The Vine Guy

Have you ever wondered how all of those marvelous bubbles actually get into a glass of Champagne? Having just spent five days in the heart of the Champagne region of France, I can assure you it is by very precise design.

Part Two of a four part series discusses the method behind the magic of Champagne

Champagne is so much more than just bubbles in a glass. It is one of the most beautiful wine regions in France as well as one of most tightly regulated and controlled appellations in the winemaking world.

I recently visited the incredible area as a guest of the Comité Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne (CIVC),  the trade association representing all of the houses and grape growers of Champagne, and have produced a four-part column for the DC Examiner Newspaper about the place, the process and, of course, the wines.

Here is part one which defines Champagne, the place.

I recently had an encounter with a cork-snob… someone who firmly believes that only wines with traditional cork closures are the only ones worth drinking and that wines sealed with a screw cap are less-than-average.

WRONG! Screw caps are not only a legitimate bottle closure alternative to cork, but they are also preferable in certain situations.

Check out this week’s Vine Guy column in the Examiner Newspaper to find out why

Do you use Facebook or Twitter to “meet” people that you might never really meet? Well, how about expanding your social network in person through the shared connection of wine?

Check out this week’s Vine Guy column in this week’s DC Examiner to see how I met strangers in a strange land just by opening a bottle of wine…

Click here to find out how to expand your social network through wine.

The Loire Valley is one of the most picturesque vineyard sites in France and has traditionally been known mostly for its delicate and charming white wines; melon de bourgone (muscadet), sauvignon blanc, and chenin blanc.

The wines of the Loire Valley have long been a favorite of wine lovers throughout Europe and sought out by knowledgeable consumers here in the United States for decades.

Here are a few choice Loire Valley wines to slip into your picnic basket or serve well-chilled at your next party.

Now that most states allow consumers to have wine shipped to their residences (with Maryland being the latest state to join the club on July 1^st), wine lovers have a broader choice when it comes to buying wines they love.

But, just because you can get wine shipped to your door doesn’t necessarily mean you should forgo developing a relationship with a local wine merchant.

Click here to see the pros and cons of clicks versus bricks in this week’s Vine Guy column in the Washington Examiner Newspaper.

Note: In the paragraph explaining sales tax, a line was inadvertently omitted. It should read, “Most states still require the winery to collect sales taxes on the transaction and there is the additional cost of shipping the wine, often adding three to five dollars per bottle to the price tag.”