By Marianne Frantz|2025-01-15T16:33:11-05:00January 15th, 2025|Uncategorized|
http://How to Spit Wine Like a Pro | Wine EnthusiastSpitting wine is the ugly side of being a wine professional. That said, it does not have to be gross and can certain help you keep your wits about you if you are tasting several wines in one sitting. For more information on how to spit without getting wine all over you, check out this article from Wine Enthusiast where I share a few tips [...]
By Marianne Frantz|2022-12-09T15:56:38-05:00December 9th, 2022|Uncategorized|
When in doubt, open a good bottle of Mosel Riesling; Sage table-advice for pleasing a holiday crowd. The reasons are simple. No other white grape has Riesling's versatility, and no other region has the soil and climate to craft Riesling like the Mosel. While some folks may hear the word Riesling and think cheap & sweet (a reputation built by an influx of mediocre wines in the '60s and '70s), not all Rieslings are sweet. Riesling can vary in sweetness [...]
By Kristy Wenz|2021-02-06T17:31:11-05:00February 6th, 2021|Wine Blog|
The Languedoc-Roussillon region is France’s largest wine producing region and vineyard area, with roughly one-third of all French wines produced here, including 11% of the world’s rosé wine production. We previously broke down the Languedoc area of this region, now let’s take a brief look at its sister region, Roussillon. Who Culturally and geographically distinct from Languedoc, Roussillon is home to over 2,500 producers, 29 co-ops and 345 private winemakers. It was first planted to vine by the Greeks in [...]
By Marianne Frantz|2020-12-04T10:59:00-05:00December 4th, 2020|Uncategorized|
AWS Holiday Gift Guide Shopping and gifting look a little different this holiday season, but American Wine School has some great options for the wine lovers in your life – or for yourself, because wine not! AWS Virtual Classes Virtual Classes include: Instructor-led lectures online via Zoom Course Materials Recorded lectures and videos Wine 101 How to Taste Wine: Whether you know a little or a lot about wine, Wine 101 is a great way to start your formal [...]
By Chasity Cooper|2020-09-21T15:09:08-04:00September 21st, 2020|Wine Blog|
As I type this, I am 14 days away from sitting for my WSET Level 3 Award in Wines exam. I know, I know - I bring that up with every post, but it’s important because there’s a level of urgency that’s both exciting and daunting. Exciting because I’m very close to crossing the finish line in yet another level of my wine journey. Daunting because well, there’s A LOT of information to remember. During our last class, we traveled [...]
By Chasity Cooper|2020-08-28T14:44:30-04:00August 28th, 2020|Wine Blog|
Alright, so we’re still in France, but preparing to creep into other parts of Europe that are known for their aromatic whites. But first - let’s finish our Tour De France. Two of the most recognized grapes in Bordeaux are Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc. We know Sauv Blanc for its fresh, herbaceous zippiness and Semillon is the sweet one. Together, they both achieve balance and can be found in a variety of combinations that result in Bordeaux Blanc. Another grape [...]
By Chasity Cooper|2020-09-21T15:07:45-04:00August 25th, 2020|Wine Blog|
This week, we started our very first deep dive into a wine region - FRANCE! I consider France is the O.G. in this wine game - for it is home to many beloved grape varietals that have found their way around the world. Months before shelter in place was a part of our common life, I had the opportunity to visit Bordeaux for the first time on a press trip and explore both wines of the Left and Right [...]
By Chasity Cooper|2020-08-11T14:56:09-04:00August 11th, 2020|Uncategorized, Wine Blog|
Due to some technical difficulties, I wasn’t able to catch last week’s class in real time – but thank goodness for Voice Thread! Reviewing the session and having the opportunity to pause and take very detailed notes. In this lesson, it was quite fascinating to learn about the specific parts of a vine, ripening and how much of a role that climate plays in the success of a harvest season. What I’m learning thus far about Level 3 is that [...]
By Chasity Cooper|2020-07-24T11:50:42-04:00July 24th, 2020|Wine Blog|
If there’s anything I’ve learned about wine since starting my journey two years ago, it’s that this learning and absorbing all there is to know about it is a marathon, not a sprint. As a former runner, I’m familiar with the many aspects of training that comes with preparing for a race: sticking to a running schedule with short and long runs, eating a healthy diet in the months and weeks leading up to the big day, and of [...]
By Kristy Wenz|2020-03-25T10:26:47-04:00March 24th, 2020|Wine Blog|
Wines from Portugal are making wine lists and magazine covers as of late, but how much do you know about this European nation and its winemaking history? Most of us can likely name some of the top producing regions in neighboring Spain, and certainly in nearby France, but how many regions outside of Porto can you name in Portugal? Let’s take a brief birds’ eye look at this 350-mile long country on the southwestern coast of Europe. Who Throughout much [...]
