My favorite whiskeys of 2017
“What are some of your favorite bottles of whiskey?” is a question I get asked quite frequently and is often harder to answer than…
Read NowDrink · 2017
Your guide to holiday sparkling wine
I don’t remember where I heard it, but someone once said, “You don’t save Champagne for a special occasion, Champagne IS the special occasion.”…
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Your holiday wine gift guide
On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me, a Grand Cru Burgundy. I wish! But unless you’ve been REAL good…
Read NowCocktail Showdown: Final Week
This week brings a few smooth surprises.
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Cocktail Showdown Week Five
Newly remodeled since July of this year, the Spirits Lounge inside the Holiday Inn in Fargo takes the lounge concept to a level of…
Read NowWine cellaring 101: your guide to aging wines
There’s a common misconception that all wine gets better with age. And there are lots of cliches and dumb birthday internet memes with Leonardo…
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Ham, lamb and turkey, OH MY! Your guide to holiday wine pairing
Believe it or not, “The Holidays” are upon us. If you’ve been to Target lately, and I know you have, you may have noticed…
Read NowCocktail Showdown: Week 3
For the third week in a row, our panel of judges were out on the town with a thirst for cocktails and a focus…
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2017 Cocktail Showdown: Round One
Our annual search for the best that the local cocktail scene has to offer is once again underway, and it is shaping up to…
Read NowJunkyard Brewery: A gem in the crown of F-M
Enthusiastic beer drinkers can usually be found drinking a variety of brews. The craft beer industry has become quite popular throughout the U.S., although…
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Fireproof? The NoCal fires and the future of wine
As a wine pro, I’ve been getting a LOT of questions about the effects of the fires in California wine country, so I wanted…
Read NowSurly dip into their cellar, I do the same
Dipping into your cellar to pull out a special bottle is something that used to be fairly exclusive, wine connoisseurs only. These days, cellaring…
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Bottle talk
I’m just here for the boos: your guide to Halloween wine pairing I don’t know about you, but I LOVE Halloween, and aside from…
Read NowFestival of wines returns to Sanctuary
Daou Vineyards: First appearance in North Dakota As our days get shorter and the evenings longer, thoughts of fall and the upcoming holiday season…
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Four must-try wines for fall
Up here where it’s north of normal, we can pretty much count on our first cold snap to hit right about now, and the…
Read NowDrekker brings new beers and J. Roddy Walston for Drekkerfest 3
Birthdays are always cause for celebration but when your business is beer and it comes time to celebrate another year of bringing delicious, locally…
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Founder of Novo Fogo organic cachaça visits Fargo
On Monday I had a special opportunity to learn more about Brazil’s favorite distilled spirit, cachaça, directly from the founder of one of the…
Read NowThe ‘Sideways’ effect, part II: merlot
In my last column, I talked about what wine industry experts call “The Sideways effect,” which was the period of time after the release…
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Mankato Brewery grabs attention with comic book cans
If you’ve never had Mankato’s Organ Grinder Amber Ale, you should probably put it near the top of your “must try” lists. If you…
Read NowBeer book delves deep into state’s history
North Dakota is most certainly part of the latest craft beer revolution, with around a dozen different breweries currently operating from Minot to Fargo…
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Bottle talk: the ‘Sideways’ effect
Raise your hand if you saw the movie “Sideways.” You know, the 2004 critically acclaimed and Oscar-winning film about wine? Well, it wasn’t only…
Read NowAleSmith: Award-winning, hand-forged brews
Appearing somewhat quietly on offsale shelves and on draft at select bars, AleSmith Brewing out of San Diego has been available in the local…
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Dangerously good ales from Two Harbors, Minnesota
Minnesota is certainly well known for being a hotspot for craft brewing. While most of the action has been centered around the Minneapolis metro…
Read NowMore local breweries means a bigger Zoo Brew 2
The Red River Zoo is inviting adults to gather their friends and tap into your wild side for one special night of fundraising. Zoo…
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