Five golden rings I get, but what am I to do when my true love gives me 10 lords-a-leaping? Catchy as it may be, the gifts from Twelve Days of Christmas are a bit out of date.

Sparkling wine as a category continues to impress me with far more than the standard "party Champagne" on offer today. For generations bubbly wine has been celebrated in various formats but we are truly in the midst of a renaissance with a wide variety of creations available as well as a  resurgence in sparkling wine cocktails as well. Mumm Napa sent over some bottles for us as well as these recipes to share. I hope you guys enjoy it as much as we did !

Anyone can grab a pack of Budweiser from the grocery store, but craft breweries offer unique flavor profiles and personalities that their customers can relate to. For the purpose of online marketing, that can account for a lot. People value authenticity in the brands they purchase.

There are many... many... MANY bars on cruise ships but all too often they turn out to be mere gimmicks. That's what I expected too when I discovered my beloved Blend had been replaced with something called Half Moon Bar on Holland America Line's latest ship MS Rotterdam. What I discovered instead was one of the best bars at sea and an incredibly talented mixologist who served up drinks of the same quality that I'd expect at the top craft cocktail lounges in Vegas.

There's nothing like sharing thanksgiving dinner together as you celebrate the bond of family and friends while appreciating what you have. Good beer helps to cement that connection and enhance the holiday even further with incredible options! Take this opportunity to use any fancy beer glasses and you might even like to decorate them with a leaf ornament for a memorable drink. Pairing beer with food helps to enhance the flavor and complement it well. It's always an exceptional idea to enjoy a pumpkin ale around this time or you could even use cranberry flavored beer! Freeze your glasses prior to pouring for an added frosty approach that will enhance beer even further!

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.

When it comes to wine tours, most people think of the various AVAs around the United States, and countries like France, Spain, and Italy. What you may not know is that South Africa is a rising star, offering some unique varietals as well as a stunning countryside to explore. If you’re planning an international adventure that includes wine, South Africa may be the next destination you should check out.

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.

Georgian wines are often overlooked in the wine world, with their more famous neighbors of France and Italy sitting at the top of most lists. Made primarily from indigenous grapes like Rkatsiteli and Saperavi, Georgian wines have a distinct character all their own that is usually underrepresented on wine menus. In this post we'll explore some history on Georgian wines, as well as how to pair them with food. Finally, we'll look into what's next for this sometimes forgotten European wine region!

 National Rum Day is coming up and so we've put together a roundup of recipes paired with hotels and resorts around the world. These picks range from daiquiri's in Key West to Rum Punch in Belize and so we're looking forward to being transported to these amazing locals virtually right now while we wait for the pandemic to recede again.

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.

Love rum and warm Caribbean sun, sand, and beaches? Maybe it's time to head to the islands and check out this Rum Month package from Four Seasons Resort Nevis where you can celebrate this spirit with a variety of activities ranging from mixology classes to simply sipping a rum cocktail on the beach.

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.

Whether you live by the beach or are planning a vacation, there is nothing more enjoyable than sharing a picnic on the sand. Whether you want a fun outing with the entire family, or a romantic evening getaway with your sweetheart, it will require a little planning. Here are some things to consider as you make your plan to help you have the perfect beach picnic happy hour.

They say that to become a good wine drinker, you must have the right mentors. If so, we will take you under our wing. We're here to make sure you know what you're talking about when it comes to wine. But don't worry, we'll keep it simple. Here are five things you need to know about wine if you're a budding connoisseur.

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.

Santa Maria is the last of the Central Coast wine regions for us to explore and after spending a few days here, I'm ready to head back... and I want to bring some guys with me! Santa Maria is situated at the north west end of Santa Barbara County and roughly half way between Santa Ynez Valley and San Luis Obispo. On the surface, it lacks the glamour of Santa Barbara and the prestige of Paso Robles and that's why we'd passed over it so many times before, just simply driving past. However, this might just be one of the most exciting destinations when it comes to planning a guys weekend getaway anywhere on the Central Coast.

I'm guessing most of you guys love beer, I do too! Luckily, I've been blessed with numerous opportunities to visit some of the best beer cities in the country and in fact I live in San Diego - which is at the top of most lists of places for beer lovers to visit. However, these beercations are more than just hopping in the car and drinking. To make the most of your time and money it's important to plan ahead. This is your opportunity to try new things, expand your boundaries, and bond with your buddies around an awesome shared experience.