Napa Valley

Twin Cities restaurants offer Thanksgiving Day options

On a holiday that's all about food, why not let the professionals do the cooking? Whether you're hosting notoriously judgmental family members or looking to start a new lower-key Thanksgiving tradition, choosing one of the many Twin Cities restaurants that offer Thanksgiving Day meals just might be ... More >>

5 wines for Valentine's night in

Folie à Deux WinesWine can determine fun and sexy, or sweet and romantic​Cooking at home for Valentine's Day? It's not a bad idea, considering it's one of the busiest and thus potentially nightmarish days for restaurants. Even if you aren't a master chef, a well-chosen bottle of wine can mak ... More >>

Haskell's wine sale: 10 recommendations

Haskell'sHaskell's Wine Sale on Now​Wine shop sale week continues with the annual Haskell's Fall Sale. I hope you were able to attend the free tasting last Saturday. A lot is going on at Haskell's over the next month. Here are some of the events, plus recommendations on great wines to look fo ... More >>

Wine Sale Week: Surdyk's fall blowout includes free tastings

Surdyk's big fall sale: Here are in-store tastings and 10 recommendations on what to buy​When you pull into the Surdyk's lot on a Saturday afternoon during it's big sale, you'd think you were trying to find a parking spot in downtown New York. There's a reason for that: Surdyk's offers not onl ... More >>

St. Paul Grill celebrates 20 years with discounts and a Napa trip

St. Paul Grill rolls back to 1990s prices.​This October 4 marks a milestone that might be measured in food and beverage: 106,080 filet mignons, 127,920 walleye, 40,800 apple crisps, and 260,640 ounces of scotch later, the St. Paul Grill turns 20. The clubby institution is known for its upsca ... More >>

The best free wine tasting of the year

Haskell's DowntownHaskell's Downtown Minneapolis: Try before you buy​Everyone who drinks wine has been to, or at least noticed, an in-store wine tasting, whether it's a winemaker in town or a distributor pouring six of their value wines. Well, a big in-store tasting tomorrow (Saturday, October ... More >>

Grilling recipes and wine pairings for the season's last barbecues

Turkey dinner and Barbera​Late summer and fall can be a terrific time for getting in your last barbecues of the year. Earlier we discussed simple grilling options and affordable wines . Now it's time to talk about creating more exciting dishes on the grill. As always, a perfect wine pairing is ... More >>

Worst Wines of the Year (so far...)

​I sample over a thousand wines a year (yes, I spit many, for the sake of my health and liver), and very few wines are what I deem undrinkable. My dad, for example, loves his Tisdale Merlot, which is usually on sale at Morelli's in St. Paul for $2.00. I consider it drinkable, especially for ... More >>

Surdyk's Summer Sale begins: 10 picks for your summer party

tsuacctnt / FlickrSurdyk's Wine Shop Sale through July 24​There is no better time to shop for quality wines than during a sale. You can easily save $3 to $10 a bottle, which you can use to buy more wine. Surdyk's big summer wine sale runs today through July 24, and with the store's try-before- ... More >>

Appellation: Know where your wine comes from

Ernst LoosenMosel region in Germany​In this third part of a series about important wine terms and concepts, we'll talk about appellation, which tells you what region of the world your wine comes from. (You can read here about the first two terms, terroir and vintage.) Appellations are geograph ... More >>

Artisan Vineyards wine tasting: Sample great wines for a good cause

Mike Feltault PhotographyOld Arizona's Wine Bar​Charity wine events are popular, but not all are created equal. The best have several things in common. They don't just pour wines under $15, and they make sure to list the vintages of the wines. They offer selections from around the globe. (We a ... More >>

Surdyk's sale begins today: Here are 5 recommendations

tsuacctnt / Flickr​Surdyk's is a Twin Cities institution and has been serving consumers since 1934. Today through Saturday, Surdyk's Heart Healthy Sale is offering 20 percent off all of its wines. In 1979 Surdyk's moved to its current Northeast location and over the years expanded its busine ... More >>

Mall of America: new restaurant roundup

​There are, on occasions, reasons to visit the Mall of America--say, to get married at the Chapel of Love or to pick up the newest plaid swooshflex at LIDS. Between the parking and the walking to your destination, inevitably you're going to be there long enough to work up an appetite. The best ... More >>

Chilean wines: fabulous, inexpensive picks from the Rapel Valley

Vina Siegel​Chile is home to amazing value wines and is creating a reputation for producing wines to rival Napa Valley and Bordeaux. Vitis vinifera grapes were planted by the Conquistadors back in the 16th century, but it has only been recently that their wine has been exported in volume.

Sorella Wine & Spirits: 11 great bottles under $20

SorellaSale through May 22​I love asking people the question, "How do you save money on wine?" Many say they buy by the case, or the comedian in the group will say don't buy wine at all. The key is buying wine on sale, as the average savings are $3 to $5 per bottle at most shops. Sorella (the ... More >>

Wine 101: Vintage

One question I love to ask wine drinkers is: "What is 'vintage'?" Some people respond with "old," or the year the wine was bottled, or the year the grapes were picked. In this Wine 101 post, I'll explain the importance of vintage talk about how winemakers can create good wine in almost any year. ... More >>

Savor Minnesota a boost for local wineries

Saint Croix Vineyards wine tasting​Anyone with preconceived ideas about Minnesota wines is probably re-evaluating those notions if they were part of Saturday's first-annual Savor Minnesota event at Canterbury Park, which featured the best of Minnesota wine, food, and beer. Though the exhibitor ... More >>

Wine 101: Terroir

Ernst LoosenWehlener Sonnenuhr on the Mosel River​On a bottle of wine there is so much information, with some items being extremely important while some meet just meet legal requirements. Over the next five Wine 101 blogs I will explain five of the most important wine concepts in the world: t ... More >>

Crave, Cooper, and Icon bring convenience to St. Louis Park

Taste is often lost in the strip-mall dining experience

5 Great Bottles: Straight from Stillwater

Top picks from St. Croix Vineyard: Buy these bottles at your local wine retailer, or, better yet, straight from the vineyard.

Wine industry toasts the Obamas

Bears and otters would like you to drink

Waiter! More Crayons

Is fine dining possible with kids? Dear Dara finds out.

New Chef Rising

Love Relocates a Great Chef to Minnesota and the Mall's Napa Valley Grille

Reviews You Can Use

Want to put your newfound wine smarts to the test? City Pages' guest taster issues his recommendatinos for bottles sure to please.

Best of the Twin Cities: Winners

Want to put your newfound wine smarts to the test? City Pages' guest taster issues his recommendatinos for bottles sure to please.

Vive Le Difference

Parasole's newest venture aims for France, but pleases everyone

Noble Grapes

Car-seat country scores a family-friendly wine bar with a serious education mission

Craft's Fare

A terrific bar lurks within East Lake Street's newest fine-dining restaurant

Is Brainerd the New Napa?

A terrific bar lurks within East Lake Street's newest fine-dining restaurant

Prince and the Revolution

'The Legend of Suriyothai' is an action epic of royal proportions

Birds Gone Wild

From the great outdoors to your oven

Treat or Treat

Take time to stop and eat the chocolate

The Finger-Food Fear Factor

Haute junk food and bargain libations make for unlikely but truly happy hours

Juice

Haute junk food and bargain libations make for unlikely but truly happy hours

Juice

Haute junk food and bargain libations make for unlikely but truly happy hours

Apocalypse Almost

Haute junk food and bargain libations make for unlikely but truly happy hours

Musical Minimalism

Michelle Hensley takes a bit of Broadway to the workhouse

Safe From the Madding Crowd

Michelle Hensley takes a bit of Broadway to the workhouse

Flamenco Finger Food

Michelle Hensley takes a bit of Broadway to the workhouse

Udon Utopia

Michelle Hensley takes a bit of Broadway to the workhouse

The Fort Knox of Meat

Michelle Hensley takes a bit of Broadway to the workhouse

That's Eatertainment

Michelle Hensley takes a bit of Broadway to the workhouse

Get an Oil Change

My tongue knows olive oil as an ingredient, not a beverage. But I was determined to learn the intricate flavors inherent in the finest oils, so it was bottoms-up.

The Alchemist

Brian McElrath's Zinfandel-Balsamic Vinegar Truffle is so potent and rich it seems almost meaty.

Mall Magic

Brian McElrath's Zinfandel-Balsamic Vinegar Truffle is so potent and rich it seems almost meaty.

Tablehopping

Brian McElrath's Zinfandel-Balsamic Vinegar Truffle is so potent and rich it seems almost meaty.

Hail Goodfellow's, Well Met

Brian McElrath's Zinfandel-Balsamic Vinegar Truffle is so potent and rich it seems almost meaty.

Tasting North Country Heaven

Brian McElrath's Zinfandel-Balsamic Vinegar Truffle is so potent and rich it seems almost meaty.

Good Evening Vietnam

Brian McElrath's Zinfandel-Balsamic Vinegar Truffle is so potent and rich it seems almost meaty.