Wine Stories

Here’s to you!

So this is me (on the left) with my husband, Doug, who you can find on Instagram  (@The_LetterD) and on the web (DouglasWeiss.com). I thought that since you’re very likely to see pics of us together along our wine/food/travel journey, it’s best to make an introduction.

Everyone, meet Doug. Doug, meet everyone!

We’ve been together for a long time, and will celebrate our 28th anniversary in December 2019. Woo Hoo!

(T-Minus 2 years to a really, really expensive anniversary! Yikes!)

Doug’s passions are design, fashion, cultural arts (ballet and opera, in particular). But he also shares my passion for food and wine.

I’m truly the #winegeek of the couple. But hey, someone’s gotta take that role, right? In the end though, we both find the same raw pleasure in wine and food, and are equally comfortable arranging trips around some epic Michelin Star-hunting! While my pleasure can be more intellectual, Doug’s certainly along for the ride.

Here’s an example: I love trying different wines. When I go to a new restaurant, at home, within the U.S. or abroad, the last thing I want to do is order something I already know well, or have in our cellar.

OK. Sometimes, I do order things I know, but it’s usually because I see a wine on a list from a winemaker who’s a personal friend. I get a kick out of buying their wines and then posting about it. It’s a fun way to say “Hi!”

Back to the example… So I try different wines. And by different, I often mean different grape varietals, different non-traditional viticultural regions, even different winemaking methods. And, sometimes my initial descriptor might be…

“It’s a very interesting wine.”

And about this time, Doug’s saying, “I don’t want interesting, I want good!”

So as we continue on this blogging journey, and if you stick with me long enough, I’m confident that you’ll see me describe a wine as “interesting.” It’s not a negative term for me. In fact, it usually means it’s piqued my intellectual curiosity.

Along the way, I’ll even share Doug’s comments from time to time. More likely though, I’ll see if I can capture pictures of him tasting “interesting” wines! And I’ll probably work on a list of my “Top Ten Most Interesting Wines.” We’ll see.

Until then, watch this space and Drink More Wine!

Cheers, Chris

Looking for a great cocktail in a beautiful bar while in Paris?

Visit Bar Hemingway at the Ritz Paris.

Victorian in style, very clubby and intimate. Quite small, in fact. Several years ago — before the more recent renovations of the Ritz Paris — they opened an “overflow” bar across the hall. I’d recommend skipping the overflow; just wait until you can get into the real thing!

There’s some argument about where the Bloody Mary was invented: at Bar Hemingway or at Harry’s New York Bar (also in Paris, not in New York). Either way, both have a Hemingway connection. So it seems safe to guess that Ernest Hemingway himself may have been the originator, or at least the prime inspiration, for the Bloody Mary.

For me though, Bloody Marys are just too heavy. Craft cocktails at Bar Hemingway are truly craft, down to all the mixers, the bitters, and anything else they use.

SPOILER ALERT: These cocktails aren’t for the financially faint-of-heart. They’ll set you back 30-40 Euros apiece! But seriously, how many times are you actually coming here in a given year? And what do you expect at the Ritz Paris?

It’s. Worth. It.

If you’re lucky (or if you go back enough times), you’ll get to see Head Barman, Colin Field. He’s a super-nice gentleman, incredibly knowledgable. He’s been twice named “Best Head Barman in the World,” by Forbes and Travel + Leisure magazines. And he’s a Brit, born in Rugby, England.

My personal, go-to cocktail at Bar Hemingway is the Vesper. It’s the classic “James Bond” cocktail and a variation of a martini.

The traditional recipe is 3 oz Gin, 1 oz Vodka, and 1/2 oz Lillet Blonde. Somehow, the blending of gin and vodka, and replacing vermouth with the smoother Lillet Blonde (an aromatized wine), just works!

I think they have a bar food menu at Bar Hemingway. But honestly, we’ve never visited for the food… just the atmosphere, the drinks, and the conversation we inevitably have with others nearby.

Cheers, Chris