Wine Storage Specialist:

Before reading further, please understand that wines like rosés are not just mixtures of red and white wines.  They are made by a process similar to red wine, but the skins of the grapes are removed before they fully turn the wine a deep shade of red.  (Read more about the process of making rosé wine in our previous post...

Like its younger cousin, tawny port, aged tawny port is one of the two most-popular wines aged in Portugal.  Both tawny and aged tawny port begin as ruby port, but instead of aging the wine between two to seven years to create tawny port, aged tawny port is kept at least ten years in wood.  Oftentimes, aged tawny port is...

Just as aged tawny ports are created from the “best” harvests, vintage port is made from only the finest harvests.  In fact, vintage port is the most desirable of all port wines, and collectors often proclaim vintage ports to be the pinnacles of their collections.   Vintage ports are very full-bodied wines with an abundance of sturdy tannins that make...

If you like to add wine to your pasta sauce, here’s an easy recipe that’s sure to make some happy tummies!  Here’s what you’ll need: 1 pound (or more) ground beef or turkey 1 onion, chopped 1 clove garlic, finely chopped 1 tablespoon flour 1 egg, yolk separated 1 1/2 cups beef stock 1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs 2 tablespoons...

Instead of giving traditional (and often non-useful) gifts to your folks this Mother’s or Father’s Day, considering celebrating with the gift of a good bottle of wine that will really make them smile!  Sure ties, socks, and ceramic hippo nicknacks are the norm when you’re not really sure what your parents want or need, but a bottle of wine--a classy...

While the Viognier grape may be new to most wine drinkers, it’s been grown in France’s northern Rhône region for centuries.  Because its acreage in France is relatively small, so is the French production of Viognier.  Interestingly enough, decent Viognier vineyards have appeared in California since the late 1980s, and Australia is also producing the grape. It’s tough to grow...

At tastings, many newcomers to the world of wine are unsure about the proper etiquette surrounding swirling and sniffing wine.  Is there a right way to do it?  Or is it a little like the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup slogan: there’s no wrong way to eat a Reese’s? Since wine’s scent and taste are both key elements of any tasting, swirling...

Are you new to the world of wine?  Unsure what wines are considered to be “dry?”  Read on! Quite simply, dry wines have the greatest alcohol content; their juice ferments until almost all of the grape’s sugar is utilized.  Thus, dry wines contain little residual sugar and are not “sweet.”  What common wines are considered dry?  Here’s a little list...

If you enjoy cooking with wine, you probably keep a few bottles on hand.  However, “wine emergencies” do happen; dogs and children can knock over portable wine racks, you can drop, break, or spill the last bottle of “perfect” red wine meant for your dinner, or you can be so rushed to get home and start cooking that you forget...

In an episode of “Frasier,” Doctors Niles and Frasier Crane begin the show with a blind wine tasting... Niles:  Now, now, let’s move on to number seven. Frasier: Ahhh... Touch of oak, hint of currant, whisper of... Frasier’s father enters with his dog, Eddie, on a leash. Frasier:  ...what is that?  What is that?  Oh yes, wet dog! While amusing...

If you’ve been drinking wine for a while, you've most likely encountered a bottle that has gone bad somewhere along the line.  Unlike wines that simply taste "less-than-good," bad bottles taste unbelievably bad!  What causes such ruined wine?  Here are a few factors... A Bad Cork: Bad corks are the number one cause of “bad” wine.  If stored improperly (upright...

Without referring to the internet (or your latest wine-pairing app), how can you tell what wines go “best” with what foods?  Here’s the simplest wine pairing rule that almost always produces yummy results: if it grows together, it goes together!  That’s right.  Tried-and-true wine and food pairings often originate in the same region, and because of this synergy many pairings...

While wine purists may roll their eyes at this post, making Sangria has become a popular topic.  Taken for what it is, basically a mixture of wine and fruit, Sangria is often a summertime "gateway beverage" that leads non-wine drinkers to eventually explore the richly-rewarding world of wine.  (Some folks say wine coolers act in a similar way.)  While Sangria...

Image from Service Culture International: www.choosingservice.com Perhaps you’re at a dinner to benefit a worthy cause, but the wine served with your prepared-in-bulk meal is mediocre at best, or in the worst situation downright undrinkable: what do you do?  Is there a graceful way to handle the situation?  If wine is being served with your meal, chances are you’re...

Image from Wine Online Club: wineonlineclub.com Although there’s a stigma surrounding drinking by yourself, sometimes it can’t be helped!  What if circumstances make it so that you must dine alone?  What if your dinner companions call last-minute, sending regrets, after you’re already seated at your restaurant of choice?  Dining and drinking alone does not have to be a sad...

Have a good bottle of wine?  Need the perfect music to set the proper mood?  Have no fear; Wine DJ is here!  Wine DJ is an iPhone app designed to help you build the perfect playlist based on your desired mood, coupled with the Liberty School wine you’re drinking.  Simply enter the type of wine you’re planning to drink, use...