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
Category Archives: free run juice
take the grapefriend challenge!
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
turkey time, get the wine
Thanksgiving is a smorgasbord of events. Cooking. Company. And confusion, if you don’t know what wine to pour. So if pairing wine for the holiday has you feeling like this: Just stick with grapefriend and you’ll soon be feeling like this: My one rule: drink American, for obvious reasons. OK, let’s get started and take this course … Continue reading
cider season
It’s fall, and though I love popping open my light reds while watching football I’ve lately been cracking open some cider too. They have that touch of fruit without being sweet, give you some fizz, and are lower in alcohol so you can drink more which works well for game-watching. Ciders have been getting more … Continue reading
let the rìas run
Light and refreshing Albariño is perfect in summer. But as we approach fall’s cooler weather, I sometimes tend to gravitate away from some of my favorite wines for heavier ones. So it’s always good to know about other versions of great grapes that you can drink all year round. That’s why I was excited to explore … Continue reading
the pink keeps pouring. a lot.
Not sick of rosé yet. Nope, not at all. At this point in the summer I’m half woman, half rosé. Let’s up that percentage with more of these recent faves: Gérard Bertrand Gris Blanc: You’ve probably seen their Cote de Roses everywhere, but we had a ton of the Gris Blanc in the south of France last month … Continue reading
grill grapes
Take these tips as you get your grill on today! Happy 4th! Hamburgers: A Tempranillo-based Riojahas just enough spice to handle whatever you load your burger with. Look for Crianza on the label, which is a more casual style meant to be drunk younger. Anything with BBQ sauce: A spicy, jammy Zinfandel pairs super well with richly sweet … Continue reading
happy national rosé day!
Yep, it’s a thing. Just go with it and let the pink start popping! I’ll be doing a few amazing ones each month this summer to help you find your new favorite. Domaine Lafond: Tavel is the baller spot of rosé – it’s all they produce. Get this one with juicy raspberry laced with great … Continue reading
memorable wine for memorial day
Time to adjust your wardrobe and bring all the whites to the front of your wine closet. This summer, try on some Picpoul and not just because it has “pool” in its name. This white has tons of acidity (hence the name which means “lip stinger”) and citrus flavors. It’s from the Languedoc region (and … Continue reading
best bottles for chardonnay day
Happy Chardonnay Day! Everyone knows the big buttery Chardonnays, but there’s so much more to try from all around the world. Oregon is known for Pinot Noir, but their Chardonnay can be very unoaky and lovely. Try this Bergstrom, which is much more citrus than butter, $38. You can find some excellent values with almost any … Continue reading