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Southwest Life

Montalcino: An alternative to Chianti

It’s all too easy for lovers of Chianti to stick with what they know. Chianti and its big brother Chianti Classico can be wonderful wines, but there are alternatives similar in pr...

Pairing wine for the perfect winter feast

’Tis the season for family, friends and feasts. For those having turkey, please reference my Every celebration is best kicked off with an amuse-bouche – a bite sized hors d’oeuvres – along...

Why the stemware holding your wine matters

Does the shape of your wine glass really make a difference? The answer ultimately depends on your objective. Sure, enjoying your wine out of a coffee mug or mason jar will still ...

What to pair with your holiday feast

The question is always asked: Which wine pairs best with turkey and the typical accompaniments of a Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner? The answer has evolved over the years and is ...

This holiday season, seek out an artisan Champagne

The holiday season is quickly approaching. Holiday and family gatherings always require bubbles – or sparkling wines. It’s all too easy to grab the recognizable bottle, but for th...

Take time to stop and smell the rosés

Do dusty cherries, licorice, rose petals and sandalwood with a hint of tar sound intriguing? Following last edition’s focus on palate and tasting assessment, we’ll now focus on bo...

Are you truly tasting wine to its fullest?

Most of us enjoy wine with friends, family and, occasionally, strangers. Sometimes it’s just an aperitif or cocktail; other times, it’s to celebrate a birthday, anniversary, family reunion o...

5 rules for successful wine pairing

The cliché is true: red with red, white with white. That’s the simplest way of clearing up confusion about wine pairing. While this basic advice covers virtually any meal and wine pairing, t...

South Africa’s wines: From 1650s to today

Over the past 20 years, we have witnessed a significant increase in quality wine from South Africa. Grapes, though, have been grown in and around Cape Town since the 1650s. The So...

The deep, red wines of Portugal

Portugal is best known for their fortified dessert wines from Oporto and their fun and spritzy Vinho Verdes. Albeit, cork production there exceeds wine production. However, over t...

Toro: Spain’s other red wine

For lovers of Spanish reds, the great wines of Rioja, Ribera del Duero, Priorat and Jumilla are the classic standouts. However, many have yet to discover the relatively new Denominacion de O...

Sardinia’s wines might get you to 100

It is rumored that the longevity of the Sardinian people is due to the high concentrations of resveratrol in their wine. Resveratrol is a polyphenol found in the skins of grapes, ...