by whitney on January 6, 2013
So, you’ve been asked to bring wine to a party and you have no idea what wine to choose. We’ve all been there. What are they serving? You have no idea. Do they like red or white? Who knows. How many people will be there? Plenty. Therefore, when in doubt, go big. Go magnum.
Why more people don’t use this party trick is beyond me. It looks impressive and it’s fun for people to pour. And for whatever reason, it just feels fancier. Guess what? It’s not going to break the piggy bank either. You can get a a lot of great magnums (equal to 2 bottles of wine) for under $50. I tend to bring bubbly or a versatile red to a party, but whether you settle on a white or red or whatever, you’ll be everyone’s wine hero.
Photos from our all magnum Domaine LA staff holiday dinner.
by whitney on November 4, 2012
Q: Can you put some ice in this for me? Or am I not supposed to, like, dooooo that? – My mother
A: Hey Mom, ain’t no shame in the ice game. When it comes to certain types of wine. I’m not recommending putting ice cubes in your Cedric Bouchard Champagne, but when you’ve got a wine that is basically really good adult Kool-Aid? Come on! Ice is fine.
My mother first posed that question to me earlier this year when I served her a glass of Bottex Bugey-Cerdon. I went ahead and put ice in her wine, as she requested, because if there was ever a wine to put ice in it would be that one. My buddy Talia posted an Instagram photo recently which revealed that she clearly agrees.
My mom is in town again, this time celebrating her 60th birthday! What better way to ring in her big 6-0 than with some more yummy pink pet nat with ice. This time, we rolled with Maison PUR‘s La Bulle Gamay. This wine is delicious, but it’s not meant to be taken too seriously. The ice keeps everything super chilled and frothy and honestly you drink it so fast there isn’t much time for dilution. I’m keeping more of my thoughts on La Bulle Gamay under wraps for now since you’ll be seeing a lot more of it in due time. Hint: the next BHMF video! It’s gonna be a GOOD one.
Cheers Mom! Here’s to many more years of drinking the good pink stuff I give you. With ice in it.
by whitney on September 30, 2012
Ask Whit is back! Today we have a question from the lovely Aeshna about the shelf life of an opened bottle of wine. There’s no one right answer, but I’ll try my best!
Q: “How long can you keep wine after opening it before it goes off? Thank you!” -Aeshna
A: It’s different for every bottle. I play the how long will this wine stay drinkable game all the time by keeping opened bottles in the fridge for weeks sometimes just to see and it can be surprising. I can tell you that some styles of wine more than others can better handle being exposed to oxygen- Rieslings with their classic high acidity combined with higher RS (residual sugar), fortified wines and dessert wines like Madeira or Port, purposefully oxidized whites like Sherry or wines from Rioja or the Jura. I’ve also found that some wines fermented and aged in amphora have this magical ability to withstand the elements and can be open for several days and still taste very good.
But with everyday bottles, a couple of days open is usually fine. More than two days is when some wines start to fall flat. My main tip is put the cork all the way back in the bottle to the point where you’ll need a corkscrew to open it again. And put it in the fridge, whether it is red or white.
Photo taken at Ronco del Gnemiz, April 2012
by whitney on August 26, 2012
Q: What’s your preference in wine glasses? Is there anything you love or hate?
A: I’m not too picky about glassware when it comes to wine. Is it in a shape that is conducive to getting liquid from point A (the glass) to point B (my mouth)? Great. I’ll use that. OK- maybe I’m not THAT laid back. But, when I’m out and about and at the mercy of someone else’s wine vessel of choice, I go with the flow. I’ve definitely consumed lots of wine out of clunky Ikea stems and an assortment of colored plastic cups. As well as maroon goblets and the most popular wine glass in American households- ones with winery names etched into the side that were acquired free of charge on a hazy afternoon in a tasting room somewhere.
My favorite glasses are ones that are free from flourish and are clear, as in not tinted. I don’t like trinkets or embellishment, just give me a plain glass that isn’t too heavy or thick, with stem or without.
Except sometimes, I just don’t care. Like this time:
I attended a BBQ this weekend at a friend’s parents house. You can imagine that there were mainly adult fancy things for use in the kitchen and such. When it was time to pop open the pet nat, this was our best option. It actually couldn’t have been more perfect for the wine we were drinking- Domaine La Grange Tiphaine’s Rosa, Rosé, Rosam. It’s pink, it’s flirty, it’s slightly bubbly and it could inspire a wildly successful rap song. Every time I picked up the golden glass, this song started playing in my brain…
And I couldn’t hate on the little gold charms adorning the stems, because it actually helped all of us idiots remember which glass was our own. As much as I really hate to admit that. Some things are just meant to be.
