Trying to keep warm? While the snow falls outside, how about gathering friends around a roaring fire inside and try some ice wine? If you’ve never tasted ice wine (icewine–one word in Canada), perhaps winter is a good time to try it. Contrary to it’s name, ice wine will help your “insides” warm up after a few sips primarily due to the high sugar content. Yep, it’s pretty darn sweet and, to me, almost thick. Appreciating the taste of this wine is helped by understanding how it is made.   Ice wine comes from grapes that have frozen on the vine and then been harvested. As the grapes...…Trying to keep warm? While the snow falls outside, how about gathering friends around a roaring fire inside and try some ice wine? If you’ve never tasted ice wine (icewine–one word in Canada), perhaps winter is a good time to try it. Contrary to it’s name, ice wine will help your “insides” warm up after a few sips primarily due to the high sugar content. Yep, it’s pretty darn sweet and, to me, almost thick. Appreciating the taste of this wine is helped by understanding how it is made.   Ice wine comes from grapes that have frozen on the vine and then been harvested. As the grapes...WW…

When you were young did you have any “kits” that helped you learn the basics of a topic? My brother and I had many kits – some were educational (i.e. rock collecting) but much more popular were the do-it-yourself kits. We had science experiment kits, craft kits of all types, even legos could be considered kits when packaged with instructions and goals to build a specific structure. Kits are great – they help people learn on an individual level and give us the opportunity to have a sense of satisfaction and exploration in new topics. Adult versions of kits could be putting together furniture...…When you were young did you have any “kits” that helped you learn the basics of a topic? My brother and I had many kits – some were educational (i.e. rock collecting) but much more popular were the do-it-yourself kits. We had science experiment kits, craft kits of all types, even legos could be considered kits when packaged with instructions and goals to build a specific structure. Kits are great – they help people learn on an individual level and give us the opportunity to have a sense of satisfaction and exploration in new topics. Adult versions of kits could be putting together furniture...WW…

Recently one of our readers, McKenzie, posted a question about the difference between American and French Oak. First of all, thanks McKenzie for a very good question.  Secondly, sorry for the delay in coming up with an answer.  This is a very difficult issue to taste test–primarily because most Napa wines use French oak and I’ve encountered only one winery who uses both for the same juice.  The only winery in Napa (that I know of) that uses all Missouri oak is Silver Oak.  This is a great winery with wonderful wines.   They produce only cabernet, and it is quite...…Recently one of our readers, McKenzie, posted a question about the difference between American and French Oak. First of all, thanks McKenzie for a very good question.  Secondly, sorry for the delay in coming up with an answer.  This is a very difficult issue to taste test–primarily because most Napa wines use French oak and I’ve encountered only one winery who uses both for the same juice.  The only winery in Napa (that I know of) that uses all Missouri oak is Silver Oak.  This is a great winery with wonderful wines.   They produce only cabernet, and it is quite...WW…