Professional Drinking

When having sushi, we are often handed a Sake menu with strange Japanese words and descriptions of elegant flavors.  But how is Sake made and how do you pick one for yourself and your guests? Continue reading “Sake It To Me, Baby!”

When we go to a restaurant and are handed the wine list, it can be intimidating, particularly if the list is large and complex.  The fancier the restaurant, the larger the list.  But you can have some fun with a wine list if you know a few secrets. Continue reading “7 Secrets to Get The Most Out of a Wine List”

It’s the perfect beverage to celebrate a big event, a marriage, a graduation or even making it through a tough week.  Sparkling wine or champagne (read my prior article on this) pairs great with food and has that something extra in the bubbles that let you know it’s a party.  But how to open a bottle of sparkling wine properly and elegantly? Continue reading “How to Open a Bottle of Bubbly”

After a wonderful meal with clients, rather than dessert some people opt for Port.   It’s a great way to let the meal settle and relax and talk.  But what is port and what are the differences between Ruby, Tawny and Vintage? Continue reading “How About a Port for After Dinner?”

We’ve all seen a sommelier gently pouring a bottle of older wine into an elegant decanter and service from this fancy glassware, not the bottle.  But why do they do this?  And when is it appropriate? Continue reading “When Do You Decant a Wine?”

The three-tier distribution system (Maker – Distributor – Retailer) goes back to the repeal of Prohibition in the United States in 1933.  The states were put in charge of the laws around distribution of alcohol, but the states and the federal governmentwere mostly concerned about collecting taxes.  Most states have outlawed the ownership of the entire chain of distribution to make sure there are clear demarcation points where they can collect, except in some special cases like brewpubs. Continue reading “How Does the Wine Distribution System Work?”

If you answered $90, you are only partially right.  You can spend a widely varying amount on a bottle of wine, from a bottle of Barefoot wine at under $5.00 to a bottle of  of Chateau Petrus at nearly $5,000.  They are both wine, made from grapes, so what causes this difference?  And what goes into the costs?  It turns out it starts from the very ground the grapes are grown on and goes from there. Continue reading “What is the Difference between a $10 and $100 Bottle of Wine?”

The 4^th of July is around the corner and while the traditional beer goes well with your grilled hot dogs, burgers and steak, there are some patriotic wines that can make great summer sippers. Continue reading “Red White and Blue Wines for the 4th of July”

Making wine starts with grapes and most importantly, ripe grapes. The secret of the grower is to bring the grapes to their ultimate peak of ripeness, given their local weather and geography.  The trick is to pick them as ripe as possible before colder weather or storms that can ruin a harvest arrive. This means the grapes have the most sugar possible and that’s what the winemaker needs to produce a great wine. Continue reading “What Sets the Alcohol Content of Your Wine?”

We’ve all seen the ratings of wines in in our favorite wine shop, usually wines with scores in the 80s or even 90s.  88 points! 92 Points! But what do these scores really mean?  Are higher scoring wines definitively better?  And what does a wine score mean and how are they derived? Continue reading “Making Sense of The 100 Point Wine Scale”