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Good wine needs good food and so when we were invited to dine at Vineyard Rose at South Coast Winery, I immediately said yes.

If you're a tequila enthusiast looking to broaden your horizons, sotol should be on your radar. As you know, I'm absolutely enamored by Mexican food and drink. While I've had Sotol, in the past - I didn't get a chance to truly explore it until Sotol Hacienda de Chihuahua sent me a few bottles to try. Now I'm hooked. This lesser-known Mexican spirit offers a unique flavor profile that is distinctly different from tequila, yet is equally captivating. Derived from the Dasylirion Wheeleri plant, sotol boasts a complex blend of herbaceous, fruity, and resinous notes that will intrigue your palate when paired with fresh Mexican seafood and grilled meats. But there's more to this spirit than just its taste. From its rich history and production methods to its regional variations, sotol has a story to tell. Are you ready to explore what makes this spirit a worthy addition to your collection?

I'm a sucker for limited edition premium spirits. While some folks collect baseball cards I love to collect rare and unique spirits. For me, spirits like this Mount Gay "The Port Cask Expression" is an illustration of creativity and talent honed across generations of distillers, blenders, and farmers - as well as from the artists who design the iconic bottle art. This year's expression did not disappoint and it is limited to only 6,570 bottles worldwide.

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.

Aside from our time spent on cruise ships recently, it's been a while since we've had the opportunity to attend tasting events at local bars and restaurants here in San Diego. However, if there's one thing that can compel me to get off my seat and venture back into a bar it's a great rum paired with fantastic bartenders and that's just what we had this week when we met with Diplomatico's California Ambassador to talk a bit about two of their newer expressions: Mantuano and Planas.

You're about to uncover why a rum distillery tour is the perfect blend of sophistication and celebration for your bachelor party. As you plan this distinctive send-off for the groom, you'll need more than just a basic itinerary to create an unforgettable experience. From selecting the ideal Caribbean destination to coordinating group tastings and exclusive behind-the-scenes access, your tour guide becomes the key to revealing a world of premium spirits and authentic island culture. Let's investigate how to transform a standard distillery visit into an extraordinary celebration that your group will reminisce about for years to come.

Just a couple hours east of Chicago and almost the same distance from Detroit lies a wonder area just waiting for couples planning a romantic weekend. South West Michigan is a destination that continues to impress both Heather and I. Initially, it was the wine trail and the beach that drew us, but now we have grown to love exploring the little coastal towns like Saugatuck, Douglas, and St. Joseph.

Wine has a bad reputation of being complex and unapproachable and that's unfortunate. For me though, wine is fun and made to be enjoyed. That's why when I had the chance to combine two of my favorite things in life, I jumped at the opportunity. So today, I've taken five affordable wines and paired them with five different flavors from Jack Link's Jerky.

Chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, cabernet, port… The wine connoisseur you’re trying to buy for probably has a favorite bottle. And, because he loves wine, he probably has a varied collection ranging in years and varieties. Let’s go beyond finding a bottle of wine to gift him and look at some practical, unique, and fun gift ideas for your wine lover.

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.

Merlot has gotten a bad name in recent years and much of that stems from the famous line in the movie, Sideways, "If anyone orders Merlot, I'm leaving". Miles from the movie quite literally changed the popularity of this varietal of wine for millions of American wine drinkers - and indeed created a world-wide impact as well. Merlot isn't that bad but its reputation still suffers in the face of popular red wine alternatives including Cabernet Sauvignon and of course, Pinot Noir.  Let's take a deeper look at merlot and how you can better appreciate it once you get an opportunity to sample it at your favorite winery or wine bar.

Almost every month a friend or associate talks about visiting, or wanting to visit "California Wine Country". Inevitably this is their way of saying they are coming out to see Napa but the reality is that California has 160,000 square miles of vineyards and more than 1,200 wineries. This "California Wine Country" stretches from the Mexican border in the south, to near the Oregon border in the north. While I'm in love with all of the areas that I've explored so far, Sonoma is possibly my favorite to visit and I can't wait to plan another visit there later this year. It offers a blend of some of the world's best winemaking and viticultural talent, phenomenal soil and environment for growing grapes, and yet it is able to maintain a casual and laid back atmosphere that is all about celebrating life.

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.

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.

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?

To the uninitiated American, there are two places to go to when it comes to grabbing a bottle of sparkling wine for that holiday party... California and Champagne, France. While those are two of our favorite places too, we live in a world today where there are some fantastic bubbly wines found across the globe. Let's take a look at a few of our new favorites.

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.

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.

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!