Welcome to 2019, folks! The new year is a time that many of us re-center and make varying degrees of effort to create a healthier reality for ourselves. Wine is perceived to be the healthier choice among many of those who enjoy adult beverages. There are a few ways that wines relate to health. Whether you are looking to combat the aging process, are trying to lose weight, or have found that the sulfites in wine have a negative effect on you, we have tips to help you get the most out of your … [Read more...] about Identifying Wines for the Health-Conscious Drinker
The Raven
Wines for Every Holiday Mood
The holidays are one of the most trying, and rewarding, times of the entire year. Most of us go through the full range of human emotions in a single month. What starts as excitement and anticipation for time spent with loved ones can sometimes morph into us being anxious that we aren’t prepared for the holiday. Many will feel the melancholy and nostalgia of remembering those who are no longer with us, and simultaneously feel a great appreciation for the people that we have around us still. There … [Read more...] about Wines for Every Holiday Mood
Rating Wines by the Point System
When shopping for a wine, the choices can be overwhelming. We all want good wine at a good price and this is not easy to determine just by the label alone. That’s where the point system comes in. If we see a 90+ point sticker on a wine, we start to feel better. “Well, this is a highly rated wine so I know my dollars are being well spent.” And, even if I don’t particularly like it, I will try to like it because “someone important says that this is a good wine.” But, who are the people giving out … [Read more...] about Rating Wines by the Point System
Does Rosé Live Up to the Hype?
Rosé season is upon us! The sun is shining, flowers are getting ready to bloom, and rosé bottles are flying off the shelves to be enjoyed in Prescott’s beautiful (if not perfect) weather. If this is the first time you’re hearing of this very special time of year, fear not! This trend is still catching on, and has been steadily on the rise in the U.S. for the last five years. While the popularity of the pink drink started mainly in New York and California, it’s been migrating inland, and Arizona … [Read more...] about Does Rosé Live Up to the Hype?
Food and Wine Pairing: A Love Story
I am a sucker for a good love story. I love those warm and fuzzy feelings, hoping my favorite characters find each other and that they make it last. My favorite love story, however, is an unconventional one, but one of the greatest romances of all time: wine and food. These two have been together for centuries creating magic at dinner tables around the world, finding each other again and again, but, like any good relationship, the two must be compatible to work. This is where we come in, the … [Read more...] about Food and Wine Pairing: A Love Story
Understanding the Difference Between Champaign and Sparkling Wines
In light of the recent holiday season, when thousands of corks loudly popped from their bottles in celebration of a brand new year, I thought I would take this month to write about my favorite type of wine, the bubbly kind! Sparkling wines are the most misunderstood, generally lumped into one category: Champagne. So, I’m here to set the record straight about our favorite celebratory imbibements. Let’s start at the beginning, with the most well-known and coveted of all sparkling wines, … [Read more...] about Understanding the Difference Between Champaign and Sparkling Wines
Wine Terminology: Getting to Know the Lingo
Many words are thrown around when it comes to wine. You might overhear someone say, “notes of leather and wood” or “loud” or “angular,” and think to yourself, “What in the world is that person drinking?” Wine terms are, in my opinion, a lot like Shakespearean words: specific, lovely and often made up. This is due to the diversity of wine and our inability to describe all of its subtleties with a limited vocabulary. When training a staff member who is new to wine, I most often hear that they are … [Read more...] about Wine Terminology: Getting to Know the Lingo