The end (of the year) is near, so we’ve got another bubbly reco for you! We’re each planning for a very low key NYE – but that doesn’t mean we’re skimping on planning the beverages! This sparkling rosé by Planet Oregon ($25) is made with 100% Pinot Noir grapes sustainably grown in the Willamette Valley. A bouquet of fruits like watermelon and strawberry on the nose and a lovely, dry finish make this a perfectly refreshing choice to ring in the new year! Are you making any new year’s resolutions this year?!
Girl, Woman, Other is a novel about 12 unique characters, mostly women of color in Britain, with lives that intersect throughout the book in surprising ways. We both loved reading their stories, chatting every few chapters about our reactions.
Throughout the pages, we read of individual and shared experiences, women from many generations and backgrounds, relatable and novel perspectives, among a range of stories, interwoven and connected through a thread. And all throughout, heavy hitting topics like race, identity, abuse, sexuality, class, and more sprinkled with joy, love, success, friendship, and belonging. We’ve recommended this novel to many and urge you to grab a copy!
In an homage to the story and the women who travel and evolve over time, we chose to pair a wine that has a story itself. Incandesa Brut ($26) is a new wine from Spanish Raventós Codorníu, one of the oldest winemaking companies in the world. Like other big names in Old World wine (Mumm and Chandon & Taittinger), they settled in California with a new satellite hub in Healdsburg, Sonoma County. Their Cali-made cava-style bubbly is dry with just the slightest green apple notes and awesome fizzy bubbles. It is delicious and intriguing, just like Girl, Woman, Other!
Since we are sisters separated by a plane ride, we stay connected through the books we read and the wine we enjoy. How do you stay connected with your favorite far-away person?
…and if you’ve read Girl, Woman, Other, or have enjoyed this wine, let us know what you think! Salud!
Are you gathering for an office holiday party at your boss’ house? Heading to your in-laws’ for Christmas dinner? Looking for an easy way to cross a dozen people off your Christmas gift list? Below is our guide for holiday wine gifts that will cover any occasion on your list!
Borrasca Brut Cava
First up – Cava!!! You can’t go wrong with a bottle of bubbles, especially if you follow our lead and seek out this Borrasca Brut Cava for $10! It’s crisp, vibrant, and fabulously crushable! Just be sure you present the gift BEFORE you saber off the top.
Don’t know how to saber sparkling wine? Visit our instagram for a simple how-to guide AND a highlight reel of our own saber successes and failures.
Chateau du Jaunay Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Sur Lie and Louis Jadot Pinot Noir
These next two aren’t just easy drinkers; they also make great no-fail gifts, which is particularly handy this time of year when you may need a quick gift for someone but don’t know their wine preferences.
Going for white? Muscadet (pronounced muss-kah-day) is so delightful with flavors of green apple, cantaloupe and lemon, minerality, and high acidity. This bottle is aged on the Lees (noted via ‘Sur Lie’ on the label!), giving it a creamy flavor component as well ($14).
Muscadet is a white wine made from 100% Melon de Bourgogne grapes in the Loire Valley in France, and this bottle comes from Muscadet Sèvre et Maine, which produces the highest quality Muscadet.
Another fun fact about this bottle – ‘Sur Lie’ means this bottle was aged on the Lees. Lees are dead yeast particles (sounds gross, we know) that are leftover from the fermentation process and can be used to add extra dimensions to a wine during aging. In fact – traditional Champagne method requires the bottles are aged on the Lees. Lees give a bottle of wine a yeasty component such as flavors of bread or toast; and a creaminess like a soft cheese or butter.
For a red option, you can’t go wrong with Louis Jadot Pinot Noir – light-bodied, red fruits, and medium acidity make this a foolproof wine to bring to a friend or family gathering ($19).
Black Stallion Estate Winery Cabernet Sauvignon
Last but not least for quick gift ideas is Black Stallion Estate Winery Cabernet Sauvignon. Man, this wine is good. Bold, smooth, and perfectly balanced dark fruits with vanilla and hints of cinnamon. At $25, this makes a perfect gift for any California Cab lover that won’t break your bank. It’s the thought that counts, but it’s great when you can impress on a budget!
Let us know what you’re drinking and gifting this holiday season!
One of our favorite things about getting into wine is that there is always more to learn – especially as you start to branch out on your journey! From the basics to some more advanced books, a few of our favorites include: Richard Bett’s The Essential Scratch & Sniff Guide to Becoming a Wine Expert, Aldo Sohm’s (with Christine Muhlke) Wine Simple, and Kevin Zraly’s Windows on the World.
Of course, learning about wine is made better with a glass in hand. A glass that challenges your perception of wine. For instance, Chardonnay has gotten a bad rap for far too long. You may have heard that Chardonnay is overly oaky, a butter bomb, or that cheap Chardonnay is no good and French Chardonnay is too expensive. We say, give a bottle of Chablis a go, and let’s smash these myths.
Chablis is the northernmost region in Burgundy, France and produces 100% Chardonnay. Common characteristics of Chablis wines are dry, light-bodied, filled with citrus fruits and minerality. We enjoyed a bottle of Domaine des Chenevières Chablis ($25) while thumbing through a few of our favorite books on wine. Let us know what you think if you pick up a bottle! Santé!
Cheers to Hanukkah! ICYMI, Hanukkah celebrates the miracle that took place while the Maccabees reclaimed the Second Temple in a fight against oppression. Legend says the Maccabees had only enough oil to light a Menorah (as a symbol of rededication of the temple) for 1 night, but miraculously, the flame held for 8. That’s why today, we celebrate Hanukkah over 8 nights, lighting a new candle for each night and indulging in delicious fried foods like potato pancakes (latkes) and jelly-filled doughnuts (sufganiyot).
When considering a wine pairing, we opted to keep with the theme of longevity. As a general rule of the thumb, light-bodied wines (Pinot Gris, Verdejo, Pinot Noir) last 1-3 days once opened, while full-bodied wines (Cabernet, Zinfandel, Syrah) can last 4-5 days once opened – in both cases, proper storage makes a world of difference! We’d have a hard time finding a wine that lasted 8 days (unless we’re talking fortified wines, but that’s for another day), but the Crossfork Creek Cabernet Sauvignon is big and bold enough to keep a few days. This Washington Cab is delightfully balanced with strong dark fruit, earthy and herbal notes, and high tannins – adding additional staying power once opened.
*Quick tips on storing wine: store the opened bottle upright in the fridge, fully corked, or vacuum-sealed if possible for best results.
For those celebrating, open a bottle of Cab tonight while you light your candles. For everyone else…we still recommend opening a Cab (…and maybe light a candle or two). Cheers!
As many of us are now home visiting family for the Thanksgiving holiday, it’s likely you’ll be catching up with some of your oldest friends during this break. How about a double whammy – catch up with your best friends AND introduce them to a wine they’ve likely never tried!
Sicilian wines have been a more recent go-to of ours, and we have yet to meet a bottle we haven’t loved! The terroir (complete natural environment in which a particular wine is produced; pronounced tare-wah) in Sicily consists mainly of volcanic soils, making it one of the most unique wine regions in the world.
Try out both a red and a white from Sicily to really get a feel for the region – we recommend the @tenutadifessina Etna Rosso Erse ($23) and @donnafugatawine Anthìlia Sicilia Bianco ($17) for a well rounded representation. The Etna Rosso is a red made from Nerello Mascalese grapes and is full of red-fruit and earthiness; the Sicilia Bianco is a white blend with notes of citrus, stone fruit, and an ever changing minerality. Both wines are incredibly dynamic and change in expression as they open up. Salute and let us know what you think!
What does this mean? The 3rd Thursday of November, as designated by French law, marks the release of the latest Beaujolais Nouveau, a lively red wine made from Gamay grapes. Bottled in record time (just 6-8 weeks after harvest) and meant to be enjoyed right away, Beaujolais Nouveau pairs beautifully with afternoon tailgates, sunset drives along the coast, and Thanksgiving dinner. As this wine has just been released, it may take some time to make its way to your local wine shop, so if you can’t find Nouveau (new), ask for another red from Beaujolais – it will be made with Gamay and likely just as deliciously crushable.
From right to left: lightest to fullest and youngest to oldest
To celebrate, a few wineaux friends gathered for a sampling of the region, all made with Gamay grapes. Our two Beaujolais Nouveau options (on the right) were lightest and juiciest, delightful and crushable. Laurence et Rémi Dufaitre produced a lovely bouquet of cherry and strawberry and an almost effervescent mouthfeel and the Nouveau by Georges Duboeuf Wines also brought red fruit and a hint of Bananas Foster on the nose. In the middle, our 2020 Louis Jadot was a bit fuller, with some white pepper, but still easy drinking and a beautiful compliment to our first bites of dinner: pan fried chicken with fennel, roast cherry tomatoes, air fried Brussels sprouts, and rice pilaf.
Anne-Sophie Dubois Fleurie presented a delicate balance of tart cranberry and earthy tones. Our most full and tannic (though still low on the scale), Domaine de Foretal Moulin-à-Vent was suggestive of dark chocolate and anise. Throughout the evening, the lighter wines opened up and the oldest 2018) mellowed, but there wasn’t a dud in the bunch. We’d recommend any of these bottles for your Thanksgiving festivities!
No one said being a career woman or man would be easy, and that’s why we firmly believe in the importance of celebrating career wins. Whether you just got the promotion you’ve been working toward, received a pay raise, landed that final round interview, or advocated for yourself; we celebrate! We also prepare in advance for these occasions. Our favorite celebratory bottles (Moët & Chandon + Veuve Clicquot) range in price depending on the season and shop. Whenever you spot a bottle under $50, snag two! When the occasion calls, chill in your fridge for at least 4 hours or in ice for at least 30 minutes and serve immediately for peak enjoyment. Santé!
P.S. The difference between Champagne and other sparkling wines is the origin of the grape. Only sparkling wine produced in the Champagne region in France can be called Champagne. Other sparkling wines of note include Cava from Spain and Prosecco from Italy.
Opening bottles of bubbly produces a very satisfying POP, and so we celebrate by “popping bottles.” To do so safely, peel away the foil and twist the wire frame to loosen while holding your thumb over the top. Discard the wire frame, grip the cork in your fist and twist the bottle, holding the cork firmly until you hear a pop. We also enjoy sabering Champagne, but we’ll get to that another day….
We love sports and all, but sometimes it’s just more fun to catch up with your friends, test out a new recipe, or even continue reading the book you haven’t been able to put down while you pretend to pay attention to the big game. We love a medium-bodied red wine as a game day drink – enough ABV to keep you buzzy, and packing a punch in flavor that evolves as it opens up.
Scarpetta Barbera del Monferrato ($17) is dark fruit-forward, earthy, and boasts mellow tannins (a characteristic in red wines that comes from the skins of the grapes and can make your mouth feel dry), making it a delectable sipper while you tune into (and out of) the game. Salute!
As the days get shorter and cooler, trees shed their leaves in a vibrant blend of gold and red. This year, in a frenzy of activity, we nearly missed our chance to sit back and enjoy the beauty. Luckily, even a brief outing can help you get your leaf-peeping fix.
Whether hiking in the mountains, strolling through your neighborhood, raking up leaves, or relaxing lakeside, a good bottle to pair will make you feel as warm and fuzzy inside. Borsao Tres Picos Garnacha ($16) delivers with dark fruit, elegant tannins, and a lingering finish to keep you cozy throughout fall. Salud!
Witty Pairs 