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After living in Australia more than 20 years, I can say that there are still aspect of Australian cuisine that I find worth exploring and learning about. What defines food of the country I now call home? Traditionally a lot of meat, but since the whole continent is surrounded by the sea/ocean there is an abundance of seafood. That is what I loved about Australia: fresh, healthy variety of the seafood platter. Add some original brands of wine and good beer and you have a recipe for success in eve

In mid-September, France celebrated its cultural patrimony by opening buildings and gardens that are normally closed to the public. This year's theme was "Hidden Patrimony," and I profited from the occasion to visit a 600 m2 vineyard that is tucked away in the nearby town of Neuilly-Plaisance.

Getting there by public transportation was a challenge, but I was up to it: a metro ride to the Châtelet station, an RER train ride to Neuilly-Plaisance, a local bus ride to a spot several blocks f

Like Barrie's character Peter Pan, I won't grow up. Presented with the natal cleft of the man ahead of me, I just had to snap a picture of it with my wine glasses. From the get-go my goal was to write this article, more as a joke than a tome on wine tasting. Then it became real as I got it into my nose.

I was in a group of wine aficionados, all calling out their perception of the 'nose' of several red wines from a popular region in California. Something was wrong, I suspected, because nobody said

Ever wonder what it is like to face a cooking team challenge?  The Wine Artist gives you the opportunity.  Ever wonder how to make team building fun?  The Wine Artist gives you the opportunity.  Need a recipe?  That’s a different Wine Artist day.

Team building is a necessity in any organization composed of people (yes, that’s every organization).  The importance of the team is recognized in every company, in every military unit, in every volunteer group—what you get may well depend on how well yo

“Come quickly! I’m tasting stars!” Dom Pierre Perignon, when he first tasted his newly created Champagne.

(Champagne)”…it gives you the impression that every day is Sunday.” Marlena Dietrich

The word “Champagne” has long conjured up images of luxury and pleasure as attested by these two quotes. Even the color of champagne is associated with richness and luxury. Can other countries produce a sparkling wine that will delight us as much as Champagne? Seven of us met at Dorland Mountain Arts Colony

 Signagi is one of the picturesque town in Georgia, overlooking Alazani Valley

I grew up in a family which was fond of traveling. My parents traveled much before getting married, visiting many countries in Europe and South America, visited Africa, too. But Asia was their real passion. They talked a lot about the Asian countries. My father was delighted with the landscapes he had seen in Asia, mother was a real fan of Asian culture.

Their passion for traveling was so great that they were not afr

Along with showcasing exceptional wines, paired with equally spectacular food, the partnership of Martin Corso (Chef Marty) of The M Group, and Ken Barnes of Temecula Night Out, has fostered a sense of camaraderie and fellowship in the Temecula Valley Wine Country community in presenting “Good Times in the Vines.”  The beautiful wine country home of Al and Jean Glaser on a lovely summer evening made for a perfect setting. The evocative musical ambience – a walk down memory lane with Neil Diamond

Photo by Nick Kontis

We San Franciscans are blessed breed. On any given winter day one can ski and surf on the same day, which I have actually done before. We are blessed with many wonderful activities with amazing scenery, from the beaches of the California coast to Yosemite and Lake Tahoe and Death Valley.  One place locals and visitors alike flock to is our famed Napa Valley. Here is one of my must visit wineries,  Chateua Montelena.. It's more like a winery in a castle. Located 75 miles nort

Up until recently I had no idea what the wines from France’s Languedoc-Roussillon region tasted like. I had my first taste at Tilghman Island Inn in Maryland’s Talbot County during a game & wine pairing dinner. I was impressed by its unique flavor profile. Lo and behold, a few months later I was alerted to the fact that Gerard Bertrand, an innovative and sustainable winemaker based in this same region was awarded “European Winery of the Year” at Wine Enthusiast Magazine’s Annual Wine Star Award

You could:

• bike the wine trails from town to town, among 400 villages, In the Moravian foothills of the White Carpathians, stopping along the way to chat with individual winemakers who might offer you a taste of their wine. 
• Visit the Wine Salon in Valtice for tastes of over 100 award-winning wines.   
• Go to one of the wine festivals around the harvest, usually around September. 
  
• (And if you are lucky enough to taste Czech wine in situ, you won’t want to miss the Kroměříž Gardens.  Visit this UNESC

The title says it all – "Bordeaux World Heritage & Its Wines."

When you think New Mexico, do you think skiing?  Georgia O’Keefe?  Hatch chilies?  Sunsets over red rock? John Wayne in the Rio Grande?  Or, perhaps, Tempranillo, Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Riesling?  Visit a New Mexico Winery, and you just may forget Mr. Wayne, or at least, enjoy him with a refreshing Riesling.  

Franciscan monks began growing wine grapes in New Mexico around 1630, just a decade after the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth a continent away.  By the late 1800’s, New Mexico had more

Florida means different things to different people. Popular characteristics include Disney, sunshine, gators, the Everglades, and miles of wide open beaches. And then there's Florida's Gulf coast, endless stretches of powder white sand that were remarkably resilient to the ravages of the Deep Water Horizon oil spill several years ago. Right in the middle is Clearwater Beach studded with a wide variety of beachfront lodgings ranging from mom & pop motels to grand hotels. The Hyatt Regency Clearwa

In June 2010, the Gulf of Mexico was under siege. Black oil plumes from the Deep Horizon Oil Spill menacingly spread across vast swaths of ocean threatening marine life and shoreline ecosystems including beaches. Tourism plummeted and something had to be done to expedite cleanup efforts. Clearwater Florida vigorously rallied community support leading to many home grown initiatives. One of them still existing today is Clearwater Beach Uncorked, now in its 3rd year, continues to promote Florida's

Josh Cellars, by Joseph Carr, proves two things:  a winemaker doesn’t have to have a vineyard or a winery to produce excellent wines, and second labels can be intoxicatingly delicious values. 

Joseph Carr embraces his designation as “the negociant of Napa Valley”.  A “negociant” is a wine merchant who assembles either the grapes or the wine of smaller growers and winemakers, and sells the product under its own name.  Mr. Carr uses the Larson Family Vineyards’ facilities in Sonoma, California to m

Morocco may not be the first country that comes to mind when contemplating the world's greatest wine regions. But despite its large Islamic population, Morocco has historically been a prolific wine producing country. As far back as 2,500 years ago, this part of North Africa completed an arc of wine growing regions spanning the Mediterranean weaving through Italy, Greece, Turkey.

Truth be told, Morocco saved France's ass during the late 19th century phylloxera devastation. French growers immigrate

You should be planning ahead...marking time off and reserving your room for a 4-day Vegas getaway December 5-8, preferably at the Venetian-Palazzo because this is where indulgence lives. Here fabulous can't-miss culinary events await that will make returning to the “real world” extremely difficult. Consider this your road map:

Day 1 – Thurs. Dec. 5th - Be sure to arrive in Vegas with plenty of time to make La Cucina Italiana Food & Wine Festival's kick off event, Dinner with Wolfgang at the Palaz

The 2011 Champagne harvest has begun. With the combination of early flowering, low rain levels in the spring, and abundance of summer sun has led to one of the earliest picking seasons since 1822, the Champagne Bureau said today.

The three prominent planted grape varieties: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Meunier, are being hand-harvested across the region with favorable weather forecasts for the next few days.

"As we celebrate another successful harvest from this unique region, we are remind

It was truly a Bella Notte—a “beautiful night” at the Europa Village Winery in the Temecula Valley Wine Country in Southern California, where the winery’s first musical, internationally-themed wine dinner of the fall season took place recently. Europa holds these wine pairing dinners occasionally and they are always exceptional events.

We were with friends from Nebraska who had never before experienced the magic of a wine country evening with such luscious food, exquisite wine, and musical entert