From the December 2021 issue of Decanter Magazine:
Category Archives: Advice
Perfect Pairings – Ecstasy or Agony?
Dr. Apstein’s Case for Quarantine
I’ll leave the medical advice concerning the need to quarantine to your personal physician and public health experts. My advice is for a case of wine you’ll need for those two weeks. Of course, depending on how many other adults are with you in quarantine, you may need more than a case.… Read more
Holiday Gifts for Wine Lovers
The obvious choice for gifts for your wine loving friends this holiday season is a bottle—or two—of wine. Sadly, too many are intimidated to give wine to a so-called wine expert. We’ve all heard the excuses: I don’t know anything about wine; I don’t want to embarrass myself by giving an ordinary wine; I don’t want to spend hundreds of dollars on a prestigious one. … Read more
Two Essential Pieces of Equipment for Anyone Who Drinks Wine
The corkscrew is an obvious choice as one, but what’s the other? I’ll give you a hint — it costs between $5 and 10, so that eliminates the Coravin, the clever $300 gadget with a long needle that lets you sample a bottle without having to open it.… Read more
Estate Wines: What are They, and Are They Worth the Price?
The word “Estate” on a bottle of wine lends prestige and often entails a bigger price tag. But what does the term really mean…and is this designation actually worth the price premium?… Read more
Chilling Red Wines
I had to look twice. On a warm June night in a lively Paris bistro many years ago, diners had bottles of Crozes-Hermitage in ice buckets. I found this surprising, because the wines were red and conventional wisdom tells us to serve red wines at room temperature or–among sophisticates–at “cellar” temperature, but certainly not chilled.… Read more
Chablis: The World’s Best White Wine for Food
That’s a bold claim, but I think it holds up to scrutiny. The only other contender would be Champagne, but once one takes price into account, the medal goes to Chablis because these wines are so well-priced. Albariño from Rias Baixas, a region tucked away in Galicia in Spain’s northwest, is in the running, except so little is made and distributed that it’s not a reasonable choice. … Read more
A Simple Strategy for Buying Burgundy
Burgundy produces some of the world’s most exciting wines. Although many, such as those from Domaine Romanée Conti, Domaine Leroy, or Domaine Rousseau are priced in the stratosphere, affordable well-priced Burgundies do exist. But finding them can be like walking through a minefield.… Read more
Gifts for the Wine Lover
Friends and professional colleagues always tell me they shy away from giving me wine. They profess not to know what to give. They say that they don’t want to embarrass themselves with an “ordinary” bottle. Those excuses, and all the others, are silly. … Read more
Wine Cellar 101
With the current economic downturn forcing people to cut back at all levels, perhaps it’s foolhardy to suggest that now is the time to start a wine cellar. But paradoxically, now is a perfect time.
I’m not suggesting investing $10,000 or more in beautifully stained wooden racks, recessed lighting and an insulated, temperature-controlled room.… Read more
A Plea for Reasonable Restaurant Wine Service
Wine service in restaurants, even many that carry one of the Wine Spectator‘s awards for superior wine lists, seems to be an afterthought. Although the Spectator‘s awards are solely for wine lists, you’d hope that those restaurants with stellar lists would also have stellar service–or service that is at least reasonable. … Read more
Selecting Wine in a Restaurant
It is the part of restaurant dining that most people dread. You are with a group of colleagues or friends, or perhaps on a special date. The conversation is flowing, everyone is relaxed and having a good time. Then, the waiter gives you the wine list.… Read more