You wanna guarantee yourself a great meal? Beeline to one of the most highly-acclaimed restaurants in town, sit down with a James Beard award-winning chef and have them describe the dishes and cocktails for you while you dine. Does it get any better than that? If you’re sitting across from chef Stephen Stryjewski at New Orleans’ inimitable Cochon (930 Tchoupitoulas St) the answer is an emphatic ‘no.’

The sunny hills of Sonoma County’s Alexander Valley are known for full-bodied Cabs and rich, earth-laden Merlots. One glass of Alexander Valley Vineyards’ 2011 Chardonnay might make you reconsider your regional expectations.

Italy is a proud land steeped in serious tradition. Berkeley is an ever-evolving town determined to break the rules. The two seemingly incongruous cultures find their common ground in a mutual admiration for great food and drink. Build (2286 Shattuck Ave.) is at the crossroads.

Who doesn’t love the bubbly? Effervescent. Vivacious. Adjectives commonly used to describe sparkling wines also define a joie de vivre. They go hand-in-hand because where there’s a party, there’s a popping cork. Next time you’re looking to liven up a social gathering or special occasion there’s a new Prosecco to hit American shelves which is nothing less than festivity in a bottle.

In 1974, eighteen-year-old Doug Shafer and his younger brother spent endless hours after school clearing rocks from a seven-acre parcel of the Napa property their father had bought with an eye to planting Cabernet Sauvignon. They lugged the rocks off the hill in the heat of the valley sun. “By hand. By the thousands.” Thirty-two years later, in September 2006, Shafer Vineyards released the 2002 Hillside Select Cabernet, a vintage that Robert Parker had awarded a perfect 100 points. Doug Shafer’s well focused memoir, written with Andy Demsky, is the rocky-hillside-to-world-renowned-Napa-wine story of father John Shafer, son Doug and winemaker Elias Fernandez. The Shafer story is a tale of vision, luck, daring and modesty. There were plenty of mistakes along the way. There was the decision to plant Sangiovese in the hope that the varietal would be the next big thing. There was the misguided cold soaking of the 1985 [...]

Caledonia Spirits is far from ordinary. Born of the Northeastern Kingdom in verdant, Vermont farmland, is a line of vodka and gin distilled from the finest local ingredients. The most notable component? Pure, raw honey. Owner and distiller Todd Hardie has spent most of his life as a beekeeper. So it was only natural for him to ferment the bounty of his craft into something special: Barr Hill Vodka. Turning honey into vodka is no easy task, either. It requires a unique process of cold fermentation which preserves the subtleties of the nectar while highlighting some unexpected complexities. For example, my first sip of the silky smooth spirit produced lingering notes of vanilla that lasted for a few moments after the swallow. There is a slight spice on the tip of the tongue that doesn’t quite make it to the back of the throat. Mass market vodkas in this country tend [...]

Rum is an evocative spirit. The essence of sugarcane or molasses fermented and distilled into a sweet, intoxicating nectar. It’s beautiful, really. A mere sip lending itself to all sorts of exotic imagery. As I close my eyes I envision myself on a deserted white sand beach, swinging upon a hammock tied between palm trees, gently sagging in the breeze.

If you enjoy full flavored beers, Imperial Stout is a style with your name on it. If your name is Barrel Noir, then Almanac Beer Company’s 10%er literally has your name right on it. You might have an odd name but if it’s any consolation, your beer is nothing short of spectacular.