Photo: Brook Lark via Unsplash
Congratulations on not freezing to death this week! Minnesota has been rocking negative temps for days now, so let's reward ourselves with a little internet warmth. Please enjoy!
FRIDAY FAVES 2.19.21
- Dying for this creamy cauliflower soup recipe over at the New York Times, that just so happens to be vegan! It would be great with a light-bodied white wine, or you could pop open a bottle of supple, grapefruity Zlatan Pošip to sip alongside it.
- Perusing the beauties made by Nimble Ceramics is bringing me extreme joy right now. Those mugs!
- A lovely list of skincare goodies, all from Black-owned businesses.
- Podcaster (and husband to the lovable Kristin Bell!) Dax Shepherd has a new monthly series called Armchaired and Dangerous, where he and David Farrier discusses the bizarre world of conspiracy theories. It's fascinating and lighthearted at the same time! [Can you tell I love podcasts??]
- I love this post on Wit & Delight, chronicling one writer's favorite bits of advice she's...
Photo: Christin Hume via Unsplash
During this nutsy political week we looked for the levity in things. Please enjoy these bits of joy and have a great weekend!
FRIDAY FAVES - 1.15.21
- Artist Sari Shryack makes juicy and whimsical pop culture oil paintings that totally speak to the 90s kid. We're talkin' lip gloss and Lisa Frank vibes. I especially love this pastel mall scene!
- The new movie Save Yourselves! is a hilarious/satirical/suspenseful story that follows two extremely millenial young people as they try to unplug from the world for a week. So good and so unexpected. Find it on Hulu!
- If you're already sick of red wine (wait, what?!), check out 18 creamy, comforting white wines to get you through the winter. Our somm, Leslee, says she could drink the Ca' Lojera Lugana Verdicchio just about every day. Yum!
- Get something fun on your calendar! Leslee is leading three virtual wine classes over the next two months. They're affordable, easy to get to (ha!), and a great way to discover something new. Check them...
Photo: Adam Zuehlke
Welcome to our new weekly feature: Friday Faves! At the end of every week we'll highlight a smattering of things we're reading, drinking, and getting into at Sip Better. It's really just an excuse to gush about what we love right now.
Check out our first list below, and if you like it, come back next Friday!
FRIDAY FAVES - 9.11.20
- I guess Bloodwine is a thing? Any Star Trek fans out there?
- This bronzer stick is made with Chaga mushrooms! I haven't tried it yet but I keep hearing great reviews.
- Brad Pitt and his new girlfriend brought a little drama to the Miraval wine estate (the one he owns with Angelina!).
- All dressed up for the Kentucky Derby!
- Drinking this zesty Calabrian white wine. SO good with a grilled turkey burger. Or oysters. Or shrimp. Or a lobster roll!
Have a great weekend, friends!
-- Emily Rentsch
Photo: Sharon McCutcheon via Unsplash
Right now, in June of 2020, the words skin contact might totally freak you out. Social distancing is a thing, staying extra safe is on all of our minds, and the thought of touching another human being is suddenly a frought thought indeed.
But we're not here to talk about that! On THIS blog, we're talking skin contact as it applies to wine. Wine! What a happy topic.
Soooo, what is skin contact wine, anyway?
It's super simple. Skin contact wines are white wines that are made more like red wines.
The big difference between making a white wine and a red wine lies in the fermentation process. With a white wine, the winemaker presses the grapes and then removes the pomace (all of the residual solids, like seeds, grape skins, etc.) before fermenting the juice in a tank or other vessel. When making red wine, the winemaker will allow that pomace to hang out in the fermentation vessel with the juice, giving them more time to macerate. All of those lovely seeds and skins impart several things...
Photo: Nick Scheerbart via Unsplash
Hello from my house!
Isn't that where we all are during this COVID-19 pandemic? Inside of our houses?
One of the only true pleasures of these long days of self-isolation is that nature walks and moments outside are PLENTIFUL. Some of us can even see our friends and family by carefully meeting up with them in socially distant-safe spaces. Like the woods! Or a sprawling state park. A couple of lawn chairs in a big green space is the only way to party these days.
And guess what! There's a canned wine for that situation. The intrepid and ever-inspiring Broc Cellars has made their Love Wines walkable.
[above photos by Vinnie Biskupic]
Winemaker Chris Brockway champions minimal intervention winemaking techniques and ethical farming practices, and his Love Wines are crafted to express this mission while also being super affordable. Gotta love a wine that makes your heart AND your wallet feel good, right? And now that Brockway's Love Red and Love White blends are available in cans, the...
