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by SANDY BLOCK, MW OREGON’S 725 mostly boutique wineries produce only about 1% of the US’s total wine volume, but the state enjoys an outsize reputation for quality.  Known to wine enthusiasts primarily for its internationally recognized Pinot Noir, which constitutes two-thirds of the state’s production, there are signs that... Read More

by HARVEY FINKEL SING, O MUSE, of these nectars and ambrosias, and ponder that modern western civilization is informed by the oft-entangled legends and histories of the ancient Greeks.  We shall contemplate Pindar’s role in that heritage. Herodotus (fifth century BCE) is honored as the Father of History.  Our Greek... Read More

PINK LADY’S ENDANGERED COCKTAIL OF THE MONTH by PINK LADY WARMER WEATHER has us thrilled to be reaching for cocktails served over crushed ice or in a frozen format.  Among these, the Pina Colada is an icon, a national treasure in fact – the official drink of Puerto Rico celebrated... Read More

by HARVEY FINKEL WINE MYTHS AND REALITY, 2ND EDITION by Benjamin Lewin, MW ONE OF MY favorite wine books now appears in a second revised, enlarged edition. Still handsomely mounted and strongly and clearly written, it weighs in at just over four and one-half pounds, having gained a half-pound since... Read More

PINK LADY’S ENDANGERED COCKTAIL OF THE MONTH WARMER MONTHS in New England are often heralded by gin drinks popping up on cocktail lists which delights gin-loving ladies like us! In the 11 years since LUPEC was founded, gin has most certainly arrived. Gone are the days when drinkers pushed “the... Read More

by ANDY CROUCH IF INDIA PALE ALE is the undisputed heavyweight champ of the craft beer world, craft lager is the scrappy underdog just now starting to make a name for itself. Ranging from an afterthought to anathema for both craft brewers and consumers, lager seemed an unlikely up and... Read More

PINK LADY’S ENDANGERED COCKTAIL OF THE MONTH by PINK LADY CINCO DE MAYO means many people will be sipping on tequila in some form or another this month, whether in the Margarita, the world’s most popular drink, or in shot form. (Drinkers take note: Cinco de Mayo isn’t actually Mexican... Read More

by LEW BRYSON AQUAVIT? WHAT THE HELL IS THAT? “When you had it, you didn’t think about it, but when you ran out, it was suddenly a problem.” That’s Kate Palmer, Assistant VP of craft spirits at Horizon Beverage, and she got the calls, because “If it’s weird, you call... Read More

by SANDY BLOCK, MW ARGENTINA OWNS THE MALBEC CATEGORY on the US market and internationally. Why does it lack serious competition? This is a felicitous marriage of grape and terroir that isn’t possible to duplicate elsewhere. Virtually anonymous in its Bordeaux homeland, where Malbec is relegated to status as a... Read More