Wine

Drakes Haus -- home of the "merlot burger" -- will open in Boulder in mid-May

I don't know about you, but I've never had a "merlot burger" -- a burger that's been injected, literally, with the deep blue-hued wine grape. But come mid-May, all of us will have the opportunity to try one when Drakes Haus, a restaurant that, in fact, squirts merlot into its burgers, opens in Bould ... More >>

La Paulée des Neiges -- aka The Ballers' Burgundy Fest -- returns to The Little Nell this weekend

If you love pinot noir and chardonnay -- specifically, the particularly revered varieties which hail from the postage stamp-sized wine-producing region of Burgundy, France -- you may want to buy a lottery ticket today. See also: - The Boulder Burgundy Festival delivered the juice - Four top wine t ... More >>

Westword wine columnist Kendra Anderson tapped as the new wine director at PastaVino in Boulder

For the past three years, certified sommelier and chef Kendra Anderson has penned a weekly "Swirl Girl" wine column for Westword, giving readers -- novices and bona fide oenophiles alike -- crash courses that detail her love for the grape, and now she's taken her passion one step further. Anderson h ... More >>

Four top wine trends for 2013

Welcome to 2013 and the next year of your wine-drinking life. Over the past twelve months we saw a slew of clever new wine concepts worth trying, and a whole lotta wine-related WTFs to studiously avoid. All the while we watched and waited, eyes peeled for signs of the wine-related developments that ... More >>

Ten of the best (and highly giftable) wines of 2012

Last week, we poured out a little guidance on what you might sneak under the tree (or Festivus Pole, or whatever) that would add a little splash of joy in the lives of any wine lover on your list. But we failed to include any actual wine in that grouping, because we believe it deserving of a special ... More >>

Cooking with Pete and Barb Marczyk: savory and sweet beef brisket with merlot and prunes

Pete Marczyk and Barbara Macfarlane do not leave their work behind when they leave Marczyk Fine Foods and head for their great old Denver house with the big, new kitchen. They often bring some of their market's choicest ingredients home with them and cook up a feast. When it comes to prunes, there ... More >>

Stranahan's will release its latest Snowflake series whiskey on Saturday

Stranahan's Colorado Whiskey will release the latest batch of its highly-prized, limited-edition Snowflake series at 9 a.m. on Saturday. This one was cask- conditioned for months in two hand-picked Malbec barrels from Denver's Spero Winery. The distillery puts out one or two Snowflake series batche ... More >>

Three unlikely online wine clubs eager to quench your thirst

It seems like everybody and their neighbor wants to be in the wine business. Last week, we spilled the juice on Denver-based Club W's first year in the monthly wine club business. While we found their edgy-cool offerings well worth the hype, as we did our research we couldn't help noticing that the ... More >>

Club W delivers tasty wines worth waiting for

Delicious bottles of wine. Hand-selected for you by industry pros, based on your personal palate's preferences. Shipped directly to your door, every month, for less than $40. Welcome to the club -- that is, Club W. See also - Four ways to give the gift of wine (and buy local) this holiday season - ... More >>

Plenty of beer and wine will be flowing this evening

The Rocky Mountain French American Chamber of Commerce will host the fourteenth annual Beaujolais and Beyond Food & Wine Festival at Infinity Park Event Center, 4400 East Kentucky Avenue, tonight from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. The fundraiser features more than twenty local restaurants, and participating che ... More >>

Moving to Canada to protest the election results? Three things to know about Canadian wine

No matter who you were pulling for in last night's Presidential contest, if you were on the losing side, you undoubtedly heard more than a few of your disgruntled peeps threaten to move to Canada in protest. Well, before you start packing your bags, we thought it only proper to give you the lowdown ... More >>

The Boulder Burgundy Festival delivered the juice

"The first duty of wine is to be red; the second is to be a Burgundy." So say many hard-core oenophiles around the world, for whom the sun rises and sets according to the vintage charts, weather forecasts and harvest projections associated with a relatively tiny (we're talking roughly 200 miles) ... More >>

Five stellar South African wines

Wine drinkers typically skew into two categories: those who love the taste of dirt, and those who are all about big fruit flavors. Put another way, the first group consists of peeps who worship at the altar of everything old world, including wines from across the pond (read: Europe), usually in a st ... More >>

Four luscious white wines to savor now

Last week, we introduced you to four uniquely delicious red wines that seemed as though they were destined for autumnal consumption from the day they were bottled. And while it's true that our seasonal wine cravings generally give the edge to reds over whites, there are a multitude of compelling rea ... More >>

Four fall-worthy red wines to fall in love with

What makes a red wine fall -- or should we say, fall in love -- worthy? Given the record-setting quantities of rosé we consumed over the past few months, you might assume that getting us to loosen our death grip on pink wines would equal a Herculean feat.

Three juicy reasons to spend your weekend at Colorado Mountain WineFest

The Colorado wine industry is having a kick-ass year. In fact, we might even say that 2012 will go down as the one in which our state's wine biz officially blew up. Let's rewind: In April, our fair city hosted the fourth annual Drink Local Wine conference, a national affair that lured a clique of t ... More >>

Six lovely bubbly-based cocktails

If you're anything like us, then at times your veins may seem to be pumping pure bubbly. But if you're not, then we reckon there are at least two guaranteed occasions upon which you find yourself consuming drinks made with sparkling wine: Sunday brunch and New Year's Eve.

Three juicy facts (and wines) to get you ready for National Cabernet Day

Just when you thought there couldn't possibly be another day dedicated to the celebration of...well, anything, oenophiles around the country will raise filled-to-the-brim glasses to toast National Cabernet Day on Thursday. While it's easy to dismiss these booze-filled events as just another excuse t ... More >>

Five sexy Spanish wines to try now

Right or wrong, French wines seem to conjure up images of wood-paneled studies where "serious" oenophiles sip Burgundy and debate Bordeaux futures. Italian wine perceptions run the gamut -- you've got Barolo fanatics who kneel before the throne of King Nebbiolo along with fans of simpler stuff like ... More >>

Frasca Food and Wine co-owner and master sommelier Bobby Stuckey gets a huge nomination nod in Wine Enthusiast

Is Bobby Stuckey, co-owner of Frasca Food and Wine, Wine Enthusiast's Sommelier of the year? He just might be. But even if he isn't, one thing is for certain: Bobby Stuckey is a rock star.

The top four responsibilities of a great wine list

As Denver's restaurant scene contunues its evolution into one that can compete with more widely-known culinary meccas, the wine programs at some of the city's top eateries have tightened up their game significantly, too. That's great news, right? Trouble is, one foodie's wine list nirvana can be pe ... More >>

Four essential terms every wine lover needs to know, demystified

Wine -- just like every sport, art form, hobby or leisure pursuit -- has a language all its own. And while someone just learning to cook would likely realize that the intimidating task of understanding what terms like "sauté" or "chiffonade" mean is simply another step in that process, why is it th ... More >>

The top pink wines of summer 2012 (that cost less than $15)

There are almost too many reasons to love (and drink) pink during summer. When the living is easy, wine should be, too; nothing fussy or elaborate needs to be uncorked (or more often these days, unscrewed) when it's too damned hot to do anything but lounge. And the very best part of rosé season? Fi ... More >>

Unwined and Dined

Four truly upsetting restaurant wine service fails

There's nothing more delicious than an evening spent in the company of friends, enjoying the magical experience that is the simultaneous consumption of inspired cuisine and grape-based libations -- otherwise known as food and wine. Layer on top of that the fact that we can enjoy these heavenly event ... More >>

Six medal-winning reasons why the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen is just like the Olympics

The Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, which celebrated its thirtieth anniversary this year, is the gastronomic and vinous equivalent of every foodie and wine lover's mecca; it's our golden fleece, our Holy Grail, our industry's version of the Olympics.

Three surprising things Jax Fish House has in common with Sineann Winery (and The French Laundry)

True confession: We rarely go to Jax Fish House in search of amazing wine. That's not to say that we never go there. In fact, we've had more meals at Jax than you can shake a fish stick at. Way back in the day when folks were still a bit skeptical about the availability of fresh, quality seafood in ... More >>

Opus relocates to the Aria space in Cherry Creek, and has plans for a new restaurant in Castle Rock

I've had some exquisite food at Opus, the Littleton restaurant that's orchestrated by executive chef Sean McGaughey, who took over the burners after opening chef Michael Long departed the fine-dining restaurant to spearhead the kitchen at Aria, which opened in late 2010 in Cherry Creek. Long parted ... More >>

Five ways Colorado Urban WineFest will rock this week

What do Governor John Hickenlooper and chef-restaurateur Frank Bonanno have in common?

Five pink wines we really, really hope will end up in Elway's Cherry Creek rosé flight

It took everything we had not to start giggling uncontrollably.

Four reasons (and seven wines) that prove it's time to drink chardonnay again

"I'll have the chardonnay, thanks." After overhearing this from a nearby diner during a recent restaurant meal, followed immediately by the withering response, "Seriously? A chardonnay?" from said diner's snarky companion, we realized that chardonnay still has a bullshit reputation.

Wine events pour out the fun tonight

If you were hoping to attend tonight's vintage wine dinner at Le Central, 112 East Eighth Avenue, and don't have a reservation, you're too late -- that event is sold out, although the restaurant does have a waiting list. There are still some spots left at these two events, however:

Four fantastic Languedoc wines that taste like a vacation

We are so ready for a vacation. With five full weeks to go before the official start of summer, the last few days of sunshine (especially after all that rain) have been damn near torturous. You could say that weather like this brings out the hedonist in us -- and as such, brings on a craving for wi ... More >>

Seven ways Twitter will take your wine lifestyle to the next level

Imagine a magical tool that would bring together -- in a single location -- myriad information sources that fuel your passion for wine. An online (or mobile, for that matter) destination that collects on your behalf all manner of insightful information designed to keep you up to date -- on a moment ... More >>

Three Colorado winemakers worthy of Drink Local Wine week love

A little more than nine months ago, we ruffled a lot more than a few feathers by voicing our opinion on the local wine industry. Everyone from the Front Range Winery Association to hobbyist vintners juiced over where we got the balls to speak our minds on such an -- unbeknownst to us -- unbelievabl ... More >>

Four delicious California wines to [re]acquaint yourself with

There are two kinds of wine drinkers: Some seek out new wines like so many blind dates, eager to make the acquaintance of a lover more intriguing than the last; others are more like serial monogamists -- they form long-standing relationships with specific grapes, regions or winemakers to whom they r ... More >>

Five incredible pink wines to kick off rosé drinking season

A sun-soaked, 75-plus degree afternoon for the Rockies' home opener. Buds blooming on the trees outside our terrace. Flip-flop adorned feet everywhere we look. Seems it's been an age since Denver enjoyed a springtime as warm and inviting as this one -- and the early onset of balmier temps has brough ... More >>

Four ways in-home wine tastings help release your inner wine geek

We get it: You love wine. You subscribe to Wine Spectator, the staff at your neighborhood wine shop know you on sight, and you're contemplating an addition to your home to accommodate your burgeoning collection of bottles. There's more to being a wine lover, though, than simply drinking everything ... More >>

Four ways to conquer your fear of Lambrusco (and the wines that'll help you do it)

Remember a couple of weeks ago, when we systematically broke down the entirely undeserved bad rap (pun intended) on moscato? That put us in the mindset of another, equally beleaguered wine that we now feel compelled to turn you onto. We already know this one's gonna be a tougher sell, because people ... More >>

Eat, drink and soak up the scenery at the Taste of Vail

The gather and huddle in the early afternoon, often under the threat of ominous skies threatening to dump buckets of snow in their champagne flutes and on their foie gras. But that doesn't stop the hearty oenophiles and gastronauts from making the airborne gondola pilgrimage to the mountaintop picni ... More >>

Four unexpectedly delicious spring white wines

As you may have noticed, spring has been threatening to commence here in Denver for the past several weeks. In spite of the fact that our split-personality-disorder-of-a-weather-pattern may at any moment revert to what we should have been subjected to since February, our seasonal wine drinking habit ... More >>

Frasca empire sommelier Matt Mather gets big props from Food & Wine

Bobby Stuckey's wine team at Frasca Food and Wine is one of the most formidable in the state, and the crew is frequently praised for its deep, well-built cellar and the knowledgeable, well-spoken sommeliers who create unforgettable pairing experiences for diners, whether their taste is California Ca ... More >>

The Med and Boulder Wine Merchant team up to showcase sherry

Sherry, a fortified Spanish wine that ranges from light and dry to round and sweet, has fallen by the wayside as a fashionable beverage. In fact, we're willing to bet that today more people associate sherry with old ladies or cooking wine than with something they'd pair with dinner. Brett Zimmerman ... More >>

Four bottles that prove it's high time to get hip to Portuguese wines

It's technically February 29, but if it weren't a leap year, today we'd be flipping the page on the calendar over to the month of March. Seems like mere days ago we were ringing in the new year and plotting all manner of ways to help you live up to the only resolution we urged you to pursue: to make ... More >>

Three lust-worthy Valentine's Day wines

Forget romance: drink lust-worthy wines.​Romance, shmomance. We've had it up to here with all the laughably predictable recommendations and ill-advised wine pairings that show up like clockwork every year at this time. We're not hatin' on love or anything -- but since when is the notion of cel ... More >>

Two new wild ales from Avery Brewing bridge the gap between beer and wine

Beer is made from fermented barley. Wine is made from fermented grapes. So what do you call a beverage that uses both? The answer is Récolte Sauvage.

Five stellar wines from Sutcliffe Vineyards

We recently saw something on a Denver restaurant wine list that made us do a double take: A total of eleven -- you read that right, eleven -- Colorado wines available by the glass. Crazy, right? It gets even crazier: Four of those local wines were from a single producer, and it's one we're betting y ... More >>

Five Italian wines your American palate will love

Just tell the truth, already: you are totally freaked out by Italian wine. By "freaked out", we mean shaking like a leaf. Shivering in your shorts. Just plain scurrred. Ask a wine retailer which category they find most challenging to sell to less experienced consumers, and you're likely to hear the ... More >>

Four surprising reasons Silver Oak wines deserve a spot on your table

Cult-favorite, pricey and snooty -- three adjectives you may have heard associated with Silver Oak Winery at some point in your life as an oenophile. The first two are true enough: A passionate set of followers obsess over the brand, hoarding prized vintages in cellars for future generations to savo ... More >>

Eleven stellar pinot noirs (and eight rock-star winemakers) mark the Pinot Posse's return to Denver

Kendra AndersonPinot...yummy.​Our wait was finally over. Last night, exactly 365 days after our first, utterly unforgettable evening with eight über-talented winemakers known as the Pinot Posse, we saddled up and ventured into the wilds of the Denver Tech Center for another wine-drenched homa ... More >>