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.

Musical Pairings with Banfi

December 11, 2014.Reading time 4 minutes.

When it comes to stocking your wine fridge, or cellar if you’re lucky, you can and should do so with several things in mind. You have those special occasion bottles and the duplicates for comparative purposes. You have the obscure blend you found at your favorite store and the ones you picked up at the […]

Hannibal Would be Proud: Texas Tuesday

December 9, 2014.Reading time 7 minutes.

“I love it when a plan comes together.” If you are an 80’s kid, you surely recognize that as the catchphrase of John “Hannibal” Smith, fearless leader of the A-team. Oh, you thought I meant the Punic Carthaginian military commander? Well, if he liked wine I guess he would be proud. For future reference, you […]

Tis the Season-Elizabeth Chambers Pinot Noir

December 6, 2014.Reading time 4 minutes.

We had been trying to decorate our tree all week, but my husband was late every night. If your home is like mine and you have littles, you know the delicate balance with food and fatigue in the school-night witching hours. If decorating the tree is going to be joyous and celebratory, it is best […]

Ahhh-lianico: Texas Tuesday

December 2, 2014.Reading time 3 minutes.

Awake at five, lunches packed, presents opened, cupcakes frosted, drop-offs, four loads of laundry, a couple of hours of work and a very brief workout. Pick-ups, stop at library to deal with missing book, trip to the toy store for the birthday boy punctuated by gelato courtesy of his grandmother. Rhyming game leads to discovery […]

Unique Beauty Shines When You’re Single

November 24, 2014.Reading time less than 1 minute.

Originally posted on SAHMmelier:
There is a time in your life when you want to just blend in. You want to look like everyone else, dress like your peers, sound like your peers, and are mortified when the attention is all on you. Or maybe that was just me. But thank God, that time is short-lived. Sometimes, it…

Inspiration, a Challenge

November 12, 2014.Reading time 4 minutes.

I haven’t been doing a lot of “inspired” cooking lately. Instead it has been more like, “what can I quickly throw together that is nutritious, easy, and can sit?” Between playground and homework, dishes and Legos, dinner needs to be made. Inspired cooking happens when you have the time, minimal distractions, and the impetus to […]

Everything was Big(ger) and Bubbly in ATX

November 11, 2014.Reading time 5 minutes.

There is a reason that this event sells out every year. This year marked the 12th annual Big Reds and Bubbles sponsored by the Wine and Food Foundation, but it was my first time to attend. It won’t be the last. Held at the historic Driskill hotel, this event exudes every bit of refinement and […]

Nothing Provincial about Provençal Pink

November 5, 2014.Reading time 5 minutes.

Grapefruit, peach, salmon: whichever shade of pink, rosé is fabulous all year around. Whatever you’re serving, there is a hue for you. Those were the major takeaways from a recent Wines of Provence lunch held at Arro here in Austin which featured wines chosen by Master Sommelier Craig Collins. And I enjoyed every drop of […]

Mumm’s the Word on F1 Parties in ATX-Amber Lounge

October 30, 2014.Reading time 4 minutes.

Friday’s focus in Austin will be on ghoulish get-ups and ill-fitting replicas forged out of cheap fabric. Yes, Halloween is legendary here, and it brings thousands downtown. But Saturday will bring a shift in focus: high fashion, original performances, and thrill-seeking legends in the form of F1 parties. We have become accustomed to the big events here. […]