It’s August. It’s steamy. And you likely have major rosé fatigue. Have no fear, Pinot Blanc is here! . Pinot Blanc is my go-to August wine. You need something refreshing, but on one of those hyper-humid 95-degree dog days you can barely muster the energy to lift your glass. There are plenty of refreshing wines … Continue reading
One of my favorite summertime pairings is just rosé and a hot day. But if food does enter the picture, as it usually does at some point, the most royal pairing might be BBQ. They’re basically as perfectly matched as Kate and Wills. First, rosé and anything spicy is just flat out amazing. It balances and … Continue reading
The #RoséWeek day you’ve all been waiting for! I’ve been sampling away since May – over 100 bottles. It’s been ROUGH. But finally we have our top 10 rosés of 2016! I organized them by region based on my previous post about grapes they use to make rosé in different regions. It’s always helpful to … Continue reading
We’ve detailed how rosé is made in past Rosé Weeks (if you need a refresh, it’s right here). But obviously, you need red grapes to make rosé since those varying shades of pink all come from the color in the skin of red grapes. But rosé regions all around the world make rosé from different … Continue reading
Italy is by far my Happy Place. Not only am I 100% Italian, but it’s known for la dolce vita. That literally means the sweet life, and is basically just all about kicking’ it and enjoying life. Many an evening has been passed sipping an apertivo in a piazza, or eating the best [fill in … Continue reading
People might associate Spring Break with body shots and beer, but grapefriends know the real meaning: awesome spring wines to break open! So many good ones to sip on while we transition from vile winter to blissful summer. white pinot noir Oh yes, this exists and it’s so cool! And you’ve actually had it before … Continue reading
Roses are nice, but I’d be way more in love with anyone who gave me a bouquet of rosés instead. And these three all cheaper than a dozen roses! Win win win. Lucien Albrecht Crémant d’Alsace Crémant is one of my favorite Champagne alternatives: just as good, more than half the cost. This all-Pinot Noir … Continue reading
Hopefully you’ve had your fair share of fizz this holiday season. But if you haven’t, you’ve got one more night to unleash those corks from their cages and into your glass (and then continue for the next 364 days…) The conundrum of New Year’s Eve is always what to pop. Hanging with a small group? Definitely … Continue reading
For most people, Christmas is the big day and that’s when you have your feast. I don’t really know what they eat on Christmas Eve, but in our Italian family that’s our big night and we have the traditional Feast of the Seven Fishes. In the past we didn’t always have seven, but in recent years we’ve revived … Continue reading
Happy Winter Solstice! The shortest day of the year means the longest night getting your grape on by the fire. Let’s get those heavy reds poppin! Cab, southern Rhones, Sicilian reds like Nero d’Avola, Monastrell from Toro. What’s your winter time fave? Continue reading
