Why do I feel like I’m prostituting myself?
Once upon a time, I was an artist. Making very intricate jewelry. When it came time to sell it, I fell short of being able to say, “Isn’t that just beautiful! It would look so GREAT on you.” I just couldn’t do it. “Buy it or not, it’s your decision; it will find a home.” […]
The Wines of Long Island, by José Moreno-Lacalle
Wine-blog’s Books page lists (with links) the wine books I’ve reviewed over time, since my first one on September 11, 2006. I was honoring Kevin Zraly’s Windows on the World Complete Wine Course ©1994. Kevin actually lost his staff, during the collapse of the Twin Tower, on September 11, and it just seemed like the […]
The Most Embarrassing Side of Wine Travel… Musings
This was the point where I should have taken a bow… Hindsight is always 20/20 vision, right? So, I’m a guest of Colonnara Viticultori in Cupramontana ~ In the Castelli di Jesi region of Le Marche. This day, we were having lunch at family Ristorante in a neighboring town. It was as authentic as it could possibly be. […]
When It’s Traditional and It’s in Tuscany ~ Day 2
I was the guest of Castello di Meleto in Gaiole ~ In the Chianti Classico region of Tuscany. Hosted by Antonia Caserta (sales manager), their winemaker Matteo Menicacci, and their agronomist Giovanni Maria Farina. Antonia translated, and I was also in the company of Michael Yurch (Bluest Sky Group) and Michael Apstein from Apstein On […]
Cucina Tipica by Andrew Cotto ~ When you’ve been in Italy, books help the cultural return
BOOK REVIEW: How Andrew Cotto unravels his Cucina Tipica novel is cleverly maneuvered. I just couldn’t put the book down for much else, until I got to “The End.” As I was about to finish his book, my heart was pounding and so wanting an ending I could live with. Cucina Tipica is story about […]
Antoine Laurain’s Vintage 1954… It Was An Intriguing Year
Antoine Laurain’s Vintage 1954 WINE-BLOG REVIEW: From the moment I touched the book, it was immediate love… The smell and feel of its pages… A tender, Parisienne SciFi, stepping back through a 1950’s portal… all because of a bottle of wine, the right circumstances, and four characters… Every detail of 50’s in this story, and […]
Le Sincette, Chiaretto DOC, Italy; Where Have you Been All of My Life?
UPDATE: Thanks to Jane Nichols, a reader of this blog, she sent an update to me, regarding La Sincette’s appellation: I was so interested in the wine you wrote about that I did a bit of research and happened to find out….the appellation of the wine is actually the Valtènesi DOC…which (amazingly/confusedly) has been discontinued […]
Tasting The Past, by Kevin Begos
TASTING THE PAST Admittedly, learning about wines outside of what’s on a retailer’s shelf or a restaurateur’s wine list is a bit limited. The flavors you might enjoy, but is the wine as memorable as being in that wine’s own region of terroir, and connecting more dots? From my own personal experiences, I have […]
Brut Force follows Corkscrew in Rollicking Hilarity, Outlandish Intrigue, and rooting for Felix Hart, Again
SAMPLE BOOK: When Peter Stafford-Bow sent an email to me about his newest novel Brut Force, I told him I was ready for a little Brut Force. Fortunately, I knew who I was talking to, so I wouldn’t be accused of sexual harassment. We both had a good laugh. Peter Stafford-Bow has outdone himself again, […]
AN EVENING WITH KEVIN ZRALY in San Francisco
If you know me, you know that I enjoy helping friends with their events, etc.. I got to circle back with Kevin Zraly this past fall, when we met again; this time at Castello di Meleto in Gaiole ~ In the Chianti Classico region of Tuscany. Kevin was touring, promoting his 30th Edition of Windows on the World, I was […]
