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 …
For this year’s Super Bowl governors bet, they’re not even betting stuff to give to each other – it’s all being donated to food pantries (which is very nice) but the weird part is that they’ll do it “win or lose.” I get why they’re doing this – you can’t exactly get a food pantries hopes up … Continue reading
Blizzards mean one thing and one thing only: getting to stay inside and drink wine! And from all the pics you tagged me in, looks like everyone’s Juno game was on point! Then when it’s all over, you get to go frolic in the snow! With bubbles of course. Continue reading
Juno is coming! Every year we get at least one apocalyptic snowmageddon, and to further freak people out they’re calling it potentially “historic.” Grapefriends don’t sweat it – it just means allowance to stay in a drink wine! I’ve shown you how we prep, for hurricanes, and blizzards are pretty much the same: 1) Flashlight and … Continue reading
I love the playoff bets that happen every year! It’s usually the mayors of the cities who are in the games, although this year the governors of Indiana and Massachusetts got in on it for the AFC. Here are my predictions of who should win the conference titles, based on their bets. If there’s a more … Continue reading
All we can do now is celebrate what the Charlie Hebdo cartoonists contributed to the world. Three of the cartoonists who were killed in the attacks last week–editor-in-chief Stéphane Charbonnier, Georges Wolinski and Bernard Verlhac–also created wine labels for Gérard Descrambe, a Bordeaux winemaker. The labels are funny, bold, and mostly pretty bawdy too. Descrambe … Continue reading
For the past few years, Moët is the official sponsor of the boozy golden globes. If they were really smart they’d serve the Champagne in giant globe goblets – not only would that make people think the awards ceremony was named after the drinks, but would provide even more bubbly-induced fun. In addition to the 1,500 Moët … Continue reading
The tradition, of course, is cookies and milk. But Santa has a long night, leading all the reindeer, squeezing down sooty chimneys, and giving everyone presents. And you’re going to leave him cookies and milk? Give the guy a drink. I’m sure he’d be much more excited to see a glass of bubbly waiting for him. … Continue reading
I listen to holiday songs all December long. I’m partial to jazz versions, although this season I’ve also been all about “Christmas in Hollis.” But there’s a version for every tune-taste out there, just like there’s a style of bubbly to match each song! Jingle Bell Rock: fun and fizzy Prosecco, like LaLuca. Such a great value … Continue reading
Last month, the Marlins forked over a landmark contract to Giancarlo Stanton: 13 years for a reported $325 million. Kind of a lot of money. And no better reason to celebrate. After signing, Stanton headed to FDR nightclub at the Delano in Miami and got his hands on a methuselah (a large format equal to 8 bottles in … Continue reading
It’s Fizzmas! We’ll be covering all things bubbly this week so pop your corks and enjoy. Baz Luhrmann, director of Romeo + Juliet and Moulin Rouge, and his costume designer wife Catherine Martin did a collaboration series called Baz Dazzled with Barneys for the holidays. Included are all sorts of things you don’t need but … Continue reading
