We are pitting Cabernet Sauvignon from the famed Cabernet Sauvignon stalwart Napa Valley against Sonoma, its upstart, funkier neighbor to the West. Napa and Sonoma are separated by the Mayacamas Mountains. …Read More

If you think the drinks on cruise ships are all watered down Piña Coladas for fuddie duddies, then think again. Cruise ships are sailing with a wide and deep array of fine wines, craft beers and state-of-the-art cocktails. …Read More

This Week’s Drink was created by Max Warner, Chivas brand ambassador and head mixologist. Warner cut his bartending chops at London’s famed Savoy Hotel, so he know his stuff. His Aberdeen Flip is a wonderfully rich cocktail with hints of spice and fruit that will warm any holiday gathering.

Ingredients:
60ml / 2oz Chivas 18
30ml / 1oz Oloroso Sherry
1 Whole Egg
¼ oz Spiced Syrup
Dash Chocolate Bitters
Tsp Blackberry Jam
Grated Nutmeg… Read more

This is a fun and flirty wine offered at an amazing price. While we were sent a sample of this wine, it retails for roughly $20 for a three liter box (4 bottles), which translates into $5 a bottle. It’s tough getting a good wine for $5 and this wine delivers. Plus, we really like the fact that it comes in an eco-conscious box with a spout, which made it the perfect wine for a family gathering. …Read More

Tonight marks the Feast of the Seven Fishes in some Italian families. Others will choose to celebrate tomorrow. But, it occurred to us that there will be a great deal of fish and seafood consumed in the next week as Christmas morphs into New Year’s. Our own family traditions have come to include heaping amounts of San Francisco’s local dungeness crab. For Christmas, we make the local San Francisco seafood stew – Ciopinno – a medley of seafood and fish in a spicy tomato broth. For New Year’s, we get a smorgasbord of local shellfish – crab, shrimp, oysters and clams (if you are on top of things, order from Swan’s Oyster Depot, which has been slinging seafood in San Francisco for 100 years). What goes better with seafood and fish than white wine. …Read More

On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me… …Read More

The holidays are upon us and almost over. We have come up with lists of wine, booze and books to buy friends and foes for the holidays. In you are in need of last minute gifts, check out our recommendations. …Read More

In Twas The Night Before Christmas, it was sugerplums that danced in the children’s head. But, when I think of Christmas, I think of ham dancing across the dinner table. Ham seems to be as ubiquitous to Christmas as Turkey is to Thanksgiving. That got me thinking, what wines would go well with ham. Since Christmas is such a festive holiday, I wanted the wine to be festive as well. And, what could be more festive than sparkling wine. …Read More

The holidays are here! Today is the second night of Hanukkah with Christmas and Kwanzaa just around the corner. Plus, don’t forget New Year’s! We know that the rush to buy gifts for family members, friends and co-workers is in full swing. One short week after that, the pressure is on to bring a great bottle of wine to your New Year’s party. These wines are a great answer to your holiday gift giving quandary and will sure to be a hit at the New Year’s party. …Read More

Whether planning for a special holiday celebration or a casual weekday dinner, it is always great to find a way to save money on wine. …Read More