Wine, like anything else, will always change over time. The trick is to control the rate and types to produce desirable changes and avoid harmful ones. The variables needing to be controlled are air, temperature, light, vibration and humidity.
Nothing spoils good wine faster than too much air — it causes wine to age rapidly, oxidizing [...]

We may never know with certainty how cheese was first invented. Sometime at least 5,000 years ago some ancient affineur in Mesopotamia was either lucky or very innovative. At first, it was likely an accident that milk separated into curds (the solid part) and whey (the liquid part), and the curds then eaten or salted [...]

It’s possible to get a college degree in Wine. Absent from most curricula, though is a good course on serving the right way. So, préparez vos crayons (get out your pencils)…
Red wines and whites, not to mention sparkling wines, have different optimal storage methods, serving temperatures and opening and pouring procedures — even different ideal [...]

There are various ways to categorize cheese - by age, texture or firmness, milk used and so forth. But what the connoisseur cares about most is the experience. Does it taste good? Does it have a fine flavor, a wonderful consistency, a delightful aroma? These characteristics are the result of a mixture of ingredients and [...]

Quickly, bring me a beaker of wine, so that I may wet my mind and say something clever. - Aristophanes
For those more interested in finding a delectable drink to savor than being clever, the following might be useful.
Obviously the selection of a specific type, year and brand of wine is a matter of individual taste. [...]

Charles de Gaulle is reported to have once said ‘How can you govern a country that has 246 kinds of cheese?’ But whatever may have been the administrative skills of that old French soldier, he was right about one thing. There are a great many kinds of cheese in the world, a tribute to the [...]

The cheese enthusiast will be happy to know that there exists a neverending array of tools for working with cheese. Some are intended primarily for cheesemaking, others for sampling, still others for preparation in the kitchen and some for serving and eating.
Cheese presses are among the oldest of these tools and are used to press [...]

The Latin word ‘amateur’ means ‘lover’ and originally referred to someone who did something out of the love of doing, rather than ‘just for the money’. They were regarded as the highest experts because they honed their craft motivated by joy instead of monetary reward.
Though the professionals of wine still imbue their work with passion [...]

Tales of the origin of Camembert abound, all of them full of romantic drama. One popular version attributes its invention to Marie Harel, who allegedly named the cheese after her native village. She, in turn, (or so the story goes) gained the recipe from a priest fleeing persecution during the French Revolution in 1790. Marie [...]

In addition to being a source of healthy omega-3 fatty acids, eating canned tuna is a convenient and versatile way to add variety and important nutrients to your diet.Here are some tips on how to get hooked on tuna:
. Try adding a twist to the classic tuna sandwich or wrap by choosing canned tuna in [...]

A kid-friendly meal, sure to gain “thumbs-up” approval! Great for potlucks and kids’ parties too.Preparation Time: 10 min. Baking Time: 25 min.
2 cooked baking potatoes
2 cans (170 g each) Clover Leaf Chunk White Tuna, drained
1/2 cup (125 mL) each chopped green onion and corn kernels
2 cups (500 mL) mild salsa
1 cup (250 mL) shredded Cheddar [...]

Preparation Time: 5 min. Microwave Time: 4 min.
2 cans (85 g each) Clover Leaf Garlic and Hot Pepper Flaked Light Tuna
1 cup (250 mL) canned diced tomatoes, with juices
1/2 cup (125 mL) canned mixed beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup (50 mL) corn kernels
1 tsp (5 mL) chili powder
1/4 tsp (1 mL) ground cumin
sour cream (optional)
sliced [...]

Serve this colourful low fat soup for lunch or as a first course for a dinner party.Preparation Time: 12 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
4 cups chicken broth 1 L
1/2 lb small fresh mushrooms, thinly sliced 250 g
1 medium carrot, thinly sliced diagonally 1
1 large leek (white part only) sliced (about 2 cups/500 mL) 2
2 tsp minced [...]

Serve this low fat, hearty Italian style soup with a green salad and crusty whole wheat roll for a quick comforting meal. Vary the amount of red pepper flakes according to taste preference.Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
2 tbsp olive oil 25 mL
1 lb sliced fresh mushrooms 500g
2 cups chopped leeks (white part only) [...]

If there’s a country somewhere with only one citizen, it probably has a wine club with a dozen members. Once the province of the enthusiast or specialist, wine clubs are now as popular as Starbucks.
Wine clubs are founded for as many reasons as there are founders. Many are started in order to take advantage of [...]

Skill in the art of winetasting doesn’t require an advanced degree in oenology (the science of winemaking). But listening to professional winetasters, it’s easy to get that impression. Bouquet, clarity, earthy, crisp, open, nostalgic — huh?
So, take a deep breath, get comfortable, and be prepared to take some time to learn some odd new definitions [...]

Right: Wine map of the U.S.
Among the AVA (American Viticultural Areas) in Oregon we count the Willamette Valley, Umpqua, Rogue and Illinois Valleys and parts of Walla Walla and the Columbia Gorge shared with Washington.
Making wine in Oregon continues to be a challenge, owing to it’s largely rainy climate, limited hours of sunshine, cooler temperatures [...]

Right: Wine map of the U.S.
The terrain and climate of the wine areas of Northern California remind the visitor of nothing so much as rural France. But the scale is vastly smaller — Napa Valley is only 35 miles long and 5 miles wide, while Sonoma County covers 1,600 square miles along 60 miles of [...]

Right: Wine map of the U.S.
In the US, California is justly famous for its wines. So famous, in fact, that it comes as a surprise to some to find out that New York has long been a serious competitor in terms of quality.
Winemaking in the New York region goes back centuries. Ten thousand years ago [...]

Right: Wine map of France
Winemakers in Alsace have been active since the Roman conquest.
The Alsatians themselves are a mixed French-Germanic lot, with many of the older inhabitants still speaking Alsatian, a Germanic dialect, at home. Despite living in the smallest winemaking region in France, these proud people rightfully boast of their centuries old winemaking traditions.
Six [...]