by Jennifer Jordan
We all know that dating is hard: the awkward silences, the nerves of the first kiss, the fear of flatulence in an intimate moment. Yes, dating is hard on so many fronts, including knowing what wine to order on the very first date. Perhaps you're at a nice restaurant and don't want to come across as having too rich of taste, hoping to stay away from the best vintages. Perhaps you're having a date over for dinner and want a bottle that is flavorful, but not too expensive. Perhaps you're out for just a drink and don't want to ruin your chances of next time going out for a dinner by getting too loopy from a wine with a high alcohol content. If you fall into any of the above categories, keep reading; this buzz is for you. Best Wines to Order for Dinner Glasses of wine at restaurants can rang...
by Jennifer Jordan
It seems to me that people will make a movie about anything (White Chicks...seriously?). From anacondas to Zorro's, if there is a camera, there will be a film. A not-so-recent addition to this movie bandwagon is the food and drink industry. Strange Brew made beer famous, Supersize Me showcased the unhealthiness of fast food, Leaving Las Vegas spotlighted hard alcohol, and Babe, well, that was all about pork. Wine, not to be left out, has begun to get noticed. Many movies have featured wine in supporting roles – a bottle thrown against a wall or a drop of Shiraz spilled on a white dress for dramatic effect – but wine has yet to plant its seed on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. However, this may soon change: wine is becoming more and more popular as a subject matter, leaving me to wonder i...
by Jennifer Jordan
Throughout centuries, people have searched for a proverbial Fountain of Youth, a fountain whose water can actually slow down the aging process. From Juan Ponce de León to the modern day seeker, the search for the Fountain of Youth, much like the fountain itself, springs eternal. While this fountain’s location has proven elusive, it’s believed to be somewhere near Florida, causing hopeful searchers to leave no Cadillac unturned: as the Atlantic winds blow onto the shores, the sounds of “here fountain fountain fountain” are often heard from afar. The reason for this extensive hunt is simple: when it comes to life, everyone hopes to find an extension cord. Though the Fountain of Youth hasn’t provided us with this extension - as its waters have yet to be packaged, labeled, and...
by Jennifer Jordan
Dating, for those of us who are tired of being single, can be a royal pain. From speed dating to online dating, from the taverns to the grocery stores, we have several outlets where we can meet potential matches. But, unfortunately, these matches often extinguish before they can light even the slightest spark, leaving those of us frustrated to long for the days of arranged marriages: someone just marry me and give my parents a llama. My own personal experiences have led me to meet dates a variety of ways. I’ve been set up by friends, I’ve been set up by computers, I’ve gone to functions for singles, and, of course, I’ve met many a’people at the bars. But, it wasn’t until recently that I found a dating medium I truly enjoyed: wine tasting for singles. Wine tasting for single...
by Jennifer Jordan
Anyone who knows wine knows that it has greatly impacted the history of our world. From Noah drinking it in the Old Testament, to legends of soldiers who used it as courage to fight during medieval times, wine has impacted conquests and wars. While this impact could have been more direct, with a very small glass of wine declaring itself Emperor of France, its subtlety was still felt; it is hard to refute the argument that, without wine, our world would be very different. History, as we know it, has always been under the influence. A good part of wine’s impact on the world must be credited to the Roman Empire. While other societies have used wine and spirits to mold cultures, the Romans, because of their eventual vast expansion and reputation as being “the trendsetters of history,” ...
by Jennifer Jordan
At the end of last week, after finishing a wine article on Riesling, I felt a little guilty, bad that I had left red wine out of the limelight. For a while, I shook this feeling off - I mean, I can't possibly talk about all wine types at all times. But, as I soon felt a bottle of red wine powerfully tapping me on the shoulder and angrily uttering, "Ahem," I gave in and decided I would do for red what I did for white. Easy there Pahlmeyer Napa, you had me at merlot. One of the most well known wines around, merlot has a permanent reservation in restaurants and bars all over the world. A wine that translates to mean "young blackbird," this French name was given either because of the grape's dark color or to describe the blackbirds liking of it, a liking that may have been discovered when the...
by Marisa Dvari
Imagine yourself at one of the popular new wine bars in your town. You are sipping a glass of red wine perfumed with notes of violet and lavender – a departure from your typical request for a California Cabernet Sauvignon. You take another sip and wonder what combination of soil and sunlight could produce such a succulent wine? Your curiosity roused, you look at the label on the bottle and see it is from the Languedoc – a region in Southern France. Suddenly, you are bursting with questions about the region. What grape is the wine made from? What is the typical climate of the area? Who are the top winemakers in the region? And if you were going to serve it at a dinner party, what foods would pair best with it? Karen MacNeil, director of the wine program at the Culinary Institute of A...
by Marisa Dvari
Imagine yourself at a fine, upscale restaurant with a client or date you want to impress. As the host, you graciously accept the wine list … but then your gaze begins to blur as you skim across dozens, perhaps even hundreds, of unfamiliar wines. Whatever happened to the basic Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon? And also, what prices! How much better can a $600 dollar wine be than a $60 wine? Ordering a more expensive wine, you’ll learn in this remarkable book, will not necessarily make your meal more enjoyable. In fact, many expensive wines are not yet ready to drink, so you would be doing yourself and your guest a disservice by ordering them. In virtually every way possible, this 377-page book is a dynamic resource when it comes to understanding the characteristics of wine and how to ...
by Shiv Singh
Some say that the Bordeaux 2006 vintage could be as special as the famous 1982. Most critics however, argue that the 2006 are not even up to the 2005 let alone the 1982. While on the surface this might appear to be just wine critics bickering among themselves, huge amounts of money are involved. How the world perceives the vintage, determines how the wines appreciate in time. 2006 has been a particularly contentious vintage just as the 1982 were. Back then critics slammed the vintage except for one taster. Robert Parker believed that the wines he was tasting, would turn out to be some of the best ever produced. As the wines aged and then hit the market a few years later, his prophesy turned out to be true. The 1982 were a sellout and Robert Parker became the world's most famous wine criti...
by Laurie Forster
Imagine this—you are seated at an upscale restaurant with one of your best clients and then handed a wine list thicker than a college textbook. You want to pick out the “perfect” wine to impress your client but everything looks like it is written in a foreign language. After only a few minutes the server asks if you have made your selection, so you decide to order the most familiar thing on the menu. You are not sure your selection will coordinate with your meals, and it costs more than your boss will tolerate for a client dinner. By the time the bottle arrives, you have broken out in a cold sweat and are ready to take a big gulp! The good news is that understanding the three main ways wine lists are organized is the first step to preventing this from ever happening to you. ...