This week we have a little something for every food and wine lover! Let’s start with the “real” juice:

Just a few days ago Wine.com launched a new version of its old self, wineshopper.com. Who does this new site benefit? Those looking for more rare, esoteric or otherwise small production, lesser available/known stuff. The site also features special deals of the day by way of email blasts. Do you think you’ll investigate this new wine buying opportunity?
We also learned this week about a specialty vinegar on the market, which apparently has chef’s jumping out of their skin. Minus 8 is an Ontario-based outfit that harvests grapes  at precisely that temperature – sort of like ice wine, but for food lovers! Check it out.

Last but not least, our friends at Divas Uncorked are gearing up for their annual food and wine fest out out the Vineyard. The event is a weekend affair August 12 – 15 and features various festivities all about the island. You can choose to attend certain events “a la carte” or buy the all-access pass. More information is available here.

How many articles have you read where the bone being picked is over who gets the wine list in a restaurant, the man or the woman? This week I stumbled on another, which parlayed a bit off of the recent Brigham study about women, wine and their weight. Take a look at this one and report below what is your experience on the topic. I can’t help but wonder if this is a regional/cultural thing, because I can’t remember the last time someone didn’t hand me the wine list. I have no real beef on this one – at least here in Boston. You?

Next up, if you don’t yet know what are some great options for pairing wine with fish – or are looking for at least one new idea – check out this piece.

Last but not least, if you enjoy a good laugh with your wine, go here for Dr. Vino’s recent “sipped or spit” piece. For me this occasional Vino post theme is a lovely, not so guilty, pleasure!

As the flowers begin to pop up, it seems every spring many new restaurants do the same. It’s been impossible to keep up with the flurry of activity around town this year – and in the world of our own restaurant reviews, we prefer to visit each new spot at least twice before giving any Final Answers about who is doing things well (or who isn’t).

This week on Wicked Local we bring to you just a quick synopsis of the Cambridge/Somerville springtime “new releases” you may want to put on your “must checkout” list. Check it out!

Have you popped in to anyone of these new spots yet? What was your impression?

Easter is a holiday that not everyone celebrates – nor in the same ways. Traditions are a bit more fluid somehow here in the United States. Maybe your family prefers a delicious Easter brunch after a morning visit to church and an Easter Egg Hunt for the kiddies. Maybe you do your own thing with your family in the morning, then visit with friends in the afternoon over a mid-afternoon dinner of baked ham or a leg of lamb. But one thing is certain: such a lack of specific tradition can cause some level of Easter week “panic.” Of course, there’s no need to stress when a little advice is at the ready. Pop over to Wicked Local today to get some ideas for your celebration!

Will wine have a place at your Easter table this year? What will you uncork?

I perused the world wide web this week to see if I could find any good juice to whet your whistle in anticipation of the  Super Bowl on Sunday, in the way of wine, anyway. For me it is a” holiday” wholly dedicated to enjoying absolutely delicious beers, as you gear up for whatever main meal you may be dishing up (for me it will be homemade pizza, with roast chicken, fresh basil, mozzarella and pineapple).  Maybe I’ll open a bottle of some exceptional vino to pair with my dinner, but more likely I’ll be digging into the Ommegang Abbey Ale – a wine lovers beer, in my humble opinion, because it offers such an intriguing, inviting nose, a round texture and layer upon layer of flavor.

What I found instead was some intriguing news about the world famous Ferran Adria, of Spain’s El Bulli. He’s taking a little break – and the “reason” up for grabs, according to the press.

I was also pleased to see some great thinking and posturing by a couple of folks I respect in the wine writing world:

Check out this post by Joe Roberts/1WineDude regarding a recent listing in the Sommelier Journal about  top picks for 2009. He makes a great point about the price tag on these recommended wines, but I disagree with his conclusion that “the pros don’t find the experience delivered by those bargains to be all that memorable”. Given the audience of the Journal in particular, I have to imagine some of these folks are posturing among their peers. In addition, top restaurants operate on a completely different buying scale. I could go on, but the bottom line is I think if you asked a broader selection of Soms around the country the same question, the outcome would be changed. We might have to revisit this topic sometime…

Last but not least, I was happy to read Dr. Vino’s article on the up-and-coming Blaufrankish varietal (aka Lemberger). Check out his musings here.

Which beverage will be in hand for you this Sunday?