To many people, bubbles in wine are synonymous with Champagne, while purists will argue (rightly) that true Champagne comes only from the region of that name in France. Champagne is wonderful, but it has a big problem, and that problem sounds like “ka-CHING!” Luckily for budget-minded consumers, plenty of sparkling wines offer high-quality celebratory bubbles…
Monthly Archives: December 2011
5 ways to add meaning to this season’s gifts
Finding a gift for a wine lover isn’t hard if you just stick with a nice bottle. But if you want to put more thought into it, following are some tips for finding something with a little more meaning. These suggestions are provided courtesy of Catherine Rabb, co-owner of Fenwick’s and a senior instructor at…
Much ado about the ‘grand cru’ marketing label
The hottest topic in the wine world is the adoption of the term “Grand Cru” by Santa Barbara’s Sea Smoke Cellars. From the heated reaction on wine sites and blogs, one might think the sky was falling. There are lots of opinions and intriguing arguments. In 2008, Wine Spectator writer James Laube called the winery…
Festive wines for festive times
As we all know, the holidays are a festive time — and festive wines are required. Sparkling wines, rich Cabernet, sexy Syrah and crisp Chardonnay will delight you and your guests. In the November/December issue of Cary Living Magazine, April Schlanger (owner of Sip…A Wine Store in Cary, North Carolina) offers these suggestions: ’08 Frogs…
Wine’s winter wonderland
Eating and drinking in season is nothing new when talking about making the most of the plentiful produce in the peak of summer, but the concept can — and should — carry over to cooler months as well. Wouldn’t you rather have a warm bowl of butternut squash soup than a BLT with pathetically green,…
