Idaho Wine

Happy Idaho Wine Month! Yeah, you heard that right, there is wine in Idaho! In fact, there are 52 wineries currently operating in the state and the number continues to increase. In the ongoing search for new frontiers of winegrowing and terroir expressions, some in the Pacific Northwest…

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 –…

Happy Thanksgiving!

But what to pair with dinner tonight? Here is our handy guide to assist all palates and people. Sparkling Wine: What holiday celebration isn’t complete without some bubbles?  Furthermore, sparkling wines and Champagnes are wonderfully food friendly wines, hence their inclusion on every wine list in every restaurant. …

National Zinfandel Day

Here are some good ‘ol Zinfandel facts for a bit of conversation over the turkey (and wine) tomorrow afternoon/evening: Zinfandel is considered California’s heritage grape, there are some vines in Sonoma and Amador County that are 100+ years old, and still bearing fruit. A well made Zinfandel can…

Don’t Tell the Kids…

Tonight, after all the hustle and bustle of Halloween comes to a close, it’ll be time to get the kids off to bed – then raid their stash! Oh?  But what to pair with it all?  After all, if you’re gonna raid their stash, you might as well…

Calistoga AVA

Situated in the northernmost reaches of Napa Valley is the sub-appellation of Calistoga.  Established in 2010, Calistoga is the home to the highest rate of steep slopes to valley floor of any AVA, meaning warm to hot days, cooler evenings, better drainage from the soils, and subsequently higher…

TX Wine Facts

For Texas Wine Month, we’d like to share some information on the Lone Star state’s wine industry.  Hopefully it will inspire you to check out some wineries on your next trip to the SXSW festival or whatever brings you to the great state of Texas! Texas has 7…

Sonoma Cabernet

When it comes to California Cabernet Sauvignon, it is true that Napa Valley is King.  Between the sheer amount of plantings, savvy marketers, big names, and the “Judgement of Paris” Napa will long hold the bulk of the market value for California Cab.  But with a similar Mediterranean…

CA Zinfandel

Prior to 1998, Zinfandel was the most widely planted grape in California.  Post-prohibition many common people believed it to be a native California grape until DNA testing results came in (and an assist from a little information filled invention called ‘the internet’) showing it to be Primitivo, found…

Decoded: Serving Temps

It is well-known and spoken about in the wine community: Americans drink their whites too cold; their reds too warm.  While this is a grossly generalized statement, it exists for a reason.  For example, when you dine out at a restaurant, the white wines are sitting in a…