You are one of those “I hate red wine, I only drink white” kind of people? It’s fine.  This is America you are free to be who you want to be.  But that doesn’t mean you are right.    I would bet that the reason you don’t like red wine is because you probably have gone about it all wrong.   You are probably used to drinking fruit wine, sweet wines (click here to find out if it is wrong to drink sweet wine) , or even chardonnay.  Someone once probably served you a two year old red Napa Cabernet Sauvignon and your face puckered up like an old guy who forgot to put in his dentures, and you probably e spit it out thinking to yourself “who the heck can drink this crap”.  Starting out with a young Cabernet Sauvignon is like learning to ski on an Olympic downhill course instead of the bunny hill.  You simply started with the wrong red wine.  You went too fast too soon.   The reason your mouth puckered up and you did not enjoy th...

Amare Stoudemire takes baths in red wine to help him with his rehab and rejuvenate his body.   Click here to read the ESPN article and to see the video.   I wonder if a fine Bordeaux has more healing power then two buck chuck?

Drop what you are doing and immediately go to Costco and by as many bottles of Acrobat 2012 Oregon Pinot Noir $9.99.  It compares f avorably to wines costing $30.00 or more.  Don’t know if your Costco carry’s it but if it does you should buy as much as possible before they run out.  I got some at the Costco on Hayden in Scottsdale. It is spicy, smooth, has a wonderful floral aroma, and has the right balance between earthiness and fruit.  Unless you are having major surgery or giving birth you have no excuse for not taking my advice and buying some.  Go now, try some and let me know what you think.    Quit reading this and go already.  What are you still doing reading this?  Go!!!

Joe Cillo of Cleveland Ohio asks “what is the difference between a horizontal and a vertical wine tasting?”.  W ell Joe I know that for someone like you a horizontal tasting is the portion of a tasting after you have had too much to taste. But for others a horizontal tasting compares wines from the same year but from multiple producers. For example at a horizontal tasting you may taste nothing but 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon from Bogle, Kunde, BV, Grgich Hills, and Joel Gott.   That way, in comparing the wines, you get a better understanding of the wine style of that particular producer, and you can then decide which producers match your taste.    A vertical tasting involves wine from the same producer but from different years.  For example a vertical tasting may consist Ravenswood Zinfandel from 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012.  That way you get a better understanding of the each vintage in order to better understand the vintage that best fits your t...

Dolcetto is a wine from Piedmont region of Italy that has a confusing name.  Translated into English it means “sweet little one”, an odd name for a wine that is not sweet.  Dolcetto is a dry, fruity, slightly tannic (the characteristic of wine that makes your mouth pucker) wine with low acidity (the characteristic of wine that makes your mouth water).  It is made to drunk young so look for a vintage that is 3 years old or less. It pairs well with simple meals like Italian sausage, pasta with meat sauce, and pizza with meat toppings.  You might also enjoy it on a summer day when you are grilling steaks and it’s just too hot for a Cabernet or other big red wine.  Like the simple food that it pairs with it commands a simple price.  You can good a good bottle of Dolcetto for around $15 or less.    Give it a try and let me know what you think.  

Your wine guy has always viewed wine as a major component of a meal.  Like meat, dairy, fruit and vegetables I consider wine a major food group.  The many health benefits of wine, especially red wine, have been well documented. I may on occasion feel the effects of the wine I drink but I can’t recall (and not because of a blackout) the last time I was actually drunk.   For me and most other wine people it is about the experience not the alcohol. I have many friends and relatives that don’t drink wine for health reasons.  I feel bad for them but obviously health comes first.  I also have friends that seem to equate drinking wine with lying, cheating and stealing and as a sure ticket on a pathway to hell.  When I am with them and I have a glass of wine they are either visibly uncomfortable or find ways to communicate their disapproval.  It may not be fair but many times I don’t bother ordering wine when I am because the stress diminishes the en...

Mrs. Wine Guy was throwing a bridal shower for the future daughter in law recently.  My hope was that I would get to go visit one of my buddies or head over to the sports bar and watch a game on TV, or do some other manly pursuit.  That hope was short lived when the Mrs. WG asked “would you mind being the bartender”.  Knowing that no was not an option I lied and said “I’d be happy to honey.”  So there I was, committed to using up a perfectly good Sunday afternoon serving wine to 14 ladies.  I did not know about half of the ladies attending and I knew that at least four of them did not drink at all.  So I was selecting wine for at most 10 ladies.  Two were Mrs. Wine Guy and the bride’s mother both of which who have fairly sophisticated palates.  I have a niece that is a fan of Pinot Noir, and the bride to be that will only drink sweet wine , but the rest of them were uncharted territory.  I had to put my wine guy skills to the ...