A new year provides the perfect opportunity to try new things, but how far will you go? Many wine drinkers cling to familiar grape varieties or settle for what’s in easy reach. Don’t miss out, wine lover. There are between 5,000 and 10,000 varieties of Vitis Vinifera, the plant species responsible for nearly all wine […]
… Aromatic White Wines Aromatic white wines have higher levels of a compound group called monoterpenes which produce aromas of flowers and sweet stone fruits (apricots, peaches, honey and rose). These wines can be made in both a sweet or dry style, but are often described as sweet due to their intense aromatics. If you’re […]
Ever wondered what it’s like to start a wine importing business? Athena Bochanis started her wine import business in one of the most challenging markets in the US (New York City!). Her story will motivate you. Did you know this is what you were going to do when you started? Definitely not! When I graduated […]
Wondering what wines to drink in 2017? I asked a group of sommeliers and wine writers which varietals, regions and styles they’re excited to drink more of in the new year. Look for some unexpected countries, more focus on indigenous grapes and practices that go beyond the vineyard to include cooperation between wineries. Indigenous Varieties […]
That we live in an age that seeks the solace of the simplistic is hardly breaking news. Still, the close of 2016 brought with it a small science news item in The New York Times that I, anyway, thought was a champion example of the simplistic. Here it is: “A handful of nuts a day […]
The Tokaji wine region conjures an intense, rich, quite sweet—and quite lovely—wine. In reality, there has been more than just one version of Tokaji; while each has its own wonderful characteristics, not every Tokaji wine is sweet . Six official grapes give us Tokaji: Furmint, Hárslevelű, Sárgamuskotály (Yellow Muscat), a Furmint and Bouvier cross once called Oremus but […]
A question I’m often asked by someone not in the industry is, “What’s new in the wine world?” If I ran into you in line at a local market and you asked said question at this point in time, I’d probably have a one-word response: “Furmint.” If not familiar, Furmint is arguably Hungary’s greatest white […]
It always makes me chuckle this time of year when A Christmas Carol is shown for the millionth time on TV and all sorts of black and white movies suddenly appear, depicting the Dickensian tale in various guises. It makes me fall off my perch with laughter when the Ancient Movie Channels show old flicks set […]
Check out this map of 35 great wines from western Europe. Have you’ve tried them all? 35 classic wines of Western Europe. If you’re just getting into European wines, these are the classics. The 35 wines included in these maps represent just a tiny fraction of the diversity in European wine, but they also serve […]
World-famous chef Wolfgang Puck recently paired his Santa Barbara spot prawn dish with our 2011 Beres Locse Furmint to great effect. The occasion was a Visiting Chef Series dinner on October 19 with co-chefs Sean Bruck (Husk Restaurant, Charleston SC) and Dave Beran (Next Restaurant, Chicago IL). FurmintUSA – and Beres Winery – are thrilled […]