Don Ho was right about tiny bubbles, and there’s no better time of the year to warm up and get happy with a great bottle of bubbly. With holiday parties happening nearly every night these days, there’s no doubt that most of us will end up consuming our fair share of cheap, and often tasteless, sparkling wine. But there’s good news: it doesn’t have to be that way. Whatever your price range, there are a…

When you first walk into the tasting room at Food Matters in Alexandria, you feel as though you are about to sit down to an intimate dinner. The central focus of the room is a large table made of reclaimed wood, while floor-to-ceiling windows flood the space with afternoon light. Christy Przystawik, one of the owners of Food Matters and facilitator for the tastings, places tasting notes and pens at each seat. But don’t let…