At first glance, it may seem odd to apply the same textural assessment to wine as one would to a chocolate chip cookie. But if wine can be crunchy, it can be chewy too. “A chewy wine would be overtly structured or concentrated,” says Chris Fladwood, winemaker at Soter Vineyards in Carlton, Oregon. “I’m thinking […]
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Joy Spence is one of those rare people who has worked not only in the same industry but also at the same company for 40 years. She joined Appleton Estate as chief chemist in 1982 and has been the master blender since 1997. During her career, chronicled at the Joy Spence Appleton Estate Rum Experience, […]
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Maybe you rented a vacation house that isn’t fully stocked. Perhaps you’re camping or in the middle of moving and can’t find a single cardboard box labeled “kitchen.” No matter the reason, learning how to open a wine bottle without a corkscrew is guaranteed to come in handy at some point. Many corkscrews function similarly: You […]
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Whether concerned about our warming climate or a desire to produce fresher wines, California vintners are fascinated by growing grapes as close to the Pacific Ocean as possible for all kinds of reasons. With most vineyards located less than six miles from the shore, the recently approved San Luis Obispo Coast appellation emphasizes this quest. […]
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Imagine growing up in a family whose name is one of the most famous in the entire world. For Carlo Mondavi, grandson of Napa luminary Robert Mondavi, success is about more than what’s in the bottle. “Both my father and grandfather had and still have an immense impact on me,” says Carlo Mondavi, grandson […]
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Skip Tognetti, owner, and founder of Seattle-based Letterpress Distilling made arancello (an orange version of the liqueur) as a way to express his Italian heritage while pushing beyond limoncello. “Blood orange is almost ubiquitous in Sicily and part of Calabria,” he explains. “I thought it would be fun as a seasonal thing”—the fruit typically peaks […]
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A good vodka gimlet recipe stands on its merit, whether you love, hate, or never heard of the original, gin-based cocktail. A traditional gimlet is made with gin, lime juice, and simple syrup. Some prefer to use Rose’s Lime Juice, which bartender and author Jeffrey Morgenthaler say delivers a “bracing, bitter, tart edge.” The gimlet […]
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Austrian wine has made its definitive statement with Grüner Veltliner. The common cliché is that Grüner is a refreshing white with aromas and flavors of citrus and white pepper. However, in the right hands, Grüner transcends the character of the terroir and the winemaker’s personality. It’s little wonder it has long been Austria’s signature […]
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In the early days of Eleven Madison Park, Augie Carton would regularly sit at the bar and order the five-spice duck, a signature dish from Chef Daniel Humm. Adorned with cumin, coriander, lavender, red Sichuan peppercorn, and honey, it would be served with seasonal fruit: strawberries in summer, apples in the fall, figs, and plums […]
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It’s common in relationships to not fully understand what your partner’s job entails. We’re all busy trying to perfect our own job skills. There isn’t much time left in the day to decipher your SO’s day-to-day job description—or even their formal title. My partner understands I write about wine, but they assumed my job was […]
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