The cooler days are now here, and you’ll need to have some red on hand. Chateau Pegau’s Cuvée Maclura Côtes du Rhône ($22) brings out blackberry and black pepper notes in this blend of 60% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 10% Mourvedre, and 10% Cinsault. So good with comté cheese: nutty and creamy but sharp at the same time. They say …
Was in Venice recently and learned about Select—described as something between bitter Campari and sweet orangey Aperol, but to me was extremely close to Campari. The slight differences: Select was created in 1920 in Venice (not Milan, where Campari is from), has 17.5% alcohol (not Campari’s 24.5%), and is a proprietary blend of 30 botanicals like juniper and rhubarb which …
Most people think of party wines and spritzes when they think of Prosecco. But Prosecco took on a different hue on a recent trip to explore Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG wines, which make up about 20% of all Prosecco production and have stricter production rules. It’s a mouthful to say, but rather than lots of Italian …
I was expecting the hyper-colorful doors, bountiful flowers pouring over balconies, and rustic beaches. But I was not expecting the incredible cocktail scene in Cartagena! In general, Cartagena had an impressive design aesthetic, with bold interiors and amazing attention to detail in shops, hotels, and restaurants. Given that, it made sense that would travel into …
I recently went to Sicily, not to follow the White Lotus life but to explore the wines of Etna, whose official DOC was formed in 1968. All the vineyards are situated in a half-ring at the foot of the volcano, whose eruptions have completely shaped the land and infused the soils, grapes, and wines with a bold, ashy …
In other sport GOAT news, David Beckham gave Lionel Messi a Methuselah (equal to 8 bottles) of 2008 Catena Zapata Malbec Argentino for his 37th birthday. Voted the World’s Best Winery of 2023, Catena makes some truly incredible wines. Made from the best vines on the estate, the Zapata grapes are hand-picked and the production is low. According …
Have as much fun learning about wine as you do when you’re drinking it! We share what wines you should drink for each month’s biggest events, whether it’s for the Super Bowl or the super moon, the premiere of Stranger Things or the finale of Succession, Tuesday night values or Saturday night splurges. So sign …
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 like to compare quarterbacks to Syrah – they’re brawny and have so many different styles. This year’s Super Bowl gives us old school vet Tom Brady vs first-time newbie Jared Goff. If you’re rooting for Goff and the Rams: go with a fruitier, spicier new world Syrah from Australia (where it’s called Shiraz). Try Patchworkwhich has … Continue reading
Whether it’s a token bottle of cheer or serious wine for the biggest grapefriend in your life, we’ve got your entire gift list covered. token of cheer Holiday season means lots of need to bring an affordable bottle to a host or a party. Crémant to the rescue! This is basically one of the best secrets … Continue reading
Avoid insane mall crowds at all costs and just go grapey for all your gifts! Now you either have plenty of time to go to a wine bar, or if you did have to hit the stores you’ll need wine. Set yourself up with this gorgeous Trousseau, a light red filled with currants and violets. It’s from … Continue reading
With a smorgasboard of dishes and flavors, there’s almost no wrong wine to serve at Thanksgiving. But of course you want to choose a red and a white that can please the whole table. For bread stuffing, veggies and sweet potatoes, I usually go with a crisp, apple-pear scented Pinot Gris. And for the dark … Continue reading
I’m all for an extra hour, especially if it’s Happy Hour! Pour out some great Cab Franc and serve it with ashy-rine cheese – my new favorite combo. Cab Francs from Chinon in France’s Loire Valley tend to be excellent. Here are three I liked when I was there in September: The Nicolas Bourgeuil Concerto pictured … Continue reading
Claire is quite the grapefriend, so you’ll be in good company when you binge the series’ last episodes which all launched today on Netflix. Pop open one of the wines that they’ve drunk on the show: In Season 1, Zoe Barnes drinks Lapostolle, a great biodynamic winery in Chile. I love their Carménère, and the Cuvée … Continue reading
Planning to binge The Romanoffs? Mad Men creator Matthew Weiner’s new show premiered on Amazon this month. Starring multiple MM alums, it’s 8 episodes about people who all think they’re descendants of Russian royalty. As for what to drink, most of the land in Russia isn’t suitable for grape growing but they actually do grow … Continue reading
Getting super into Merlot again. Now that it’s come back from its Sideways bashing (Myles was all about the Pinot, but does actually drink a Merlot-heavy Cheval Blanc in the fast food place towards the end), people are rediscovering the velvety, plummy grape. A bunch of wineries even declared October Merlot Month because it’s nice and … Continue reading
Luckily, Game of Thrones leads the Emmy nominations since the clips we’ll see are all we’re getting of this show for over a year! It’s killing me. For tonight’s awards, I’ll get through the pain with my personally-etched 70th anniversary bottle of Ferrari. Hailing from the Trentino area in Italy, the metodo classico Ferrari Brut has been the official … Continue reading
Most people think picnic and think casual wines. I say, rock the high-low and elevate your basket. The 166th edition is the latest Krug Grande Cuvée ($159 here). Full of deep brioche, light hazelnuts and fine bubbles, it’s a gorgeous bottle of Champagne. Champagne is always a blend of wines from three grapes, and this one is made … Continue reading
