Daily Loaf

The Dunedin Wines the Blues Festival wrapped up its 18th year on Saturday with an old school blues show by John Lee Hooker, Jr., son of the legendary bluesman John Lee Hooker.  John Lee, Jr. hit the stage in true blues style, dressed in a dark hat, sunglasses and a vest, and quickly brought the at-capacity crowd to its feet. Backed by a four-piece band, Hooker started the set with “The People Want a Change,” from his Grammy-nominated release, All Odds Against Me, and continued to turn out the blues for nearly two hours. In addition to a wide variety of originals and blues standards, Hooker also managed to squeeze in a song or two by his famous father, which brought the crowd to its feet again. Caught up in the excitement, several women even felt the urge to join Hooker on stage, which John Lee seemed to enjoy. In all, this year’s blues festival set a new bar for musical quality, due largely to the inclusion of John Lee Hooker, Jr. It will be interesting to see how festival organizers plan to keep up this level of quality entertainment in the coming years.

For more Tampa area concert info, follow Jeff on Twitter.

This time of year is ripe for ghosts, ghouls and scary tales, but don’t let witches brew distract you from great inexpensive wines. Halloween screams for some scary and spooktacular vino, and one of my all time favorites to drink on Halloween night is Vampire Cabernet Sauvignon. Vampire — like its counterpart, Dracula Wine — was at one time made in Transylvania, but has now moved operations to Paso Robles; that just bites, no pun intended.

Half the fun of drinking Vampire was the storied location where it was made. Thankfully, the change in venue has not resulted in ghastly juice.

I’m first enticed by the aromas of blood-red, ripe fruit. The scent calls to me and I can’t resist taking a small nibble, er, sip of the garnet colored liquid swirling in the glass. On the first taste I’m hit with a lip smacking, succulent flavor, with a finish leaving me wanting more. Just one thing to do: Read the rest of this entry »

(Want to follow all of CL’s Food, Drink and Restaurant news? Bookmark the food section of the blog, add the CL Food RSS feed to your reader of choice, follow @BrianRies on Twitter, or check out the Food Section page multiple times daily.)

Wednesday, October 21: The NoHo Bistro
A Palette for Your Palate. The bistro’s ingenious culinary team pairs five tapas tastings with a new wine each week. Tonight’s Pinot Grigio palette promises to be lip-smackingly lovely. $15. 5-8 p.m., 1714 N. Armenia Ave., Tampa (813-514-0691)

Wednesday, October 21: Rigatoni Tuscan Oven
Wild Tuscan Wednesdays. Indulge in decadent seafood at dirt-cheap prices on high-end items like all-you-can-eat Alaskan snow crab and oysters, along with beer and pasta specials. $7-$22. 5-10 p.m., 3437 W. Kennedy Blvd., Tampa (813-879-7000)

Thursday, October 22: Michael’s 717 South
Wine and Music Series. Winemakers Dan Whitaker and Ben Benvenuti host tonight’s installment in the samping series, and offer Mairena’s wines of Argentina –like Malbec, Bonarda and Sauvignon Blanc — paired with assorted cheese. Half Circle and Friends provide live tunes. $10. 7-9 p.m., 717 South Howard Ave., Tampa (813-250-1661)

Thursday, October 22: Carrollwood Cultural Center
Teach and Taste Wine. Wine guide Charles Visalli leads this series of workshops on wine etiquette, how to sample wine when dining out, wine varietals, the art of pairing food with wine and more. This week’s focus is “the art of blind tasting.” E-mail timeforwine@tampabay.rr.com to reserve a spot. $25, $20 for CCC members. 6-7:30 p.m., 4537 Lowell Road, Tampa (813-269-1310)

Many more events after the break: Read the rest of this entry »

I consider myself a fairly patient person, especially when it comes to service in restaurants. I, along with millions of others, toiled in commercial kitchens and dining rooms across the country, and certainly understand the often horrific treatment endured by smarmy scumbags masking as diners. But enough is enough. I must kvetch about wine service in restaurants. Wine is conceivably the most lucrative cash cow a server has at his/her disposal, yet so many abuse the privilege of potentially making 15 percent for simply opening and pouring a bottle. To futz this up is ludicrous.

My least favorite flubs: Read the rest of this entry »

I love truffles. Not the gooey chocolate delicacy but the delicious yet expensive mushroom that I’d sell myself on the street to pay for. Few people are enamored or familiar with my favorite fungus. Only elite culinarians are hip to them — much like the chenin blanc grape. Truffles are to food as chenin blanc is to wine, a white that only wine geeks seem to appreciate.

It’s no wonder. Chenin blanc (shen’n BLAHNK) is the freaky Sybil of grapes. It can be sweet or dry and either austere and acidic, or lush and aromatic depending on where it’s grown, how it’s tended and the winemaker’s mood. In France’s Loire Valley, where chenin blanc was first canonized in 985 A.D, it’s camouflaged behind the Vouvray label. There, it tastes luscious, slightly to very sweet, and displays a fruit soup of peach, nectarine and lime – perfect grog for people who shun bone-dry wines. However, finding quality Vouvrays – and rare dry versions from Anjou or Savennières, two other Loire Valley regions – is like wild truffle-hunting: exasperating. Grab them if you see them, and also be on the lookout for incredible (and remarkably cheap) Crémant de Loire chenin-based sparkling wines.

But in new world regions — South Africa, Australia and the U.S. – this chameleon transforms. Read the rest of this entry »

Many articles try to correlate personalities with purchases: cars, pets, and clothes. Just for fun I’m going to correlate a person’s sexual personality with the type of wine they drink.

White Wines such as Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio/Pinot Gris, Rieslings, Sauvignon Blancs can be sweet, dry, or somewhere in between.  Sex with a white wine drinker can range from missionary sex to an SNM scene. This person is full of surprises. Have fun and look out. Read the rest of this entry »

(Check here for more on the food and wine pairings at the EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival.)

Last weekend I was fortunate enough to indulge in Disney’s International Food & Wine Festival at EPCOT Center. This marks the 14th year of an event that promises the chance to eat and drink your way around the world without ever having to break out your passport.

After attending this event for the past few years, I was pleasantly surprised to see that a majority of the regional menus had changed (after being exactly the same for the past few go-arounds) and that they’d added a few new cuisines, now up to 25 different international marketplaces. There were also more culinary classes and wine tastings to attend this year, many involving well-known food and wine celebrities like Iron Chef Cat Cora (who has a new restaurant, Kouzzina, that just opened at Disney’s Boardwalk), Andrew Zimmern (host of Bizarre Foods on the Travel Channel), the Deen Brothers (yes, Paula’s boys) and lying TV chef Robert Irvine.
Read the rest of this entry »

My cabinets overflow with wine glasses of every shape and size. We manage to break one weekly, but the brimming collection strangely never dwindles. The cheap, logo-emblazoned ones are like indestructible cement, but the pricey ones regularly fall in battle. Unique to my house? I think not, because people often ask if the half-paycheck glasses are needed or if the $1.99 cheapies will suffice. The European Riedel and Spiegelau crystal manufacturers want you to believe that imbibing wine from their stemware results in an ethereal experience. Don’t believe all the hype. Read the rest of this entry »

This week, life threw a massive curve ball at Creative Loafing Media. Taken over by the NYC-based hedge fund to whom we owed a ton of money, each employee processed the news in a different way: sadness, optimism, relief. Me? I got shit-faced. On great wine. I figured if my family’s legacy is going down [my parents founded Creative Loafing and my brother was CEO until last Tuesday], I should consume voluminous amounts of quality juice. Fast. However, the questioned remained … which ones? So many choices, so little time to race and get to the promised land.

Obviously, I needed something high in alcohol. These sorts of wines emerge from hot areas, where the grapes grow fat with sugar and the resulting wine has more punch (sugar converts to alcohol in fermentation). Napa, Sonoma, Barossa Valley (Australia), Washington State (yes, there are areas where it isn’t miserably rainy), and a host of other delicious choices for the perfect Zen state of non-thought. Read the rest of this entry »

When I was a kid, I compared myself to everyone. One teacher called me “other-directed” and it wasn’t until my twenties that I realized that wasn’t a glowing compliment. I carried a bit of this into adulthood, and perhaps it shows up in my voyeuristic sneak peeks at what wine drinkers are sipping. As a wine writer, it’s good to have my sights on the scene, so I ask bars, restaurants and wine retail shops from time to time to reveal what you’re drinking.

It appears that you guys, after an Anything But Chardonnay run, are migrating back to this classic white. Rathbun’s in Atlanta sees plenty of action in its Edna Valley Chardonnay. But co-owner Cliff Bramble reports an educated price variance in what people are choosing – in the under-$40- per-bottle category, people order a “chardonnay,” whereas in the upper price tier, customers request selections from specific wine regions – aka AVAs – like Carneros or Russian River. Same goes for other varietals like pinot noir or malbec, as in the delicious Terrazas Malbec from Argentina they pour by the glass.

Vinocity Wine Bar in Atlanta constantly scours for quality, underpriced wines. Owner Ian Smith’s best sellers are Poppy Pinot Noir, Plungerhead Zin, Bloom Gewurztraminer and one of my favorites, Quivira Sauvignon Blanc. Looking pretty good there.

In Tampa, Bern’s Fine Wines and Spirits and Mise en Place Restaurant echo the chardonnay boon but Read the rest of this entry »

Malio Prime’s: Finlandia martinis are $2, every weekday from 11 a.m.-7 p.m., along with half-price steaks that range from the 8-ounce filet ($17) to the bone-in ribeye ($21). That special also runs during Saturday night early bird, from 5-7 p.m. From 3-7 p.m. on weekdays, there’s also a new bar menu special with shrimp, burger, fried mozzarella, onion rings or bacon for $5 each.

Now of any other great restaurant deals? Let us know.

Now, the events:

Tuesday, August 18: The Lobster Pot
Dinner and Fine Wine Tasting. Chandon Wines (yeah, the Moet folks of rap video fame) host this lavish tasting that includes a menu of lobster ceviche, oysters, Jamaican jerk shrimp and scallops, pan seared sea bass, grilled lamb chops and key lime pie, each accompanied by specially selected varietals from the Chandon family of wines. $75. 6:30 p.m., 17814 Gulf Blvd., Redington Shores (727-291-8532) Read the rest of this entry »

This week, Brian and Taylor invite CL editor David Warner in to talk about his bandwagon-jumping Beef Bourgignon experiment — and why the Bourgignon part should be ignored. Brian raves over Wood Fired Pizza Wine Bar — despite the lack of wine — and Taylor goes stream of consciousness about a chardonnay and steak matchup.

Download the episode here.

A new study reported by dailymail.co gives wine drinkers another reason to act superior to the rest of us cheap beer guzzlers, and also provides bartenders another selling point for pushing a bottle over a glass. Women who drink two glasses of wine daily report better sex than those who drink one or none. While they may not actually be having better sex, the two glasses of wine may help these women believe they are. Read the rest of this entry »

This column should have perforated edges so people can tear it out. It answers the #1 wine question I receive: What’s really tasty and affordable right now? Ever since this recession withered wallets around the world, it’s been my quest to find the best deals.

My top ten.

Kim Crawford 2008 Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough (New Zealand) This reliably charming wine is thankfully available everywhere, and capped with a screwtop, no less. Its green grass aromas give way to bracing acidity, ripe Granny Smith apples, zingy lime and plenty of refreshing grapefruit. The 2008 trumps previous vintages. Sw=1. $13. 5 stars.

Crios de Susana Balbo 2007 Malbec Rosé Mendoza (Argentina) I wallowed in this wine like wrestlers in a kiddie pool and hardly paid for it the next day — an excellent sign of a well-made wine. Heady with strawberry and candied cherry, but with an earthy, almost smoky flavor on the tongue. Full-bodied and serious, yet lively with tartness and a finish of ripe raspberries. I’m thirsty. Sw=2. $12. 5 stars. Read the rest of this entry »

Israel is becoming a surprising food Mecca (yes, I enjoyed writing that). Israelis enjoy traveling and are demanding higher food quality and variety when they arrive home. That, combined with an influx of peoples from all over the globe, has started a food renaissance that makes eating in Israel a surprising joy.

Standard Middle Eastern fare has become anything but. Instead of just one “Middle Eastern” food experience, there are many wonderful variations. The Jews from Arab lands brought their own method of cooking and regional dishes with them when they moved to Israel, like summaq salad from Iraq; a lamb stew called harira from Morocco; fatoush, a salad made of eggs, olives, bread and lettuce from Syria; maraqa, a ragout of quince and lamb from Tunisia; as well as the more commonly known hummus, pita, and kebab each made with a slight variation in honor of the country of origin of the maker. There is care in the preparation of the food, and I — who tend to not like the hummus that I’ve had in America- couldn’t get enough of it in Israel.

What really surprised my food educator husband was the quality and variety of the less traditional food. Read the rest of this entry »

We (CL) opened up our doors Wednesday night for about 50 potential new contributors. There was wine, beer, pizza and a micro-symposium on 21st-century community journalism. We got a chance to recruit some new voices and our guests got to feel out our site editors. Look for their contributions in the coming days.

One of our newbies, Robin Miller, captured the whole thing on video, which you can see below the jump:

Read the rest of this entry »

Looking for something green-related to do this weekend? Look no further than our own Green Community Calendar.

“What’s Transformation?” with Anne Adams PhD @ USF St. Pete- Fri., July 17; 7-9pm. The Essentials of Transformation with Anne Adams PhD. Introducing a Transformational Series presented by USF St Petersburg’s Bishop Center for Ethical Leadership & The Connection Partners Inc. What’s Transformation? How’s that different from change? What we’ve believed to be true isn’t working any more. Stories of fear and greed are giving way to those of generosity and compassion. What’s going on? Gain insights as to what’s behind this global shift. Free event. USF St Petersburg, Davis 130; 140 Seventh Ave South St., St Petersburg, FL 33701.

Ellenton Farmers Market- Saturday, July 18; 8 am – 1 pm. Ellenton Farmers’ Market will be the largest year-round market in florida that specializes in “green” natural, organic and environmentally friendly products that makes for a healthier lifestyle and a better environment. Located just North of the Prime Outlet Mall in Ellenton, Florida (exit 224, Old Exit 43, off I – 75).

Post July 4th Beach Cleanup in the Fort Desoto area- Saturday, July 18; 9 am-12:30 pm. The Ocean Conservancy will be conducting a cleanup on July 18th in the Fort Desoto area.
We are seeking volunteers to assist in removing marine debris from Bunces Pass, Terre Verde and Fort Desoto gulf pier from 9:00-12:30. If you are interested in attending, please RSVP to mailto:intern-fla@oceanconservancy.org with your beach of choice. If either beach suits you just let us know or we will place you where is needed.
Read the rest of this entry »

This week, Brian and Taylor just drink and chat about whatever comes to mind, like Taco Bus owner Rene Valenzuela’s new restaurant, or St. Pete’s Buona Vita, or how to chill your wine consumption this summer.

Downland the episode here.

Last week I encountered my first call girl, “Broadway Mary,” when I stopped to ask for directions. Mary claimed she was in Ybor City on “business” that had fallen through; she asked for a ride home. She was reasonably attractive, and I was completely lost, so I complied.

Read the rest of this entry »

What’s the buzz on the latest issues in the Green Community? Check out what you may have missed this last week:

Celebrating Independence Day or creating environmental disaster? – Kelly Rothwell looks at the littered aftermath of Fourth of July celebrations and wonder why, instead of giving back in celebration of their freedom, people decide to light off fireworks, leaving mass amounts of debris in the water and on the beach.

Local Food: Dinner in, and from, the garden at Gateway Organic Farm – Chef Gui Alinat gives information about Gateway Organic Farm’s next “Dinner in the Garden” event, an incredible local foods experience featuring nine Bay area chefs.

Read the rest of this entry »

Brian and Taylor chat with Gui Alinat — local chef and recent CL food contributor. We also run down Brian’s obsession with Domenica Macchia of Diner 437, the closing of Ybor’s The Nest, the re-opening of Wild Shrimp Company, and Taylor’s love for white wines from Bordeaux.

Download episode 21 here.

Quivira Vineyards and Winery in Sonoma’s Dry Creek Valley is not only an organic vineyard and farm, but also a biodynamic one as well, producing sustainable vineyards and crops. They specialize in varietals known to excel in the Dry Creek Valley, such as Zinfandel and Sauvignon Blanc and small lots of Rhone Varietals. Quivira also has their own farm, where they supply local markets with fresh, organic food. “Biodynamic farming practices help create healthy porous soils which allow water, gases and nutrients to penetrate deep into the soil strata. This fosters strong, wide, deep root growth that enables the vines to absorb elements from the soil and transfer them as flavors to the fruit.”
Read the rest of this entry »

Brian and Taylor chat with Craig Dean, wine director at Hyde Park’s Wine Exchange, discuss Brian’s review of new downtown spot Rawbar, and discuss what we’ll be drinking on July 4th.

Listen up!

The chatter of well-dressed film lovers and wine connoisseurs filled the Vinoy’s grand ballroom as guests sampled fine cheeses and appetizers, drank from a hearty wine list of Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays (but no Merlots), and settled at tables for the featured film, Sideways, starring Paul Giamatti, Thomas Haden Church, Virginia Madsen and Sandra Oh. Various representatives of the Studio@620, including Chair of High Five events Joanne Johnson, welcomed guests and spoke about the Studio. Read the rest of this entry »

So how does it happen that the director, star and co-writer of the 2004 hit film Sideways are all converging on St. Petersburg this weekend? They just needed a little sun? They heard about the wine list at the Vinoy and had to try it? Not exactly. Alexander Payne, Virginia Madsen and Jim Taylor are here to help The Studio@620 celebrate its fifth anniversary with a screening of the film at the Vinoy tonight and a discussion tomorrow at the Studio. The connection? Studio Co-Artistic Director Bob Devin Jones explained via email: Read the rest of this entry »

For wine lovers, the paraphernalia for enjoying wine are second only to the wine itself. I don’t collect gadgets just for the sake of having them, but I don’t mind picking up something new when I find it really adds to the wine experience. Recently, while visiting my neighborhood wine shop, I discovered a wine glass that has made drinking wine at picnics and cookouts even more enjoyable. Read the rest of this entry »

Just in case you missed anything, here’s a week of CL’s food blogging in easy, clickable blurbs:

Upcoming Bay area beer events
“Be Remarkable”- video of Greg Koch’s inspirational speech from 2009 Craft Brewer’s Convention
Grazing: Lunching at Cafe Hey
Nosh Pit Episode 15: Wat Tampa, Memorial Day wine, Edmeades winemaker Van Williamson
Organic farming can be more productive than conventional
Win beer fame from Schmaltz Brewing for your Bar/Bat Mitzvah pics
PF Chang’s giving away free lettuce wraps
Brews and bites : the beer and snack pairing marathon
Tampa Bay food, wine and beer events
The raw and living food diet: What is it?
Big error in the book Artisan Bread in Five Minutes A Day
Diet dilemmas: staying on track while you travel
$100 Case of Wine: Best wine deals at Mazzaro’s Italian Market in St. Petersburg
Classic Chili Recipe
Can hemp help create a green economy?
Bottle Shock movie released on DVD
Instead of beef and potato, try this lamb burger and eggplant fries

Wednesday, May 20: The Grape
Throughout the month of May, The Grape pairs interesting Italian wines not featured on the regular menu with a special chef’s tasting menu. It includes delectable selections like grilled shrimp crostini, Portobello carpaccio, paillard of chicken breast puttanesca and an artisanal Italian cheese plate. $35. 2223 N. Westshore Blvd., Tampa (813-354-9463)

Wednesday, May 20: World of Wines South Tampa
Wine-Down Wednesday. A wine tasting featuring several bottles from California, Chile and Australia along with snacks from Robert’s Catering. Free. 6- 8 p.m., 3431 South West Shore Blvd., Tampa (813-835-9463).

Thursday, May 21: Vino 100
This ladies night out features a wine tasting, appetizers from Let’s Eat and massage chairs to melt away workday worries. Free. 5-8 p.m., 5056 Fourth Street N., St. Pete (727-522-8466)

Thursday, May 21: WineMall
Sample fine wines paired with appetizers by Roy’s at this charity event that raises funds for leukemia and lymphoma research. The evening also features a raffle and a silent auction. Please RSVP to Courtney Simons at csimons@sptimesforum.com. $25. 6-8 p.m., 11246 W. Hillsborough Ave., Tampa (813-855-7711)

Many more upcoming events after the break: Read the rest of this entry »

During my hunt to find the best $100 (or so) case of wine at Bay area retailers, I meandered into one of my favorite gourmet shops in Tampa Bay: Mazzaro’s Italian Market in St. Pete. There, among the drool-worthy selection of craft-made cheeses, single-grove olive oils and handmade pasta, there’s also a well-appointed wine room coddled by Jeff DiMaio. Ironically, few wine steals on his shelves hail from Italy, but from the relatively newer (or new-to-quality) wine regions Spain and Australia. I don’t really care, since there’s plenty other juice to drink. My selections for a $110 case of wine at Mazzaro’s: Read the rest of this entry »

This time of year, states north of Florida lead the good life. Just in time for the Memorial Day holiday, Mother Nature ushers in mild weather up there while she shoves torrid 90 degrees/80 percent humidity down my throat. But it signals the official beginning of grilling season and that’s always a good thing. So grab what you got in the fridge and get cooking.

Which might be chicken sausages and microbrew, if my current fridge contents are any indication. When it comes to beer versus wine, though, carb-laden ales might slake a sweaty brow but wine bests it in the food-pairing department (yeah, yeah, I’d love to throw down with a beer geek on this topic). There’s something magical about the natural fruit acids and tannins that harmonize strong seasonings, especially sprinkled or spread on meat. Another bonus: No burping or bloating with wine.

Lighter whites, such as sauvignon blanc and albariño, start the party but also pair up with seafood items like grilled shrimp and fish. Dry rosés — far from the sweet and wimpy rep they unfortunately suffer from — quench under the hot sun, but also dance happily with shellfish (or anything else, for that matter).

But, geez, who eats fish on Memorial Day? That’s denying your inner carnivore.

Read the rest of this entry »

Nick Algee of 1Sky & CleanEnergy.org hit my inbox last night: Friday night May 15th is Pecha Kucha Night at the Roosevelt. WTF is that? I gotta say it is one of the more intriguing events to arrive amongst a tedious list of a gazillion emails I rather not read. Nick is a cool guy, with an important mission, so I read his emails first, and damn, I’m glad I did. This is tonight!

I also have to say Ken Cowart, Pecha Kucha organizer, is responsible for helping Tampa is move up on the way cool scale with this event, starting with the venue itself. The Roosevelt, owned by Joe Redner, is a 103 year old building in the throes of a massive green retrofit. A model of sustainability, it will serve as a showcase of 21st-century construction ideas. The Campus TV Project 3.0 at The Roosevelt is a place in which artists and other creative types can lease space and incubate new ideas.

So what is Pecha Kucha? Held in 195 cities around the world, I betcha I couldn’t find anyone except some architect geek types, sorry Adam, to tell me. Enter the Google Gods, a quick trip round the net to reveals that it was conceived by Astrid Klein and Mark Dytham as a place for young designers to meet, network, and show their work in public. The first Pecha Kucha took place in Tokyo at Klein Dytham Architects offices at 8:20 p.m. on March 20, 2003, yes the time and date is very relevant, give me a minute, err 20 seconds to explain. Under the PKN rules, 20 presenters show 20 slides on a topic relative to urban design, with only 20 seconds to narrate each slide. As someone who has sat through many a dry, monotone speaker presenting such exciting topics as “Trends in Solid Waste” and “Measurement of Indoor Air Quality Toxins” , no joke it was at the same conference, not one of the middle aged men in the room was laughing. 20 slides in 20 seconds, is gift from heaven that lands Tampa on the map of a city on the upswing. Read the rest of this entry »

Taylor went to China and all she brought back was this lousy podcast! We dissect her culinary travels, and discuss Brian’s review of Ocean Prime.

Download

Wednesday, April 29: Avenue Cellars Wine Bar
Avenue’s Red Wine 101 class features an overview of the dark side of the wine world, with a tasting of about ten examples. Reservations necessary. $25. 9662 Linebaugh Ave., Tampa (813-920-9991)

Wednesday, April 29: ABC Fine Wines & Spirits (New Port Richey)
This weekly tasting features wines and cigars. $10 (includes glass and $5 coupon). 6115 US Hwy. 19, New Port Richey (727-842-7749)

Friday, May 1: Vintage Wine Cellars
This week’s tasting features wines rated 90 points and higher by leading authorities. $25. 3629 Henderson Blvd., Tampa (813-879-2931)

More after the break: Read the rest of this entry »

I have adorable twin nieces. As they’ve gotten older, I can tell them apart by personality (and each helpfully favors either purple or pink), but when they were tiny tots, it wasn’t as easy. One birthmark differentiated them and served as my twin detector for many years.

If only Italian wines were as easy. They have this fascinatingly confusing twin situation – two wines labeled Montepulciano [MON teh pool CHAH no]. From two different regions. Made from two different grapes. It’s about as mystifying as how identical DNA can produce different personalities. But, like the time when I finally called the twins by the right names, it’s satisfying when you learn to appreciate the differences. Read the rest of this entry »

Disclaimer: I am not a wine aficionado — I can be pretty picky, and I might have a bias against some styles. Don’t completely take my word for it here — get out there, try your own organic wines, and find your new favorites!

Being green doesn’t mean you have to give up your vices. Organic wines are growing in popularity, and that means there’s more variety for you to enjoy your sweet, sweet vino without feeling any green guilt.

The requirements for earning the title of “organic” differ from country to country, but here in the United States, it essentially means that no fertilizers or pesticides are used on the farmlands, and no sulfites have been added to preserve what’s inside the bottles.

The real fun is in wines produced through biodynamic farming. Based on the principles of the late Austrian scientist Rudolf Steiner, biodynamics use animals for pest control and fertilizer, just like with organic farming. But here, planting and harvesting are based around the moon cycles, as well. The Emiliana wine family took its three best vineyards and converted them to organic and biodynamic farming, and Emiliana Organico in Chile’s Valle Colchagua is a prime example of a biodynamic farm. Chickens eat bugs and crap out natural fertilizer. Ladybugs fly around to also control insect pests. Llamas and ducks even plod around the vineyard, chewing up weeds and providing yet more fertilizer. Read the rest of this entry »