Scare Up Some Tawny Porto for Halloween

Over 21 Halloween Fun October 31 is upon us, and many of us will be handing out candy to costumed kids in an American tradition. I don’t hear about many tricks, like soaped windows anymore, but why risk it? Whether you have kids yourself, or even if you just have a big bowl of candy … Continue reading

Bonterra Shows the Way with Affordable Organic/Biodynamic Wine

Is Affordable Organic Wine an Oxymoron? I associate organic agriculture / viticulture as being better for workers and better for the health of the property, but it comes at higher cost due to more labor to produce a given amount of food/grapes/wine. Many younger consumers I know are interested in a sustainable approach in the … Continue reading

Riedel Performance Wine Glass Seminar

The Riedel Wine Glass Seminar The Riedel family has been in the glass business a long time, since 1678 to be exact. They have also been through many ups and downs, including losing everything during World War II. Still, they recovered and never lost their commitment to glass. In 1973 Georg Riedel introduced the Sommelier … Continue reading

Lirac: Wine from the Wrong Side of the Tracks #Winophiles

  The Urban Dictionary tells us the “wrong side of the tracks” is the poor, seedy, low-rent part of a town or city. In the Southern Rhone, the Cru Villages with the most fame are all on the Left Bank (east side) of the Rhone river. The Right Bank (west side) seems to be the … Continue reading

The French #Winophiles are Off to Lirac in the Côtes du Rhône

It’s October and We’re Exploring Lirac in the Côtes du Rhône Our French Winophiles are exploring (virtually) the Lirac appellation, the southernmost named village in the Côtes du Rhône this month. While it is located just across the Rhône river from Châteauneuf-du-Pape, it remains one of the lesser known “under-the-radar” Côtes du Rhône Villages. Let’s change … Continue reading

Perfect Fall Pairing with Dow’s LBV Porto 2012

Dow's LBV Porto 2012 at the campfire

Welcome Fall with a Campfire and Porto As summer comes to a close, sunset is earlier, evenings are cooler, and a campfire is most welcome. It’s still nice enough to spend time outdoors in the evening, perhaps with a sweater by the fire. Perfect pairing? A glass of Port. There are two main styles of … Continue reading

Merlot for Every Day of the Week #MerlotMe #WinePW

Annual Month-long Celebration of the Merlot Grape Our Wine Pairing Weekend blogging group has collaborated with the #MerlotMe group of wineries for the last 4 years. This extended annual event gives us the opportunity to really dive into a variety of Merlot based wines. Even though our group name implies weekend time and a special … Continue reading

Merlot and Meatless Monday #MerlotMe #WinePW

Merlot and Meatless Monday We’re not sticklers for Meatless Monday at our house.  It’s often “leftovers from Sunday on Monday”. Still, we enjoy a regular meatless meal. Merlot is a good red wine choice for meatless meals as it offers moderate tannins and is pretty relaxed for pairing. Disclosure: Our Wine Pairing Weekend blogging group … Continue reading

Takeout Dinners Deserve Good Wine #MerlotMe #WinePW

Some nights there’s no time to cook. For us, Wednesday evenings are Triathlon swim lessons, so we come home tired and hungry. We stopped at the grocery store deli for some chicken thighs, mashed potatoes and “superfood” salad.  I say takeout deserves a nice wine, don’t you think?  Decoy Merlot, a Duckhorn portfolio wine fills … Continue reading

Humble Hamburger with L’Ecole 41 Merlot #MerlotMe #WinePW

Merlot = Great Hamburger Wine Over-the-top hamburgers seem to be all the rage. Multiple patties, smothered in cheese, bacon and who know what else make for great food porn, but do you want to actually eat one? Not me. Give me a pasture raised local beef patty dressed with a few veggies and I’m a … Continue reading