You've probably heard of Soda Stream... for the past few years, it's been the rage of suburban housewives and kids who refuse to drink plain ole' water but love pop. Well, I'm not sure what happened recently, but it seems like there are a ton of competitors fighting it out on the market all of a sudden. Well, compared to Drinkmate OmniFizz, Soda Stream just feels old and tired. We've run our Drinkmate through the paces over the past few months and added bubbles to everything from whiskey to cold brew coffee but we settled on a simple classic sparkling lemon water as a practical favorite.

When the image of cowboys and the wild west comes to mind, more often than not you think of whiskey and beer. Likewise, when you think of exploring a wine region as popular as Paso Robles, California you might think of a fantastic spa resort. I'm absolutely in love with this new property that just opened here and hoping to visit there soon. It is a 19-room hotel decorated in Western motif built from buildings once used as stables and ranch houses for real California cowboys.

Mexico City is a destination that most Americans probably don't think about, but it is high on my list of places to visit. Despite the reputation of this country in the news, the capital is actually a cosmopolitan global city with lots to offer in terms of history, culture, food... and yes drinks. The folks at Ignacia Guest House sent us the recipe for their Mango and Mezcal Cocktail served during their complimentary daily cocktail hour.

I'm not a huge fan of casseroles normally. However, the undeniable benefit of being able to stretch a dollar while feeding a bunch of hungry people can't be ignored. We live in a time right now where both of those take precedence over simply "looking great". Today I decided to challenge myself to try something new with what stuff I had available in the kitchen. Lucky for me, the first things I found were cans green chiles and Hatch green chile enchilada sauce. That inspired me to combine it with the potatoes and Niman Ranch ground pork that I had stocked up on recently as part of our quarantine food. The Pork and Potatoes Southwest Green Chile Casserole was born!

As a fellow spirits explorer, I couldn't be more excited to tell you about Alto Canto Tequila - it's like taking a journey to the misty peaks of Mexico's Sierra del Tigre mountains right from your home bar. When I first discovered this gem, I was instantly captivated by how they craft their tequila at one of Mexico's highest distilleries. Every sip transports me to those mountain slopes where organic agave plants grow under pristine conditions.

Like a seasoned explorer charting new territories, JUSTIN Vineyards & Winery is expanding its horizons to include wines from Sonoma County. Known for its exceptional Paso Robles wines, the winery is about to release a Sonoma County Chardonnay and a Russian River Valley Pinot Noir. This move marks a key milestone in their 40-year history, showcasing their commitment to innovation and diversity in the world of wine. I'm curious to see how these new regional expressions will influence the wine adventure we're on with JUSTIN. So, are you ready to embark on this journey with me?

Vacations mean fun and drinking is often part of the total experience. Whether it's visiting breweries, whiskey tasting at a distillery, or a late night of partying at the nightclubs, drinking too much can lead to a hangover, leaving you feeling sick with headaches and nausea. While the best way to avoid this is to eat something before going out, drink plenty of water, and moderate your alcohol consumption - avoiding a hangover on vacation can be more complicated than that. Luckily, I've had some experience with this and hopefully you can avoid the troubles that I've experienced over the years. Get ready. This article will guide you through steps to prevent that dreaded hangover while still enjoying your vacation drinks.

Ever wondered if you could have your favorite cup of coffee while you make a quick stop at a hotel during a journey? Well, the answer is yes. However, there are a few facts and tips to take into consideration.

Last year, Columbia Crest opened it's doors and invite the community to help create their new vintage, the 2014 Crowdsourced Cabernet. This year, they are taking it to the next level with a contest to hire a "Crowdsourced Cabernet E.C.O.". Honestly, this is pretty big thing for what otherwise is an extremely conservative industry.

Now there is no excuse that you cant find the "perfect wine" since with this opportunity you'll be serving as the ambassador for the online crowdsourcing community as we all work together to create the 2015 Crowdsourced Cabernet!

One of the most important social things that a man can do is to make a great toast and so that's what we're going to be talking about today. From capturing your audience's attention with the right sentiment to ensuring you have the right champagne for the moment, there are a lot of elements that go into making that moment special.

Coffee has long been a highly-favored drink among adults. It’s easily one of the most popular drinks in the world, albeit also one of the most addictive. But fear not, the good thing about coffee is that its consumption also comes with a lot of health benefits.

We visited Dry Creek Vineyard during our tour of Sonoma wineries in 2019 and fell in love with not only their amazingly beautiful grounds but also the fact that they are dedicated to continual innovation and challenging what it means to be sustainable and transparent. Not only are they innovators among California wineries dedicated to being as sustainable as possible, but their wines are among some of the best that I've tasted and they have an excellent portfolio at different price points as well. Now, with the release of their 2019 Fumé Blanc, they are focused on improving transparency about the grape origins, winemaking techniques, and the family winery's viticultural philosophy.

Eastern Europeans drink a lot of vodka - that's no secret. However, if you've ever been to a party or had a long dinner with someone from Russia, Poland, or Ukraine then you've probably also noticed that they are generally able to hold their alcohol better than their American counterparts. While some of that comes from years of practice and a generally high level of consumption, there's another secret too. Salo! Salo is a salted pork fat that is sometimes referred to as the Ukrainian national dish and was served at nearly every meal that I had while touring the country.

While we are nearing the end of this phase of the pandemic, hospitality businesses, including the wine industry are still needing our help and support. We spoke with entrepreneur and financial services innovation, Matthew Goldman about the work he's doing leading the team at Grand Reserve Rewards. 

Ventura California is one of those iconic Southern California "surf towns" that you probably have heard of from classic rock songs like, "Ventura Highway" or seen in countless TV shows and movies. It's essentially the bridge between the laid back country living embodied by Central Coast California and everything you think you know about Los Angeles. Personally, I've driven through here several times on my way to somewhere else but never stopped. Last week I broke that cycle and now I'm wondering why I didn't visit earlier.

Mendocino California is one of my favorite "hidden gems" in the California wine scene. Geographically it exists just above Sonoma to the point where it is "just out of reach" for all but the most determined wine drinkers, yet it has some of California's best vineyards. ETTORE is one of the newest wineries in the region, having just launched it's first two vintages earlier this year and they have now introduced Merlot Zero.

Johny Bootlegger is a flavored malt beverage that frankly would fall outside of my normal scope of trying for a review and frankly to be completely honest when it arrived in the mail a couple months ago I took one look at it and thought to myself, "What the hell? Why did I say yes to checking this out?" The reality though is that while I like to enjoy the finer things in life - sometimes it's ok to take a IDGAF moment and throw back some mobster-themed malt liquor with a range of colors even a bag of skittles has nothing on.

As you probably know by now, one of my absolutely favorite restaurants is Fogo de Chao. There is little out there that's better than the experience of enjoying great cocktails while enjoying an endless parade of meat served by friendly gauchos - well, except doing it in Brazil itself I suppose! Each season the folks at Fogo also update their harvest table with seasonal selections but they've now updated their bar menu too. They are so excited about their new offerings that they invited me back again to try some of their new cocktails and small plates before the full dinner that I already knew would be awesome.

As a wine enthusiast keen to explore new expressions, I couldn't resist the intriguing fusion of carnival nostalgia that the concept of Cotton Candy Wine brings to the table. With my background and education in winemaking, I've had the delight of exploring unique vintages around the world and well... this is certainly a unique blend. But a question begs, is it crafted from actual cotton candy or is it merely a clever marketing ploy?

Surprisingly, I found that (like everything in winemaking), the answer is considerably more complicated than I initially assumed. The simple answer is that many different products are using the same name and while "Cotton Candy Wine" can be made quite literally from cotton candy floss found at the carnival food stands to the Shiava grapes in Italy to the hybrid table grapes found at your local supermarket - the simple truth remains. If something tasty can be distilled or fermented, people will find a way to do it. In situations like this where it makes people happy... they will do it again and again!

It's that time of year again... a shift from warming up with whiskey drinks to cooling down with fruity frozen rum cocktails, are you ready?