Wine & Words

Most of us need to keep a keen eye on the fine line between budget and value in the wines we enjoy. And that may go double for Burgundy.

Cabernet Sauvignon is the boss grape in red Bordeaux. But move outside Bordeaux ... and as often as not, "Cabernet" without a surname might mean "Cabernet Franc."

The first day of Winter and a less-than-stellar economy prompts Richard Fadeley to haul out the bubbly.

Frank Cornelissen followed his dream to Sicily's Mt. Etna, where he established a vineyard and winery. A true believer in the purity of natural winemaking, he avoids all external chemical or other outside treatment in his organic vineyards.

Now that Taylor's living in wine country, she's put together her "definitive guide to how to crash at a friend's house in wine country."

This month's edition of WineBlueBook rates the 2009 Château Léoville Las Cases, Bordeaux St.-Julien a "great value" wine. Also, its buying guide features 2000-2009 Northern Red Rhone wines.

When John Juergens visited California's Anderson Valley, he was overwhelmed by the natural beauty - and found some excellent wineries.

If there's one indispensible reference for the wine lover, it's Hugh Johnson's Pocket Wine Book. Updated annually, the 2011 edition is now available. This handy guide packs an incredible amount of information into a pocket-size volume.

Here's a direct link to Steve De Long's delightfully geeky new wine-grape chart, a must-have gift for the serious wine hobbyist on your list.

The season’s sturdy roots, squash and greens need little more than a few turns in a hot pan to become appealing partners for a variety of grains.

The vegetables in this dish are perfectly happy served with grains, or they can form the basis for a hearty Provençal-style gratin.

The authentic version of this Greek dish has a lot more olive oil, but its slimmer cousin doesn’t fail to satisfy.

Don’t toss out the barley cooking water: It adds flavor and texture to these sautéed vegetables.

This earthy and nutritious dish stays moist with a little cooking water from the grains.

A recipe for dark chocolate-cherry ganache bars.

The Park Slope, Brooklyn, shop remains open.

Eric Asimov explores a wine mystery: why Americans don't buy syrah.

A recipe for lobster stew with a premade pastry lid.

Nowadays, rather than a perfumed delicacy, a bottle of Côte-Rôtie is more likely to be a powerhouse, big and fruity.

A collection of links from the reporters and editors of the Dining section.