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Holidays and Food
The holidays (the millions that occur around this time of year, that is) are STILL here! That means lots and lots and lots of food. I recently spent some quality…
Connections: Pilgrims, and Purists, and…. Wine
Is it possible to “Drink like a Pilgrim” and remain true to the resources available to the early Colonists? No. No, it is not. But if, like me, you enjoy…
Travelogue of the Peculiar : unusual grapes, giant bunnies, a mini-Seine…
Give me your outlandish, eccentric, and bizarre. When I travel, that is what I want. The Schönbrunn Gardens in Vienna are beautiful, yes, but so are the Longwood Gardens — just over…
Visions and Heresy: Joan of Arc’s Wine Trail
Joan of Arc lived a short, eventful, and ultimately tragic life in the 15th century AD. She was famous for her piety, her seemingly brilliant military strategy, and the witty…
Women and Wine: Adventurers, Iconoclasts, Leaders (what, no witches?)
The Democratic National Convention convened in Philadelphia this past week, bringing with it the historic nomination of Hillary Clinton as the US’ first, female presidential-nominee for a major (i.e. Republican…
Revisiting the Classics: Riesling
There is something compelling about Riesling. It almost never fails to raise questions: do I like this? is it sweet? is it not sweet? is that… banana? The grape and…
Explore-A-Grape: Petit Verdot
Petit Verdot (PV) happens to be one of my favorite grapes for single-varietal wine. Why? I love its pretty, purple nose with little, white flowers and touches of violet. I…
Sippin’ the juice along California’s Route 101
There is a whole heck of a lot of good wine being made in California; so much so that it is difficult to narrow the field down to just 5…
Fabulous Franciacorta
Franciacorta is my “go to” sparkling for special events. Why? It is made in the methode traditionelle (champenoise), it tastes brilliant when done well, and even the best bottles are less expensive…
Following Francis: A Wine-ography!
After what seemed like decades of preparation, Pope Francis’ visit to Philadelphia has finally come — and gone. Now, Philly is most definitely a beer town, and brewers rose to the occasion…
Ancient World, Modern Wine
Archaeology is a fascinating field that makes for a wonderful career. We uncover the material worlds of people to whom no modern links may exist. We ponder questions of their existence,…
Wine and Papal "Firsts"
Here in Philly, we are growing a little bit obsessed with Pope Francis’ September visit. This is due, in part, to the large numbers of people expected and the onerous…