Although Fabio Masi, chief sommelier at Four Seasons’ Restaurant Il Lago in Geneva was born and raised in Milano, Italy, his interest in Swiss wines is anything but neutral. He spoke to us about how the revolution in the country’s wines, his remarkable experiences in the dining room and his own path in developing a [...]

Riesling has been called the wine for all occasions, and luckily, there’s plenty available in Washington. It’s one of the most versatile white wine grapes and can be made in styles to fit almost any mood or occasion and to match a wide range of foods. You can find a good one for under $6 [...]

Natalie MacLean, editor of one of the largest wine newsletters on the web and author of “Red, White and Drunk All Over”, says: “Santa Margherita Prosecco, D.O.C., Veneto, Italy: A lovely summer day with bright notes of ripe white peach and toast. Toast your good fortune to be alive. Score: 89/100. Bollinger Champagne Special Brut [...]

Rappers pay homage to it. Marilyn Monroe was rumored to have bathed in it. And it’s probably what’s in your glass when you’re toasting the new year, your anniversary or any other special occasion. Champagne has long been synonymous with luxury. Although it is a sparkling wine, make no mistake — not all sparkling wines [...]

“Too much of anything is bad, but too much champagne is just right,” opined the late great American author F. Scott Fitzgerald. Many would tend to agree with Ole’ Fitzgerald, and fortunately this New Year’s may be the first one in a long time that those of us longing to party like rock stars can [...]

California chardonnays apparently have a wicked identity crisis. For the last few seasons, they’ve drawn plenty of criticism for being either too big and blowsy, or way too skinny and vacuous. You’re left wondering what is the real face of chardonnay, which remains, still, the most popular wine variety in the United States. But even [...]

Here’s my idea of a holiday: a ski trip with my family to the charming little town of Sutton, just north of the U.S. border in Quebec—and an opportunity to sample the local wines. This annual Presidents Week ski trip is also a pilgrimage of sorts to the wonderfully quirky Auberge Agnes Horth where we [...]

Until recently, the Malbec grape was known primarily as a minor player in French Bordeaux blends. But it is becoming better known as a varietal on its own, with some excellent vintages coming from Argentina, and price points that make them very attractive. Malbecs are known for their deep purple color, hard tannins, and earthy [...]

Trying to sate Champagne tastes when you’re stuck with a beer budget can be a problem, but, say wine experts, there is frugal fizz to be had. Champagne, to be precise, generally is considered only sparkling wine from the region of France of the same name. And quaffing bottles that bear that name comes at [...]

In 1967, Barry Saslove was watching television at his parents’ house in Ottawa, saw the news about the Six Day War and then hopped on a plane to Israel. Or, as he explains it as he uncorks a few bottles at his upper Galilee winery: “When I turned 19, the war had just begun. I [...]