Happy Friday! Hope you're looking forward to a great weekend. Oh, I'm too excited about singing with Ted Nash's Big Band at Dizzy's Club on August 5th not to remind you about it! Onto your weekly pairing... Juice Greatness in just about anything over time requires a paradoxical balance: that of persistence and consistency matched with innovation and reinvigoration. Too much of the former, things get a little stale; too much of the latter and things become unfocused and diffuse. Rioja is one...
7 days agoĀ ā¢Ā 2 min read
Happy Friday! Before I get to this week's pairing, I wanted to let you know I'll be singing a few songs each set with Ted Nash's Big Band at Dizzy's Club on August 5th -- the band couldn't be better, and the theme is "Jazz Meets Pop." It's going to be a great time -- hope to see you there. Onto your weekly pairing! Juice Gemischter Satz is the name Vienna has given its signature melange of white grapes ā maybe more important that than what grapes it contains (riesling, grĆ¼ner, etc.) is the...
15 days agoĀ ā¢Ā 2 min read
Greetings and Welcome! 7.5.24 Hope those of you in north america are enjoying a post 4th lull, and everyone else your Friday. On to the pairing... Juice š The movie "Sideways" didn't get everything right (merlot is awesome), but Giamatti's monologue about pinot noir ever rings true. It's a finicky grape that requires a lot of care, and I generally avoid any under $20 -- the math doesn't support the likelihood of success in winemaking given the care required. But this is not a usual Friday,...
22 days agoĀ ā¢Ā 1 min read
Happy Friday! 6.28.24 Hope you're looking forward to a beautiful weekend. Special thanks to Jeb Patton for this week's music recommendation, passingly mentioned in a rehearsal together. Oh, and check him out with Adam Birnbaum (who I paired with Bordeaux a few weeks back) and Aaron Diehl at the 92nd Street Y on July 25th in person or streaming -- I know I'll be there.:) Juice extra extra La Felce's "Felcebianco" 2022 is a wine I enjoyed immensely. It is just so good -- when I studied up on...
29 days agoĀ ā¢Ā 2 min read
6.21.24 Happy Friday! Greetings from a sweltering New York City! I hope you find some time to chill wherever you are, and this pairing helps the process.:) Juice a lil' luli I love the grignolino grape. I mean, I might not get a tattoo, but I would buy a t-shirtā¦ Itās usually an herbaceous, lean red that has just enough structure to keep things interesting, and takes a chill well ā a secret weapon for the summer al fresco pasta feast of my fantasies. I have never liked a grignolino better...
about 1 month agoĀ ā¢Ā 2 min read
6.14.24 Happy Friday! This week's pairing had me tasting and listening to some new things that are also popular (and wine-wise, findable, which is a change from the last few weeks!) I hope it brings you into the weekend refreshed. Juice When you start learning how to blind taste, sauvignon blanc from New Zealand is one of those wines that is easy to identify ā the grapeās characteristic citric zing comes with a ripe lushness there thatās unmistakeable. Itās a popular wine category, and for...
about 1 month agoĀ ā¢Ā 1 min read
6.7.24 Happy Friday! I'm excited to welcome some new subscribers today, and of course welcome you returning back - just a reminder, all the past Friday's pairings can be found here. Onto the wine & song! Juice I couldnāt resist this weekās wine when I saw it on the shelf ā I'm usually lurking around the Piedmont section of any store, and I found this bottle irresistible since it contained many grapes that Iād never heard of. So I opened Coutandinās Pinerolese RamƬe 2019 with anticipation,...
about 2 months agoĀ ā¢Ā 1 min read
5.31.24 Happy Friday! Glad to be back with you, pairing away...let's get to it shall we? Juice I donāt know much about Croatian wine, but thatās changing ā over the last few weeks: Iāve been snagging bottles wherever I can find them and delighting in their variety and style. Iām starting our Croatian travels together with this little number: Ikons from the producer VoÅ”tiniÄ ā KlasniÄ, from the area of Moslavina, featuring the grapes Å”krlet and graÅ”evina. If we keep drinking from here I will...
about 2 months agoĀ ā¢Ā 1 min read
5.16.24 Happy Friday! Iām hitting āsendā the morning of recording ā hopefully my own prelude to a great few days in the studio! Iāll be taking next week off for a vacation, and back at it the following Friday. In the meantime, perhaps youāll have a wine and music pairing of your own youād like to share? Send āem my way.:) Jazz I am fortunate enough to collaborate with Adam Birnbaum, and Iām a huge fan of his work. I got to hear him at the Jazz Gallery last week playing his album āPreludesā:...
2 months agoĀ ā¢Ā 2 min read