Under $21: Massaya Classic White Bekaa Valley 2006

Posted 06/10/2008 at 08:10 AM by Derek

Massaya's Classic White, a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and the autochthonous varietal Obeidi, is one of my favorite bargain wines. The wine is crisp, mineral driven with notes of melon, citrus and dried herbs-a perfect pair with soft shell-crabs, light seafood or salads. This simple but tasty wine has a place at a picnic or in dining room.  
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Bourbon & Fish: The New Philosophy of Pairing

Posted 05/12/2008 at 09:55 AM by Derek

Commonly wine gets the nod for "most pairable beverage" but a new emerging philosophy of pairing has the cocktail at the forefront of pairings. In some cases, cocktails may even work better than wine.  
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Screw the Environment: Do Screw Caps Harm The Planet?

Posted 04/23/2008 at 07:30 AM by Derek

The truth is that cork is something as wine drinkers we don't think about until it troubles us. When the waiter hands you a cork for inspection most of us toss it aside and go for the juice worry-free. Maybe we should worry. Portuguese company Amorim, the world's largest cork producer, claims that natural cork is the only wine enclosure that is truly sustainable and there just might be something to that claim.  
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Under $21: Papantonis Agiorgitiko "Meden Agan" Peloponnese, Greece 2004

Posted 04/03/2008 at 08:08 AM by Derek

Greek wine is a minefield for the consumer. Even with the overall quality improving, and many stellar producers making world-class wines, your local wine shop has Greek wines next to Kosher and Georgian wines. All bought by the retailer based on price with no concern for quality. Grab the wrong wine and "Kaboom," you're drinking plonk.  
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The Wetter the Better: Drink More Vermouth

Posted 03/24/2008 at 06:23 AM by Derek

How did vermouth, a German-sounding beverage, invented by Italians, become one of France's best-known aperitifs only to be swirled and dumped by Americans?  
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Faults, Flaws and The Drinker's Who Love Them

Posted 02/26/2008 at 08:23 AM by Derek

Tom Stevenson writes in Sotheby's Wine Encyclopedia that he is grateful Anthony Hanson has revised his opinion in the tome Burgundy that "Great Burgundy smells of shit." Really, was Hanson joking in the first place? Few wine drinkers make a point of sharing that their trip to the restroom reminds them of Grand Cru Echezeaux.  
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Cheap Date: Valentines Day

Posted 02/13/2008 at 11:32 AM by Derek

Whenever your heartstrings are tugged at, your purse strings are never far behind. The worst part about holidays like Valentines Day is that after all of the wine, food and ambience you're left with more than memories, you're left with a bill that can color your evening "red" from anger instead of amore. So here are a few tips to keep the cost down without having to count pennies or sacrifice enjoyment. Consequently, doing your homework will not only save you some change but will also impress your date.  
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The Simple, Albeit Emasculate, Pleasure of Drinking a Rosé

Posted 02/12/2008 at 06:17 AM by Derek

I'm the first to admit that holding the delicate stem of a flute full of rose-colored sparkling wine has a way of making even the most masculine men seem dainty. There's one sparkling rosé in particular, Elio Perrone's "Bigarò" from Piedmont, Italy, that I serve to guests at the end of their meal. It concludes a long meal gracefully, but when I'm serving two heterosexual males they inevitably pass a very uneasy glance my way when the pink bubbles pour out of the bottle.  
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Under $21: Lazy Creek Vineyards 'Red Table Wine'

Posted 02/11/2008 at 10:49 AM by Derek

Why are almost all wines vintage, save boxed wines and a few special regions? Who says it has to be that way? Why not blend vintages for a consistent style as they do in Champagne, at least for table wines and everyday drinking wines where the vintage itself is less of an indication of its quality or value? Especially in California where vintage variation is sometimes ever so slight.  
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The Secret Life of Austrian Grapes

Posted 02/01/2008 at 01:01 PM by Derek

It is a truism in the business that people sometimes order wine because they like the way a wine sounds. Chateauneuf-du-Pape is a prime example. Saying the exasperated POP at the end of Chateauneuf ... seems to send a pleasing sensation to the brain. I've heard people saying Chateauneuf-du-Pape over and over like a mantra. It only follows that wines that are difficult to pronounce have a reduced hedonic value.  
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MollyDooker Shake vs. Soulja Boy's 'Crank Dat (Soulja Boy)'

Posted 02/01/2008 at 12:19 PM by Derek

I have no intention of recommending Mollydooker wines. Scoring in the stratosphere of Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, Mollydooker's Shirazes, Cabernet Sauvignons, Merlots and blends from McLaren Vale, Australia are already highly sought after by consumers without me writing a word. Why not, they have a lot going for them.  
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