I have plenty of wine resolutions for 2012. It’s always fun to explore the new and alternative. But it’s also fun to discover greatness in a place or varietal you’d previously snubbed. Which leads me to one of the most popular, most guzzled and sometimes most infuriating varietals for the wine lover: chardonnay.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve never turned my nose up at a good white Burgundy. But Cali chard? Puh-lease! To say that it’s not my style is an understatement.

In the past few years, through wine samples and online tastings, I’ve noticed a swing away from the typical California trend – winemakers experimenting with cool climate regions and steel fermentation, preventing malolactic fermentation, and a more subtle use of oak. Perhaps my previous snub to the stereotype was keeping me from appreciating some quality juice. I realized it was time to re-evaluate.

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Alex Elman cried every night.

She wasn’t just shedding tears for the loss of her eyesight at age 27 – for the accompanying fear and the day-to-day pain of suddenly having her world go dark. It was the loss of family dinners after an herbalist put her on a yeast detox and restricted her diet for six weeks that also brought on the tears.

“I cried every night at dinner,” she said.

To distract her, to distract them both, her stepfather put glasses of wine in front of her and asked her to analyze it. Varietal. Vintage. Climate. Composition of soil. How much sun did the grapes get? What bank of Burgundy?

Normally, this exercise would have been done blindfolded but, as diabetes robbed her sight, the exercise was performed without.

Her sense of smell got sharper and cleaner as the yeast detoxification progressed. Her diabetes improved, though her eyesight couldn’t be saved, even after six surgeries.

And then she got her first guide dog, Hogan. Read the full story

There are certain days in my life that I’ll never forget. The day I met my husband, the day I got married, the day we bought our first home. And then there is Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2011: the day we visited Petrus.

Perhaps you think a winery visit should not make a list of one’s most memorable life moments, but this isn’t just any winery. In fact, just calling it “a winery” doesn’t seem befitting of its status. The royal house of wine, a vino lover’s Mecca, the Holy Grail of grapes — these terms are more suitable for such heavenly nectar.

Just what makes a visit to Petrus so special? To put it bluntly, it’s the best. The wines of Petrus are some of the most sought-after wines, not only in Bordeaux, France, but in the world. And with a price tag in the thousands of dollars per bottle, it’s also one of the most expensive. (A case of the ’90 sold for $43,500 at a Sotheby’s Hong Kong auction last week.) Read the full story

Oh, pinot noir. So temperamental, so fickle, silky and sensual, so difficult to make, yet utterly magnificent when made well, it is the downfall of many a winemaker and the triumph of few.

Whether we’re commiserating with Miles Raymond in the 2004 film Sideways, toasting at Oregon’s annual International Pinot Celebration, or tweeting our favorites during Thursday’s #pinotsmackdown on Twitter, we just can’t get enough of the ineffable grape.

The benchmark Grand Crus of Burgundy may be exceptional, but their high cost puts them out of most consumers’ reach. Winemakers are increasingly looking outside of France to meet the demand for high quality and affordable pinot. Generally speaking, what these New World regions have in common is a relatively cool climate — affected by latitude, elevation, cooling ocean breezes or fog — and a large shift between day and nighttime temperatures. Pinot noir thrives under these conditions, which favor slower ripening, and in turn produce intense fruit aromas and flavors, balanced by healthy acidity and supple tannins.

Here are seven New World regions to watch, along with Swirl Girls’ recommendations. Read the full story

I think I’m definitely the Swirl-iest of the Swirl Girls these days – and that means I’m more than due for a round-up of all the wines I’ve been sipping. In fact, there’s been so much swirling and sipping in the last few months that there are too many wines to write about in one story. So I’ve decided to split up my reviews in a few different posts over the coming weeks.

Being SG Dry, I definitely prefer the dry and “dirty” terroir of the Old World. The French still make some of my favorite wines, though the Italians and Spanish are not far behind. Here are my thoughts on a selection of French wines I’ve tried recently. All wines were sent to Swirl Girls for review.

2007 Domaine Rémy Gresser Pinot Blanc – Alsace, France (from $20 online)
I always think that pinot blanc wines are pretty, and this one is no exception. A pale straw color in the glass, the wine has a soft nose of apples, pear and citrus fruits with white flowers and a nice minerality. It’s light on the palate with more apples, flowers and minerals, some acidity to balance and a clean, short finish. Read the full story

Last week I got together with Swirl Girl Sweet and a few friends for a dinner at her house. As usual, though there was no special occasion, we outdid ourselves on the menu. A regular old Saturday night turned into an epic evening of great wine, fabulous food and a lot of fun catching up with old friends.

Since Swirl Girl Sweet’s boyfriend couldn’t make it to the dinner, she used the opportunity to cook a bunch of food he didn’t like and she rarely got to enjoy. This included all things seafood, cheese, and on the wine front, a list of summery whites.

My contribution to the night included a delicious pasta recipe with escarole, pancetta and Brie cheese. I used fresh pasta from Mama Gizzi Pasta in Greenacres (those of you pasta lovers who don’t know about this place should check it out immediately!) and substituted an uncured and hardwood smoked turkey bacon (I like the Applegate brand sold in Publix) for the pancetta. Read the full story

We came. We swirled. We ate. We talked wine and we swirled more wine and we ate some more. (And then some more and some more.) And between seven-courses and three hours, we made 25 new friends and saw 5 old friends. It was yet another successful, wonderful Swirl Up at The Bistro Thursday night. Please check out our photo gallery online here!

Great food, great wine, and an unbeatable value. This is what’s on the menu Wednesday evenings at Paradiso Ristorante in downtown Lake Worth. The gourmet Italian restaurant’s weekly wine tastings feature six wines with delicious bites of paired hors d’oerves, plus a few extra surprises for an amazing $30 price (tax and tip excluded).

My husband and I stopped in on a recent Wednesday evening and found a lively crowd at the bar and extending into the adjacent dining area. We grabbed the last table and within minutes were served our first flight of white wines. Sommeliers Robinson Hogan and Brett Hart circled the room to discuss the wines with each table. Read the full story

As usual, our Swirl Up included lovely wine, great food, and lots of fun! Last night’s event at Russell’s Blue Water Grill brought together a big group of wine lovers from around Palm Beach County.

Partners Chef Charles Coe and Russell Beverstein helped us host a wonderful event. Coe went all out in the kitchen, preparing our group some delicious bites from his menu. Paired with his tasty creations were seven wines that ranged from an off-dry Argentine torrontes to a big, bold blend of syrah, petite sirah and grenache. My personal favorite of the evening was the 2007 David Bruce Pinot Noir from Russian River Valley, a heavenly pairing with Coe’s Muscovy duck rolls with Asian slaw and a Chinese BBQ drizzle!

Thanks to all of our wonderful guests for making the night so enjoyable. We look forward to seeing you at the next Swirl Up in July!

Click here to see photos from this event

Cheers! ~ The Swirl Girls

Meet The Chef: Luis Pous of Little Palm Island Resort & Spa >>

There’s something about summertime that makes me think pink. Pink sundresses, pink flowers, pink picnic blankets on a warm, sunny day. Pink-hued skies that bring on a summer night breeze. It’s a bright and happy season, a time to relax, kick off the shoes and just enjoy life. Summer is for casual affairs and simple, refreshing sippers.

I also think pink when it comes to summertime food and wine. A rosy-hued raw tuna served with fresh summer fruit. A crisp, dry rosé is summer in a glass. These are the comfort foods of the season, fresh, simple pleasures that define summer.

In the spirit of this happy, pink season, I gathered the Swirl Girls in my home for a backyard picnic and rosé tasting. We invited Luis Pous, executive chef for Little Palm Island Resort & Spa in the Florida Keys, who was passing through the city. Read the full story