Parisian Pauline Carmona has been serving as Consul General of France in San Francisco for a little under a year. We recently visited with her to ask for some reflections about her hometown, food and drink, and what it’s like to be French here in San Francisco. Fredric: San …
I was pleased to get my hands on a copy of Oz Clarke’s new book; The History of Wine in 100 Bottles. It’s a chronological journey through thousands of years of fascinating vinous history. I also got the chance to ask Oz a few questions. Our interview with him follows …
There is a legend that the Abbey at Brittany was some of the first planted Cabernet Franc in the soils of the Loire Valley, cuttings coming from the Basque region in the 11th Century. Why anyone would have traveled over 1,000 miles with a satchel of vines is unclear, …
On the sunny morning of September 27, 1914, Frans De Moor found himself staring down a German death squad in the medieval town of Aalst, Belgium. Frans and 29 other civilians were to lose their lives in a gruesome theatrical stunt to terrorize the population. Frans’ heinous crime? Refusing …
Ken Lewis is regarded as a master marketer who helped to reshape the liquor retailing business and reinvented himself along the way. His creation, The Party Source megastore, is the largest outlet of its kind in the multi-state area known as “greater Cincinnati,” and his most recent venture, New …
Pennsylvania wine? Yes, oh yes. Nestled in the agricultural heart of Montgomery County, just northwest of Philly, is a unique 250 acre property that has been farmed since as far back as the days of William Penn. Wanting to do something innovative with the land while keeping to its …
It’s time to go back to school, but only if you’re 21 and older. Bet you didn’t realize you could enroll in an online program where the courses offered discuss all aspects of Champagne. And what’s even better is that it’s free. Upon admission you will be required to take …
In the wine industry, certain people have become household names throughout the past few decades. Well, Eddie Osterland MS is one of them. The very first American to achieve the universally respected, and incredibly challenging, diploma of Master Sommelier, Drink Me recently had a chance to talk to Eddie about …
At this year’s 8th Annual Pebble Beach Food & Wine event, I got to interview Master Chef Richard Rosendale at the beautiful Pebble Beach Resorts with the breathtaking view of Stillwater Cove. Chef Rosendale is a Certified Master Chef, a distinction earned through the American Culinary Federation earned by a grueling 130-hour cooking exam …
For years now, Rajat Parr has been among the most highly regarded and well-known wine professionals in America. From his work with Michael Mina and his own restaurants to, now, finding acclaim as a winemaker himself, his many talents have served him, and the wine-loving public, well over the years. …
Corn whiskey is one of the great spirits of North America. But for a long time it was more or less exclusively associated with moonshine and not really available to the vast majority of modern-day consumers. That has all changed recently and the category is currently exploding. Stillhouse is a …
Bourbon is the most sought after whiskey in the world. And as demand grows, supply continues to dwindle. And while there are many uncertainties in life, one thing remains incontrovertible fact: Pappy Van Winkle reigns supreme. Made with more wheat instead of the traditional ingredients of corn, rye, and barley, …
