Articles filed under Ross, Mary

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  Rosé the perfect partner for smoked foodsJun 26, 2012 12:00 AM
  As the temperature rises, the thirsty palate wants refreshment and hydration. Oaky wine weights down the palate with wooden flavor, and generally high alcohol saps the body of fluid. Instead, highlight smoked foods and refresh the palate with the bright fruit flavors of rosé.
  

   

• Good wine: Families planting roots in California vineyards May 30, 2012 12:00 AM
  Families have farmed Old World lands for millennia. Children learned the quirks of their orchards, pastures, vineyards and groves; their knowledge tricking down through the centuries. The Talley family in California is a New World example of this familial commitment with three generations of expertise.
  

   

• Whatever you're grilling, there's a wine to matchMay 28, 2012 12:00 AM
  Early Roman knew that people who soaked food in wine before cooking lived longer. Today we know that wine marinades reduce both food spoilage and the carcinogens created as meats cook over flame. Follow Mary Ross' tips to find the perfect wine for your backyard barbecue.
  

   

• Exploring the wines of Grandes Pagos de Espana May 9, 2012 12:00 AM
  The international wine lexicon is full of terms with the general meaning of “special growing site.” In Germany, it’s “gewachs;” in Spain it’s “pago.” France has several such terms: “climat” and “lieu-dit” are sites that are unofficially recognized for quality; “cru” is a site with its designation ratified by French law. In 2000, Spanish producers began a movement to officially recognize Spain’s most advantageous growing sites; in 2003, this association was named Grandes Pagos de Espana.
  

   

• Going green in the world of wines Apr 11, 2012 12:00 AM
  Winemakers today offer vintages in many shades of “green” that cover the process from the vine to the barrel to the bottle. How earth-friendly do you want your wine to be? Let’s explore the options. “Biodynamic” winegrowing replaces inorganic vineyard treatments with organic ones (such as animal parts), while aligning your imbibing with the cosmos.
  

   

• We could be on verge of Greek wine renaissanceMar 27, 2012 12:00 AM
  Greece currently sits in the cross hairs of international attention, and not for being the cradle of winegrowing civilization. As economic woes shrink their internal market, Greek winegrowers struggle to replace sales through exports, especially to the U.S.
  

   

• Argentina’s Torrontes a grape worth getting to know Mar 7, 2012 12:00 AM
  There's a steady current of Torrontes, with U.S. shipments up 11 percent. Torrontes styles are all over the map, but whether that map correlates to Argentina's vast wine map it's too soon for this palate to tell.
  

   

• Is 2009 vintage Bordeaux's wine of the century?Feb 22, 2012 12:00 AM
  The 2009 Bordeaux harvest isn't being heralded as “the vintage of the century” ... yet. Canny French marketers — the folks who that convinced Americans to eat snails and pay for water — wouldn't cash in that time-tested banner with 91 vintages yet to ripen on the vine.
  

   

• Ignite passion with truffles and wine Feb 8, 2012 12:00 AM
  If your love is lusty, earthy and exotic, skip the candy and blend truffles into your lover's feast. There's nothing prefab about a truffle. The truffles I'm talking about are the fruiting body of an underground fungus.
  

   

• Hard-to-find wines real gemsJan 25, 2012 12:00 AM
  Mary Ross says January is the time to relax, wander retail aisles and peruse wine lists, making contact with retailers and sommeliers as you go. She lets us in on some of the hard-to-find gems she's uncovered, but once tasted, they'll be even harder to forget.
  

   

• How nature-nuture dynamic works for wine Jan 11, 2012 12:00 AM
  Nature and nurture aren't topics limited to biosocial science. They also are hotly debated in winemaking and may determine what you'll drink with dinner tonight. Wine - fermented juice - is essentially natural. Because bubbling, roiling fermentation is a spontaneous process, wine production originally was not so much “making” anything, as much as standing back and shielding your eyes.
  

   

• Champagne for holiday toasting and everyday enjoyment Dec 27, 2011 12:00 AM
  I love Champagne. I recommend drinking it regularly for health and well-being. But Champagne has become one of the things that keeps me in the wine business; with an employee discount, I can afford the stuff. Now, Champagne has new competition -- beautifully-crafted, yummy sparkling wines you don’t have to transfer funds to purchase.
  

   

• Wine a tasteful gift for anyone on your list Dec 14, 2011 12:00 AM
  If you’re looking for a no-brainer holiday gift for any adult in your life, give wine. All you need to do is find out if the giftee drinks wine and decide how much you want to spend.
  

   

• Savoring a taste of history in this centuries-old port Nov 21, 2011 12:00 AM
  Talking port. Established in the Portuguese city of Oporto in 1692, today, descendants of the Yeatmans, Guimaraens and Croft clans manage day-to-day activities at Taylor's Port including international marketing, maintaining cellars and foot treading the grapes. The 2009 Croft ($79.97 per bottle) is a “succulent charmer,” as described by Johnson Ho, Pantheon proprietor. Fonseca’s 2009 ($99.97) is a sumptuous “stud muffin.” These and the accompanying Ross’ Choice make valuable additions to any cellar, for a remarkable drinking experience or a gift to commemorate births, weddings and other celebrations.
  

   

• Carmenere: New again Oct 19, 2011 12:00 AM
  Every once in awhile, something comes along to shake things up. Something like Carmenere. I remember like yesterday where I was when the big news hit. It was a frigid Friday in 1994, at a wine distributor meeting sales goals, new routes, supplier lectures about their climate, their soil, blah-blah. Then up to the mike steps a Chilean winegrower.
  

   

• Wine education never stops Oct 7, 2011 12:00 AM
  You’re never too old to take up a new hobby, so I decided to learn the play the guitar. Several weeks later, when I decided to quit the guitar, I realized that my utter frustration may be shared by folks exploring another hobby: wine. So, here are tips we can all use to keep our self-esteem intact while venturing outside our comfort zones:
  

   

• Rediscovering Chardonnay Sep 20, 2011 12:00 AM
  Chardonnay is the grape Americans love to hate. It's our top-selling wine, but the only wine with its own protest group – the ABC Club (that's Anything But Chardonnay). Ironically, our conflicted feelings are caused by Chardonnay's inherent neutrality.
  

   

• Sauvignon Blanc gains ground Aug 30, 2011 12:00 AM
  Sauvignon Blanc sales are up nearly 10 percent this year, closing the lead long-held by Chardonnay. Food-friendliness is a major factor in Sauvignon Blanc's success. America's most-popular international cuisines — Mexican and Greek among them, are especially suited to Sauvignon Blanc's herbal accents and citrusy acidity.
  

   
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  The future of Navarran wines Aug 19, 2011 12:00 AM
  good wine and choice
  

   
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  Enjoy a Navarran vineyard picnic Aug 4, 2011 12:00 AM
  When you want to give your standard picnic a new flavor, take a tip from the world’s winegrowers. Grape farmers have served delicious outdoor meals for millennia, first to feed hungry vineyard workers.