First Vine News Today

RECOMMENDED | Plus, a sparkling rosé to celebrate spring and a pizza-friendly Italian red for this week’s sips.

My husband Cy and I never miss the Health Code Violations blurbs in the Washington Post every Thursday.  While it seems a bit ghoulish, they shine a light on how local government functions.  Admittedly, it’s not nice to read that a favorite restaurant or grocery store had a rodent or insect infestation.  But some entries are for alcohol-related violations, and the citations and fines are issued by the city’s Alcoholic Beverage Regulatory Administration, or ABRA, which also regulates Fir...

After waiting months and months, a shipment for First Vine finally arrived here in DC about two weeks ago.  We have wines from two new producers in Italy and an old favorite from France.  Cy took this photo of me as we began unpacking the pallets from a shipment that arrived a couple of weeks ago. Lots of delays in getting it here to DC, but we’re happy to have the wines! So, hooray!  I really like the new selections and have undimmed appreciation for the ones I’ve been buying now for m...