Eastern European wines are more widely enjoyed than ever these days! But with this infusion of amazing indigenous grape varietals comes a certain amount of confusion. What the heck does furmint taste like? If I'm a Pinot Noir lover, which Armenian grape will I like best? Great questions! Consider this post your entry point into lesser-known wines from Eastern Europe.
Enjoy the journey!
HUNGARY
Winemaking has been a part of Hungary's history dating back to the Romans. The country boasts 22 different wine regions and is most famous for the Tokaj region's aszú—a sweet and golden-hued wine made from the furmint grape—which was hugely popular among European royalty for centuries. Seasons of war, plague, and Communist rule have sent Hungary's wine industry on a rollercoaster of changes, but today, many Hungarian winemakers are once again turning toward small, low-intervention, family-run operations that value quality over quantity.
Hungarian wines can seem a bit tricky to navigate because...
This is part of an ongoing series called Become A Better Taster! Each post will illustrate the essential aromas and tasting notes associated with a specific grape varietal. Use this post as a baseline when tasting your next Chardonnay!
What do you smell and taste when you're swirling a Chardonnay in your glass? Not sure?
Below is a handy visual guide to the classic aromas and tasting notes you might find in any Chardonnay. There will be differences and nuances in texture and flavor depending on the origin of the wine, how it was grown, fermented, and stored (more on that below). But here are the basics, to help you find your footing when exploring a new-to-you Chardonnay. Clink, clink!
SOME NUANCES YOU MIGHT TASTE
• Chardonnay grapes grown in cool climates will skew toward cold cut pear, green apple, and raw almond notes.
• Warmer climates will produce notes of baked yellow apple and tropical fruits like pineapple, mango, and guava.
• Different soils will also affect the flavor...
Photo: Roman Odintsov via Pexels
The Month of Love has arrived! And we’re leaning in hard with some cheeky wine pairings to our favorite rom coms, one from each recent decade. What could be more fun? No matter who you're sunggling up with in front of the screen, we hope these sweet and goofy Valentine’s Day pairings make you smile for a while. Enjoy!
Remember that pretty, glowing final scene where Sam and Jake Ryan finally kiss over a classic birthday cake? Of course you do! It’s truly what teenage dreams are made of. Here are a few frothy wines to pair to your favorite cake for Valentine’s Day.
- Elio Perrone 'Bigaro' | Naturally a bit sweet, this strawberry-scented sparkler is beautiful with buttercream and dense chocolate cake
- Meinklang Frizzanted Rosé | A little dry, a little sweet, this Austrian bubbly cuts through buttery richness and cream cheese frosting
- Hush Heath 'Balfour 1503' Sparkling Brut Rosé | Delightful English Champagne-style sparkling wine, a friend to dessert all kinds
There’s so much to...
Photo: via The Real Review
G.D. Vajra is a family-run wine grower nestled in Vergne, the highest village in the Barolo region of Piedmont, Italy. The Vajra family tends 40 hectares of high-elevation vineyards, where breezy conditions produce complex and beautifully aromatic wines that are still distinctly Piedmontese in nature.
Aldo Vajra knew winemaking was for him from a very young age. In 1968, Aldo took over his grandfather's estate, putting his dreams of grapes and vines into action and bottling his first vintage in 1978. Since then, he has secured his place in the ranks of top tier Barolo winemakers, earned the region's first organic certification, and raised a humble and wine-loving family with his wife Milena.
The Vajra family believes in simply guiding (rather than forcing) the grapes into their full and truest expression in the wine bottle, and their respect for the land and sustainable farming practices are crucial features of this philosphy. Aldo personally derives great joy from dreaming up a...
Empowering Wine Lovers’ Health Choices and Tasting Adventures
For years, sommelier Leslee Miller observed that clients and friends were seeking healthier wine options, but they were perplexed by wine’s most recent buzz words (vegan, natural, green, clean + organic); frustrated at the lack of retailers that offer healthy, affordable and delicious wines; and confused about or disappointed by bulk-labeled wine clubs.
They genuinely wanted to drink well, learn more about their palates and wine, and support the farmers behind the actual labels. But they struggled to find a brand that was a champion for these interests.
And so, Leslee created Sip Better: Better for All Wine. Better for you, better for the planet, better for wine growing communities.
Sip Better: Feel Good, Do Good and Drink Smart
Sip Better is a national wine club dedicated to Better-for-You wine. Sip Better supports only family owned, small, international wine growers, who are committed to farming via sustainable,...
