Author: Stephen Meuse

To judge from the conversations I have with friends, colleagues and Formaggio Kitchen clientèle, something called balance is considered a desirable trait to discover in a wine. It seems reasonable enough, since … A Question of BalanceRead more

Here in the FKC Wine Corner we’re frequently asked for recommendations and we do our best to respond to them individually and thoughtfully. Often, your queries are routine; sometimes not so … May We Recommend?Read more

What’s the difference between an amateur and a professional?  You might say that the latter is someone who’s paid to practice a given skill, while the former engages in it purely … Practicing Wine Without a LicenseRead more

Wine can be high-priced, high-falutin’, even high-minded. But the kind of loftiness that matters most – at least as far as the cultivation of the wine vine is concerned – has … Wine at the High EndRead more

  We long ago settled the question of whether cigarettes are bad for you and whether auto seat belts save lives. While nothing seems more obvious now, it wasn’t always the … Why It Is What It IsRead more

In 1888, when Claude Monet moved to Normandy, he was already a skilled painter with an established reputation. His 1872 work entitled Impression, Sunrise moved a Paris art critic to refer … A Glass of Wine with MonetRead more

Taste wine for a living and you may find that at some point around the umpteenth bottle, the notes you take begin to look a little repetitive. That such a thing … When Wine SingsRead more

While other months boast direction and purpose — single-mindedly hustling us from one season to the next each replete with its own bundle of busyness and todos  — August is, by … August the DithererRead more

Wine has been an integral if not always necessary element of many of the world’s cuisines for a very long time now. Those intrepid proto-vintners of the Caucasus, the Georgians, assert … A Place at the TableRead more

I’ve’ve written before about what we like to call the Fog of Wine; the feeling that finding your way in the world of wine is like wandering in a misty landscape … Of Herrings Red, White & RoséRead more

I remember reading the late Marcella Hazan’s first cookbook in the 1980’s and being taken struck by her confiding that the secret of all savvy cooks is  . . .  water. … This is Your Wine on IceRead more

Winemaking is simple, but isn’t always easy. From the beginning, crafting sound, durable wine has been a challenging undertaking. The medieval Church was exceptionally good at it because it had (i) … The Future is YesterdayRead more