It’s Like Sipping Spring

By Robert Paul - I appreciate the taste of Prosecco the way I like sparkling rose wines – in the warm or hot weather. If you haven’t discovered Prosecco yet, April is a great time for your own personal tasting of the several brands on the market. Prosecco is a sparkling Italian wine produced in the Veneto area and Friuli Venezia Giula and in the hills north of Treviso. Bubbly, pretty, refreshing and friendly to the foods...

Gourmet Highway: A High Celebration

By Doc Lawrence - Celebrating its 20th anniversary, The High Museum Atlanta Wine Auction, the largest charity wine auction in the U.S. benefiting the arts and the fifth largest overall has brought more than $22 million over the years to the museum. The entire Southeast directly benefits from the educational and exhibition events made possible from these funds. For a few days, the auction events – a genuine gourmet festival...

The Cordial Course – How Cordial

By Robert Paul - Along with the comeback of martinis and other mixed drinks, the cordial or after-dinner liqueur is enjoying a renaissance. I, for one, am all for it. A portion of my bar is devoted to drinks that I bring out after dessert. The bottles are artistic looking and the liquids therein are either sweet, tangy or heady. And the little cordial glasses are quite handsome whether they are vintage or modern. Some people...

A Sparkling Budget Choice

By Robert Paul - Jaillance Cremant de Bordeaux Cuvee de l’Abbaye is a festive bubbly that’s also light and pretty. But, best of all, it’s a budget buy. The term “Cremant” is used because this French sparking wine is not from the Champagne region and therefore that regional label may not be used to describe it. And it’s not made with the usual champagne grapes either. Instead it is vinified from Semillon grapes....

Gourmet Highway: Love, Bubbles and Ballet

By Doc Lawrence - February is that month set aside to celebrate love with Valentine’s Day positioned right in the middle. I think of red roses, chocolates, Champagne and most often an intimate dinner. There are a few highly original items that add to the joy and romance of Valentine’s Day. Some of the greatest love stories-The Black Swan, Romeo and Juliet, Giselle- are told through dance, highlighted by iconic pairings of...

A Sip & A Taste of South Africa

By Carol-Ann Warr and Kaye Warr - The South African wine industry is one of the oldest in the world and one of the newest. The first vines were planted by Dutch settlers to fight scurvy in the Cape at the southern tip of Africa in the 17th Century. It is said that Napoleon in exile soothed his troubled soul with the help of the legendary dessert wines from this region. Winemaking thrived in South Africa until Apartheid forced...