Many wine lovers assume that Red Wine Headaches (RWH) has something to do with sulfites, but it is more likely that other element is responsible since less than one percent of the population is sensitive to sulfites. Tannins are another popular hypothesis. Tannins are found in the skins, stems, and seeds of grapes, as well as the oak wood barrels and casks used for aging. And therein lays the rub.
Click here to listen to WTOP Radio’s Wine of the Week “Naked Red Wine” recommendations
My son is now on the college tour circuit, looking at a variety of schools across the country for admission next fall. One of the schools that have caught his attention is Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, located on the central coast of California. As it so happens, the San Luis Obispo campus offers courses in vineyard management and other agricultural based programs, but my son is strictly interested in the school of engineering (sigh). However, there is a silver lining. San Luis Obispo (SLO Town to locals) is quickly becoming one of the hottest spots in California for premium wine production, so Parent’s Day, and other excuses to visit, just got a little more interesting. I mean in addition to seeing my son, of course.
Every fall, we jump back into the same hectic routine. School is back in full swing, work is heating up and the weather is cooling down. There are some evenings when trying to navigate through rush hour traffic to make it home in time to prepare a home-cooked meal just isn’t in the cards. That’s when we run up the white flag and surrender to the siren call of carryout pizza and a good bottle of wine.
As we prepare for re-entry back to the hectic world of school carpools, sports schedules, Beltway traffic and work in general, we each offer our respective perspective on the wines we pick to celebrate with on Labor Day.
Last week, I wrote about wines that are easy to find, but many times, there are wines that I really want to review but am reluctant to write about because they may not be readily available in our metropolitan area. While this is certainly a dilemma, it should not be a deterrent. After all, there are some very good wines that just may be worth the hunt.
Click here to listen to this week’s Wine of the Week on WTOP Radio
As I recently pointed out, one of the questions that I am most often asked is, “Where can I find that wine you wrote about last week?”
Finding a wine that is widely available can be a challenge. Not all wine shops carry the same stock. Also complicating matters is that different states, and even counties within the states, have varying policies about wine sales that makes it difficult for wine shops in a particular region to offer the same wines. Of course, one of the most useful tools in finding any wine is the internet.
Click here to listen to my recommendations on WTOP Radio’s Wine of the Week
I know most people can’t wait to get out of Washington, DC in August. But if you’re considering sticking around next week, there are two things that will work in your favor; less traffic and the annual summer Restaurant Week dine-a-thon.
From August 13th through the 19th, over 200 of the area’s finest restaurants will offer three-course meals for set prices during the 18th biannual Washington, DC Restaurant Week. Participating restaurants will offer a three-course lunch for $20.12 (get it? 2012) and a three-course price-fixed dinner for just $35.12. For a complete list of restaurants taking part in the promotion, go to www.restaurantweekmetrodc.org/.
Click here to listen to my favorite restaurant picks on WTOP Radio’s Wine of the Week
Vidalia Restaurant’s Chef/Owner Jeff Buben
Just like David Letterman, I get letters, lots and lots of letters. Well, maybe not letters, per se, but I do get numerous emails each week regarding some wine related topic or another. I thought I would take this opportunity to answer a few of the more common questions that readers ask.
Click here to listen to my interview on WTOP Radio’s Wine of the Week
Virginia’s wine industry is getting a lot of attention these days. In just the past year, the former 776-acre Kluge Wine Estate was purchased by Donald Trump and the Virginia wine country was listed as one of the top ten wine destinations by Wine Enthusiast magazine.
Virginia wine country might be a beautiful place to visit, but are the wines any good? Rest assured, many of them are delicious. Recently, the Virginia Wineries Association, in partnership with the Virginia Wine Board & the Virginia Vineyards Association, announce the winner of the 2012 Virginia’s Governor’s Cup and put together a “media case” of the winning wines for wine journalists and critics. I used my case as an opportunity to see how these wines fare with wine-loving consumers, so I assembled a panel of amateur wine enthusiasts and asked them to evaluate the Governor’s Cup case.
Click Here to listen to this week’s Wine of the Week on WTOP Radio
While many California wine lovers know that the town of Calistoga is located at the northern most edge of Napa Valley, most probably did not realize that until recently, wines produced in or near Calistoga could not reference the area on the label. That’s because Calistoga and the surrounding area was not recognized as a separate American Viticultural Area (AVA). The wines were traditionally labeled as “Napa Valley.”
Today, wineries whose grapes come from Calistoga can proudly put “Calistoga” on the label.
