According to Wikipedia, a saint is defined as “a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of holiness…”
While the English term “saint” originated in Christianity, historians of religion now use the appellation in a more general way to refer to the state of special holiness that many religions attribute to certain people with remarkable conviction and generosity of spirit, including members of the Jewish, Islamic, Hindu and Buddhist faiths. Depending on the religion, saints are recognized either by official ecclesiastical declaration and denomination or by popular acclamation.
One of the most common questions friends ask me is, “What’s next big thing in wine?” Many wine drinkers simply want to know where the next batch of great wine is coming from. While this is a little bit like asking the weatherman for a two-week forecast, I can definitively tell you one thing: It depends.
There are a lot of wines out there – and trust me, some are great and some are not so great. Without a fair amount of dedicated research or a lot of trial and error, it can be difficult to consistently find good wines at a fair price. That is, unless, you happen to have a trusty guide who has a tried and true nose for value-oriented wines to point you in the right direction. Nationally renowned but locally based importer Robert Kacher – or Bobby, as he is known inside the trade – has just such a nose.
Where did the summer go? How did we get all the way through the heat and humidity of the August – which actually wasn’t as torrid as usual this year – and slide so quickly into September and the hustle and bustle associated with deadlines at work and school bus schedules? I vaguely recall getting some relief from the summertime blues with the help of assorted crisp white wines and a few pinot noirs here and there. But now we’re back into the thick of it, with rush-hour traffic and constant reminders of impending homework assignments (do teenagers ever remember to do anything on their own that does not involve their cell phones?).
School supplies? Check. New clothes? Check. New alarm time set? Check. All systems are ‘go’ for work/school reentry as you prepare to leave summer’s orbital status and make your final approach back to reality after Labor Day.
A fellow wine enthusiast posted the following question to a group of journalists on social media, “When wine consumers are determining quality in wine, what do you think they’re looking for?”
Greece is considered by many to be the birthplace of wine. In addition to having the oldest documentation of a deity dedicated to wine – Dionysus – there is archeological evidence to support the theory that wine was an important part of Greek life dating back over four thousand years. Wine was not only a staple of the daily Greek diet, but also played a viable role in their economy as well as their cultural celebrations.
Not that long ago, DC was a foddie wasteland, with limited dining options and only a handful of innovative chefs.
Six years is a long time to do anything, let alone have the privilege of sharing with listeners my favorite wines over the years. Yes, six years ago today, I delivered my first Wine of the Week segment on WTOP and the excitement that I felt that day hasn’t stopped since!
Sometimes I forget things… like where I put my car keys, the name of that actor who starred in the movie I can never remember, and of course, that Washington State makes some pretty good wines, particularly summer-friendly white wines. Well, shame on me.
