wine tasting

Good Monday, friends! I say it every week, but I can’t believe the weekend flew by so quickly. We got a ton done as far as setting up work appointments on our old condo and our new house. I feel like I will be qualified to be a contractor by the time all of this buying and selling is over. It’s been nonstop roofing, plumbing, heat conversion, solar panels, painting, etc. It will all be worth it in the end, but for now it is definitely a part time job!

One thing that always makes us happy is finding a new wine and learning about/reading about wine in general. I pin a lot of wines to my wine Pinterest board so that I can keep track of what wines I have liked and certain wine and food pairings. It’s fun to check in every now and then to share wines I am loving, and that’s the purpose of today’s post. As always, I love hearing from you, so if there’s a must-try wine you want to share, please let met know in the comments!

Massachusetts wine shipping laws make it difficult for us to get all the wine we want from outside the state, so I am thankful for a mom who does not mind receiving wine shipments! We discovered Cartograph on a trip to Sonoma County a couple of years ago, and have been huge fans since. First. they are the nicest people ever. Second, their wine is outstanding, which just makes us want to talk about it. Their Floodgate Vineyard Pinot Noir is simply a joy, with bright bursts of berry and a little earthy funk. It’s everything Pinot Noir should be, and it makes us dream of a trip to their new Healdsburg tasting room!

Fetzer Sundial Chardonnay is all about flavor and big value. You can pick up a bottle for around $8, and this Chardonnay is just easy-drinking and fun and fruity with a rich, yet not overwhelming finish.

While we lean toward California wine a lot of the time, we have also been making an effort to try and buy wines that are from outside the US, as well as wines from other regions in the US. This Stylo Old Vines Garnacha is all fruit and a nice touch of acidity. Think cherries and strawberries, with a mouthwatering finish, all wrapped up in a lovely, light garnet color. We picked this wine up after a wine tasting at Bin Ends, and we are wishing we purchased more.

This LaMarca Proscecco was part of a recent Sunday brunch at Steel & Rye. We drank bubbly because we were catching up with good friends, it was Sunday Funday, and because sparkling wine is a great addition to any meal! I don’t always love Prosecco because there are times pear flavors completely overwhelm my palate. The LaMarca Prosecco is different and had more tart notes of citrus and brioche. It’s a great brunch bubbly!

The wines on tap at Beat Hotel are also a great addition for Boston area wine lovers. Beat Hotel has become one of my favorite spots, and I love their wine list, which is heavy with Rhone varieties from California. The Topanga Vineyards Grenache Blanc and the Black Sheep Finds Rousanne are both favorites I discovered, thanks to the restaurant’s variety of pour sizes.

If you are interested in reading more wine posts and photos, stop by The Collectionary Wine Club, where moderators share photos of wines and other information.