Bacchus & Me – Literary Monday

From the author of Bright Lights, Big City comes Bacchus & Me, Jay McInerney’s exploration of the world of wine.  A successful author and a connoisseur of fine wine, McInerney was approached to be the wine writer for Conde Nast’s House & Garden.  Today, McInerney is the wine columnist for the Wall Street Journal.  Bacchus & Me is compilation of stories that he wrote while at House & Garden.

Although the book is 12 years … Read more

Celebrate Malbec Day!

What was once a minor blending grape in Bordeaux France has emerged as the national grape of Argentina.  What maybe this grape you ask?  Why, it’s Malbec.  To celebrate this magnificent grape, April 17th has been designated Malbec Day!

You may ask yourself, how did such a minor grape emerge as the national grape of Argentina and a current darling on the international wine scene?  Well, the answer is that the Malbec that emerges from … Read more

Titanic – A Night to Remember

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the sinking of that unsinkable ship – the Titanic.  Prior to it’s sinking, it was certainly a good time with lots of food and plenty of booze consumed.  The menus from the first and second class dining rooms are nothing but impressive.  I can only imagine what drinks accompanied them.  Folks back then knew how to throw them back.  Poking around on the internet, I found that the … Read more

Tax Day – A Day Made For Drinking

One of the most dreaded days of the year is rapidly approaching – April 15, otherwise known as Tax Day.  Since April 15 falls on a Sunday this year, we get a day of reprieve with April 16 being Tax Day.  I can think of no other day that is as hated, reviled or feared as Tax Day.  Just writing this article about it makes me cringe.

But, on the flip side, there is no … Read more

Four Roses Single Barrel Bourbon Review

I didn’t know much about Four Roses Bourbon other than that my friend Ingrid really, really likes it!  We recently received a bottle of the Four Roses Single Barrel Bourbon with the identification of Warehouse DS and Barrel 3-1I.  Apparently, each of the Four Roses Single Barrel Bourbon bottles come marked with their barrel identification and warehouse storage location.  I thought that was pretty cool as bottles from different barrels can conceivably taste pretty different.  … Read more

2009 Caretaker Pinot Noir – Wine Wednesday

Another pick from Trader Joe’s.  This wine was purchased for $9.99, a steal for a Pinot Noir from the Santa Maria Valley, which is near Santa Barbara California.  For those of you who remember, this region was part of the Sideways journey.  I am pretty picky about Pinot and this is one of the growing regions that I think produces some of the best Pinot Noir in California.  My fave is Russian River and the … Read more

Drambuie Review

According to lore, Drambuie is fit for a King.  In fact, it was allegedly invented by a Prince of Scotland who would have been King of England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland if his insurrection has succeeded.  We are speaking of Prince Charles Stuart, whose lineage included many of the Kings of Scotland and a few in England after the two countries united under James Stuart in 1603.  In 1745, Charles sailed to Scotland and with … Read more

Burke’s Complete Cocktail and Tastybite Recipes – Literary Monday

I often look through piles of books at used bookstores hunting for old cocktail and drinking books.  It’s not often that I actually find much, or at least much that is affordable.  But, I was lucky enough to strike gold a few weeks ago when I came across a number of books in the Complete Imbiber series that spanned the 1950’s through the early 1990’s and Burke’s Complete Cocktail and Tastybite Recipe that was published … Read more

Cadenhead’s Scotch Shop

I recently visited Scotland and stumbled upon Cadenhead’s, Scotland Oldest Independent Bottler. As it was a trip with my mom, who I may have mentioned would have been a prohibitionist if she lived 100 years ago, it clearly wasn’t a DOTW trip (and I hadn’t researched where to buy some great scotch). But, I wanted to make sure that I brought the hubby back a bottle or two of scotch that wasn’t available or readily … Read more

Fun Wines For Easter

If you want to break out of your wine rut and try something fun for Easter, we have the wines for you.  And, don’t feel like you can only drink these wines for Easter.  Feel free to drink them all year.  These wines aren’t your standard fare but they are fun, flirty and funky.  These wines are approachable – they don’t need to age in your cellar (or your dark closet) for a few years … Read more