Why Sommeliers Drive Us Insane...And A Rebuttal

Sommeliers of the world, how we love you, depend on you, sometimes despise you. It's a love/hate relationship, and like any great relationship, communication is key. (No, we didn't pay a therapist to tell us that.)

We recently posed a question on the Wine Enthusiast facebook page about how sommeliers drive us crazy. We rounded up the top 5 complaints, then tapped New Orleans's rising star sommelier, Molly Wismeier, director of wine at Restaurant R'evolution, for her saucy rebuttal.

Drink it all in here:

http://www.winemag.com/Wine-Enthusiast-Magazine/Web-2013/Somms-Drive-Me-Crazy/

How to Pair Wine with Herbs

No, this isn't a story about how herb is legal in several states. But cheers to that!

This piece for Wine Enthusiast Magazine delves into the plethora of plants Mother Nature has provided us...from basil and thyme to lemon verbena, adding spice and depth of flavor to cuisine for centuries. This Pairings story ponders the age-old question, how can we approach wine when we've got so many kick-ass flavors?

http://www.winemag.com/Wine-Enthusiast-Magazine/Best-Of-Year-2012/A-Wine-Lovers-Guide-to-Herbs/

We talked to top chefs and their sommelier cohorts around North America about how to match wines to any herb-centric dish, and scored their secret recipes. Mission accomplished.

Beyond Wine: New Food Pairing Partners

We got some great tips from sommelier Justin Kuruvilla of elements in N.J. about what's next in the restaurant world: Nontraditional pairings dinners. That's right: Because we always suspected Bourbon goes with just about everything.

For tips on how to pair food with spirits, beer and sake, read my article for Wine Enthusiast here.

http://www.winemag.com/Wine-Enthusiast-Magazine/Best-Of-Year-2012/Sommelier-Tip-Embracing-the-Occasional-Wine-Free-Pairing/