Healthy Drinking - Weight Loss

There is no doubt that drinking can add pounds to the mid section. Muffin tops and spare tires can be seen at your local bar from patrons who are “belly up to the bar” on any given night. The term (belly up to the bar) comes from a post-prohibition law that stated, “in order to drink in a restaurant that servers alcohol, patrons must be belly up at the bar in order to consume alcohol.” With obesity being a hot topic in America, some states (like Florida – check out www.healtystate.org) are taking a hard line in fighting calorie intake.

The number of calories in mixed drinks depends on several things: the amount and proof of the alcohol, the mixers, and the size of the drink. The mixers, syrups, and sodas really get people into calorie trouble. Most drinks start with 1.5 ounces of distilled spirits at around 96 calories for that serving. That can easily be turned into a drink with hundreds of calories by mixologists unless they are running a “Sinnky Drink” program such as several large restaurant chains are now doing. I do not like skinny drinks as they lack in taste such as cooking with light butter or milk.

Whether you are drinking a beer or a cosmo, the higher the alcohol content, the higher the calories. Let’s look at vodka for example:

80-proof vodka (40% alcohol; the most common type) has 64 calories per 1oz

86-proof vodka (43% alcohol) has 70 calories/1 oz

90-proof vodka (45% alcohol) has 73 calories/1 oz

100-proof vodka (50% alcohol) has 82 calories/1 oz

If alcohol is a culprit, we need to look at mixers too. Take a look below:

Coffee, tea: 0 calories

Sugar-free syrups: 0

Regular soda: 160 calories

Diet soda or diet tonic: 0 calories

Orange juice (6 oz): 84 calories

Light orange juice (8 oz): 50 calories

Cranberry juice cocktail (8 oz): 136 calories

Light cranberry juice (8 oz): 40 calories

Lemon or lime juice (1/2 oz): 10 calories

Light lemonade (8 oz): 5 calories

When it comes to portion size, the average serving size of wine and alcoholic beverages is probably smaller than you think.  Beer, on the other hand, is more standardized in bottles and beer glasses, except if you are at Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany.

Most glasses of wine contain 125-150 calories (4 oz), but that can double depending on the size of the glass size and how full it is.  Wine glasses are often refilled (seemingly bottomless) before empty, making it especially hard for dieters to track their alcohol and calorie consumption.

Beer can range from 64-198 calories per 12 ounces. Light beers are a better choice because they contain the same amount of alcohol as regular beers but fewer carbs.  

So just how many calories are in your favorite cocktail? These calorie counts for popular alcoholic drinks are approximate as it depends heavily on ingredients and portions.

Top – 5 Alcoholic beverages by calorie count (High)

Long Island iced tea (8 oz): 780 calories

Mud Slide (6 oz): 580 calories

Chocolate martini (6 oz):  438 calories

White Russian (6 oz): 425 calories

Pina Colada (6 oz): 378 calories

Top – 5 Alcoholic beverages by calorie count (Low)

Ultra-light beer (12 oz): 64-95

Mimosa (4 oz): 75

Rum and Diet Coke (8 oz): 100

Champagne (5oz): 106-120

Red & White wine (5 oz):120

Studies have shown that some alcoholic beverages can actually aid in health. Look at the best of the best:

Best alcoholic drinks for health:
Red Wine
Red wine is naturally filled with antioxidants, a natural cancer-fighting agent, and is said to aid with digestion. It can also help reduce cholesterol, aid in the formation of nerve cells, and has less sugar than most white wines. The recommended amount of red wine is one 4 ounce glass for women and one or two glasses for men.

Bloody Mary
A Bloody Mary is naturally packed with antioxidants regardless of how it's made. Ingredients such as Cayenne pepper, hot sauce, horse radish and others also carry certain health benefits, as do any vegetables that are in the recipe and/or garnish.

Screwdriver
Vitamin C from the orange juice and the added fiber of it are some of the extra health benefits here. Orange juice is also a source of vitamin B1, potassium, calcium, and more. Vodka's distilling process makes regular brands devoid of sugars and yeasts that can exaggerate hangovers.

Beer

Although calories are always an issue with beer, being a grain beverage that is fermented, the natural benefits of the grain are inevitably going to have some effect.

I hope this educational lesson helps you the next time you go out to drink and want to reduce calories. Remember that it is always good to get some form of exercise in between drinking sessions – and no, 12-ounce curls should not be considered part of your routine.

Spirits - Grand Marnier

By popular demand, Swig Knowledge has paid homage to one of the best spirits on earth. For those of you who know me, you know that Grand Marnier is one of my favorite “drinks.” I have had it in Champagne flutes in Paris, random bars in DC, and dusted off from the shelves of bars in the South. It is the drink of Washington, DC. It is a quintessential blend of orange zest and beautiful bouqeted cognacs from France. This wonderful nectar is truly a blend from the heavens. Whether you call it GM or Grand Ma, this blog is for you! Here’s the scoop:

Grand Marnier - Cordon Rouge (GM)
Originally created by Louis-Alexandre Marnier Lapostolle in 1880, Grand Marnier is a blend of fine cognacs (from Cognac, France), distilled with tropical orange essence, and slow aged in French oak casks giving it its color (gold and amber tints). The nose is complex with orange and toffee. On the tongue, GM has bitter orange flavors are enhanced by the cognac with a hint of orange marmalade and hazelnut. The long finish pairs well with desserts such as citrus fruit crème brulee, caramel pastries and cheeses such as bleu (Roquefort).

Cuvee du Centenaire (GM 100)
Most people think this GM 100 is 100-years-old, but it was created to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the House of Grand Marnier in 1927. This rare medium amber, copper lined colored spirit is the perfect blend of essence of tropical oranges and rare French 25-year-old cognacs mainly from Petite and Grande Champagne (the two most prestigious production areas in the Cognac region). Its nose is full of candied orange scents with hints of spice and notes of dried fruit, gingerbread and nutmeg on the tongue. Macerated orange complete the long finish which pairs well with desserts such as moist chocolate cake, orange cake, or a plate of apricots and soft cheeses such as Camembert.

Cuvée du Cent Cinquantenaire (GM 150)
Again, most people think that GM 150 is 150-years-old, but it was launched by Jacques Marnier Lapostolle, the company's CEO, in 1977 to commemorate the 150th anniversary of this glorious beverage. This blend, presented in a hand painted decanter, was created for cognac enthusiasts being blended with 50-year-old Cognacs. It combines essence of orange with very old cognacs mainly from Grand Champagne, the most prestigious production area in the Cognac region. The color is reddish-gold with light amber on the rim. The nose has scents of aged cognac with background notes of cocoa, cinnamon and other spices and the flavor provides notes of coffee, honey, almonds and spices. GM 150 pairs well with hard cheeses such as aged Gouda and Parmigianino and rich desserts such as chocolate sponge cake and tiramisu.

The Flavors

When I was traveling through Europe (READ MY BOOK!), I came across several flavors of GM that were not available in the States at the time. They are very unique in style and taste.

Cordon Jaune (Cheap GM)
This bottle is very unique with its yellow ribbon. This spirit is only sold in some European countries and at some major international airports. Yellow Label Grand Marnier is generally regarded as being the lowest quality. It is made with neutral grain spirit rather than cognac. It is used for mixed drinks and cooking purposes, such as Crêpes Suzette.

Navan (Vanilla GM)
Navana, a small village on the north-eastern coast of Madagascar (one of the island's most renowned vanilla-producing regions), is the namesake for this spirit. Navan brings together natural vanilla from this region with fine French cognacs. I am not a fan, but one could try it straight up, on the rocks, or in delicious cocktails.

Cherry Marnier (Cherry GM)
Cherry Marnier, one of the first fruit liqueurs created at the family's original distillery near Versailles, is made exclusively from Morello cherries, a variety from Turkey known for its full flavor. The cherries are ground with their stones (seeds) to lend an aromatic richness and body before undergoing slow maceration and resting for one year in vats where the liqueur acquires its complexity and roundness. The color is deep red tinted with copper hues and a rich nose of cherry enhanced by notes of sweet almonds and spices. I tried this in the South of France (Monte Carlo), alongside the main marina at midnight as a night cap. It was definitely different.

When you have a chance, order a GM and think of me.

The Versus Series - Cava

Here at Swig Knowledge we like the idea of “The Versus Series” and setting two beverages similar in style, taste and form and see who wins in a head to head test once the dust settles and the room begins to spin. You may remember out first Versus Series (Porter vs. Stout) from a couple of weeks ago. The outcome was a good review for Swig Knowledge and we did it again.

When I was traveling through Spain a couple of years ago, my first stop was in Barcelona and my first stop for a night out on the town was to a wine bar for Cava. Spain is known for its Cava and it is shipped throughout the globe. Some may think Cava is Champagne. I can see why they would: both Champagne and Cava use the some of the same grapes that are grown in similar conditions and both utilize the same method of distillation (Méthode Champenoise – a method of storing wine in a bottle upside-down on racks in underground caves while they create carbon dioxide which creates the bubbles). The basic difference is that only wines from Champagne, France, can be called Champagne (similar to that wines from Porto, Portugal, can only be called ports).

Alright, let’s get started:

The Tail of the Tape:

Cordon Negro Brut by Freixenet
Blend: Macabeo, Parellada, Xarel-lo
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 11.5%
Method: Méthode Champenoise
Aging: 12 months in a cave
Price: $13.00 - $17.00 a bottle

Segura Viudas Brut by Aria
Blend: 60% Macabeo, 20% Parellada 20% Xarel-lo
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 11.5%
Method: Méthode Champenoise
Aging: Up to 3 years in a cave
Price: $7.00 - $10.00 a bottle

Ding, Ding...

Freixenet is the largest cava houses in Spain, similar to France's Moet & Chandon in quality, distribution and importance. The Freixenet cava business started in 1914 and launched the cava “Carta Nevada” (one of its leading products) in 1941 and cava “Cordon Negro” in 1974. Cordon Negro Brut is Freixenet’s most popular cava (the #1 imported sparkling wine in the world). It is a blend of three white, Spanish grape varieties – Macabeo (widely grown in the Cava producing, hot and dry areas south of Barcelona, the Rioja region of northeastern Spain, and the Languedoc region of France), Xarel-lo (found mainly in the cooler northeastern region of Spain in Catalonia and gives off hints of crisp apple) and Parellada (also found in Catalonia and gives off aromas of citrus and golden apples).

It is crisp, clean, well balanced and is very dry. The acidity is lower than champagnes for a softer, smoother flavor. It is medium-bodied with apple, pear and bright citrus flavors and a moderately long and crisp, clean finish.

Segura Viudas, located in Penedes, Spain, (located between Barcelona, Spain, and the border of France) began producing wines in 1950, but it was not until 1969 that it began to market its wines. Today the wine house has accumulated international recognition in a short amount of time. The Ferrer family of Barcelona (the largest producer of sparkling wine for over 100 years) purchased the Segura Viudas estate in the early 80’s and are responsible for Aria's introduction and success in the United States and around the globe. Like Freixenet, Aria is also a blend of Macabeo, Parellada and Xarel-lo grapes.

This Cava is a dry, lively wine, appropriate for any occasion. Its flavor is dominated by fresh pineapple, almonds, honey and straw, with hints of pears.

And the winner is…

Though I enjoyed both Cavas, the winner to me is the value driven Aria. Its flavors stood out more and were not as harsh as Freixenet. It is a great sipping Cava that is strong enough to be paired with seafood, cheese, and a good time. Hope you enjoyed the Versus Series. Look for another one soon. I will also take recommendations!

Wine - Apothic Red

During my time as a buyer for one of the busiest restaurants in the US, I had to recreate a wine list with over 150 wines due to the struggling economy. Because Americans started pinching pennies, we knew that the first thing guests would hold back on was buying wine with dinner. My job – find wines that were less expensive that were still great in quality.

I have never liked the term “cheap wine.” Instead, the term “value driven wines” was used during this phase. Taking off wines that ran as high as $80 - $100, we dropped our wine prices to the $25 - $45 range and began selling more wines in bulk to make up the difference in lost revenue. I remember buying wine in gas stations in Bordeaux, France for around 4 Euros ($6.00). The wines were perfectly blended, smooth and satisfying. Wine is wine to some and they may think it is all the same. I like to find different blends and varietals that make wine lists more interesting than those with the normal varietals.

Not too long ago, I tried a value driven wine which my sister recommended call Apothic Red (13% ABV, around $14 a bottle). This wine did not let me down with its aroma of dark chocolate, black pepper and salami. Being a blend three bold grapes (Syrah, Zinfandel, and cut with Merlot), this wine was right up my alley in terms of medium to full bodied reds which I love.

As for the taste, Apothic Red is a little sweeter (but definitely not overly sweet) with ripe rhubarb, plush black cherry and cola flavors with a long lasting vanilla finish. The wine is not your average "cheap wine". It’s different, intriguing, bold, and satisfying. It's a huge wine with a low price.

As for pairings, this wine would go perfectly with braised brisket, grilled or roasted pork and bold cheeses such as bleu or a mouth coating goat cheese. When in the store, don’t go for the most expensive bottle thinking it’s the best. In the end, it may be overrated, overpriced and simply not good.

Beer - Abita SOS - Save our Shore - A Charitable Pilsner

Perusing the shelves of a local beer and wine shop, I found a beer that brought back memories of college in the south. I couldn't decide what to buy, but seeing a familiar name with a good cause behind the bottle made my decision for me.

Since 1986, the Abita Brewing Company, located 30 miles north of New Orleans in Abita Springs, Louisiana, has been brewing delectable treats such as their well known brews of Turbodog and one of my favorites Purple Haze. In their first year, Abita produced 1,500 barrels of beer. In 1994, they outgrew the original site and moved just up the road to keep up with demand.

Today, Abita brews over 109,000 barrels of beer and 6,000 barrels of root beer in their new facility which is just a short drive from their old site which is now a brew pub that features their 18 beers (which include 8 mass produced/flagship brews, 5 seasonal ales, 3 harvest beers, and 3 “Big Beers”) and root beer.

Abita Springs, LA, offers the purest of water from deep wells (according to the website), and the brews are created with no preservatives, additives or stabilizers during the cold filtered process. Together with the water from Abita Springs and malted barley (both British and North American), yeast strains (from Germany and America), and hops (from the Pacific Northwest), Abita has become the largest beer producer in the south.

I can remember nights at the University of Alabama, sitting on porches and sipping Purple Haze (a raspberry-wheat beer at 4.2% ABV) as the sun set on a hot day and nights in the French Quarter in New Orleans drinking countless pours of Turbodog (a malty brown/amber ale at 5.6% ABV) to get the night started. The beer I chose today was SOS (Save Our Shore – A Charitable Pilsner at 7% ABV) which was new, but came with a name I could trust not to let me down.

After a BP oil rig spilled thousands of gallons of oil into the Gulf Coast Region of Louisiana, Abita decided to give back to their community that helped them grow into what they are today. Working with the Louisiana Seafood Promotion - Marketing Board (LSPMB), Abita established the “SOS – A Charitable Fund” to assist with "the rescue and restoration of the environment, industry and individuals fighting to survive the disastrous oil spill." Abita has given back 75¢ for every bottle sold.

The brew is an unfiltered, Weizen Pils (a German style Pilsner), made with Pilsner and wheat malts and dry hopped with Sterling and German Perle hops which produces a gold color, a sweet malt flavor, and a gratifying bitterness and aroma. Since this is a Pilsner styled brew, it is extremely easy to drink, and though this style of beer is usually best consummed in the late Spring/early Summer, it offered a refreshing get away from cold and snowy Washington, DC.

Not only is this a great brew, but it gives us all a chance to help the cause while sitting back and enjoying a great beer and the ensuing buzz. Pick one up today and give back to a struggling community. You wont be disappointed.

Beer – Le Saint Bock – 'Sacrilege”

So there I was, sitting at the bar at Cheesecake Factory, drinking Ultimate Margaritas on a Monday at 2pm, when I found myself in the midst of a slue of Long Island Teas for $5.00 at happy hour. “What a great deal,” I thought as I sipped away. The music was soft and boring, but the conversation kept my attention in between drinks.

Heading out into the cold early-evening air (around 30 degrees) certainly woke me up as I made my way to Best Cellars with friends where we tasted several wines, including a Cotes du Rhone which I loved. Once the tasting was over, the clerk recommended a few items (beer and wine), but upon snooping around the store, I found an interesting brew from Canada from a brew pub in Montreal.

Le Saint Bock in Montreal, Canada has 20 taps with 5 or 6 reserved for their own brews. The menu is strictly French and the atmosphere is cozy with library shelves filled with interesting beers and a patio outside. All of their brews have a religious context to the names.

As for the beer, Sacrilege ($13.99) comes in a 11.2 oz bottle and is 15% ABV. The beer almost knocked my teeth out. It's black, opaque oil-like appearance made way to a rich, big, oily, black Imperial Stout with an aroma and taste of dark chocolate, coffee, roasted barley with hints of leather, wood barrels, maple syrup and molasses along with tobacco notes. The head was minimal with thinning tan bubbles atop the dark black/brown body. Sacrilege is smooth and flavorful and simply an amazing and unique brew.

It was within half a beer that I had succumbed to the hiccups. I would certainly drink this beer again on a cold, snowy day, but the second time around I would not start with tequila based cocktails.

The Versus Series - Beer - Porter vs. Stout

Waking up today to a 20 degree, cold ass day in Washington, DC, spurred a new idea for Swig Knowledge. I decided to do a “Versus Edition.” With the cold weather this morning a Porter vs. Stout edition only seemed fitting....even at 10am. Some of you may remember the blog I did about Session Dark a few weeks ago. I decided to take that idea and blend in two fuller bodied beers, though different in style, similar in effect. By the way, this photo to the left is from when I was in Prague. Yes, I've been to Europe. Buy my book now!

The beers I paired against each other were two locally produced delicacies in Flying Dog “Gonzo Imperial Stout” out of Fredrick, Maryland, and Dominion “Oak Barrel Stout” out of Dover, Delaware. People ask me all the time, “Cole, what's the difference between Porters and Stouts?” My answer: “Porters get me drunker cause they are higher in ABV (Alcohol by Volume).”

But seriously, Stouts and Porters are basically from the same dysfunctional family in the dark beer world. Both beers are made with water, yeast, hops and roasted malt or barley. So which came first? Well, Porters were produced as early as 1720 in England and the word Stout was used as early as the 14th century to describe “strong brews.” “Stout Porters” were created in England and Ireland in the late 1700's and the word “Porter” was dropped in the 1800's to symbolize that you had a strong beer in your bottle or keg. Basically, Porters are a specific style of beer and Stouts are strong beers. One could potentially have a stout lager or IPA. Porters have always been known as the strongest of stout beers.

Flying Dog has become very popular small craft brewing company over the years. The Gonzo Imperial Porter (9.2% ABV, around $2 in the store) was created in homage to Hunter S. Thompson (one of my favorite writers) who created the term “Gonzo Journalism” - a very complex writing style that takes you all over the place in random thought process, but eventually back to a main point. This porter is no different as it takes you through an array of smells from chocolate to bitter caramel and tastes such as coffee, cherries and bitter chocolate on the tongue. The dark, opaque color provides an amber/caramel, frothy head.

Dominion is a lesser known brewery which has been around longer then Flying Dog. The Oak Barrel Stout (5.2% ABV, around $2 in the store) provided a similar sight (dark and opaque with an amber head which dissolved quickly), but provided a different nose (full-bodied oak like you would find in wine with an oak barrel fermentation with a hint of vanilla and lavender) and taste (strong vanilla – almost like a milkshake – and lighter in complexity then the Flying Dog). This would be a good sipping beer.

In the end, I would pick the Gonzo Imperial Porter as the beer I want to hold me in its arms on a cold day (okay, that's way too much I know) because of its boldness, but I did enjoy the Oak Barrel Stout as one I would drink again. In fact, I would not characterize the Oak Barrel as a porter at all, but rather a strong (stout) beer as noted above.

Even though I have a buzz (which is always a goal), I feel that this first edition of the “Versus Series” was a bust since the two beers were so different. Ugh, now off to work.

Scotch - Hibiki

Working in the “Industry” (the restaurant biz) allows me try many different beverages. My vendors bring in many products – most of which are off the beaten path of household brand names such as Absolute, Jack or Macallan. The other afternoon, one of the reps came in for lunch and told me she had a bottle of single malt scotch from Japan called Hibiki (43% ABV, around $80). Japanese single malt? I just had to try it.

Upon first glance, its unique bottle and amber hue, outlined in gold, caught my eye. I took a sniff from the bottle and poured a taste into a rocks glass. Lifting the glass to my nose, I picked up a bouquet of plums, raspberries, pineapples, honey, and vanilla. Normally, when tasting scotch whiskey, I would cut the contents with a couple drops of water. With this one, I swigged it straight and pure.

The initial taste brought an aromatic mouthful of honey and cream with a body of smooth and soft mellow sweetness and a long, clean, sweet, and spicy finish. During the distillation process, Hibiki is stored in barrels made from Mizunara, a very rare Japanese oak which produces the “orchestra of flavors” as noted above.

Hibiki is owned under the House of Suntory (in Osaka/Kyoto, Japan, on the main island of Honshū) which began production of scotch whiskey in 1924. Whiskey production actually began in Japan in the 1870's, but it was not until Suntory blew out its products worldwide in the 1920’s that it gained its reputation as a superb whiskey style all of its own. If Suntory sounds familiar, it played a pivotal role in the movie “Lost in Translation” with Bill Murray as he filmed a commercial for the brand and used the line, “It’s Suntory time.”

Tasting this scotch took me back to my travels through Europe and the time I spent at the Scotch Malt Whiskey Society in Edinburg, Scotland. I took notes on the scotches and you can read about it in my book The Right to Release: A Trail of Empty Bottles Across Europe. At the society, I learned that though scotch is usually consumed after meals or paired with a cigar, it works very well with gamy meats (quail, venison, or duck) and with zesty poultry and pork dishes or spicy food such as Indian or Chinese cuisine. With scotch and food, the food paired has to be as bold as the scotch you are drinking.

Wine - Biltmore Estates

One of the best things about doing this blog (other then giving me an excuse to drink), is that I am able to research things that are new to me, but have been around for a while. The world has always been an open book to me and I love to learn from it. I never thought research would be so much fun, but that may be from a small buzz I get from sampling liquor, beer and wine while writing. I feel like I am finding a new message in every bottle I drink.

Best Cellars in Arlington has become a weekend must. It's so much fun to go in, taste, and walk out with a few bottles of wine or beer. A couple of posts ago I mentioned a buttery Chardonnay from North Carolina. Wines from North Carolina?!? WTF?, I thought as the clerk began to pour for tasting. This had to some sort of joke. It just had to be terrible, but I was very wrong. I decided to research the wine and ended up find out more about North Carolina as a wine region.

The wine I tried was a value driven Chardonnay from Biltmore Estates (Asheville, North Carolina, 2008, $13). I tasted the bottle and ended up buying one on a return visit. This savory, buttery, full-bodied Chardonnay has good acidity which is highlighted by citrus and tropical fruit flavors. It would pair very well with seafood (shrimp, scallops, mussels), flavorful cheese (Asiago, Gouda) or pasta with cream sauce. It is important to remember when pairing wine with food that heavier wines pair well with heavier dishes and lighter wines, well, you get the point. With Chardonnay, especially a full-bodied, buttery, oaky Chard such as this one, you would want to look for dishes or items that are bold, hearty, and filling and are not over seasoned with spices.

After trying the wine, I decided to dig deeper into North Carolina as a wine region as it is home to more than 90 wineries; a number which has quadrupled since 2001. Most wineries are planted in the Western and Piedmont regions of the state below the mountains. The two major areas of focus for wine production are the native muscadine grapes and European-style vinifera grapes with such varitals as Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Syrah, Chardonnay and Viognier.

Plantings of native muscadine grapes, also known as Scuppernongs, are relatively pest resistant and thrive in the hot, sandy conditions of the Coastal region. Muscadines contain high levels of Resveratrol (a cancer reducer and life extender) and other antioxidants. Some wineries even sell grape skins to pharmaceutical companies.

Biltmore, in the mountains of North Carolina, is the most visited winery in the US, hosting approximately 1 million visitors to sample award-winning estate wines each year. The estate was built for the rich and famous Vanderbilt family in 1889 by George Washington Vanderbilt II as a vacation house. The first vineyards at Biltmore were established in 1971 in an area below house. French-American hybrids were planted initially, with vinifera plantings following in a few years. Inspired after several years of experimenting, William A.V. Cecil, then president and owner of Biltmore, decided that a winery was the natural outcome of ongoing research thus keeping the homes original intention of a self-supporting estate.

This year the winery is celebrating its 25th anniversary of being open to the public and continues to welcome and educate guests during this quarter of a century. The winemakers actually have educational tasting videos on their website. Though a little robotic in their approach and pitch, they are very informative about the wines of the region.

Visit Biltmore today to sift through a complimentary wine tasting of their complete portfolio of “robust reds, refreshing rosés, and crisp whites.” The winery also offers a wine shop with a complete selection of estate wines, accessories, and gourmet foods. This would be a great weekend retreat... hmm, this gives me an idea.

Beer - Session Dark

Nothing says winter like a good stout or smoked porter by the fire. I know it sounds cheesy, but there is nothing better than drinking a pint of the black stuff on a cold winter’s night. I took a clerks recommendation on a cold afternoon and picked up a 12-pack of Session Black, a stout-porter like beer from Full Sail Brewing Company out of Oregon - the fastest growing micro brew state, soon to be surpassing Colorado. Okay, maybe not, but they are producing greeat beers.

Taking the box out of the car and placing it in the fridge, I noted that the beer was not a stout at all, but was a dark lager with the same characteristics of stout upon tasting it. Most beers this dark are so thick that you can drink them like a meal – using a knife to cut right through them. Session Black is different, giving you the same quality characteristics of a stout, but with easier drinkability as in a lager and with less bite (5.4% ABV). One could easily drink 3-4 in one sitting and maybe go back for more.

Upon opening one of the 11 ounce, stubby bottles, this medium brown/mahogany (certainly not black) lager introduced a nose of roasted earth and the tasting characteristic brought forth a roasted chocolate and a malty character. The beer itself is very light on the tongue and its mild roastiness paves the way to earthy hops when drinking, yet somehow finishes very clean.

As for food pairings, this beer compliments many dishes since it is cross between a lager and a stout. I would recommend heavy, gravy based dishes such as beef stews, goulash and/or pork (note: dark lagers hold their own when up against heavier dishes) as one would find in Vienna or pair it with bar-b-que, Sheppard’s pie, or even, surprisingly enough, with oysters (most stouts pair very well with oysters).

I love full bodied beers and this one did not disappoint in flavor. I could easily drink a handful of these on a cold night and would rank this brew well above average!

Beer - The Raven

On a recent trip to Best Cellars in Arlington on a cold, cloudy Sunday afternoon with the GF, we wondered in off the streets to see what they were tasting. We went through tastings of an awful Norton from Virginia; a half decent, buttery Chardonnay surprisingly from North Carolina; and a value driven Rhone blended or GSM (Mourvedre, Syrah, and Grenache) called Twisted Oak (Vallecito, CA, 2005, $13), which we actually loved and bought.

Next, the clerk asked if we were interested in tasting a few of the beers they had on display. We only tried one that caught my eye. We were told that “The Raven” Special Lager was created in Germany, but brewed in Baltimore by Baltimore-Washington Beer Works. We bought a six pack and I am swigging one of these special beers as I type.

Since 1997, this medium-bodied, malty brew has been the premier beer severed in the US Embassy in Bonn, Germany, for special events and occasions. The beer ousted Sam Adams, which interesting enough, The Raven resembles slightly, but with a more maltier body.

After more than a year operating in the world's most competitive beer market (Europe, more specifically Germany), production of The Raven began in Baltimore in June of 1998. Baltimore-Washington Beer Works was founded by Stephen Demczuk, a native of Baltimore, who was partner in Europe's first beer-of-the-month club called “Beer Around the World.” Demczuk teamed up with Jim Seay (also of Baltimore) and German beer importer Wolfgang Stark. Together the trio styled a beer that is not only drinkable, but can be enjoyed by both the lager and ale drinker, thus creating “The Raven” named in honor of Baltimore's literary genius, Edgar Allan Poe.

Lighter on alcohol (5.4%) and smoother with no bite from carbonation, this golden lager is extremely easy to drink with its malty backbone and undertones of caramel, orange zest and hints of nutmeg. This beer would cross several palates since it opens itself to multiple fronts, but would pair very well with spicy sausages and heavy beef or pork dishes served with thick sauces (as a dark lager) or zesty (Blue) and sharp (Cheddar) cheeses and grilled poultry dishes (as an Amber Ale).

Today, besides being sold in Europe, you can find The Raven in Maryland, Washington DC, Virginia, South Carolina, Ohio and Illinois. I highly recommend this local beer and would place just above average. Look for it in a store near you for around $8 a six pack.

Rum, Dominoes and Baby Jesus!

Sitting at home, sipping a Malbac from Argentina (Navarro Correas, Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina, 2008) on a cold night in DC while dreaming of warmer weather, I am thinking back to the very interesting Christmas night I had this year. I spent the holiday in Atlanta with my Cuban family. No, my family is not from Cuba, but my brother married a wonderful girl who's parent's families are from Cuba.

On Christmas Eve, we had a traditional Cuban meal of black beans and rice, roasted pork and boiled Yuccas. We went through about ten bottles of wine that night and I capped off the evening with a couple of white Russians to fight off the indigestion. We woke early the next morning (just as we did as children over 20 years ago), opened presents and had mimosas. Then, for some reason, everyone pretty much stopped drinking and took naps.

Later in the afternoon, we went to my sister-in-law's uncle's house to keep the celebration going as snow fell outside - giving Atlanta its first white Christmas since 1882. Once we were settled in (after tours of the house and handing out gifts) the patriarch of the family began making everyone Cuba libres (a Cuban term for rum and coke in case you didn't know), but there were only a few takers. Over the cocktails, the grandparents started talking about life in Cuba and what they had to do the get out so many years ago. I have always been intrigued by Cuba ever since I started reading Hemingway. While using the pork from the feast the night before to make Cuban sandwiches, they told me I could get a flight from Miami – something I will have to look in to as Cuba is a must in my adventurous lifestyle.

As the night went on, we ate the sandwiches and listened to Christmas music. The grandfather returned and produced a bottle Cuban rum which had been illegally brought to the states by family and given as a gift. I poured the golden rum over crushed ice, adding a splash of coke to cut it, and spent the rest of the night slapping dominoes against the table as my head spun.

I was intrigued by the sweet rum from Cuba and had to look it up; after all, it's something I can't get my hands on in the states. The rum was called Bucanero, from the province of Las Tunas, Cuba, as established in 1976. Located on the southern coast that opens onto the Gulf of Guacanayabo, the marshy, wet area which is full of mangroves, provides the perfect region to grow sugarcane.

If you didn't know, rum is made from sugarcane by-products such as its juice and molasses which is processed through fermentation and distillation. The distillate, a clear liquid, is then usually aged in oak and other barrels which gives rum its golden color.

The majority of the world's rum production occurs in and around the Caribbean and in several Central and South American countries such as Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Colombia, Venezuela, Barbados, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Brazil, Haiti, Belize, and Cuba. Rum can also be found around the world in places such as Australia, Fiji, Mexico, the Philippines, and India. My sister and I, on a trip to Barbados a couple of years ago, took a tour of the Mount Gay factory. We stayed in a small resort and drank rum drinks during the day, Carib and Banks beers in the afternoon, and I drank straight rum out of coffee mugs back in the suite at the end of the night while smoking in the moonlight. Rum is the type of beverage you drink when it's hot, but I was drinking it in Atlanta – while it was snowing.

Back to my history lesson: Rum is a cornerstone in the culture of most islands of the West Indies, and has famous associations with the Royal Navy (where it was mixed with water or beer to make grog – as used in eggnog) and piracy (where it was consumed as “Bumbo” - a drink made from rum, water, sugar, nutmeg or as in the more modern version (a Hurricane) made with dark rum, citrus juice, Grenadine and nutmeg).

I searched and searched the web for something (anything) on Bucanero, but could not find a thing. All I can tell you is that it had hits of vanilla, was sweet in taste and had a slow burn as it went down. I'm not sure how this rum stacks up against some of the best rums from Cuba, but it did the job and gave me a nice buzz as we played dominoes into the night. I'll have to get to Cuba sometime to see what else is out there.

Port - Warrior by Warre's

I was taking a read through Wine Spectator's end of the year issue of the top wines of 2010, when I came across an ad for Warre's Warrior Port. I knew the port as it is the oldest in the world, but I noted the label of the bottle looked different when they changed to the new vintage (2009). Having been to Portugal to drink my face off, but not allowed to taste at Warre's after being kicked out of one of the storage sheds for “wandering and snooping” while taking pictures when I drunkenly stepped off the path of the tour, I was intrigued to try this new vintage of the tawny port (my favorite is Ruby by the way).

A few days later, I could taste port on my lips like blood to a vampire as temperatures had began to drop. The GF and I were out at Whole Foods and I spotted the bottle of the Warrior on the shelf ($26). I snagged the bottle and we headed home to cook our roast, parmesan crusted asparagus and mashed, red potatoes. I cracked the port as we cooked to let it breathe. Eventually I poured a taste into a small glass and took a swig, rolling it across my tongue. I was not overly impressed at first as it had a bit of a sting at 19% ABV.

A quick history lesson: Warre’s was established in 1670 by two Englishmen (William Burgoyne and John Jackson) who opened general trading offices for exporting wines, olive oil and fruit, as well as importing dried cod and English woollen goods in northern Portugal. The name Warre, came from the arrival of the first Warre in Portugal – William Warre, born in India in 1706.

By the close of the 18th century, Warre's had become one of the leading shipping companies of port, accounting for 10% of exported port to the world from Porto. The name Warrior was branded on the casks of Warre's finest Reserve Ports since the earliest days of the firm. The traditional style has been maintained over the years and it is today a classic full-bodied wine with richness and balance.

A couple of days after opening the bottle, I popped the cork again and poured a mouthful of the dark red tawny into a tasting glass. The port had really opened up and the lush perfume of ripe plums and cherries were prevalent right off the bat. On my tongue, the port was a bit complex, with an long lasting structure and finish.

I would pair this port with rich, nutty or chocolate desserts, as well as strong cheese or at the end of a meal as a palate cleanser. Although usually served at room temperature, Reserve Ports are equally delicious when served slightly chilled in hot weather and therefore could be paired with sorbets and even fruit cobblers.

The port was good, but there are others out there that are better for the price.

Wine - Chambourcin

On a recent trip with my girlfriend through the Virginia wine country, during the last months of fall, we literally stumbled into a winery called Hume Vineyards in Hume, VA. Upon entering the estate, we noticed that the vines were fresh. In fact, the estate was so new at the time that the grapes used to create the Hume wines of Vidal Blanc, Chambourcin, Detour (85% Cab, 15% Merlot), and Cabernet Sauvignon (95% Cab, 5% Cab Franc) are not estate grown/produced. Stephane Baldi (the owner/winemaker) assured us that though the grapes were not estate grown, he had produced some fine wines, and as we sipped for a full tasting with his assistant Stephanie, we realized he had.

I know many of you would never drink wine from Virginia, but I have news for you, it's getting better every year. Due to its climate, Virginia is known for producing excellent Cab Franc and Viognier, but during our tasting, I was turned on to a new varietal: Chambourcin. Now, I may know my shit about wines, but I am not a genis and definitely had to look this one up.

Like Viognier and Cab Franc, Chambourcin is a blending-Hybrid grape which is resistant to fungal disease and grows very well in cool climates. The varietal was created in the Loire Valley of France in the late 1800's by Joannes Seyve. Though created in France, the varietal no longer meets the requirements set up by French wine law as a stand alone varietal in quality. It is now abundant on the east coast (Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey and North Carolina) and Midwest (Missouri) of the United States as well as Germany, Australia, and still remains in France.

At first taste, I thought I was drinking a Syrah with its intense spice. I noted currant, plum, a hint of licorice and black pepper. Falling into that medium to full-bodied category as Syrah, Chambourcin pairs well with anything from the grill (steaks, spicy sausage, barbecued pork or chicken) and dark chocolate (or desserts made from the chocolate).

I ordered a glass, bought a bottle to take home and stepped out to the porch of the tasting barn, where I enjoyed the fall sunset in the company of my girlfriend. My lips and teeth were dark purple when I got back in my Jeep and looked in the rear-view mirror, but I didn't care. I had tried something new and enjoyed the hell out of it!

Watch out for this one. One of my favorites in 2010 and definitely a hot item for 2011.

Chambourcin, Hume Vineyards, Hume, VA, 2009 - $19.00

The History of Eggnog

One of my guilty pleasures during Christmas is Eggnog. One of my first memories as a child (around 6 years old) was sitting in my parent's living room, playing with newly opened toys when my grandfather yelled from the bar, “Who's ready for some nog?”

“What booze did you put in it?” my dad asked.
“White Rum,” Grandad replied which makes sense now since he lived in the Florida Keys at the time.
“I'll pass,” dad started. “I'll just take a bloody Mary.”

I stood from my play area and went over to the bar. My grandfather pulled out two mason jars of Eggnog. It was so watered down with booze that it had the consistency of water.

“One day I'll teach you the recipe,” my grandfather said looking down at me, holding the jars in his huge hands.
“Don't teach him how to make that stuff” my mom said. “I don't know how you drink it.”
My grandfather smiled, poured some into a rocks glass, patted me on the head and said, “Drink up and don't tell your mother.”

That day I learned two things: One, it's not a lie if you don't tell anyone about it and two, never give a six year old rum mixed with eggs, milk and sugar. It burns going down and coming back out.

Years later, when I was in high school, my uncle (on mom's side) came over for Christmas day with a similar brown bag and placed it on the bar. He pulled two of the same jars out and unscrewed the caps. It had the same watery consistency as my grandfather's recipe.

“You like bourbon or rum?” my uncle asked.
“Not sure,” I replied seeing as how I was 14 years old and only had a few beers by then.
“You'll like this,” my uncle said. “It's bourbon.”

I took a swig and it stayed down. I tried more and then finished the glass. It burned as it had when I was a kid, but I was able to keep it down. That day I learned two things: one, I liked bourbon and, two, I liked eggnog after all and it became a holiday treat throughout college and into adulthood. I created my own recipe and served it to guests when I was bartending in school.Now that I'm doing this blog thing, I figured I would actually look up the history of this holiday delight.

Technically, eggnog or egg nog is a sweetened, dairy-based beverage made with raw eggs (beaten for the frothy texture), milk or cream, sugar, and spiked with liquor (mainly brandy, rum, whiskey, bourbon, cognac, or even moonshine). The concoction is usually garnished with a sprinkling of ground cinnamon or nutmeg.

Eggnog is a popular in the US and Canada during the winter celebrations such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the New Year. Commercial non-alcoholic eggnog is typically available only in the winter season but it can be made other at other times from homemade recipes such as the one passed down from my grandfather. Since the 1960s, eggnog has often been served cold and without spirits, both of which are significant departures from its historical origins.

One school of history believes that eggnog originated in East Anglia, England. Another believes it was derived from “posset,” a medieval European beverage made with hot milk. The "nog" portion of the name comes from the word "noggin", a Middle English term used to describe a small, carved wooden mug used to serve alcohol.

Another story is that the term derived from "egg and grog", a common Colonial term used for the drink made with rum, “Grog meaning booze. Eventually that term was shortened to "egg'n'grog", then "eggnog.”

At the time of it's inception, the ingredients for the drink were expensive in England and it became popular mainly among the aristocracy since the average Londoner was so poor that they could barely afford milk – not to mention the brandy or Madeira or even sherry to mix with it.
When the drink crossed the Atlantic to the English colonies during the 18th century, the main alcoholic ingredient changed since brandy and wine were heavily taxed. Rum from trading with the Caribbean was a better, cost-effective substitute. With the new farm land complete with dairy products in the new world and a new, inexpensive liquor, the drink become very popular in America. Americans turned to domestic whiskey, and eventually bourbon in particular, as a substitute when the supply of rum was reduced as a consequence of the American Revolutionary War.

And there you have it. A quick history of eggnog. Pick it up next year and don't forget to spike it, but don't give it out to toddlers!

Intro – What I Do!

What do I do? I drink. I drink a lot. Do I guzzle full bottles of vodka Nicholas Cage style as in “Leaving Las Vegas,” no, but I love booze. I was the head buyer for one of the busiest restaurants in the world, trying new wines and liquors from around the world every day. I quit my job to head to Europe alone and drank my face off through 42 cities and 14 countries. The picture to the left is of me drinking Absinthe while in Prague. I even hit Oktoberfest in Munich and taught many nationalities that Americans can actually drink beer and the Italians, Spanish and French that I could not only drink and hold my wine, but I could speak intelligently about it.

What is this blog? It's a forum for me to tell you what I'm drinking past, present and future. It's to tell you what's hot, what's not, and what plainly just sucks. Why would you listen to me? Cause I know my shit and you don't. In fact, over 90% of Americans have no idea what they are drinking. Think about it: ladies how many times have you ordered a Chardonnay at the bar and had no idea what it was or where it was from; or guys, how many times have or ordered a vodka tonic and received shit vodka? How about when you go to the store or a restaurant and ask for a recommendation, only to be hit by the most expensive item on the menu? They know you're a sucker. Lets face it people, we are clueless. Yes, I was too until I found a passion to learn about these things.

Why else should you listen to me? Because no one is paying me to write this stuff. It is my opinion as an expert. I will never tell you to like something because someone paid me – besides, you will only like what you like anyway; no matter what marketers want you to buy.

One of my favorite stories is when I was bar tending in college at a country club in Alabama, we had two regulars that would bring in friends every Saturday night. One night the Ramsey's we'll call them, brought in two couples. The Ramsey's were in real estate and were new money. They would order wine from me based on price. The more expensive the bottle, the more they would order it. Well on this night, I thought I would try something different. The day before, I had been to the state store to pick up booze for the club. The older clerk made me an offer I could not refuse by offering magnums of Cabernet for $4 a bottle. That's right, $4 for three liters of crap wine. I don't remember the name of the wine, but it doesn't matter...it was pure crap. I figured I could pour it off as a house wine for a wedding one day, but when I saw the Ramsey's that night, I put a plan into action.

At first, they asked me for a reserve list of bottles and I told them I had a wonderful Napa Valley Cabernet since I knew they loved Jordan. They asked me the name and I made something up, noting that the wine was full bodied and full of plum, lush berries, and had hints of tobacco, leather, and a bit of earth tones. I had no idea what I was talking about. These were just words I had read off the back of a bottle somewhere, but they bought it hook, line and sinker. Mr. Ramsey laughed and ordered six glasses, which I discretely poured from the large bottle behind the bar. Mr. Ramsey took the first sip and I held my breath. “Magnificent,” he exclaimed in a southern accent. “Cole knows his fucking wine!” Truth was I didn't know shit, but I sold them shit by making it sound good.

They drank several glasses and asked to see the label, but I told them I had just tossed the bottle and the barback had just taken it out. My manager came in and asked for the same wine for the Ramsey's once they were in the dining room and I grabbed another large bottle to open. He was pissed when he found out, spurting out, “How dare you give them that? I am taking them a bottle of Jordan.” He returned within a few minutes and said they wanted what I was giving them. I laughed and poured two more bottles throughout the night.

The point of the story? People don't know a fuck about what they are drinking and they should. I am here to guide you through the multiple layers of shit to find the good stuff you'll love.