In addition to the lemon-lime citrus qualities, the Torrontés from Alamos winery had barely a touch of sweetness and creaminess to temper the Thai dishes.

Continue reading 2009 Alamos Torrontés »

Without fanfare, big change has been under way at Atlanta Brewing Co.

There’s a new name, Red Brick Brewing. And there are new Red Brick labels.

There’s also a new direction.

The company has shifted focus outside of Atlanta to markets in Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, Tennessee, North Carolina and South Carolina.

“We haven’t put a new sign on the outside of the building, yet,” said Red Brick president Bob Budd during a recent interview. “But we’ve been thinking about this for awhile. It’s about getting our public image in line with our product name.”

Founded in 1993, Atlanta Brewing is the oldest operational small brewery in Georgia. Since the beginning, its beers have been know as Red Brick.

“Having two names has confused people for a long time,” Budd said. “And now that we’ve expanded into six other states, there’s no reason to confuse those people, too. We thought this was a great time to rebrand the company to be the same as the brand of …

Continue reading Atlanta Brewing becomes Red Brick »

Today marks the 40th anniversary of Earth Day. I’m sure it will be commemorated with ceremonies aplenty to hold Mother Nature’s hand and sing Kumbaya. It will also be a day when every marketing engine in the country will be revving up and spewing out message clouds declaring just how darn green and environmentally friendly this or that company is

Continue reading Raising A Glass For Mother Earth »

before I fall on my sword, let me just say discovering uniquely delicious wine that goes for less than $20 is a hard number to roll. There are plenty of drinkable, inoffensive wines out there, but I don’t think you crack open a newspaper or navigate to a website for average stuff.

Continue reading Three Dollars For Down Under Cab »

Gil Kulers

Dear Gil,

Some time ago, I received a 1990 Château Latour as a gift.  I’ve kept it in a wine cooler the whole time. Is it ready to drink and should I finally pull the cork?

—Mark in Marietta

Dear Mark,

You must have been a very good boy to have received such a magnificent gift. I think the question here really is: Are YOU ready to drink it? No doubt you have an idea of the monetary value of this wine. Depending on which auction you refer to, this famous Bordeaux wine typically goes for $700 to $1,000 a bottle. Furthermore, as you may know, it has the distinction (along with a very small handful of wines) of being hailed “a perfect wine” by wine critics and collectors.

Despite living in a polarized, if-you’re-not-with-us-you’re-against-us world, I’m disinclined to offer definitive black-and-white answers to such questions. I am, however, prepared to give you a few things to think about.

Once upon a time, I poured the 1990 Latour on several occasions …

Continue reading When Is The Right Time To Open A Wine? »

Terrapin Capt’n Krunkles Black India Pale Ale
Terrapin Beer Co., Athens
$7.99/ 22-ounce bottle; also available on draft at select beer bars and restaurants.

Profile: Volume 10 of the ongoing Terrapin Side Project series has a split personality. Capt’n Krunkles looks like a stout but drinks like a big IPA. Dark Munich and DH Carafa III malts give it a tar black color with a thick tan head. A hefty combination of six different hop varieties, including Centennial and Simcoe, impart a profusion of bitterness. Citrus and cocoa notes complete the picture of a crazy brew aimed at adventurous imbibers.

Pair with: Match the bitterness, citrus and cocoa in Capt’n Krunkles with spicy Mexican dishes such as mole poblano with chicken or turkey. The layers of heat and spice in Jamaican jerk pork with black beans would make another fun pairing.

Continue reading Beer Pick: Terrapin Capt’n Krunkles Black India Pale Ale »