When the exotic beverage known as coffee first appeared in Europe in the second half of the seventeenth century, inns, taverns, alehouses, pubs and caterers of every description were already well-entrenched. … Meet Me at the CaféRead more

The first order of business for the Biblical patriarch Noah — once the ark came to rest on Mt. Ararat and he and the fam set their sandals down on dry land … The Mother VineRead more

TThe first order of business for the Biblical patriarch Noah — once the ark came to rest on Mt. Ararat and he and the fam set their sandals down on dry … The Bug That Remade the Vineyards of EuropeRead more

Wine grape varieties don’t generally send out end of year letters as many families do. But if they did, some of the more interesting would surely be those leaking from the pens of … Keeping Up with the SangiovesesRead more

A few years ago, I visited the island of Vulcano, one of a flotilla of small land masses that poke up from the Tyrrhenian Sea off the northeast coast of Sicily. It’s the … <span class="entry-title-primary">Wine’s Old Frenemy</span> <span class="entry-subtitle">Sulfur Dioxide and its Discontents</span>Read more

The mystery of what exactly constitutes human nature seemed a step closer to solution when, in 1800, a young boy was found living without family or adult supervision in the wilds of the Aveyron in … Wine and the Wild ChildRead more

THIS WEEK IN THE WINE CORNER: Good of you to take time to talk with us here in the Wine Corner, Easter Bunny. Few people know that you’re passionate about wine. … Easter Bunny: The InterviewRead more

  Human beings are marvelously equipped to enjoy the vast and detailed spectrum of sensations brought to them by their food and drink. Strange then, that science should maintain that our ability to taste is limited … Wine and the BitterverseRead more

That’s Stanley Tucci (left) and Anthony Shaloub as a pair of devoted but mismatched brothers running an Italian restaurant in the 1996 film Big Night. Primo (Shaloub) is a gifted chef who longs to … Babette’s Big NightRead more

Yes is welcoming. Yes is affirming. In negotiations, yes is the thing we strive to get to. Sell wine in a retail venue and you quickly learn that frequent , enthusiastic … Pin Meets BalloonRead more

We called it the wine corner, though it was really more of a nook, or maybe a just a crevice.  Nonetheless, many exceptionally well-made and interesting wines called it home, as … Hello — We Must be GoingRead more

  Armed with all the weaponry in the arsenal of amour, he presses his suit. She, with an eye on the history of this particular species with her own, is naturally wary. … Improbable LovesRead more