by Dina Given | Feb 11, 2025 | Grape Varieties, Off The Beaten Wine Trail, Wine Recommendations
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...
by Dina Given | Oct 17, 2022 | Grape Varieties, Off The Beaten Wine Trail, Wine Recommendations
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...
by Dina Given | Oct 3, 2022 | Grape Varieties, Off The Beaten Wine Trail, Wine Recommendations
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...
by Dina Given | Sep 25, 2022 | Grape Varieties, Off The Beaten Wine Trail, Wine Recommendations
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...
by Dina Given | Sep 18, 2022 | Grape Varieties, Wine Education, Wine Recommendations
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...
by Dina Given | Sep 18, 2022 | Grape Varieties, Off The Beaten Wine Trail, Wine Recommendations
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...
