The Training of the Sommelier
The term sommelier is derived from the Middle French noun “saumalier”—which referred to an official in charge of all travel supplies, including (incidentally) wine. After the Middle Ages, the term evolved to Sommier du Seigneur, denoting the man in charge of stocking food and drink in the household of a noble or wealthy family. Not…
Vine Talk Season One Toasts
By popular demand, here are the toasts from every episode this season. Episode 101: Navigating Napa Valley Cabernets “In tough economic times, a glass of wine can be patriotic. Whether it is red or white, it is a wonderful way to beat the blues.” Episode 102: Ranking Rieslings from the Finger Lakes “With good roots,…
Actors and Directors in Wine, Part II
Johnny Depp bought longtime girlfriend Vanessa Pradis a winery to celebrate the release of her new CD; Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie live on an estate in Provence, France with acres of grapes. But you won’t see their labels at your local wine shop anytime soon, as these couples make wine as a hobby and…
Under the Sea: 200-Year-Old Champagne
In July of 2010, bottles of château-aged, ultra-premium Champagne—lost for more than 170 years—were discovered by marine archaeologists inside a shipwreck in the Baltic Sea. The site of the wreckage was in waters belonging to the Aland Islands, a Finnish archipelago located between Sweden and Finland. The vessel was a twin-masted schooner, believed to have…
Pairing Wine with Chocolate
Wine can be paired with all kinds of delicious chocolate. Here are some mouthwatering wine/chocolate pairing suggestions we know you will enjoy! With Milk Chocolate: Milk chocolate and Tawny Port is a delightful duo. The creamy, caramelized notes in Tawny Port compliment those same flavors in a handful of Regular or Peanut M&M’s, a bowl…
Vine Talk Season One Favorite Wines
Many viewers have asked us to publish the list of audience and celebrity wine favorites for each of our episodes. Given the way series roll out in the public television system, we waited so as not to spoil the surprise for markets that started the series later than others. For those of you that have…
Tips on Ordering Wine
Some people say that navigating a wine list is as intimidating as public speaking — it doesn’t have to be! Here are some tips that will help make ordering wine a more pleasant experience. Tip 1: Order by the glass or by the bottle? At many restaurants and bars, wines offered by the glass tend…
Rosé, Perfect for Summer
For a lot of folks, summertime is synonymous with a chilled glass of Rosé. Yes, it’s pink. No, it’s not “girly” — any more than watermelons or grapefruits are “girly”… Rosé can, theoretically be made from any red grape and is produced in three different ways depending on the winemaker and, often, the location. …
Actors and Directors in Wine, Part I
There seems to be an ever-growing union between celebrities and wine. It makes sense – both are rich, and are often complex; but, while most celebs just like to sip and swirl, there are more than a few who have taken their grape fascination to the next level, investing in labels, or even starting…