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.

Paso Robles is an interesting example of the secret side of California. To many folks who have never visited the state, they think only of LA and San Francisco as well as possibly places like Yosemite and Tahoe. When it comes to "wine country" Napa and Sonoma are the go-to places that everyone thinks about. California's Central Coast region however is a completely unique area with wines that are just as good - and depending on your preferred varietal - maybe even better than those areas. However, what makes it truly unique is the backdrop of ranches and a feeling that you are in a completely different world than the rest of the state. That translates into wine tasting for sure... but also other great guys weekend activities such as hiking, off-road driving, and hunting too.

Tolosa Winery, located in San Luis Obispo's Edna Valley is a manages to match beautiful landscapes and a gorgeous tasting garden with some of Central Coast California's best wines.

Red wine is notorious for causing stains in clothing and fabric but the other day while sitting in a vineyard drinking a grenache of rose I began to wonder... will rose cause a wine stain too?  Sadly, the answer is yes but it will be less noticeable than with a deep heavy red wine like Cabernet Sauvignon or a Malbec. 

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.

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.

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.

California wine is respected around the world and has been leading the way in proving to the rest of the winemaking world that California has earned its spot next to the other leading wine regions. To some, this is a race to "We're Number One!" or "Napa is better than..." but the reality is that "California Wine" can be found throughout virtually every part of the state and has evolved from chasing popular vintages to innovating and creating a new generation of wine lovers that are willing to explore and try new things. I'm part of that group and as you can tell, I'm intensely passionate about wine even though I started out rejecting the coventional notion of what "wine" represented when I was younger. I know many of you share this view, so let's take a look at what makes California wine great and how individual parts of the state help make that happen.

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.

Members of the Millennial Generation tend to be more likely to get into craft beer than into great wines, which is a shame because many of them do not know what they are missing out on. Besides producing great beer, focused marketing is something that American craft breweries are really good at, and it is a business aspect that the wine industry should improve upon in order to invite younger aficionados.

You probably already know that California produces some of the world's best wines. The Wine Institute sent over some facts about California wine that you might not already know though. 

Like anything involving wine, there are nuances to questions that I get asked. For example, the question, "Should wine be refrigerated". The simple answer is "maybe" but the best condition for storing wine is generally not at 40 degrees Fahrenheit. While a wine chiller might be considered a refrigerator by some, it is not the same as simply storing your bottles in a standard refrigerator like you might have in your kitchen right now. Let's take a deeper look at this question though and examine the important role that temperature takes in storing wine.

Whenever you think about California winemakers, it is natural for your mind to gravitate towards established growing regions such as Sonoma and the Napa Valley; after all, these are places where vineyards routinely earn awards and widespread recognition. The truth about the Golden State is that it is blessed with numerous American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) beyond Napa and Sonoma, and one of the most overlooked is Lodi in the Central Valley.

One of the things I absolutely love about wine today is that it is no longer a domain of snobby rich folks that think it should only be one way. Today's wine industry is incredibly vibrant with product at virtually all price points and styles that are perfect for almost every guy out there. While I can enjoy a technically excellent vintage and I know enough fundamentals to hold my own at a professional wine tasting, I'm a firm believer that above all else - wine is meant to be enjoyed. 

By now, most of us have been hiding inside and stress is building up. While some of us are simply "done with" COVID, others are still being cautious. Heather and I fall into that later group but I've found a secret place about 90 minutes outside of downtown San Diego that is exactly what we needed for our mental health. We discovered Volcan Mountain last fall, before all this happened - but now, the winery has an even more special place in our hearts.

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!

Most guys who are new to wine think of iconic destinations like Napa and Sonoma as the places to go for wine. While I am a huge fan of California wines... the reality is that there are great wine regions all over the country. Some such as Lake Michigan Shore have gained prominence in recent years, while others such as the Snake River Valley AVA just west of Boise are lesser-known. What's great about these "undiscovered wine country" getaways is that they tend to be less expensive, more relaxed, and offer other opportunities to build a perfect getaway without making wine the singular focus.

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.

Drinking and driving is a serious subject and the best option is to hire a driver or assign a designated driver. That isn't the only solution though, but you will have to make some compromises to ensure that you, the car, and those around you remain safe. Over the years I've learned several techniques to stay safe while exploring wineries as well as brewery and distillery tours. Here are my best tips for staying safe while on a wine weekend road trip.

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.