The Wine Idea

For many people, the notion of how wine is made boils down to something like this: there exists a discrete plot of vines from which an individual winemaker annually harvests a … One Good IdeaRead more

Why is there something rather than nothing?  Why are you yourself and not someone else?  Where do babies come from? Such good questions! Thanks to all of you who send these, … We Get MailRead more

How did particular wines take the shape they did? Some say that the possibilities are necessarily limited by the various atmospheric conditions, soil types and topographies that obtain in the vineyards … Sure, It’s Tasty. But Is It Navigable?Read more

Human beings are marvelously equipped to enjoy the broad spectrum of sensations brought to them by their food and drink. Yet, science maintains that taste involves nothing more than a mere … Wine and the BitterverseRead more

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