The Chopping Block Cooking Blog

Do Wine Appellations Really Matter?

Last week, a co-worker came to me after one of our wine classes and asked if I thought appellations really matter. Apparently, it was a topic of discussion during class and there had been good ...

What I Know About Wine

A sommelier's musings about wine as it relates to health and life in general.

Viva Espana at The Chopping Block

Spain hit Chicago’s fine dining scene well after France, Italy, even Mexico! Now, the flavors of Spain are favorites in the city and suburbs, from casual tapas to elegant Paella, from sparkling ...

What's So Great about Malbec?

I had never even heard of Malbec when I started working at The Chopping Block, but I could tell that whatever it was, people sure seemed to like it. In fact, as I've learned more, it strikes me as ...

Everything You Need to Know About Rioja

One of the most frequent questions I'm asked while tasting wine to customers is which wine is my favorite. I don't know if I have a single favorite wine or style of wine, but I definitely have wines ...

Are You Cool Enough for our New Happy Hour?

My birthday was last month, which means I got a lot of Facebook notifications from people I rarely speak to wishing me a “Happy Birthday.” Some of them went so far as to say, “Happy Birthday, ...

Tried and True Wine and Food Pairings

Wouldn’t it be great to walk into your grocery and know - Bam! - instantly which wine to pair with your ingredients? You can, with a little help from your friends at The Chopping Block.

Everything You Need to Know About Chianti Classico

I was tasting out a bottle of Chianti before a pasta class when a guest asked me to explain the difference between Chianti and Chianti Classico. It was a deer in headlights moment for me, as I ...

Wine Hacks: Turn Your Cocoa into Liquid Velvet

We just wrapped up the One of a Kind Show at the Merchandise Mart, and I spent the weekend sampling wine or hot chocolate to nearly everyone who walked through our doors. A select few got a taste ...