Sadly, it’s nearly time to say goodbye to summertime. Last chance to drink up the warm evenings before sweater weather takes hold. Thankfully, we’ll be spending this month in a region that has the perfect wines to transition into Autumn – Central Italy! Here, for many years, the vast majority of production was bulk wine of middling quality that was sold to negociants, or wine consumed locally in cafés. As international palates continue to crave new, unique flavors, these regions have been tapped for their unique take on one of Italy’s most famous grape, Sangiovese and many more varietals unique that continue to impress, especially the dinner table. While

Riesling is perhaps the world’s most misunderstood grape. Despite producing some of the most exciting, elegant and ageable white wines you’ll find anywhere, the mere suggestion of Riesling will often incite a cringe from the typical dry wine drinker. Thankfully, in recent years, dry Rieslings have surged in popularity in the United States, as more and more lucky people realize that it is not by definition a sweet wine, and can provide as much crisp refreshment as a Sauvignon Blanc. Sure, there is a lot of badly-made, overly-sweet Riesling on the market, but we promise you – the best examples have a sense of life and verve that

The “noble grape” of Spain, Tempranillo is responsible for the country’s greatest red wines. While it is also often bottled as a juicy, inexpensive, ready-to-drink young table red, its greatest expressions are incredibly complex, significantly oak-aged and can age for decades. Though the wines can vary greatly depending on terroir and winemaking style, typical characteristics of the varietal include aromas and flavors of red and purple fruits, dill, tobacco and herbs. As they age, the color takes on lighter, rusty tones, the fruit notes become dustier and tertiary aromas of leather and earth start to come through. This thick-skinned, low-acid, early-ripening varietal (temprano means “early” in Spanish) flourishes in

The temperature is rising, and you know what that means…summer-summer-summertime! Get out the flip flops and sleeveless dresses and get into the mood to drink pink. Bring on the rosés! Over the course of the last ten years, wine lovers around the world have changed the way they look at rosé. No longer does a pink beverage attract a sideways glance from neighboring sippers. All “blush” wine was assumed to be sticky sweet White Zinfandel or an overly-fruity wine cooler, but American consumers have finally come to know the joys of dry, refreshing, pleasurable pink wines from here and abroad! Not by any means a new phenomenon, the tradition of

Porch Pounder /pôrCH ‘pound?r/ noun 1. A budget-friendly and versatile wine meant to be drunk outside on a beautiful day in the company of friends and family.   Grape variety or country of origin of a Porch Pounder is immaterial. The quality of a Porch Pounder is judged on two factors: a) drinkability and b) value. If anything, ageability or complexity are disadvantages; Porch Pounders are best enjoyed young and quickly so as to obtain the highest possible refreshment quotient. A good Porch Pounder should be consumed entirely within one hour (at a maximum), or else you’re simply not doing it right. See Also: Summer Sipper, Guzzle Buddy, Stoop Slammer   Where are they made? Anywhere

It’s almost springtime, ladies! But in case it’s not here quickly enough for you, we’re taking a trip to the land of sunshine, where grapes have no trouble ripening and water is more scarce than wine…welcome back to California! Though we’re just focusing on the Central Coast this month, there’s no lack of ground to cover – this appellation runs for over 280 miles, from the San Francisco Bay down the Pacific Coast to Santa Barbara County. With 30 smaller AVAs contained within the region, there is a huge variety of soils, microclimates, and grape varietals spread throughout. As large as it is, the Central Coast AVA in a

With the cold weather and Valentine’s season upon us, it’s the perfect time to snuggle up on the couch with a glass of something sweet and soul-warming. And what a coincidence…this month we’ll be exploring the extravagance of some of the world’s finest after-dinner wines. Hope your sweet tooth is ready! Dessert wines run the gamut of styles, grapes, and regions – the one thing they do have in common is their sugar content! Old World, New World, still, sparkling, low-alcohol, fortified, rich, delicate, fruity, nutty…you get the picture. Though these wines are often under appreciated and certainly under-ingested, sweet doesn’t necessarily mean simpler! The best dessert wines show

Welcome to 2016 ladies! Ready for another trip around the world of wine? Of course you are! We’re kicking off the new year with one of the biggest, boldest reds around so that when winter finally sets in, you’ll have something to keep you warm! I’m talking about one of the world’s favorite grapes, Malbec! Malbec is a high-quality grape capable of demonstrating a variety of characteristics, from medium-bodied and red-fruited to dark and smoky with loads of spice. Although Malbec is one of the five Bordeaux varietals (along with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot), it is most recognizable as a wine from Argentina, where

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, when Girls on Grapes celebrates the world’s happiest and most glorious wines…Bubbles! Get ready to pop those corks…we’re drinking sparkling wine all month long! Though always festive and perfect for all your special occasions, we want to make sure you know that Bubbly is perfect any time, any place! Drink it more often! Drink it every day! Bubbles for everyone! People have a tendency to call all sparkling wines “Champagne,” when in fact true Champagne only comes from the Champagne region in north-eastern France. All other sparklers--whether from the U.S., Italy, Spain, or elsewhere--fall under the umbrella of “sparkling wine.” And