"tasting" news and stories

It used to be that a trip to wine country meant trekking from winery to winery, tasting wine, cleansing one's palate with plain crackers, and then, stomach rumbling, heading over to a restaurant to satisfy the food craving. These days, plenty of wineries are trotting out more than just 1-ounce pours: they're putting out gourmet food, special events, and even live music to lure in and entertain customers.

For serious wine geeks, this trend no doubt annoys. Geeks would rather do what they do best--taste the wine, preferably covering as much ground as possible--and not have to consider that the cost of the live band has somehow worked its way into the case of Cabernet they just bought.

But for people who view wine-tasting and a visit to wine country as a social or romantic event, the wine experience can be a lot of fun. We're talking food and wine pairing classes; sessions with the winery's private chef, who may have been lured away from a top restaurant; music and wine pairings (and there's evidence to show that music does influence what you drink and how you taste it); and more.

More after the jump.

Smirnoff Ice has, from what I count, nine flavors. Secretly, I've always assumed that they all taste the same: a little sparkly, mildly tart, and way too sweet.

So. Smirnoff Ice: Do they all taste the same?

Personally, I think it would be really funny if after the jump it just said "yes." But it doesn't, so read on as I give four flavors a fighting chance.

The most exciting thing about artisanal cheeses is their complex, multi-layered flavors. However, for many people, they seem unapproachable. The best way to savor these cheeses is to breakdown the experience from the first encounter (touch and smell) to the last encounter (after-taste).

One of my favorite things about the internet is that it enables people to indulge their creative impulses in ways that would have been difficult or impossible just a couple of decades ago. Take, for instances, this short little internet show that Christopher Masto puts together on a semi-regular basis called, "Does it Go With Tea?" In it, he sits down with a variety of sweet pastries, takes a bite and then sips from a mug of tea in order to determine whether the baked good he just sampled goes with the tea. The episode you see above is the third one he produced, and in it, he tastes a Boston Creme cupcake in order to test it's tea worthiness. In episode four, he tries a buttered blueberry muffin with tea, but you'll just have to watch to find out how that one turns out.

More good news for all you wine lovers out there. ZAP, the Zinfandel Advocates & Producers, will be traveling to various locations across America for Grand Tasting Events, as brought to our attention by Deidre at our sister site Luxist.

The tastings are scheduled for May 8 in Austin, May 10 at the Wrigley Mansion in Phoenix, and will be a part of Winefest No. 12-A Toast To Children's Health in Minneapolis on May 11-12.

The menus accompanying the tastings sound absolutely delicious as well. As an example, the Arizona tasting will feature such fare as Ahi Tuna Bites with Raspberry-Wasabi Sauce, Chili Lime Salmon Satay, Mushroom Stuffed with Pinenuts, and Duck Confit Profiteroles.

If you live in one of those areas and are interesting in participating, details on the events including admission prices can be found on the ZAP website.

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