What do you drink when you’re out and just grabbing a glass? Everyone has their go-to’s. I know people who don’t even look at the wine list and just order “Pinot Noir” or “Sauvignon Blanc” – something that drives me crazy and was part of the reason I started this whole blog. I know a … Continue reading
Fall is in full swing! Harvest, Halloween, and happiness all due to wine. First, I loved all the non-kids who love Halloween for its grapefriendy potential. Who needs candy now that we can all have wine? Even though Halloween’s over, all year long people post pictures of #spookywine – ie, wine bottles that you shoot … Continue reading
It was the wrong day to wear a dress. We got to the coastal Leyda Vineyards in San Antonio, Chile and the morning fog had become the afternoon fog so it was freezing. Usually fog dissipates by noon but it hadn’t. We started to chat about the Pinot, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc they specialize in. … Continue reading
I love a good truck ride through a vineyard. Today: Viña Ventisquero in the Apalta Valley. Our rickety truck provided us with insane views and dust in every crevice of our bodies. (I kept singing that Kings of Leon song “dusty, oh dustyyyy” in my head the whole time.) Sergio the winemaker showed us how … Continue reading
Despite the fact that I’m grapefriend and just landed in Chile for an amazing wine trip, my first meal was at the Mercado Central which is a humongous fish market in Santiago that provided us with a non-wine highlight. The building was built around 150 years ago and has amazing iron work. We walked around … Continue reading
The Oakland Raiders are not very good. But maybe it’s not a sieve-like run defense or an indecisive and largely injured O-line. Maybe it’s just that their training camp is in Napa (I MEAN, AMAAAAAAZING) and these guys couldn’t care less about games over grapes. E.W. McGah co-founded the Raiders in 1960. His son Eddie … Continue reading
A lot of discussion is devoted to the best food and wine pairings. Who knew that some of the best are just when you put wine right on the food? Recently I went to a dinner where they put some Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand right on oysters. When it comes to oysters, I’m usually … Continue reading
Lots of cool grape tidbits happened this week! Went to the Guggenheim, where they poured out some really good wine at the James Turrell exhibit. Had a Vermentino first from Poggio al Tesoro, which is an interesting white to have in your arsenal. It’s light and sort of herbal, mineral, lemony. Great for some fresh … Continue reading
Even though a ton of wines are served at any Downton dinner, “they don’t drink much of any of it” as Anna (horrifyingly) notes. Nonetheless, Wines That Rock is making a Downton Abbey wine line with Dulong Grands Vins de Bordeaux. Two blends, a Bordeaux Claret and a Bordeaux Blanc, will be reminiscent of the Bordeaux wines imported … Continue reading
If you’re not following grapefriend on Twitter, you may have missed these juicy grapes: 1 So remember how it was Robert Mondavi’s 100th birthday this past Tuesday? Well they had a huge bash at the winery and had wine cupcakes!! Kara’s Cupcakes made these vanilla “Cent’anni” cupcakes with Fumé Blanc curd filling and Fumé Blanc buttercream frosting (and there’s actual wine … Continue reading
