White Wine

Champagne Cliffs Notes: The Best Bubblies to Buy for New Year's Eve

The weather outside was frightful when I rolled up to the mothership Spec's on Smith Street one afternoon last week. But it wasn't half as scary as the demolition derby that was unfolding in the parking lot there, between the old school Caddys, the C-Class Benzes, and the obligatory and ubiquitous ... More >>

Why Screw Caps Stink, Why They Rock and a Pinot Grigio I Dig

"Bartender, bartender! My wine smells like farts!" No, this wasn't a George Carlin routine. It was me (and my not so inner wine nerd) as I sat at a bar at one of Houston's most swank joints, waiting to be seated for dinner. Honestly, I wasn't surprised that my wine smelled like a fart: It came fr ... More >>

Bold & Brave Wine List (& Cartography) at The Pass & Provisions

Honestly, I'm still trying to wrap my mind around the bold and brave new wine list at The Pass & Provisions, the newly opened and much talked about effort by chefs/partners Terrence Gallivan and Seth Siegel-Gardner. The list, by the affable and dynamic Fred Jones (who graciously took time out to sp ... More >>

Have A Drink On Us: AC/DC Sells Wine Now, and We Had a Tasting

Shout-out to the oenophiles out there, there is a new kid on the wine block these days, with the introduction of two varieties of vino geared towards fans of classic-rock band AC/DC. Now, I know what you are saying: Since their music goes so well with the hard stuff, shouldn't AC/DC be making their ... More >>

Taste Perversion: Artichokes and Wine

"Taste perversion" is what the scientists call it. The expression refers to the way that foods (or drugs) can affect taste after they have been consumed. In the wine world, artichokes are considered one of the greatest offenders. The issue is caused by a component called cynarin (after the Latin ... More >>

A Meaty White Wine for the First Pesto of Summer

Fresh basil has been arriving from our Community-Supported Agriculture subscription, and that means it's time for long noodles with pesto at our house. Traditionally, Genoese pesto is made with freshly grated pecorino, sheep's milk cheese. But at our house, we go for the pan-Italian (or pseudo-Gen ... More >>

Red, White and Orange: More and More Orange Wines in Houston

"Old man piss." I hate to say it, but it's the best descriptor to use to describe the color of many of the "orange" wines that are finding their way to our market these days. As you can see from the color of the wine in the glass above, orange wines aren't really orange: They tend to have a deep ... More >>

Digging a German Red Quaffer from Pfalz

Generally, when wine nerds like me think of fine wines from Germany, we think white: Mosel Riesling, with its enormous capacity for longevity and nuance, its bright acidity and vibrant minerality, is considered by many to be one of Europe's greatest wines. (Celebrity sommelier and winner of this yea ... More >>

Texas Wines Are Talk of the Town

In the wake of Sunday's Texas wine seminar at the Austin Food & Wine Festival, organized and moderated by Houston wine writer Russ Kane, Texas wines seem to be on everyone's minds this week. Eatocracy (CNN): Food & Wine magazine executive wine editor Ray Isle, a Houston native, was a member of the ... More >>

Texas Wine Makes the Big Time at Austin Food & Wine Mag Fest

"The Wines Of Texas Are Upon You" may have seemed like a bland seminar title when compared with spicier ones like "Everything You Need To Know About Wine But Were Afraid to Ask" and "Super Star Wines." But the fact that the Austin Food & Wine Festival (which made its debut over the weekend) includ ... More >>

A Wonderful Time at Brenner's on the Bayou's Wine Revolution

This past weekend, beautiful Houstonians donning flats and bright resort-casual attire, per the event's invitation, skipped out on their Saturday country club visits and spa days in favor of Brenner's on the Bayou's third annual Wine Revolution. Set in tents under the bright sun, amidst Brenner's hi ... More >>

Tasting Notes: This Week in Wine Blogs

After reading our blogging colleague Katharine Shilcutt's post about Robb Walsh's tasting and pairing of Texas Gulf oysters and wines last week at Oceanaire on Westheimer, we were geeked to see a post from a wine blogger's perspective by one of our favorite Houston wine educators, Sandra Crittenden. ... More >>

Wine of the Week: Who Needs Another Merlot When You Have Cerasuolo di Vittoria?

Did the world really need another Merlot and Chardonnay in 1995? Evidently, the Planeta family thought so, and when the younger generation of this Sicilian clan launched the eponymous winery in the mid-1990s, they delivered bold, oaky, concentrated, and highly alcoholic Chardonnay, Merlot, and Syrah ... More >>

Odd Pair: What Wine Do You Pair With Salad?

Anyone who's ever traveled to Italy or France knows that the romance Europeans eat their salad after the main course. In the French and Italian view, fresh lettuces, bitter chicory (like radicchio veronese), delicate white endive, and vinegar-based dressings are intended to cleanse the palate afte ... More >>

Odd Pair: Eggplant alla Parmigiana and Central Coast Sauvignon Blanc

Calling the marriage of melanzane (eggplant) alla parmigiana and a Central Coast Sauvignon Blanc an "odd pair" may seem like a stretch to some. But when you consider the ingredients, flavors, and aromas in the dish, the pairing options are more challenging than is immediately apparent. Gently bitte ... More >>

5 Tips for Serving Champagne and Sparkling Wine

Photos by Jeremy Parzen.For the second night of Hanukkah, we made potato pancakes (latkes) and paired with sparkling Vouvray.​Even if you missed our Top 5 Champagnes Under $60 for the Holidays, you'll find that your favorite wine shop will have a tide of options when it comes to sparkling wine ... More >>

Wine for Hanukkah, the Festival of Fried Foods and Olive Oil

Photos by Jeremy Parzen.Tomorrow night is the first night of Hanukkah. In the U.S., Ashkenazi Jews eat potato pancakes to celebrate the festival. Here and in other parts of the world, Sephardi Jews eat doughnuts.​You don't need me to tell you why we eat fried foods for Hanukkah, the Jewish fes ... More >>

Odd Pair: What Wine to Pair with Hospital Food?

Photos by Jeremy Parzen.When you're admitted to the hospital to have a baby, you're taken off solid foods. As soon as the baby is born, they bring you a meal to regain your strength. In our case, it was hospital cafeteria meatloaf.​Color me pink! Tracie P and I had a baby on Monday: Georgia P ... More >>

Wine of the Week: An Argentine Chardonnay that Surprised Me

Photo by Jeremy Parzen.Argentina isn't what I generally reach for when I go wine shopping, but I was pleasantly surprised when my Spec's salesperson turned me on to this Patagonia Chardonnay.​Most of the wine that comes from South America tends to be made in the California style: big flavor, b ... More >>

Wine of the Week: Domaine du Salvard 2010 Cheverny

Photos by Jeremy ParzenThe 2010 Cheverny by Domaine du Salvard from the Loire Valley, France, is like the quiet, shy kid in the back of the class, with his nose in a book. But when he's called on, he's brilliant.​There is SO much wine in the aisles of Houston's wine shops these days. From Spec ... More >>

Top 12 Wines Under $15 for the Holidays

A $10 sparkling wine for the holidays: Toso is one of our top picks.​Last night, Whole Foods Market introduced its Top 10 wines for the holidays -- except that this year, like the days of Christmas, there are actually 12. Historically, some of the recommended wines have been held up at custom ... More >>

Wine of the Week: Extreme Value from the Loire Valley

Photos by Tracie and Jeremy Parzen.Little known appellations like this one -- Quincy AOC in the Loire Valley -- can deliver extreme value.​When people ask me about great value in wine today, I always point them to Spain, to Italy (and in particular, Southern Italy), and to the Loire Valley in ... More >>

Odd Pair: Top 5 Wines to Pair with Pizza

​Above: "Pizza al Trancio" (Pizza by the Slice) in Rome, paired with Coca Cola. Here in the U.S., we don't think of it as an "odd pair." But in Italy, homeland of pizza and a country where wine is considered an essential element of healthy dining, pizza and wine are rarely if ever paired. Do ... More >>

Valentino's All-You-Can-Eat Summer Sashimi Event

Photos by Mai PhamAhi tuna sashimi with spicy aoili ​If you weren't there, you missed out. More than 100 people attended Valentino's all-you-can-eat Summer Sashimi event last Thursday night, an extravaganza that included sashimi, more sashimi, and a bottomless selection of four wines -- a Ries ... More >>

The Generous Pour Event at Capital Grille

Our server, Susan, kept us happy with "generous pours" during the Generous Pour Event​To truly understand wine, its complexity, what distinguishes a good wine from bad one, and how it should pair with food, takes years of study. That's why there are only 171 Master Sommeliers in the world, and ... More >>

Wine of the Week: A Bordeaux White

​Winemaker Hervé Dubourdieu is widely recognized as one of the great producers of Sauternes, the "noble rot" dried-grape wine of Bordeaux, where grape growers let the fungus botrytis grow on their late-harvest fruit, thus desiccating the berries and concentrating their sugar and flavors. Bu ... More >>

Odd Pair: King Ranch Chicken and an "Oxidative" Wine from Jura

​University of Texas alum and a Solomon among wine writers, my friend Eric Asimov likes to tease me about some of my favorite pairings with Texan cuisine, like "oxidative" wines from Jura, France, with my mother-in-law's Chex Mix. (An oxidative wine is a wine that was made by purposely exposin ... More >>

Wine of the Week: a Modern but Balanced Chenin Blanc from South Africa

​We have a saying at our house: No wine without food and no food without wine. In other words, we never serve wine in our home as a stand-alone cocktail. It is always served within the context of a meal, whether we're entertaining guests or just cozying up on the coach for a Law & Order: SVU m ... More >>

Odd Pair: Wasabi Peas and Riesling

​Though I am a fan of all types of good wine, I tend to shy away from some of the sweeter forms of vino. So while I can appreciate the fine craftsmanship of the 2009 St. Urbans-hof Urban Riesling, I knew I needed to find something savory to offset the sweetness that is common with this variet ... More >>

Wine of the Week: Clos du Bois 2009 California Riesling

​Part of the Clos du Bois Spring Collection 2011, this aromatic Riesling reminds us of Tinkerbell. The wine and the fairy are both tart and sweet; they're light on their feet; and they share a "green" factor - the wine has a slight green tint and comes in a cute lime-green box, and it even has ... More >>

Odd Pair: Fried Chicken, Buttermilk Waffles, and Pinot Blanc

​Yes, I admit that this is more of an "odd trio" than "odd pair," but technically speaking, chicken and waffles is a singular dish and therefore qualifies in my opinion. The easy pairing would be a dry bubbly Mimosa, which would work well with the fried chicken and waffles, but likely clash ... More >>

Odd Pair: Gummy Bears and 4 Whites

​Somehow after all the Christmas gifts were exchanged and the giant mess of paper and tissue was removed and recycled, I found myself staring at a bag of Gummy Bears. It was a lovely assortment of pale pink, ruby red, sky blue, and luscious green bears, and I suddenly found myself both hung ... More >>

One Box = Four Bottles

The box is trying desperately to fit in in this holiday spread.​I went to a very nice party over the weekend. My friend and her mother had slaved over jambalaya and -- more importantly -- authentic Cajun gumbo for days. The house looked as if it had been professionally decorated for Christmas. ... More >>

Odd Pair: Pineapple Upside Down Cake & Chardonnay-Viognier

​Just shy of December, I have already received my first Christmas gift: a lovely bottle of 2007 "Duet" Chardonnay-Viognier by Louis Latour. It is an elegant-looking bottle that promises to be crisp and refreshing, and it does not disappoint. The Chardonnay gives the beverage a sharpness that i ... More >>

Odd Pair: Corn Dogs & Pinot Blanc

​There's something inherently fun about eating foods that come on a stick; corndogs, especially, since they evoke memories of fairs and carnivals and rodeos. They simply exude nostalgic childhood charm. What better way to enjoy them now that you're all grown up then to pair them with a lovely ... More >>

Five Tips on Thanksgiving Wine Pairing for the Wine Idiot

Wine: An idiot's guide to Thanksgiving Pairing. ​The first thing we learned Thursday night was the downtown Spec's has a second floor, and wandering around looking for the secret door that leads to the elevators made us feel like an idiot. We already felt vulnerable heading to a wine class, ... More >>

Wine of the Week: Intipalka Sauvignon Blanc 2009

​This is the only time I've ever tried a wine from Peru, a country not revered for its winemaking (at least here in America). It's refreshing to taste a little-known wine that is well representative of the Sauvignon Blanc varietal.

Odd Pair: Sweet Potatoes & Chardonnay

​If you're like me, then you've been "practicing" your Thanksgiving recipes a little early this year. At least that's the reason you give when people ask why you're making stuffing and sweet potatoes in the beginning of November. The upside (besides getting to eat decadent food all month) is ... More >>

Odd Pair: Crab Rangoon and Sauvignon Blanc

​On a recent Friday night, I found myself both hungry and bored, but with absolutely zero inclination for leaving the house. Thus there was only one solution to my predicament. Order Chinese delivery and dig around for some wine.

5 Wines That'll Blow Your Mind

5 Wines That Will Blow Your Mind

5 Wines That'll Blow Your Mind

Five Wines That'll Blow Your Mind

The Vintage Mirrors the Year

Brain Food

You may puzzle over the menu at Robert Gadsby's Noé, but you'll love the clever chow

Hangover W(h)ine

La Carafe's Wine Spritzer

August Meals

Siestas fit in perfectly with Houston's climate

A Matter of Grape Concern

Ibiza makes for a pleasant escape

House of the Rising Sun

The stars align at Scott Tycer's Aries

For the Love of Sauerkraut

Somehow a restaurant from the Black Forest finds its way to Midtown

Uncorking a Bargain

A champagne buyer's guide