News — Wine

The arrival of the holidays brings us either extreme excitement or fills us with dread. If you’re someone that’s feeling more of the latter, here are a few things that'll help you survive the holiday ahead whether you’re hosting or attending!  1. Wine.  This one speaks for its self. Check out our blog post on foolproof Thanksgiving dinner wine pairings to be sure you're headed into the holiday prepared.  2. Cooling stemless wine glasses.  With a long day ahead in the kitchen, the last thing you need to worry about is keeping your wine at the right temperature... especially since you’re going to need...

Le Beaujolais Nouveau est arrivé: The Beaujolais Nouveau has arrived! Happy Beaujolais Nouveau Day! Us Americans cherish the fourth Thursday of November every year as we feast on turkey, but in France, the third Thursday of November calls for fireworks and one of the year’s biggest parties! Not for the celebration of independence or a new year… but the end of a tiring harvest for the winemakers of eastern France’s Beaujolais Region. Now with millions of bottles of Beaujolais Nouveau distributed each year and held for release at 12:01 am, it’s no wonder the rest of the world takes part...

While most revel in beer during Oktoberfest, did you know October is Virginia Wine Month? This month marks the 30th annual celebration of Virginian viticulture! With over 300 wineries in the commonwealth, Virginia has become the second-largest wine producer in the south and the fifth largest in the nation. Our land is rich in history as Virginia’s wine production dates back to 17th century colonization and our founding fathers. From laws requiring the landowners to tend their own grapevines to Thomas Jefferson’s life-long connection with wine making. In elementary school we all learned about American colonization and agriculture, but they...

Aerate or Decant? That is the question. Have you ever wondered why some people choose to aerate or decant their wine and why? It all comes down to tannins. Not only is it a naturally occurring polyphenol compound found in plant tissues, like that of a grape’s skin but also a natural antioxidant that protects wine as it ages. The main downside though… it tends to give some of us a nasty headache if we don’t soften those tannins. Let’s first discuss what tannins are. During the winemaking process, when the grape juice soaks alongside the grape skins, they release...

#NationalRoséDay has talking all about rose! Did you know rosé can be made through several different processes? This includes: maceration, direct pressing, the saignée method, and the blending method. First there is what may be considered the most common process for making rosés, maceration. This is where the red wine grapes macerate (or rest) in the grape juice before the wine-making process is continued. This allows a controlled contact with the juice. The longer the maceration/contact, the darker the rosé will be. Similar to maceration is the direct pressing method. Instead of letting them soak in contact with the skins, they are pressed immediately. This...