The 20th may have been the American century, but it was during the 18th that we made the transition from an ethnically uniform but marginally viable colony of the British Empire … What Yankee Doodle DrankRead more

Would it please you to know that you may well be a better judge of wine than you imagine? That you — as an enthusiastic but likely untrained amateur  — may … Is It Red, White or Pink? (No Peeking)Read more

Where did my wine go?  It’s a question we’re often called upon to answer. It’s true that we sometimes move things around a bit to keep the Wine Corner looking fresh. … Gone Baby GoneRead more

I well remember cooking from the late Marcella Hazan’s first cookbook in the 1980s and being taken aback by her confiding there that the secret ingredient of all savvy cooks is … This Is Your Wine on Ice Read more

”A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds” American philosopher and moralist Ralph Waldo Emerson (above) memorably opined. But in the world of commerce, consistency is pretty much everything: the … Should We Be Talking About Continuity?Read more

The people who work hard everyday to present a positive image of wine and wine culture like to emphasize wine’s ancient lineage and unbroken continuity.​The simple process of harvesting grapes and … Topsy TurvyRead more

The late Italian actress Virna Lisi, top, is clearly having a wonderful time, and though its not clear what the occasion might be, the smile, the eye-contact and the raised glass … Clink!Read more

  The argument seems to have been going on forever, with no resolution in sight. Is it possible to judge wine on objective standards, or is it all just a matter … Canon FodderRead more

The wine education industry has been booming, it seems, with courses offering some sort of certification drawing particular interest from both amateurs and those seeking a career path. Then there is … Imagine ItRead more

Wine may well be the original International Man of Mystery. Since wine isn’t (and can’t be) made everywhere, it must travel from often remote locales and through many hands to arrive … What Price Is Right?Read more

When is a wine ready to drink? It’s not so much a complicated or difficult question as it is a misunderstood one, we think. The great Orson Welles didn’t help matters … Wait, Wait — Don’t Sip Me!Read more

Most of us turn to wine, if not as a vehicle of relaxation, at least as a gateway to it. If you’ve gone so far as to acquire the apéritif habit, … Is Your Wine Thinkable?Read more