LIVING WITHOUT (LW): I've lived in this neighborhood for years and have seen the area change dramatically. The one constant is The House of Glunz. This building, this business, has quite a history.
BARBARA GLUNZ (BG): Yes, The House of Glunz has been here for 118 years. My grandfather, Louis Glunz, came to Chicago from Westphalia, Germany, in the mid-1880's and opened the shop in 1888. My family lived above the wine store until I was 13, so the business has been very much a part of my life.

LW: You grew up with all this.
BG: Yes. We were taught to know something about the food and drink we enjoyed. My father had a German saying: "Drink with understanding." I believe that this simple idea remains important today.

LW: Selecting the right wine as a gift can be confusing. Do you have any general advice?
BG: A nice idea is to give a wine that's unique, something where the recipient will recognize the special quality of the appellation, like Stags Leap District, Willamette Valley or Pauillac. A fortified wine -- Port, Sherry or Madeira -- are great choices for winter gifts. There are quality wines available in every price point.

LW: What about something special for the party season?
BG: A sparkling wine adds a festive start to a party, in addition to cleansing the palate for a variety of spicy and savory appetizers. If the group is small and the budget allows, nothing quite matches champagne from Champagne, the tiny region northeast of Paris. Look for grower/producer champagnes which offer excellent value and generally a more natural, site-specific wine. The major brands -- Bollinger, Moet, Roederer, etc. -- are often found on sale at holiday time. Many fresh, crisp sparklings from Spain or California are available at modest prices, under $20. Cheaper sparkling wines, priced below $10, contain bubbles that were probably infused as they are for soda pop, and may result in a next-day headache.

LW: Are there certain types of wine that you'd suggest for a traditional holiday meal?
BG: Multi-dish meals with contrasting flavors, like turkey with stuffing, cranberry sauce and all the familiar foods normally accompanying them, call for a refreshing medium to light-bodied wine. White wines, like the crisp Sauvignon Blanc, dry Riesling from Alsace or Austria, or Spain's Albarino, are good choices. For red wine, try an aromatic Pinot Noir, a lightly chilled cru Beaujolais, or a dry Rose of Pinot Noir.

LW: How about some wines for more exotic fare?
BG: Pinot Gris and Viognier, two grapes getting a lot of attention, are both superb matches for curry and the spicy cuisines of India and Thailand. They also add flavor interest to simpler meals like roast chicken and poached fish.

LW: And for the end of the meal? Do you recommend any particular wines to accompany dessert?
BG: Sweet desserts call for a similarly sweet wine. Serve Banyuls with chocolate, Monbazillac with baked fruit, Madiera with plum pudding, and an auslese German Riesling with brown spice desserts. A sparkling Moscato d'Asti is particularly refreshing at this point in the meal. Tawny Porto, with its dry, nutty flavor notes, is a relaxing finale served with a cheese plate and Marcona almonds and it seems to induce philosophical conversation among true friends.

LW: The House of Glunz offers an excellent selection of wines from around the globe. You stock many rare and highly allocated wines, as well as wonderful "everyday" wines. What's your view on organic and biodynamic wines?
BG: We seek out wines that are grown and produced with as few chemicals as possible. For 12 years, I represented Nicolas Joly of Clos de la Coule de Serrant, a wine producer who was considered the "grandfather of biodynamie." He made me aware of the widespread use of artificial agricultural products and additives in commercial wine production. I've attended large tastings presented by Old and New World organic and biodynamic wine producers. The complexity of the aromas and the depth and length of flavor in these wines is impressive. Even jaded journalists have registered positive comments and praised the consistent quality of these wines. I'm not suggesting that all organically produced wine is good wine but, if you are selective, you'll find the best ones are also good for you. I truly believe that wines should not only taste good, they should be good for you.

For more information about wine or to place an order for your next event, contact The House of Glunz at www.houseofglunz.com or 312-642-3000.