Imagine a grape. Seriously. Do it. We all know what a grape looks like, just picture one hanging on the vine. Now, tell me about it. Is the skin dark or light? How ripe is it? Is the vine row on a ...
Congratulations Chicagolanders! In May, our town was named “Best Restaurant City” in America by Conde-Nast Traveler. Now, hot off the presses, Chicago is ranked “Restaurant City of the Year” by Bon ...
A few nights ago, I was talking with a very knowledgeable couple about wine when they asked me, “What is Bordeaux?” Their question caught me off guard. I took it for granted that if they could have a ...
Since getting into wine, one of my favorite experiments is to list all the factors I can think of from grape to glass that can influence a wine's flavor. Generally, I can't make it past soil before ...
Thanks to The Chopping Block's guests and team members for welcoming me as one of your new Sommeliers! Folks ask me all the time, “What does a Sommelier do: sit around and taste delicious wine all ...
How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Sulfur Dioxide in My Wine
This isn't a subject that comes up often when I'm serving wine, but when it does, one thing is apparent: no one knows what sulfites are or why they are in our wine. Despite that fact, I often hear ...
The Seemingly Insurmountable Mountain of Wine Appellations
I touched briefly on wine appellations in my post last month, and I want to revisit that topic because learning about appellations has really enhanced my understanding and enjoyment of wine. So, what ...
There's an old saying, “Never judge a book by its cover.” Is the same true for wine? Aside from avoiding labels with kangaroos and footprints, what should the discerning shopper look for when buying ...
Stop me if you've heard this one. A German walks into The Chopping Block. He approaches the counter and asks, “Do you have any wine I could taste?” The guy behind the counter (probably me) ...
