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Retail revelation: Gints Brencis brings fine wine expertise to DiCarlo’s
Chicago and Toronto are sister cities. Although they share the same Great Lakes climate (collective shiver this winter), and cosmopolitan atmosphere, they couldn’t provide more dissimilar wine...
View ArticleSave money: Try red wines from places where white grapes dominate
The wine industry’s Great Migration has not only been to the more forgiving prices of the grapes and regions that were once hidden or neglected. More adventuresome imbibers have also challenged their...
View ArticleCabernet Sauvignon: A vigorous varietal outside of Napa, too
Perhaps no red wine grape is desired more by the in-the-know, impress-my-clients, conspicuous consumption types than the vaunted Cabernet Sauvignon. Indeed, Bordeaux – considered the most illustrious...
View ArticleSinging the praises of Sangiovese outside its usual growing regions
No one can dispute the role played by the Sangiovese grape in the history of Italian winemaking. Specific to Tuscany, this renowned fruit is the driver behind ubiquitous Chianti and (hush the tones,...
View ArticleJerry’s cooks up delicious food and wine program
A little over a decade ago, Betsy Simson took one look at the tree-lined Chestnut Court in north suburban Winnetka and was charmed. The serene, English Tudor architecture of the village square...
View ArticleEnjoy Great American value wines to mark Independence Day
When California vintners began to seriously cultivate the red wine grapes of Bordeaux (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, etc.) to compete on even footing with the French, it created both a successful...
View ArticleThe ‘Joie de Vivre’ of French value wine
The film “From Paris with Love” is an action thriller. But, for Pascal Berthoumieux, it was the love in his heart that brought him from the City of Light with his American sweetheart to Champaign –...
View ArticleLanguedoc: Luxuriate in lovely French wine, minus luxury prices
France and the French have a very distinct place in world history. Geopolitically, the country is remembered for a certain diminutive, Corsican emperor – and was curiously dismissed by Donald Rumsfeld...
View ArticleGruner Veltliner: The Austrian way of saying 'good value wine'
Vines and vineyards are some of the most enduring features of the European landscape. Whether the climate is the bone-chilling plains of northern Europe, or the sun-splashed Mediterranean, the...
View ArticleBeef Bourguignon pairs with lots more than expensive Pinot Noir
Most budget-minded folks might hear the words "French," "Burgundy," or phrases like "haute cuisine" and reach to protect their wallets. But this column has gone to great lengths to show that...
View ArticleWill another red wine match Malbec's mastery of the market?
When chasing down the so-called oddball varietals that are often the gems of authentic winemaking, and great value, one wonders which grape will be the next big thing. Sizzling-hot Malbec, for...
View ArticleWilmette Wine Cellar prioritizes personality over points
Slaying the big-box behemoth in the wine industry might sound exciting, but it can be tedious, too. The big guys are going to slash away with their low-price enhancements based on huge volume, while...
View ArticleCreative cocktails, wine selections leaven Bread & Wine’s legacy
Chicago’s restaurant and beverage industry has made some of its best showings during the Great Recession. Creative entrepreneurs opened new restaurants and lounges, while customers shrugged off their...
View ArticleWashington winemakers make headway with Merlot
The emergence of smaller, once-neglected wine regions or multi-syllable grapes – without the multi-numeral prices – has made the world of wine one of discovery. So, it is in this milieu that Chicago...
View ArticleMeet the Wine Director: Scott Brooker, Quince Restaurant
For many years, Chicago’s North Shore suburbs were dry. Even though burgs just north of the city have always been affluent, locating a fine restaurant was like stumbling on a four-leaf clover.Perhaps...
View ArticleLongtime New Zealand winemakers love their new land
High above the Awatere Valley in Marlborough, New Zealand, love is in the air. It’s a tough love, however, for the land is hard and rocky, with sheep once bleating all about – not exactly a romantic...
View ArticleNational Barbecue Month an opportunity to try fun wine pairings
A generation ago, charmingly cantankerous Chicago columnist Mike Royko said, “I make the best ribs anywhere.” He then started the Mike Royko Ribfest to prove it. More than 400 entrants challenged the...
View ArticleA sunny view of Mediterranean wine values
A once-weak and still-struggling economy has produced a silver lining: The rediscovery of ways to make do with less. This is especially true when it comes to the wine industry, as the widespread...
View ArticleBread & Wine’s Fourth of July event celebrates American wine and food
When winemakers in California began to seriously cultivate the red wine grapes of Bordeaux (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, etc.) to compete on even footing with the French, it created both a successful...
View ArticleIl Poggione: Blending old and new winemaking traditions in Montalcino
The principle of tradition is such an axiom in Italian winemaking, that for some in the industry, it might produce a sort of obstinacy. This can be true for both government authorities, who are...
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