Dry German Riesling: An Eternal Conundrum

Wine writers can be tireless, or perhaps tiresome, in recommending the virtues of perennially unloved wines. Loire reds are one example of a category that receives little affection no matter how often writers tout their value, versatility and deliciousness. German rieslings are another. People fear sweet rieslings, yet it seems to do little good reminding…

Should You Chill Red Wine?

Indeed, as the wine warmed to what I considered lightly chilled, it grew more delicious. The flavors were of tart fruit and herbs, maybe a bit of anise, with a lingering bitterness that refreshed and cleaned the mouth. Broc, like each of these producers, relies on ambient yeasts for fermentation and does not manipulate the…

Where Rihanna Got Her Style Groove

It was midafternoon in Barbados, and a tall gate swung open onto a wide yard. Lauren Austin led the way through her home-turned-costume-production factory, stepping around a dozen four-foot-tall wings, their fuchsia feathers stretching out across the floor. On one side of the room, two members of her team wrapped padding around wire wing frames.…