TV Tuesdays Live Broadcast With Special Guest Leslie Sbrocco

editor — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 21:22:51 +0000

Part one in a series of shows with Cellars of Sonoma, one of the hippest new place in town to discover handcrafted, award-winning wines from Northern California’s rising stars.
Watch the entire series on Cellars of Sonoma’s Youtube channel here.

Savvy Sipping: Back to the future with wines on tap

editor — Tue, 24 May 2011 16:19:27 +0000

Wines on tap are the hot new trends, as shown in this image from New York’s City Winery.

The pop of a cork or snap of a screw cap are not the only sounds you’ll be hearing these days when it comes to unleashing a glass of wine. Listen for the whoosh of a spigot.

Leslie Sbrocco and Mark Kaufman

editor — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 13:43:22 +0000

Leslie talks with mark Kaufman of EnVino, a producer of plastic wine bottles and alternative wine packaging.

Update your wine collection with varietals under $20

editor — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 15:49:26 +0000

In this episode of Wine Cabinet Makeover with Lisa Quinn, Leslie shares some of her favorite varietals for under $20, and discusses some alternative packaging for wine.

Portugal 2

editor — Sun, 09 Jan 2011 23:11:38 +0000

The Simple and Savvy Wine Guide

editor — Sun, 09 Jan 2011 22:42:57 +0000

When Leslie asks her audiences what types of information they want in a new book, the overwhelming response is a portable compilation of top picks. Leslie Sbrocco’s Simple and Savy Wine Guide is packed with all kinds of glance-and-go lists for everything from what wine to drink with Thai take-out, to wines perfect for drinking in a bubble bath. Leslie also offers up an entire section based on her popular concept of wine makeovers, in which she takes an expensive wine and offers a similar tasting, less expensive version.

Buy it now on Amazon

Wine for Women

editor — Sun, 09 Jan 2011 22:35:58 +0000

Wine is not to fear or revere, but to enjoy,” says Leslie Sbrocco, wine expert. And that’s exactly what she shows you how to do in Wine for Women, the first wine book written exclusively for women — the majority of wine consumers.

In Wine for Women, Leslie Sbrocco scraps the stuffy wine-speak and deals with what women really want to know about wine. The book includes shopping guides with hundreds of recommended wines, quick ideas for wine-friendly meals, and creative tips for sharing wine with family and friends.

Organized into easy-to-manage sections, Wine for Women appeals to all levels of wine lovers. From Sauvignon Blanc to Chenin Blanc, Merlot to Malbec, and pink wines to dessert wines, Leslie Sbrocco makes her enormous knowledge of wine entertaining enough for the serious wine lover and accessible enough so any novice can feel like an expert.

Each chapter focuses on a different variety of wine, and covers what Leslie calls the big three — how to buy, pair, and share wine. You’ll learn how to make smart buying decisions in stores and restaurants. Leslie also gives you practical advice for pairing wine and food and offers insights on entertaining with wine, whether you’re having an informal picnic or planning the most formal of weddings.

Confused between Chardonnay and Champagne? Think little black dress versus sequins. And Pinot Gris? Think your wine wardrobe’s basic jeans. With her relaxed, friendly approach, Leslie makes it easy to understand the differences between wines and encourages women to explore and enjoy wine in their everyday lives.

Keep Wine for Women in your kitchen. Bring it into your living room. Refer to it before you hit the wine shop, or when you just want an excuse to read, relax, and have a sip of something that’s really you.

Buy now on Amazon

Honey, give me one in the kisser!

editor — Sun, 09 Jan 2011 22:10:03 +0000

When I travel to wine regions around the world, I don’t bring back vino. Instead, my suitcase is full of locally-produced olive oil, vinegar, salts or honey. So when I arrived at Michel-Schlumberger in Sonoma county’s Dry Creek Valley and spotted the bee garden abuzz with activity, I was giddy with excitement. Just so happens, the bees saw me coming.

The winery’s head of viticulture and all things organically-grown, Tony Wasowicz, is affectionalty known as “nature boy.” He took me on a tour of the garden to introduce me to bees and the process of producing honey. It’s simple really. Provide food for the bees in the form of a bounty of plants and then let them get to work. All they need is few boxes for their hives and honeycombs abound. Fresh, natural, glorious honey.

Tony assured me over and over again that they were la dolce vita-loving Italian bees. Gentle, happy, and amorous. I should have figured they were Italians because one of those little sweeties went straight for my kisser. Yes, stung on the lips. We’ve even got it caught in slow motion (watch the video). They quickly sting made my lip puffy and fashionably pouty.

I must not have been the first to encounter this lover bee either. The staff at Michel-Schlumberger was prepared. They quickly grabbed a frozen bottle of vodka and made me apply it to my lip. Not bad…sexy lips sans a plastic surgeon and a shot of ice cold vodka. I should get kissed by the Italians more often.

BTW: the honey is remarkable.

Leslie talks with Amici’s East Coast Pizzeria owner, Peter Cooperstein

editor — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 03:39:32 +0000

Check, Please! Bay Area host, Leslie Sbrocco talks with Amici’s East Coast Pizzeria owner, Peter Cooperstein in the KQED studios.