Summer time is a great time for wine, friends and fun.  But after a few weeks of drinking those California Chardonnay staples or the standard Sauvignon Blancs that everyone loves so much, where should you go next?  What are some other summer options that can quench your thirst while offering a little something new, a […]

Reading a French wine label is a little different than reading one from a US winery.  The labels are typically more complex with unfamiliar terms and phrases but with a little practice and geographic research, you’ll soon be listing off your favorite appellations in no time. There are four key aspects to a French wine […]

We all want to find the best wine values we can, but often times we aren’t looking in the right places, or observing the right things.  Are you looking at the label, the ratings, the price discount, or the sign that says “staff picks” next to the wine? Those can be helpful as part of […]

Riesling is one of the most misunderstood and arguably under-appreciated varietals in the modern wine world. And I’m really talking about the perceptions of your general everyday wine buyer. Not the wine geeks. I heard a quote recently about Riesling that I thought really summed it up right. It went something along the lines of […]

Breaking a cork inside the neck of a bottle when opening wine can be particularly frustrating, especially if there’s a crowd.  While this doesn’t happen often (primarily on older bottles where the cork has experienced deep seepage or become dried out and brittle), it’s usually not that hard to stage a strong recovery and remove […]

There’s no question that the wine world can be intimidating for those early on in their wine journey. I remember a while back when I was at a business dinner and one of the gentleman I was dining with was ordering wine by the producer and year without looking at the wine list. I hoped […]