From Violin to Vin Jaune: How Eleven Madison Park’s Wine Director Rethinks Luxury in the Glass
By Eric Schwartzman
At three-Michelin-star Eleven Madison Park in Manhattan, the wine list is as storied as the dining room. For Wine Director Adam Waddell, the job isn’t just about curating bottles; it’s about orchestrating emotion, memory and discovery — often in fewer glasses than before.
Waddell, who took over the program in 2025 after joining the restaurant as associate wine director in 2023,…
Best Wine for Thanksgiving: How to Choose
By Eric Schwartzman
Justin Herbinet of New York’s National Arts Club shares his philosophy for pairing wines with Thanksgiving dinner — and reminds us that gratitude pairs best with the bottles you already love.
The dining room at the National Arts Club glows with the amber light of late afternoon. Stemware catches the sun from Gramercy Park as Justin Herbinet circles a table,…
Ross Halleck on the Mystical Power of Sonoma Wines
By Eric Schwartzman
Exploring the spirit of wine from Sebastopol’s fog-kissed coastal hills
If you’ve ever cruised down Burnside Road just west of downtown Sebastopol, passing sheep-dotted pastures and groves of redwood and eucalyptus, you’ve already begun to experience the quiet mystique of Halleck Vineyard. In a recent episode of Wine Talks with Paul K, Ross Halleck—founder of Halleck Vineyard Estate Winery &…
Russian River to East River: Sharing West Sonoma County Wines with Gramercy Park’s Cultural Elite
By Ross Halleck
Last week, I ventured from Halleck Vineyard Winery and Wine Tasting Room in Sonoma to the Sculptor Garden Room of the historic National Arts Club in Manhattan’s Gramercy Park to pour our California wines for a room full of artists, philanthropists, and musicians. It was my second Sonoma Wine Education Seminar at the club,…
A Toast to Hospitality: Pouring My Russian River Pinot at Gramercy Tavern
By Ross Halleck
Last night, I had the honor of pouring my wines for the team at Gramercy Tavern, a Michelin Star Restaurant in New York City that has been serving our wines for over a decade.
For a winemaker, there are few experiences more gratifying than sharing varietals and vintages with professionals who understand the nuances of food,…
The Forgotten Entheogen: A New Way of Experiencing Wine
By Ross Halleck
For most of my career, I’ve talked about wine through the lens of flavor, food, and family. But over the last few years, something shifted for me. I began to ask a deeper question: What if wine could be more than a drink? What if it could be a spiritual tool?
That question led me down a path I didn’t expect….
This blog is sponsored by Halleck Vineyard but we also write about Sonoma wineries, wine tasting rooms and wines. If you buy anything through links on our site, in some cases we may earn a commission.
