A Wine Fan
-
This Hard Seltzer-Inspired Cocktail Is Perfect for Late Summer And Beyond
Adapted from 60-Second Cocktails: Amazing Drinks to Make at Home in a Minute, by Joel Harrison & Neil Ridley (Princeton Architectural Press, 2022). The juggernaut that is hard seltzer has been on a tear since White Claw and Truly debuted in 2016, surging during the pandemic and continuing robust sales through 2022. While the…
-
The Rosé Sessions: The Chicks on How—and Why—They Got Into the Wine Business
When the 13-time Grammy-Award winning country music band The Chicks sat down for this interview, they were in Toronto on tour—their first since 2017. Asked how the tour was going, Emily Strayer and Martie Maguire both paused, laughed and said in unison, “Well…” Despite having to cancel a few dates due to lead singer…
-
A 4-Step Checklist to Assess the Quality of Wine
When tasting any wine, whether formally or just for your own pleasure, there are three main components you should examine: appearance, nose and palate. You might even use terms like ‘legs’ (an indication of alcohol content), or recite a laundry list of fruit, spice or savory aromas that can be detected on the nose…
-
In Sparkling Memory: A Toast to the Queen’s Bubbly
The special edition English Sparkling Wine released earlier this year in honor of Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee sold out rapidly, weeks before the nation’s four-day fête in June honoring Her Majesty’s seven-decade reign, which sadly came to an end September 8, 2022. Retailed through the Royal Collection Trust (the charitable arm of the…
-
8 International Grenaches Perfect for Fall
Whether you call it Grenache, Grenache Noir, Garnacha, or one of the many other names this grape variety goes by, Grenache is a wine grape worth knowing. Traditionally grown in northern Spain where it is still known as Garnacha, the variety spread to southern France centuries ago and is now grown throughout the world.…
-
What Does ‘Veraison’ Mean in Wine?
Whether it’s Pinot Grigio or Cabernet Sauvignon, all wine grapes start out green and hard. Veraison is a stage in the growing process when the grape begins to soften and change color on the vine, indicating the onset of ripening. Pronounced ver-Ray-zon, it’s both a physical and chemical transformation. It’s also a pretty conspicuous…
-
6 Wine Companies That Got Their Start on Shark Tank
The wine world is constantly evolving. As trends change, new leaders emerge with innovations that keep the industry fresh, a little funky and wildly interesting. A few fortunate entrepreneurs get their start on Shark Tank, a TV show where people pitch ideas to a panel of investors. If all goes well, the start-up receives the…
-
Pain and Pleasure: The 2021 Bordeaux en Primeur
Bordeaux’s 2021 vintage is not likely to feature among the greats of all time. It breaks the spell of the trilogy of 2018, 2019, and 2020. It is lighter and fresher than those three vintages and will probably mature more quickly. The 2021s are now being sold en primeur as futures. The 2021 vintage was…
-
The Women in Wine Are Hustling to Stay Afloat, Here’s Why
Hype for female entrepreneurs continues to reach new heights, but a glaring funding gap keeps many from thriving in the wine industry and beyond. Without investment to stimulate growth, the hype rings hollow. In 2018, I founded Woman-Owned Wineries to help female vintners connect with new audiences and one another. We built the industry’s most…
-
Here Are 7 Southern Hemisphere Hops That We Love…
Hop-growing regions get the bulk of attention from beer drinkers and brewers: the fields in Germany, home to many traditional noble hop varieties, and the Pacific Northwest, where many hops can grow successfully. These popular production areas harvest during August and September, the Northern Hemisphere’s fall season. But, turn toward the other side of the…