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.

Change of Seasons

November 8, 2011.Reading time 2 minutes.

If you live here in Central Texas, you are getting your first whispers of Autumn. We have had a few chilly mornings and have broken out the jackets, on occasion anyway. If you live up north, you are in full fire mode. You have already shoveled your way out of the house and, more than […]

AWOL

November 4, 2011.Reading time 3 minutes.

It has been a while. Life has gotten in the way. Creativity has been stifled by a house full of sniffles, fevers, and general chaos. I feel like I am just getting my feet under me again. That should last for about 10-15 minutes. There are times when I feel like I could write 8 […]

Calling All Wallflowers

October 8, 2011.Reading time 3 minutes.

For some people, choosing a wine feels like going to a high school dance. Everyone else seems to be having a great time, but you don’t really know what you are doing, so you hide on the bleachers. You sit back, foot tapping, picking up pointers, hoping someone will drag you out with them. How many times […]

Monday Wines- Sprechen Sie Riesling?

October 3, 2011.Reading time 7 minutes.

October is a great time to celebrate all things German, so this edition of “Monday Wines” is dedicated to Riesling. Too often, it gets poo-pooed for being too sweet, but, if that is your reaction, you have probably not given it a fair shake. I prefer Kabinett Trocken, in general, but sometimes a little sweetness is just […]

If Eve Tempted Adam with an Apple…

September 28, 2011.Reading time 1 minute.

what could she do with a good hard cider? I have tried and enjoyed a few hard ciders, but usually think that one is enough. They are just a little too sweet for me. But, I have now tasted Original Sin. And I loved it. Light, refreshing, appley effervescence. I was as intrigued by the story […]

OSHA approved

September 21, 2011.Reading time 2 minutes.

Lunch break. Many of you are thinking…Huh? What is that? I am usually loading the dishwasher, refereeing the patrons, and julienning tonight’s veggies while grabbing bites of last night’s cold leftovers or the crusts of P&J. That is “lunch.” But I would encourage you to take the term “break” literally. Sit down, enjoy your salad, catch […]

A Wine Match for Summer Tomatoes | Thomas Matthews | What We’re Drinking Now | Wine Spectator

September 14, 2011.Reading time less than 1 minute.

A Wine Match for Summer Tomatoes | Thomas Matthews | What We’re Drinking Now | Wine Spectator.

Buon Compleanno indeed

September 13, 2011.Reading time 3 minutes.

Salute to the wonderful people at La Traviata for making my birthday dinner extra special. I have been a bit overwhelmed as of late (thus the lack of posts) so my birthday planning this year gets a C-. Fortunately, our lack of reservations did not stand in the way of us popping in to this Austin Italian […]

Labor (Day) of Love?

September 4, 2011.Reading time 2 minutes.

Ah, watermelon…the perfect summer treat…thirst quenching, low calorie, full of lycopene and Vitamin A….and citrulline. Haven’t heard of it? Let’s just say that according to a Web Md article, it has some interesting benefits for the man in your life (wink, wink). I recently cut into a watermelon which had great flavor but it was lacking in texture (not firm […]