12 Days of Christmas Onward

12 Days of Christmas Onward

The 12 Days of Christmas have been celebrated in Europe since before the Middle Ages. They begin with Christmas Day and continue until the evening of January 5th, which marks the arrival of the Magi—the three wise men—in the Christian tradition. Each day traditionally...
Karen’s 2020 Wine of the Year

Karen’s 2020 Wine of the Year

I tasted a lot of great wine in 2020, despite it being one of the worst years imaginable for so many of us. And more than in past years, the pandemic meant I also raided my wine cellar with abandon. (It’s now quite a bit smaller). But the memory of one wine has...
IDEAS FOR GIFTS TO MAKE YOU MERRY

IDEAS FOR GIFTS TO MAKE YOU MERRY

We see a lot of wine books, accessories, and wine-related gear throughout the year. If you are looking for insider-vetted Best-Bets for making the wine lover in your life smile during this season of giving, check out our favorites below.   Nose Dive: A Field...
WINE GIRL

WINE GIRL

BOOK REVIEW For several years in the 1980s, I was the wine buyer for a hip New York restaurant. Back then in the city, there weren’t many people who called themselves sommeliers. And most of those who did wore tuxedos and worked in one of the fancy French restaurants...
The Eagle Doesn’t Scream

The Eagle Doesn’t Scream

The following blog is based on a piece originally written in the fall of 2018, and has been revised for this Special Edition of WineSpeed devoted to Oakville, Napa Valley.    A recent morning tasting Screaming Eagle has convinced me of one thing: it doesn’t scream....

A. The medieval French word for a small village, similar to the Old English “burg” 

B. A nomadic German tribe which once settled in the area

C. The Latin word Burgarius which was the name for a Roman province that once extended over most of central France

D. The name for early French rural governing bodies which were made up of noble councilmen who were known as Burrs

“The wine one drinks from one’s glass depends on a vast number of thingsThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.