The Rías Baixas region in the northwest corner of Spain just above Portugal benefits from a maritime climate – moist springtimes, hot and fairly dry summers, and relatively mild winters. It also boasts a hilly terrain with rocky granite soil. These features are common...
As I descended into the cellar of San Juanito Vineyard in Queretaro, Mexico, a swath of sunshine that followed me down illuminated a handful of the 266 oak barrels they have that are aging wine. At the bottom, dim red lighting from the edges of the ceiling are...
To be honest, where I have always thought myself capable of spending a few thousand dollars for a bottle of wine, Château Margaux 2000 comes instantly to mind, I’ve never felt the same inclination for a high-end Cognac. I have enjoyed fine Cognacs and Armagnacs...
Across a picturesque bridge and a short distance from the south bank of the river is a bright and pretty shop where you can find amazing macarons in unique flavors, fine Swiss chocolates and a meticulous selection of French wine. While this could easily be a favorite...
From the superior tequila, to the unique & beautifully handcrafted bottles, Clase Azul is 100% authentic in every way. In the small Mexican town of Santa Maria Canchesda, over 100 artisans dedicate their time to creating each bottle one at a time. Clase Azul...
My introduction to Still Austin’s new Texas Rye Gin was like one of those movie mix-ups. A friend had poured gin into our water glasses after a dinner party one evening, but I had been away from my seat and didn’t know what he had done. As I got back to my table, I...
There are so many wine-producing châteaux in Bordeaux that if you wanted to try one from each at a rate of one per day, you could go for nearly 20 years. While Bordeaux’s famous 1855 classification of first through fifth growths account for the bulk of the region’s...
Long before the 2004 movie ‘Sideways' brought the battle of ‘camp Merlot' vs ‘camp Pinot Noir' to popular culture, wine lovers have had strong and firm opinions about Pinot Noir. At the very high end, Burgundy pinot noirs like Domaine de la Romanée-Conti have been...
The Perfect Martini is easy to create. Ingredients: 1 olive plus 1/2 ounce olive brine 1 dash dry vermouth 3 ounces gin, such as Plymouth, frozen How to: Shake the olive brine extra cold with large ice in a cocktail shaker. In a chilled Nick and Nora glass, drop in a...