Many have preconceived notions of Absinthe, and just as many of us have had personal experiences with the green fairy.  Can we really go insane from imbibing?  Possibly, but it’s not from the liquor.  I recently had a chance to sit down with Erich Harbowy, a distiller at the local Leopold Bros. Distillery.  While we tasted, we discussed the lore behind this almost mythological spirit. Traditional absinthe is distilled with the...

As a wine buyer for many years, I’ve been pitched everything you can imagine.   From crazy scientist winemakers, to movie-directors-turned-winemakers, to Old World wine making royalty, I’ve met many.  Everyone has some fantastic reason why I should buy their wine (aside from the fact that it’s just damn good juice ).  But one story continues to stick out like a sore thumb. Several years ago, I was visited by a Spanish...

One of my readers recently asked me about red wine headaches: “My friend has migraines.  She was told to only drink red wine with no sulfates.  She has been buying organic wine that says “no sulfates” on the label.  Personally, I thought all grapes produced sulfates when they ferment.  Are there any red wines that are readily available that she can order at a restaurant that do not have sulfates?” Great...