Christmas is a lot of work. There, I said it. As a kid, Christmas just magically happens. But, once you cross the threshold into adulthood, you discover that you’re the magic. You are now the chief elf, responsible for...

screen-shot-2017-02-07-at-2-19-40-pmThe highly recognizable Italian brand, Cinzano, has been making vermouth for over 250 years — longer than the United States has been a country.  In 1757, brothers Giovanni and Carlo Cinzano opened a small distillery shop in Turin, Italy...

Blind tasting is a humbling experience.  It’s all at once immensely instructional, and intimidating as hell.  Your palate is exposed, and your wine tasting credibility is on display. Gulp. I belong to a wine tasting study group,...

If you follow my Carpe Vinum adventures, you know that a couple of us are heading to France on vacation this summer (I’m going Paris and north; my girlfriend is going Paris and south). Last month, we embarked on an in-depth...

Snow fell from the skies above Washington, DC last night.  The Federal Government was closed.  Everything was closed, really.  We have a mammoth 4 inches of snow here at Casa Armchair Sommelier, which is enough to shutter schools for at least 2 days....

I’m a desperate woman. Desperate for my relentless head cold to go away. I’ve got stuff to do, for crying out loud! So I’m sitting here trying to think of a sacrifice to the Gods of Phlegm...

Summer Salad Wine Pairing I’m having a summer salad wine pairing moment.  A big one. A few days ago, I had a craving for figs and burrata cheese, and started clicking around on the Pinterest, for summer...

Leftovers.  Drag-outs.  Must-goes.  Whatever you call them at your house, they all spell one thing:  Dread. I don’t know anyone who would say leftovers is their favorite meal.  And I’m the worst leftover eater. There’s only one thing that tastes better...

I’m a Cornhusker by birth (Go Big Red!), but I’ve lived in Virginia almost my entire life, so I’m allowed to say y’all.  That said, I live in the exurbs of Northern Virginia . . . so I have to...

I’m a Cornhusker by birth.  I hail from the great Big Red state of Nebraska.  I always get a little homesick for Nebraska this time of year.  College football is in full swing (GO BIG RED!), the corn is...