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A small-town wine adventure at Zannotti’s Wine Bar (Stillwater, OK)
“Hold on, is that a wine bar?” Screeeeech went the brakes. A moment later I was sitting in a cool, dark corner, poring over the most comprehensive wine list I’ve ever seen in Oklahoma. Anchored by the largest campus of Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK is a town of about 50,000. That sounds like almost…
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DFW Wine Events: June 2025
Dallas, I hope you are thirsty because June has more wine activities than you could possibly believe. (June 14th is National Rosé Day!) I hope you’re hungry, too–because the wine dinners are positively blooming on the vine. Every month at The Wine Fairy, we assemble a list of local happenings you won’t want to miss.…
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Awesome Assyrtiko: 7 reasons to love this great Greek grape
Assyrtiko is having a moment–and for fans of aromatic, mineral-driven white wine, that’s great news. As fresh and food-friendly as Sauvignon Blanc but with a character all its own, Assyrtiko is native to Greece. It’s grown in other parts of the Mediterranean–including Lebanon– and has even spread to the New World. Assyrtiko is simply delicious,…
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Texas Winery Bingo (Free downloadable game cards)
Liven up your Texas wine trip with this fun, free scavenger-hunt game! Up to six people or teams can play Texas Winery Bingo. Each card lists objects and words you’re likely to find while doing tastings at Texas wineries. To play, each player or team marks off the squares as you find them. (Complete rules…
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A taste of heaven at Eden Hill Winery (Celina, TX)
Just north of Dallas, where the tollways end and the cornfields begin, is a little slice of wine paradise. Towering vines, friendly staff, and distinctive wines make Eden Hill Winery a delightful day trip from anywhere in the Metroplex. The 10-acre property is equipped with a tasting room, wine-making facilities, and two acres planted with…
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Bordeaux + Tuscany Tasting with Château Giscours and Caiarossa
Wine Wednesday got a serious upgrade with a selection of bold blends from Bordeaux’s Château Giscours and Tuscany’s Caiarossa. Reps from both estates were in Dallas this week and swung by The Wine Authority with some crates of their marvelous red elixirs. Giscours and Caiarossa had just been featured in a “Bordeaux Meets Toscana” winemakers’…
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Review: Rowdy Creek Ranch Texas Merlot (2022)
Gather ’round the chuck wagon, ’cause today I’m pouring a 2022 Texas Merlot from Rowdy Creek Ranch. Located in Gilmer, Texas (about 20 minutes northeast of Longview), Rowdy Creek Ranch is a 450-acre country resort that opened in 2022. A 22-acre winery is on site. The property is equipped with a venue and event space,…
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Exploring Texas’s Bay Breeze Wine Trail
Bay Breeze is Texas’s newest named wine trail, Texas Wine Lover blog reports. It was organized in 2017 and currently includes five wineries in Southeast Texas. What’s a wine trail? Basically, it’s a group of wineries that are close enough to hop around on a day or a weekend. Bay Breeze is one of the…
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Review: Palivou Estate Single Vineyard Nemea (2021)
From ancient vineyards near the ruins of Nemea, to a patio overlooking a parking lot in suburban Dallas–such was the fated journey of this bottle of red wine. And I am so grateful it made the trip. Palivou Estate’s flagship wine is a welcome discovery. Both fruit-forward and elegant, it’s a testament to what native…
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So Many Ways to Chardonnay (Total Wine class review)
Total Wine’s West Plano classroom holds 40 people. It’s usually stuffed to the rafters with eager wine learners. But on a recent Thursday evening, only about a dozen folks showed up for “So Many Ways to Chardonnay.” Maybe it was the bout of late-spring thundershowers keeping people away. But more likely, it was another sign…
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Balletto Vineyards tasting at The Wine Authority (Richardson, TX)
I love my Wine Authority membership because I get to try all kinds of stuff I wouldn’t find on my own. Premium wines, small-production wines, overlooked grapes and regions–you never know what’s going to be on the tasting bar. This week was a Russian River Valley tasting. I order a Russian River Valley Pinot Noir…
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Come for the wine, stay for the salumi: Quartino Wine Bar (The Colony, TX)
Fresh-baked bread, artisan pork products, and Italian wine by the liter! If any of those things are calling your name, head on over to Quartino Ristorante & Wine Bar in the Colony. The Chicago-based Gibsons Restaurant Group opened their first Texas location in 2023. It’s since become a popular spot in the “Grotto District” of…