There's no doubt that Washington has always been a city which loves its booze -- but that's even more true today, as research shows that people in America are drinking more alcohol than they have in decades. more ›

Virginia's wine industry -- the territory of such luminaries as Donald Trump -- is booming. more ›

A fire broke out inside a two-story commercial building at 1351 U Street NW around 5 a.m this morning, causing significant damage to the ground-floor U Street Beer and Wine shop, as well as the second-floor dance/martial arts studio. There were no injuries, and the cause of the fire remains under investigation. more ›

The collaborators behind mega Italian food-and-drink emporium Eataly are hoping to open an outpost in D.C. But our reaction to Eataly is perhaps more muted than most. more ›

Once the largest and one of the most lauded wineries in Virginia, Kluge Winery went into foreclosure after owner Patricia Kluge couldn't pay her mortgage. Local wine fans were disappointed that they were losing some of the best Virginia wine had to offer. But have no fear, likely GOP presidential candidate, real estate mogul, "You're Fired," Donald Trump has bought most of the winery. Virginia wine fans rejoice? Probably not. more ›

On April 1, J&G Steakhouse (515 15th Street NW) will launch a "Sips & Bites Menu" at their downstairs wine bar. During their new happy hour -- Monday through Friday, 4-7 p.m. -- patrons can order from a menu of 9 of Chef Philippe Reininger's small plates, each complemented by a half pour of wine, selectively matched by J&G's sommelier. Three pairings can be had for $20, or just one pair for $8. more ›

Yesterday, the Virginia House of Delegates passed bill SB1292, which will allow for corkage in the state's restaurants. Corkage allows restaurant patrons to bring their own bottles of wine to a restaurant -- a choice best reserved for bringing that bottle you've been saving for a special occasion, or for connoisseurs who find their destination's wine offerings lacking. more ›

Instead of offering up a roundup of all things D.C. voting rights as we approach the end of the year (in short: we didn't get any), I'd like to credit the folks at D.C. Vote with a festive and holiday-themed way to get their point across. more ›

Drink of the week: Anything mulled! more ›

Look, it's no secret that Maryland's laws governing booze are ludicrous, featuring a rigidity rivaled only by Pennsylvania and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. One particularly Puritanical section of the law does not allow tax-paying, law-abiding Marylanders to have wine shipped to their homes. Thankfully, there appear to be more level-headed individuals among those who produce and enjoy a good Pinot than in the state's General Assembly. more ›

Are you a fan of D.C.'s myriad wine bars, but find you always end up spending too much money when you head to one for happy hour? Problem solved at Vinoteca just off U St. NW, which continues to offer its phenomenal $5-a-glass happy hour five days a week. Far from the stuffy snobbery that can sometimes accompany wine-centric establishments, Vinoteca offers a vibrant atmosphere at its brightly-colored bar area, including a healthy, but manageable, din of conversation from patrons and an upbeat soundtrack. Happy hour at Vinoteca, which during a recent mid-week visit was full but not overcrowded, runs from 5 to 7 p.m. Sunday, and Tuesday through Friday. more ›

For both wine connoisseurs and revelers alike, the Thursday before Thanksgiving has taken on a heightened significance in the United States over the past several years: the release of the Beaujolais Nouveau wine from the Burgundy region of France. The very young red wine is made from the gamay grape and aged less than a year before its cork is pulled, which, by law, cannot occur until the third Thursday in November. (Note: Not surprisingly, French people take this very seriously. I have seen a French friend of mine ready to come to blows upon hearing that a restaurant in New York was serving the beaujolais nouveau ahead of time. So watch out!) more ›

Maybe you've got a 20-year old bottle of Burgundy chilling in your wine cellar that you want to drink for a special dinner out. Or, you just want to order something nice off the wine list. Up until now, D.C. ABC regulations dictated that you can't carry any remainder out of the restaurant. So of course, most folks would either try to finish the whole thing, leave it behind, or stealthily hand it off to some other lucky diner. This leaves you with the options of dangerous, wasteful, or illegal. more ›

Just when people thought the Target in Columbia Heights had everything, there's talk of it getting even more. more ›

After pouring in Boston and now moving onto New York, the traveling Wine Expo was held this past weekend here in D.C. A full line-up of wine tastings, food demos, and seminars filled the halls of the Ronald Reagan building all weekend long. Wine lovers, consumers, people in the trade and some miscellaneous drunk people all came out in the name of wine. The entire weekend kicked off Friday night with the Grand Cru tasting. Those willing to shell out $175 were granted a more personal visit to many of the exhibitors as well as sample many exclusive wines. Food samples and demonstrations included B.L.T. Steak, 1789, Dino, Proof, Equinox and PS-7, to name a few. more ›

Maryland, like most other states, has some arcane laws still on the books (cf. Virginia's code outlawing the mixing of wine or beer with spirits), but none irks area oenophiles more than the one that prohibits the shipping of wine into or out of the state. The Post reports today that a bill proposed by two Montgomery County legislators would finally change all that. more ›

It's a very good time to be a wine drinker in D.C. With spring not too far away, wine bars have been popping up like daisies around town. Newcomers include Proof in Chinatown, Vinoteca at 11th/U, and Veritas in Dupont Circle. Just last night, another contender entered the fray: Cork officially opened its doors on 14th between R and S. The wine list is 40 strong by the glass, and around 130 by the bottle. Prices are generally in the $8-$11 range for glasses, although there are a few outliers at $6 and $14. Cork also offers flights of three wines for $9-$13 - my chenin blanc flight was an interesting tour through the grape's intricacies, with sugar and acidity levels varying between glasses. At the moment, the beer list has only five bottles, but it includes standouts such as the Smuttynose IPA and Floris Wit-Blanche. As for the food, I arrived as the kitchen was closing so I missed out on a chance to try the menu, but the presence of Chef Ron Tonaka, former sous chef of CityZen and Citronelle, makes me confident that the food will be an attraction here. The menu is small, but includes some typical wine bar fare such as charcuterie and duck confit, as well as more adventurous selections, each notated with wine recommendations. more ›

Believe it or not, it’s that time of year…. again. A time to sit back and reflect, but also to look to the future. But speaking in wine terms, it’s the time of year to pick out that bottle (or bottles) of bubbly to ring in the New Year. As much as we love our champagne, vintage champagne no less, it’s not always the practical choice. Unless you plan on not drinking what so ever before midnight, so that you can fully appreciate an expensive bottle of fizz, we suggest looking to sparkling alternatives. In this final 2007 edition of Buyin' Oeno, we’ll look into why champagne can be so expensive, but also splash into what other more reasonable options are out there. more ›

Good holiday news for District oenophiles: via the Examiner, the D.C. Council is considering legislation that would boost the amount of wine you can could have shipped to you from outside the city to two cases per month, per home or business. Currently an individual is limited to only one quart of wine per month if you don't have a manufacturer's, wholesaler's or retailer's license. more ›

With classical art not always well-represented in the District, the new exhibit at the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Wine, Worship and Sacrifice: The Golden Graves of Ancient Vani, is a great opportunity to see some pieces from the sixth century B.C.E. to the mid-first century B.C.E. Colchis, now the country of Georgia. more ›

It is truly the most wonderful time of year — for caterers, that is. D.C. knows how to feast. Between all the holiday/non-denominational/winter solstice parties for every single nonprofit/government/lobby/press room in town and our own personal holiday events, the humble art of bringing a homemade dish to any event has fallen by the wayside. Personally, I’ll be bringing a dozen Krispy Kreme jelly doughnuts to a Hanukkah party this weekend. On the other hand, there... more ›

The cold weather - and holiday festivities - descended upon Gothamist. The Rockefeller Christmas tree was lit, Broadway stagehand finally ended their strike, and NASCAR decided to run their victory lap through Times Square. There were disturbing photographs revealing the working conditions in which many city manholes are produced and ninjas were also a hot topic, either robbing homes or entering into alibis. But the city was really rocked by how Rudy Giuliani's visits... more ›

Written by DCist Contributor Eric Denman As the commercialization of Chinatown persists, the number of restaurants and bars continues to increase. For every existing grungy Chinese takeout place, there is a new sports bar, burger joint, or wine bar. Proof, which opened in July, is the newest entry in the Chinatown wine bar field, and it opened a mere block from the established José Andrés outpost Zaytinya (which has been open since 2002). Both places... more ›

As wine professionals, this is the time of year when we go into overdrive helping you, the consumer, fulfill all of your wine needs for parties and gift giving. As wine lovers, we relish being able to share our love of wine with others. We know that buying wine anytime can be an overwhelming an experience, but possibly more so now that you have to cover your family, friends, co-workers, and a mystery person whose... more ›

Rather than bringing a bottle of a nameless, never-tried bottle of Pinot Noir to your holiday parties, bring something the hosts will actually remember that it was you who brought it. Bring something that they'll be thankful for the morning after two too many egg nogs or a night of putting up with the relatives in town for Hanukkah. Bring them Joe. Two pounds of coffee is the new bottle of wine. Don't be an... more ›

We know it’s not quite Thanksgiving yet, but our mouths are already watering with the thought of all that turkey and stuffing goodness. Alongside those thoughts are ones of what wines to pair with our cornucopia of delights. With all the different flavors and components on the table it may seem impossible to choose just one white and one red. But do you really want to get into the intricacies of pairing different wines with... more ›

Editors Note: We enjoyed the tour diaries J. Tom Hnatow wrote for us as part of These United States' last tour, so we asked him if he wouldn't mind doing it again as the band embark on their first ever intercontinental tour of the UK and Europe. He graciously agreed. This is the fourth and final installment of this series. The Paris entry: Thursday October 25th After our marathon, 14-hour, pre-dawn-to-post-dusk trek from Bath to... more ›

>> D.C. firefighters were called to a rowhouse fire in Columbia Heights this afternoon. The blaze broke out about 5:15 p.m. in the 1300 block of Otis Place, NW. [AP/WJLA] >> As if Adams Morgan could somehow be ruined by the introduction of beer and wine sales at a grocery store? Have they been to Adams Morgan? [Examiner] >> SmarTrip cards are now available at more Giant stores. [Free Ride] >> "Good lord, have... more ›