Gears are changing when it comes to our awareness of what we’re putting into our bodies. The local food movement is making us increasingly cognizant of where food comes from and how it was produced, and there’s been a recent shift in the booze world, too. We’ve seen a drastic move toward local craft beers […]
Tucked away at the end of a windy dirt road at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Mountfair Vineyards is not a spot that you’re likely to just stumble upon. The tasting room is modest, both in size and décor, making it clear that the emphasis is on the wines, not the show. The […]
Maybe you’ve heard of umami, the elusive concept that’s been popping up in the food world the last couple of years. Umami is the mysterious taste that gives your favorite dishes that rich, deep flavor you can’t quite put your finger on. But what about wine? As someone who often analyzes both what’s on my […]
Every year around this time, our nation’s president makes a State of the Union address reflecting on the challenges and accomplishments of the previous year, while also looking ahead at the agenda for the upcoming year. While the president’s address typically includes legislative proposals and government-related issues, this State of the Union address is written […]
We all know the “locavore” movement is in full swing, as evidenced by the evolution of restaurant menus across the country, and countless articles and books written about the local food scene. Charlottesville thrives in the midst of farms and locally grown food, and as Virginia gains credibility as a wine destination, our little town […]
I am thankful for…wine! And the best advice I can give for a stress-free Thanksgiving holiday is to keep a glass of vino nearby before, during, and after the big meal. It doesn’t even have to be excellent wine—just something that’s refreshing and takes the edge off. Planning a multi-dish feast for your nearest and dearest […]
Crisp fall air thick with lingering wood smoke. Unbeatable mountain views as the leaves change. Pumpkin beer. There are plenty of reasons to love this time of year, and as the days shorten into darker evenings, the motivation to linger over the stove increases in proportion. Family meals once again exude the aromas of the […]
Thomas Jefferson must be smiling in his grave right about now. The resurgence of viticulture, agriculture, and hard cider surrounding his homeplace and spanning the breadth of the state is astounding. Virginia has not seen this much activity and excitement about fruit, whether it’s fermenting or not, since the early 1800s. Even during this technological […]
Austrian wines easily intimidate American oenophiles, who generally lack knowledge about wines from this country save for the 1985 diethylene glycol wine scandal, a.k.a. the “antifreeze scandal.” We tend to think of these wines as hard-to-pronounce grape varietals from unrecognizable regions with long names that are sticky on the tongue. So, that being said, let’s […]
Let’s get right to the national buzz meter: Six Charlottesville restaurants have been accepted to participate in this fall’s Taste America Local Dish event, held by the James Beard Foundation, one of the nation’s premier culinary organizations. Throughout September and October, select restaurants around the country will create one dish that conveys their area’s local […]