Happy Wine Wednesday everyone! Have I mentioned lately that I love my slow cooker and Chardonnay? Well it has been a while, but I recently found an amazing recipe and wine pairing that I am excited to share with you today. While perusing the aisles one early morning at Trader Joe's, I discovered these great little preparation tips they give on the tags of the food items. A little sign below the pork tenderloin said “pair me with our Salsa Verde in the slow cooker” - to whic

I thrive in the summer - the sun, the beach, and the long warm days are simply heaven. Summertime is also my favorite season to try out new white and rosé wines. With that said, my warm weather wine picks continue this week with one wine I will never tire of: a nice chilled Rosé. A few weeks back, I spotted Brad Pitt on the cover of Wine Spectator, and I thought to myself, “oh geez, another celebrity making wine - or putting their name on one” but, when I saw it was a Rosé

As you can see, I am still on my summer white wine kick, and my latest obsession is Chablis. With our winemaker friend, my husband and I partook in a mini Chablis tasting, and I was highly impressed by these White Burgundy counterparts. I have to admit, Chablis has not really been on my radar, but after tasting these two beauties, I can tell you that I will definitely be hitting up the Chablis section more often. Chablis, located in the northernmost wine district of the Burg

Happy Wine Wednesday! As we gear up for the holiday weekend, I have been exploring some new refreshing white wines for beaching and barbecuing, in particular, Grüner Veltliner. (GREW-nuhr Felt-LEEN-ehr) One would think the name alone is enough to intrigue one to taste this interesting varietal. In German, Gruner means green. This name was chosen for this varietal, not because it is green, but because it is used to create fresh, drink when young, wines. While mostly grown i

I recently read a quote: “sometimes music speaks what you feel inside”. This could not be more true, and further, I believe this can really relate to wine. I believe we choose most of what is around us based on our feelings, so perhaps when I am feeling like a little Champagne, I am really looking to feel lifted, fanciful, and, if you will, bubbly. When you pair the perfect playlist with your wine, it sets a certain tone. It can make you relaxed, enlivened, or just bring

I recently participated in a blending trial tasting, during which, I realized how often I might overlook the importance that blending plays in making wine. When it comes to winemaking, the aspect of blending truly is an art-form, not unlike a chef putting together a unique list of ingredients, or a designer adding layers, texture, and color, all in hopes of creating the perfect end product. Typically we think of wine in terms of specific grape varieties, such as Chardonnay or

On a day like today, the only thing I can think about when it comes to wine, is pouring ice-cold Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, or Rosé into my glass. It is close to 100 degrees here in Santa Barbara, which is a pretty rare occurrence, although lately it seems to be creeping up there on a regular basis. When it’s really hot, the thought of red wine never works for me. So, of course, I turn to the whites. The heat can really bring out the white-wine explorer in me. It gives

I grew up in a small town in northern California. While I knew what wine was, mostly from my First Holy Communion, I was never really exposed to it growing up. My parents did not drink the liquid of the gods, so it was never really a part of my life. Fast forward to my college hunting days, still living in my wine-less world, I came across Sonoma State. Not too far from home, and boasting a beautiful campus, I knew this was the place for me. Not to mention, how great it was t

Some people may check out the news page first thing in the morning, as for me, I go straight to my favorite wine blogs to soak up my daily wine industry news. One of my favorite educational blogs is Life Between the Vines. They feature podcasts of interviews with winery owners, wine makers, and “wine lovers of all kinds.” I love their philosophy as well. “We’re doing our part to make wine less scary.” While this may sound funny, it could not be more true. I very often encoun

Happy Wine Wednesday! Today, I am reunited with my slow cooker, and yes, it feels so good. The Easter bunny bounced over to my house bringing me a beautiful Williams-Sonoma cookbook - The New Slow Cooker. I was so excited to try a new recipe from this beautiful book, and to find the perfect wine to pair with that chosen dish. As I thumbed through all of the enticing recipes, I thought to myself, "what wine do I feel like drinking this evening?" You may recall, in my last wine