by Dina Given | Mar 19, 2025 | Wine Travel
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...
by Dina Given | Sep 6, 2022 | Wine Education, Wine Travel
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...
by Dina Given | Aug 26, 2022 | Wine Education, Wine Recommendations, Wine Travel
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...
by Dina Given | Jun 6, 2022 | Wine Recommendations, Wine Travel
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...
by Dina Given | May 27, 2022 | Grape Varieties, Wine Education, Wine Recommendations, Wine Travel
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...
by Dina Given | Feb 2, 2020 | Wine Travel
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...
