It smelled like honeydew when I stuck my nose into my first glass of Craftwork’s 2012 Pinot Grigio, but when I drank it, I forgot about that alluring scent. I expected a fruity concoction, but was distracted by the alcohol burn. The bottle says it’s 13.5%, but it tasted like more. I feel like this…
Author: wineforthewin
Musing
What Millenials Want
by wineforthewin •
Did you know 29% of the 39 million regular wine drinkers in the U.S. are under 34? Wine insiders have been saying for the past few years that Millenials–those 21-34 year-olds like myself– are shaking up the wine industry and smart wineries should take note. So what should wineries do to please this fickle demographic? 1)…
Paso Robles, Recipe, Under $10
Wine Jelly
by wineforthewin •
As soon as I saw we were out of Penman Springs wine jelly, I looked like this: When I found out that I could make my own wine jelly, perhaps one that could rival that of Penman Springs, I turned that frown upside down: You see, I first discovered wine jelly at Penman Springs while…
Interesting Fact, Musing, Zinfandel
Old Vine Zinfandel vs. Zinfandel
by wineforthewin •
If I was blindfolded and you put an Old Vine Zinfandel in front of me and a non-Old Vine Zinfandel, I probably couldn’t tell the difference. So I started asking around: what separates the two, flavor-wise? Ondine Chattan, winemaker at XYZin Wines told me Old Vine Zinfandels tend to brighten the characteristics of the Zinfandel grape: producing…
Money Saver, Non-California, Rose, Syrah, Under $20
Review: Arrogant Frog Syrah Rose
by wineforthewin •
Twist off! I am a cork lover through and through, but I’ve been seeing more screw caps as I browse wine store shelves and honestly, they have their benefits. Think of all those times you headed to a picnic with a beautiful bottle of wine only to get there and uh-oh, you forgot the cork…
Blends, Budget Buster, California, Travel
Review: Area 5.1 White Light
by wineforthewin •
I trotted through the Urban Wine Trail in Santa Barbara after a friend suggested the route when I told her my boyfriend and I were celebrating our anniversary on the American Riviera. While on the trail–which has the feel of a bar hop swapping cocktails for wine–the lovely people at Oreana Winery suggested we check…
Money Saver, Non-California, Review, Shop, Travel
Shop: Vintage Berkeley
by wineforthewin •
While I didn’t have time to head to Sonoma this weekend while I was visiting a friend in Berkeley, I did stumble across a gem of a wine shop. After having lunch on Monday at Gregoire, a cute-as-a-button French takeout spot, I mean check out this quiche and blood orange French soda: my friend,…
Budget Buster, Interesting Fact, Over $25, Stores
Slurpees and wine?
by wineforthewin •
A sure sign the culture of wine is shifting: 7-Eleven plans to sell “ultra-premium” wines, some running as high as $54.99. Now you can get your slurpees, Red Bulls, cash back with that pack of gum and wine all in one trip! 7-Eleven marketing folks told USA Today the change is partially about attracting upscale millennials.…
Money Saver, Non-California, red, spain, Under $10
Review: Laya Garnacha Tintorera/Monastrell
by wineforthewin •
I was picking up dinner at Whole Foods and right before I hit the check I saw a Spanish wine for $8.99 and my heart fluttered. I have a soft spot in my heart since I studied abroad in Spain while in college, although I have to admit–get ready to cringe–I drank a lot of…
California, Data
Wine boom!
by wineforthewin •
The number of wineries in California has more than doubled since 2000. Check out this visual I made using government data that hits home the point: [iframe src=”https://www.google.com/fusiontables/embedviz?containerId=gviz_canvas&q=select+col0%2C+col1+from+1tO-MziwU76aqioVVbJ_cHClwI0mweGE-U_3XpX8+order+by+col0+asc+limit+10&viz=GVIZ&t=COLUMN&uiversion=2&gco_forceIFrame=true&gco_hasLabelsColumn=true&width=600&height=400″ width=”100%” height=”400″] And California wine is a $61.5 billion industry. That’s billion with a B. Yet, at the same time, California’s share of the U.S. wine market…