I’ve read about it but never before actually caught sight of it. But there it was, emblazoned on the back label of my bottle of wine. “Vegan.” I’m drinking Nuevo Mundo Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon/Malbec, Maipo Valley, Chile 2009 on a couch at the Makawao Steak House. The green movement has been alive and well in viticulture for the past decade, with organic and biodynamic … [Read more...] about Wandering Wino Tastes Vegan Wine
Heidi Barrett And Screaming Eagle Wine
Working as a sommelier for one of Hawaii’s best restaurants, this was the most popular question I received on the floor. Forget the 500 other selections — people wanted to know about the most expensive wine on the list, the 2005 Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley. I could never answer that question directly, but I knew how to answer it professionally. Listen … [Read more...] about Heidi Barrett And Screaming Eagle Wine
Sipping Selby At Maui Calls
Mingling with people who have a lot more money than I do, I prepare myself to seek out the best wine of the bunch at a charity wine & food event. It’s Maui Calls, an annual benefit held at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center. Top tier winemakers have flown in to pour the good stuff alongside the island’s best chefs. I avoid the incredibly popular Rombauer Vineyards’ table, if only … [Read more...] about Sipping Selby At Maui Calls
The Wandering Wino
I am holding a restaurant wine list yet again. This time I’m with a birthday troop at snazzy Capische? (their question mark, not mine) in the Hotel Wailea. Considering the cuisine of the restaurant it only makes sense to go Italian for the wine selections. Venetian Pinot Grigio and Tuscan Chianti immediately pop off the wine list and scream to be ordered. I suppose it would be … [Read more...] about The Wandering Wino
Taking the Locavore Trend Behind the Bar
“Locavore.” What does it mean? A decade ago I would have guessed some sort of prehistoric beast. Back then I was equally unaware of the hipster language used by locavores, trendy phrases like “slow food,” “eat local” and “farm to table.” Yet as I slowly learned the dogma of this esteemed trend, I quickly became one of its most adamant supporters. Some even accused me of … [Read more...] about Taking the Locavore Trend Behind the Bar