Serving Rosé, Red and White Wines at the Right Temperature

“What temperature should I drink rosé?” is the no. 1 question we’ve been fielding at wine events this summer. As a sort-of “cross-over” option between white and red and as perhaps the newest curiosity in wine, there’s no wonder there’s confusion.

The spectrum of rosé wine styles is as broad in variation as white and red wine styles can be. Rosé wines range from crisp and lively to bold and brooding – with a LOT of variation in between. That’s a fair bit to contend with and each has its own respective “ideal” serving temperature.

And wines (regardless of color) are INfrequently served at the appropriate temperature, even at restaurants. This can be due in part to infrastructure or practical reasons (e.g. cold glass-pour bottles are in/out of the cooler too frequently to maintain ideal serving temperature; and you may have noticed bottles sitting on the counter in staff-accessible locations, which are not temperature-friendly…). As a result even the so-called experts miss the mark, and you don’t get a proper taste-bud education or quality experience to reference.

Does it really matter anyway?

YES. A wine that’s served too cold is wearing a mask – none of its personality has a chance to show, let alone shine. It's frozen! You need to massage a given wine to do your taste buds a favor and otherwise honor the dogged work of the folks in the vineyards and winery who toil for your greater good.

Meanwhile, wines served too warm can burn you; the alcohol packs a punch and none of the fruit or earth nuances that make it unique (or delicious) come to bear.

At home you have the ‘luxury’ of being Goldilocks and getting it just right, even if you don’t have a temperature-controlled wine cellar. There’s a simpler way for optimal enjoyment whether you’re uncorking a white, rosé or red wine.

Here’s our rule of thumb:

Put said desired bottle of wine in the fridge – or the freezer – for 30 minutes. That’s your basic starting point for ALL styles (except Sparkling, which needs another hour) and about the time it takes to kick off your shoes after your day, flip through the mail and get dinner started. Simply grab the bottle off the rack and get it chill’n before you start your Unwinding Process.

Here’s where you go from there:

WHITES.   Especially in the summer and if you’re eating outdoors, put your white wines in the freezer for that half hour, not the fridge. Then use a wine bottle chiller to keep the bottle more/less at that temperature while serving it. Fuller bodied wines like Viognier and Chardonnay will be just about spot-on in that 30 minute window, depending how warm the bottle was before you got started. Crisper, leaner wines benefit from a little extra time. Shoot for more like 40 minutes. Unsure what style is in your glass? Err on the longer side of the spectrum. Wines can warm up pretty quickly, so you’re better off starting too cold than not cold enough!

ROSÉS. To start, apply the same thinking and preparation as you would a white wine as described above. If you know it is a more bold or brooding style, ease up on the freezer chill time. If it is leaner, or more crisp, give it that extra bit of time. And from there, enjoy what makes rosé perhaps the most fun category of all – the chance to taste it on its journey! I typically start with the wine chilled to its coldest potential point and then enjoy the experience tasting it overtime, as it warms on its own. The wine’s flavors shift and evolve in turn, which is a BIG part of experiencing rosé’s special magic!

REDS. “Room Temperature” is a concept of the past, when we didn’t have central air. Then room temperature was around 55 degrees Fahrenheit, or today what we think of as ideal “cellar temperature”. Most often reds are served way too warm, regardless how bold or lighter-bodied they are. Here you want to stick your wine in the fridge for said 30 minutes, with maybe 10 minutes less for bolder styles.

For wines that fall into the “Chillable Reds” category, if you offer up 40 minutes of fridge treatment, the wine will virtually frolick in your glass! French Beaujolais and Loire Valley Cabernet Franc, Italian Nebbiolo, Barbera, Sangiovese, Sciava and Frappato, and even youthful, un-oaked Spanish Tempranillo are all chill-loving.

In a pinch for time? Give any given wine an ice bath for 10+ minutes (you do the math given the above reference points) and you are good to go!

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Bro-sé: Why Men Drink Pink (Too)

It’s long been true men who wear pink stand out in a crowd – they get automatic props for being “man enough” to strut their stuff in this soft-toned, physique-pleasing color. Some say they even make more money and are better educated! And yet, let’s face it, in the jargon-rich, equality-striving universe in which we live, “man enough” today is a term we guffaw, said only tongue in cheek. What we’re really getting at is that a man wearing pink is chic enough to be so bold as to be so softly adorned.

“Rosé is finally getting the respect it’s due here in the U.S. of A. - with good reason. ”

But, if you’ve noticed, men have caught on; pink shirts and even pants are abundant, almost redundant. This former trend-setting maneuver is still wonderful to see, but unfortunately, officially, mainstream. Gasp!

And so it is time to ponder the next phase of manly chic-dom – something still operating largely under the radar, and arguably even more sexy than that first man to don pink because it is a signal he knows something more than the "average" guy….

Behold – it is the man across the room, drinking a glass of rosé!

Rosé is finally getting the respect it’s due here in the U.S. of A. - with good reason. Mouthwateringly refreshing, yet dry and incredibly food-friendly, rosé is as versatile as the many shades of pink you can conjure.

And, other than recognizing the possibility of Greatness therein, you know you can’t judge that bottle by its color, right? Some of the driest, most serious, in the bunch are so lightly hued as to be barely a shade of “salmon” pink.

“With their kiss of drying tannin, thirst-quenching acidity and fruit nuances, these wines can be paired with grilled Bison sliders, dill-infused zucchini and feta roast chicken, seared tuna, tangy soft cheese, charcuterie…”

Bros-in-the-know know that rosé is made from red grapes – extracted, essentially – it offers a touch of vinous muscle in a pleasing, quenching package. Are some more fruit-forward than others? Absolutely. But the fun is in tasting the rainbow, because rosé truly is the little black dress of wine – or dare we suggest, the pink shirt of it?

With their kiss of drying tannin, thirst-quenching acidity and fruit nuances, these wines can be paired with grilled Bison sliders, dill-infused zucchini and feta roast chicken, seared tuna, tangy soft cheese, charcuterie…. The list is endless! And the supply short. So the savvy gent, for his own part, knows rosé season is one to behold – for this vinous window is (too) brief, and one to capitalize on!

This summer before supplies run out (typically mid-September) saddle up to your favorite haunts or your local wine shop and get sipping!
 

Here are a few that pack a particularly muscular punch this year:
 

Heitz Cellars Grignolino Rosé.   Here the iconic California producer Heitz delivers a particularly robust style of rosé, with plenty of strawberry + black raspberry fruits. If you are an adventure-seeker by nature, Italian Grignolino is a grape to know!

Anne Amie Cuvee A Midnight Saignee Rosé.   Anne Amie takes great care with this wine… a virtual basket-full of red summer fruits, mitigated by a whisper of spice and everything nice. Grab the spicy Asian take-out – this wine is as fruit-forward as they come!

Ostatu Rosato.   Zesty Tempranillo and the fuller-figured Grenache are natural bedfellows – and after 250 years in the biz, the Saenz family knows how to deliver a measurably dry rosé buoyed by fruit and nuance. Have another bottle near!

Mulderbosch Cabernet Sauvignon Rosé.  Mulderbosch was ahead of the times when it conceived of this rosé and first released it in ‘99. Pleasing aromatics are followed by red and dark fruits, cleansing minerality and a dash of spice. Cheers to trend-setting!

Calcu Rosé.   Calcu makes the case that Chile – famous for its distinct, powerful reds – is perhaps a natural to produce rosé wines. Both elegant and restrained in its fruit presentation, this wine is equal parts refreshing and bold!

Chateau Ksara Sunset Rosé.  Ksara is no new kid on the block – and they are serious about producing seriously delicious wines. If you are up for a little sass in a glass, their tart and textural rosé is just the thing. Go on – it’s date night!

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Choosing Wine for Any Big Event - Made Easy!

Perhaps the biggest of them all, there's little more personal than planning your wedding - and, for many, when it comes to what you're serving you want to nail it. We get it! What's more, we know you're not the only one. Beginning around Memorial Day each year we get numerous inquiries from couples who care about what wines they will serve at their wedding asking for help. They are often stressed to the max about choosing wines for their big day. In another week the emails with the same burning questions will emerge, this time to ensure company outings and family reunions are well cared for.

While some events have specifications which call for a one-on-one consult (or Pros like us behind the tasting station ;) many others are more streamlined. For the latter case, let's start with the most common criteria hosts present:

1.  User-friendly.   We want wines that everyone will enjoy, whether they are “usually” an X-wine drinker or not.

2.  Food-friendly.   We want the wines to work with what we’re serving, whether someone opted for the fish, BBQ chicken or tenderloin.

3.  Cost-effect.   We don’t want to serve anything “cheap”, but if we could keep things under(?!) or around $15 per bottle, our budget will thank you!

Good news - you can address all of these concerns in just 4 deliberate steps!

Streamline your offerings. There are reasons (yes, plural) themed, or “His and Her Cocktails” are so popular… It’s festive, for sure, and fewer options for guests tightens up your liquor order (read: budget), focuses consumption, AND expedites service! So approach wine offerings similarly and CHOOSE YOUR OWN “HOUSE” WINES: offering a sparkler plus a crowd-pleasing white and red (with maybe a beautiful dry rosé thrown in for good measure) will satisfy the majority (if not all!) of your guests. Remember, these distinct options offer enough variety themselves. So have fun with it! You could even come up with creative, personal or company-culture-derived names for each choice.

Pick a Perky White.  Wines with higher acidity are food-friendly by nature; and their mouthwatering effect also comes in handy when your boss' boss is bending your ear about that big project you're working on, or your best friend just got stuck talking to crazy Aunt Edna. Sauvignon Blanc works, sure(!), but one of our other party tricks is to select grape varietals  guests may not have ever heard of, let alone tasted. Case in point: as popular as Austrian Gruner Veltliner and Spanish Albarino are becoming, these are not grapes that everyone knows (though they should!). Offering something people have no expectations about means they just simply sip and enjoy.

Select a Smooth Red.  When it comes to selecting your red offering, you want something that strikes a middle ground – something not too bold and dry, and something not too light. You also want something that goes down smooooth – something with nice fruit and soft edges. Here again, a way to work around the grape varietal fatigue (aka I only drink Cab, Syrah, Merlot…) is to choose wines that are named for their region, with no varietal labeling evident. Smart picks are red wines from the Cotes du Rhone or Languedoc (fabulous, food-friendly, people-happy, French red blends) or wallet-friendly Spanish Rioja (the more expensive options often mean the wine has spent more time in oak barrels, which puts the wine into the “too bold” camp). These regions have prolific, 100% delicious options that are exceptional values!

Save on Bubbles.   Some say you should splurge in this category; we don’t necessarily agree. While you certainly can go all out, remember that the nuances a higher-priced bubbly offer could be lost in the equation. More often sparkling wine is consumed to add an additional festive flare.  And there are many great (dry, aka Brut) options from beyond Champagne, France that lend exactly the helping hand you desire, with plenty of Delight on offer at oh-so reasonable prices. For some suggestions beyond the usual suspects Cava and Prosecco, check out alternatives here and see below.

Have faith! Less is more, especially when you trot off the beaten path. With this approach you’ll be setting yourself up for success!

Dying for some specific recs in each of these categories?? No problem! For the next several weeks you can find some widely available wines that check the above boxes via the Pour Favor Wine Events list available on the DRYNC wine app.Need more ideas? Get in touch directly!

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Girl Scout Cookies Pair Just Fine With Domestic Wine

Girl Scout Cookies are a distinctly, happy, American phenomenon - one of those great traditions from everyone's youth you get excited about all over again each year. If your community is predisposed to the door-to-door Saleschild, first you order them. Then you wait. Sometimes a couple of months as the orders get processed. Then, finally, said child returns bearing gifts at your door. This happened to us last week. And it was a wondrous moment!

But as it was late on a Friday afternoon, we thought why not enhance said tradition with something other than a glass of milk, that also further celebrates their All American-ness?

Today we offer findings from our taste-enhancing research, to further your own on-going enjoyment of this sacred tradition and this Classic line-up of Girl Scout Cookies. Cheers!

thin mints® |  Cabernet Sauvignon.  This grape is predisposed to notes of eucalyptus and mint, particularly when made in Lodi, California+ the dark chocolate on these cookies is ever-more Cab-loving!  (Of course an old vine Zinfandel, Petite Sirah or Syrah won’t disappoint either.)

shortbreads|  Chardonnay.  This grape is a no-brainer for these buttery cookies! Try a classic California style like Chateau St. Jean, or experiment with some great Chards coming out of lesser-known states, like Ravines Wine Cellars (Finger Lakes, NY) or Westport Rivers Winery (Cape Cod, MA). Domestic sparklers made from the Chardonnay grape are also a great match! J Vineyards (California) or Gruet (New Mexico) have Brut (dry) selections that would be decadent with these cookies.

samoas|   Roussanne orViognier. These cookies have evolved since the '80s, now incorporating caramel and coconut, but we didn't hold it against the Girl Scouts of America; some change is good! Here try something a little bit more “exotic” like the Stolpman Family Roussanne or White Knight Viognier. Whoop!

peanut butter sandwiches|  dry Gewürztraminer or dry Riesling. In the right hands and even more so when vinified dry, these grapes are a terrific match for these delightfully cloying, lingering, slightly salty cookies. The wines will meet their match, delivering a touch of unctuousness met with a wonderful, mouthwatering pop of acidity to cut through the ‘fat’ of these cookies. Seek out memorable, dry Gewürztraminer from either Gundlach Bundschu  or Navarro Vineyards. Dry Riesling from Dr. Frank (New York) will do the trick, too.

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How to Identify Why You Like the Wines You Do

A few weeks ago we received an email from a woman looking to take advantage of our ‘Off the Vine’ service in order to expand her wine horizons. She wrote sharing some of the wines she currently enjoys, but said she’s frustrated because she can’t tell me why she likes them – “I just do.” No doubt being able to identify what you like about a given wine helps you continue to explore beyond your usual repertoire; but most people have difficulty describing why they like something. Rest assured - you’re not alone!  

So what do you do?

It’s easy! Just flip things on their head. Tap into ‘The Yuck Factor’.

Here’s a timely analogy: If you were to ask me, a Boston resident, last summer what I liked about winters here I would have said I actually enjoy getting out to shovel, seeing my neighbors and the camaraderie that crops up annually. Sounds great, right? Now with so many days – weeks – spent cooped up and shoveling it’s hard to remember how awesome the first snow was; jolly thoughts of skiing and sledding, creating snowmen and snow angles are long past. I ache from the heavy lifting and am over the snow days. I’m grumpy and contemplating a move west.

Certainly when you are coming at something from the negative side first, the feelings imparted are so much more intense they are even more memorable, i.e. loathing (icy sidewalks, bitter cold and not being able to get around easily) makes it easier to identify what you love (long, sun-filled, warm days).

The same is true when it comes to tastes, right? It is so much easier to identify and remember something you hate than put your finger on why it is you love something – you just do!

We operate the same way when it comes to wine. If you are neutral or positive about what’s in your glass you are less likely to stop and think too much about it. But if you have a negative reaction you pull away immediately, recoiling at The Yuck Factor. Indeed, the Yuck Factor offers a critical key to discovery. What you hate helps informs what you (will) love.

No doubt there are numerous nuances in a given wine. Where it comes from on the map, the grape type(s) it is made from, and how the winemaker made the wine are just the starting points. But what our own palate (our 5 tastes) tells us offers key data points. You can then take these to a Pro for help navigating the vinous world – and find new wines that further excite your palate!
 

Here’s a quick guide to help you tune in to your tastes:
 

SWEET.  Here’s a tricky category, as (truly!) most wines are vinified dry. Our perception of sweetness comes from how much fruit we find in the wine – fruitiness as opposed to actual residual sugar. A ripe peach is way juicier than a hard one, but they both offer sweetness, right? Just different levels. If a wine with loads of fruit flavors, sometimes ‘teeth-sinkingly’ so, or even jammy in nature floats your boat, run with it! There are a lot of fruit-forward wines in the market, so ask for some recommendations accordingly. If not, seek out wines with modest fruit and/or an extra dose of drying tannin.
 

SALTY.  Wines don’t tend to be salty per se, it’s true. But there can be some saline, tongue-drying minerality elements that can turn you off in (more typically) white wines. Is that you?

BITTER. Does a wine with a lot of tannin (that tongue-drying, slightly astringent/bitter quality) offend? Even though many, many wines are vinified dry, there are levels of dryness; on the extreme side, bitterness results. Do you hate when a finish is so long and dry you are left with a bad taste in your mouth (pun intended)?

SOUR. High acid wines are certainly a category unto themselves. Do you shy away from a particularly long, mouthwatering or puckering experience?

SAVORY/UMAMI. How about wines that are a bit more rustic, or offer earthier, gamey nuances? If these wines offend, stick to wines from the New World (aka not Europe).
 

Whatever your dis/likes, don’t be ashamed of this information – embrace it! Tapping into The Yuck Factor helps you to identify components of a wine’s character, which will help you follow more dotted lines to wine experiences you will heart.

Everyone’s palate is their own, and there is a whole lot of wine out there ready to be loved. Just be sure to chart your course, so you have these data points at the ready and can work with a Pro to help you avoid what isn’t in your wheelhouse – and instead discover what is!

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1 Fresh Approach to Event Planning Your Colleagues are Begging For

From food trucks to Food Network, phrases like “liquid nitrogen” and “farm to fork” are becoming part of regular conversation and sought after by more than just foodies. Our food interests are not only piqued, but our tastes diversifying. Craft beer is a ‘thing’ (whoop!), Mixology an art form (finally!), and creative ideas for mixing up the party the norm.

Have The Guts to Pour Outside the Lines

A-typical is the new typical. And it’s awesome.

But there is always an exception to the rule. There is one thing you can pretty much count on when it comes to conferences and receptions: the same-old-same wine “selection”.

Even with testaments like demand for Pour Favor's services and the least expected folks mixing it up to tap this growing, wine-curious market, networking events and conferences we attend are like megaphones for the status quo. The tension between innovation and typicity is palpable!

Why don't more of these events push the wine envelope? Here's our educated guess:

1. Something has to be “safe”. Going with generic, dime a dozen offerings takes the ‘white gloves’ off of a category that historically is perceived as unapproachable –at least what’s on the bar is familiar and has the social stamp of approval, right?
    
2. When it comes to planning big events at hotels and conference centers in particular, you have to fight to work with any wines NOT on the venue’s official wine list. This is a big deal, a giant practical reality for us planners. Event planning is hard enough!

Safe + Easy = Status Quo

Offering fresh ideas and working them to fruition always takes more effort. You know that. You also know the reward is so worth it. Creativity and the element of surprise is key to staying relevant, drawing a crowd and… trending! It’s time to push back on what is offered and let interest and enthusiasm for Imagination infiltrate this aspect as well.

Here’s how:

• Research.   Even if (or, perhaps especially if) you are into wine, solicit the help of pros. Your palate and preferences are still your own, and you’re still catering to a crowd. Wine Buyers can help you identify non-commercial wines that are: a. Crowd-pleasing by nature; b. Budget-friendly (whatever budget you are working with – a wine’s price isn’t necessarily an indicator of quality!); and, if you aren’t hosting at your office, c. Easily available to restaurants and venues alike. Choose a fine wine shop (or two) with a reputation for being approachable. Let them know you want to mix things up at your next event and the criteria (above) that you have. Talk with them about the wines they then recommend – bring them home to taste them (ideally opening/tasting the wines with them also, if they allow it). Be sure to ask what about a given wine makes it party-friendly, why their customers get excited and keep coming back for more.

• Explore.  Don’t be afraid of wines/grapes you’ve never heard of. This is often where the fun really begins; offering guests wines they are (also) unfamiliar with means they have no preconceived notions, and can just enjoy the experience. This is what makes your research so valuable, and gives you bonus Creativity Points!

• Apply your findings.  If you aren’t hosting at your office and can’t just have your new favorite wine shop deliver the wines you need, push back with the Hotel/Conference Center Sales Manager you are working with. S/He will be your best advocate to ensure the Food & Beverage team secure the wines you want for your affair. If the wines are available in your market (as your research should have confirmed!), they should be able to bring them in for your event. Push them to do so – the customer is always right, right?

Like any event you’ve planned, doing the legwork up front and finding partners you can trust – from the wine shop who knows their stuff, to the venue(s) that will support your creative approach – will make for even easier planning down the line.

To be any kind of trailblazer, it only takes one thing: Guts! Seek out unconventional, approachable wines. Your guests will thank you. #trending

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5 Reasons You Should Use a Decanter - Everyday!

Have you ever thought about the phrase "all bottled up" and considered what actually being all bottled up would feel like? No air. No space. No ability to express yourself, to evolve... It's no way to be!

Like us, wine just wants to be free. Fortunately, every time you uncork a bottle you issue a ticket to freedom; pouring the wine into a glass offers additional love - granting your wine an upgrade from Coach to Business Class where there's substantially more legroom.

But even in Business Class the plane still smells a little funky, right?

What if you could let your wine take big BIG breaths, not just stretch its legs but run around, dance even to its destination? What if we told you - YOU CAN - EASILY!

By using a decanter.

A decanter is not only the most comfortable, spacious way for wine (of all colors!) to travel, but a time machine that delivers the adventure of a lifetime - and YOU get to go, too!

Here are 5 Reasons why you should be using a decanter every single time you uncork (or de-cap!) a bottle of wine:
 

1. A decanter lets wines breathe - aiding your sensory experience.

After all that time pent up in the bottle, wine needs a hot minute to collect itself, find its voice, and sing. A decanter provides additional surface area for a wine to do so, allowing it to interact with oxygen and open up more quickly. You'll notice a difference first on the nose: a) oxygen allows a wine's bouquet to emerge, and b) any 'pent up' gasses or funk can blow off well before you get a whiff - ESPECIALLY key when you're dealing with a wine with an uber-tight, screw cap closure and the natural, but no less off-putting rotten smell of mercaptans have had no chance of escape. (It never hurts to crack 'n decant all wines with screw caps!) Meanwhile, more structured, or tannic wines appreciate the massage oxygen imparts, softening the wine's edges to deliver a smoother, more silky palate experience.
 

2. A decanter helps get wine to appropriate serving temperature - whether it is too warm OR too cold to start.

The key to getting wine to the right temperature is to separate the wine itself from the 'insulating' bottle. If a wine is too warm, you can chill your decanter by sticking it in the fridge empty, or giving it a quick ice bath (carefully, to avoid any water getting inside the decanter). Once you pour the wine into the chilled decanter the wine will cool down. If your wine is too cold, pour it into the room temperature decanter; it'll warm up faster!
 

3. A decanter is a great tool to separate sediment from the wine - and you don't need to be fussy about it.

Sediment won't harm you - it's like the wine's marinade, so finding it in the bottom of the bottle is never a bad thing. But finding it in the bottom of your glass isn't so great. Sediment tends to be a bit bitter tasting and the chunks are off-putting in their own right. You don't need to go overboard on the pomp and circumstance to separate (or decant) the wine from the sediment either. If you stored the wine laying down, stand the wine up for a bit so the sediment can collect at the bottom of the bottle before you open it. When you are ready to open the wine, pull the cork and then use a cloth to clean out any sediment that may have collected along the neck of the bottle. Next, pour 5/6ths of the wine slowly into the decanter. Refrain from pouring the last 1/6th of wine into the decanter so none of the sediment gets transferred into your clean decanter. Mission accomplished!
 

4. A decanter benefits young and INexpensive wines the most - allowing them a worthwhile trip into the future.

While older wines may throw sediment thereby requiring decanting, the truth is that younger wines actually need the air the most. Aged wines have already enjoyed very slow exposure to air, via the cork, over time. Younger, fresh wines need the help to evolve or mature. Give these 'kids' half a chance to grow up and make you proud - put them in your time machine!
 

5. A decanter is color blind - white and red grapes are still grapes!

All of the reasons to decant above apply to wines of all colors - red, white, orange and rose. All wine styles are oxygen-loving, deserving of the ideal temperature to best strut their stuff, and ready for separation from their longtime bottle-neighbor Mr. Sediment. So issue them their deserved travel Visas and set them free!

Not inclined to open and finish an entire bottle every night? No worries. You can still decant what you DO plan to consume and then store the open bottle as usual. The next day you can give your decanter the night off and just enjoy the spoils!

PRO TIP.  To clean a decanter you just need very hot water. Rebecca typically soaks her decanter over-night so the residual wine doesn't have a chance to collect and dry on the bottom; the next morning she dumps the water out, dries it with a micro-fiber cloth (so finger prints get whisked away) and drops in this awesome gadget to soak up the residual water; it takes her about 1 minute before bed and 2 minutes the next morning. #worthit
 

Don't own a decanter but curious and eager to get started? Try a glass water carafe or even a mason jar!

Thanksgiving Wine Selection - made easy!

Thanksgiving Day is the ONLY holiday every single American celebrates.  It is a day observed ladling up traditions at every opportunity; even if you're not doing what historically you have done, admit it - you're thinking or reminiscing about those things! But when it comes to wine selection there tends to be less tradition in play. For some that is the best part of the holiday - the vinous world is your playground! For others, what to serve or what to bring can overwhelm. We get it.

As part of our "made easy" series, we are offering up a few suggestions for going home with a winner or two.

If we can help with your specific feast or preferences, whether a consultation or shopping or both, don't hesitate to Click 2 Inquire. We relish overturning every rock (no minerality pun intended) to find stellar wines perfect for this time of year. And our holiday special is in play NOW through December 31, 2014!

Winning Whites

Noble white varietals are thought the darlings of Thanksgiving. The best hail from cooler climates, offer mesmerizing aromatics which lure you in, are lower in alcohol, a tiny bit "fleshy," yet deliver a crisp, mouthwatering brightness.

- Et Fille "Deux Vert Vineyard" Viognier ~ Willamette Valley, OR

- Szoke "Mantra" Pinot Gris ~ Hungary

- Weinguut Jurgen Leiner "Handwerk" Weissburgunder (Pinot Blanc) ~ Pfalz, Germany

- Gundlach Bundschu DRY Gewurtztraminer ~ Sonoma, California

Rabble-Rousing Reds

We hang our hat on discovering earthy, lightER bodied reds - with backbone. Beware of selecting a wine that's too big, which will just weigh you down given all of the food before you.

- Ravines Pinot Noir ~ Fingerlakes, NY

- Dominique Piron Coteaux Bourguignons ~ Burgundy, France

- Elena Walch Schiava ~ Alto Adige, Italy

- Ameztoi "Stimatum" Txakolina ~ Getariako Txakolina, Spain

Remember, with such a big, intense meal with so many different parts and varied traditions, there are countless wines to choose from. When it come to Food & Wine Pairing, the endgame is BALANCE!

The Sound of Wine: Your 'Gateway Sense' & Meghan Trainor

Sound could very well be your 'Gateway Sense' to higher level wine enjoyment. There. Someone said it. Sure, smell and taste are pretty dang important when it comes to wine enjoyment and taking your experience to another level. (So important, in fact, we promise to circle back to these in another post.) But sound has two critical things on its fellow senses, Smell and Taste:

1.sound cues how we feel2.sound is something that, for 95% of the population, is easily accessible

And when it comes to wine there's a lot to be heard.

With the audacious pop!of a cork, the squeak, squeak, squeak, tap-pull-pop!of a still wine being uncorked or the clink! of glasses joining forces, a certain ambiance is being created, and your mood is impacted as a result. Perhaps there is also a low murmur humming around the restaurant - things feel additionally romantic. If the sound of activity in the kitchen is playing out, there's an air of anticipation. If friends are laughing and carrying on, a festive note rings true. You know we're right: ambiance matters and sound plays a large role in creating it.

Ok - you've got the basics. Let's dial things up a notch!

Recently we were listening to a Pandora-curated music flight in the office. Mostly we were working along seamlessly without thinking about what was playing. But when Meghan Trainor carried out over the air waves with her brand new "Close Your Eyes" hit, we looked up from our work. She may not be legally old enough to be enjoying a glass of wine (in the USA anyway), but Meghan Trainor had just burst into the office with a perspective all her own.

Behind her catchy modern pop style, her back-up is bringing the thunder of old school sounds; her music could also rock it in a 1950's malt shop. Trainor's blend of old and new, new and old, has an historic sensibility, yet is lively and fresh. 

Maybe we're just a big bunch of wine nerds, but from our perspective, Meghan Trainor's pouring some fun stuff! We recommend tuning the dial to Trainor - because here's what she inspired us to uncork when we did:

"everybody is born to be different"Ever tried a white wine from the Jura (France)? There the local white grape Savagnin is one to behold - wild, captivating, funky, nutty and familiar all at once. You can make analogies, but like Trainor's blended style, the real Jura stands alone.

"I got that boom boom that all the boys chase and all the right junk in all the right places"   Ever tried Chilean Carmenere? How about one from a select vineyard site, where the attention to detail is mind-bottling? Whow-sah. When done well, these wines have a refined earthy complexity more reminiscent of fine Bordeaux than flashy, fruit-forward, New World wines playing dress up. Such a wine experience is - boom! - spot on.

Maybe Trainor's not your thing, that's cool. But next time you are thinking about engaging in a little squeak, squeak, squeak, tap-pull-pop! throw on some tunes first. See what strikes your fancy. Your glass will be 1/2 full in no time! And then you'll be in the right mood to let your mind wander as you sniff and taste what's in your glass - but more on that in due course!

Cheers!

Wine Pairs with Pop Tarts - and 6 other "cool" Back 2 School foods

Why should kids get to enjoy all the fun and excitement of back-2-school?!

Quite certainly, adults need a playground, too - one where play leads to innovation and reward.... If you are an event planner, conference/meeting "junkie", or just OITW (out in the world) you know that from cronuts to gourmet grilled cheese and everything in between, Chefs are having a blast in the ever-evolving, no-holds-barred 20Teens playground. The more kooky or 'old school classic', the greater the delighting riff for foodies and the casual consumer alike.

Whether an individual trend is coming (donuts, cronuts and Pop Tarts) or going (cupcakes!), wine has been around for 12 THOUSAND years. It has outlived every up and down - and it continues to find its place in our hearts.

Here are 7 Worthy Wine Pairings not only to get you through the first full week back to school, but that give you key street cred as you and your tastebuds get throttled into Hipdom!

Monday

Classic Peanut Butter & Grape Jelly: Festive and fruity Lambrusco

Gourmet Peanut Butter & Apricot Jam: Exotic and spiced Gewurtztraminer

Tuesday

Ants on a Log: Sassy, grassy Gruner Veltliner

Wednesday

Apple Cider Donuts: Appley, Pear-y, bright and lactic White Burgundy

Thursday

Sarma Pistachio Pop Tarts: Fleshy and zippy Spanish Albarino

Friday

Poutine: Gamey yet silky Cotes du Rhone Rouge

Saturday

Gourmet "Spanish Fig & Olive" Grilled Cheese, w/ grated Manchego cheese: bold yet refined Priorat or Montsant red

Sunday

Reinvented "BLT", aka zucchini latke, heirloom tomato and sweet corn custard w/bacon vinaigrette ~ Rustic and charming Nebbiolo

And, guess what?! These suggested wine pairings are just a starting point. There are many other fun directions to take, too. With wine, the options can be endless. So get out on the playground and start swinging!