Palate

Oh, sister, I am so excited to introduce you to this month’s wines! All of them come from a great company out of Napa Valley called Wine Sisterhood (don’t you just love the name??). And how appropriate that Her Nashville readers are among the first “sisterhood” in Tennessee to read about them.

This month I turned over a new leaf. Sensing it was time for a change, I implemented a new method for selecting which wines to review each month. Instead of my husband and me keeping the tastings and fun to ourselves, we decided to form a wine panel to get a variety of input ... a better reflection of the general population and its palate preferences. Keep in mind, though, that this wasn’t your average, run-of-the-mill wine panel. In fact, it was quite the opposite. There were eight of us who got together on an unbearably hot night.

I have the incredible good fortune to be coming off of a week at the beach as I write about this month’s wines. As I stared out over the Gulf of Mexico and her azure blue and turquoise waters, I began to think about wine (shocker, I know!). Seriously, though, it’s more than just something we drink; it’s something that transports us to a different place.

Wine grapes can be grown and produced in many places around the globe, and the very best grapes come from places with just the right soil or elevation or weather ... sometimes even a combination of the three. We hear about wine from California, France, Australia, and Italy a lot; these are the most desirable locations to make great wine. However, that club is not an exclusive one, and as you may have gathered, I have a nose for the offbeat, the obscure, the underdogs, and the unknowns.

I recently had a birthday, and it was one of those occasions that gave me pause. I was reminded again how important it is to take time for some fun now and then. My advice? Grab some wine and go anywhere warm — the beach, the boat, or even the backyard. And bring some of this month’s fabulous wines with you. Behold, three whites and three reds.

Black Box Sauvignon Blanc, East Coast, New Zealand (2008)

After what seems like a year-long winter, isn’t it nice to relish the warmer weather? Getting into the spirit of spring, all of this month’s wines are festive, light, fun, and absolutely delicious! Since it’s easy to get wrapped up in the world of chardonnay and merlot,  this month we take a sharp departure from the ordinary to explore the varietal roads less travelled with one bubble, two whites, and two reds.

Tosti Asti, Italy, Non-Vintage

With spring in the air, flavor and fauna are what typically come to my mind. As the world awakens from its winter slumber, we’re offered an array of fresh sights, sounds, and scents. As your mind and spirit observe spring’s signs of new life and new beginnings, why not treat your palate to the same?

This month I present a full complement of unique and flavorful wines that nudge you ever-so-slightly outside your comfort zone. Dabble in some playful experimentation with these wines, all of which leave a little something to the imagination.

One of my New Year’s resolutions was to live prudently, not lavishly but not frugally either, and a month in, I’m doing pretty well! I don’t believe that sacrificing lifestyle is very good for a woman’s well being, especially during a time when we need our well being more than ever. This year — 2010 — may very well represent the end of a deep and long recession in this country, and with that in mind, we must continue to conservatively dote on ourselves while supporting the economy through smart spending.

Welcome to December, the most frantic, festive, and joyous time of the year. This month is full of engagements; between family functions, work parties, and social gatherings, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Plus, many questions arise regarding what wine to bring to what function. What’s the proper protocol?  Showing up with anything is good enough in my book, but let’s take a look at what’s appropriate.

“Thanksgiving is an emotional holiday. People travel thousands of miles to be with people they only see once a year. And then discover once a year is way too often.”
— Johnny Carson