Booked for the New Year

Shakespeare is always an inspiration to me, and a passage from one of his history plays seems apropos just now: For God’s sake, let us sit upon the ground And tell sad stories of the death of kings; How some have been deposed; some slain in war, Some haunted by the ghosts they have deposed; [...]

Lunch with the Posse and John Concannon

The ineffable Pat Schneider was on the ameche the other day and saying all the right things, especially in the Three Little Words Department. From Let’s Have Lunch [always a strong lead], she doubled-down or whatever with Meet John Concannon and trumped my ace with the ever-reliable On His Card. Then she threw in Bring [...]

Now THIS Is a Sale

Penny Saver, my impecunious next-door neighbor was panting at my door the other day, barely able to speak but vigorously waving a fuchsia-inked postcard. It proved to be an announcement of Pop’s Wines & Spirits latest semi-annual sale, and it is my glad task to tell you the lip-smacking cork-pulling glass-clinking details of this event, [...]

Arrant Snobbery or, The Tale of Unlucky Pierre

This is a little tale of snobs and snobbery. Maybe not so little; certainly not so short, and so I crave your patience. Indulge me and be rewarded, I swear. Early in the last century Amy Lowell [1874-1925] was a leading figure among the poets known as Imagists [Ezra Pound skanced them as Amygists]. She [...]

Pinot on Parade

Oh, to be in McMinnville, now that IPNC’s there’ somehow falls shy somehow of poesy immortal, but if the words themselves could give Browning [and even you, Thirsty Reader] the dry fantods, the sentiment is worthy. For the IPNC is celebrating its 25th anniversary July 29-31. Some may gallivant at the other IPNC [a.k.a. the [...]

O Solo Mio: Wine, Bottle and Glass, All in One Package

The New York Mets, a circus masquerading as a professional baseball team, has more and better fans than it deserves and has routinely driven them to drink. Now it’s upgrading the drinks available at Citi Field. I’ll spill more beans but only in good time or due course or both. I’ll have no truck with [...]

Derby Day, Bourbon Barrels and Woodford Reserve

It’s Derby Day Saturday, Kentucky’s National Holiday, which involves many ponies and enough mint juleps to drive you to drink. Want a recipe? You could look it up, as Casey Stengel used to say. The April 2010 post Talk Derby to Me has recipes given to me by some distilling luminaries: Chris Morris of Woodford [...]

Jess Jackson, Titan

Jess Jackson died of cancer recently at the age of 81, after a life of achievement that made him a titan of American wine. Unlike silver-spoon millionaires who [I borrow here from the great Red Smith] were born naked into the world and had to inherit everything they have, Jackson was in the grand but [...]

Mum’s the Word

Royal wedding? Big deal, were we not able to smuggle in a Gin and Tonic for necessary relief. All in good time, of course, Thirsty Reader. Compose your mind in patience. Come the 29th the Prince and the Commoner will be wed, and in a mood of unaccustomed generosity I pledge to forgive all related [...]

Paddy and Pazzo: Double Cause for Celebration

Well, yes, we are late here at PWP, but we have excus-es, as usual: a] we have two holidays to deal with, b] although they are called days we celebrate them here as months and c] the dog ate our homework. So here’s the deal: March 17 is St. Patrick’s Day, a.k.a. St. Pat’s and [...]