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Review: Domaines Schlumberger “Cuvée Christine” Gewurztraminer Vendanges Tardives (2018)
“A late-picked Gewurztraminer has perhaps the most exotic smell of any wine in the world,” says Jancis Robinson’s Atlas of Wine. Whether dry or sweet, this grape is extra. Gewurztraminer punks the palate while it indulges the senses. It’s fascinating, it’s uncanny–and I can’t get enough of it. My local wine shop only stocks Gewurztraminer…
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Review: Santa Cruz Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (2023)
This dive bar is better known for birria tacos–and for bad decisions involving tequila–than it is for wine. But I really want a glass of red wine with some carne asada, so here goes nothing. Santa Cruz Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is sitting in mini bottles, next to vials of beer salt and a frozen-drink machine…
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Review: Taittinger “La Française” Brut Champagne (NV)
Taittinger’s “La Française” is one of the best widely available Champagnes in the $50-$60 price range. It’s like a sampler platter of all the classic Champagne flavors, and it hits an ideal spot between richness and freshness. It’s versatile, too. Not too soft, not too acidic. Good brand-name recognition for impressing your friends, but not…
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Onward and upward for Texas wine! Tasting North Texas at the Frontiers of Flight Museum
Texas wine took over the Frontiers of Flight Museum for a day, with a dozen producers showing up to pour their wines for thirsty Dallasites. A backdrop of historic aircraft and spacecraft set the scene as the post-brunch crowd streamed in for an afternoon of tasting. The Wine Fairy was there, too! Here’s what we…
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Merlot Thursday: St. Francis Sonoma County Merlot (2021)
“This lady reviews more cheap house wines than anyone I know.” That’s how I was introduced by a friend to a small group of wine folks earlier this week. While it was meant as a playful jest, it’s certainly true. Especially on #MerlotThursday, when Merlot’s ease of use propels it to the top of the…
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Norah Jones’s “This Life” wines, reviewed: French bubbles and rosé for summer!
Summer in Texas lasts about nine months out of the year. When you’re relaxing by the pool or on the patio in 100-degree weather, only one type of wine will do: The cold type. Singer-songwriter and musician Norah Jones must’ve been thinking of her Texas roots when she created her wine brand. Her “This Life”…
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Merlot Thursday: Ron Yates Friesen Vineyards Texas High Plains Merlot (2021)
“Texas wine is bad” is one of those wine-industry truisms that I wish I could erase from conversation. The truth is, Texas wine runs the entire gamut of quality, from undrinkable to world-class. In that way, it’s a lot like Merlot–another wine category that has fallen victim to unfair generalization and unfair disdain. The only…
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DFW Wine Events: June 2026
Hello, Dallas–and welcome to summer! Here’s our monthly list of where to sip, study, and savor wine in the DFW area. As always at The Wine Fairy, we’ve done our best to make this info current and correct. Still, we always recommend that you confirm details before traveling. Ticket prices include all taxes and fees except…
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Review: Champagne Barnaut Bouzy Grand Cru Blanc de Noirs Brut (NV)
A bigger-is-better Grand Cru Champagne is on the menu for today. Determined to get over my birthday blues, I’m celebrating at Coupes, a chic bubble-centric wine bar in Dallas. Coupes has an eye-popping list that includes–by my quickest count–more than 80 different Champagnes and Crémants by the glass, bottle, and half-bottle. I rattle off some…
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Merlot Thursday: Anterra Terre Siciliane Merlot (2024) + a meatball Ferris wheel
Today’s Merlot is doomed to be overshadowed by its food pairing: An audacious, silly carnival ride for meatballs. The Meatball Ferris Wheel is the signature appetizer at The Sicilian Butcher. Created by Chef Joey Maggiore, the Italian chain has 7 locations in Texas, Arizona, and Tennessee. It popped up last year in a North Dallas…
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Merlot Thursday: Les Cadrans de Lassègue Saint-Émilion Grand Cru (2022)
Once again, I’m in the North Dallas suburbs and searching for Merlot. It looks promising: The steakhouses here are wedged into the crevices between every parking garage and highway median. However, this is the land of Caymus and Austin Hope, and finding a fresh glass of Merlot is never a sure thing. I pop into…
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Pinot Forum Dallas: Tasting the Russian River Valley
What could be better than traveling to your favorite wine regions? Not much–except having your favorite wine regions come to you! That’s what happened in April when I met up with the Russian River Valley Winegrowers in downtown Dallas. Located just north of the Bay Area and cooled by fog from the Petaluma Gap, Russian…