For wine drinkers used to seeing prices of $50+ for a good bottle of Cabernet Sauvingon, from California or Washington State, seeing sub $20 bottles from Chile can be a bit of a headscratcher but when you bring in an ambassador like Pedro Pascal - Mandalorian, Wonder Woman 1984, Narcos, and Game Of Thrones to be your brand ambassador it's worth taking a look!

When you think of "wine cruises", typically you think of riverboats floating through European destinations like those along the Rhine, Rhone, and Garonne (Bordeaux) or maybe even Portugal's Doro river. However, one of the absolute best ways to experience North America's best wine regions is on a Coastal California cruise.  What we liked about sailing on Holland America Line's Koningsdam was that it created an immersive experience - on the ship, as well as in port as well.

If there is one thing I love above almost anything else in the craft food and beverage market, it is innovation that creates an experience for the imbiber. That's how I felt after trying Pech Merle Winery's inaugural release of Linea, a "solera" blend that features five vintages of cabernet sauvignon, starting with a 2008 from Garden Creek Vineyard. This wine is special to both the winery as well as to Pech Merle wine club members like myself because this isn't about creating something arbitrarily fancy just to pull a few extra dollars from our pockets. This is quite literally a love letter written by the winemaker to all of the Pech Merle fans that have supported them over the past 13 years.

With the 2022 Summer Olympic Games underway in Tokyo we're looking for our own ways to support Team USA as well as our passion for fun and unique wines. Lucky for us, those two things came together fabulously when we got a chance to learn more about The Vice Wine. These guys are fun and experimental as well as very personal and approachable, so we are extremely excited to see what else they come up with in the future.

In case you hadn't noticed, canned wines are becoming a big deal. While wine industry purists reject the format in favor of glass bottles served by trained sommeliers, we embrace the innovation. Canned wines allow us to take wine places where they weren't able to go previously and they also add a layer of fun and frivolity that frankly the wine industry sometimes needs to shake things up. The story isn't all good though, like any emerging market space there are some things that work... and some things that don't. Here's what we found during our review of five different nationally available canned wines.

Chardonnay is one of the most popular wine varietals around the world and in the United States, Chardonnay generally is the most popular choice for non-sparkling white wine (Moscato is the clear fav for white overall). For me though, I've never been a fan since the dominant style seems to be the iconic "Kendal Jackson" style that some simply refer to now as "California Chardonnay". It is iconic for being both buttery and a bit oaky with a medium balanced body. For me though, that just means you are sacrificing easy drinking for being able to truly enjoy the grapes. Recently though we had a chance to work with Center of Effort winery in Edna Valley, California who opened my eyes as to the diversity that Chardonnay grapes could provide. 

It's whale season here in California and that means it is time to celebrate the opportunity to watch these majestic animals. For me, this is an annual tradition. On the East Coast, to see whales you usually have to head far out to sea in a boat, but here - especially in Southern California, you can see them simply by standing on a bluff overlooking the ocean. There is a sense of thrill at seeing their tails and spouts since these are not just huge animals but a part of California's culture, a merging of natural wonder, joy, and science as we monitor the annual migration to ensure that it isn't negatively impacted by human action. Now there's a new element to celebrate here... Grey Whale Gin.

While folks are finally starting to recognize tequila as a premium spirit with a complex and diverse collection of properties, there's another Mexican spirit following quickly on its heels. A few years ago mezcal was simply tequila's rougher tougher, renegade brother but as someone who loves agave spirits, it is wonderful to see new products reaching the market that focuses on the positive aspects of Mexican culture and heritage instead of merely throwing a revolver, donkey, or a sombrero on the bottle and shipping it out to bars. One of the products that recently impressed me in this new wave of premium mezcal was Vamonos Riendo Mezcal.

With the Passover starting on April 19th, many of you may be getting ready for the holidays and others, like myself simply enjoy exploring other cultures and traditions. So I thought this was a great opportunity to take a look at what Kosher Wine is and why it is an important part of Jewish holiday traditions.

As the summer ends and the weather for many of you begins to cool down as we prepare for winter, I prefer to think of all those Caribbean islands that I can't wait to visit again soon. That's why I was so excited to share these two recipes by CÎROC and Mixologist Brandon Sutton inspired by the recently canceled West Indian Day Parade.

Who's ready to celebrate National Rum Day? Here's some awesome rum cocktail recipes from Zaya Rum!

 Cutwater Spirits is one of my favorite distillers and Bali Hai is one of my absolute favorite brunch spots in San Diego... plus they make the most wickedly awesome Mai Tai this side of Hawaii. The folks at Cutwater Spirits came out of Ballas Point Brewing and are one of the most exciting success stories in San Diego for not only innovation with creating excellent beer and then spirits but also truly understanding marketing and hospitality. Here are some of their Tiki Drink Recipes featuring Bali Hai Rum!

Are you ready to celebrate National Rum day? Ron Barcelo sent over some tasty cocktails to help us celebrate...

It’s been 50 years since Jockey Diane Crump became the first female to ride in The Kentucky Derby® -- and this year’s Woodford Reserve $1,000 Mint Julep Cup program celebrates that milestone. 

Looking for some perfect drinks to cool down this summer? Our friends at Ketel One and Zacapa have some suggestions for the perfect summertime cocktails...

The Humboldt Distillery is located in Humboldt County, California and makes several spirits, including vodka and rum, that appeal to those with a more humble(dt) preference. We tried Humboldt’s Finest vodka as well as the organic small batch vodka they make. Both are excellent. Our preference in sipping is perhaps with the organic small batch, but it’s a close race. For mixers, Humbdoldt’s Finest is a great one.

Commemorate the day by mixing up the Basil Paloma, a unique twist on the classic Paloma cocktail featuring Hornitos Black Barrel Tequila, or the Coctel Del Barista, a sweet and refreshing cocktail featuring Hornitos Reposado Tequila, a variant created by Hornitos decades before it became common practice.

To casual wine drinkers that stick with what they like, the wine industry appears to be a conservative place where you can order the same wine year after year with just the vintage year changing. Thankfully that isn't completely true. While many of the most popular vintages out there change little from one year to the next, just like with the beer industry there are limited edition bottles that are more than just "this was a great year". One that I came across earlier this year was the Dry-Hopped Sauvignon Blanc from Murphy Good and while it is now out of stock... it just goes to show that innovation isn't dead!

It's no secret that I'm working to improve myself during this time spent locked in my home. While I still enjoy a beer, I've continued to try and grab an energy drink for breakfast or a late-night snack instead of grazing the freezer. While I've been a long time fan of another protein shake brand, when the folks at Iconic Protein contacted me I was immediately intrigued. While most brands have chocolate and vanilla... they had the staples plus unique flavors such as Cacao Greens and Tumeric Ginger. I was a bit nervous on my first sip because I wasn't sure what to expect. Sure, it was unique... but would it be good?

There are few social lubricants that are quite as effective as alcohol. There’s no denying that it plays something of a role in the social lives of many men. It helps us relax, feels good, and it honestly gives us a reason to spend time with our friends. However, too often “drinking with friends” is associated with binging and getting drunk, but it doesn’t have to be. If you’re just looking for a chill drink, with no expectations of taking it any further, here are a few ways you can do that.