With COP26 underway, it’s a great time to take a look at some of the cool sustainability initiatives happening in the wine industry all over the world. Regional Regulations: In the Médoc, producers are working to make sustainability and biodiversity practices mandatory in their AOC regulations which would involve practices like reducing pesticides, preserving biodiversity, and managing the region’s carbon footprint. Sustainable farming helps … Continue reading
Category Archives: free run juice
rosé keeps rolling
In the non-stop flow of pink, here are five faves for the month! 1 Olga Raffault: Stunning rosé from Chinon, full of minerality, strawberry, and the slightest touch of funk to give it complexity. Had this at Clay, or you can also get here for $16.99 2 Gerard Bertrand Cote Des Roses: Light and refreshing, reminded me of a … Continue reading
august values & splurges
So many good ones this month. values Tussock Jumper Chenin Blanc: I go back and forth on Chenin and I think it’s just a matter of finding a good one. This one has great waxy white melon, piquant lemon and unripe pineapple and is only $11.99! Saget La Perriere “Marie de Beauregard” Cab Franc: Such a great … Continue reading
fish friendly whites
Summer nights are perfect for a quick-grilled white fish with just a spritz of fresh lemon, Italian parsley and capers. These crisp, light Italian whites are perfect pairings. Gavi: Digging the acacia and lemon spritz notes in Riva Leone Gavi ($14.99) and a fleshier apple Michele Chiarlo Rovereto ($16.99). Falanghina: This is more of a deep yellow wine, with a hint of herbs … Continue reading
pop the pink
The only thing that’ll save you during these heat waves is rosé. Here are this month’s fave five. 1 Lamberti Prosecco: Prosecco is now officially allowed to make a rosé style using Pinot Nero. This one isn’t only elegant, it’s a killer value at only $14. 2 Donum: At $50, this isn’t going to be your everyday deck quaffer … Continue reading
national picnic month
Unroll the picnic mat and pop a tab. July is national picnic month, no surprise there. But what may be surprising is that canned wine – which is so convenient to bring on a picnic – can actually be pretty good. I’ll caveat this with saying I sampled a ton of canned wine that was not good, … Continue reading
bastille day finds
We all know the famous regions, but on this Bastille Day (July 14) let’s celebrate some lesser known regions in France. Camargue: Near Arles, the terroir here is sandy which helped them avoid the pest phylloxera which scourged most other regions. Pre-phylloxera Grenache vines. Try the salmon-tinted, peachy Pink Flamingo Gris Rosé. $14 Ventoux: East of the Rhône Valley, it gets some … Continue reading
champagne friday
We’ve been doing this for the past few months to celebrate the small things during Covid, namely just getting through another week. But now things are looking brighter and it’s officially summer, when every day is like a bubbly glass of goodness. So this will be our last month of Champagne Friday, but we’ll still … Continue reading
what’s in a glass?
Paying a lot for wine glasses can be a contentious topic. The producers of these often very expensive glasses put a lot of research into the shape of the bowl and how it affects the nose and palate of wines. Usually these are crafted to bring out the characteristics for specific grapes, but wine writer Karen … Continue reading
fire up the grill for father’s day
On this Day of Dad, get the grill going and pop open great wines to go with. What I look for in a good grilling wine: structured reds with tannins that will hold up to the char, or hearty rosés that counterbalance the heat. Petite Sirah: This is all big and inky power, so I prefer when … Continue reading