October 30, 2018
It’s a crisp, fall afternoon. The sun is shining and the air seems full of vigor. It suddenly strikes you as the perfect day for a picnic in the park. It may not, however, have occurred to you to enjoy... UNFILTERED
Piaggia & The Hidden Treasure of Carmignano DOCG
October 24, 2018
Tuscan legend has it that when Catherine de’ Medici of Florence was married to King Henry II of France in 1533, they exchanged important wedding gifts. The Medici family gifted the French royals forks, which were already widely used in... Happy Brew Year! October Marks the Start of the New Sake Brewing Season
October 19, 2018
Is there any better time of year to be in Japan than October? We don’t think so. The punishing dripping heat of summer subsides to brisk fall weather. Foraged mushrooms begin to appear on restaurant menus. The delicate Pacific saury... Postcards from the 2018 Harvest in France
October 16, 2018
With the barrels being filled, the tanks frothing away, the presses put to slumber, and the birds eagerly eying their leftover treats, the 2018 harvest in France is beginning to wind down. Join us as we look through the eyes... The Golden Apples of the Sun: a Quick Tour of Skurnik’s Burgeoning Cider Portfolio
October 11, 2018
Late summer. Greenmarket bins are overflowing with heaps of ratatouille-friendly tomatoes, squash, and eggplant, but try as global warming might to make Eternal Summer a reality, change is in the air. The first new crops of Mutsu, Macoun, and the... Booze & Bubbles: A Skurnik Wines Tasting
October 9, 2018
Thank you to all that could join our Booze & Bubbles Tasting, our fall tasting where spirits are now a headlining act! Craft Spirits has remained our largest growth category for seven years running! We’ve been adding suppliers at a... American Riesling: Defining a Noble Grape on American Soil
September 27, 2018
“More than any other great grape, Riesling has suffered from prostitution of its name. The word Riesling has been filched for incorporation into the names of all sorts of vine, many of them mediocre.” Jancis Robinson, Vines, Grapes and Wines,... Grand Cru Puglia: The Wines of Cosimo Taurino
September 21, 2018
“Traditional,” “rustic,” “authentic,” “not without its subtle nuances and soft contours,” “gutsy,” “spicy,” “earthy,”—these are just a few of the words professionals have used to describe the wines of Cosimo Taurino. Allow me to add more: “a gem in the... The Pajama Spritz: An Introduction
September 18, 2018
What a great time in history to be able to spritz. Spritz is, indeed, a verb, and one that we’re fond of employing here at Skurnik. The action delivers all that the word implies; not only the promise of a... An Intro to Shochu: Japan’s Terroir-Driven Spirit
September 13, 2018
Duck into just about any local izakaya pub in Japan, wind through a tight squeeze of boisterous diners, clusters of friends and coworkers reenergizing themselves after a long work day with skewers of grilled yakitori, potato croquettes and platters of...