Tag: Aria

Forks up, y’all: We’ll soon witness an unprecedented surge of restaurant openings in Atlanta. It’s about time.

Wine may look impervious in its thick glass bottles, but it is sensitive stuff. Once it’s uncorked, oxygen will drive even the most elegant quaff toward vinegary ruin. Most restaurants, including those serious about their beverage programs, restrict what they offer by the glass, reserving the pricier, more finessed wines for the bottle list.

s a child, King’s military family was always on the move. But wherever they lived—Virginia, Missouri, Hawaii—her grandmother, Mildred King, came for extended visits, bringing the flavors of Georgia with her. “Ganky” (as King called her) was revered for her layer cakes and pecan tassies. But the dessert that King most remembers is a simple, delicate coconut custard.

Aria’s general manager and wine director of six years, Andres Loaiza is the type of somm who puts you at ease. A gracious character with a wine-is-fun-let’s-try-this-bottle attitude, the man is an excellent guide for the uncertain. And for that reason, I sat down with Loaiza to learn a few tricks of his trade on how to choose wine with confidence.