A Good Red Wine for Beginners

Red wines are a little intimidating. They come in such a divergent range of profiles and flavors, that it’s no wonder you can stand in front of an isle of 100 different wines and decide it’s better to walk away empty handed.  A good red wine for beginners helps you learn about different grape profiles. […]

Touriga Nacional: Quick Guide

Pronounced: tore-ee-gah naw-see-oh-nahl If you’re holding a bottle of Touriga Nacional right now, please invite me over. Seriously.  Touriga Nacional is a black wine grape native to Northern Portugal. Winemakers use Touriga Nacional as a main blending grape in age-worthy sweet fortified Port wines, as well as fine dry red table wines. Touriga Nacional wines […]

Is Wine Tasting Expensive? What It Costs

Wine tasting may seem like a pretentious pastime for the well-to-do, but it’s really quite affordable. Contrary to what you might think, wine tasting isn’t that expensive. Wine tasting costs differ depending on the region. In the famous Napa Valley, the average tasting fee is $49 a person. In Finger Lakes, wine tasting is less […]

Chablis Wine

Wine naming conventions can be confusing, especially when the wine goes by a growing region and not a grape. Chablis (shah-blee) wines are made from 100% Chardonnay grapes in north-central France. Chablis is a dry white wine with high acid, green apple and citrus notes. Chablis is typically unoaked with a mineral quality making it […]

5 Fun Chardonnay Facts

Chardonnay holds a prized place in Burgundy. But what other secrets does it hold? Here are five fun Chardonnay facts for your next trivia night.

Why Monterey Grows Great Wine Grapes

If you’re traveling down the Central Coast, make sure to stop by and check out Monterey’s wines… and the local landscape. Two mountain ranges and the vast Pacific Ocean help make my Monterey Bay home to some fabulous vinos.