Blog

‘What kind of wine pairs well with Crow?’

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, good wine for the holidays

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

Malbec, Malbec – a Perfect Time for Malbec!

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

A Perfect Pairing and a South African Treat

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

So long, farewell!

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 and a visit from the family

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

Shake + Bake, I’m back from my blogging hiatus!

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

Smith & Hook Central Coast Cabernet

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

Shocking American Idol

If you missed the last episode to American Idol, well then you may want to order a couple bottles of bubbly and watch it with someone who taped it. Un-freekin’-believable is the only thing I can say.  Embarrassed to admit, I watched the entire season only to be shocked with the season’s finale. While the… Continue

Rosé Revival

Survival of the fittest they say, right?  Well, only the strong drink pink is what I say!  Here we are again, another spring season and another vintage struggling to make folks understand in the great state of Minnesota – just how lovely PINK can be.  I watch as some of my favorite wine shops pile… Continue

Weekend Homework – some good, some bad.

I know, I know – my homework sounds awful doesn’t it?  Sitting around drinking wine and wondering how I’ll write up my next evaluation?  Sometimes it takes more than one glass to get the descriptions rolling but once they do – look out! This weekend, I visited a local bottle shop in Bloomington – MGM… Continue