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Review: Ferrari-Carano Dry Sangiovese Rosé (2022)
Despite what designers of T-shirts and insulated tumblers would have you believe, it’s not actually very fun to “rosé all day.” Trust me–I’ve been there. Having a bottle of the blush stuff on Sunday morning is a good way to ensure that you wake up on a lounge chair with a sunburn and a whanging…
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Review: Predator Cabernet Sauvignon (2021)
Winemakers don’t usually brag about insects in their vineyards, but Predator Wines is an exception. As natural and sustainable viticulture techniques gain more attention, even bugs are getting in on the action. Predator Wines is one of 10 brands from the Rutherford Wine Company, headquartered in Napa. Predator Wines use “natural predation” via ladybugs as…
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Review: Familia Torres Secret del Priorat (2021)
The bigger the better when it comes to red wine. I’ve always felt that way, and I probably can’t be reformed. Blame Napa, blame coarse American taste–it is what it is. But I have a burning spot in my heart for reds so thick you can stand a spoon up in them, so potent you…
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Review: Ana Beirut Assyrtico (2023)
Today I’m tasting a bottle from the tiny wine-producing country of Lebanon. I was lucky to have a chance to try many of Ana Beirut’s Bekaa Valley wines at a Wine Authority event in December. The Assyrtico was my favorite pour from the lineup. It checks some of my favorite boxes for a white wine:…
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Review: Sea Pearl Sauvignon Blanc (2023)
Ordering wine at a non-wine place can feel like rolling the dice. Is the wine stored in a freezing bar fridge, or by the radiator in the boss’s office? Will they serve it in a beer glass? Will anyone have a corkscrew, or at least know how to use one? Fortunately, I know how to…
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Review: Wine Journal by Clever Fox
“What is the best feeling in the world that doesn’t come from sex or drugs?” Somebody asked me that at a party recently, as an icebreaker. I didn’t have a good answer at the time, but now I just might: It’s tearing the packaging off a brand new notebook or journal. You get a new…
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Review: Eccentric Malbec (2020)
Today, I’m sipping on a bottle that I found in my wine cabinet, Eccentric Malbec. It’s a value wine and it’s coming up on its 5th birthday this year–which by my house rules means, “Down the hatch!” My wife loves inky red wines and we used to never come home from the supermarket or wine…
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This $5 Temu item will spice up your wine tasting notes
Okay, wine friends: I’m totally geeking out over this 560-piece Vegetable and Fruit Stickers set I bought off of Temu. I know I’m going to have a blast with these while I practice identifying the flavor and aroma characteristics of different wines. I’m not usually an advocate of ordering cheap crap from China, but where…
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WSET Level 2 Class: Week 2 Thoughts
Hooray, I’ve done it! I’ve completed my Wine & Spirit Education Trust Level 2 class and exam. Now comes the long wait for the test results–and hopefully, a nifty digital certificate and bragging rights. Last week I posted some notes about WSET Level 2, including how I decided to take this class and why it…
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New Dallas wine bar: Palate by Lekka
North Dallas has a stylish new watering hole for wine lovers: Palate by Lekka. It’s right next door to the home-and-gift shop, Lekka Retail Concepts. (Both storefronts share a shopping center with veteran Preston Road restaurants Banana Leaf Thai and La Hacienda Ranch.) Palate actually opened right before the holidays, but it emerged on my…
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WSET Level 2 Class: Week 1 Thoughts
To be honest, I’m not completely sure what I’m doing here. Just a few months ago, I was a wine drinker–meaning a normal lady who drinks wine. A little knowledge here and there, a few opinions and preferences. I’ve seen “Sideways” once, maybe twice. I have Wine Folly on my coffee table. I always bring…
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What Is This Thing? Buzzballz Choco Chiller
Welcome to another edition of What Is This Thing?, in which your intrepid wine blogger reviews wine-adjacent, wine-ish, and not-quite-wine products. Fact: Despite their liquor-shooter appearance and sexually suggestive names, Buzzballz Chillers are technically wine. “Orange Wine With Cream & Natural Flavors,” to be precise. It’s all part of Buzzballz’s unique genius, and one of…