Purchasing Wine

Grocery stores are definitely the easiest places to get wine.  After all, you're already shopping--why not take a quick trip down the wine aisle?  But once you're there, it can be bewildering.  With no descriptions and no expert advice, you can end up never straying outside of your comfort zone of those bottles you know you like.  Even worse, you...

Unless you've been living under a rock for the past decade, you know about the "green" revolution.  If you're interested how the eco-movement affects your wine, read on. 1.  What does "green" really mean? "Green" is a pop culture term, so it doesn't have an "official" or standardized meaning.  Though you can usually count on "green" wineries to at minimum...

If you're just starting out collecting wine, you probably find wine labels more than a little daunting.  How do you pick through all the fine print and strange words to get the information you need?  What's just advertising and what's useful to know? Although every wine bottle is different, and labeling practices differ between countries and even wineries, there is...

If you're interested in scoring great deals on wine and prefer your pajamas over your formal wear, you should check out online wine auctions.  Whereas live wine auctions are most useful to that select group of wine collectors that is in a position to drop thousands of dollars an hour on wine, online wine auctions are great for every casual...

We've all had it happen: the moldy cork, the bug in the glass, the wrong wine.  There are some things that are clear reasons to send back your glass or bottle.  But what about the less obvious problems?  These 5 tips tell you what is--and isn't--ok in restaurant wine service. 1.  Size (and shape) matter.  At family-style restaurants (especially Italian...

Do you have aspirations to build a great wine collection but don't know where to start?  Have you collected a few bottles but are unsure about how to build what you have into a cohesive collection?  Here are some tips and hints to help  you out. The best way to start is to educate yourself.  Before you're ready to spend...

For years, wine aficionados have counted on the ability to order wines that aren't available at their local stores.  Say you're on a wine tour of Italy, or you're spending a long weekend wine-tasting in a neighboring state.  Maybe you're even browsing the wines of other places late one night on your laptop.   You fall in love with a...

At a wine tasting event last night, I struck up a conversation with some wine lovers about the increasingly popular trend of wacky wine names.  Winemakers of yesterday tended to try and convey tradition and elegance with their wine names, often by using the name of the winemaker or the area of production.  Think of the classic Dom Perignon, which...

Video courtesy CBS 8 News In a move that has stirred up some controversy, a new law has passed that will allow boutique wineries producing 12,000 gallons or less to operate tasting rooms. They'll also be able to sell directly to buyers and hold events such as weddings. Winemakers and wine lovers in San Diego see this as a good...

The First Thanksgiving by Jean Louise Gerome With Thanksgiving quickly approaching, there's no time like the present to start planning your dinner menu--and the wines that will go with it.  Choosing wines for Thanksgiving can be a challenge, because you have to please a variety of palates and complement a variety of dishes.  But have no fear!  Our suggestions will...

...and as this infographic points our, you can always drink your failed investments, a pleasure that certainly doesn't apply to failed real estate or stocks. The best investment wines are almost always the higher-priced wines from longstanding winemakers. Those bottles are more likely to remain in high demand than are lower-priced wines. Wine is a market of tradition--pedigree and provenance...

Valentine's Day is today! Still in need of a perfect gift?  This year, think about forgoing the teddy bear and heart-shaped jewelry.  Instead, get her a romantic gift you can enjoy together: wine.  Here are some great choices for romance on the 14th. Great with chocolate-covered strawberries: This valentine's day classic is perfection with another classic: Champagne.  Pop a bottle...

Have you ever been browsing through a wine selection, and notice that some of the wines have a number rating displayed near them? Many of these ratings are given by fancy, highly paid staff from organizations like Robert Parker and Wine Spectator.  Sometimes, however, staff from the actual wine establishment where you find yourself may have given these wine...

During this year’s Passover, some of you will probably have a glass of Manischewitz, a peculiarly sweet kosher wine often associated with Passover.  There are, however, kosher alternatives to Manischewitz many people are unaware of (Unless you've read our previous post on kosher wine!).  The idea that all kosher wines are eminently sweet is simply untrue.  When kosher wines (like...

The 2007 Pinot Noir from Fotinos Brothers proudly hails from Napa Valley. (The 2007 is the second offering from the inaugural release in 2006.) For a second vintage, this wine is impressive, and Jake Austad from Vintage Cellars had the opportunity to taste and review it. “The upfront is pure cherry,” he recalls, “and a smooth mouth feel is followed...

Shopping for gifts at the last minute, again?  Does what to get for a certain loved one have you stumped?  If you continue to suffer from the daunting task of gift selection, here’s a gift that is always appreciated: wine!  What is more, shopping for wine is much easier than sifting through racks of ties, perusing packages of festive...

With Christmas and other holidays fast approaching, stores are packed with last-minute shoppers.  If you are among them, consider giving a loved one something very special this season: a basket of assorted wines.  Unlike socks, ties, and bolder clothing items that can be gambles (and unlike gift cards which, according to recent statistics, are rarely used in full), wine...

Sung to celebrate the stroke of midnight which begins each New Year, Robert Burns’ poem is a New Year’s staple, and so is the tradition of toasting to the hour with Champagne, or other sparkling wines.  Are you hosting a New Year’s Eve party?  If so, what do you plan to toast with?  Here’s some basic info to help...

We're the first to admit we love an interesting innovation in the wine world. Wine is full of tradition and history, and that's great! We love old-world styled wine cabinets and stone-trimmed cellars, but there's also a place for fun, modern things like sideways wine racks and this interesting new concept for packaging. Currently a California phenomenon, this curious, creative...

Of all the varieties of port, ruby port is arguably the smoothest.  Many wine drinkers unfamiliar with the world of port can easily enjoy glasses of this sweet, deep red wine.  Sampling ruby port is a fantastic way for wine drinkers to become familiar with port wine, and though often less complex than their tawny cousins, good ruby wines can...