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Month: September 2020

Perceptions of Taste in Wine

History tells us that wine was first made in Persia some 6,000 years ago. It is believed that one of the king’s wives thought it was poison and drank it to commit suicide. Instead, she laughed and sang and danced around the room. I doubt she really cared how it tasted, but I wish to thank her for her efforts as wine became a magic elixir that followed humans through the millennia.  At least for me, it is the perceptions of taste and smell that make wine a magical elixir. How can one beverage deliver so many different flavors and…

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White Wine of Note: Albariño

Should I ask most general public wine drinkers, their favorite white wine, one answer will undoubtedly be, I only drink red wine. Although I used to be that person, it puts a frown on my face because I now know what those red only drinkers are missing. The next four replies will be, in no particular order, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc or Riesling. And the frown will still be hanging on my face because there are so many others that make beautiful, affordable white wines. Janice Robinson, one of the most widely known wine writers in the world, lists…

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The Wine Shop of Charleston

* New Ownership * As most of my Charleston following know, Gary and my journey creating this blog, our in-person and virtual wine tastings, and now our wine concierge services started when Gary began his three-year stint working at The Wine Shop of Charleston. We recommended and sent many of you there to purchase wine. If Gary was there when you came in to shop, or it was one of the previous owner’s good days, all was grand. But if it wasn’t, many of you had an unfortunate encounter with her that left you bewildered or annoyed.  Thus you found…

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Getaway to the Mountains – Part 2

I ended the last post here. If you missed the previous post, you could get caught up here. If not, let’s get on with the weekend getaway. Burntshirt Vineyard – Our Second Stop Since we went to a brand new winery first, it only made sense to go to an older established winery next. Burntshirt Vineyards is one of the older wineries in this region of western North Carolina and currently holds the distinction of being the 2020 North Carolina Vineyard of the Year. Burntshirt Vineyards got its name from Burntshirt Mountain. According to their website, “Mountain lore has it…

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