2013 is almost upon us! Seriously, what happened to 2012. It seems like it was here and gone in a blink of an eye. As the new year approaches, I get out my crystal ball and peer into 2013 to see what the top trends in drink will be in 2013. Here are my predictions. And, if I am wrong, I blame it on my crystal ball. …Read More

For this week’s Wine Wednesday, we are heading back to the 1970′s and imbibing in it’s most popular wine – Riunite Lambrusco. As many of you may know, I love, love, love Lambrusco. It is fizzy and fruity and pairs really well with food. But, I had never had the wine that beget the craze in the United States – Riunite. …Read More

We can hardly believe that New Year’s Eve is around the corner! If you are looking for great cocktail recipes and finger food, then this is the book for you. The New Old Bar is the latest book from Steve McDonagh and Dan Smith of the Hearty Boys (winners of the first Next Food Network Star) out of one of my favorite cities – Chicago! And, the recipes have Chicago written all over them. …Read More

Not only do the photos in The Ambassador of Bourbon capture the process of making Maker’s Mark bourbon, it also captures the essence of Maker’s Mark. The Samuels family brought their vision to fruition in the historic Burk’s Distillery< …Read More

When Santa comes tonight, surprise him! Instead of putting out milk and cookies, leave out cocktails and candies. I am sure that Santa would appreciate a hot toddy to warm him up or a classic Martini to get his blood flowing. …Read More

Today marks the 79th Anniversary of the implementation of the 21st Amendment, also known as Repeal Day (for repealing the disastrous 18th Amendment, which went into effect on January 17, 1920). Make sure you enjoy a tipple today to celebrate!

Prohibition was a dark period in America. It pitted recent immigrants against Americans who had been in the country for generations and rural areas against urban. Hypocritical politicians voted dry and drank very wet. I … Read more

The Wine Wednesday column has been missing for awhile now! But, we are back and we will do our best to bring you a bargain wine selection each Wednesday. Our first return to Wine Wednesday selection is an exclusive at Trader Joe’s, one of our favorite places for bargain wines. The 2010 Dark Horse Cabernet Sauvignon is an easy drinking Cabernet with tamed tannins and displaying that the grapes hail from a warm growing region. This wine spent its time in stainless steel, which preserves the pure fruit notes and shows an absence of oak flavors, like vanilla, oak, cedar, cocoa and chocolate. Instead, the Dark Horse Cabernet is extremely fruit forward with an almost candied fruit notes of blackberry, black cherry and currants. This wine is great for newbies, cocktail parties and sangria. …Read More

2012 marked the 4th year of the Summer of Riesling. Paul Grieco of Terroir Wine Bar in New York City (there are multiple locations) kicked off the annual celebration in 2009 by pouring only Riesling wine for its white wine by the glass selection. That’s totally balsy and Paul gets total respect for that move! Like most wine geeks, I am in love with Riesling, and when I serve it to peple and don’t tell them what it is, they love it too. When I tell them, they turn up their little noses. Seriously, folks of my generation and younger (and a little older), you are too young to remember the run on Blue Nun and other Liebfraumilch that heated up the international wine scene in the 1960′s and 1970′s. Give Riesling a try! …Read More

Kinky Liqueur has paired with Kinky Boots, a Broadway bound play involving Cyndi Lauper and Harvey Fierstein that debuted in Chicago. The play is based on the English movie Kinky Boots. It’s about a man who inherits a barely alfoat family shoe business. To keep the business alive, the man turns to making footwear that is a bit on the risky side or perhaps even kinky. If you are in Chicago or New York, take in the play. If you are nowhere close to those two cities or prefer cinema to theater, track down Kinky Boots! …Read More