wine tasting

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...

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...

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...

Good morning, wine lovers! At Vintage Cellars, we know you love wine, and we're pretty sure you love California, too (we sure do!). There are dozens of fantastic wine events in California--in fact, you could probably go to a different California wine event every day for the rest of the summer if you really wanted to. Unfortunately, if you're anything...

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...

Our very own Jake Austad, master of custom cellar designs, is an expert at touring wine country, and wants to share his tips and tricks. Jake has insider advice on the best vineyards to visit, the best places to eat, and tourist traps to avoid. So pull up a chair, pour yourself a glass of your favorite vino, and hear how...

Vintage Cellars' Jake Austad at Wine Spectator Grand Tour Last Saturday, on a warm Las Vegas evening, representing Vintage Cellars, my wife Lindsay and I were able to attend the Wine Spectator Grand Tour.  Wines were poured from more than 225 producers, representing 15 countries and four states.  If you’re interested in good wine or learning about good wine...

Cabernet Sauvignon is often referred to as the "King of Red Wine Grapes." Though it's grown in nearly ever major wine-producing country, it is most famously cultivated both in the soils of the Left Band of Bordeaux and California's Napa Valley, Cabernet is one of the world's most sought-after wine grapes. Part of what makes Cabernet so special is its...

For me, going wine tasting to me is like heading out to find new friends. You will find plenty that you only keep around for a short time, but every now and then you find those lifelong relationships that you want to last for years. I had the fortune to attend a wine tasting a few weeks ago, and just...

For many years, experts thought that the only worthwhile wines in the world came from Bordeaux, France. All that changed in 1976, at a wine competition in Paris known as the "Judgement of Paris." There, French judges did a blind taste-test that pitted Bordeaux wines from France against Cabernet Sauvignons from California. Much to everyone's surprise, the California wines blew...

Photo credit: Fast Forward Event Productions Drinking good wine with good friends is one of life's greatest pleasures. If you love to entertain, but hesitate at the work and expense of hosting a dinner party, try a wine-tasting party for your next get-together. With just a few glasses, some bottles of wine, and perhaps a snack or two, you've...

You're out to dinner at a restaurant and are served a bottle of wine you've never had before. The waiter arrives and pours you a taste. You take a sip. The flavor is...strange. Is the wine just new and unfamiliar, or is something wrong with it? Unsure of what to do, you tell the waiter it's fine, then spend the...

Cabernet Sauvignon grapes on the vine One Monday evening last month, six people sat down for a blind Cabernet (and Cab-based blends) tasting. There were no experts on the panel. There were two people that prefer whites to reds. There was one experienced craft beer person, and there was me, representing Vintage Cellars (and I hold an advanced certificate from...

Even the most confident of wine lovers can get bogged down by a wine list that reads like a novel. Here’s how to safely navigate a restaurant wine-list and pick a bottle that’s sure to please everyone at the table. Step 1: Choose a Color Start by choosing between white or red by considering what you'll be eating. You’re out...

Wine and cheese is a classic combination. Whether it takes the form of a lavish spread laid out at a cocktail party, or a simple and elegant course at a dinner party, a wine and cheese pairing is something no guest is ever disappointed to see. But making the perfect wine and cheese match can be intimidating. These five tips...