It’ll be a month. You need quick, affordable wine. We also need to remember to celebrate. Grapefriend’s got it all. values Ritual Sauvignon Blanc 2018: Chile is a fantastic source of value wines – packed with flavor and so affordable. Love the piquant lemon on this organic Ritual (and btw, this pasta with sausage and broccoli rabe recipe was … Continue reading
Category Archives: free run juice
wines for election day…and beyond!
You need a hardcore backbone to get through this morass. I mean, who knows if we’ll even have results this month. If we don’t have structure in our political system, let’s find it in our wines. Pine Ridge Cab Stags Leap 2014: Could use even a few more years, but a great coffee-cocoa-blackberry Stags Leap Cab. $140 … Continue reading
perfect pinots for american holidays
With Columbus Day this month and Thanksgiving next month, we can think about celebrating our fall American holidays with a legend of American wine. Gary Farrell started making wine in the Russian River Valley in the 80s. It’s an area where the fog and breezes help both Chardonnay and Pinot Noir excel. Theresa Heredia has … Continue reading
what to try this merlot month
merlot month October is Merlot month, which is great because it’s such a good firepit wine as the weather turns colder. Very lush with warming plum, blueberry and baking spices. Merlot is the most widely planted variety in Bordeaux where it’s one of the five grapes in their blends, but it’s also the second-most planted wine grape … Continue reading
october values & splurges
Well, this Wine From Home situation is looking pretty longterm so we’re going to keep this handy series going! Values Gradis’Ciutta Ribolla Gialla 2018: lots of white peach and lime zest in the oldest-known grape in Collio, Italy ($16.97) Villa Matilde Falanghina 2019 ($19.99) Rocca dei Leoni Pinot Noir isn’t easy to grow, so it’s not easy to … Continue reading
september values and splurges
Suddenly it’s not hot any more. This better not be the end of our warm days, but I’m happy to be done with the humidity. Outside all day and not sweating calls for a glass of wine and I have just the bottles, in all Lockdown price ranges. Values Riondo Prosecco: The lighter side of Prosecco … Continue reading
our lips are not sealed
Super excited for the Go-go’s doc on Showtime this month, since I loved them growing up. And even now, who can resist singing out loud to Vacation?? Also who can resist a mineral, flinty, lemony Assyrtiko from Santorini? All of those characteristic plus great acidity makes it a perfect summer wine for tzatziki and grilled … Continue reading
shark week wine
With shark sightings and some tragic accidents on the northeast coast this summer, stay inside and just watch Shark Week starting August 9 on the Discovery Channel. Pair your binge with this Fessina Erse Etna Bianco from a vineyard with lava deposits from Etna that go back centuries. The volcanic soils give it lots of gritty minerality with … Continue reading
clink with more pink
The promise of rosé recommendations has not been broken. Here are five more good ones to keep the rosé rolling: Willakenzie: Strawberry and a tiny note of raspberry, with red rose on the nose. Very nicely balanced with with a lift of lemon. $28 Gran Moraine: This Pinot Noir-based rosé from Willamette Valley is light … Continue reading
august values and splurges
TONS of good ones around the $20 range this month! We’ll start with a bubbly, as you always should, and then get into lots of great whites. Montinore Vivace – This is a sparkling blend of Gewürztraminer, Müller-Thurgau, Pinot Gris and Riesling. That’s a lot of flavor, but it blends together harmoniously and is a fun … Continue reading
