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Review: Halos de Jupiter Côtes du Rhône (2022)
Tonight, we’re peering into the inky depths of distant heavens, the dark womb of planets and stars… Just kidding. The inky depths are of “Les Halos de Jupiter,” a mid-shelf Côtes du Rhône I picked up last week. I tried it at the Total Wine tasting bar and liked it pretty well, but was it…
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Rare European fruits: A wine taster’s guide
Aren’t tasting notes wild? When you write a tasting note, you’re fumbling toward objectivity–or at least toward clearly communicating a subjective experience. Sometimes, wine writers gussy up our impressions with science talk: This wine has high levels of pyrazines, this one has 9 grams of residual sugar, blah blah blah. But still, deep down, lies…
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Nature’s own wino, the Cedar Waxwing
Some people mark the season’s change by the blossoming of cherry trees or the thawing of frozen ponds. In my household, we have our own harbinger of spring: The yearly arrival of a very boozy bird, the Cedar Waxwing. A flock of several dozen shows up at once and perches in the tall trees. On…
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Not a bubbly mood: 4 ways Prosecco lovers can cope with tariffs
It has not been a festive year for the wine industry. Climate-related worries, buzz-killing medical research, and an overall decline in drinking among young consumers are just a few of the worries keeping wine people up at night. Now, the wine business is bracing for the possibility of Trumpian tariffs on European imports. Winemakers of…
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Review: Familia Torres Secret del Priorat (2021)
The bigger the better when it comes to red wine. I’ve always felt that way, and I probably can’t be reformed. Blame Napa, blame coarse American taste–it is what it is. But I have a burning spot in my heart for reds so thick you can stand a spoon up in them, so potent you…
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Well, that’s depressing. Granbury’s Revolver Brewing closes up shop
It’s been a tough, tough year for the craft brew industry and the casualties just keep mounting. One of the largest and most beloved Texas breweries has turned off the brew kettles for good. The sad news broke over the weekend in the digital edition of the Houston Chronicle. Revolver Brewing was founded in 2012…
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Review: Sea Pearl Sauvignon Blanc (2023)
Ordering wine at a non-wine place can feel like rolling the dice. Is the wine stored in a freezing bar fridge, or by the radiator in the boss’s office? Will they serve it in a beer glass? Will anyone have a corkscrew, or at least know how to use one? Fortunately, I know how to…
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75 do’s and don’ts of wine service
Last month, we published an article about how not to look like a dumbass when ordering wine at a restaurant. Today, we’re looking at the other side of the transaction–the server’s side. Dining room and bar service is a complex art. There are countless ways to mess up the deceptively simple act of selling wine.…
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Review: Wine Journal by Clever Fox
“What is the best feeling in the world that doesn’t come from sex or drugs?” Somebody asked me that at a party recently, as an icebreaker. I didn’t have a good answer at the time, but now I just might: It’s tearing the packaging off a brand new notebook or journal. You get a new…
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Study tips for the WSET Level 2 Award in Wines: How to Pass with Distinction
I got my Wine & Spirit Education Trust Level 2 results last Friday! As promised, I’m sharing those results along with some tips for doing your best on the Level 2 exam. Over the last few months, I studied hard to build a wine vocabulary and a basic understanding of styles and regions. Then, I…
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Review: Eccentric Malbec (2020)
Today, I’m sipping on a bottle that I found in my wine cabinet, Eccentric Malbec. It’s a value wine and it’s coming up on its 5th birthday this year–which by my house rules means, “Down the hatch!” My wife loves inky red wines and we used to never come home from the supermarket or wine…
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Are bars the last great “third place”?
Earlier this week, Starbucks rolled out a new “Code of Conduct” for their cafes. The headline- grabbing change was a directive straight from the chief executive: You can’t pee for free. Beginning soon, restrooms and seating at Starbucks will only be available to paying customers. Baristas are currently being trained on enforcing this rule. The…