Jun 082013
 

Mark Oldman

“I am going to make it (wine seminars) worth their while. I have a short attention span. I don’t want to be bored. I am going to do whatever I can to make them walk away and say, that over-delivered.” Mark Oldman

During the Austin Food and Wine Festival we had the chance to meet wine style guru Mark Oldman, two time winner of Georges Duboeuf Best Wine Book of the Year Award for: Oldman’s Guide to Outsmarting Wine: 108 Ingenious Shortcuts to Navigate the World of Wine with Confidence and Style and Oldman’s Brave New World of Wine: Pleasure, Value, and Adventure Beyond Wine’s Usual Suspects.

Oldman has a distinct style described by Bon Appètit magazine as “winespeak without the geek” and by Publishers Weekly as “the ideal mix of wine connoisseur, showman, and everyday dude.”

I didn’t know what to expect from Oldman, of Drink Bravely fame. He was very fun, engaging and frankly a blast to chat with. While in Austin he professed his love for the Lone Star State repeatedly, interesting for a Jersey guy. He even pulled out his Longhorn money clip in testament.

One of the funniest moments however, was during his last seminar when he pulled out a 3X5 foot blowup of his outstanding arrest warrant from the 2012 AFW festival and his newly minted “Free Oldman” t-shirt. It seems Mark was caught by the tireless (obviously with too much time on their hands) Austin police for ….drumroll… Jaywalking, which in Austin is, believe it or not, a criminal offense. The crowd rolled out of their chairs laughing. Continue reading »

May 092013
 

Ray Isle

Ray Isle

“I still get excited when I find a $17 wine that blows me away.That is a continuous hunt for me at the magazine.” Ray Isle

During the 2013 Austin Food and Wine Festival, I had the chance to sit down and chat with Food & Wine Magazine Executive Wine Editor, Ray Isle. A self-described “Texan living in New York,” Ray was one of the festival’s preeminent wine presenters, offering three seminars. His gentile Texan style eschewed any sense of wine snobbery as he shared his knowledge and passion for wine. Continue reading »

Apr 222013
 

Wine BlogsChardonnay, in my opinion, gets a bad rap. Sure some are over-blown and flabby, but face it…many folks enjoy that creamy buttery profile that comes from oak and malolactic fermentation; good for them. That said, stainless steel fermented Chardonnay can be lean and crisp and many are somewhere in between. Just about anyone who enjoys white wine can find a Chardonnay to suit their palate.

So for those who prescribe to the tired ABC adage “Anything But Chardonnay,” I say phooey…This summer I’m “All In for Chardonnay!” Continue reading »

Apr 012013
 

Guest Post By Erica Kritt, The Cruise Web Team

It’s amazing that two great things can combine to equal one extraordinary thing. Take for instance grilled cheese and tomato soup or Oreos and milk. Together these combinations are unbeatable. The same is true of combining wine and cruising, two great things that are truly greater than the sum of their parts.

Cruise lines are now offering special itineraries that feature large selections of wine and experts to educate their guests on everything from pairing to how the grapes are grown in various regions of the world. These cruises can include wine events onboard, wine-themed shore excursions, talks with wine experts, and special wine tastings. Continue reading »