We’ve honestly lost track of how many years we’ve covered the Bar & Restaurant Expo in Las Vegas since I was first introduced to the event by our contributing editor, Michael Perlis. When we were consulting for bars/restaurants/wineries, I attended the classes at the expo to share what I learned with my clients and write…
Two years ago, at the WSWA Conference (Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of America) I was thrilled to see my old chum Mark Newman, who is with Apogee 21 Holdings Inc, manning a large booth. I sampled quite a few items, including their Monkey in Paradise vodka and Andale tequila at that time – both winners…
Another interesting brand with an interesting backstory that I discovered at the recent WSWA (Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of America) conference was Fort Mosé 1738. I took home both their rye and bourbon to sample at home. This is some of the story about the distillery I wanted to share with readers, I got it…
Aged in first-fill American oak ex-bourbon casks, the new permanent expression brings a sweetness derived from oak and malt forward, in balance with Lagavulin’s unmistakable smoky character ISLAY, Scotland, /PRNewswire/ — Few places in the whisky world match the intrigue of Islay, an island in the Western Hebrides of Scotland, where whisky-making is in the fabric of…
We covered our first Access Live in 2024, missed it in 2025 as it was held in Denver, now we are thrilled to have had the event back in here Las Vegas this past February 2026. It’s an event for members of the wine and spirits industry that my husband Eddie (our photographer) and I…
President Guidolin: “Despite global economic and geopolitical pressures, the Denomination posts steady growth and reinforces its leadership in the United States, driven by supply-chain unity and a long-term focus on sustainability and value.” TREVISO, Italy, /PRNewswire/ — Prosecco DOC closed 2025 with 667 million bottles produced (+1.1% compared to 2024), reaffirming its position as the world’s best-selling Italian sparkling wine. This achievement is…
Very pleased to be trying four new-to-me wines from the Santa Maria Valley and Santa Ynez: a Blanc de Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon all with the same winemaker and farmer though different vineyards. When I received the samples I also asked the owner who happens to be the farmer, James Ontiveros, for…
VANCOUVER, Wash., /PRNewswire/ — The Wine Market Journal, the world’s top resource for tracking the value of rare wines, has released its list of the top appreciating wines for 2025. “Two thousand twenty-five was a challenging year for much of the alcohol industry, but high-end wines provided a very bright spot, with exceptional strength. The Wine Market Journal…
A few weeks ago, at the grand re-opening of D’Agostino’s Trattoria in Las Vegas, I was introduced to Fallendown Tree Vineyards proprietor and vintner Jeanne Burmeister. It was a busy night for Jeanne as her wine table was very popular. I enjoyed their award-winning and very balanced Sangiovese, Syrah and Malbec all from Monterey County,…
This past summer I was in Portugal for the second time. During both visits I searched out wines from the Alentejo DOC to drink as they are always winners for me. Fancy my thrill at being offered two wines from the area to review when we got home. I ran a news release from the…