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My WSET Level 3 study diary: How it’s going so far
It’s back to school time! Some of y’all may know that I’m currently working my way through the WSET (Wine & Spirit Education Trust) certifications. So, in between all the bottle reviews and local wine topics, I thought I’d share a little bit about how that’s going so far. I took the Level 2 Award…
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Review: Lavau Tavel Rosé (2020)
My most recent wine find is a shamrock in a field of clovers. A crane among chickens. A redhead in a room full of blondes. It’s a piquant and powerful rosé from Tavel. I’d heard about Tavel from wine geeks. But I’d never had the opportunity to taste one because unlike Côtes-du-Rhône and Provence rosés…
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DFW Wine Events: April 2025
Ah, April. When spring is in the air, and a wine lover’s thoughts turn gently from Sherry to rosé. This month, we’re debuting a new monthly feature on The Wine Fairy blog: Local events! These are our top ten picks for viniferous April happenings in our wonderful city of Dallas and nearby areas. Events are…
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Review: The Black Stump Durif-Shiraz (2022)
An oddball wine from Down Under is tonight’s random tipple. I don’t remember buying this, but I’m almost certain it was in my first shipment from the Wall Street Journal wine club. That means it cost approximately negative two dollars after introductory offers…so my expectations were dialed down low. The Black Stump is a blend…
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How to taste great wine (for less than $5000)
There’s a winery in Napa that now has a $5000 per person tasting fee, the San Francisco Chronicle reported in February 2025. The culprit is Ghost Horse, the same attention-hungry winemaker that is preparing to release a $25,000 bottle of Cabernet. I’m all for people doing whatever they want with their money. But I think…
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Review: Domaine Philippe et Vincent Jaboulet Viognier (2022)
Viognier? More like, “Viogn-yay!” Today we’re reviewing a fruit-packed, exquisitely floral Viognier from veteran Rhône winemaker Philippe Jaboulet (and son). The Jaboulets sold their renowned family business Domaine Paul Jaboulet Aîné in 2006, retained a few small plots, and have since started a new life as independent winemakers. So this is no trend-chasing, clumsily made…
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The 9 dumbest wine gifts on Amazon
I know and love some gadget-heads in the world of wine, but let’s get real for a second: Wine is not a hobby that requires a whole bunch of specialized gear. A corkscrew, a set of decent glassware and maybe a journal to write notes in. That’s really all you need to get started. Add…
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Under $12 Review: ALDI’s California Heritage Pinot Grigio
Our wine review of the day is…ta-da! A $5 Pinot Grigio from ALDI. Wait, wait–I can explain: I bought this wine to put in my Italian sausage and kale pasta. But then I remembered that drinking bad wine helps you appreciate the good ones more. So I put on a brave face, twisted that screw…
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Bordeaux Wine Dinner at Lavendou (Dallas, TX)
I may not be able to travel to Bordeaux at the moment…but I couldn’t resist it when Bordeaux came to my backyard. Last night, Lavendou Bistro Provincial hosted three Bordeaux winery owners. Wines from three distinct appellations were paired with three main courses for a decadent meal that was worth skipping lunch for. The evening…
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Review: Saint-Hilaire Blanquette de Limoux Brut (2021)
Our wine topic today is a budget sparkler with a cool story. The year was 1531. At the abbey of Saint-Hilaire at the base of the Pyrenees, some monks noticed that bubbles appeared in casks of fermenting white wine. They documented their findings and worked out methods for production and distribution. Thus, Saint-Hilaire is France’s…
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Texas wine travel guide: The Red River Valley Wine Trail
Once snubbed by discerning drinkers, Texas wines are starting to get serious attention. The two best-known regions are the Hill Country (which gets the biggest share of the wine tourism) and the High Plains (which grows most of the grapes). But did you know that Texas actually has 19 recognized wine trails? From the Gulf…
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Review: Tacama Gran Blanco Tres Cepas (2022)
I’ll admit it: It’s novelty that primarily drives my personal wine choices. Why drink something you’ve already tasted? There are exceptions (for exceptional wines and comfort wines)–but most nights, I just want to try something new. The second most important thing is price. And so today, we have an inexpensive and novel wine: Tacama Vineyards’…