There are so many fun gadgets associated with drinking! Here’s a fun one for the wine geeks — a wine bottle thermometer. It has markings for the optimal serving temperature for different varieties of wine. So no more wondering how…

Got what it takes to be a winemaker? Want to create your own national wine label? Then audition for the Public Television series “The Winemakers” for a chance to go to Rhone, France and prove yourself. Auditions will be held…

Looking for a Father’s Day gift that is both thoughtful and quick? These picks are unique liquors that stand out among other spirits of the same type. What better way to show Dad that you think he’s one of a…

Sake is a light, refreshing, low-calorie drink that is good as more than just a chaser for your spicy tuna roll. Yaegaki Nigori sake is affordable ($12 a bottle) and accessible (you don’t have to know a lot about sake…

The movie Sideways maligned merlot and praised pinot noir — and that had a very real effect on the wine market for the last few years. So it’s funny that one of the best California merlot producers is a winery…

I sampled wines from around the world at a Bottlenotes tasting at Crushpad in San Francisco a few days ago. I’ve narrowed down my favorites from the evening, to help you add some global flair to your wine rack. To…

If you’re planning a special Valentine’s Day dinner, don’t forget the wine! Here are some basic food and wine pairing tips. The first thing to remember is that it is more important to choose a wine that you enjoy than…

Bottlenotes is offering Drink of the Week readers $10 off tickets to “Around the World in 80 Sips.” That means $30 will get you tastes of wine from around the world, with special food pairings. It will be held February…

Opening a bottle of wine is a commitment. A typical bottle of wine equals about five or six glasses (depending on the size of your glass, naturally). If you’re dining at home alone or with one other person and looking…

When it’s time for the champagne toast to celebrate 2009, why start the year by spending a fortune? These three sparkling wines (which is just the term for what most of us call champagne if it is made outside the…

During the holiday season, money’s tight. But it doesn’t mean you can’t have the good stuff … or give the good stuff. Rosso & Bianco has some solid offerings for $12 a bottle. (I got mine at the tasting room,…

What are these people doing? Giving carnal pleasure to a robot? No! They are making their own wine at home. And computers are involved! WinePod is a home winemaking system that “presses, ferments and manages wine” in one unit. You…

The always-enchanting Fred & Friends does it again. This time it’s the Get a Grip! snap-on wine glass holder. Holding your glass by the stem (so as not to affect the temperature) can be slippery business. Aside from helping you…

Poizin Reserve by Armida Winery is a big zinfandel in a little coffin. The Healdsburg winery brags that this “wine to die for” is a blend of its best zinfandel grapes. The 2005 and 2006 Reserves are best suited for…