Hooking Up My Peeps During A Pandemic

I can’t sew you a face mask. I know these are really anxious times and emotional times for all of us. I have learned that watching the “Numbers” all day long or checking in on social media all day long, doesn’t help. It actually makes things worse. While many of us are in quarantine, we […]

Try Grape Varietals From Their Original Home First!

How would you know if Cheddar Style cheese from Wisconsin compares to the Real Cheddar unless you have tried Cheddar from England or Ireland first? The same rule applies to wine. Before you try Pinot Grigio from Italy, try Pinot Gris from Alsace first. Why drink American Chardonnay usually blended and loaded with vanilla, butter, […]

Back To Basics! How To Open A Bottle Of Wine With A Corkscrew!

I know it sounds so simplistic to us “Cork Dorks” but the number one question I get asked by consumers is “Can you show me a bottle of wine that has a screw cap only?” I always respond ” I am with you. I prefer Stelvin Closures too because I am sick of Cork Taint […]

Wine Decanters? Aerators? ..Try Patience Instead!

So many blog readers and wine consumers ask me if they should decant their red wines? 10 years ago I would have said, “YES”! Now with all the gizmos and gadgets on the market and crazy shaped decanters and as I travel the world tasting wines young and aged, my answer would be “Throw ALL […]

Chablis is NOT a Wine! It’s a Village!

I have gone over this subject a few hundred times but my daily interaction with wine consumers told me I needed to drive home this point, one more time. There are so many categories that consumers get confused about all due to lenient labeling laws on Jug Bottles and Box Wine in America. Port […]

Where Is Your Cabernet Section? Umm?

Whether a retail store or restaurant wine list, we sommeliers get asked this question 50-100 times per day. Where are your Cabernets?! At the store location I work at we have 8 Sections or more full of wine from all over the world and 95% gravitate to one area and never view the rest […]

Don’t Like Syrah? Try Another One!

Domaine Remiziéres I deal with it everyday. “Where are your Cabs”? “I Hate Syrah” “Full Body Cabs” . I like Cabernet Sauvignon as much as the next Red Wine Lover. I refuse to believe that any Red Wine Lover truly doesn’t like Syrah. I say that with confidence not to be rude, cause every time […]

Italy: Wines For Every Palate

As soon as I suggest to a consumer retail or in Restaurants, Italian Wine, they hold their hands up and say they don’t like Chianti and they hate Pinot Grigio. I need you to be a little more open minded because in my professional opinion, no other country that produces wine has something for […]

Tristen + Tatum = Trisaetum…Wine!

Oregon Wine Month Highlight Trisaetum May is Oregon Wine Month and Mother’s Day. I speak all the time about how so much great wine is coming out of Oregon especially Pinots: Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Noir Rose. All this didn’t happen 2 years ago. It actually began fifty million years ago when […]

Learn These Words: Grand Cru !!

Many of my customers and blog followers are regularly reaching out to me asking me which Burgundy, Which Bordeaux, Which Champagne should they buy when there are so many choices. Many parts of France like Champagne or Burgundy use the word “CRU” which means a vineyard or specific village where the grapes come from. […]