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Walt Disney World for Wine Lovers

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...

Wines for Valentines Day

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...

3 Alternatives to Chardonnay

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

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...

Hallowine Recommendations

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...

My Favorite Celebrity Wines

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...

What the Mother?!

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

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...

Turf War over To-Kalon

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...

Wine with Mushrooms Makes A Fun-gi!

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

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...

Happy Prosecco Week!

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

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

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?!

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...

Best Wines for Easter

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...

10 Best Wines to Stockpile Under $20

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...

Winter Whites

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...

Winemakers & Cowboys: A Weekend in Paso Robles

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

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

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...

Differences Between Red and White Wine

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

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

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

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...