Clink Different

Refreshing wines from Bordeaux and Germany are hiding in plain sight and waiting to be discovered.

The season of open-air concerts, festivals and gatherings is upon us, and with it comes a laid-back approach to enjoying wines in the spirit of celebration, relaxation and discovery.

You don’t have to be a professional sommelier to discern the nuances and differences in wine, rather just a bit of concentration, an open mind… and an open mouth.

While it might not be a thing to plan which wines to enjoy according to the calendar, many of us do it without even realizing we’re doing exactly that. Think about: At the height of Summer, when it’s super hot—and perhaps even humid, depending on where you live—we literally crave acidity for refreshment, and reach […]

Buying wine can be intimidating, especially when you’re not even sure what you’re looking for. Perhaps you enjoyed a glass of something ethereal with friends at a party or at a restaurant, but you can’t find it at your local retailer.

Wherever you live in the US it’s getting warmer, which means it’s time to lighten up our wine choices with delicious choices from Germany and Bordeaux.

In Bordeaux, Jean de Bellon established Château Haut Brion in the 16th century, and Françoise Josephine de Sauvage d’Yquem championed Château d’Yquem during the French Revolution, apparently despite being thrown into prison twice. But it wasn’t until the year 2000 that the oldest and most prestigious of the Bordeaux confréries (brotherhoods), the Jurade of Saint-Émilion, […]

There was a time, not long ago, when American wine shop owners would tell customers—perhaps in January or February—that it wasn’t quite rosé season yet. “You should come back in the spring,” they’d say, adding (if they were doing their jobs), “but let me show you some lighter reds to tide you over!” Not anymore. […]

Visiting a wine region is one of the most magical experiences someone can have. Surrounded by the vines, seeing how the wine is made, tasting the wine right from the barrel, it’s easy to see how someone can be so in love with wine. The beauty of exploring wine regions is that once you leave the vineyards you can explore the towns in the region, try the cuisine and meet the people. All of these…

New Year’s Eve is the biggest day of sparkling wine consumption in the world. Individuals drink everything from Champagne to California sparkling wine to Prosecco and more. There are a lot of sparkling wine options available on the market ranging in price from $10 all the way into the hundreds. It can be difficult to know what sparkling wines are delicious but also high quality and affordable. Thankfully, there are two wine regions that make…

Birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, holidays – there are so many reasons to pop open a bottle of sparkling wine! Sparkling wine is a vast category. There are different regions, grapes, methods of production, producers and labels and it can get overwhelming figuring out what is good and most importantly what is a good value. When it comes to picking out a bottle of sparkling wine, I love heading to regions that make high quality wine, but…

Imagine that it is Christmas Day, you are at home, surrounded by family and friends, it is snowing out and a fire is lit. You are about to sit down for dinner and the table is filled with delicious food for everyone to enjoy, but it is time to open up a bottle of wine. What do you choose? The pressure of choosing a style of wine that can please a crowd and pair with…