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Episode description not available.

Episode description not available.

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I LOVE dessert wines. They are the perfect finish to a fantastic dinner or just an enjoyable way to end the day. However, just pairing them with any 'dessert' can be disastrous. It takes finesse and planning to pair them well, and sometimes, it's easier to pair them with a cheese plate or enjoy them on their own as a Liquid Desert. We'll discuss Port, Sherry, and Madeira, the fortified sweet and dry wines. And then we'll talk about Moscato d'Asti, Demi-Sec Champagne and other sweet sparklers like Brachetto d'Acqi. We'll include the incredible French wines from Sauternes and Barsac, the California sweet wines, and we'll even head over to Australia for a few sips of dessert! We'll go 'in depth' on why they're difficult to pair with food and how to err on the side of caution. We'll truly be going Around the World in a Glass with this episode, so be prepared to suffer a little jetlag wine style! It'll be a tasty week of sugar and spice.

Lately, I've been focused on education even more than usual, it must be all those 'back to school' ads I keep seeing. Let's get back to basics, and define the words of the wine industry. This class isn't going to sound like a dictionary – unless it's a really tasty dictionary! However, in the past, I've taken friends to 'professional' tasting events; shortly after arriving, my wine friends were completely overwhelmed with the terminology and the atmosphere of a professional tasting. This week let's delve into those words and concepts that are often tossed around like 'everybody knows what we're talking about.' Words like malo-lactic fermentation, neutral oak, French oak, concrete vs. stainless steel, terroir, and the list goes on and on. I'll attempt to shed some light on these terms, why we care, and how they affect the flavour profile of the wines we drink. If there's a question you have, please email it to AroundtheWorldinaGlass@hotmail.com

At least five times a week, I'm ask the same question: How did you learn so much about wine? My usual response is “Drinking.” While humourous, it's also true. It's impossible to learn about wine, scotch, or even tea & coffee, if you don't like to drink it, and drink it often. In addition to drinking, most wine/beverage enthusiasts are readers. Some are fans of specific magazines; others are fans of wine blogs. Me? I'm a fan of books. I LOVE them. And that is where I get my continuous flow of information. The wine history, region, producers, grapes, terroir, and the list goes on. The books I choose are well-indexed, dense reading, but not complex. Having an excellent library is one of the essentials for any profession in almost any field, and the wine/beverage industry is no different. A good wine library is a must! In thise episode, I'll give you my top picks for building a wine library. If there's a question you have, please email it to AroundtheWorldinaGlass@hotmail.com

Everybody's doing a 'back to school' theme; therefore, let's talk about having a well stocked bar. But where to begin? If there's one thing we all know it's that liquor, liqueurs and mixers are expensive. Not only that, but when do you stop buying;? How many single malt scotches do you really need? And what about bourbon? Do you purchases everyone's 'favorite' vodka or is one sufficient? And what about Gin, Vermouth, Rum? How do I store them? Will they last forever? And which ones should I refrigerate? With this episode, I'll take the mystery out of stocking your bar and maybe some of the expense, too. I'll let you know which items I'm willing to substitute with something less expensive and how swapping flavor profiles work. I'll let you know how to upgrade your selections with out totally diminishing your back account. Be sure to listen in for the Well-Stocked Bar demystified! If there's a question you have, please email it to AroundtheWorldinaGlass@hotmail.com

Recently, I had the opportunity to attend a fantastic seminar on balance. It was moderated by Jon Bonn of the San Francisco Chronicle, and included a debate or discussion of Califoria wines that are In Pursuit of Balance. As most of you know, I'm an import wine fan – I do not drink a lot of American or domestic wines. Primarily because of their lack, in my opinion, of balance and structure. The discussion panel at this seminar included some of the up & coming California wineries that are focusing on balance primarily in Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. It was enlightening and wonderful to hear an entire panel admit that they preferred White Burgundy or French Chardonnay over the domestic versions of the same grape! As we tasted, discussed, and listened, I was delighted to see wine makers, marketing professionals & owners take California wine into new realms of balance & beauty. If there's a question you have, please email it to AroundtheWorldinaGlass@hotmail.com

It's been at least a month since I talked about bubbles, their beauty, their flavor, and of course, all the reasons to celebrate in life. Probably one of my favorite beverages in the summer is bubbles! Whether carbonated water, vodka soda, tequila soda, or Champagne, Prosecco, and the many variations of Sparkling Wine. With sugar, without sugar, with fruitiness, or brut style – I LOVE them all! If you enjoy carbonated drinks, but haven't found a 'bubbles' beverage you enjoy, then listen in and keep trying them. Whether it be the tiny bubbles from Champagne, France or the domestic versions of Sparkling Wine, there's one for everyone. I'll even talk a little about one my favorites: carbonated water or soda water. I LOVE it, and it helps me drink more water when I'm bored with still water and lemon. It's a day full of bubbles; so come find your favorites! If there's a question you have, please email it to AroundtheWorldinaGlass@hotmail.com

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The weather is beginning to warm up, and Spring is Sprung or perhaps, still around the corner depending on your part of the Northern Hemisphere! Spring and Summer mean Rosé, and I'm not talking about 'pink' wine. We'll cover the details on its history, some brand names, and a winery fermentation crisis that have made millions! We'll talk production and grape varietals that make great Rosé. As always, I'll give you the clues on how to order the right style of Rosé at a restaurant – to make sure you get what you want to drink. We'll talk budget, and Rosés are definitely budget-friendly! If there's a questions you've been afraid to ask about Rosé, then we've got your answers today. Listen in for food pairings, flavor profiles, and the reason cork dork Oooo and Aaah over Rosé. If there's a question you have for us, email it to AroundtheWorldinaGlass@hotmail.com

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It's the Celebration of American independence tomorrow...what are you drinking? Today it'll be all about BBQs, pool parties, and fireworks. What wine, beer or cocktails I think work for those events, and the ones that are easy to transport. I'll have a few surprises & party tricks that work for me as well. What kind of 'stemware' to use for outdoor parties, tips & tricks for keeping the cold stuff cold, and even bubbles in a can! It's a four-day Holiday Weekend for most here in the States; so be sure to listen in & stock up on the party flavors that suit your guests! Happy 4th of July America! And to all the expats that are elsewhere in the world – enjoy your Fourth as well. If there's a question you have, please email it to AroundtheWorldinaGlass@hotmail.com

I've said it before, I'll say it again this week. What do you drink when it's 120! We're facing record temps this weekend, and sometimes water just doesn't quench the thirst. This week we'll cover what to drink when it's hot, or maybe when it's HOT! We'll talk wine: red, if you insist; white, rose, and of course, bubbles. We'll also talk about some of my favorite thirst quenching beers for the summertime, and a few cocktails. And in the last few minutes of the show – I'll cover what to drink if you're living Down Under – meaning on the other side of the Equator, and dreaming of 110 degrees Fahrenheit or nearly 40 degrees Celsius. Either way I'll have some great options for quenching your thirst, staying cool (or warm), and expanding your palate with new beverages! If there's a question you have, please email it to AroundtheWorldinaGlass@hotmail.com

Before completely leaving my vacation adventures, I want to mention my very quick trip through Burgundy, the things we missed, and already have planned to go back & do. My uncommon adventures there, including: Beaune, Dijon, and Vougeot. Actually, my entire trip probably qualifies as uncommon! I'll talk a bit more about trip planning, how I do it compared to the rest of the world – or at least compared to most of the people I know. We'll talk restaurants, wine, navigation via the trains, Metro, and walking...we did a ton of that. Managing your luggage or not. Maybe even a brief lesson on how to pack: going and coming home. Hotels where we stayed, at least the ones I've earmarked for staying again. Pronunciation of common words and being understood in a country where you really don't speak the language. Be sure to tune in for one more week of French wine and the amazing French people. If there's a question you have for us, email it to AroundtheWorldinaGlass@hotmail.com

So far, you've heard about Rhone, Champagne, and today, you'll get the next location from my vacation/wine trip – Bordeaux! If I had to pick a favorite – well I couldn't! However, it probably wouldn't be Bordeaux, not because it wasn't incredible, but because Everything was incredible. It was almost surreal. It was a DAY in Bordeaux with a personalized tour through several regions – I had no idea how vast an area it was. We'll talk a little geology, you know I'm a dork like that. I even got to play in the dirt! Twice! I had amazing red wine, amazing white wine, and let's not forget that dessert beverage Sauternes: it was also amazing. I'll briefly talk food pairings – I had a couple that shocked me! Today and again next week, I'll cover bits & pieces of planning your own wine trip or at least, how I planned mine! Be sure to tune in for another fun week of French wine and the amazing French people. If there's a question you have for us, email it to AroundtheWorldinaGlass@hotmail.com

I'm a Bubbles fan; it's certainly not a secret! And to be honest, I'm not really a bubbles snob either. I like, mostly love, them all: Prosecco, Cava, Domestic, Import, Sweet, Dry, Moscato, etc. You get the point, I love fizz – preferably well done at a reasonable price. However, when celebrating (and there's always a few bottles in the frig), I'm reaching for Champagne. The Real Deal. So when my first EVER trip to France included some time in Reims, the heart of Champagne – I was like a little kid before Christmas. I couldn't believe I actually was going to go to a few Champagne houses! Join me this week as I relive some of the fantastic sites & sounds, not to mention flavors that I experienced while in Champagne. Hear my new-ish insights into the houses that I visited, and the respect for their surviving history. If there's a question you have for us, email it to AroundtheWorldinaGlass@hotmail.com

Rhone, an amazing place with amazing wine. I recently had the opportunity to spend time with Ralph, the winemaker at Jaboulet, up on his 'mountain' better known as Hermitage. For a cork dork like me it was surreal to see the vineyards where some of my favorite wines are nurtured and coaxed from the unwieldy granite, soil, climate & terrain. The steep slopes that are tended primarily by hand because machinery is not feasible on the terraced vineyards. The vines struggle to create the amazing syrah that is found in bottles from l'Hermitage. In a town of about 5000 people, one train station, and very few hotels, the wines from La Chapelle vineyard, Crozes Hermitage and a few others are crafted through the sweat, tears, and hard work in spite of Mother Nature. Be sure to listen in as I share what I experienced while spending a short time in Tain l'Hermitage. If there's a question you have for us, email it to AroundtheWorldinaGlass@hotmail.com