Did you ever have one of those days where you feel inexplicably strange from head to toe? Well, when weird is the rule rather than the exception, maybe you just have to go with it; swim with the tide and not against it. On this week’s episode of Grape Encounters, David decides to surrender to the strange world that Covid-19 has confined us to and take a deep dive into the weirdness of wine. Consider ...
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David is starting to become very encouraged about where the world is headed after 12 months of 19; Covid-19 that is.  He doesn’t want to jinx things but it certainly looks like the restrictions that we’ve all had to deal with for a very long time are starting to ease.  Yes, there’s light at the end of the tunnel. At least it looks like a light, but who can be sure of anything these days? ...
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Las Vegas based chef Rick Moonen has paid his dues. Recognized as one of the country’s premiere chefs specializing in fine seafood, Rick is remarkably humble about his assent to culinary greatness. He says, “I was lucky. When I was at the CIA (Culinary Institute of America in Napa Valley) it wasn’t known as the best [cooking] school in America. It was becoming one, and it really had the greatest chefs. I was lucky to ...
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David has not had this guest on for a really long time. In fact, we dug into the archives and figured out how long ago it was. We were shocked to find out that it was exactly 10 years ago to the day that we had him on. Totally an accident or perhaps serendipity. Regardless, he is one of the most interesting people in the wine business and a wealth of information because he also ...
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After re-listening to this episode of Grape Encounters, we can confirm that no kitchen sinks were discussed.  Everything else was.   This week, David’s very special guest is MaryAnn Worobiec, Senior Editor and Tasting Coordinator for Wine Spectator Magazine. After the show was over, David mused, “If we were given 20 hours to fill, it would have been a snap!  MaryAnn has been with Wine Spectator for 25 years.  There’s a whole lot to talk about, ...
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We might as well admit it… The COVID-19 crisis has made us all a little bit lazy. You know what we’re talking about, laying around in our sweats all day long. Not shaving every day. Overdosing on Netflix and Amazon Prime. And perhaps the greatest sin of all, getting sloppy in our love affair with wine! What does that mean exactly? It means NOT doing those little things that really make our wine experiences better, ...
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Just how much more can they throw at us? These days, being a wine enthusiast is not without its challenges. Without a doubt, those of us who derive pleasure from the fruit of the vine are all about fun. We want to kick back and have a nice time, enjoy our wine and be joyful. Much to our dismay, however, the past year has been a major pain in the backside because every conceivable thing ...
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