WIne and Food Pairing Archives

A Conversation With Sommelier Tonya Pitts On Wine/Food Pairing

Tonya Pitts, Sommelier and Wine Director of One Market Restaurant, CA. HARDY WILSON Tonya Pitts grew up in St. Louis, Missouri and remembers her grandmother and great-grandmother enjoying a glass of red Manischewitz wine with dinner each evening. Fast-forward to today where Tonya Pitts manages a 600-bottle wine list at the acclaimed One Market Restaurant in San Francisco, and was recently named ‘Sommelier of the Year’ by Wine Enthusiast’s 2022 Wine Stars Awards. In a recent phone interview, Pitts shares some of her insights into the art of wine and food pairing. She also comments on the importance of Black [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2023-03-07T16:04:46-08:00March 7, 2023|

Celebrate Champagne Day This Friday with These Ideas!

This Friday (Oct 23) marks the 11th annual global Champagne Day. Besides sharing a bottle with family and friends, learning about the art of Champagne (see resources below), you can also try some delicious Champagne food pairings while playing a special Champagne playlist. Although it comes in a great variety, Champagne in general is surprisingly versatile to pair with different types of cuisines and tastes. Credit: Comite Champagne Know Your Dryness/Sweetness First, pay attention to the sweetness/dry scale of your Champagne. If you are serving more than one bottle, start with the driest, working up to the sweetest.The designations for [...]

By Fiona Fang|2021-01-30T17:29:53-08:00October 21, 2020|

Exquisite Wine and Dine Open-Air at the Breathtaking Ram’s Gate Winery

Known for their small lot premium wines, innovative culinary experiences and beautiful farmhouse-meets-modern design, Ram’s Gate is a modern winery nestled between Sonoma and Napa at the heart of Carneros Valley. This fall, Ram’s Gate will open new Veranda and Arbor venues for private outdoor tasting experiences. The very first Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs by Director of Winemaking Joe Nielsen, who joined Ram’s Gate team in 2018, will also be released. These wines will be featured throughout the tastings and available for purchase at the winery. Ram's Gate Winery Veranda By the Fire The new Veranda Experience offers guests a [...]

By Fiona Fang|2021-01-30T17:30:19-08:00October 17, 2020|

A Silver Lining for Chianti Classico

Needless to say, 2020 has been challenging for most of us. Fortunately, some vintners in Italy are trying to make the most of the situation despite an overall decline in wine sales. Chianti Classico Consortium, one of the oldest Italian wine consortiums with 515 Chianti producer members, remarks how vineyards have “never looked so good” as a result of winemakers having extraordinary time to dedicate greater care on the 2020 vintage. Beautiful vineyard slopes of Chianti. New opportunities for Chianti wineries To provide extra support for Chianti producers and boost local economy, the organization launched several initiatives, such as financing [...]

By Fiona Fang|2021-01-30T17:31:58-08:00September 27, 2020|

Breathless Winery Wins “Rising Wine Star Winery of the Year” Award

In less than 10 years since it opened, Breathless Wines has already won multiple awards, including the San Francisco Wine Competition, American Fine Wine Competition, Wine Enthusiast, among others. This time, it is awarded by LuxeSF, a luxury marketing organization, as their “Rising Wine Star Winery of The Year”, after a tough competition with 74 other nominations across 5 award categories, selected by a 14-person panel of respected industry veterans. Have you tried Breathless Wines yet? They are currently offering a special duo Blanc De Noir and Brut Rose pack at $60 including shipping this week until September 18. Better [...]

By Fiona Fang|2021-01-30T17:33:57-08:00September 14, 2020|

7 Tips for Hosting an Elegant Wine Tasting Party

(Contributed by Jessica Smith) The statement “Wine is the nectar of the Gods,” ‘has been repeated often over the years, and pop culture has praised the beverage for its quality and enjoyment factor many times. Wine is special because it can be enjoyed in a simple fashion to relax with friends and family over an informal meal or it can be used as the centerpiece of an elegant wine tasting party. Just like tea, coffee, beer, whiskey, and other special beverages, wine can have a ceremonial aspect that involves knowledge, special drinking glasses, and etiquette when served for more formal [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-02-01T19:51:20-08:00January 25, 2019|