Have you been exploring along? Here are this month’s grape and region suggestions, and if you’ve had them before then pick your own adventure! Grape: Cab Franc This is one of the five grapes found in a Bordeaux blend, but all on its own you get plum and green pepper. Bernard Baudry is one my favorite …
Given that TV is way more exciting than movies these days, the Emmys are sort of THE awards show to watch. Grapefriend went to the Emmys and the Governors Ball after-party with Ferrari, which has been the official sparkling wine of the Emmys for the fifth year in a row. The house started in 1902 with the …
When it comes to New Zealand wine, you probably think about the punchy, tropical, zesty Sauvignon Blancs. Fair enough, since that’s 72% of their production. People there sometimes call it Savvy B which I thought was sort of funny, but then a winemaker told me to never cheapen it like that. I’d rather have my …
Yum to the rum. Just got back from Negril, and when you’re in Jamaica that’s what you drink. My favorite rum cocktail was the Dirty Banana – super refreshing and you’ll never feel guilty if you have it very early in the morning because it’s basically a nutritious shake! So here’s the recipe for 2 cocktails: …
The grapefriend wine totes have arrived!!! They’re totes amazing (get it?), and not just because they hold wine. I lug a lot of wine around. A lot. To friends, to dinners, to events, away for the weekend. I was tired of trying to find bubble wrap or random pieces of cardboard (liquor store style) to stuff in …
I was listening to my friend Anne Krebiehl on an old Wine Enthusiast podcast the other day and she was raving about Blaufrankisch. It’s an Austrian grape I’d had maybe once or twice, but Anne has the ability to make you crave whatever she’s talking about so I went home that night and opened one. … Continue reading
level of panic: 1-2 what to pour: white You’re in the initial stages of pandemic panic. We’ll get through it. Pour a glass of Sylvaner, a nice light white with notes of lemon and white florals. Meant to be drunk young when it’s racy, it will go well with your racing heart. It’s mostly from Alsace or Germany, … Continue reading
Back in the day it was rare to have a female winemaker. Luckily that’s all changed now, and today on International Women’s Day you have a ton of women-made wines to choose from. Here are a few I’ve enjoyed all over the world, often with the winemakers themselves. Caroline Diel at Schlossgut Diel in Nahe, … Continue reading
Have already been clocking some serious fireside time this winter. If I can’t have Happy Hour on the deck, I’ll take it with a crackling fire and a glass of red to go with my grilled steak or amazing boeuf bourguignon. Try some Tuscans like Rocca delle Macie’s Riserva di Fizzano ($30) a silky Chianti Classico that … Continue reading
I love popping some pink bubbles pretty much any day, but I’ll take Valentine’s as an excuse. Sparkling rosé adds such a rich, decadent Marie Antoinette feel to your glass. And it just looks pretty too. Try these: Gratien & Meyer Crémant de Loire, $18. By now you all probably know how I feel about crémant: … Continue reading
Drink like the stars at your Oscar party. The official Champagne is Piper-Heidsieck, and to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Prohibition they made a limited-edition magnum with a replica of the Prohibition era label. In the 1920s, bootleggers would smuggle Piper-Heidsieck into the United States where it would be secretly served in speakeasys throughout New York City. Now, … Continue reading
Dry January is over so let’s get into the #grapefriendchallenge full force. Here are this month’s grape and region suggestions, and if you’ve had them before then pick your own adventure! Grape: Grenache SO much cherry and black cherry, and a great medium-bodied pick. I’m talking about the red Grenache, but I actually also … Continue reading
The little critter didn’t see his shadow, so we’re in for an early spring! Let’s start celebrating now with a winter rosé. I pulled this Villa Gemma Masciarelli Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo ($16.99) to try the other day and loved it. Made with 100% Montepulciano d’Abruzzo grapes, it has lots of cherry and great minerality along with a fuller, more structured body … Continue reading
If we were just going by the wines they produce, obv SF would take this hands down. (Though Kansas does have 52 wineries, FYI.) The mayors of San Francisco and Kansas City have made their Super Bowl bets to each other, with the loser having to come to the winning team’s city and eat some … Continue reading
I know a lot of people are doing dry January, but here at grapefriend we’re doing TRY January. And, we’re extending it through the whole year. So every month this year, let’s pledge to try one grape or region we’ve never had before. In? Of course you are! We all have our go-to grape varietals, … Continue reading
