The Fabulous Wine List That Wasn't

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     The most memorable wine-related event of 2008 also was the most forgettable -- not to mention embarrassing.

     It involved Wine Spectator magazine presenting an award of excellence to Osteria L'Intrepido, a restaurant in Milan, Italy.

     Only one problem:...

A Warm Way to Welcome the New Year

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    I don't know about you, but over the holidays I was so busy with so many activities that I had absolutely no time to keep one of my personal Christmas traditions alive: concocting a special "brew" to share with Santa Claus on Christmas Eve.

     Look, even though he works only one night per year, Santa has a tough gig. Not only is he tasked with delivering toys to good little boys and girls all around the world within a single 24-hour period, but he also is compelled to consume literally tons of cookies and tens of thousands of gallons of milk.

     Truth be told, by the time Santa gets around to the ever so humble Johnson abode, he's ready for anything but...

It's That Time of (What's Left of) the Year

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    Ten resolutions for the new wine year ahead...

     1. Resolve to venture outside your vinous comfort zone.

     If you're as Chardonnay drinker, try Sauvignon Blanc or Chenin Blanc or Pinot Grigio or some other white variety. If you're a Merlot drinker, give Cabernet Sauvignon or...    

The First Lady of Song and Sparkling Wine

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   She has been gone more than a dozen years now, but as is the case with all great singers, the music of Ella Fitzgerald lives on.

     A few of our favorite Ella songs...

    

More Information Is Always a Good Thing

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    Before long, we're going to know a lot more about the fine wines of Chile.

     Within just a few months, that country's entire appellation system could be overhauled, the result of a joint effort involving the government and winegrowers.

     In a nutshell, the intention is to get much more precise about the origins of any particular bottle of wine. Right now, a vast... 

New Napa Bike Trail: A Good Idea?

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    Chuck McMinn is the owner of Vineyard 29 winery in the Napa Valley.

     He's also a runner.

     And he's proposing that a 22-mile hiking and biking trail be developed in America's most...

Getting Ready for Turkey Day

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    If you are cooking for 10 this coming Thursday, it's going to cost you $2.35 more than last year, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation.

     If you'd care to put a positive spin on that news, the average cost per person will be up a mere 23-and-a-half cents.

     Here's how the costs stack up...

Busy, Busy, Busy, Busy, Busy...

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    It's that time of year...

     The time of year when "time" seems to take over our lives. There simply isn't enough of it.

     The holiday decorations are up in all of the department stores, which are hoping for a...

An Unforgettable Evening... Except for the 'Hot' Chocolate

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    America has elected a new President of the United States, and I was lucky enough to be in Chicago on election night when President-Elect Barack Obama took the stage in Grant Park to address the nation.

     I didn't have a ticket to the main gathering area of the park, so I headed for the non-ticketed area where Jumbotrons were set up for all to watch. Regardless of one's politics - and I have no intention of revealing mine here - it was an unforgettable evening.

     It was history...

    

Holiday Gift Ideas for Wine Lovers... Present and Future

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    Since you're reading this, chances are you're a wine lover... the significant other of a wine lover.

     Buying a holiday gift for a wine lover can be daunting, since personal taste plays such a prominent role in wine enjoyment. With that mind, we offer a few gift ideas that should please anyone who is "into" wine... or getting into wine...

 

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