Raves for Riesling

May 1, 2013

The first time that the food and wine pairing light bulb went off in my head, when I had a combination that really underscored how good a good combination can be, it was thanks to a bottle of Riesling.

My husband and I were at a restaurant in San Francisco and it was one of those perfect evenings. But what sticks in my mind is taking a bite of the smoked sea bass, then a sip of the Riesling, and thinking, “Oh. My. God.”

Spring chicken

March 21, 2013

It’s spring. Officially. Finally. And that makes me think of chicken.

Wine and chocolate? No thank you.

February 5, 2013

With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, many of Napa Valley’s wineries have signs beckoning guests with wine and chocolate tastings.

And it makes sense, right? Wine is good. Chocolate is good. Wine and chocolate must be great. In fact, a lot of people think so.

I’m not one of them.

It’s cold out—warm up with some chili

January 22, 2013

The pool was frozen this morning.

In Napa.

For, like, the tenth morning in a row.

How to throw a wine tasting party

November 12, 2012

With Halloween behind us and Thanksgiving just a couple of weeks away—yikes!—it’s time to start to thinking about holiday entertaining. And when I think about holiday entertaining, I think about wine tasting parties. They’re a great way to host a fun, festive time without spending a lot of money or driving yourself crazy in the process.

2 tips for wine tasting

July 17, 2012

Whether you’re trying wines in a winery tasting room, a retail shop, or even at your own dinner table, the temptation is to take a sip and ask yourself, “Do I like this?” In other words, the natural way of thinking is to compare the just-tasted wine to all the wines you know, so as to decide whether or not to have it again.

But if that’s all you’re doing—deciding whether you like the wine or not—you’re not getting all that you can from that tasting.

Summer round-up

June 20, 2012

In honor of the summer solstice, how about a round-up of summery posts?

Springy, citrusy Sauvignon Blanc

May 15, 2012

I’ve never much been into sour candies, lemon meringue pie, or tart vinaigrette dressing, so it makes sense that, until recently, I wasn’t particularly enamored of Sauvignon Blanc. Like those foods, Sauvignon Blanc has a good amount of lemony, bright acidity—which can be refreshing, but also sometimes downright mouth-puckering.

Yay for Chardonnay

November 8, 2011

Chardonnay is kind of the Coke of wines. It’s popular. It’s easy to drink. And it goes with a lot of great foods.

That popularity, however, has led some to look down on Chardonnay. I think the logic is that if it’s that popular, it couldn’t possibly be cool.

Perfect pairings for fall favorites

October 19, 2011

Brrr.

There’s a chill in the air. And the lighter, brighter foods of summer – salads, summer veggies, grilled chicken – are giving way to the heavier and more intense foods of fall – earthy vegetables, soups and stews, roasts and braises. You might even be starting to crave Thanksgiving dinner.