Lesley Jacobs Solmonson

If anyone knows high-end Champagne, it's Francois Vera. As general manager of Pour Vous, Vera pours Champagne — whether by the glass or for bottle service — on a nightly basis. As burlesque performance adds to the Parisian atmosphere of the bar and you sip a glass of real French......

Wine can be a stressful subject during the holidays, if not all year. Drinking a glass is easy, gifting might even be easier (thanks to our helpful guides), but pairing a series of wines with a major meal? Not so much.   To help us choose the best affordable wines......

During the holidays, there are some obvious go-to drinks for the season — hot toddys, spiced cider and, of course, boozy eggnog. Los Angeles bartenders have created both traditional and unexpected twists on the classic for their menus this year, using everything from Cognac to cream liqueur to mezcal (yes,......

On December 5, 1933, America got to drink again. The country had been dry for 12 years due to Prohibition, but FDR thought that it was time for a change.   His famous comment — " I think this would be a good time for a beer" — sums it......

Without sugar, there would be no alcohol. This is, of course, a bit of an oversimplification, but the fact is that, during fermentation, yeast breaks down sugars to produce the beer, wines and spirits we drink. So, it's not much of a leap of faith that we would pair sweets......

Soon after Death & Co. opened in late December 2007 in New York's East Village, it became —and has remained — one of Manhattan's "it" bars.  Not because the place was trendy, but because it was home to exquisitely made cocktails and an atmosphere of such welcome that you wanted......

Every day, the cocktail culture grows by leaps and bounds. For a long while, we Angelenos were playing catch-up with cities like London and New York. Now, with award-winning bartenders like Julian Cox and a growing list of classic cocktail bars from the Eastside to the west, there is no......

For quite a long time, New York was where the cocktail action was. Now, though, an ambitious breed of spirits and cocktail-centric entrepreneurs have chosen L.A. — whether by birth or choice — as their home base. Why hang your hat in Los Angeles?  Louis Anderman of Miracle Mile Bitters......

The history of China is vast, dating back over 4,000 years. Throughout the thousands of years, the dynasties and kingdoms, wars and revolutions, one thing remained constant — China's production of and passion for Baijiu.  Similar to whiskey on a certain level, Baijiu is a grain-based distillate, whose principle base......

Rum is complicated.  Light, amber, or dark?  Spanish, English, or French?  Tiki drinks or stirred concoctions?  When it comes to cocktails, rum is a challenging beast. And because rum is such a diverse spirit category, the cocktails in which it's used — from the daiquiri to the mai tai —......