What To Wear To a Winery

 

featured:

dress (similar) or this one  | tassel necklace (similar) | thong sandal | straw tote | fedora (similar) | sunglasses

It's wine season here in New Jersey. Local vineyards are gearing up for summer events including wine tastings, vineyard tours, and outdoor concerts. If you are unsure what to wear on a warm summer afternoon or evening while sipping tasty local wines, read on.

Slipdress - You want to be casual, comfortable, and stylish for a wine tasting. An easy slipdress is perfect for the occasion. This one is another inexpensive but cute option.

Tassel Necklace - Kick the dress up a notch by adding a fabulous necklace.

Straw Fedora - Hats are stylish and functional. Protect your skin and look good in the process with a straw fedora.

Sandals - Chances are you'll be doing some walking at a vineyard. If you're planning to tour the grounds, a flat sandal is your best choice.

Straw Tote - A wine tote is a must-have accessory. With room for a bottle of wine, acrylic glasses, a wine opener, a wine stopper, and more, this chic tote will hold all of your essentials.

Sunglasses - Vineyards aren't known for their shade, so be sure to bring your sunnies with you.

If you plan on staying in to the evening, grab a blazer or a denim jacket for later.

The key is to be comfortable while still maintaining your style. Simplicity is the focus of this outfit. Wine is easy. Your outfit should be as well.

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5 Gifts For Every Wine Lover

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If you've got someone on your gift list who is a big fan of wine, you may be surprised by how many wine accessories are out there for gifting. Every wine lover needs the ideal wine gadgets to make that glass of satisfaction taste even sweeter. Here are five gift ideas for the wine lover on your list.

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3 Easy and Inexpensive Last Minute Gift Ideas

The countdown is on! With only 10 days until Christmas Day, it's time to think fast and be prepared. If you've been busy, no problem. If you've procrastinated, I've got you covered. Have no fear. I've got five easy and inexpensive last minute gift ideas that will save you right here.

1. A Bottle of Wente® Vineyards Wine
You can never go wrong with a bottle of wine. Although it may seem like an unoriginal gift, a bottle of wine never goes to waste. I was introduced to Wente Vineyards last year, and I've happily been drinking the wine ever since. Wente produces a great bottle of wine that tastes expensive but isn't. Most bottles are under $30, with the chardonnay coming in at under $24.

Wrap a bottle of Wente Vineyards wine in a pretty package, and you've got the perfect gift that any recipient will love.

2. A Favorite Book
Everyone loves a good book even if the recipient isn't an avid reader. If she's a foodie, get her a cookbook. If you've got a traveler on your list, get them a book about a favorite destination. Coffee table books are insanely popular and serve as great conversation pieces at parties. A little light reading goes great with wine too!

3. A Monthly Subscription
What I love about monthly subscription boxes is that there are so many options these days. From fashion to beauty to books to food, you can find anything for anyone. I bought my husband monthly subscription to a sock box, and he loves it. He looks forward to his package every month. It's the gift that keeps on giving, and the recipient will think of you each month when her package arrives.

Whether you go with wine, a book, or a subscription box, these last minute gifts are easy to find, inexpensive, and are fun to give!

Happy Holidays!!

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Self-Care: A Necessity Not A Luxury

 

Somewhere along the lines of becoming mothers, we stop prioritizing ourselves and focus solely on the care of our children. It's the natural progression of things. Our children and families demand much of our time, and naturally, we put our care last on our long list of to-dos.

That nightly glass of wine? Nope. No time for that. An at-home wine tasting with some girlfriends? Can't do it when you have driving duty for the school dance. An extra hour of sleep? Sleep. What's that?

My oldest daughter celebrated her 15th birthday a few days ago, and when I look back on her early years and the amount of time I dedicated to her versus to myself, I realize there was quite an imbalance. And for good reason.

But over the course of the past few years and as my daughters have gotten older and more independent (they are 15 and 11 now), I've started to devote more time to self-care.

Self-care is a must for our overall well being. If we can't take good care of ourselves, we can't take good care of anyone else. So, it's time to step up and challenge yourself to start taking care of yourself and making time for yourself.

Here are a few of the ways I practice self-care.

1. Exercise Regularly
I used to be a yo-yo exerciser. I could count the number of times I went to the gym each month on one hand and still have a few fingers to spare. But at the beginning of the year, I made a promise to myself to devote more time to regular exercise and finding what I love and making time for it. For me that's yoga and walking. Now, I am at the gym at least 5 times per week splitting my time between the fitness center and yoga classes.

2. Relax and Unwind
As moms we lead busy, hectic, and chaotic lives. From being chefs to chauffeurs and everything in between, who has time to relax? You do! Thursday, May 25th is National Chardonnay Day. If you can't squeeze in some time before then to unwind, block off the evening on your calendar to spend some time by yourself or with a few girlfriends on your patio enjoying a glass of Wente® Vineyards Morning Fog Chardonnay.

I love heading out to my deck in the early evening before dinner to enjoy a glass of wine. It's so peaceful and gives me just enough time to recover from the day before dinner and bedtime. Another favorite spot is on my front porch. Sometimes I grab a magazine and head for the rocking chair or I'll wait around to catch neighbors who are walking their dogs after dinner.

3. Eat Clean Foods

Somehow when I started consistently working out, I also started consistently eating right. They go hand in hand, and when you start doing one, you automatically start doing the other. As with anything, I allow myself wiggle room and all things in moderation, including wine!

4. Get Plenty of Quality Sleep
This has always been difficult for me. I've never been a good sleeper. I don't particularly like naps, unless I've had an awful night's sleep the night before. However, as I've aged, I am finding that a quality 7-8 hours is necessary for me to perform optimally the following day. Plus, now that I am exercising regularly, it has gone a long way in helping me keep a regular sleep schedule.

What do you do to practice self-care? Do you treat yourself to something special each day, week, or month?

Do you like to enjoy a glass of wine occasionally? And if so, who are you raising your glass to honor?

Wente Vineyards can help you toast someone special. Click here to locate where you can purchase Wente Morning Fog Chardonnay so you can enjoy a glass on National Chardonnay Day.

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My Favorite Rosé Wines

I started taking rosé wines seriously about two years ago after I bought a bottle of Whispering Angel when I saw it on another blogger's Instagram. She raved about it, so I decided to give it a try. One sip, and I was hooked. I set out to try as many rosé wines as I could. Surprisingly, they were hard to find two years ago. But today, rosés are en vogue and are much more accessible.

Here are 4 of my favorites:

1. Chateau d'Esclans Whispering Angel $20/bottle
This pink is irresistible. It's not overwhelmingly sweet but has the nicest hints of berries. It's incredibly refreshing and pairs well with anything from seafood to steaks to chips and guacamole.

2. 90+ Cellars $10/bottle
This is another real deal rosé that's not sickeningly sweet. A surprising combination of white pepper, cotton candy, and Provencal herbs make for a delicious wine.

3. Breezette Cotes De Provence $14/bottle
I love that this crisp and simple rosé wine contains rich exotic fruits such as pineapple and red grapefruit and has the slightest splash of sea salt.

4. Lorenza $18/bottle
I love the sleek label on this rosé. But in addition to a cool label, this rosé boasts hints of guava, passionfruit, and tart cherry. It's a must have poolside this summer!

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DIY Wine Cork Chalkboard

I love DIY projects that are relatively easy and don't need a ton of supplies. I don't have the patience required for long, drawn out projects that require several trips to the craft store to stock up on the supplies.

When I came across this DIY wine cork chalkboard, I thought it would be perfect for my short craft attention span.


I've been collecting wine corks for years, mostly for sentimental reasons, but I had a feeling they'd be useful one day.

They certainly came in handy for this project.

Supplies You'll Need:

• Hot glue gun and glue sticks
• Wine corks (number will vary depending on the size of the chalkboard
• One chalkboard (any size), preferably one with a wooden frame around the perimeter
• Large piece of posterboard or newspaper to use as a work surface

Instructions:
1. Start by arranging the corks around the perimeter of the chalkboard. Place the corks in the pattern that you'll want them to appear in the finished product. Slowly slide them off the frame and place them to the side, being careful to keep them in order.

2. Pick a corner and start there. Place a generous amount of glue on a cork and firmly place on the border. Hold in place for a few seconds. Continue gluing the corks around the perimeter of the chalkboard until you have finished.

3. Once all corks are firmly glued in place, allow to dry for one hour. Once the frame is dry, write a fun sentiment on the chalkboard and place it on display.

Click HERE to see more DIY projects that I've tackled.

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Five Fab Finds {Chocolate Edition}

This week, I'm all about chocolate. I've been craving its mouth watering goodness in any form. Here are the ways I've been satisfying my cravings.

{Wine, grapes, and chocolate (my new favorite kind) for dessert}

{Chocolate croissants from La Boulange at Starbucks}

{The ultimate comfort food for me is chocolate chip cookies. These cookies by Tate's Bake Shop are the best when I don't feel like making my favorite recipe.}

{An all-time favorite nail polish color, chocolate cakes from Essie}

Thinking outside the box with this one.

{My latest music obsession is The 1975's song titled "Chocolate"}

What are you crushing on this week? Leave a comment and let me know if you've found something that you think I'd love.

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Wine Wednesday: The Pinot Project

When I was diagnosed with rosacea, I was forced to give up drinking red wine regularly. Red wine aggravated my rosacea, causing painful flare-ups. Although I've made a permanent switch to white wine, there are special occasions that call for a nice bottle of red. (And the Hubs loves his reds, so if we are celebrating, we usually go with a nice red).

Over the holidays, we enjoyed several different bottles of red. My favorite, by far, was The Pinot Project, a delicious and affordable Pinot Noir from California.

It's nearly impossible to find an affordable and tasty Pinot Noir. By affordable, I mean under $30/bottle. So, when the Hubs brought this one home, I was skeptical. But once I had my first sip, I was pleasantly surprised.

Taste
Going from drinking whites to red can be quite a transition. Reds are much bolder than whites. The Pinot Project, however, was incredibly smooth and delicate. It would make a great summer red, too. The lightweight texture was similar to the heavier whites that I drink, but it wasn't so lightweight that you forget that it's a red. The Pinot Project is definitely a red white and worthy of serious consideration as a formidable Pinot Noir.

Price
You can't go wrong at $13 per bottle for a Pinot. The Pinot Project is an incredible value for the money.

Try it! Let me know if you like it.

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POM Best of 2012 - Top 10 Posts {Readers' Choice}

I thought I'd put together a compilation of readers' favorite posts from 2012. These are the top 10 posts according to traffic stats from Google Analytics. Some actually surprised me while others were a given.

1. Best App for Beginning Runners: Couch-to-5K from Active.com
Who would have thought that writing about an app would garner so much traffic? I guess I need to write about apps more frequently.

2. Theraderm Skin Renewal System - Product Review
When I first tried the Theraderm Skin Renewal System, I had no idea how it would transform my skin. If you suffer from rosacea or any incurable skin condition, you need to read this review.

3. Fashion Friday: Beach Chic
Options for looking your chicest when you hit the beach.

4. My Athlete Crush: Barry Zito
Be still my beating heart.

5. A Mother's Day Special: You Know You're a Mom of Girls When...

I had always wanted daughters. Little did I know that little girls come with little idiosyncrasies.

6. Fashion Friday ~ The Color of Summer: Tangerine

Tangerine was the color of summer, and it looks as if the citrus colors are here to stay. Summer 2013 fashions are popping up in stores in bright shades of orange, yellow, and green.

7. The Letter that Landed My Daughter on the Safety Patrol

Just another example of the innocence of childhood.

8. Fifty Shades of Grey: Everybody Else Is Reading It, So Why Aren't You?
Oh, Mr. Grey, and his twitchy palm...

9. Thirsty Thursday: 5 Perfect Warm Weather Cocktails
Unleash your inner mixologist with these fun and tasty cocktails.

10. How to Host a Wine Tasting Party
After having attended a blind wine tasting, I put together this post. It is a great way to get the girlfriends together and learn about wine!

Do you have a favorite Pieces of a Mom post that isn't included here? I'd love to know what it is!

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How to Host a Wine Tasting Party

A few weeks ago I attended a blind wine tasting. Take my word for it, it was fun and informative, but if you don't quite believe me, you can check out my post here.

Wine should be fun not intimidating or overwhelming. One of the best ways to get to know wine is to host a wine tasting. Whether you're a novice or an expert, a wine tasting is a great way to get together with friends and share some laughs as well as wine knowledge.

Here are some steps to follow to make it a success:

1. Choose the type of tasting (1 month in advance)
You can be as general or as specific as you want. I attended a red wine tasting. We were free to choose any type of red wine from any region around the world. Here are a few suggestions for types to get you started:

General

• Any red wines
• Any white wines
• Sparkling wines

Wines by region

• California reds
• California whites
• Italian reds
• French whites
• Chilean reds
• Australian whites

By price point

• Under $10
• $10 - $20
• $20 - $35
• $35 - $50
• and so on

2. Create a guest list and invite your guests (3 weeks prior)

Inviting a cross section of your friends will keep the party and conversation lively. Keep the number of wines between 6 and 8. You can certainly invite more than 8 guests. If you do, have every 2 guests share the cost of one bottle of wine. The wine tasting I attended was kindergarten moms who were getting together for the first time outside of class parties and activities. It was a great way to get to know each other and to get to know wine.

Send invitations using evite.com. Make suggestions for varietals to bring. Ask guests to post the varietal that they will be bringing in their reply so that there are no duplicates. When using evite.com, every invitee will be have access to the replies and the types of wines that each attendee is bringing. The last thing you want at a wine tasting is a bunch of duplicates.

For example, if you were planning to host a white wine tasting, you might suggest the following list.
Riesling
Pinot Gris
Pinot Grigio
Sauvignon Blanc
Moscato
Sancerre
Chardonnay
Semillon

3. Create a tasting card (anytime prior to the tasting)
Include the varietals of wine that will be featured at the tasting. The tasting card should include a brief description of each type of wine. Make space below each description to record tasting notes such as appearance, aroma, and flavor.

To make the tasting challenging (and even more fun) have a blind tasting. Asks guests to bring the bottles already wrapped in foil or a brown paper bag. The host will number the bottles prior to the tasting.

The guest who is able to correctly identify the most wines wins a prize (a favorite bottle of wine, a wine accessory, or a book). Guests can pitch in prior to the tasting for the prize, and the hostess or another guest can volunteer to purchase it.

4. Must serve food!
I probably should have listed this as #1. It is a must at any wine tasting. Ask each guest to bring a favorite appetizer or finger food to enjoy before the tasting gets started. Wine and cheese are synonymous together so be sure that at least one or two people bring a few types of cheeses. And of course, I'm a big fan of wine and chocolate together. I always volunteer to bring the chocolates!

5. Don't take the wine or yourselves too seriously
There is nothing worse than a wine snob. It's a huge turn-off for me. While I do enjoy someone who is knowledgeable about wine, I don't like a wine snob. If you consider yourself an expert, leave the judgement at the door and come to have a good time and impart your insights on others in a non-condescending manner. Trust me, everyone will appreciate your expertise if shared in a way that is not threatening.

6. The big reveal
After all of the wines have been poured and tasted, remove the wrappers from each bottle and tally the correct guesses for each person. This is the best part of the evening. I thought I had at least 4 wines out of 8 correctly guessed. I was confident. As it turned out, I had 1 correct guess. Haha!

HELPFUL HINTS:
- Give each guest one wine glass and one water glass.

- Keep a pitcher of water on the table at all times so that guests can cleanse their palettes in between wines and rinse their glasses between pours.

- Serving plain bread and plain crackers is a great way for guests to cleanse their palettes as well.

- Keep a bucket on the table so that guests may discard any undesirable wine between pours.

- Serve 2 ounces of wine per glass, per tasting for each type of wine.

- Above all else, have fun!!!

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Friday Fun: GNO Mom's Wine Tasting

Two weeks ago the moms from Harper's kindergarten class got together for a wine tasting. It was the first time that we came together as a group outside of school activities or birthday parties.

What a fun way to get to know each other and get to know wine!

Our organizer and hostess, Whitney, asked each of us to bring a different type of red wine. If we had a particular favorite, we were encouraged to bring it. Otherwise, we could randomly choose a wine from her list of varietals.

We decided on a blind tasting. Whitney kindly provided a printout with tasting notes for each varietal, but the contents of each bottle were top secret!

Ladies who wine!

Laughter was plentiful.

The big reveal!

It was unanimous. We had 2 favorites.

Wine #2 - Simi Cabernet Sauvignon, more info here.

Wine #8 - DaVinci Chianti, more info here.

If you're looking for a fun way to get together with a new group of friends, a wine tasting is perfect. Whether you are a wine enthusiast or a novice, a blind tasting is can be fun and educational for everyone.

Check back next week when I'll be posting tips on organizing and hosting your own wine tasting.

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Friday Fun: Mirassou Wines #mirassou

It's Friday! It's the unofficial start of summer! It's time to kick back, unplug, and enjoy the first weekend of the summer season. Woo hoo!

In addition to paying tribute to the wonderful servicemen and service women of our country, I am also paying tribute to Mirassou wines. Mirassou is the official wine sponsor of Bloggy Boot Camp. At the close of each Bloggy Boot Camp, the SITS girls host a fabulous cocktail party featuring the wines of Mirassou.

My favorites were the sauvignon blanc and the pinot grigio. Hey, it's summer. I like a nice, crisp, chilled white wine. The word on the street was how yummy the moscato was. I gave it a shot knowing that it's a bit sweeter than I prefer. I have to say, it was tasty, but I just can't get into the lingering sweetness.

The cocktail parties always include a "red carpet" complete with some fun props. Jessica and I had some fun with the signage!

Be sure to check out the many varietals of Mirassou wines. They are such a great value for the money. Most bottles cost about $12 and can be found at many locations throughout the U.S.

You must be 21 to consume alcoholic beverages. When doing so, please drink responsibly. No drinking and driving, and no drinking and texting!

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Wine.com: All Things Wine at Your Fingertips

You know how I much I enjoy wine. There are so many great wines out there, but not all are available at my local wine stores. When I can't find what I am in search of, I turn to Wine.com, a trusted online wine resource. Wine.com caters to every wine need from individual wine purchases to gift baskets. They offer a great selection, low prices, convenient delivery, and all the information you need to make informed choices about wine.

Wine.com makes learning about wine fun and informative. They've posted this fun graphic detailing the history of Champagne. Who doesn't love a glass of bubbly??!!


Brought To By Wine.com, Purveyors of Fine Wine and Champagne

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. All opinions expressed herein are mine.

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Wordless Wednesday: LMAO!!! Wine

The Hubs picked this bottle of wine up for me last week. I couldn't have chosen a better bottle for myself. The bonus: it's tasty!

To find out more about this wine and other varietals from TXT Cellars, click here.

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Drink-U-Lator: I LOVE this app!

Have you ever had a party and ended up with too much of one type of alcohol and not enough of another type? Like the time you had way too much beer but not enough wine? I stress over this every time I host a party. Of course, I don't mind a few extra bottles of wine hanging around the house. However, if you are on a tight budget and want to get the accurate amount of alcoholic beverages for a party, read on.

The Wine Sisterhood's Drink-U-Lator app for the iPhone and Android comes to the rescue for each and every party. You'll never disappoint your friends again. This handy calculator takes into account the number of guests and their beverage preferences. It then tells you just how much wine, beer, or spirits you'll need to have on hand to keep your guests happy.


Drink-U-Lator is super simple to use:

1. Enter to number of people who will be attending the party.

2. Choose the mix of beverages that your guests prefer to drink by clicking on wine, beer, or spirits.

3. Use the slider to pick the percentage of wine drinkers you anticipate in attendance.

Voila! Drink-U-Lator gives you a bottle by bottle breakdown for your beverage run.

Keep in mind that quanitities are guidelines. Save leftovers for your next shindig. Don't forget to be a responsible host by keeping plenty of non-alcoholic drinks accessible to your guests and providing a safe way for them to get home.

For more on Wine Sisterhood's Drink-U-Lator app, check out this video.

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Enjoy wine? Read my latest post on Jersey Bites!

I am by no means a wine expert, but I like to think that I drink enough of it to know a thing or two about it. People travel the world in search of great wines, crossing the globe and touching down in France, Italy, Spain, Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Argentina, and here in the United States. But you don’t have to trek around the world or across the country to savor the perfect glass of wine.


Read More...

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Wine Accessory of the Week: Wine Tags

How many times have you been at a party, either your own or someone else's, when you've put down your wine glass for just a moment, and you've returned to find two identical wine glasses with the same amount of wine in them? Or how many times have you been to a party when you haven't, for the life of you, been able to recall an acquaintance's name?

Yeah. Awkward.

I've found a solution for all those awkward wine and social situations. These name/wine glass tags will save you the embarrassment of forgetting someone's name and from picking up the wrong wine glass.

The cutest, right?

These ever-so-clever "nice-to-meet-you" tags are erasable and are $12 for a set of 6.

They are available for puchase at http://www.fredflare.com/


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Wine of the Week: flipflop Pinot Grigio

Once again, it was the label of this wine that reeled me in. With fun, bright colors like this, I thought the wine would be just as fun and tasty. But at $7.99/bottle, I was a bit skeptical but ever so willing to give it a try.

I opened it on Saturday evening while we were enjoying a perfect spring evening on the deck. I'm not sure if it was the ideal weather conditions of the evening or the loveliness of the wine, but the combination of the two was heavenly.

flipflop wines are produced in California, and the primary goal of the vintner, David Georges, is to craft "expressive, well-balanced, wines that evoke just what the grapes inside intended." flipflop strives to produce a wine that does not require over-explaining and can be enjoyed by the masses.

The flipflop Pinot Grigio is light and refreshing with hints of citrus. With a zesty finish, this Pinot Grigio is best paired with light pasta dishes (carbonara, light cream sauces). I found it to be extremely satisfying with grilled chicken breasts and a mixed salad. As with any Pinot Grigio, it is best served chilled.

At about $8 per bottle, this wine is perfect for any budget and occasion.

As if producing a great wine isn't good enough, for every bottle of flipflop wines purchased Soles4Souls will donate one pair of shoes to someone in need.

To learn more about flipflop wines and to see the various varietals that flipflop produces, visit the Web site.

Disclosure: I was not compensated to write this post. All opinions expressed herein are strictly mine.

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Wine of the Week - Layer Cake Shiraz

I'm not going to lie. It was the label of this wine that did it for me. Cake. How can you resist?

All kidding aside... It won't be long before the reds are retired to the wine cellar (read: wine rack in the dining room). Once the warm weather hits, it's white wines until the air becomes brisk again. I decided to try Layer Cake Shiraz while the air is still nippy. And I wasn't disappointed.

Produced in South Australia, Layer Cake Shiraz is a dark and complex wine. Although I tasted hints of fruits, I couldn't quite put my finger on the exact fruits. I had to refer to the Layer Cake Web site for some help. According to the site, Layer Cake Shiraz contains complex aromas of black plum, Bing cherry, and blackberry. My guess is that there's quite an infusion of blackberry because of the overwhelmingly dark color of the wine. I liked the fruity undertones and could taste of hint of chocolate.

This wine is best paired with a light meal or appetizers. Because it is robust, Layer Cake Shiraz goes well with a light dish such as Penne Vodka or Chicken Piccata. And don't forget to enjoy it with a slice of layer cake!

At about $14 per bottle, it's easy to stock up on Layer Cake Shiraz!

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Wine of the Week: Bohemian Highway Sauvignon Blanc

I"ll admit that what caught my eye first was the label of this wine. It's colorful and a bit retro with a hint of Grateful Dead. Although the label drew me in, the price kept me there. At $8.99/bottle, Bohemian Highway's Sauvignon Blanc didn't require a whole lot of thought or effort to put the bottle in my basket.

I couldn't wait to try it. Later that evening after getting a good chill on the wine, I opened the bottle, poured a glass, and savored my first sip. I was pleasantly surprised. A wine in this price range can go either way, and in most cases, it goes by way of my kitchen sink's drain. But not this crisp, clean white wine by Bohemian Highway.

The wine description per Bohemian Highway's Web site, "The Sauvignon Blanc strikes the ideal balance between lush, tropical fruit flavors and bright, refreshing herbaceous notes. Its well-balanced acidity and crisp finish make it a great addition to any meal. And its fruit-forward pleasing style echoes the relaxed style of Bohemian Highway lifestyle."

Located in Napa, California, Bohemian Highway takes its name from the famed stretch of Northern California highway that winds through vineyards and redwood forests and stretches to the Pacific Ocean. The award-winning wines are aptly named for the artists and adventure seekers who ventured down the route years ago in pursuit of an easy-going and relaxed lifestyle that defines California.

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