Gobble Gobble Give- Potluck with a Purpose

November 18, 2016.Reading time less than 1 minute.

We are now in our 6th year here in Austin. If you’ve participated before, thank you. If you are interested, click the link below for more information… Source: Gobble Gobble Give- Potluck with a Purpose

I’d Love to be Stuck in Lodi

November 10, 2016.Reading time 3 minutes.

If John Fogarty feels dread at being “stuck” in Lodi, he may not be a wine lover. I know, I know, the song was written long before Lodi became a wine-lover magnet, but I can’t think of one without hearing the other. I recently participated in a Snooth chat with four wines from Lodi, California, […]

The Road Taken-Balletto Vineyards

October 21, 2016.Reading time 6 minutes.

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both…* So begins the frequently referenced Robert Frost poem which alludes to choices made, paths traveled, destinies missed and revealed. When John Balletto was a very young man, he was forced to choose a path that would, again, diverge. Through trials and tenacity, […]

Into the Woods-TX (+CA) Tuesday

October 18, 2016.Reading time 4 minutes.

When something becomes a high enough frequency, it seems silent. That. Between adding a part-time job (with full-time responsibility), trying to replace my car (part-time efforts with full-time stress), family health hiccups, and trying to maintain my volunteer positions, this SAHM (can I still call myself that?)has gone silent. Oh, I’m still sampling wines and practicing self-care […]

Vibrant and Versatile-Barton & Guestier Rosé

October 3, 2016.Reading time 3 minutes.

We have all heard about how versatile Rosé can be. It carries throughout the year, pairs with a wide variety of dishes, and you can find delicious examples at a variety of price points. Did you know that it also pairs with vastly different days? What I mean by that is that I equally enjoyed […]

No Debating the Value- Chilean Monday Wines

September 26, 2016.Reading time 4 minutes.

Let me preface by saying that I loathe this election cycle. I am not an overly political person. I can usually see pros and cons to each candidate, try to understand people’s differing point of view. It means I may never take a hard stand on a specific candidate. Issues, yes. Party, no. It makes my husband […]

Go for Garnacha-Monday Wines

September 19, 2016.Reading time 5 minutes.

On Friday evening, several wine writers participated in an online tasting in celebration of Garnacha Day. Haven’t heard of it? Perhaps you have. Garnacha is the Spanish name for Grenache. A thin-skinned, medium body grape with notes of red fruit and baking spices, orange zest and herbs. And that’s just the red grape. We also […]

Learning From a Master-#winestudio

September 6, 2016.Reading time 3 minutes.

Last year I participated in a virtual tasting with Santiago Achaval of Achaval-Ferrer in which we deconstructed his Quimera blend and discussed each component. He walked us through his method and motivation for creating this wine. The blend is dominated by Malbec, a signature grape in Mendoza. Achaval-Ferrer’s focus is on creating wines that best represent the […]

Celebrating this Labor Day-Hacienda de Arínzano

September 5, 2016.Reading time 4 minutes.

It marks the unofficial end to summer, a reason to gather with friends and family and enjoy the fruits of our labor. While some may consider staying at home with children as a break from labor, those who know are aware it is anything but a break. The days are long, we don’t ever clock […]