What the closing of La Belle Vie means to MSP wine lovers
Sad day. Very sad. The closing of La Belle Vie came out to the blue. Maybe people on the insider track knew it was coming,…
Finally, a west-coast style wine bar for MSP: Troubadour on Hennepin Avenue
Wine lovers rejoice! After the elimination of the stupid 70/30 law in Minneapolis, the doors have now been opened to having a wine scene more…
The Blind Burgundy Battle results (and some thoughts on blind tasting)
Sometimes the unexpected occurs at blind wine tastings, in which the results and commentary you assume will happen are tossed off to the wind and jaws…
Gratitude for a great 2014
This is always a reflective time of year for me, for getting the books closed on another year with my little wine education business involves…
Spoon and Stable: The Prog Rock of Wine Lists
Let’s start with Steve Hackett. Who? I doubt if many of you know who he is (and if you do, we should be friends). Steve…
Ordering wine at a restaurant: a modern cheat sheet
It used to be so easy. White wine with fish, red wine with meat. Yes, I’ll have a glass of Merlot and she’ll have a…
The Perfect Getaway: Dining and Wine Deals in Duluth
Here’s the thing: I love eating out. I love supporting honest and true restaurants with chefs that give a damn. But I don’t like how…
An open letter to Minnesota wine retailers
Hello my retailer friends. You are the ones that find great wines for me, and the ones that enthusiastically greet me when I walk in…
Judging wines at the Minnesota State Fair
The day begins early, which is almost always a glorious summer morning with birds singing and an absence of mosquitoes. The yellow jackets have not…
Sen Yai Sen Lek: pairing good Thai with wine
Last evening I sat down with the wine buyer and manager of Sen Yai Sen Lek, Nicole Pappas-Stanoch, to taste through a variety of lighter…
Local wine lists: Madeira at W.A. Frost
It’s fascinating to me, when asking people what their favorite wine lists are, how little W.A. Frost comes up. I don’t know if this is…