CORKAGE

Recently I had the privelege of hosting an informal wine tasting for a friend raising money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. I chose as the theme for the evening to explore the difference between old world and new world wine styles. It was a raucous affair, with lively debates ensuing as people's palates were evenly divided between the old and the new, the earthy and the fruity, the restrained and the bomby. I highly recommend recreating this little exercise on your own, and maybe even ...

While reading Harvey Steiman's great article in this month's Wine Spectator on pairing wine with chocolate, I was reminded of a recent palate shattering discovery:

I had chosen for my Third Thirsty Thursday tasting in October to focus entirely on sparkling wines, but beyond one example from Champagne, I wanted to really explore all the possibilities and surprise some people. I figured a Moscato d'Asti would start us off right, then, to satisfy the masses, a brief line-up of traditional method ...

Recently I’ve been enjoying a wonderful after-dinner drink: Quintessentia Amaro Nonino.

This bitter digestif from the Venezia region of Italy combines herbs, roots, flowers, bark, and citrus peels in neutral spirits. Specifically, this one contains cereal alcohol, grape acqua vitae aged five years, roots of gentian, saffron, rhubarb, sweet orange, bitter orange, quassia wood, tamarind, galenga, licorice, cinchona. It’s thick, syrupy, and good for your stomach! Sign me up!

Each of these gorgeous...

Can a black man drink red wine in the White House? He very well may if he’s Barack Obama. Obama, the Illinois senator and Democratic nominee for President, reportedly maintains a 1,000 bottle cellar in his $1.6 million Chicago home. In fact, at some of his campaign fund-raising events, there have reportedly been bottles of red wine with the liberal hopeful’s face right on the label. But ever since his speech at the Brandenberg Gate in Berlin, Germany, John Hafferty of Bin Ends in Braintree, M...

Today I had the wonderful opportunity to attend a Portuguese wine and port tasting at The Harvard Club of Boston . Arranged by Harron and Associates , the event featured more than 33 different vineyards and wineries from all around Portugal.

While the country is undoubtedly known more for its ports and heavy reds, I chose the road less traveled and focused exclusively on whites. When many decide to zig, I choose to zag.

Among the many wines I enjoyed are:

• DOC Douro Adriano by Ramos Pinto
• Coroa d'
...

Although many people these days like to bash the Napa Valley for being the Disney World of wine regions - overblown, overpriced and overcrowded - I never pass up the chance to visit the place where I truly learned to appreciate wine. Especially on a day, like last Saturday, when I have the privilege of exposing two Napa-virgins - my sister Meg and friend Michael - to the birthplace of the modern American wine industry.

Like anyone, I have my favorite spots in the valley - some off the b...