Wine & Spirits

  • Learn Why ” Our Wine is Blood” in Georgia

    (Gerry Furth-Sides) Georgia is generally recognized as the birthplace for domesticated wine, with a history dating back to 6,000 B.C. and wines continuing to be made by many families in the country’s fertile valleys in the South Caucasus Mountains.   See our article on the stunning Georgian wine we wrote about as the new darl...

  • Canadian Ice Wine – Still Only North of the Border

    (Gerry Furth-Sides)  If absinthe makes the heart grow fonder, so Ice Wine makes it grow warm.  And as both of these treasured spirits are introduced in local stores and bars locally, they are all the more prized. Sophisticated Toronto is still known for its Stratford Shakespeare festival, its treasure trove of multi-cultural c...

  • Hippocrates Precious Tears: Chios “Mastiha” Comes to America

    (Gerry Furth-Sides, Greek photos courtesy of The Chios Mastiha Growers Association).  Whenever anyone, including me, thought of “mastiha” in the past, chewing gum came to mind.  Its a different story these days since “Healthy” is the new mantra for food and drink these days, and whatever items can  mak...

  • How to Celebrate Mezcal Day October 21!

    (Gerry Furth-Sides) Celebrate Mezcal Day October 21st or any other day with this refined spirit.  All you need to remember is that  All Mezcal is Tequila but not all Tequila is Mezcal — because of the unique way that mezcal is processed from a variety of agave plants (like tequila is) that instills a special smoky [&hel...

  • Maker’s Mark Defines Preux & Proper and Vice Versa

        (Gerry Furth-Sides) Editor’s Note:  Since this post was published, Preux & Proper no longer features Maker’s Mark.   The dictionary definition of “Maker’s Mark” is the hallmark on a piece of English gold, silver, or plate denoting the person or firm responsible for its productio...

  • Five Outdoor Asian Winners California-ize the German “Biergarten”

    (Gerry Furth-Sides) Leave it to fun-loving Bavarians in Germany to solve a problem with a precise, practical party solution.  Munich breweries early in the 19th century added to open-air dining and beer-drinking with “Biergartens” as a way to use planted gardens above cellars to keep their lagers cool enough to ferment und...

  • Domaine de Cala’s Two New Rose Must-Have for Bastille Day

    (Gerry Furth-Sides) In anticipation of the rosé season and summer entertaining, the story about this double Rosé release of 2017 Domaine de Cala Rosé and2017 Domaine de Cala Prestige Rosé, a brand created by celebrated Chef Joachim Splichal, famed Los Angeles-based Patina Restaurant Group Founder.  The family-owned and o...

  • Italian Wines of Marche Face-off with Russia

    (Gerry Furth-Sides) Savor  Italy came to town on a recent wintry, rainy day, bringing with it the essence of this favored country through an in-depth introduction to the “hidden gem of Central Italy,” Le Marche, and the new “food and wine gateway,” Lombardy.  Both boast sophisticated&n...

  • “Savor Italy” Introduces New Wine and Food Regions

    Gerry Furth-Sides) Savor  Italy’s came to town on a wintry, rainy day, bringing the sunny flavors and essence of Velenosi Winery in Central Italy and Lombardy through interactive tastings and seminars Laura Donadoni reintroduced us to Marche, known as The Hidden Gem of Central Italy by way of Velenosi Winery, which repr...

  • Winning Ethnic Cuisine Ambassadors 2017

    (Gerry Furth-Sides) “Bravo!” to our 2017  “Food ambassadors,” winners, the ” bridge builders” who not only represent the best ethnic cuisine experiences but who cordially and enthusiastically entice, encourage and welcome us to enjoy new ethnic cuisine by way of an introduction and informatio...