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.

One of my absolute favorite parts of being a wine lover is the thrill of discovering new things. While my preferred method of discovery is through travel and visiting various wineries around the country but unfortunately that is pretty limiting. Sadly, I don't have an unlimited travel budget and so even wineries in Washington State and Texas escape my immediate plans, while New Zealand, South Africa, France, and Spain are even farther in the future. While I'm lucky to have some fantastic wine stores with talented staff here in San Diego, wine clubs like Firstleaf are a great option if you just want to try some different options from around the world and avoid spending a ton of money doing so.

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.

One of the more complex and misunderstood aspects of why certain wines are revered as works of art while others sit on a spectrum from very good to god awful is that no matter how talented the winemaker may be, Mother Nature is ultimately in control. While you can select locations for grape growing that will produce various subtle notes, you aren't always guaranteed to get the perfect product. In 2013, Napa Valley's conditions were as close to this as we've seen and this new production by Vision Films helps to tell that story.

Every Passover and Hanukkah it seems like different Kosher or Isralie wineries appear on our editorial schedule and each year I become more and more impressed with not just the realm of "Kosher Wines" but in the taste and quality of wines from Israel. Plus, if you are a wine conessour like myself where every sip is a way to travel virtually to a new land, a journey to try something new beyond just a tasty beverage - there are few places on Earth with as rich of a vinocultural heritage as the Golan Heights.

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!

Smirnoff Vodka celebrated the 75th Anniversary of the Moscow Mule with a lavish 1940s-inspired event in Hollywood just miles from where the cocktail was invented on the Sunset Strip.

There's nothing quite like a true football tailgate party. As the smell of grilled meat and chip dip mixes with beer, sweat and other smells that might be wafting through the parking lot, chances are you've wondered if it might be better done at home next time. Typically though, "home gates" end up being too fancy, too much trouble, and mean tons of cleanup - but no more! Here's our party plan to ensure that your next football party is a huge success while bringing the authenticity and character that you love about hanging out in the parking lot before the game.

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.

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.

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.

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.

On January 24, 1848, the area now known as El Dorado County was transformed from a backwater area of the Sierra Foothills into quite literally the most legendary place on earth. This is the place that ignited the California gold rush and where legends were created. Today though, while the gold found in the streams around the area is (mostly) gone, Placerville and El Dorado County make a fantastic place for your next guys' weekend getaway.

Laws and regulations around cannabis continue to change almost as fast as innovation new new products are being brought to the market. That's one of the exciting things that fascinates me about this industry. There are some incredible personalities and regardless if you are a consumer seeking pain relieve, alleviation of certain medical symptoms, or simply wanting to kick back and enjoy a good buzz on a Saturday night, this is an industry that deserves the same attention as distilleries, vineyards, and breweries.

An astonishing 20 percent of American cranberry consumption happens during Thanksgiving week. Setting aside the debate about canned vs natural cranberry at the turkey table (natural is the right answer, obviously), cranberry ranks right up there with pumpkin spice as the iconic autumnal flavor.

I had the privilege of visiting the folks at Boochcraft in San Diego during an open house at their new production facility and quite frankly it changed my perception of the entire beverage segment. As progressive and open to new ideas as I am... I'd generally looked at "Hard Kombucha" as something girly that was more the domain of crunchy dudes who drove Subaru Foresters and talked about how great being a vegan was. While there's nothing wrong with those sort of guys... that's just not me. What I found here though was a beautiful blend of West Coast craft beer scene vibes mixed with many of the same things that I enjoy about hanging out with the new generation of winemakers. Let's take a look at why I'm hooked on Boochcraft and you guys should make sure to grab some too.

Making coffee house coffee at home doesn't have to be difficult. In fact, with the right tips and a bit of practice, you can make some of the best coffee around. In this blog post, we will take a look at five tips for making killer coffeehouse-style coffee at home. We'll also take a look at some of the best machines and accessories for doing so. Let's get started!

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.

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.