There’s a reason why I’m in the industry I am. I don’t pretend to play a part other than anything that I am when it comes to being a wine drinker and I definitely never deter folks from enjoying wine for what it is ~ grape juice. There’s a beauty to my industry that many… Continue
Minneapolis Rock City – KISS’s new song title – at least that’s what Paul Stanley said last Saturday night when they rocked, yes rocked! the stage at the Target Center downtown Minneapolis. Let me first start out by saying, who is this guy who writes the music reviews for our local Star Tribune? The Title… Continue
I know we say it every year about this time…’the holidays are just around the corner’ but every year we let November take us over and before you know it Turkey Day is already here. And, before you can come out of your turkey slumber, Christmas hits you like a lump of coal. While we… Continue
Bruce Hornsby, an unbelievable musician with a piano full of music ten miles long, graced Minnesotans with a stellar show on November 1st. Including hits from his newest album ‘Levitate’ and some of his old standbys that never seem to fade like ‘The Way It Is’ – the list of songs played for the night… Continue
As hard as this is, I have to sadly admit to the fact that well…Brett Favre just isn’t mine anymore. While it’s a hard pill to swallow and I’m not one to keep my ‘sports’ feelings to myself, the gain of my once ‘beloved’ quarterback to the opposing bench has been one of the hardest… Continue
Barbera, a fun little red grape. Known for many centuries as the ‘peasant’s wine’ in the famed region of Piedmont, located in the NW section of Italy. While it only sits second place to Italy’s most widely planted red grape: Sangiovese – many know Barbera as a very popular easy-drinking red. When I teach classes,… Continue
While having coffee with a friend this past week, I was inspired to write a little bit about Malbec. I know, I know…it’s a grape that everyone wants to talk about. It’s almost overdone at some point in the way of commercialism but, most importantly, it’s good to understand the variances between some that are… Continue
With the end of the summer nearing and just a month or so left of beautiful weather to enjoy, it’s always best to get the most out of your backyard – especially when it involves kicking back and enjoying great wine. While on a visit to south Minneapolis’s France 44 www.france44.com (a local wine/spirit shop) I… Continue
Once again, Brett Favre has stuck it to the American public. Laughing his tail off all the way to the bank with his new contract with Sears, media hits left and right, and with a name googled more times than Michael Jackson right now – I hate to say this to you Vikings Fans – I TOLD… Continue
Martinelli Winery, with five generations deep of family wine growing, the Martinellis are a family held to their roots by tradition, sincerity and quality. While on her short visit to the mid west, I had an opportunity to visit with daughter Regina Martinelli of her family’s ancestral wine making roots. Just to get down to the… Continue
As summer is full in swing and almost more than half over!, my travels and ventures have taken me away from my writings. With lots to share on comparison tastings, fun + exciting trips to Aspen, and many new food ventures – I’m ready to divulge all that has been scribbled on countless scraps of paper, bar napkins… Continue
Homework, homework…hard life, but someone’s got to do it. Tonight, it’s a bottle that I picked up at my new favorite bottle shop in Minnetonka – corner of Hwy 169 and Shady Oak Rd, in between Eden Prairie and Minnetonka – a spot called Pairings Food & Wine Market www.pairingsfoodandwine.com About the coolest couple of peeps… Continue