And, here it is, folks. The last week of the year. A time for introspection. A time of reflection. A time to open that bottle of wine you’ve been coveting all year. It’s been a long year – for many – both personally and professionally, and I’m feeling all hopeful that the new year will bring a bevy of blessings and wishes.
Here on Daily Blender, I’ve been busy whittling away at the noise and honing in on what really makes this place a favorite destination for food, wine, and spirits …

I have to say I was quite sad by the time I reached my last day at Kapalua. The sun shone across the gorgeous seaside hills Sunday morning as I made my way to the last wine tasting session of the weekend, titled “You say Shiraz, I say Syrah.” Another stellar lineup of wines were featured, including an Amavi Cellars Syrah, Scherrer’s “Sasha” Syrah, Waters’ “Loess” Syrah, and Penfolds’ St. Henri Shiraz, with panelists like Jamie Brown of Waters Winery, Pax Mahle of Wind Gap Wines, and Fred Scherrer of …

After a morning rainstorm – a regular occurrence on that side of the island, I’m told – I began my Saturday morning with a bit of snorkeling as part of the Jean-Michel Cousteau Ambassadors of the Environment program. After a few hours of floating along with the sea turtles in the blue waters off the coast of the Lahaina, I returned to the Ritz for the afternoon’s wine tasting session, A Drive up Highway 101. Featuring a handful of some of California’s best wines, panelists like Ted Lemon of Littorai …

An avid traveler, I’ve been around the world, from the sandy beaches of the Caribbean to high humidity of Kuala Lumpur, the icy glaciers of Alaska to the blue waters of Australia. But Hawaii is clearly something special.
Landing in Maui on Thursday afternoon for my first trip to the islands, I was a bit wary for my Hawaiian adventure, personal trials and tribulations weighing heavy on my mind. But that first step off the plane, with breezy palm trees blowing in the wind surrounded by green rolling hills and plenty …