-
Merlot Thursday: Duckhorn Vineyards Napa Valley Merlot (2022)
Today’s wine was presaged by a special omen: Duck family! In my yard! Mr. and Mrs. Mallard stopped by this morning, grubbing up worms from the driveway after the rain. Whenever they found one, he nudged it toward her to taste it first–just like my partner does when I order something weird off a wine…
-
The 67 Pall Mall Global Wine Communicator Awards: I’m longlisted!
This morning started with a small thrill–Château Giscours liked a recent post I made about enjoying their wine with dinner. A few minutes later, a much bigger surprise landed in my inbox: I’m longlisted for the 67 Pall Mall Global Wine Communicator Awards! My name is on the 2026 longlist in two categories: • Laurent-Perrier…
-
What Is This Thing? Giambellino Bellini Wine Cocktail
This is what it’s like to write a highbrow-lowbrow wine blog: Sometimes we’re drinking a single-vineyard Pinot Noir, and sometimes we’re drinking a dubious orange liquid that we bought at ALDI. On What Is This Thing?, we look at various wine-adjacent products and try to determine: 1. What is this thing? 2. Should you drink…
-
Merlot Thursday: Château Giscours “Haut-Médoc de Giscours” (2020)
Today’s #MerlotThursday wine is actually just 50% Merlot–so I drank two glasses to make it count. 😉 The “Haut-Médoc de Giscours” is the third label of Château Giscours, a prestigious Third Growth estate in the Margaux appellation of Bordeaux. The fruit comes from Giscours’ 60 hectares of vines in the Haut-Médoc, slightly inland and adjacent to…
-
Close calls: Three recent blind-tasting traps–and what I learned from them
Identifying mystery wines isn’t easy at the best of times. But when a wine is chosen specifically to trip up the taster, it adds another layer of difficulty. I’ve been doing a lot of blind tasting practice since earning my WSET Level 3 certificate in February. I’m trying to get an honest look at my…
-
Merlot Thursday: Sydney Back South Africa Merlot (2022)
Oh no–#MerlotThursday snuck up on me again. Fortunately, I have this bottle that a friend gifted me last night: A Kosher Merlot from South Africa. Happy Passover to those who observe it! This medium-bodied, lightly oaked Merlot is fresh and red-fruited with some earthy character. Red cherries, black plum, and spiced cranberry yield to deeper…
-
Review: Truchard Carneros Napa Valley Chardonnay (2023)
To drink a glass of well-made Chardonnay is like taking a short walk on a sunny afternoon. Is it thrilling? No. Are you going to tell a story about it at your next cocktail party? Probably not. But it’s pleasant. It’s wholesome. And when you’re finished, you feel a little glow inside–like you just ingested…
-
Texas Wine News Roundup: Spring 2026
Spring is here in Texas! That means it’s time for bluebonnets, barbecue, and rosé on the patio. As Texas wine superfans, we’re always on the lookout for new wines to taste and new places to visit. Here are the five Texas wine stories that broke through the noise in the first quarter of 2026. Story…
-
Merlot Thursday: “Madame de Beaucaillou” Haut-Médoc (2019)
Merlot’s fortunes are so low that it’s possible to walk into an upscale wine shop and not see a single bottle with the “M-word” on the label. When you ask for help finding a nice Merlot, they will look at you with either pity (as if you have no wine knowledge) or suspicion (as if…
-
A Texas Tempranillo Experience at Red River Wines (Sadler, TX)
With its versatility, affinity for oak aging, and heat tolerance in the vineyard, Tempranillo is arguably the signature black grape of Texas. (It’s currently the second-most planted, after Cabernet Sauvignon–and gaining.) Since the first commercial plantings in the early 2000s, Texas winemakers have looked to this variety to craft bold reds with balanced fruit, spice,…
-
DFW Wine Events: April 2026
Wine Fairy checking in with a yummy collection of April wine happenings! Here are 20 upcoming events in the DFW area, including tastings, classes, and dinners. From luxe to free (yep, free!) there’s something to suit your schedule and budget. As always at The Wine Fairy, we’ve done our best to make this info current and…
-
Merlot Thursday: Backhouse California Merlot (2023)
Late-night happy hours (sometimes called “reverse” happy hours) are superior to regular happy hours in every way. Urban drink-seekers know this. Instead of jumping into rush-hour traffic to (hopefully) find a barstool and catch a server’s attention before the clock strikes 6 PM, you get to slow down. You can finish your daily work and…