Photo: Far Niente FROM THE WIRES... The careful update honors the past while welcoming today’s guests with warmth and elegance Napa Valley, CA (April 30, 2026) – For more than a century, Far Niente’s circa 1885 stone winery has stood as a defining landmark in Oakville, its rooms shaped by time. The heart of the building is the Great Hall, an expansive space that has served to welcome guests, though it was never formally designed for hospitality. Now, Far Niente has revealed

FROM THE WIRES... Miami, Florida – Now open just off Sunset Harbor, CHŌ Funky Asian Bistro offers a compelling reason to cross the bridge from the Miami mainland to Miami Beach. The playful brainchild of restaurateur Mohamed “Mo” Alkassar (owner/operator of MO MOMENTUM GROUP), CHŌ is built around three pillars: a whimsical vibe, stellar Asian food, and invigorating drinks. Drawing from culinary influences across Asia including, Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, China, and Indonesia,

by Andrew Chalk You won't find this on Kalshi, but my bet for the Fall, if someone will take the other side, is a Michelin Star for Bruno Davaillon at Georgie. There are several reasons for this. First, Georgie's food was Michelin class when the kitchen was helmed by the exploding version of RJ Yoakum. The front-of-house had some lapses when I went back then, and that may have left them in the star-adjacent category in 2025. Second, Bruno is corporate grand fromage for Travi

FROM THE WIRES... This Year’s Awards Support Local Nonprofits Advancing Domestic Violence Relief, Education, Food Security, Arts, and Environmental Stewardship NAPA, Calif. – June 2, 2026 | Lewis Cellars announced it has awarded $275,000 to nonprofit organizations across Napa County through its 2026 Community Grants program. Now in its third year, the annual community grants underscore the winery’s ongoing commitment to supporting the communities where its employees and their

FROM THE WIRES... This bourbon appeared on my radar recently when I was invited to a 1792 Bourbon Craft Session. An intimate, guided experience celebrating the craftsmanship and heritage behind one of Kentucky’s finest bourbons. The evening was led by 1792 Master Distiller and expert, Ross Cornelissen. Recommended. Cocktails expertly prepared at: Location: Kitchen + Kocktails Address: 1933 Elm St, Dallas, TX 75201

FROM THE WIRES... This takes JUSTIN’s Support for Local Nonprofits and Education Initiatives to More than $2.5 Million PASO ROBLES, Calif. – June 11, 2026 | JUSTIN Vineyards & Winery has awarded new grants totaling more than $350,000 in support for nonprofit organizations and educators across North San Luis Obispo County through its 2026 Community Grants program. This year, over $300,000 will be distributed to local nonprofits to strengthen services in mental health, sports a

by Andrew Chalk BJ’s Restaurants and Brewhouses, the national chain that brews over a dozen different beers each year, including specials at individual locations, is holding regular beer tastings this year. This week I attended the latest one at their popular Addison location as a media guest. BJ's Deep Dish Pizza came as an individual pizza for each attendee. Loaded with ingredients and enough for two! The focus was on their newest seasonal beer, Grass Attack® Cold IPA, a

by Andrew Chalk Lipari, the idyllic island off the north coast of Italy, which for Jeff Bezos is an even more enticing place to yacht than the Amazon, is my kind of wine producing area. Dedicated to wines of place (in the idiom of Randall Grahm) rather than wines of effort. A wine of place expresses its terroir. For Tenuta di Castellaro that is the small island of Lipari, with soils that are sandy, volcanic, deep, fertile and rich in microelements. A climate that is all windy

FROM THE WIRES... A timely cocktail recipe from Tequila Corralejo that’s perfect for match-day entertaining, summer watch parties, tequila trend coverage or cocktail roundups. The Honey & Ash is a smoky and spicy-sweet cocktail made with Tequila Corralejo Reposado, mezcal, honey liqueur, pineapple, fresh lemon and habanero bitters, finished with a dehydrated Tajín pineapple wedge. It’s an easy fit for readers looking for a celebratory tequila cocktail to serve while watchin

by Andrew Chalk You can never get tired going to Burger Schmurger because every month they put their heads together and come up with a Burger of the Month. It's a crazy incantation of how they were feeling, what they were drinking, and who they were with at the time. I just sampled Burger of the Month -- July at a media event and it is a winner! Burger of the Month - July. Mac n' Cheese Burger It is built on the Burger Schmurger double smashburger, a potato bun with American

FROM THE WIRES... New Story-Driven Cocktail Bar & Rooftop Terrace Brings a Fictional New Orleans Love Story to Life Through Drinks, Design & Hospitality NEW ORLEANS — Latter Hospitality Group, the team behind beloved New Orleans destinations including Tujague's, The Bower, and Birdy's, has opened Charles & Julia, a new cocktail-focused concept at Hotel Perle in downtown New Orleans. Located at 757 St. Charles Avenue, the two-level destination blends immersive storytelling, th

Tasting notes at bottom! FROM THE WIRES... TERRAZAS DE LOS ANDES UNVEILS EXTREMO MALBEC 2022 IN THE US The most elevated expression of the winery's Ascension Journey is crafted from a single parcel in Gualtallary at 1,650 meters above sea level MENDOZA, Argentina, June 23, 2026. Terrazas de los Andes, a pioneer of high-altitude winegrowing in Mendoza, Argentina since the early 1990s, proudly announces the US release of Extremo Malbec 2022, the pinnacle of its Ascension Journe

FROM THE WIRES... With Memorial Day Weekend coming up, kicking off the unofficial start of summer, to share a seasonal cocktail from Tequila Corralejo that would be a great fit for any MDW or summer entertaining roundups. The Strawberry Black Pepper Smash taps into summer cocktail trends like fresh fruit, easy entertaining, and savory-spicy flavors. Made with Tequila Corralejo Silver, it opens with juicy strawberry and finishes with a subtle peppery bite. It’s an easy war

Tasting note at bottom! FROM THE WIRES.... Prats + Symington is a partnership between Symington Family Estates, one of Portugal's oldest Port producing families, and Bruno Prats, the former winemaker and owner of Chateau Cos d'Estournel in Bordeaux. Together they produce wines from only the finest grapes and favored estates in the Douro since their founding in 1999. The first Prats + Symington wine was 2000 Chryseia which received widespread acclaim. Powerful but elegant and

FROM THE WIRES... Try this unusual expression of the grape if you have not had a 'dry Furmint'. Furmint is the grape and most famous in an ultra-sweet nectar of the Gods named Tokaji. It turns out to express a rich, crisp character, not unlike Pinot Gris from Alsace when vinified dry. TECHNICAL INFORMATION Region: Tokaj Annual Production: 50.000 bottles Winemaker: Gabor Urbán ALC: 14% COLOR: nice bright yellow hinting pure freshness NOSE: a brilliant flowery bouquet of fresh

FROM THE WIRES... PRESS RELEASE Hendy's on Henderson Becomes Dallas' Pre-Match, Watch Party and Post-Match Destination During Summer's International Soccer Tournament Dallas neighborhood destination welcomes fans from around the world with extended hours, match-day viewing, specialty offerings, and the best seats outside the stadium DALLAS, TX (June 17, 2026) – As Dallas prepares to welcome hundreds of thousands of international visitors, athletes, and soccer fans this su

by Andrew Chalk Lenz Moser, from the renowned Austrian winemaking family, is well known in the European wine industry. He previously served as CEO of Robert Mondavi Europe before the winery was sold to Constellation Brands. Now he is doing his own thing. This is his new Grüner Veltliner ($20 per 750ml bottle, pictured in 1500ml format), in his New Chapter label. I tasted it and it is a great white wine for our incipient hot Texas summers. Lenz Moser (left) and Max Huber (wine

FROM THE WIRES... American Whiskey Brand Invites Public to Join the Bear Fight and Own a Stake in a Growing Category INTERVENTION... TASTING NOTE by ANDREW CHALK I had a chance to taste a sample and can heartily recommend this single malt whiskey. The nose is seductively sweet with notes of caramel, toffee, clove, and toasted pecans. On the palate it is surprisingly smooth. RALEIGH, NC (FEBRUARY 5, 2026) – Bear Fight Whiskey, the bold award-winning line of American whiskey,

FROM THE WIRES... To celebrate America's upcoming 250th anniversary, James B. Beam Distilling Co. has announced Knob Creek 9 Year Old: Independence Edition, a limited-edition expression of our iconic 9-year-old bourbon featuring a blue wax seal and patriotic red, white, and blue label, joining a commemorative collection alongside Jim Beam and Maker's Mark. Founded in 1992 and named for the Kentucky creek at Abraham Lincoln's childhood home, Knob Creek was created by sixth gen

FROM THE WIRES... Espolòn's Extra Añejo will be available for purchase nationwide in the U.S. and on espolontequila.com (for delivery in select markets), just in time for Father's Day NEW YORK, June 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Espolòn Tequila, one of the fastest-growing tequila brands in the U.S., introduces Extra Añejo, a new release that adds new depth to the brand's portfolio. Produced in the Los Altos region of Jalisco, the expression builds on Espolòn's signature agave-forwa

Photo: Emma Kruch FROM THE WIRES... Blanc de Noir and Rosé debut anchor a new season at the Russian River Estate, with expanded events and a more dynamic culinary program Healdsburg, CA (June 9, 2026) – This summer, Auteur is entering the world of sparkling with a fresh point of view. Guided by its Rogue by Nature spirit, the winery is building on the momentum of its Russian River Estate opening and new Burgundy project, accelerating into a new phase with the debut of its fir

by Andrew Chalk I recently had a chance to meet Davis Bynum winemaker Greg Morthole who took me through a tasting of some of his wines. They are better than ever, comprising Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes from numerous vineyards in Sonoma County. Chardonnay First up, two vintages of their Chardonnay. The Davis Bynum 2023 Chardonnay ‘River West Vineyard’, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County, CA ($24). And the Davis Bynum 2024 Chardonnay ‘River West Vineyard’, Russian River

FROM THE WIRES... MIGHTYLICIOUS Online Summer Savings: CELEBRATESUMMER10 INDEPENDENCE10 July 4th & Summer-times Gluten Free Recipes Enclosed Available on AMAZON, MIGHTYLICIOUS GF website & retail stores nationwide (Wood-bridge, NJ, JUNE 15, 2026) -- As summer entertaining season kicks into high gear, hosts are looking for easy, delicious ways to satisfy guests with a variety of dietary preferences. Award-winning Mightylicious Gluten Free is helping make summer gatherings a li

I have a suspicion that the Burger Schmurger float has a salvage title FROM THE WIRES... The Dallas burger favorite will once again fire up the grill on a custom parade trailer before welcoming guests to a post-parade celebration DALLAS, TX (June 16, 2026) – Burger Schmurger is bringing the sizzle back to the Lake Highlands Fourth of July Parade, returning for its third consecutive year with a burger-grilling parade trailer, festive giveaways and a community celebration tha