Author: SAHMmelier

Being a stay- at-home mom can leave one thirsting for a taste of the outside world, a world in which sentences are composed of more than three words. Being an educator means one is always seeking an opportunity to explore and learn. Being a woman with a need to connect can be a challenge when adult conversations are rare. In wine, I find the marriage of art and science, agriculture and storytelling provides limitless areas to explore. But it is the people that keep me engaged. The tenacity needed to keep the family dream alive, the risk to start anew, the trials and principles. I love the history of the vine, the impact of a season, the sentiment in the bottle. That is why I write. I write to tell their stories, to share a piece of mine. I write to learn as I teach others. I write to connect with new friends, to disconnect from the world. I write to celebrate what makes each of us unique, and that which ties us together.

A Trifecta of Taste-Somms Under Fire

January 24, 2015.Reading time 3 minutes.

I made it! I have been trying for three years to make it to Somms Under Fire but January always seems to conspire against me with sick children and cedar misery. Not this year. They say “third times the charm” and three was the theme for the evening. Three Sommeliers from around the country paired […]

Resolution 1: Drink More Tempranillo

January 15, 2015.Reading time 6 minutes.

It was nearly two years ago when I first delved into the wines of Ribera del Duero at the Drink Ribera campaign here in Austin. I was completely impressed with the diversity and quality for the price point. That remains. The more I try, the more I want. So when the people of Gregory White […]

Curious About Texas Wine? Time for a Twitter Date

January 13, 2015.Reading time 1 minute.

Tonight on Twitter, I will be joining fellow Texas Wine lovers for the year’s first #TXWine Twitter Tasting. We will be chatting about the 2014 Best Texas Wines and a new opportunity for you to taste some of these wines, no matter where you live. Here are the details: Tonight January 13th, 7-8pm CST Sign […]

Reflections on 2014-Part 2

January 7, 2015.Reading time 8 minutes.

“Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.” ― Marcel Proust 2014 was a year in which my soul blossomed. A seed, or should I say cutting, was planted years ago, one of fascination, intrigue. A love, not just for wine, but for the people behind […]

Reflections on 2014-Part 1

January 2, 2015.Reading time 9 minutes.

In Wine and War, Don and Petie Kladstrup, illustrate a point that resonates with me on my path of wine discovery and enjoyment. “One of the greatest wines we have ever tasted was 1905 Grand Vin de Chateau Latour. It was exquisite, absolutely mind-boggling, but what made the experience even more special was being able to share it […]

“Sparkle and Shine”-Bubbles for NYE and Beyond

December 30, 2014.Reading time less than 1 minute.

Originally posted on SAHMmelier:
I love Steve Earle. I first fell for El Corazon, went back to I Feel Alright and then on to Transcendental Blues. “Ft. Worth Blues” was on repeat as I watched the moon over the Adriatic. I had people come up to me at the show at La Zona Rosa and say they…

More Last Minute Gifts: Central Market Wine

December 24, 2014.Reading time 12 minutes.

We all have our favorite stores, or if you are like me, you have favorite stores for different types of shopping. I like one store for staples, another for grass-fed beef, yet another for when I need a combination of staples and epicurean novelties. When it comes to grocery stores for choosing wines, my favorite […]

Last Minute Gift Idea-Texas Tuesday

December 23, 2014.Reading time 3 minutes.

So, it’s Texas Tuesday, but I am a bit congested thanks to our favorite winter visitor, cedar pollen. I didn’t want to open anything special so I am simply offering an idea for a very last-minute gift. I always like to give Texas wine because so many people just don’t know what they’re missing. Even […]

Holiday Comfort-Texas Tuesday

December 16, 2014.Reading time 6 minutes.

“It’s the most wonderful time of the year…” Which, for many of us, also means one of the busiest times of the year. So, even though I’m up to my eyeballs in holiday crazy…I mean, cheer…it is Texas Tuesday which now means a post about Texas wine. This makes three weeks in a row and […]