Corks and Caftans

Burgundy is complicated: the wine, the geography, the influence of vintage. Thankfully, there are some basic guidelines to follow. Burgundy is divided into a north, and a south; Pinot Noir is the heartbeat of the reds, Chardonnay of the whites. The most sought-after Pinot Noir is considered to be a product of  the north, or [...]

Zinfandel is an all-American grape. Its wines are brassy and intense, usually uncomplicated, and always good with barbecue and lingering summer days. The last decade, when bigger was always better, was made for Zinfandel—big fruit, big oak, obscene alcohol percentages, and just-in-time drinkability. But that model may have been fad, and now buyers are looking [...]

The perfect use for an old rusty license plate retired from a Texas farm truck, acquired by Carey for an unknown purpose. I would have bought the wine anyway, but I can’t say the thought of the plate as a backdrop didn’t cross my mind when I saw the label in on the shelf. The [...]

Found via Book Cover Archive, a site I drool over daily. Since I’ll never have the time to read them all, I might as well judge them by their beautiful covers. And, I mean, the fact that this faux red wine spill isn’t giving me hives of anxiety is a testament to its creativity. [Typed [...]

This was a cool moment that’s going to ensure my future attendance on trips to the wine store with Rob.

Carey and I have always had a fondness for Tres Sabores. A couple weeks before we were due in Napa for our honeymoon, two of our close family friends enjoyed their first visit to the Tres Sabores. It left such an impression that when we arrived at our hotel St. Helena, a bottle of their [...]

Cat vs. dachshund (1-0). Block 106 vs. Block 629 (0-1). Sunday night was wonderfully chaotic in the Burden house. My parents are in town for Christmas, so we were all together for dinner. We also introduced Eli to my sister and brother-in-law’s new dachshund, Walter—it didn’t go as well I as I was hoping, but [...]

We properly prepared for a snowstorm that never came. We did everything right: simmered beef stew on the stove all afternoon, made groovy wine bottle candle holders out of the more expensive, heavy bottles I occasionally come across, turned the fireplace on, wore sweaters, decanted wine, and had friends over—I even put my car under [...]

Everybody knows wine changes once it’s exposed to air. It can evolve, devolve, open up, flatten out, layer, or stay static. But rarely do I encounter a complete personality change—a true shape shifter—as Carey and I experienced with Soter Beacon Hill Pinot Noir. This wine opened with beautiful plum colors in the glass, and complementary [...]

After 5 years of tweaking, adjusting, and simplifying, the final recipe has been settled on. I love beef stew, but I don’t love making it. So after writing the first overly complicated, tiresome recipe, I set out to simplify it while maintaining the flavors. So here it is, about 2 hours from prep to serve. [...]

“Our Secret Brainstorm Celebration” We aren’t pregnant. Let’s just get that out of the way right now. However, there is something static, electric—like the treble is set to high and the bass is turned down low—bouncing around in the oxygen of our little kitchen: We’ve got a big idea. I realize how unfair this is, [...]

My summer work schedule has been fantastic for the blog. I have been staying at my parents’ house in Peru, Vermont on Monday and Thursday nights. Starting with the Keenan review, the result has been 4 incredible wines arranged in three posts, one of which, the Super Tuscan Challenge, is still in the works and [...]