On their own, food and wine each have their own distinct flavor profiles. When we combine them, they create a third flavor! One that doesn’t exist without both. Perfect pairings happen when two components come together in harmony on the palate. When we understand the building blocks of flavor, we can graduate to combining them!

The wines of Beaujolais are a foodie’s dream. The inherently low tannin, bright acidity, and fresh fruity/floral aromas and flavors of Beaujolais are enjoyed in bistros the world over, and these wines provide a reliable and inexpensive no-fuss option to pair with nearly anything you decide to create at home.

Syrah is one of the world’s greatest noble grape varieties. Its versatility is unmatched in the world of red wines and it provides beautifully unique styles the world over; from the Northern Rhone Valley to Paso Robles, Washington State to Chile, and Sonoma County to Australia.

Malbec comes from humble beginnings. In the Middle Ages, it was associated almost entirely with southwestern France and the ‘black wines’ of the Cahors region. The grape expanded its footprint in Bordeaux in the 1780s, but after Bordeaux’s destructive hard frost of 1956 Malbec was widely replaced with Merlot. After that, the grape went on to languish as something of an afterthought in France and greater Europe.

Carménère was one of the original red grapes of Bordeaux. After most of Europe’s vineyards were decimated in the late 1800s, Carménère was largely omitted during vineyard replanting and was eventually presumed extinct.

Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the world’s great noble grape varieties. It is the most-planted black-skinner wine grape in the world. It is the driving force behind many of the world’s most important wine regions, the main component in countless numbers of prestigious blends, and the most recognized and favored red wine on the worldwide market. As the saying goes: Cab is King!

Riesling [reese-ling] is the Queen of Grapes and the world’s most versatile white grape variety! Germany is the most important producer of Riesling, but excellent versions are made around the world. The wines made from this aromatic grape come in a range of styles from refreshingly bone-dry to lusciously sweet. High in fruity natural acidity, typically low in alcohol, and able to age for decades in bottle - Riesling has it all.

​Chardonnay is an early budding variety that makes it susceptible to frost damage, but it also ripens early which allows it to work well in areas that are cooler or have shorter growing seasons. Chardonnay performs well in a wide range of soils and climates; this is a factor that helped it to become one of the world’s most ubiquitous grape varieties.

Our celebration of Sustainability in Wine continues. Join me for a virtual visit to the beautiful land of Kiwis, a place synonymous with Sauvignon Blanc and beautiful landscapes: Marlborough, New Zealand. I'm joined by Spy Valley's Amanda Johnson for a close look at a leader in sustainable wine.

When you’re shopping for wine, how do you decide what you’re going to buy? For a lot of people, it comes down to things like price, packaging, and position in the store or website. Sometimes it comes down to a recommendation from a trusted source. Is your preferred source a publication? Influencer?

Have you ever wondered how wine is made? It’s not exactly something they cover in school! There are so many decisions to be made and each has an impact on the resulting wine. Nonetheless, the basic steps of the winemaking process are fairly consistent.

This week’s content is all about the FUN and creative side of describing wine. Last week, in How to Describe Wine: Part 1 of 2, we focused on the foundation of our descriptions: a wine’s structure. Now it’s time to bring your own unique perspective and expression to the composition of your descriptions. We’re introducing specific flavor profiles related to fruit, flowers, herbs, spices, oak, minerals, and the other nuances we’re learning to detect as we gain experience tasting wine.

If you’re someone who likes wine but struggles to put into words what you like specifically, this week’s content was created for you! As always, we’re starting with the basics. It’s easy to get turned off or intimidated by the way some people talk about wine. We're here to help!

You can analyze the fun out of anything, but that’s not what the process of learning to taste wine is all about. Tasting using a strategic approach is the best way to learn about different styles and better understand your preferences. Comparison is the key!

In July of 2021, I officially launched The Wine Ship. It’s been a wild seven months. A few key people will always stand out in my memory from those first crazy days and nights. Ian Devereux White is one of them.

In this week's episode, Montana lays out the major factors that contribute to the price of a bottle of wine: region, farming practices, winemaking, aging, packaging, marketing, shipping and distribution, and more!