Blog
Walt Disney World for Wine Lovers
Hello. My name is Dina Given and I am a Disney Adult. Yes, one of those people – a grown woman who goes to Disney parks without her kids, wears a variety of Mickey ears based on what matches my outfit, and is passionate about helping people plan their Disney...
Girl Scout Cookie & Wine Pairings
It's that time of year again where the Girl Scouts can be found in dress uniform in front of grocery stores hocking boxes of sugary goodness to strangers, parents share on their social media accounts begging friends to buy their kids' cookies, and the typical slew of...
Wines for Valentines Day
You could buy any number of amazing bottles of wine that will work wonderfully with your Valentine's Day plans, but you'll get extra bonus points by finding a bottle that really reflects the romance of the holiday! LVE Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley, CA, $80 LVE is a...
Off the Beaten Wine Trail: Blaufrankisch
Style “Blau” in Blaufrankisch means “Blue” in Austrian, meant to describe the deep, almost purple, color of this red wine. “Frankisch” is an older term used to indicate something of high quality. Despite its dark color, Blaufrankisch is a more medium-bodied wine with...
Is the Juice Worth the Squeeze?
What goes into the price of a bottle of wine? The short answer is, a lot! However, does that mean a more expensive bottle is always a better wine? The short answer is, it depends. Let’s break down how wine pricing is determined. Terroir Terroir is usually defined as...
3 Alternatives to Chardonnay
Chardonnay is the most popular and widely grown white grape variety in the world. It can be grown successfully in a variety of different climates, from cool through hot, so can be found in just about every wine region. It is also considered a winemaker's wine because...
Best Value Red Wine Regions
What does "value" mean? Some may interpret this to mean "inexpensive", but that isn't entirely accurate. Value is a combination of both price and quality. A wine that is a great value may not necessarily be cheap, but rather, it is priced well in comparison to other...
Off the Beaten Wine Trail: Vino Nobile di Montepulciano
Vino Nobile di Montepulciano is literally translated as Noble Wine of Montepulciano, and historically lived up to its name as a favorite amongst influential Kings, Popes, and Presidents. Even Thomas Jefferson fell under the spell of Vino Nobile. So what happened to...
Hallowine Recommendations
Halloween is right around the corner and there are plenty of wines at your local wine shop with labels that work perfectly for the season. Here are some wines that pair with creep-tastic costume parties, trick-or-treating with neighborhood parents, or just relaxing...
Off the Beaten Wine Trail: Verdejo
Albarino may be Spain's most famous white wine, but there is an often overlooked varietal that may just deserve the title of Spain's best white wine. Verdejo is not many people's first choice of Spanish wine, and its homeland of Rueda is not a place that tourists tend...
My Favorite Celebrity Wines
These days it seems like every sports, television, film and music celebrity is trying to sell their own wine, tequila, gin, [fill in the blank alcohol]. It can be hard to know who is just slapping their name on a bottle for a marketing purposes, and who is actually...
Wine Blends: For Better or For Worse?
The first time someone asked me at one of my wine tasting events why blends were lower quality than single varietal wines, I was taken by surprise. It never occurred to me at the time that this perception even existed. After all, some of my favorite wines, and some of...
Old Vines: Better Quality or Marketing Hype?
At times you will see a wine label boasting the term, "Old Vines" or in France, "vieilles vignes". It promptly begs a number of questions: How old is "old"? Does it mean the wine is better quality because the vines are old? What difference does the age of the vine...
Off the Beaten Wine Trail: Aglianico
Aglianico (pronounced "alli-yawn-nico") is the best red wine from Italy that you've probably never heard of. For the past several decades, wine critics and therefore wine consumers have almost exclusively favored the wines of northern and central Italy - Barolo,...
Cabernet Sauvignon: Napa vs. Walla Walla
Walla Walla, WA and Napa Valley, CA are separated by 750 miles, a completely different climate and a resulting distinctly different wine style. I find that Cabernet Sauvignon from Walla Walla sits somewhere between Napa and Bordeaux in style. Washington State may...
What the Mother?!
What is that disgusting blob of gunk you sometimes find floating at the bottom of your bottle of vinegar? It is actually a by-product of the process that turns wine into vinegar, and it’s called The Mother. The Mother is a mass of acetic acid bacteria that feeds on...
Wine FAQs
Have a wine question? Send me an email! What are Wine Legs? Wine Legs, also called Wine Tears, are a fun quality to observe in your wine glass, but what do they really tell you? Legs are those droplets that slide down the inside of your glass after you swirl your...
Off the Beaten Wine Trail: Bugey-Cerdon
Bugey is a wine I love to include in my in-person tasting events, as either a starter or a finisher. It fills both spots nicely - bubbles to celebrate the start of an event, or something semi-sweet to pair with dessert. There aren't too many wines out there that can...
Southern Hemisphere Chardonnays
When I took my wine exam this past May, I was required to complete a blind tasting of 12 wines organized into four flights of three wines each. The goal of the first flight is to identify the common grape variety. I thought I had it in the bag, until I reached the...
Off the Beaten Wine Trail: Txakolina
Although Txakolina looks like a terribly difficult name to pronounce, it is actually quite easy, and kind of fun to say - "chah-kuh-leena." But what the heck is it?! Txakolina is a low alcohol, lively, dry white wine that can sometimes have a little spritz in it from...
Stay Warm with these Classic Wine Movies
The weather is getting colder and more dreary, which is driving me indoors and under a comfy blanket in front of my TV. (I am so NOT a cold-weather person!). If you're looking for an indoor activity that will keep you as warm and comforted as your glass of wine, here...
Turf War over To-Kalon
To-Kalon (pronounced toe-kah-lon) is one of the most historic, famous and disputed names in Napa Valley history. Is it a vineyard? Is it a brand? Some of the Valley’s most prestigious personalities – Robert Mondavi and Andy Beckstoffer – have been battling each other...
The Scandalous Wine Classifications of Saint-Emilion, Bordeaux
When you see “Grand Cru” on the label of a bottle of Saint-Émilion wine, what does that really mean? I’ll give you a hint – it’s not the same as the Cru system used in Burgundy. The classification system in Saint-Émilion can not only be confusing to consumers, but it...
Wine with Mushrooms Makes A Fun-gi!
I was at my local farmer’s market this past weekend and there was a mushroom vendor selling a variety of fungi, some of which looked like they came from another planet! I simply couldn’t resist buying some. I love that rich earthy, umami character of sautéed...
RECIPE: Mushroom Risotto
Ingredients 8 cups canned chicken stock 1 ounce package of dried porcini mushrooms 1/2 stick unsalted butter 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 chopped onions 1lb of chopped mushrooms of your choice (e.g., shitake, portabello, crimini) 6 garlic cloves, minced 1 tablespoon...
PRODUCER SPOTLIGHT: Lang & Reed, Napa Valley
What’s rarer than a cheerful teenager? A winemaker in Napa Valley that doesn’t produce any Cabernet Sauvignon! Meet Lang & Reed, a rare breed of Napa winery that focuses on the other Cabernet – Cabernet Franc, as well as Chenin Blanc. When I was in Napa Valley a...
WINE SPOTLIGHT: Swartland, South Africa Chenin Blanc
A few weeks ago I Coravined a glass of the 2019 Mullineaux Quartz Chenin Blanc 'Leliefontein' from Swartland, South Africa in preparation for my WSET Diploma tasting exam to meet the "high quality Chenin Blanc" recommended tasting. It was so amazing that a few days...
What Can Winemakers Do When Impacted by Wildfires?
It's like deja vu all over again. In October 2017 we all watched in helpless horror as wildfires tore through northern California's wine country, threatening lives, property and vineyards. In total, the fires killed 44 people that year. Then in 2018, California...
Happy Prosecco Week!
This week - July 20-26, 2020 - we are celebrating the 3rd annual National Prosecco Week! So pop a cork on your favorite bottle of Prosecco, pour yourself a glass of that cold, refreshing, crisp bubbly, and read on to learn all about this super popular sparkling wine....
Pet Nat: The Next Big Bubbly
You might think that all bubbles are created equal, but that couldn't be farther from the truth. There are actually six different ways of producing sparkling wines that result in wines with different characters, textures, flavors and price ranges. However, have you...
Blue Wine?! Yes, It Really Does Exist
A few days ago, I posted about orange wines, which are produced using a natural, ancestral process, and have gained significantly in popularity. Yet, did you know that blue wine is now one of the new hot trends in the wine industry? Blue wine is made by fermenting red...
Red, White, Rosé and…Orange?!
Orange wine has generated a lot of buzz in the last few years and is very popular with the natural wine community, but what is it and is it any good? Well, that all depends on your how adventurous your palate is. Let's start with what it is and how it's made. Although...
Grape of the Week: Malbec
In a nutshell: Fruity and smooth, not heavily oaked, with flavors of plum, blackberry and a chocolatey finish. Where it is primarily grown: Argentina Cahors, France Also Known As: Cahors (in France) Fun Facts: Malbec is a highly drought-tolerant grape that loves the...
Best Wines for Easter
Easter Sunday is fast approaching. Sadly, we won't be able to share the holiday with extended family and friends this year. However, that doesn't mean we can't splurge a little on a nice bottle of wine. In fact, this is the perfect time to treat ourselves after these...
Grape of the Week: Chenin Blanc
In a nutshell: An incredibly versatile grape that can produce delicious white wines in a wide range of styles - dry and lean, rich and aromatic, sweet and luscious, and bubbly sparklers. Where it is primarily grown: Loire Valley, France South Africa Wine Styles: Dry...
10 Best Wines to Stockpile Under $20
We find ourselves in a surreal, almost science fiction-like dystopian world right now, where businesses are shuttered, schools are closed, grocery store shelves are empty and we're being told to stay home or keep our distance if we absolutely have to go out. All of...
Grape of the Week: Gewurztraminer
In a nutshell: Produces an intensely aromatic white wine with notes of exotic spices and rose petals that is often made off-dry. Where it is primarily grown: Germany Alsace, France Wine Styles: Dry to sweet white wine Fun Facts: The grapes have a pink to red skin,...
Grape of the Week: Vidal Blanc
In a nutshell: Produces fruity off-dry late harvest wines and sweet dessert wines called Icewine Drink young Where it is primarily grown: Canada New York State Sweden Wine Styles: Off-dry to sweet dessert ice wine Dry white wine Fun Facts: Vidal is one of the very few...
Winter Whites
If you are a non-denominational wine drinker, you may choose to drink crisp and fruity Sauvignon Blancs and pretty-in-pink Provence Rosés during the dog days of summer. Then as soon as the first bite of winter's chill hits the air, you switch to rich and dark Cabernet...
Grape of the Week: Touriga Nacional
In a nutshell: Produces big, rich, dark colored, tannic red wines Where is it grown: Portugal Wine Styles: Dry red wine, often blended with other varieties, but sometimes a single varietal Port Wine Texture: Body: Full Tannin: High Acidity: Med-High Alcohol: High...
Winemakers & Cowboys: A Weekend in Paso Robles
There are many amazing wine regions throughout the world, which means I have plenty of vacation ideas on my bucket list. However, I find myself returning to California over and over again. The state is not only rugged and beautiful, but they produce some of my all...
100% Wine Tariff and What It Means for You
President Trump is really annoyed with France and is lashing out at them in a way that will hurt all wine-drinking Americans. So what did France do to draw such ire? France has been pressing large American corporations (Google, Facebook, etc.) to pay the country's...
Wines To Serve This Holiday
The holidays are a time for celebration, and celebrations are a time for drinking...and eating! If you are still trying to figure out what wines are best to serve with your holiday meals, I have some excellent suggestions that will pair beautifully with any dish you...
10 Gift Ideas for The Wine Lover
Are you looking for some unique wine-related holiday gift ideas for that wine lover in your life? Well, look no further. Here are a few of my favorite things that I'm certain you will enjoy as well! Coravin Wine Preservation System, $285 The Coravin is a...
Best Holiday Gift Wines At Any Price Point!
Wine is the consummate holiday gift for just about anyone on your adult holiday gift list. There are excellent options at all price ranges - $15 bottles for a Secret Santa gift, $30 bottles for an amazing holiday party hostess, $50 bottles for your boss or closest...
5 Wine Pairings for any Charcuterie & Cheese Board
Tis the season for parties with families, friends, neighbors and co-workers! There is no better and more festive time to gather together those closest to you to celebrate, unwind and be merry. Yet to truly throw the perfect party, there must be outstanding food and...
Differences Between Red and White Wine
It may seem somewhat obvious that the difference between red and white wine is the color. Although that is true to some extent, the differences go much deeper, both in the vineyard and during wine production. Grape skins contain high concentrations of flavor and...
Best Wine Pairings for Thanksgiving
The holiday season is a time of revelry, celebration and most of all, gluttony! There is nothing more heart-warming than gathering around the holiday table with family and friends to enjoy an enormous meal prepared with love, except when that meal is also paired with...
5 Ways to Use Old Wine
As much as we might try, it's not always possible to finish an entire bottle of wine in one sitting, or even over the course of a few days. Maybe you opened a bottle the night before a business trip or vacation, or perhaps the week is filled with kids activities and...
5 Boozy Hallow-wine Brews
We're only a few short days away from my favorite Fall holiday! Halloween holds a special place in my heart because my birthday is only two days before, and I grew up throwing epic Halloween/Birthday parties every year. Even as an adult, I love having an excuse to...