One glass Half of red wine on wooden table laid on its side with the wine staying inside the glass

7 Pinot Noir Facts

Pinot Noir facts to celebrate International Pinot Noir Day, held August 18th each year. To celebrate, we present some fun Pinot Noir facts for you today: Pinot Noir means ‘Black Pine Cone’ – ancient vine growers were pretty literal with the naming of this grape as the grape…

Understanding AOC: Loire Valley

And without further ado, Loire Valley. Ok, no lie, we were holding off on writing about the Loire for as long as possible.  What direction should we go?  How should we present the information?  What is the best way to simplify such diversity?  This is not an easy…

Understanding AOC: Champagne

We feel like there might be a theme building here with the Understanding AOC series, but we will skip over the introductions to Champagne as the most widely recognized sparkling wine in the world. At one point in time the wine was in danger of losing its signature…

Red grapes on a vine in vineyard in Maryland, USA

Happy Maryland Wine Month!

The state of Maryland has documented winemaking beginning as far back as 1648, but sadly it wasn’t until almost 300 years later in 1945 when the state had its first winery open. The state of Maryland has 3 recognized AVAs & 4 distinct growing regions: Linganore AVA –…

Rack of Lamb with Roasted Spring Vegetables

Spring is in full swing, and Summer is rapidly approaching for those of us on the West Coast.  What better way to celebrate than with an incredibly delicious rack of Lamb with fresh seasonal veggies!  This dish will be great addition to your dinner arsenal for pleasing discerning…