Famous for its soft texture and drinkability, Merlot is one of the most popular wine varieties globally. Whether you are a novice or a seasoned wine drinker, here are some things you may not know about Merlot.
While sometimes overlooked, Cabernet Franc might actually be one of the most influential red grape varietals globally. Cabernet Franc is the parent grape of Cabernet Sauvignon when crossed with Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot when crossed with Magdeleine Norte Des Charentes, and Carmenere when crossed with Gros Cabernet. It is grown all over the world and bottled both in blends and as a single varietal wine.
It is believed that Cabernet Franc originated in the Basque region of France, but it is known as one of the “big reds” of Bordeaux. Not only is it the parent grape of two other Bordeaux grapes (Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot), but Cabernet Franc itself is blended with other grapes from the region to create the famous Bordeaux Blend. Travel north to the Loire Valley, and you will find some of the best single varietal Cabernet Francs in the world. The cooler climate of the Loire Valley brings out the tart fruit flavors, which make Cabernet Franc so special.
While Cabernet Franc is most commonly associated with France, it is grown in almost every major wine region. The best way to learn about Cabernet Franc is to taste styles from different regions. One of my favorite expressions of the grape comes from Loire Valley, and another comes from Washington State, USA. They are both fantastic wines but taste very different from one another.
That being said, the primary flavors you will experience with Cabernet Franc are red fruit, pepper, and gravel. The wine will be dry, medium -bodied, and high in acidity.
Wines that are high in acidity generally pair well with many different types of food, so you cannot go wrong pairing Cabernet Franc with those large holiday meals. Whether you are serving tomato- based dishes, vinegar-based sauces, roasted meats, lentils and beans, or a combination of these, Cabernet Franc will make a great holiday table wine. Cabernet Franc also pairs deliciously with soft cheeses like feta and goat and fresh herbs like rosemary and thyme.
Have a happy holiday season and ring in the new year with a glass of Cabernet Franc!
I love wine… not only for how it tastes, but also for what it represents. It represents culture when consumed at a dinner party full of lively discussion. It represents religion when used in Christian ceremonies. It represents prosperity when raised in a toast. It represents romance when sipped during a date. It represents community when enjoyed with friends. It even represents medicine when that night cap helps us to fall asleep.
All these associations that we derive from wine can be traced back to Ancient Greece where wine was of the upmost importance. Philosophers, artists, and political elites would gather for symposiums, or light suppers, where wine and conversation flowed freely. Wine was used in religious ceremonies in honor or Dionysus, the god of wine, fertility, theatre, festivity, pleasure, and ritual madness. Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, employed wine to heal fevers but also believed it to be a nourishing dietary beverage for the healthy.
The history of wine in Greece informs many of our modern-day practices, and I believe that Greece will also play a role in shaping the future of wine with the indigenous grape, Xinomavro.
Xinomavro is widely planted throughout the region, most notably in Naoussa, which lies across the mountainous slopes of northern Greece. The word Xinomavro is a conjunction of the Greek words “acid” and “black,” which hints at the structure of this wine – high acid, high tannin, and high alcohol.
A typical Xinomavro will burst with flavors of dark fruit, olive, and tobacco. It will also carry subtle notes of red fruit, violets, and tomato. Oak aging this wine will add hints of spices like anise and allspice. In the U.S. you are currently more likely to see Xinomavro in a restaurant than you are to see it in a wine shop. It will often be a dry, medium-bodied, red wine, but it is also possible to find the Xinomavro variety used in rose, sparkling, and dessert wine.
I believe Xinomavro represents the future of wine because of its untapped potential.
When the Greeks were conquered by the Roman Empire, many of their traditions, including wine, lived on and spread throughout modern-day Europe. The spread of Catholicism in Western Europe during the middle ages was vital for wine production because it was, and still is, an integral part of the mass. However, in Eastern Europe, Islam was becoming the predominant religion, and drinking alcohol is sinful, according to the teachings of Islam. Therefore, many Eastern vineyards were destroyed. Greek vineyards started to make a comeback in the modern era after Greece was liberated from the Turks, but after World War II these vineyards were infested with phylloxera, and many of the vines were, once again, destroyed.
Then in the 1960’s private investors and well-traveled winemakers combined to create a wine country worthy of its history. They started growing many of Greece’s indigenous grapes including Savatiano, Agiorgitiko, and Xinomavro. So, while Xinomavro is an indigenous grape, it is relatively new to the international wine scene.
As Xinomavro continues to appear on restaurant menus, it will increase in popularity because it is a great food wine. It’s mouthwatering acidity makes it a great pair for salts and fats, and it’s high tannin gives the wine enough grip to stand up to meaty dishes. Xinomavro is often compared to wines like Nebbiolo, Sangiovese, and Pinot Noir, but it can also please lovers of big bold Cabernets.
Get a bottle for under $30 and impress your family this Christmas with this endearing and food-friendly wine. Like Italian Chianti (Sangiovese) and Argentinian Malbec, Greek Xinomavro has the potential to become a household name that will soon appear on restaurant menus and wine shops across the world. So much of what we know and love about wine come from the history of Ancient Greece, and I believe that the future superstar of the wine world could very well be Greek Xinomavro.
Do you like donuts? Do you like wine? Do you follow a vegan diet? If you answer “yes” to any of these questions, this article is for you. I recently connected with Derrick Faulcon, who owns Cloudy Donut Co. together with is brother Justin Faulcon, and we thought that it would be fun to come up with some tasty wine pairings for their delicious donuts.
The Donuts
The handmade, small batch donuts from Cloudy Donut Co. are some of the best I have ever tasted, and they are made 100% vegan by swapping ingredients like eggs for applesauce and whole milk for coconut milk. The result is yummy donuts with a perfect “cloudy” texture, hence the name Cloudy Donut Co.
The charming donut shop is located at 4311 Harford Road in Northeast Baltimore. But, be on the lookout Washington, D.C. friends! The Faulcon brothers are looking to open a donut shop in your area soon.
Why not vegan? Research shows that eating a vegan diet just once a week can better your health and the health of the environment. Plus, with donuts as delicious as these, you can rest assured that your taste buds will not be wanting for eggs or milk.
The Pairing
I paired six donuts from Cloudy Donut Co.’s fall menu with six different wines. If you want to recreate this tasting and do not have access to these specific donuts or the specific wines below, you can use this as a guide. However, if you can access the donuts and wine I discuss specifically, I guarantee your tasting will be a success.
Everyone’s palate is different, so I enlisted the help of my sister Megan and my cousin Maura to taste along with me. I will highlight each of our favorites.
To get the most out of your tasting, take a sip of wine, then a bite of donut, then another sip of wine.
The tasting was off to a great start with this paring. The Chateau Ste. Michelle is an elegant wine with crisp acidity and notes of citrus fruits like lemon. (This wine also happens to be vegan!) The sweetness of the donut reduces the acidity of the wine so that the lemony flavors shine through. If you like lemon bars, this pairing is for you! This is a great brunch combo. I bought the wine from the Wine Source https://www.thewinesource.com/. If you would like to try a similar wine for your pairing, opt for another medium-bodied dry Riesling.
Pistachio is sometimes referred to as the “white wine nut.“ Generally pistachio will pair best with light-bodied, dry wines like Sauvignon Blanc. However, because I was pairing a pistachio donut, I thought we would need a fuller-bodied wine. The Catoctin Breeze Symphony is a white blend with 36% Viognier, 30% Sauvignon Blanc, 29% Vidal Blanc, and 5% Traminette. The flavors of Sauvignon Blanc taste really nice with Pistachio, but the fullness of Viognier can hold up to the richness of a donut. I bought this wine directly from the vineyard https://catoctinbreeze.com/. If you cannot find this wine for your pairing, look for white blends with Sauvignon Blanc and a full-bodied grape like Viognier or Chardonnay.
This pairing was such a delight! The soft, cloudy texture of the donut with the warm savory flavors of chai, were complimented beautifully by this soft but savory Gruner Veltliner. On its own, the Loimer Lois carries notes of green apple, lemon, and radish. When paired with the chai sugar donut, we started to pick up some notes of winter squash, making it a perfect fall treat. I bought the wine from The Wine Source https://www.thewinesource.com. If you want to try a different wine for your pairing, opt for another dry, savory white from Austria or Germany.
This one has Thanksgiving written all over it! The donut is sweet, but not too sweet, and the Pinot Noir carries notes of red apple and baking spices. I can really see this combo taking the place of sweet potato pie after Thanksgiving dinner, because unlike a heavy pie, the donuts are light and airy, which I find preferable after a big meal. On another note, I absolutely love Deerfield Ranch Winery. Their vineyards are organically farmed using biodynamic practices. These wines are also low in sulfates and histamines, which are known to cause red wine headaches. I bought this wine directly from the winery https://www.deerfieldranch.com. If you choose to go with a different wine, try another Sonoma, Pinot Noir.
Expresso is a big bold flavor, and it deserves a wine that can stand up to its intensity. I discussed Pinotage in my last blog post https://mollymcgrain.com/should-you-give-pinotage-a-try/, and I thought, what better than the Kanonkop Kadette to pair with the coffee expresso donut. The dark fruit flavors, along with the earthy and oaky notes pair beautifully with the bitter flavor profile of the expresso, bringing out a nuttiness. I bought the wine at The Wine Source https://www.thewinesource.com. If you would like to try a similar wine, look for big bold red blends with Pinotage, Cabernet Sauvignon, or Petit Verdot.
Maple is one of the best fall flavors, and there is nothing like a big tannic red in the colder months to help you feel warm inside. This pairing has so many delicious elements. We got sweet from the maple icing, nutty from the pecans, savory from the donut itself, and spicy from the wine. I actually purchased this wine at a wine supper hosted by Chef Expressions https://www.chefsexpressions.com/. If you cannot find this wine for your pairing, look for a big, tannic Cabernet Sauvignon.
If you drink wine, even just a little bit, chances are you have tried Cabernet Sauvignon. It is grown in nearly every wine region across the globe and makes an appearance on every restaurant wine list. I love Cabernet Sauvignon for its bold flavors and tannins, and I cannot wait to pair it with some of my favorite fall dishes. Check out these 20 things to learn more about this beloved wine!
1. The grape originated in Bordeaux, France and was discovered by chance when Cabernet Franc was crossed with Sauvignon Blanc.
2. Cabernet Sauvignon is the most widely planted varietal in the world and, therefore, extremely popular in wine shops and restaurants alike.
3. International Cabernet Day is celebrated each year on the Thursday before US Labor Day.
4. Bordeaux, France and Napa Valley, California produce some of the most esteemed Cabernet Sauvignons. However, you can find Cabs from all over the world including Argentina, Australia, Chile, China, Italy, Lebanon, and beyond.
5. Wines from Bordeaux or Napa Valley can get quite pricey. If you are looking for a great Cabernet Sauvignon at a great price, try a bottle from one of the many other wine regions that produce the wine.
6. Cabernet Sauvignon is often blended with Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and other Bordeaux grapes. In France, it is more common to enjoy Cabernet Sauvignon in a “Bordeaux Blend” than as a single variety wine.
7. Because they are often full-bodied with big tannins, Cabernet Sauvignons make great cellar wines that can age for over a decade.
8. Cabernet Sauvignon has a deep red, almost purple color.
9. The most common aromatics found in Cabernet Sauvignon are dark fruits like black cherry, blackberry, and plum along with warm spice, pepper, and vanilla.
10. Most Cabernet Sauvignon wines will have notes of black currant, black cherry, baking spices, plum, blackberry, and pepper but some will be more fruity and sumptuous and some will be more smoky and savory.
11. Like all wines, Cabernet Sauvignon will vary in taste based on factors such as soil, climate, and winemaking technique. For instance, Bordeaux Cabs might contain hints of anise and tobacco, but California Cabs might contain notes of pencil led and mint.
12. Cabernet Sauvignon is usually aged in oak which will soften the tannins and impart notes of vanilla and spice.
13. Especially when grown in cooler climates, Cabernet Sauvignon can carry green or herbaceous notes. When such is the case, Farmers will use special pruning methods to reduce “greenness” and allow the fruitier flavors to come through.
14. Cabernet Sauvignon vines generally produce a high yield of grapes, which allows winemakers to either be very selective and only use the highest quality grapes or to produce large quantities of the popular wine.
15. Cabernet Sauvignon grapes ripen late in the season and will often be the last grapes on the vineyard to be picked.
16. The taste profile of Cabernet Sauvignon is dry, full-bodied, medium tannins, medium acidity, and 13.5-15%ABV.
17. The wine is best served between 60-68 degrees F in an oversized glass. I recommend decanting 1 hour prior to serving.
18. Cabernet Sauvignon is a great food wine, especially if you are enjoying it with a high fat, high protein meal. When pairing with meats try rich grilled meats, steak dishes, or Korean pork. When pairing with sauces, you can go for peppery sauces or heavy butter and cream sauces. With cheese, try brie or cheddar. With veggies, try mushrooms or roasted carrots. Cabernet Sauvignon will also taste delicious with oak influenced flavors or dark chocolate.
19. What do a balanced diet, exercise, reading, and an active social life have in common with Cabernet Sauvignon?… They are all linked to reducing the risk factors of Alzheimer’s! While I would recommend the former over the later for a healthier lifestyle overall, Cabernet Sauvignon (and other red wines) contain a compound called resveratrol which studies have shown slow the progress of Alzheimer’s. Resveratrol has also been shown to help with anti-aging, lowering blood pressure, and easing joint pain.
20. California shocked the world in 1976 when an English wine merchant held a blind tasting, known as the Judgement of Paris, featuring French and Californian wines. The wines from California won the competition putting California Cabernet Sauvignon (and Chardonnay) on the map! The 2008 movie Bottle Shock retells the story of this big win for California wines. Travel Tip: If you are ever in Sonoma, California, I highly recommend the Mountain Top Tasting at Kunde Family Winery https://www.kunde.com/Plan-Your-Visit/Tasting-Options. There, you will get to see where a part of the movie Bottle Shock was shot!
During these dog days of summer, I have been really enjoying the refreshing taste of Spanish Albariño. Maybe it’s the ripe stone fruit flavors or maybe it’s the salinity that reminds me of the ocean, but this wine has August written all over it. Perhaps during this time, when the places we can travel are limited, I am simply enchanted by the idea of traveling to the beautiful northwestern coast of Spain, where I could walk under a Pergola trellised with Albariño vines or enjoy a glass with a dinner of fresh paella.
Albariño is a white wine grape that is best known for its ripe stone fruit and citrus flavors. It is sometimes compared to Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling, but what really distinguishes Albariño is its mouthwatering acidity and brine-y finish. This is because Albariño grapes grow well by the sea which allows them to synthesize the air’s salinity.
Albariño is widely produced in the Rías Baixas region. The Rías Baixas can be broken down into sub-regions, each of which impart specific characteristics into the wine. For example, wines from Ribeira do Ulla and Condado do Tea tend to have fruitier flavors because they are grown more inland, whereas wines from Val do Salnes and Soutomaior tend to show more minerality and salinity because of their proximity to the sea. Rías Baixas sits in the northwestern tip of Spain, and its landsacpe with crenellated coastlines, pine forests, and powerful sea lochs are reminiscent of the landscapes we commonly associate with Scotland or Scandinavia. These shores, thrashed by the Atlantic ocean, create wines that are as refreshing as a burst of sea air.
One thing that makes Albariño vineyards unique is that Albariño vines are trellised overhead on Pergolas to avoid rot and fungus caused by humid climates. To maintain freshness, most Albariño wines are aged in stainless steel, however, in years where the grapes are particularly ripe, the wines can benefit from oak treatment which helps to bring out some more robust flavors.
Some of the oldest living Albariño vines are up to 300 years old. However, the first known bottling of single variety Albariño wasn’t until 1928 at Spanish winery, Palacio de Fefinanes. Albariño did not hit the U.S. wine scene until the early 1990s when it started appearing in Spanish restaurants and quickly became a cash cow for Spanish producers who could make large quantities of the easy drinking wine.
Generally, Albariño is best consumed young. If you try and Albariño that has been aged, you may find that the acidity has softened, but you may also find that it has developed some undesirable flavors.
When pairing, think Spain in the summertime. Dishes like paella with lobster and chorizo or mussels with parsley butter will pair quite well with Albariño. The other option is to deploy savory flavors which will create a contrast with the wine and make its brightness pop.
These hot August days are the perfect time to indulge in the delightful taste of Spanish Albariño, and you can find these quality wines at most wine shops for under $30!
Since March of this year, many of us have taken on more responsibility just to get through the day-to-day. In addition to our previous responsibilities, we have been cooking more, we have become more politically involved, we have become teachers, we have been styling our own hair, we have become our own personal trainers, and the list goes on and on. In other words, we have been “doing it all.” Don’t we deserve a grape that can also do it all?
Chenin Blanc is a highly acidic grape making it versatile enough to produce bubbly, dry, off-dry, and dessert wines. The grape originated in Loire, France but is now planted all over the world, most notably in South Africa.
Because Chenin Blanc is so versatile, it can be difficult to know just what to look for when shopping for it. Below, I have broken down some of Chenin Blanc’s characteristics based on style and region.
Bubbly
High acidity is the backbone of well-made sparkling wine, and the naturally acidic, usually under-ripe, Chenin Blanc grape is used to make high-quality bubbles in Loire and beyond. Styles can range from Brut (dry) to Demi-Sec (medium-sweet) and contain yellow apple, ginger and floral notes.
Dry
When the grapes are fermented dry and kept fresh, they produce a very lean, minerally style Of Chenin Blanc that offers up flavors of tart pear and chamomile. Vouvray, a region in Loire, label it’s dry Chenin Blanc “Sec.” South African bottles usually include a sweetness indicator on the label. If you are looking to pair dry Chenin Blanc, opt for fresh foods like white fish and summer herbs.
Off-Dry
Off-dry Chenin Blanc is created when a very small amount of residual sugar (typically, under 3%) is left in the wine. This style is usually made from riper grapes, which in turn, create richly aromatic wins with notes of ripe pear, jasmine, and honeycomb. Because of the acidity and slight sweetness of off-dry Chenin Blanc, it pairs nicely with sweet and sour Asian food.
Dessert
At the end of the harvest, the last of the Chenin Blanc grapes are picked. These have been affected by noble rot which concentrates the grapes’ sugars and lend to rich flavors or orange marmalade and saffron. These dessert wines are produced mostly in Loire and might say “Côteaux du Layon” or Moelleux on the label. Pair these dessert wines with other sweet and acidic treats like lemon meringue pie.
France
Chenin Blanc is mentioned in official French documents as early as 845, and the variety has appeared in various parts of Loire under a multitude of synonyms since. Having never visited Loire, I find it a bit tricky to understand the versatility of Chenin Blanc across the region, however, there are some words you can look for on the label which can give you an indication of what the wine will taste like. Keep in mind that old world wines are typically named after the region in which they are made, not the grapes they are made up of.
Anjou and Touraine tend to produce very dry and acidic Chenin Blanc. Vouvray produces both dry and off-dry styles. Off-dry styles tend to have honeyed and tropical notes. If you prefer intense acidity, opt for Vouvray Sec. Savennières and Saumur produce taut, dry, age-worthy wines. The chalky white soul helps to bring out minerality and flavors like green apple. Côteaux du Layon produces sweet Chenin Blanc. Angers showcases a little of every style of Chenin Blanc.
Chinon, France
South Africa
South Africa is now the largest producer of Chenin Blanc, but in South Africa it is often referred to as Steen. The regions of Stellenbosch and Swartland produce rich wines that tend to be more tropical than their Loire Valley counterparts, displaying flavors of melon and guava. South African winemakers sometimes blend Chenin Blanc with Semillon, Viognier, and Marsanne which creates a rich wine similar to oaked Chardonnay, but sweeter. With Chenin Blanc now that most widely planted grape in South Africa, much effort has been invested into research on how to make South African Chenin Blanc compete with the best in the world.
California
California grows more Chenin Blanc than all of France, but most of these grapes are used in generic white blends or cultivated for use in brandy-making.
So, there you have it! Chenin Blanc is truly a grape that can “do it all.” Hopefully you now have a little more confidence to help you pick out the perfect bottle of Chenin Blanc for you.
When I think of Rose, I think of Sunday brunch with the girls, date night in Sonoma, and a relaxing day by the pool. Rose is both glamorous and approachable making it one of summer’s most popular wines. Rose has been around as long as the tradition of wine making has. However, it has become especially popular among U.S. consumers in recent years. In fact, Rose consumption increased by 50% in 2017.
Rose can be made using three different techniques. In my opinion, the finest Rose is made using a maceration or “skin contact” method. Winemakers will typically use red wine grapes that they specifically grow for Rose. The process looks similar to red wine making where the grapes are crushed, and the juice sits on the skins which impart color and flavor. The juice will sit on the skins for 2 hours to 2 days, unlike red wine which sits on the skins anywhere from 3 days to 100 days.
Another method for making Rose is saignee. French for “to bleed” saignee is a process whereby the winemaker will bleed off some of the juice early in the red wine making process. This helps the remaining juice to concentrate for the red wine, and the juice that bleeds off is used for Rose.
An uncommon but worth-mentioning way to make rose is blending. This method involves blending red wine and white wine to achieve that pink color. This method is only really used in champagne and sparking wine production.
Rose is produced all over the world, and therefore, features varietals that grow well in the regions where the wine is made. Rose from Provence, France is often made from Grenache, Rose from Mendoza, Argentina is often made from Malbec, and Rose from Napa Valley, California is often made from Cabernet Sauvignon.
Rose comes from many different places and many different grapes, so it can be paired with almost anything. When pairing rose with with food, start by considering where it comes from. What grows together goes together, so perhaps you could pair paella with a Spanish Rose. Also, take into consideration the wines body. If you are serving fish or soft cheeses, maybe a light-bodied Rose will do the trick. Consider whether the wine has more fruit or mineral notes. Barbecue will pair nicely with fruity Rose.
So, how much should you pay for Rose? That really depends on your preferences. The price of Rose can range anywhere from $10-$500. I cannot say I have ever tasted $500 Rose, but I have tasted $10 Rose that is quite good. I will typically spring for a $20-$30 bottle if I am trying to impress my guests.
Because it ranges so much in style, flavor, and price, there is a bottle of Rose out there for everyone. Even rapper, Post Malone, has joined in on the fun with the release of his new Rose “Maison No.9.” Perhaps that is why they say “Rose All Day!”
With the weather getting warmer and Memorial Day around the corner, it is starting to feel like summer is finally here! If there is one type of wine that screams summer to me, it is Sauvignon Blanc. This herbal and citrusy wine is the perfect refreshment for a hot day under the sun.
Sauvignon Blanc, which translates to “wild white,” is a green skinned grape that originated in France, but now grows in established wine regions all over the world, including the United States, Italy, South Africa, Chile, and most notably New Zealand.
Acidic and crisp, Sauvignon Blanc bursts with fruity characteristics like lime, kiwi, and grapefruit. The fruit flavors are balanced by herbal notes like green pepper, tarragon, and lemon grass. These light and fresh flavors make it the perfect wine to sip by the pool.
The terroir in which it grows and the process by which it is aged will also impact the flavors of Sauvignon Blanc. For example, Sauvignon Blanc grown in the Loire Valley often has mineral-like qualities, and Sauvignon Blanc aged in oak could have notes of dill, coconut, or cream.
Pair Sauvignon Blanc with fish and seasonal vegetables for a delicious and healthy summer meal. Cod with a cucumber dill salad, tilapia with grilled zucchini, or trout with sautéed green beans and mint will pair beautifully with this wine. Shellfish like crab, lobster, and oysters are also nice pairs for Sauvignon Blanc. For seasoning, try any of these fresh herbs: basil, chives, dill, rosemary, thyme.
So, this summer relax by the lake, see old friends, and enjoy the sunshine! Just don’t forget your sunscreen or your Sauvignon Blanc!
I once participated in a wine tasting with Echo Echo Wine where they had me listen to certain songs as I tried each wine. The idea behind this was that there is an interplay between music and wine and that music can bring out or intensify certain characteristics in the wine.
I truly felt that this experience of listening to music during the tasting increased the level of enjoyment I was getting out of the wine. I also feel that it can go the other way where the wine you drink can increase the level of enjoyment you get out of certain experiences.
Hopefully, by the summer we will no longer be under quarantine and will be able to return to the experiences that make summer so great. I have come up with a bucket list, more or less, of summer activities that I cannot wait to dive into, and this list includes my picks for wine to pair with each activity. God willing, we will be raising a glass together soon!
4th of July
Three cheers for the red, white, and blue! Maybe you are going to a parade and fireworks, maybe are are having a pool party and cookout. Whatever you have planned, Independence Day is an awesome time to raise a glass with family and friends.
Sparking Wine – There is no drink more festive for all occasions that sparking wine. Let the sparkles in your glass pair with the stars on the flag and the fireworks in the sky. Sparking wine is also easy to pair with a variety of foods which will come in handy at those cookouts.
Zinfandel – This medium bodied red grape originated in Croatia but has become extremely popular in California. Drink this US made wine as you celebrate US independence.
Grown-up Slumber Party
Why should slumber parties end in adulthood? My cousins and I used to have the best time staying up all night, eating junk food, and sharing jokes that only we could understand. Other things you could do at a slumber party include manicures, face masks, watching chick-flicks, and if your an adult… drinking wine!
Riesling – Riesling’s floral and perfume-like aromas make it a great wine to share with your girlfriends. Most Riesling is sweet or semi-sweet, which I tend to enjoy late at night, however, there are also dry Rieslings. It pairs nicely with spicy food, so break out those Flamin Hot Cheetos!
Sangiovese – Grown predominantly in Italy and most famous as the grape that makes Chianti Classico, Sangiovese is a great varietal to pair with your late-night pizza party.
Baseball Game
One of my favorite summer traditions is taking a Sunday afternoon to root on the Orioles from the nose bleeds in Camden Yards. Typically, if I am at the Yard I am drinking beer but there is no harm in switching it up and drinking wine!
Pinot Grigio – Light and crisp, Pinot Grigio is an excellent choice for a hot summer baseball game. It can be just as refreshing as a tall glass on lemonade and it tastes good with hot dogs and french fries.
Gamay – Gamay is the grape that makes up one of my favorite wines Beaujolais. (Check out my article on pairing Beaujolais with your Thanksgiving feast! https://mollymcgrain.com/give-thanks-with-beaujolais/) Drink it when it is young and it will be light and fruity. Beaujolais is just as fun and down-to earth as any $20 ballpark beer.
BBQ
Break out the backyard games, call your neighbors, and fire up the grill because you are having a barbecue! We all know the best barbecues are complimented by some generously stocked coolers, so stock your coolers with these wines:
Gruner Veltliner – Acidic and citrusy but also spicy and nutty, Gruner Veltliner is a great wine to pair with those hard-to-pair foods. This wine was most popular in the US in the late 1990s and early 2000s, so turn on some throw-back tunes and party like its 1999.
Pinot Noir – Pinot Noir is another easy-to-pair wine, and it is my go-to red on a hot summer day. It is a lighter bodied wine with plenty of fruity notes.
Beach
Nothing says summer like a day at the beach and nothing says relax like a big glass of wine.
Chardonnay – One of the many benefits of being at the beach is that you have access to fresh local seafood. Oaked Chardonnay has a buttery quality making it a good wine to pair with cooked seafood like crabs and claims. Unoaked Chardonnay is lighter and pairs well with raw seafood like sushi and oysters.
Cabernet Sauvignon – The beach in the summer is known for hot days followed by cool nights. Take a romantic walk on the beach with a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon. With notes of dark fruit and tobacco, it is the perfect wine to warm you up on a cool night.
Bonfire
Throughout college, I had a friend who would host the best end-of-summer bonfire every year. All our friends would sit around the fire and reminisce about our favorite summer memories and it would be so special because it was often one of the last times we would see each other before heading off to school.
Gewurztraminer – Reminisce about sweet summertime will sipping this sweet and elegant wine. Gewurztraminer has similar characteristics to Moscato but is generally more aromantic and less acidic, making it a nice wine to slower sip throughout the night.
Cabernet Franc – Pair this wine with s’mores for a real treat! In addition to spicy and fruity notes, Cabernet Franc has a smoky quality which will taste just right while you are cozied up to that fire.
Get Moving
There are so many ways to be active during the summer. Whether you are hiking, paddle boarding, playing an intramural sport, running a themed 5k , or golfing, sip on some delicious wine with a lower ABV.
Piquette Blanc – A Piquette grape is a grape that has been pressed, rehydrated, and pressed again. This process which originated in 19th century Europe results in a funky, fizzy wine that is refreshing and lower in alcohol compared to other wines.
Spend the day swimming, boating, and fishing on a lake with these yummy wines:
Viognier – Sip on this full-bodied wine as you soak up the sunshine. Viognier has similar characteristics to Chardonnay, but it is not quite as acidic. Pair it with salmon or sea bass for a delicious summer meal.
Port – A nice glass of port is perfect for a night cap after an active day on the lake. Treat yourself to this fortified wine as you watch the sun set over the lake.
Make Salsa
The quarantine might just be the perfect time to plant that herb and vegetable garden you’ve been talking about. By the time summer comes around , you can impress your friends with some homemade salsa.
Muscat – Best known for sweet Moscato wine, the Muscat varietal can be used to create a range of different wine styles. Regardless of whether you choose a sweet Moscato, a dry Muscat, or any style in between, you will be sure to pick up on its floral notes which pair beautifully with lime, chili peppers, and cilantro.
Tempranillo – This savory Spanish grape has all the right earthy and herby notes to pair deliciously with all types of Mexican food, and you can’t have great Mexican food without a yummy salsa.
Porch Sit
People watch if you are in the city or take in the beautiful landscape of you are in the country. This is the perfect bucket list item for a weeknight happy hour.
Sauvignon Blanc – Bright and citrusy, this porch sipper is my favorite in the white wine category. The taste will vary depending on the region in which it grows, but it is always refreshing. For a greener flavor (grass, green bell pepper), try a Sauvignon Blanc from Chili and for a citrusy flavor (lemon, grapefruit), try a Sauvignon Blanc from Australia.
Merlot – Put out some cheese and nuts while you sip on this easy drinking wine. In addition to making a tasty red wine, Merlot makes a fabulous rose.
If your anything like me, when you heard your state was closing down all non-essential business to help stop the spread of coronavirus, you made a mad dash to the local wine shop to stock up on all your favorite libations. As it turns out, liquor stores are considered essential in the great state of Maryland which I will keep in mind for the next apocalypse. Either way, I have stocked up for the foreseeable future.
Usually when I go to my favorite wine shop, I take my time to look for things that I haven’t tried and ask the people who work there for suggestions. This last time, however, I was in panic mode so, in the interest of time, I opted for many of my old favorites.
Now, if there is one type of wine that dominates my collection it is Malbec, and this seems fitting given the current state of affairs.
A story of resilience
Malbec is one of the big red Bordeaux grapes along with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Carmenere. However, with the exception of Cahors, most French winemakers only include small percentages of the varietal in their blends. Malbec was prone to disease and rot in the maritime climate of eastern France, so it struggled to enjoy the popularity that that Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot received throughout the world.
That began to change in in 1853 when Argentinean President Domingo Faustino Sarmiento commissioned Frenchman Michel Pouget to bring some new varieties to Argentina. President Domingo Faustino Sarmiento had made it his mission to transform the Argentinian wine industry and Michel Pouget brought him Malbec, which as luck would have it, grows extremely well in hot climates and high elevations.
A few years later, many of the French vines devoted to Malbec were destroyed by the phylloxera epidemic. This did not completely end the farming of Malbec in France, but when farmers were eventually able to replant, some opted to plant vines that were less susceptible to the elements.
For the next 100 years or so, Malbec continued to grown in small percentages in France while thriving in Argentina. At this point, however, very little Malbec was actually being exported around the world.
In 1956, Malbec’s importance in France was reduced even further due to the Great Frost. The Great Frost killed off many of Bordeaux’s oldest vines, and even fewer Malbec vines were planted during the replant.
Although Malbec seemed to be seeing more success in Argentina, it suffered severe losses in the 1980’s during Argentina’s national vine-pull scheme – a program whereby farmers received financial incentive to pull up their grape vines in an effort to reduce overproduction and declining demand.
Then, in the early 2000s, economies around the world began to see trouble, which caused prices to rise, including the price of wine made in Europe and the U.S. This actually created an opportunity for the more-affordable Argentinian Malbec to enter the U.S. wine scene.
Malbec has only increased in popularity since the 2000s and now grows in Argentina, France, The United States, Chile, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.
The story of Malbec is the story of success after struggle. Throughout history, Malbec was known as a “weak” grape or a grape that was dying out. We are living in a very scary and uncertain time in right now but humans are resilient and we will eventually get through this. It could take a while but we can come out of this stronger and more successful than we were before the pandemic started. If a grape can do it, so can we!
Bang for your buck!
The stock market is down and the unemployment rate is up. This may not be the time to be splurging on expensive wine. One reason for Malbec’s popularity in the U.S. was that it became the “everyman” wine discovered by normal people as opposed to sommeliers. You can find quality Malbec for anywhere between $10 and $30.
Pairs well with frozen pizza
If I was pairing Malbec on a normal day, I might enjoy it with a black and blue burger or pork tacos with a smoky salsa. But, my options are a bit limited these days, so instead I have been pairing it with frozen pizza, frozen burritos, frozen Korean veggie burgers… you get the idea.
Malbec is versatile and can be paired with many different types of food so here are some quarantine pairing hacks:
Malbec goes well with lean red meat so pair it with that frozen beef and broccoli dinner.
Earthy and smoky flavors pair beautifully with Malbec, so add some of these to that bland TV dinner: black pepper, clove, cumin, garlic, rosemary, and thyme.
Funky cheeses are a great match with Malbec, so while not exactly funky, frozen pizza is a great pair in a pinch.
Malbec World Day!
On April 17, 2020 we will be celebrating the 9th annual Malbec World Day, which commemorates the day in 1853 when President Domingo Faustino Sarmiento commissioned Michel Pouget to bring Malbec to Argentina.
It was officially declared an international holiday in 2011, during the peak of Malbec’s popularity and is currently celebrated across the globe with events, tastings, talks, food pairings and more.
We do not need to skip the celebration because we are quarantined. We can celebrate by pairing Malbec with our finest frozen dinners, dancing the tango in our pajamas, and sharing or celebrations on social media with #Malbecworldday
So many of us set health goals as our New Year’s resolutions. Whether you are struggling to accomplish your your resolutions or absolutely crushing them, we are about a month into 2020 which makes this a good time to check-in to see what is and is not working.
I can personally say that I set some type of health goal as my New Year’s resolution almost every year. I certainly do not claim to be an an expert, but I have succeeded enough to identify what has worked for me, and I have failed enough to identify what has not. I have come up with four pillars for successfully achieving health goals, and they are as follows: system, accountability, community, and fun.
System
Every time I have tried to lose weight by simply eating healthy, I have failed. With all the conflicting health related studies and all the products out there claiming to be healthier than the last, it can be tough to figure out what healthy even is. It can also be difficult to track what is working and what is not without some set of guidelines. The only times I have successfully lost weight have been times when I committed to a system.
There are a million weight loss systems out there, so choose one that works for your lifestyle. I can attest to two very different systems that both worked wonders for me when I was able to integrate them into my lifestyle without too much difficulty.
I joined Weight Watchers (WW) in January of 2017, and I was very successful. In a nutshell, WW assigns point values to food based on its nutritional value. You are then allotted a certain number of points every day based on your stats (age, weight, goals). Therefore, if my daily point value is 23, I might eat avocado toast for breakfast (4pts), a protein shake for lunch (7pts), and steak with a glass of wine for dinner (12pts). The point tracking system was very effective for me because it helped me gain awareness around the nutrition or lack of nutrition I was taking in through food.
I lost about 20lbs in six months with WW, but once I hit my goal, I because lackadaisical with the system and gained about 10lbs back. Had I stayed the course, I probably would have continued to see success.
In December of 2017, I decided to try a totally different system, Isagenix. The idea with Isagenix for weight loss is that, each month, you have about 26 shake days and 4 cleanse days. On shake days, you replace two meals with an “Isalean” shake. You can also have two snacks between 100 and 200 calories and one meal between 400 and 600 calories. Cleanse days are two days, back-to-back, where you drink a “Cleanse for Life” tea. There are some very small approved snacks that you can have on cleanse days, however, the point is to not eat so that your body can slip into a state of ketosis where it is burning calories much more efficiently.
I was in the best shape of my life when I was following this system, so I would recommend Isagenix as a weight loss solution if you think it can work with your lifestyle. Although it might sound intimidating, I believe that anyone who wants to make it work can be successful. Ultimately, however, it worked best for me when I was only feeding myself because I wasn’t really buying groceries. The Isagenix products are about seven times the price of WW monthly, so if your doing Isagenix and buying a normal amount of groceries, it can get expensive. I will note that Isagenix has a pretty robust referral program, so your products could end up paying for themselves if you refer enough people; but, after referring a handful of friends, I realized that I was not passionate about the business side of Isagenix.
I stopped using Isagenix in the summer of 2019 and gained 20lbs by Christmas. While I am disappointed in myself for gaining the weight, I am optimistic that I can shed it, because I have done it before by following a system. I joined WW again, and I am already down 5lbs since the beginning of the year.
2. Accountability
It can be difficult to follow a system without accountability. I have been most successful with my goals when I held myself accountable, and when I have asked others to hold me accountable. In WW I hold myself accountable by tracking what I eat, attending group meetings each week, and “weighing in” before those meetings. Accountability was also a huge part of Isagenix. I had friends consistently following up with me and sharing in my successes and failures. We even called each other accountability buddies.
If you feel comfortable doing so, sharing your journey on social media can also be an effective way to stay accountable. Particularly when I was doing Isagenix, I posted about my progress on Facebook and Instagram often. I was offered support and praise which helped to motivate me. Fear of failure can also be a good motivator. I knew that if I failed, anyone who cared would know about it because my “journey” was all over the internet. WW also has its own social media platform which can be a nice place to connect with others and stay accountable.
When it comes to working out, hold yourself accountable by making the gym a regular part of your routine. If you go to church every Sunday or trivia every Wednesday or date night every Friday, you already know how to make time for the things that are important to you. Make exercise important to you. Additionally, it helps to make friends at the gym and make sure everyone who works there knows your name. These people will hold you accountable. Sometimes I will convince myself to go to the gym, just so I don’t have to hear the Zumba instructor say “Oh Molly, we missed you last week.”
3. Community
Having a strong community will help you to stay accountable, but it will also remind you that you are not alone. Whether it is the people using the same weight loss system as you, the regulars in your yoga class, or your colleagues at work, connect with people who are working toward similar goals and approach those goals as a team.
I am participating in a “biggest loser” competition at work, and it has turned out to be one of the friendliest competitions I have ever been a part of. We have been sharing recipes, taking walks together during our lunch breaks, and cheering each other on. While it is a competition (with a cash prize!), we have been approaching it as if we are one team and weight gain is our rival.
4. Fun
It is essential that you allow yourself to have fun when working toward your health goals. When it comes to exercise, find out what you like and make it more fun! If you like to hike, get a group of friends together, pack a healthy picnic, and spend the day exploring a new trail. If you like competition, join a community sports league. If you like your Zumba class, go dancing on a Saturday night and try out some of your moves.
You can also have fun with your diet by participating in a recipe swap, spending the day at a local farmers market, and experimenting with “skinny” cocktail recipes.
Remember happy is healthy! If there is a type of exercise you hate, don’t do it. If there is a type of food you can’t stand, don’t eat it. Just don’t use that exercise or that food as an excuse to not exercise at all or to eat poorly.
So, happy end-of-January. Hopefully, you found my pillars helpful. I wish you a successful February and a healthy 2020.
It feels like winter has arrived in full force, and while I typically prefer warmer weather, freezing temperatures bring us one of my all-time-favorite types of wine: ice wine.
Ice wine, or eiswein, originated in Germany in the 1790’s during a particularly cold winter. Grapes were frozen on the vine and, in an effort to salvage what they could, winemakers pressed the frozen grapes. They were only able to produce a fraction of the juice they would have produced had the grapes not been frozen, but the result was satisfyingly sweet.
Fast forward over 200 years, Germany and Canada are now the largest producers of ice wine, with about 75% of the worlds ice wine coming from Ontario. You may also find ice wine from Austria, China, and the United States. The key is, ice wine can only be made in regions that experience temperatures cold enough to naturally freeze the grapes.
The wine-making process begins by allowing grapes to freeze on the vine, so you will often see ice wine made from grapes that grow well in colder temperatures like Cabernet Franc, Gewurztraminer, Riesling, and Vidal.
Winemakers will venture out in the middle of the night, in sub zero temperatures, and pick the grapes. The grapes are then pressed which is no easy feat. Squeezing juice out of a frozen grape is just about as easy as squeezing juice out of a gummy bear. Nevertheless, about 10-20% of the liquid in the frozen grapes is used to make ice wine.
Because of how difficult it is to make and the fact that it can only be made in cold climates, ice wine is a premium product, sold at a premium price. You can expect to spend at least $50 for a 375ml bottle. (A typical wine bottle is 750ml). Government regulations state that, in order to call your product “ice wine,” the grapes must be naturally frozen. If you ever see “iced wine” on the shelves, it will likely be cheaper, but it will have been made with commercially frozen grapes or adulterated in some other way.
A 375ml bottle of ice wine, compared to a 750ml bottle of dry Riesling.
So, is it worth all the hassle? I would certainly say yes! It’s incredibly aromatic with scents of apricot, peach, and honey. And while it tastes like honey, it is not sticky or even super heavy like some other desert wines.
Ice wine tastes delicious in its own, as a desert, but also pairs well with other deserts and hours d’oeuvres. When pairing ice wine with deserts, go for subtle flavors that have a high fat content like plain cheesecake. When pairing ice wine with hours d’oeuvres, go for fats and salts. You can’t go wrong with a meat and cheese spread!
I absolutely love going to wine tastings, and I have attended quite a few. Every time I go to a tasting, I learn something new which, for me, is the most exciting thing about wine.
Many places frequently hold wine tastings including wine shops, restaurants, and the vineyards themselves. In addition, I recently took a Wine 101 course at a local community college; this was great because I was able to try different brands, vintages, varietals, and regions during a single tasting.
No matter where you go to taste wine, here are some tricks and descriptors that will help you get the most out of your tasting!
Wine tasting can be broken down into five basic steps:
See – Look at the wine. What color is it? Sauvignon Blanc tends to be greenish in color whereas Chardonnay tends to look golden; if your hold your hand behind a glass of Pinot Noir, you will likely still be able to see the outline of your fingers, whereas, if you hold your hand behind a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon you will likely not be able to see through it at all.
Swirl – The purpose of swirling your wine is to let oxygen in. Oxygen will help to let out the wines aromas and soften the taste. Also, when you swirl, look at the legs (or small droplets of liquid that run down the side of the glass). If the legs are thick and move down your glass slowly, that is an indication of higher alcohol content and sweetness.
Smell – For most, smell is the most acute of the five sense and is approximately 1,000 times more sensitive than taste. So, the flavor you perceive will be greatly impacted by what you smell.
Savor – Your tongue has four receptors that will pick up different tastes: acidity, bitterness, saltiness, and sweetness. To ensure that you are experiencing taste with each receptor, swish the wine around in your mouth so that it touches the front, middle, back, and sides of your tongue.
Sip – Enjoy! Have a little nosh and notice how the wine changes when paired with different food.
Now that you’ve tasted the wine, it’s time to describe it. Here are some common descriptors for wine:
Aroma – This is the smell that the grape varietals give off. If you have a well-trained nose, you might be able to tell apart different varietals, simply based on the aroma.
Body – (light, medium, full) This describes the thickness of the wine. Think of it like milk – light body is to skim milk as full body is to whole milk.
Bouquet – After the wine has aged, it will begin to give off more complex smells like vanilla or smoke. Bouquet refers to aromas that have developed with age.
Finish – The taste that lingers after you swallow is the finish. A longer finish usually indicates a higher quality wine.
Fruity – When the predominant taste and smell characteristic of the wine is fruit, it can be described as fruity.
Sweet/Dry – Wine is dry when all of the grape sugar is converted to alcohol during fermentation. Wine is sweet when it still has some residual sugar. Sometimes people associate tannic wines with dry wines and fruity wines with sweet wines, but the words “dry” and “sweet” are really just meant to explain whether or not the wine contains residual sugar.
Tannin – Tannins are naturally-occurring, bitter, and astringent compounds that are found in things like plants, tea, bark, cacao, and grape skins. If your mouth feels dry after sipping wine, you are likely drinking something tannic. You may have heard that drinking a glass of red wine every day is good for you. That is because tannins contain antioxidants which remove waste from our cells.
Now that you have some tips for getting the most out of your wine tasting, go ahead and try them!
If your’e in the Baltimore are, here are a few of my favorite places to taste wine:
Old Westminster Winery: https://www.oldwestminster.com/ for some high-quality wine made from grapes only grown in Maryland. (Catch me pouring wine there on the weekends!)
Wine Shops:
The Wine Source: https://www.thewinesource.com/ they host tastings a couple times a week and have a super knowledgeable staff who can answer any or your questions!
It’s the most wonderful time of the year, but if you’re finding that you aren’t quite in the Christmas spirit, here are some activities that can help get you there!
Out and About
Attend a local Christmas festival.
Check out the Holiday lights in your neighborhood.
Visit the Big Apple.
See the Nutcracker or another Christmas show.
Home for the Holidays
Watch your favorite Holiday movies.
Snuggle up by a fire.
Decorate your home.
Plan your Christmas morning brunch.
The Reason for the Season
Volunteer at a local homeless shelter.
Donate a toy to a child in need.
Get an advent calendar.
Make a Christmas card for someone in the military.
Connect
Organize a secret Santa or white elephant gift exchange.
Deliver a gift to someone unexpected.
Make time for family you haven’t seen in a while.
Spend an evening wrapping presents with someone you love.
Get Crafty
Make your own Christmas cards.
Find a fun way to display the Christmas cards you receive.
There is nothing like sipping mulled wine after braving the cold on a winter’s day. Mulled wine has many different variations, but my recipe has five basic ingredients:
Red wine – Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot tend to be popular. Just don’t use anything extremely expensive. The spices and the citrus are meant to be the stars here;
Sweet wine – Ports are probably the best option here, but I have also used sweet sherry;
Liquor – Brandy, whiskey, vodka… pick your poison;
Juice – I like to use the juice from one orange and apple cider;
Spices/citrus – Cinnamon, star anise, cardamom, cloves, ginger, orange peel/orange zest. The trick here is to use what you have and/or what you like. I love cinnamon so I use a lot of it, but I have made mulled wine without cloves before because I didn’t have any at my house.
Your mulled wine will have different flavors depending on the type of wine and liquor you use, so taste as you go and adjust your spices accordingly. That being said, I would start with these proportions:
1 bottle of red wine
1 cup of sweet wine
2 shots of liquor
1 orange (juiced & zested)
2 cups of apple cider
3 cinnamon sticks
2 star anise
3 cardamom pods
5 cloves
1 tablespoon of fresh ginger (grated)
Add all ingredients into a saucepan. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the wine is warm (10-20 minutes.)
Adjust the spices to please your palate! If your mulled wine is not sweet enough, add sugar, honey, or more juice. If your mulled wine isn’t strong enough add liquor. Garnish with an orange slice or cinnamon stick and enjoy!
I recently had an opportunity to participate in a class that my company was offering called “The 5 Choices to Extraordinary Productivity.” The class was based on the FranklinCovey book (also called “The 5 Choices to Extraordinary Productivity,”) and it detailed five choices we make to focus our decisions, attention, and energy to be more productive and achieve the things that are most important – the extraordinary. The five choices are:
Act on the important.
We spend time on things that are important and urgent (i.e. crises, last-minute deadlines, unforeseen events);
We spend time on this that are not important but urgent (i.e. needless interruptions, irrelevant meetings, other peoples minor issues);
We spend time on things that are not important and not urgent (i.e. trivial work, excessive relaxation, gossip); and
We spend time on things that are important but not urgent (i.e proactive work, creative thinking, relationship building)
When we make the choice to invest our attention and energy in those things that are important but not urgent we will see the largest return, because in this space we can add value to our own lives and the world around us.
2. Go for extraordinary.
We define ourselves by the roles we play. These roles represent key responsibilities and relationships and express our deepest values and highest aspirations. During our role defining exercise, I decided that my roles are these: partner, family member, friend, professional, and athlete.
It occurred to me at this point in the class that perhaps I don’t always feel extraordinary because, while I defined myself in five roles, I spend about 70% of my energy focused on one role: professional. I suppose it is normal at my age to be particularly career driven, but three out of my five roles involve relationships and though they are more important to me, I put most of my energy toward my career.
3. Schedule the “big rocks.”
We were given a metaphor:
There is a pile gravel and a pile of big rocks, and they all need to fit inside a container. If you put the gravel into the container first, they will fill up the bottom and there will be little room left for the big rocks. However, if you put the big rocks into the container first, the gravel will fill into the gaps between the big rocks and it will be much easier to fit everything into the container.
The big rocks represent the things that are important to you (so, for me that would include my relationships, career, and staying fit and healthy.) The gravel represents things that are less important overall but need to get done (which would include things like laundry and scheduling meetings.)
If we prioritize our “gravel” than we might not be able to juggle our “big rocks,” but if we prioritize our “big rocks” our “gravel” should fall into place.
4. Rule your technology.
So this one was pretty self explanatory. We should use our technology as a tool to become more productive, and don’t let it become a distraction from the things that are important.
5. Fuel you fire.
I found this part of the class to be most beneficial. When I feel like I am working very hard toward something and not seeing results, I begin to burn out, and I find myself wasting time in the not important and not urgent space, previously described. Nevertheless, there are some simple ways to gain back your energy and drive and they are: move, eat, sleep, relax, and connect.
It is so important for our energy levels to move. There have been times in my life when I had a very stringent gym schedule, but on days I can’t make it to the gym I still need to find ways to move. Some ideas we came up with in class were parking further away, setting reminders every hour to get up and fill the water bottle, and taking the stairs.
Eating well will also lead to higher energy levels. We decided that the best way to ensure that we are eating well is to prep and plan. Personally, I love using my Sunday’s to meal prep, but it doesn’t need to be a whole ordeal. When your working, bring things like nuts and fruit with you so that when your hungry you can grab something healthy instead of hitting the nearest vending machine.
Getting a good nights sleep is key to having a productive day. Some ways to help ensure you get you get a good nights sleep are: (a) start your nightly routine 30 minutes earlier (b) limit your screen time just before bed, and (c) make yourself comfortable whether that means investing in a comfortable bed, controlling the temperature in your room, or getting a white noise machine.
Relaxation was a fun topic to discuss. Many people associate relaxation with things like yoga and meditation which is great. I wish I had the patience, but I realized that there are many ways to relax and everyone is different. Some things I find relaxing are dancing, drinking (in moderation) and studying wine, and being with friends, which leads me to “connect”…
Connecting with the important people in your life is literally good for your health. Think about the last time you spent time with one of your good friends. How did you feel afterwards? If you felt happy and energized, that is because people naturally rely on other people to maintain physical, mental and emotional health.
Everything I had learned in class came full circle during our discussion about the importance of connecting. I thought back to my “big rocks” and how most of them are the important people in my life.
We juggle so many different things every day, but I truly believe that we are all capable of achieving extraordinary productivity if we identify the things that are most important and focus our energy toward them.
Thatch Winery – Charlottesville, VA (formerly First Colony Winery)
After fermentation and before bottling, wine is aged in barrels. How long wine ages in the barrel is up to each individual winemaker, but generally most of the wine we drink in aged between six months and two years. (It will also continue to age in the bottle. If you buy a bottle of wine and want to hold on to it for a few years, I would suggest asking someone at the vineyard how long you can age it before drinking so that you can drink it in its prime.)
The type of barrel used for aging is also a decision made by the winemaker and their options are commonly oak, stainless steel, and concrete. There are benefits to each type of barrel and each is capable of aging really delicious wine, but today I will be discussing the most popular type of barrel: oak.
Kunde Estates – Sonoma, CA
Oak is the preferred type of barrel for many winemakers. The benefit of oak is that it slowly allows in oxygen which helps to impart the flavor and scents of the wood. When you drink wine that has been aged in oak, you might notice more complex notes like vanilla, caramel, allspice, and smoke.
Barrels are normally made from three types of oak: American oak, Hungarian oak, and French oak. Just as grapes grown in different conditions will vary in flavor characteristics, oak grown in different conditions will vary.
American oak is generally less expensive than European oak and has a looser grain. It tends to add notes of vanilla and dill which adds dimension to fruity new-world wines.
Hungarian oak is more expensive than American oak but less expensive than French oak. While similar to French oak, Hungarian oak has richer flavors that hold-up to bold varietals like Petite Verdot.
French oak is the most expensive type of oak because its fine and superfine grains. It add a subtle complexity which is very popular in premium wine.
Lasseter Family Winery – Sonoma, CA
After 1-3 uses, oak barrels will loose much of their flavoring ability and become neutral. Neutral oak will help to soften tannic wine and maintain the wines fruitiness. The decision to use new oak vs neutral oak is a strategic one because they both add value depending on what the winemaker wants to achieve.
There are some disadvantages to oak barrels including the cost and maintenance. There are even some wineries that will use oak alternatives to save money, such as adding oak chips to the wine while it ages. (I am personally not a fan of this method, but some say it works just fine.)
Nevertheless, oak barrels have become an essential part of winemaking all over the world. If you get a chance to visit a winery, I would highly recommend taking a tour so you can see where all the barrel-aging-magic happens!
Many of us have celebrated Thanksgiving traditions through the years that involve spending time with family and eating to our hearts content, but do you ever find yourself stuck when trying to find the perfect wine to pair with your feast?
This Thanksgiving, I will be filling my glass with Beaujolais. Located in the southernmost wine-making region Burgundy, Beaujolais is known for an unpretentious lighter grape, Gamay. Often compared to Pinot Noir, Gamay is a cheerful and fruity grape that pairs well with turkey. In fact, because of its high acidity and low tannins Gamay is a delightful pairing with a variety of food.
Beaujolais is best young, so no need to age it after buying. I recommend drinking it slightly chilled (at about 60 degrees Fahrenheit) from a wide fishbowl-shaped glass. On the nose, Beaujolais bursts with red fruit flavors like cherry and strawberry. You should also get earthy and dark fruit notes.
Beaujolais is an easy-to drink wine that everyone can enjoy. It often runs between $12-$35 a bottle which means you don’t need to break the bank in order to impress your guests this year. So give thanks this year with a delicious glass (or four) of this lighthearted vin!
p.s. Not all Beaujolais explicitly says “Beaujolais” on the bottle. Below I’ve attached some images of bottles I love to help you in your shopping.
