by Gary Coon
Red wine, a heart-shaped box of chocolates, and a dozen long-stemmed red roses are the perfect ingredients for a romantic Valentine’s Day! While the tradition of Valentine's Day dates back to Roman times and Cocoa beans have been harvested for millennia, the tradition of chocolate gifts only started in the 1800s. Fine chocolates are a natural progression beyond those chalky little conversation hearts, and in the Conejo Valley there are plenty of wines available that will pair nicely with them.Many of the chocolates consumed in the United States are milk chocolate, but dark (semisweet) and extra dark (bittersweet) chocolates are quickly becoming popular; especially those from a single source. These tropically-grown chocolates have the complexity of a fine wine and the impact of terroir ...
by Ron Kapon
For years I would go to south Florida for a week every January to visit my two aunts and uncle. They lived into their mid 90’s and seemed to love both the weather and the companionship of fellow retirees. One lived in Fort Lauderdale and two in Century Village in West Palm Beach. I would also visit my cousins Jay and Marilyn Spechler at their condo in Boca Raton and go sailing on their boat. I always tied in my visit with the then brand new FIU Food & Wine Festival that was held under a tent at the Florida International University campus. South Beach was still not the “hot” location it is today and the streets just a block or two away were sketchy, especially at night. I always managed to visit Chip Cassidy at his Crown Liquor/wine store near the University of Miami campus. I often s...
by Brent Varol
Stuck between mountains and South Australia's finest beaches, McLaren Vale is one of the most famous and beautiful wine districts of Australia with practically a winery on its every corner.McLaren is a small grape paradise just 25 miles south of Adelaide where they produce world-renowned, top quality Shiraz, Cabernet, and Grenache. What is great about McLaren Vale is that you have to make very little effort to come across a winery as pretty much all the beautiful wineries in the area are about a couple of minutes apart from each other. Shiraz is unquestionably the superstar of McLaren, though, Grenache and Cabernet Sauvignon are just as valuable and acclaimed as Shiraz. McLaren Vale Shiraz and Cabernet have aromas of black fruits, black pepper, and a solid amount of tannins. Though, their ...
by Ron Kapon
I abhor large events with hundreds, sometimes thousands, of food and wine enthusiasts fighting each other for a sip or snack. Sometimes, you actually can say hello to the chef or winemaker, but nothing more. How lucky I was to share lunch at National (50th & Lexington in the Hotel Benjamin) with Pat Henderson, Senior Chief Winemaker at Kenwood Vineyards (Sonoma County). Pernod Ricard bought them in 2014 and our hostess with the mostest Nora Feeley, VP at Hill + Knowlton Strategies, invited me for lunch. I have not seen Nora since her days at Constellation Brands. It is so refreshing to talk to a PR person that actually knows the wine business. Two of the best wine writers in the New York area joined us- Bill Marsano & Mort Hockstein. Between the three of us there were 250 years of experien...
by Dr Elinor Garely
He has gone where many feared to tread. Because of his pioneering spirit, sharp intellect, and general bonhomie, Kevin Zraly recently received the Lifetime Achievement Award from The James Beard Foundation. The accolade was presented for his research, writing, teaching and advocacy of food and wine that has influenced the way we eat, cook and/or think about wine and food in America.Personal ThanksI had the good fortune to meet Zraly at the early stages of his career, when he was developing the wine program for the former Windows on the World (1976-2001). His comprehensive wine introduction provided me with the confidence (and the credentials) to develop the wine list for New York’s Copacabana. The Copa was a sexy luncheon dining spot by day and a disco-zone at night. Fortunately for me t...
by Dame Liz Palmer
Tips on Pairing Chocolate and Wine Dark chocolate is the easiest to pair and generally matches well with deep, dark reds – think Cabernet Sauvignon or red wines with body.The higher the cocoa content, the drier the wine should be.The higher the tannin content of a red wine, the stronger the chocolate should be (to balance that dry mouth feel).When tasting, the general rule is wine first, then the chocolate. A good chocolate will also leave a lasting flavour in your mouth. This “finish” can stay with you for several minutes after the chocolate has melted, and is part of the reason why you only need a small piece of chocolate to get the best possible experience.If in doubt, go for a Late Harvest or Tawny. Chocolate and wine are more similar than you think♣ Chocolate, like wine is all...
by Brent Varol
The Moselle Valley, also known as Mosel, is one of 13 wine regions in Germany and is the third largest producer of wine. Mosel is one of the most prestigious wine regions in the world and Europe. Here you can find the oldest town in Germany that lies atop a gorgeous valley, that is characterized by its infamous fragrant German Riesling, and old-world European charm that one seldom experiences elsewhere. The Mosel Valley is unsurprisingly often named as one of the most beautiful wine regions in the world. This world-renowned region is comprised of vineyard-covered slopes overlooking three rivers: Mosel, Saar, and Ruwer. As a matter of fact, the region's name originally consisted of the names of all the rivers in the valley until they shortened it to make it more tourist-friendly.Aside from ...
by Frank Pinto, Certified Sommelier
Act I – The Set-UpNot including extrasensory perception, we humans use three of our remaining senses to imbibe and interpret wine: Sight, Smell and Taste. For those who do use ESP to interpret wine, you’re either a “Zen sommelier” or should be using the spit bucket more at wine tastings.It’s generally known that certain species in the animal kingdom have stronger sensory perception abilities than others. We know for example that dogs have a sense of smell a thousand times greater than humans. Cats have a stronger sense of smell than humans too, but only about 14-times stronger. So dogs are superior to cats, at least when it comes to their ability to smell. But do sensory perception differences extend to humans, more specifically, to gender? Are there physiological differences bet...
by Porto Planet
Crete, a beautiful island placed in the middle of the Mediterranean sea, couldn’t be less than an important centre and crossroad of commercial and cultural exchanges throughout the centuries. Cretan diet is the result of the long history of the island. It’s a real philosophy and lifestyle, aimed at harmonizing body and spirit with nature.The study of the Minoan civilization shows a culture with pure and healthy nutritional habits. Interestingly enough, Cretan cuisine wasn’t influenced by anyone. For more than 2 millennia, Cretans have rejected the presence of conquerors by sparingly calibrating relational dynamics and avoiding foreign influences on their diet, literally keeping them away from their culture and their kitchens.The place, its ingredients, the knowledge of cooking practi...
by Steve Dryden
Little Village Noodle House in Chinatown, HonoluluFew people know that it was the Chinese who brought the original sugar mill to Hawaii in 1800. The first official Chinese citizens to arrive in Honolulu were crew members aboard four ships in 1788. A Chinese resident and trader set up shop around the Honolulu harbor area in 1823, and by 1840, there was about 30 Chinese in the district that eventually became known as Chinatown. Many more Chinese were imported as contract workers for the sugar fields, some eventually staying, gravitating towards Chinatown and starting small businesses.The initial development of Chinatown was hampered by two large fires in 1886 and 1900 that burned many of the structures, but if you look around today you’ll notice most of the original buildings date back to ...
