Wine Life - Houston

Last month, wine professionals in Houston were given the opportunity to taste wines from one of the country of Georgia's flagship producer, Teliani Valley, over lunch at Concura to learn about the ancestral grapes, the ancient winemaking techniques, and the modern tools which come together to make the classic wines of the Kakheti region. There are 525 grape varieties currently recorded in the country with over 135,000 acres under vine, 72.4% of those vines are located in Kakheti. The country of Georgia is located approximately 620 miles from Rome and size wise, it is just slightly smaller than the state of Connecticut. Despite its small size, it has a lot of neighbors that border it: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, and Turkey; it also touches the Black Sea. The Kakheti wine region is located in the eastern part of Georgia with two river basins, the Ivri and Alazani, which both influence the wines. The vineyards are located at elevations of 800 to 2,600 feet with views of the Caucasus...

In the December 2021 issue of Galveston Monthly, the holiday season is the time to sparkle with the wines of Domaine Carneros. 

 In the November 2021 issue of Galveston Monthly, Texas wine is still be celebrated with recommendations from the Kulken family for Thanksgiving and beyond.

In the October 2021 issue of Galveston Monthly magazine, it is time to celebrate Texas Wine Month and head out on the 290 Wine Road and sip some of the Lone Star State's best.

From the September 2021 issue of Galveston Monthly. meet Kathleen Ward. Ward grew up outside of Houston, attended Texas A&M, and now is a wine maker for Theorem Vineyards on Diamond Mountain in Napa Valley.

In the August 2021 issue of Galveston Monthly magazine, visit the Schramsberg Vineyards caves under Diamond Mountain in Napa Valley and enjoy these sparkling wine recommendations.

From the current July 2021 issue of Galveston Monthly magazine. This month, I share travel tips for wine tasting in Sonoma County from hotel recommendations to winery visits and more.

 As seen in the current issue of Galveston Monthly magazine June 2022, on the stands now. With the hot days of summer quickly approaching, I asked some Willamette wineries to share their favorite seafood pairings to go with chilled white wines to help cool down our warm June nights. I shared some of my favorites in this month's Galveston Monthly magazine.

Mutiny Wine Room has recently begun in-person wine dinners again. Read about it in my latest for Houston Food Finders .  https://houstonfoodfinder.com/bars/heights-wine-bar-serves-up-wine-country-experience/

In this month's Galveston Monthly , wine recommendations for all the celebrations that the month brings without ever leaving the island! From Mother's Day gifts to family reunions, there is a good wine for all the occasions of May. As seen in the May 2021 issue of Galveston Monthly magazine.

 As seen in the April 2021 issue of Galveston Monthly magazine. After several requests, I did something a little different this month and wrote a short guide on how to taste wine. Whether to increase your own personal tasting skills or to challenge your wine loving friends with a blind tasting party, the info here will hopefully help wine lovers to be a bit more mindful about what they are tasting to enhance enjoyment with each sip.

Sunny days sipping in Galveston is well underway. These are my top picks for affordable wines for the more discerning for spring break and beyond. As originally seen in Galveston Monthly magazine.

Many, many years ago, Messina Hof in Bryan, Texas was the first winery that I ever visited. That was my first introduction to grape growing and wine making.  That visit would not be the last, I would taste at Messina Hof many more times over the years. My latest in Houston Food Finder takes a look at the newly opened location in the Houston suburbs. Houston Food Finder - First Bite: Messina Hof Harvest Green More on the history of this iconic Texas winery here, as originally seen in Galveston Monthly magazine:  Messina Hof - 40 years of Romance, Family, and Tradition

In a collaboration with Bevfluence , several wine writers across the country shopped the $12.99 and under category at the top selling wine shops in their regions to create a budget friendly buying guide for sippers seeking good value vino regardless of their location in the U.S.  My contributions come from Spec’s Wines, Spirits & Finer Foods . The first Spec’s opened in my hometown of Houston in 1962 and has grown into more than 120 store locations across Texas. I shopped at the flagship store at 2410 Smith St and selected 20 bottles which were each priced under $12.99. It was easy to find numerous bottles of interest in the large shop in this price range, although pricing and selection may v ary by location. I picked some wines from classic regions and some from more up and coming areas, as well. These are my top scoring bottles for best quality in this price point. Dibon Cava Brut Rosé - Made from organically grown Grenache grapes, this old world sparkler offers a lot of...

A coup As seen in the February 2021 issue of Galveston Monthly magazine.  This month top picks are two easy to find on the island wines to celebrate Valentines Day this month.  

 As seen in the January 2021 issue of Galveston Monthly magazine. Surprising grapes and some lesser known places were the source of this month's recommendations in Galveston Monthly.