Mary Ross is an internationally-recognized wine and food professional, educator and journalist. Read more about Mary at http://www.thechoppingblock.com/meet-our-sommelier.
Recent Posts
The Nose Knows: The Remarkable Power of Smell
Here’s one of my aha! moments with wine: I’m a young sommelier, tasting a Gewurztraminer for placement on my wine list. With my nose deep in the glass, I sniff - and poof! In an instant, I’m ...
A wine tasting at home is a fun and unique way to entertain. It requires some organization and some ground rules, but you may be surprised by the benefits!
White Burgundy Added to Stellar Class and Wine List
You may hear it in the air: birds chirping, breeze in the trees, and wine pros everywhere slurping, spitting and scratching in their notebooks. Because if it’s Spring, it’s time for wine list ...
There were all of three sommeliers in Chicago back in the 1980’s, but we were a feisty bunch and took on the challenge of getting our customers to enjoy dry Rosè with the gusto of their European ...
A wine vocabulary helps you communicate aspects that you enjoy in wine and maybe some you don’t. Most modern winespeak is easy, such as the term ‘rich’, meaning a wine that’s rich in flavor and ...
Unless you drink for a living as do I, morning alcohol consumption may not be a recommended lifestyle choice. But in Chicagoland winters, when mornings-after don’t look much different than ...
Most people go into hospitality because they love a good party! At The Chopping Block, we’re no exception and a good time was had by all during our recent party, a.k.a. the sold-out Lincoln ...
“It’s gotta be fun!” is the best advice I received from my mentor Kevin Zraly, who, as founder of The Windows on the World Complete Wine Course, knows something about wine education. So, I feel as ...
