#WBC15 and Alsatian Riesling’s Delicious Diversity
There is something about attending one’s first Wine Blogger’s Conference, aside from the instant camaraderie—that irreplaceable sense that you are in a room full of people who get what it is that you are doing, or attempting to do on a very deep level—in addition, there are a multitude of sessions for attendees to choose from. […]
Finger Lakes Riesling: A Portrait in Minerality
Mid-August marked my first trip to New York, I arrived a day ahead of the Wine Bloggers Conference, granting myself time to acclimate to balmy Upstate New York and perhaps more importantly, time to do a bit of exploring. My friend and fellow wine writer, Thomas Riley was in town ahead of schedule too, and the […]
The Corning Museum of Glass
August 11th marked my first trip “back east,” for me that was technically any place east of western Montana. And while my entire reason for being there, in balmy Upstate New York was to attend the 2015 Wine Bloggers Conference, the artist in me thought it worthwhile to pay tribute to the Museum. Conference attendees streamed […]
Monopole Champagne & Wine Bar
Apparently, the food scene, like the wine scene, has materialized at a breakneck pace, with phenomenal restaurants springing up across the island like daisies. Some rigidly traditional—like the Japanese restaurant, Seryna in the heart of Makati’s Little Tokyo where I sampled the best Unagi I’ve ever tasted—and others a little more avant-garde. The streets surrounding Makati, and […]
Art of the Macaron: Cooking Classes at Aubergine
It’s small. That was my first thought on entering the tidy, well-lit kitchen at Aubergine. I had attended an eight-course dinner there the month before, a sumptuous and innovative menu featuring white and black Alba truffles, expertly woven into each luxurious course. I knew what sort of magic could come from the belly of this modest […]
Hungarian Wine Tasting at Soif Wine Bar & Merchants
My mother is Hungarian. My father was mostly English with some other nationalities thrown in, like most Americans, his family tree included a pinch of German and a nip of Irish. My dad never talked about his heritage, but my mother has always been fiercely proud of her ancestry. I suppose that’s why I’ve always […]
La Balena Cucina Toscana & Foradori Fontanasanta
Dappled sunlight bathes La Balena’s patio in a warm and languid light, and, in spite of the fact that it’s mid-January here in Carmel, I’m regretting the jacket I’ve worn over my light cotton dress. A nearby fountain with a salt-stained patina, seated in front of a hedge of flowering Bougainvillea, lends the atmosphere to […]
Point Lobos
Here, the air is thick with salt, you can feel it accumulating on your skin and clothes after little more than an hour. There is an other-worldliness to this place, rust-colored rocks almost martian in origin, fog and filtered light cast a luminous glow. Truly, Point Lobos has been one of the most enchanting places […]
2014 in Review
2014 was, for me, a monumental year. I have been very fortunate to have attended some fantastic industry tastings throughout much of the year. I’m also presently working my way through the WSET courses, studying wine and regions as much as my schedule allows. These wines were the highlights of my year, a tough list […]
Four La La’s: La Landonne, La Mouline & La Turque at La Balena
I have, in recent past, promoted and sold Guigal’s single-vineyard Côte-Rôties, La Landonne, La Mouline and La Turque (affectionately known as the La La’s) to fans and collectors all over the United States. An invitation to taste these wines is not something to pass up, an event made even more special considering the vintage—all three […]