As a member of the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), having taken a few classes and a certification (see footer), we are often offered instruction that include unique tasting experiences and lectures. In this class, my first and long overdue one on Barolo wines, we would be treated to a lecture from the president of…
After a fruitful overseas run with NBC News, I returned to Chicago where, with the support of NBC and other news operations, I created a production company to continue covering the news. At this point, it had been seven years since I’d left the U.S. and I realized a lot had changed. I discovered two…
I didn’t know much about the Beni Di Batasiolo family-owned winery “in the heart of Barolo” until I saw a full page ad in Tasting Panel magazine listing six of their wines that have received 90 points or higher in ratings by Tasting Panel, Wine Spectator and Wine Enthusiast magazines. So, suffice it to say,…
The 7th edition of Vinitaly Hong Kong put wine education as the main focus of the promotional activities during the Hong Kong Wine and Spirits Fair. Ian D’Agata, Scientific Director of Vinitaly International Academy, in fact, conducted a number of Vinitaly International Academy (VIA) Executive Wine Seminars as well as other educational tastings, while wine2wine…
Lots of new faces at this year’s annual holiday tasting, though most of the wine representatives serving pour after pour had been present before. Lovers of wine, in general, populated the 12th Annual Holiday Wine Tasting hosted by Guy Lelarge at Valencia Wine Company. The wine store had converted its tall tabletops into wine pouring…
Back for a 6th time, and better than ever, Guy Lelarge, the staff of Valencia Wine company, dozens of wine representatives from the U.S. and abroad, Chef Daniel Otto and the Oaks Grille staff, gave guests an “all-you-can-taste” shopping spree. That last part, about the shopping spree, refers to guests that were able to get…
Slow Food International presented the 2015 edition of Slow Wine Guide at a wine tasting featuring more than 50 producers from 15 Italian wine regions that I attended at The Taglyan Center on Vine in Hollywood. Clearly the plan was to completely taste through the 17-page program. However, from one Italian to another, I got…
In the spirit of the holidays this week’s column will tackle such questions put forth as: Is it truly fair to pour the Good wine to those that know and the Bad to those that don’t? Which category does Nouveau Beaujolais appear in? And, finally, how can you get through the holidays without taking the…
My husband Eddie and I spending a day wine tasting in Santa Clarita (SCV) is not news. But wine tasting at two different vineyards within ten minutes of our house in SCV is. Chris and Jeannie Carpenter of Newhall have a cellar I have long coveted. Free standing and temperature controlled, with an attached sitting…
DuVine Cycling + Adventure Co. has teamed up with award-winning New York chef, Seamus Mullen, and celebrated Santa Barbara sommelier, Eric Railsback, to offer travelers the exclusive opportunity to travel with accomplished epicureans on a luxury bike tour in Europe. Seamus Mullen will be hosting DuVine’s Chef on Wheels Piedmont Bike Tour from August 17-22, 2014 and…