CouchWine of the Day

This Friday is brought to you by Ridge Vineyards Three Valleys. Ridge makes incredible wines, and Three Valleys is no exception. This is #WhatImDrinkingNow.

Bold, robust flavors of both red and dark fruits are enhanced with exotic spices. Smooth and well balanced with round tannins, this wine is of excellent quality. And at $30 a bottle, it is at an accessible price point, too!

Highly recommend this wine for this weekend’s anticipated snow storm. It should be an essential item in your survival kit. Trust me.

Start a Wine Journal!

Research shows us that when we write things down, we receive a memory boost and can recall more later. So why not apply that same logic to wine? The world of wine can seem like a mystery – a realm of vast information. Knowing where to start to learn more on the topic can even be confusing. The good news is: you can start with a single bottle of wine and a notebook.

This notebook will be your own personal wine journal – a space where you can jot down notes every time you try a new wine. What kind of notes? Start with what is already on the label: name of the wine, grape variety, vintage (year), country (and region if available), price. Then, make your own personal notes. Include the experience as well: when you tried the wine, where you were, and who you shared the wine with. Complete each entry by giving the wine a rating between 1-5 with 5 being the highest. After logging several wines in your journal, the rating combined with your notes will be critical when remembering which wines you want to enjoy again, share with friends, or gift to others.

Keeping a wine journal throughout the year is a fun way to see how many different wines you’ve tried and also observe how your palate and preference changes over time. Cheers!