Those of us that have ventured to the Finger Lakes are likely familiar with New York-style Rieslings, which are known for their consistent quality, earthiness, and pungent fruit characters.
I wanted to travel a bit farther to explore the grape’s most famous region’s: France and Germany. In light of the pandemic, actual travel was impossible, so my pal William Oben from WineBox stepped in once again to cultivate an authentic tasting experience at home.
Most people view Champagne wines as a treat for special occasions, delegating dinner pairings and after-work imbibes to the classic bubble-less reds and whites. But there’s no reason Champagne can’t escort you through your daily life as well. So long as you’re comfortable navigating the labels, they can bring a sparkle to ordinary occasions, too. I connected with my friend William Oben, a wine enthusiast and founder of WineBox, who put together a stellar lineup of Champagnes at different price points.
“This is the place where the best Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are grown in the New World,” enthuses Chris Hermann from my laptop’s Zoom window, followed by a sip of his winery’s “VGW,” an abbreviation for Very Good White. Hermann is the founder of award-winning 00 Wines located in Carlton, Oregon. While Napa owns the spotlight on most domestic wine lists, Oregon wineries like 00, one of several hundred in the region, are attracting both domestic and international attention for good reason. The cooler climates in the Willamette Valley make it ideal for growing fickle Pinot Noir grapes and Chardonnay — so much so that even Burgundian winemakers are purchasing property and cultivating grapes in its foothills. Moreover, while climate change has pushed Napa and Sonoma to higher temperatures with marked impacts on the alcohol content and character of the region’s famous wines, Oregon wines have benefited from the recent…
I didn’t feel confident about my cooking until my late twenties. My two young kids thought that meals were supposed to come out in stages, depending on what came out of the oven or off the stove first. And there were many nights we improvised with breakfast foods when dinner was a flop. While my own cooking has come a long way, it doesn’t surprise me that one in four American adults don’t know how to cook. Since 2015, we’ve been collectively spending more money eating out than on groceries, even though it’s three times as expensive as cooking. Anyone who’s ordered a pizza lately knows you don’t get many slices for an hour of wages, and to make it worse, all that money is turning around precious little nutrients. Cooking at home stretches the budget, and also means you know what’s in your food. Working with whole and mostly plant-based ingredients…
During my first trip to New York City, I meandered haphazzardly into a wine bar. It had a cozy, upscale feel with an Italian ambiance and a diverse menu of share plates that perfectly paired with selections from an extensive wine list. At the time, I didn’t think to jot down the name. That’s why, for the past two years, I’ve been trying to find it. While I have yet to accomplish that goal, the journey hasn’t been for naught. In my search for my wine bar, I’ve experienced some of the best that Manhattan has to offer. Here are some of my favorites. LEA WINE BARThis hidden gem is located under the bridge near the entrance to Grand Central Station. It has an intimate feel centered around an artsy wall of liquor, though their apparent focus is on wine. The tapas menu offers some really interesting and delicious options.…
