How to Taste and Assess Wine: A Simple Guide for Wine Lovers

lots of glasses with sample amounts of red wine in each. text overlay says "How to Taste and Assess Wine"

As someone who has spent years enjoying and learning about wine, I know how overwhelming it can seem at first. The swirling, sniffing, and sipping might feel intimidating (or even silly), but it doesn’t have to be. Tasting wine is about engaging your senses and savoring the experience. Let me guide you through the simple steps of how to taste and assess wine, so you can enjoy every sip with confidence. Preparing to Taste Before diving in, create the ideal conditions for tasting: Choose a neutral environment: Avoid strong odors (e.g., perfumes or cooking smells) that can interfere with your sense of smell. Use appropriate glassware: Opt for clear, tulip-shaped glasses to capture the wine’s aromas. Serve wine at the correct temperature: White wines: 45–50°F…

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Choosing the Right Glass for Different Types of Wine

A group of different sizes and styles of wine glasses with a text overlay "Choosing the Right Glass for Different Types of Wine"

When it comes to enjoying wine, choosing the right glass can elevate the experience. The shape, size, and design of a wine glass influence how aromas are concentrated and how flavors hit your palate. Here’s a guide to different types of wine and the best glass to complement each one. 1. Red Wines Red wines are bold and complex, requiring glasses that enhance their characteristics. Cabernet Sauvignon & Bordeaux Blends Glass: Tall with a large bowl and a slightly tapered rim. Why: The wide bowl allows oxygen to soften the tannins, while the tapered rim focuses the aromas. Pinot Noir Glass: Wide bowl with a narrower rim. Why: The larger surface area helps release delicate floral and fruity aromas, and the narrower rim directs the…

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Your Go-To Guide for Pairing Wine with Food

A wine and food pairing spread with text that says "Your Go-to Guide for Pairing Wine with Food"

I recently attended a wine and food pairing event at The 83 Winery. The main thing this class really brought home is that one of the best things about wine is how it can transform a meal. The right pairing not only brings out the best in your dish but also enhances the wine’s flavors. Over the years, I’ve learned a thing or two about what works well together—sometimes through research, but more often through trial and error. Although the old adage of white wine with white meat and red wine with red meat often works, it is a bit simplistic. Here’s my guide to pairing wine with food, complete with tips to help you feel like a pro the next time you’re uncorking a…

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Small Town Wine Bar in California’s Smallest Incorporated City

Updated 11/4/23, original post published 1/30/18   Whenever I hear about someone closing their business, it always makes me a little sad. Such was the case when I saw the following post on Instagram from Ginger at Small Town Food and Wine, formerly Small Town Wine Bar. The last few years have been tough for many businesses. Some were closed down for months and never reopened and recovered. Those who have been lucky enough to reopen have struggled with lack of help (people don’t want to work!), fewer customers and rising prices. These challenges have forced many business owners to reevaluate what is important. Ginger came to the decision that she no longer has “the desire to fight to stay open.” The good thing to…

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Dripping Springs Distilling Tour and Tasting

copper pot stills with text overlay: Educational and informative tour Dripping Springs Distilling

When you visit Texas Hill Country, you can go wine tasting to your heart’s content. But did you know you can also visit distilleries, often for a tour and tasting? There are several spread out all across Texas Hill Country so no matter what your plans are while you are in Hill Country, you can add one (or more) to your itinerary. On my recent RV trip, I spent a few days in Dripping Springs and visited Dripping Springs Distilling for a tour and tasting.   I spent most of my life in California and a few years in Nevada. Both places have fairly liberal alcohol laws. You could buy alcohol pretty much anywhere – the corner gas station, the neighborhood grocery store, Walmart, Costco…

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Lost Maples Winery – A Winery in Transition

I have been a member of Harvest Hosts since the beginning of my RV adventures in 2018. The program offers interesting and unique places to stay while supporting small businesses. It’s such a win-win program you can’t help but love it. My favorite places to stay through Harvest Hosts is wineries. You usually have a beautiful parking spot with awesome views and you can walk to go wine tasting and never have to worry about driving. Sometimes you meet the winemaker or get a special behind the scenes tour. My stay at Lost Maples Winery in Vanderpool, TX, certainly lived up to all expectations. About Lost Maples Winery History Tom & Glenda Slaughter were the original owners of Lost Maples Winery. The winery sits within…

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Best Wineries in Fredericksburg, Texas

Although the Texas Hill Country AVA (American Viticultural Area) covers 9,000,000 acres (14,062 square miles), Texas Wine Country centers near the charming town of Fredericksburg. If you search the Internet for the best wineries in Fredericksburg, you’ll find that each article lists different wineries. There are a few, however, that most seem to agree on and those are the ones I tried to concentrate on for this visit to Texas Hill Country. Fredericksburg is centrally located in Texas in the very heart of Texas Hill Country. Since it is only about an hour and 15 minutes north of San Antonio and 1.5 to 2 hours directly west of Austin, it is a perfect getaway location. Many of the wineries are located on Highway 290 between…

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A Taste of Oklahoma – Durant and Ardmore

Choctaw Casino sign with text overlay: Durant and Ardmore Just a taste of Oklahoma

One of the destinations on my recent RV trip was southern Oklahoma to visit a friend. I had planned to boondock at a couple of spots in Oklahoma but the weather turned bitterly cold a few days earlier, so I decided to find RV parks instead. I figured they would make better bases of operations while I got at least a little taste of Oklahoma during the few days I planned to be in Durant and Ardmore. Durant, Oklahoma Durant/Choctaw Casino KOA I’ve never stayed at a KOA campground or a casino so I thought the Durant/Choctaw Casino KOA sounded promising. I later read on their website that they are “the #1 KOA RV park in all of the country.” I think KOA only accepts…

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My First Experience Wine Tasting in Texas Hill Country

When I lived in northern California, a big part of my life and this blog was visiting local wineries and writing about my experiences. I was a little disappointed when I started researching Texas wineries and learned that the closest region to my new home was about a four hour drive away. I knew that once I got back on the road in my RV, Texas Hill Country for wine tasting would be one of my first destinations. Texas Wine and Wine Tourism If you are not familiar with Texas wine and wineries, you might be surprised to learn that Texas Hill Country is one of the most popular wine tourism destinations in the nation. With 5 million visitors a year, it is second only…

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Texas Legato Winery — On the Edge

barrels and a waterfall in front of large grassy field with text overlay: Visit the northern edge of Texas Hill Country AVA Texas Legato Winery

Staying with participating wineries through Harvest Hosts is one of the ways I discover some wonderful, and sometimes lesser known, wineries. That’s how I found Texas Legato Winery. It is a family owned and operated winery in Lampasas at the very northern edge of the Texas Hill Country AVA (American Viticultural Area). Sulynn and Bill Bledsoe are the owners of Texas Legato Winery and Vineyard. As a Harvest Hosts member, I called ahead to make sure they had room for me on the night I wanted to stay. Bill greeted me when I arrived and directed me to a spot near the parking lot because it had been raining and the ground was too wet to risk parking farther away by the vineyard. It was…

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