This
seems to be the busiest time of year. You have a house to decorate, gifts to
buy, parties to attend, meals to plan and not enough hours in the day to make
it all work seamlessly. But you don’t have to sacrifice enjoying a decent meal
paired with a complimentary wine during the rush. Here are ten suggestions to
help make your holiday season a little less stressed and a bit jollier.
 |
| Beef Stew |
1)
Soups and stews are the staples of a winter meal and the heavier the better
when it’s cold. For beef stew or chili consider pouring a substantial red like
Cabernet or Syraz. For a creamy chicken or seafood chowder, a bottle of lightly
oaked Chardonnay will do nicely. Serving more of a broth-based soup like
Chicken Noodle or French Onion? Go with a glass of Pinot Noir.
 |
| Spaghetti & Meatballs |
2)
Busy nights call for simple meals and what’s simpler than spaghetti and
meatballs. Mix up your favorite tomato sauce, pour over the pasta, sprinkle
some Parmesan cheese on top, toast some Italian bread and pour a glass of
Chianti. The acidity in the wine works with the tomatoes and the fruit-forward flavors
will make the meal taste special.
 |
| Take Out |
3)
Sometimes it just has to be takeout! If you’re ordering a spicy Mexican meal,
reach for a Riesling or Sauvignon Blanc. Opting for Italian? Grab a bottle of Sangiovese
or a Zinfandel. For an Indian meal, uncork a dry Traminette or Vidal.
 |
| Appetizers |
4)
Party appetizers can run the gamut from savory to sweet and include everything
from finger foods to tapas. Best to start the evening with a glass of Traminette
or a sparkling wine: both have broad appeal and go with a multitude of flavors.
 |
| Fish Dinner |
5)
For a meaty Salmon or Tuna dinner serve a Chardonnay or Pinot Noir. If you are having
a more flaky fish like Tilapia or Flounder, a nicely chilled Sauvignon Blanc will
enhance the meal.
 |
| Chicken Dinner |
6)
Having a GNO (Girl’s Night Out) for the holidays? Opt for a roast or grilled
chicken meal and savor a glass of Pinot Noir or a nicely oaked Chardonnay. If
you’re more of a wing girl, pass on the beer and try an off-dry Riesling or
even a Malbec to put out the fire.
 |
| Steak and Potatoes |
7)
Having dinner out with the in-laws or your kid’s latest flame? Time for some
major yet classy comfort food; think steak and potatoes served with a big bold
wine like a Cabernet or red Zinfandel. By the end of the meal you’ll feel
mellow, regardless of the dinner conversation.
 |
| Venison |
8)
For those who serve wild game during the holidays, go for a wine with
an earthy taste. Cabernet Sauvignon is excellent with venison and a Barbera or
Zinfandel will enhance the flavors of wild boar, goose and duck.
 |
| Cheese tray |
9)
Ah, the holiday cheese tray. You never know what flavors you’ll encounter on
one of these little forays so be prepared for anything with a glass of dry
sparkling wine. If you are a die-hard red drinker, opt for Pinot Noir’s
friendly approach to most cheeses.
 |
| Dessert Tray |
10)
Since it’s the holidays, you must have dessert. (Trust me.) Revel in those tiny
bubbles with tarts, fruit crisps and trifles, be it a sparkling Moscato or demi-sec
champagne. For a more caramel-chocolate based dessert enjoy a classic Port.
 |
| Chips |
And
if you’re suddenly craving a sweet/salty fix get out the potato chips and savor
them with a dessert wine. Seriously! Sherry, Port or Madeira all work well with
salty foods.
The
holidays are here: Go out and enjoy the festivities!
~
Joy
Posters
have been used frequently for over 100 years as a way to advertise
products, films, festivals, musical events, political candidates, and for
propaganda purposes. 
Posters
came into vogue during the late 19th century as a form of cheap
advertising. Throughout the years, the poster has echoed
the changes in our society and the way we do business by romanticizing, and sometimes mirroring, our attitudes and interests.
The
lithograph was the forerunner of the poster. It was developed in 1798, but
was far too expensive to produce and took too much time to print to be used as a
regular means of advertising. The lithograph struggled along until the 1870s when
Jules Cheret developed a stone lithographic process consisting of three colors: red, yellow, and blue, which, when mixed together, offered a spectrum of
intense colors. This process made the poster something that could be mass-produced at an affordable price. Suddenly
the poster was embraced for commercial purposes in Europe and the U.S.
The
major cities in Europe understood how to utilize the poster
by including images and colors that would interest and entice the viewer. In 1891, the
Moulin-Rouge poster, created by Toulouse-Lautrec, raised the status of the poster
to an art form. By the end of the 19th century, the Arts and Crafts
Movement, along with Art Nouveau style, dominated poster designs. These were the
posters which featured wine prominently, namely Champagne, along with other alcoholic beverages. 
Poster
art changed again in 1901 when Leonetto Cappiello scorned Art Nouveau’s
intricate style and opted instead for a simple image that captured the viewer’s
eye. With the start of WWI, posters took
on a different use – propaganda; this became the biggest advertising campaign that
had ever been attempted. Posters encouraged men to sign up for the service, urged people to support the
war funds, boosted morale and fueled indignation against the enemy. In American
alone, over 20-million posters were printed during the war. The U.S. had begun
to grasp the idea that enticing images and vivid colors sold products and campaigns better
than massive amounts of text.
After
the war, Modernism took hold of the country, and in 1923 the first Art Deco poster,
designed by Adolphe Mouron Cassandre, appeared. His modern style touted
travel, wine, liquors and fashion. Cassandre’s ideas were embraced and he led the
poster market with his designs for several decades. But Cassandre was not alone;
poster designers throughout the world were crafting Art Deco posters that
promoted the sleek, modern structures and forms that made Art Deco appealing.
With
World War II came another chance for posters to 
After
the war, a more informal approach to advertising began. Images were borrowed
from Pop Art and Surrealism as we made our way into the “Brave New World" of the
1950s, and into the social upheaval of the 1960s. The computer age unleashed
advances in poster designs that had not been considered before. By the 1980s, designing
and printing a poster was something anyone could do in their home or office. Images went
from cutting edge to modern to a more retro look and could be changed at a moment's notice.
While
the poster has evolved, it is not nearly as popular as it was
from the 1910s through 1940s. Our manner of social interaction has changed
dramatically, and the media have also changed our way of receiving information
throughout the world. Posters are still a go-to form of advertising for
festivals, theatre programs and political campaigns, but sadly not so much for wine and liquor, which means those nostalgic posters from the past should be regaled
and treasured even more.
