A New Chapter: New Location, New Look, New Attitude, New Posts

After over a decade here at Wine-Girl.net, we’re moving. After Labor Day 2015, all new posts – of which there will be many – will be happening over on our Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/MyWineEducation.

Why? A couple of reasons:

1. Spammers and hackers. I can’t tell you how many times this site has been hacked over the last couple of years. No matter what I try, I can’t seem to protect it enough. Facebook has built-in protections and requires less banging-my-head-on-my-desk moments as a result.
2. Facebook allows long-form posts, such as we’re used to seeing on blogs. But it also is the perfect forum for short posts, such as a neat article or image that I come across and just want to quickly share. Not everything requires multiple paragraphs and Facebook will support both forms of sharing.
3. Facebook allows for interaction levels we can’t get on a blog. For years, more interaction was happening either on the Facebook post ABOUT the blog post or on Twitter. It’s time to move to where the interactions are, as I love to hear from you! You can like something or comment – it’s as much interaction as you choose to give.
4. I’m on Facebook anyway. Over the last 5 years, I’ve moved from Cincinnati to San Francisco to Atlanta. Quite frankly, I ran out of time for true blogging. While my heart was always there, time was never on my side. I was tired. But I always seemed to have time for quick posts on Facebook, mostly from my phone.
5. It’s time for a reboot. Due to the aforementioned lack of time, this site fell into disrepair, despite the valiant efforts of the team. I don’t even resemble my own logo anymore! It’s time for a new look and feel, and a new fresh attitude moving forward.

This site has always maintained the Facebook page but now all posts will be exclusive to that location. This site will still exist, so that the archives can be referenced, but all comments will be closed and no more new posts will appear here.

We plan on being quite busy in our newly refreshed digs though. Over the next couple of weeks, watch for a new logo and look and feel over on our Facebook Page. We invite you to join us for virtual drinks and celebrate our reboot. I can’t tell you how excited I am to be relaunching this blog and diving back into the world of wine.

Cheers!

 – Michelle

Gone but not forgotten …

I know we’ve been, well, dormant for the last year or so. Life does that occasionally. But we’re going to return with a vengeance soon, with a whole new way of accessing the content.

So hang on for another week or two and My Wine Education will be back, educating and learning as we go!

A White Wine (and a Brew) Review

By: Cresta

Cresta | My Wine Education

I prefer a Sauvignon Blanc from the Marlborough region of New Zealand (think Kim Crawford, Nobilo, Brancott Estates). But I really enjoyed the Pomelo 2013 California Sauvignon Blanc. Honestly, I was in a hurry the day I bought this, so I really didn’t think much about it. But it turns out the taste was great and the price was perfect at about $8.

So, the Pomelo is a giant citrus fruit native to Malaysia and thought to be an ancestor of the grapefruit…

And this wine smells exactly like grapefruit. It’s light and citrusy, but not overly sweet; somewhat tart but not bitter. I could absolutely taste the grapefruit, as well as some lemon, lime and citrus fruits. I think it’s a very refreshing wine with crisp acidity.

Sierra Nevada Summerfest

I am always willing to try a new beer. Last weekend I was looking for something different to enjoy outdoors. I discovered Sierra Nevada Summerfest (5% ABV), a crisp lager that really is refreshing.

I was pleasantly surprised at this beer’s fairly light-bodied wheat and mild citrus taste. It reminded me a lot of 312, although it’s a tad sweeter.  Although a pretty hoppy beer, the finish was not super bitter.

Try this one soon. It is a seasonal brew so it probably won’t be around much longer. In fact, some of the Fall beers are already on shelves.

Tempranillo from Spain

Actea Tempranillo 2012 was in our very last shipment from Vino Volo. Yes, we chose to give up the wine club for several reasons…at least for now.

Actea Tempranillo is a Vino Volo private label wine produced by the Jorge Ordonez Winery in Spain. According to Vino Volo, Ordonez imports the largest portfolio of Spanish wines to the U.S. This wine comes from central Spain’s historical La Mancha. Tempranillo is, of course, the country’s signature red.

Aromas of cherry and blackberry blend with earthy notes. This medium-bodied selection has bright red fruit flavors, along with a bit of cocoa and hints of herbs. It is mild and smooth with medium tannins and moderate acidity.

Not amazing, but a decent, drinkable wine.

Cresta | My Wine Education

What I’ve Tried Lately: Nice Red Wines

By: Cresta

William Hill Estate Merlot Napa Valley 2009 is a smooth, enjoyable Merlot.

This is a full-bodied wine with nice structure and a velvety finish. Tastes of plum and cherry blend well with the smoke and spice flavors of this wine. Now is the time to drink!

Average price: $25

Alamos Red Blend 2012, Medoza-Argentina

This is a nice red blend, especially at the price of around $13.

This earthy and spicy full-bodied wine offers ripe blackberry and cherry in front of a flavor that’s full of vanilla oak and hints of chocolate. A bit light and sweet at first, it has a smooth taste, lush tannins and a nice, somewhat dry finish.

The grapes in the Alamos Red Blend include Malbec, Tempranillo, Syrah, Bonarda, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot.

I give both of these reds a