Wine Enthusiast Magazine

I’ve recently run into a conversation loop with visiting friends where they apologize to me for not enjoying bubbly drinks. Whether I’m offering canned seltzer, Champagne or a spritz, it seems as though nobody can burst the bubble’s hold on drinks of the moment. It’s so powerful in fact that people who are not taken by the charm of effervescence might feel ashamed by their (what could now be perceived as uncouth) preferences. And while cultural trends come and go, the surging popularity of fizzy drinks seems to be here to stay. There’s a reason we describe people we enjoy as “effervescent.” I’m a native New Yorker, and seltzer has always been a mainstay in our diet all the way back to the original egg cream invented in a Jewish deli in…

CARMELO ANTHONY’S 40TH CELEBRATION Last summer, Robert Mondavi Winery and VII(N) The Seventh Estate celebrated Carmelo Anthony’s 40th birthday at The Nines in NYC. It coincided with the limited release of Ode to Soul, a red blend created in partnership with Robert Mondavi Winery. VII(N) is a wine estate founded by Carmelo Anthony and Asani Swann to bring new voices into the world of wine, offering premium wines while connecting perspectives and individuals from all walks of life.…

If you want to turn a cocktail into a celebration, splash in some sparkling wine. “When you add it to a cocktail, it adds dryness and acidity—but it also delivers an entire mood, a vibe,” explains Elva Ramirez, author of Sparkling: Champagne and Sparkling Cocktails for Any Occasion (Union Square & Co.). “It makes everything more special and memorable.” History supports that celebratory spark: Wine, and later Champagne, was the customary quaff after France’s royal coronations. That enthusiasm for bubbly spilled over to America, becoming a symbol of aspirational luxury and style during the Gilded Age of the late 19th century. As the cocktail renaissance dawned, sparkling wine and mixology soon became entwined, with Champagne cocktails appearing in influential early books like William “Cocktail” Boothby’s 1891 American Bartender guide. Today, Champagne and other…

Seattle is known for great seafood and abundant rain, and Madeleine Angevine goes wonderfully with the former and ripens early enough to pick before the latter. Producing dry, crisp wines, the grape is popular in Germany and the UK and grows well in its place of origin, France’s Loire Valley. But it absolutely flourishes in the cool, temperate climate of Washington State’s Puget Sound AVA, pairing perfectly with briny local oysters. People are often fooled by the reputation for rain in the Northwest, comments Betsey Wittick, who grows grapes and makes wine at Bainbridge Vineyards, an hour’s trip (including a 35-minute ferry ride) from downtown Seattle. Yet the summer climate is dry and Mediterranean, ideal for Madeleine Angevine. By the time the chance of rain really picks up in October, Wittick’s…

PEOPLE SAY THAT ANCHOVIES—THE TINY SALT-CURED FISH PACKED IN TINS—are a love-it or hate-it food. What they don’t tell you, though, is that even the “hate it” crowd has probably enjoyed them hundreds of times in restaurants, where chefs revere them as a ready source of umami flavor alongside things like miso, soy sauces and MSG. For the “love it” crowd, try dishes that put them center stage; though intensely salty, they retain enough oceanic complexity to welcome a range of wines. WHAT ARE WHITE ANCHOVIES? So-called “white” anchovies—aka boquerones—are the same fish as the tinned salt bombs, just uncured and packed in vinegar, which lightly pickles them. Mild and tangy, think of using them anywhere you’d use pickles, olives or lox, or as a milder substitute for tinned anchovies. Ultra crisp…

Yotam Ottolenghi’s newest cookbook, Ottolenghi Comfort, may end up the most dog-eared of his many books on your shelf. As the name suggests, these are old and new favorites of his—and coauthors Helen Goh, Verena Lochmuller and Tara Wigley—that evoke nostalgia and beg to be shared. Of these fishcakes, he says, “As with most things potatoey and fried, these are a family-dinner-winner, served with a simple salad or piled into a brioche bun or baguette for lunch.” Try making smaller ones for dinner parties or holidays, as well. SALMON FISHCAKES WITH CHERMOULA REMOULADE Adapted from Ottolenghi Comfort by Yotam Ottolenghi, Helen Goh, Verena Lochmuller and Tara Wigley. (Ten Speed Press) 1 large sweet potato (about 9¾ ounces)2 russet (or other floury) potatoes (about 9¾ ounces)1 teaspoon olive oil1 pound salmon filets, skinless and…