the email popped in to my box at about 7pm on friday night. wow, you have become the name MORE >>

i love a great salad, especially in august with big, juicy, drippy, purple tomatoes standing in for a big, fat MORE >>

I've been slowly but surely exploring Champagne in the past year or so, tasting as many as I can from both the big houses and individual growers. Big house" refers to producers who purchase grapes from various growers and craft a Champagne that expresses a certain style that will be consistent from year to year. How would they do that? MORE >>

I've been asking these questions at my reliable local wine shops and getting different answers. So I share with you these hopefully interesting questions and ask for your opinions. Please share! 1) Why is rose of Champagne always more expensive than regular Brut Champagne? 2) What are the "proper" glasses from which to drink Champagne? MORE >>

Definitely not trying to steal Joe's thunder here, not that I could anyway. But after discovering this little lovely from Domaine des Cassagnoles for $10, I had to keep going, to taste more white wine from Southwest France. like everything about these Southwestern whites so far. also like the names of the grapes - they sound like French detectives. MORE >>