http://www.aaepstein.com/blog Vino e Vita: Aaron Epstein\\\'s thoughts on Wine and Life Sun, 10 Aug 2008 00:37:36 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en I've been moving around a lot recently, and while I haven't been writing much my shutter finger has gotten more exercise than it had in a while. To keep you entertained as I pack my bag and prepare to head to Brazil this week, for a much-needed break that will hopefully ... http://www.aaepstein.com/blog/2008/08/a-photographic-interlude/ Despite what they tell us as children about judging books by their covers, I'm here to let you know that what's on the outside does count. I'm sure this applies to many aspects of life. What I'm talking about now, of course, is a bottle of wine. I've spent a great deal ... http://www.aaepstein.com/blog/2008/07/turn-the-bottle-inside-out/ The following dramatization came out of my brainstorming session for the Acequia Wine Club's Autumn 2008 newsletter. This September the earliest vines planted at The Vines' of Mendoza's Private Vineyard Estate project will celebrate their first birthday; in their honor I offer the following tale here on Vino e Vita. This ... http://www.aaepstein.com/blog/2008/07/la-vita-di-una-vigna/ If you’ve checked back since my last post, you may have noticed some small changes to this blog. Most importantly, it now has a name! While I’m deeply proud of my name and heritage, “Aaron Epstein” doesn’t really give any hints as to the theme of my work, nor does ... http://www.aaepstein.com/blog/2008/06/a-close-encounter-of-the-vinous-kind/ It's been brought to my attention that I was remiss in my last post - all this talk about my favorite food, and no mention of what to drink with it! I'm here today to put this to rights. Now, food and wine pairing is rather a touchy subject, and one that ... http://www.aaepstein.com/blog/2008/06/perfect-harmony/ I think it's time I confessed it: I am an addict. Not booze, not drugs... my current vice is SPICE. I'm not talking about dunes and sandworms here, it's a scorched palate and breath of fire that I crave. And it's in shockingly low supply here in Mendoza, Argentina. Most North Americans, ... http://www.aaepstein.com/blog/2008/06/a-burnt-palate-is-a-good-palate/ For many wine lovers out there, something just doesn't sound right about this statement. Screw caps, or 'Stelvin enclosures' to us industry folk (and the Alcan Packaging Company responsible for their creation) have recently been revolutionizing the wine business. Consumer, vendor, critic - everybody has something to say about them. Now, ... http://www.aaepstein.com/blog/2008/03/pop-the-cork-twist-the-cap/ With some mild shame, I am swallowing my pride here and 'double posting.' I wasn't kidding - I'm going to do whatever it takes to keep my blog alive! Here is an adaptation of the brief post I wrote today for The Vines' Blog. -- Every Wednesday night at The Vines we ... http://www.aaepstein.com/blog/2008/03/mc-pulenta/ I have writer's block - it's true. Perhaps I've been distracted, perhaps I've been working too hard (seems unlikely, somehow) ... in any case it's time to stop with the excuses. Rather than letting this go to waste after all my hard work, I've decided to address my problem, and to seek ... http://www.aaepstein.com/blog/2008/03/writers-block/ Once again it's been a while since I've had a chance to sit down and share my thoughts with you; this occasion finds me happily back in the big city (hooray BA!) awaiting the arrival of my dearly beloved big sister. Samara, the cherished middle sibling who infected me with ... http://www.aaepstein.com/blog/2008/02/writing-about-wine-writing/