La Paulee

March 19, 2010

An event a wine person dreams of, La Paulee is the vision of Daniel Johnnes and team brought to the United States. Alternating between San Francisco and New York year to year, La Paulee is a celebration of wines from Burgundy along with many vintners who travel to our land to share their glorious wines. [...]

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A Decadent Lunch

March 4, 2010

Today I traveled to the beautiful Umstead Hotel to enjoy a wine luncheon featuring the wines of Vega Sicilia with Muri Mancebo, the wonderful spokeswoman of the estate. Vega Sicilia, the wine of Ribera del Duero and possibly Spain.  I am no authority on this wine to give you the in-depth history, but I would [...]

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Back Home Drinking the Local Wine

March 4, 2010

Yesterday I met with Mark Terry and Lillian Kroustalis, winemaker and owner of Westbend Vineyards, respectively.  As great luck would have it, the pair traveled east to Tarboro to taste me on six of their outstanding wines. Westbend Vineyards is the first winery to plant vinifera in North Carolina.  What is vinifera, you may ask? [...]

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Those are the Breaks

February 27, 2010

So, I have to say it at some point, and now is as good of time as any.  I did’t pass.  Either part.  It was a great experience, and I’m not just saying that, but it didn’t end up like I wanted.  So, what are you going to do?   I didn’t cry.  Well, I actually [...]

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The Breakers Almost Broke Me Continued

February 19, 2010

After my depressing tasting with Virginia, I went to take a nap and try not to slit my wrists.  As I came down the elevator, I noticed this strangely wonderful smell that immediately took me back to a different time.  I cannot explain the exact aroma, but if made to explain it, I would say [...]

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The Breakers Almost Broke Me

February 19, 2010

I guess everyone is wondering if my blog has died or if I have run out of tales to tell.  Fortunately, the tales keep on coming, but unfortunately, my study time and anxiety has led to less blogging. In preparation for my exam next week, I traveled to the Breakers in West Palm Beach to [...]

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A Wine Dinner of Our Own

February 12, 2010

Last night, On the Square hosted Valperto Azzoni of Degli Azzoni in the Marche and Francois Dufour, owner of Maretima Wines, also in Italy.  In honor of their visit to our restaurant, we prepared a special menu to pair with their wines. The evening started out with fried olives stuffed with pimento cheese and grissini [...]

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Brilliance at its Best

February 11, 2010

For those of you who really know my husband Stephen, you probably know what a sucker he is for great food.  My aunt Cynthia, who is great at giving good Christmas presents, knocked herself out again this year with his new favorite cookbook, David Chang’s Momofuku. My husband is also addicted to Chowhound, a website [...]

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What is being “Local”?

February 8, 2010

This past Friday, I was invited to speak to the North Carolina Winegrowers Association in Greensboro.  My topic was Drink Local, Support North Carolina Grape Growers, Develop Tourism in Our State. While writing my presentation, it came to mind how hip and trendy the words organic, sustainable and local are right now.  Never has there been [...]

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The Killer

February 3, 2010

Thanks to informative and inspiring people I met at Rudd Round Table, I was able to get some great study hints when it came to blind tasting.  Although helpful, some of these hints were challenging to say the least; in fact, some were just plain grueling. Luckily, I have a husband who enjoys torturing me.  [...]

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Rudd Round Table

January 30, 2010

So, in the midst and interest of studying, my blogging has become less frequent although the tales continue.  In fact, today marks the countdown of 24 days until the big test.  As fate would have it, I got a big break in helping me prepare for the final exam.  In thanks to Leslie Rudd, founder [...]

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Under the Gun but not on the Ball.

January 23, 2010

So I’ve missed some major blogging in the past week, and I do apologize.  It isn’t that I haven’t had anything to write about, it’s that I have had my nose in a book studying obscure and not-so-obscure wine info every waking moment.  The good news is I seem to be absorbing, the bad news [...]

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Plugging along…Days 3 & 4 combined

January 16, 2010

As we journey together along the master sommelier wine route, you will find Thursday, Friday and Saturday to be less consistent when it comes to blogging.  The reason being, these are the nights I work in the restaurant selling wine, of course, but also clearing tables, yelling at the cold station and pleasing customers (hopefully).  Sometimes, [...]

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Day Two: What is a Master Sommelier?

January 14, 2010

Woke up this morning, said my prayers and checked the www.guildsomm.com website.  For those not familiar with the site, it’s an awesome tool for anyone in the wine industry to use to study, absorb or give wine information. I love it, and I think it’s one of the most valuable resources out there for any [...]

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What is a Master Sommelier?

January 13, 2010

O.k., so I have decided to do the unthinkable, document the countdown until my Master Sommelier Diploma Exam to be held in Napa from February 23-25th, 2010.  In the name of Julie and Julia, I thought it might be fun slash inspiring to share what I will endure to prepare for the final challenge of [...]

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