us that Beaujolais could also be great choices with Thanksgiving turkey.

Wines for Thanksgiving  |  via epicurious.com

By Robert | November 4, 2005 in All Things Wine, Thanksgiving | Permalink | Comments (0)
Search Related Tags: thanksgiving

Decant your wines easily with the Wine Funnel

Need a quick and effective way to decant your wine?  The Wine Funnel aerates your wine into e into eight separate streams helping smooth out its tannic flavor and improve the taste.  European design also includes a stainless steel filter to catch bits of cork and sediment.

Wine Funnel   |  $20 at UncommonGoods.com

By Robert | October 29, 2005 in A Food & Wine Gift Guide, All Things Wine | Permalink | Comments (0)

A Retro Wine Rack - The Wine Knot

The Wine Knot is designed by New York based design firm called Mint.  Made of birch and walnut plywood, the Wine Knot is a different take on the standard boxy wine rack designs out there.

Wine Knot Wine Rack  |  $100 at GreenerGrassDesign.com

By Robert | October 25, 2005 in A Food & Wine Gift Guide, All Things Wine | Permalink | Comments (0)

6 Tips for Hosting a Sake Tasting Party

Join the growing trend of throwing a sake tasting party.  Beau Timken, owner of True Sake, shares his advice on hosting a sake tasting party.

I often get asked what is the best way to entertain with sake and how can we hold a sake tasting that is both fun and educational? The answer is simple really. Just get some sake and get some mouths.

Seriously having a sake shindig is quite like having a wine tasting except people may have less confidence in their sake understanding. But the bottom line is that it is all about people and their likes and dislikes. So the best way to approach a sake tasting adventure is to think about making almost everybody happy. (Some folks will never be happy – so screw them.)

Herewith are some scenarios and methods for having a sake gathering that will leave its mark and make you look like a hero.

Continue reading "6 Tips for Hosting a Sake Tasting Party"

By Robert | October 17, 2005 in All Things Wine | Permalink | Comments (0)

Winesceptre Keeps Wine at Ideal Drinking Temperatures

Winesceptre is a new product that will keep your open wines chilled at the right drinking temperature.  Adopted for use by French sommeliers, using Winesceptre will keep wines at a steadier ideal serving temperature than placing the bottle in an ice bucket  (too cold), or sitting at room temperature (too warm).

Made of high grade stainless steel - the same as used in wine tanks, a chilled Winesceptre is inserted into a pre-chilled bottle of wine to keep the wine at a perfect serving temperature over an extended period of time.  The design also allows you to continue pouring wine without removing Winesceptre from the bottle.

Order directly from Winesceptre.com.

Technorati Tag: wine

By Robert | October 16, 2005 in All Things Wine | Permalink | Comments (1)

Rosendahl WineTube Wine Rack

The WineTube Wine Rack is an elegant and modern solution to wine storage.  With the rack holding the neck of the bottle, you can easily view the wine labels at a glance.

Rosendahl WineTube Wine Rack   |  $79 at Tabletools.com

By Robert | October 14, 2005 in All Things Wine | Permalink | Comments (0)

Taste Test Your Wine with a Clef du Vin

Using a Clef du Vin, or "wine key", helps simulate the passage of time on a bottle of a wine.  Dipped in a glass of wine one second for every year of aging desired, the metal alloy speeds the oxidation process changing the wine's taste, in effect mimicking the effect of cellaring.  Wine collectors will use the Clef du Vin to predict how well a bottle may age helping them decide which wines are worth keeping and when their ideal drinking age will be. 

Clef du Vin Pocket Wine Tasting Tool |  $99 at WineEnthusiast.com

Perfect Christmas Gift for a wine lover--Clef du Vin Wine Tasting Tool built into a classic Chateau Laguiole Corkscrew

By Robert | October 4, 2005 in A Food & Wine Gift Guide, All Things Wine | Permalink | Comments (0)
Search Related Tags: christmas

Tips on Hosting a Port Tasting Party

As the weather gets cooler, a port tasting party is a great way to warm up and get cozy.  Here's some quick tips on hosting a port tasting party (via WineSkinny.com).

Port makes an outstanding choice for a winter wine tasting. Cold nights, a cozy fire, good friends, fabulous port. What else could you want out of life?

If you are new to port, here are a couple of basics: Tawny port is usually ready to drink, because it's had all the aging it needs before it's bottled. Typically, it has a reddish-brown color and a mature, nutty, dried-fruit flavor that matches beautifully with foods that feature blue cheeses, nuts, certain grains or dried fruits. Vintage port, on the other hand, is bottled after only a couple of years in the barrel and needs quite a bit of aging to soften bitter tannins and to integrate the often harsh spirit into thickly textured, luscious wine.

Continue reading "Tips on Hosting a Port Tasting Party"

By Robert | September 30, 2005 in All Things Wine, Parties & Entertaining | Permalink | Comments (2)