another wine blog

As I have not yet switched providers, and my current one is still being as Com-*@#$ing-castic as usual, I am writing this at Chelsea, my favorite wine bar in all of Texas. While I have not visited every wine bar in Texas, it isn’t for lack of trying, but I will be surprised if I [...]

Is there any varietal more maligned these days than Merlot? It has gone from being trendy to love to being trendy to hate. Even Miles in Sideways exclaims, “No, if anyone orders Merlot, I’m leaving. I am NOT drinking any ****ing Merlot!” Never mind that his avowed “dream wine,” a 1961 Cheval Blanc, is a [...]

Banfi Rosa Regale is fairly unique sparkling wine, at least in my experience. It is sweet and low in acid, with a flavorsand aromas of rose, raspberry, black cherry, strawberry and plum. The mouth feel is both creamy and sparkling, with a finish of delicious vanilla. It is also quite low in alcohol, 7%, which [...]

Last night my wife asked me to grab a bottle of Riesling from our wine fridge. I looked in and only one had the familiar slender shape so a pulled it out and glanced at the label for a second and opened it. After the first sip I figured that I had grabbed a really [...]

This recipe is a favorite in my house, even with my egg hating wife. As usual, feel free to substitute ingredients and make this your own recipe. Serrano ham or Canadian bacon would be great instead the pancetta this version calls for.
Start by cutting some fairly thick slices of crusty bread. Brush with olive oil. [...]

I really like this wine. It is a very deep, dark, inky red color. The nose is huge, as are the flavors. This is what I think of as an example of what a good Australian Shiraz should be.
The color deep and dark in the glass, right to the edges. The deep ruby color is [...]

Last night my wife and I decided to go out and have a light dinner and then try out a wine bar that we thought was new. Due to a miscommunication we ended up at a place called Sushi Coast for the light dinner. This place was disgusting, and if I don’t end up with [...]

Plume Bleue Vin de Pays d’Oc is a 50/50 Grenache Syrah blend made by a very good winemaker. This big fruity wine has lots of plum, cherry and dark berry flavors with just enough chewy tannins to balance it out. It has a mildly smoky flavor.
This stuff just begs for some grilled lamb or pork. [...]

This is my last piece on BBQ for a long time, I swear.
As I mentioned yesterday, every year Texas Monthly Magazine ranks and reviews the Top 50 BBQ Joints in Texas. One thing that is a constant each year is that Smitty’s Market in Lockhart, Texas will be in the top 5, if not in [...]