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Burgundy on a Budget (August 2008)
Tracking down value-priced wines from Burgundy has always been a challenge, even before the dollar leapt headlong into its latest exchange slump. But all is not lost—at least not for those who know where to dig for underappreciated Burgundian gems. Read more |
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Uncommonly Fine Commonwealth Wines (June/July 2008)
While I was out gallivanting through the rolling Virginia hills, our resident Wine Pros ferreted out some of their favorite pours from across the state. Kathy Morgan hailed winemaker Chris Pearmund for the passion and expertise he has brought both to his original winery, Pearmund Cellars, and the fledgling Winery at La Grange.
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Tainted Love (May 2008)
Rather than putting a lid on the issue of proper stoppage, author George M. Taber attacks the state of wine preservation with his latest work, “To Cork or Not to Cork” (Scribner, $26).
Taber traces the problem of cork taint to 2,4,6-trichloroanisole—TCA for short—a chemical spoiler that’s plagued wine lovers for centuries but was only formally identified in 1981 by wine researcher Hans Tanner.
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From Vine to Mine in No Time (April 2008)
Carafe Brings Winemaking Home
Looking for the perfect keepsake wine but can’t quite make it to the next Sotheby’s auction?
Take matters into your own hands at Alexandria’s new personalized winery, Carafe Wine Makers. Entrepreneur Lamar Brown originally stumbled upon the Carafe concept while visiting his parents in Virginia Beach, and was immediately struck by the relative ease of the make-your-own wine venture.
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Bordeaux by Way of Bangalore (March 2008)
Indian Wines Starting to Shine
Mention India around the water cooler these days and you’re likely to become embroiled in heated arguments about globalization and outsourcing—as if the rapidly developing South Asian nation existed solely to skirt jobs away.
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Liquid Fire Starters (February 2008)
Thoughtful Wines for an Unforgettable Valentine’s
Forget the musical greeting cards. Skip the gaudy jewelry. Forego the overpriced floral bouquets.
I’m going on record that Valentine’s should be all about sharing.
A candle-lit meal. Some furtive glances. Perhaps a few stolen hours spent huddled beneath a woolly blanket while old school crooners fill the air with jazzy boy-meets-girl ballads.
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Another Winery, Another Shot (January 2008)
Wine journos capture people, places behind the bottles
According to the dust jacket of their latest tome, “Wine Across America,” wine lovers Charles O’Rear (photography) and Daphne Larkin (text) traveled approximately 80,000 miles over two years to snap photos and harvest information about the thriving U.S. wine industry.
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Frozen in Time (December 2007)
Warming Up to Ice Wines
Most winemakers shutter their doors before the first winter frost gets a chance to nip at their precious vines. But for ice wine producers, falling temperatures mark only the beginning of the road for their frozen-borne creations.
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Eclectic, Exciting España (November 2007)
Seeking out Spanish Hot Spots
No need to check the mercury. Spain is officially “hot.”
According to Paul Yohai, the entire country is undergoing “a wine revolution” that has united modern techniques, age-old vines and visionary winemakers who are unafraid to challenge tradition.
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Boutique Chic (October 2007)
Designer Wines from All Over
Boutique wineries, by design, are all about quality over quantity.
Smaller operations are more personally invested in each pressing, which translates into carefully crafted wines that are often as expressive—and sometimes even more impressive—than their mass- produced counterparts.
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Around the World in 8 Ounces (September 2007)
Wine Bars Make Globe-Trotting a Breeze
The more you delve into wine, the quicker you realize how much more there is to know.
Grapes. Vintages. Terroir. The most minor variation makes a world of difference to the wine, producing infinitesimally different results the world over. Which is why it’s often difficult to get a firm grasp on any single varietal, much less the panoply of bottles that line the racks at your favorite grocery/restaurant/package store.
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Made in the U.S.A.
(August 2007)
Great Grapes from Across
Our Fruited Plain
For many
foreigners, the
phrase “American
wine” still conjures
a single image:
California. While
the monumental
“Judgment of Paris”
helped thrust West
Coast vintners onto
the global stage
just over 30 years
ago, domestic
wineries have since
cropped up in just
about every state.
Granted, California
continues to produce
its share of
award-winning wines,
but several other
localities are
thriving in their
own right.
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Cellar Dweller
(June/July 2007)
Innovative Enoteca
Invites Exploration
Although our area
presents plenty of
opportunities to sup
choice wines during
after-work hours, at
dinner or even
alongside foreign
dignitaries at
embassy functions,
most wine stewards
would gasp at the
thought of cracking
open an
auction-worthy
Bordeaux without
running a full
credit check.
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Going Greek (May 2007)
Ancient wine industry looks for a fresh start
A proud Mediterranean nation home to over a dozen unique grape varieties, Greece has been producing wine for ages.
Historical records suggest the Hellenic wine industry began over 4000 years ago—establishing the first "culture of wine" along the way. A group of Greek vintners recently banded together to re-introduce their viticultural treasures to modern oenophiles. Read more |
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The Brunch Bunch (April 2007)
Bubblies to brighten up any breakfast
Is there anything more decadent than breaking open a bottle of bubbly first thing in the morning?
Probably.
But confidence is high any easily offended dining companions will graciously overlook your opulent overture if you make sure to pour them a carbonated eye-opener.
Kathy Morgan believes that, in many ways, serving sparkling wines with our favorite late-morning repast makes perfect sense. Read more |
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Bordeaux vs. Burgundy (March 2007)
Taste. Evaluate. Debate.
Some of the most venerated wines in the world come from these prominent regions in France. Individual harvests may founder or thrive from year to year, but the rich history, expressive soils and passionate producers within each area sustain these dueling giants as the de facto standard bearers of the French wine tradition. Read more
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Divining Fine Wine (February 2007)
Spirits Scholar Pours Forth on Wine Appreciation
Quick—what do you call someone who gleefully sips wine morning, noon and night? Some might be labeled "winos." Veteran oenophile Jay Youmans, on the other hand, has the credentials to instead be considered a "master." Read more
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