Wine

Wine

Wine and restaurant reviews

May 062012
 

My Wine and Dine column on WashingtonExec has been taking up the majority of my wine posts lately. So it’s time for a post on some good wines I’ve enjoyed this spring. As readers of the blog know, I look for a balance of value and experience in a wine. With more earth under cultivation […]

Apr 242012
 
Palena Delivers Top Drawer Experience

WINE & DINE COLUMN My latest Wine and Dine column was published yesterday on WashingtonExec. I review Palena, which remains one of the best places in greater DC for a meal. We also had a very good new Pinot Noir, the 2009 Cameron Reserve Dundee Hills.

Apr 112012
 

This past weekend Gabriele and I tried Grand Cru, a wine bar and bistro in the Ballston section of Arlington. I hadn’t heard much about it and don’t think of Ballston as having a lot of good places. It really delivered and we had a very nice meal. It’s a bit tucked away amidst some […]

Mar 292012
 
Front Royal as Food and Wine Destination

WINE & DINE COLUMN My latest column was published on WashingtonExec today. It focuses on nearby Front Royal, Virginia. Front Royal has always offered the natural beauty of Shenandoah National Park and Skyline Drive. In more recent years, high quality restaurants and nearby vineyards have created a new reason to visit. Next time you can […]

Mar 182012
 

In this post I take a look at some top Chiantis reviewed by Dorothy Gaiter and John Brecher, wine writers for the Wall Street Journal from 1998 to 2009. They found some favorites back in 1998 — how do they compare with today’s vintages? I also include in the video review below another Chianti found […]

Feb 222012
 
A Shout Out for GSMs

WINE & DINE COLUMN My latest wine and dine article published today on WashingtonExec. I talk about how GSMs — blends made with the prominent varietals of the southern Rhone in France — can be great crowd pleasers. I list four GSMs I’ve found and enjoyed in the greater DC region. If you can add […]

Feb 082012
 

I hope all my readers are enjoying good wine this winter. Here are some new discoveries Gabriele and I have made recently. 2009 Line Shack Cabernet This California Cabernet Sauvignon was recommended by Vince at Total Wine as a good, inexpensive California Cabernet. At only $15, it delivers good taste and good value. It’s light […]

Jan 192012
 
Latest Wine and Dine Column -- Ripple

WINE & DINE COLUMN Recently I was asked by online magazine WashingtonExec to write their new Wine and Dine column. My most recent column appeared this week, reviewing the buzzworthy Ripple in Cleveland Park. Here’s the review. Wines discussed are the 2010 Grochau Cellars Pinot Noir and the 2010 Sharecropper Cabernet Sauvignon.

Jan 122012
 
Excellent Broadway Dinner and a New Barbera

I grew up in Stamford, CT and traveled home for the holiday season with my wife Gabriele. Stamford is only about 40 miles from New York City, so when we visit we try to get into the city. Right after Christmas we went in to see Rent Off-Broadway at the New World stage (good show). […]

Jan 062012
 

According to the login page for WordPress.com, there are almost 385,000 bloggers using WordPress.com (and hundreds of thousands more using WP software). Considering those numbers, the end of year report from WordPress is impressive. It’s got to be an investment to send this report to every WordPress.com blogger. Here’s a link to the presentation of […]

Jan 032012
 
Fun with Viognier

Happy new year all. I hope you enjoyed your holiday season, and drank some good wine. My wife and I are big red drinkers, but we had fun with the white Viognier grape last week. The catalyst for this was my Mom. She has been enjoying 2007 Bonterra Voignier as a nice change from Chardonnay […]

Dec 272011
 

2011 is almost in the books, and it delivered plenty of good material for Work, Wine and Wheels. I’ve a lot to be thankful for, including an increased number of readers. Here’s a look back at some content that proved popular with them. For Work posts, I tried to discuss important trends in technology communications. […]