Category: Blogs

Tobaccology’s Mysterious Cigar and Chateau Ste. Michelle 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon

Exciting! Don’t you love when your favorite Tobacconist hands you a cigar and says, “Try this and let me know what you think? Or the winemaker shows up to your tasting bring out a bottle of wine that hasn’t been released to the public. The logical response with that huge Chester cat grin, “It will be my pleasure”. Ok, maybe not that response, LOL but it is an exciting experience. Experiencing the unknown and excited about what’s to come. I find it honorable to be asked of your OPINION. 

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The Cigar Experience 

IMG_2144Amoxes (the husband) and I was given a Tobaccology’s Mysterious Cigar, a cigar we never tried; and you know me, a perfect opportunity for a blog. 

Out of habit when trying a new cigar, I sniff the foot. It is the same premise as sniffing wine before sipping. Sniffing prepares your senses and gives insight to what’s to come-sets up the cigar and wine experience, most of the time. The foot has barnyard aromas, wet wood, very earthy.  

First draw – smooth with a white pepper flavor. The second and third draws, which I find myself licking my lips, the wrapper has a slight sweet note. Right from the beginning, the cigar is producing bold earthy flavors and the spice is growing on the palate.  I will preference, prior to smoking the cigar (few hours), I singed my tongue on some black tea.

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Amoxes is picking-up some herbal notes.  However, he could not wait to pop the cork on a bottle of 2015 Chateau Ste. Michelle Cabernet Sauvignon.  He mentioned the cigar enhanced the tannins. Hmmm… I’m going to wait to pair with wine until I’m half -way through the cigar. It’s safe to assume Tobaccology’s Mysterious Cigar will continue to evolve for the good.

Another puff… GOODNESS, this is a smooth complex smoke; now I’m detecting floral notes. I will mention that the cigar has a nice even burn.

Wine Time

Screen Shot 2018-08-01 at 1.34.12 PM.pngI can not wait any longer, WINE TIME! 

Oh My! Chateau Ste. Michelle is fruit-forward with big black fruit flavors. I agree with Amoxes, the wine paired with Tobaccology’s Mysterious Cigar creates bold and firm tannins.

Second sip, DELICIOUS and JUICY fruit flavors mmmm….  I LOVE Chateau Ste. Michelle wines!  The cigar paired with the wine produces bold earthy flavors with a soft grassy finish.

Lately, Chateau Ste. Michelle Pinot Noir has become our everyday drinking wine. I most definitely will be adding the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon into the rotation.  What is fantastic? The wine is under $20. If you’re intrigued, check out Chateau Ste. Michelle 2015 CabSauv Tasting Notes.

Conclusion: Tobaccology’s Mysterious Cigar is an elegant smooth complex medium-bodied cigar and pairs perfectly with Chateau Ste. Michelle 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon.

Enough writing, time to enjoy this experience and PSSITA!

Salute!

P.S. The last quarter of the cigar, the floral and pepper notes have dissipated and Tobaccology’s Mysterious Cigar has evolved into a full-bodied smoke. WOW! 

Braille on the Label: A Chapoutier Pioneering Moment

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Braille on the Label: A Chapoutier Pioneering Moment
Posted by JILL BARTH on MARCH 16, 2018

L'OCCASION

In early 2016, M. Chapoutier purchased Château des Ferrages, located in Provence between Aix-en-Provence and Saint-Maximin near the commune of Pourcieux. Ferrages produces Côtes-de-Provence AOP and Côtes-de-Provence Saint-Victoire AOP wines, including a portfolio of red, white, and rosé wines.

Rhone Vineyard, Rhone Valley, Rhone wine, French wine Chapoutier Croix de Bois – Châteauneuf du Pape Vineyard. Courtesy: M Chapoutier

I wrote about the acquisition for Provence WineZine, where I described Chapoutier as follows:

Chapoutier is a winemaking powerhouse known for biodynamique practices, a wide variety of wines, and unfailing attention to capturing terroir. Maison M. Chapoutier has made wine for over 200 years and now, under the direction of Michel Chapoutier, owns vineyards in France (in Alsace, Rhône Valley, and Roussillon), Portugal, and Australia and produces an extensive number of wines, particularly in the Rhône Valley. In the Rhône Valley, Chapoutier produces wine from over 20 AOPs, spanning from the acclaimed Côte-Rotie in the…

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What a Success! Southern Draw Cigars and Tobaccology “Cigars for Warriors” Veteran’s Day Event!

Updating the TAPassions.com Cigar page to showcase a Great cause and event evolved to creating a cigar with a hint of wine and beer blog. 

 

TAPasssions.com “Today’s Cigar Delight” is brought to you by Southern Draw Cigars and Tobaccology “Cigars for Warriors” Veteran’s Day Event! A GREAT and SUCCESSFUL EVENT! Over 100 five-packs of Southern Draw cigars was donated to the Cigars for Warriors!

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Note.  “HIGH FIVE” did not mean you get a free 5-pack. You get a “HIGH FIVE”, which is just as good! 🙂

Who Are These Guys: 

Cigars for Warriors  is a 501 c (3) charity who mission is “to provide premium cigars and accessories to US troops serving in active combat zones“.

Tobaccology is a veteran owned and operated small business that has a “state-of-the-art walk-in humidors oferring a wide selection of premium and boutique cigars as well as pipe tobaccos, and a wide range of member-only perk“.

Tobaccology has two locations: 11001 Nokesville Rd, Manassas, VA 20110 and 6710 Madison St, Haymarket, Virginia 20169

Southern Draw Cigars is “founded by U.S. Veterans with a desire to recognize and defend our southern traditions, while honoring the history of tobacco and those resilient families who have cultivated, fermented and aged it to perfection”.

Amoxes’ favorite Southern Draw Cigar is the Jacobs Ladder, a full-bodied cigar offering peppery flavors in the beginning and continues to evolve into a complex smoke. I prefer the Southern Draw Firethorn, which also evolves throughout the smoke creating smooth, fall spicy notes to toasty nutty flavors.

I love that the Southerndrawcigars.com website provides wine and beer pairings for their cigars. Southern Draw recommends the following wine and beer pairing for the Firethorn cigar:

CRAFT BEERS: Cream Ale, Lager, Pale Ale, Belgian, Wheat, Pilsner, and Irish Red Ale.

WINES: Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah/Shiraz, Petit Sirah (no relation to Syrah/Shiraz) Zinfandel, Bordeaux and oaky Whites.

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The beauty that deserves some attention is the “Rose of Sharon-2017” cigar. The Rose of Sharon-2017 comes in a beautiful wooden pink coffin containing two cigars. This limited and unique cigar is a mild to medium cigar with blends from Southern Draw current cigars: Kudzu – Oscuro and Firethorn – Rosado. Rose of Sharon-2017 has Ecuadorian Sun Grown Connecticut wrapper, Nicaraguan binder and Nicaraguan Viso/Seco filler.

“The release is a celebration of Grace and the devotion of Sharon Holt as she continues her daily service via strong faith and daily fellowship. “Much like a Rose, Sharon exemplifies our brand with her beautiful soul, humility and a “subtle” boldness which has made an incredible impact on so many lives. We truly needed to acknowledge her.” – Southern Draw

Get your hands on the Rose of Sharon-2017 cigar! As I said before, the Rose of Sharon -2017 is a limited blend, when they’re gone, they’re gone!

 

PSSITA!

Mediterranean Cellars – “Diamonds, Wine and Tradition; What More Can You Ask For!”

 

“The wine doesn’t start in the barrel; it starts in the vineyard.” — Louis Papadopoulos (Southern Living, October 2006)

This quote describes perfectly the experience my husband and I had at Mediterranean Cellars. The memorable moment began in the parking lot of the vineyard. Immediately, we were welcomed by a beautifully spirited (yes, felt this instantly), woman (Katie, the owner). Surprisingly, she recognized me and welcomed me back to the vineyard.

Yes, this was not my first or second visit. My first visit, which was years ago was not pleasant (there’s no need to rehash the experience :\ ). What kept me coming back to the Mediterranean Cellars was its beauty, in particular the grapevine pathway to the tasting room that transferred you to the Mediterranean. In addition, Mrs. Papadopoulos’ interest in the guests opinions of the wines; just that personal touch kept me coming back and the beautiful views.

 

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Background

One cannot write a blog on Mediterranean Cellars without discussing the owners Louis and Katie Papadooulos unique background. Did you know, the owners of Mediterranean Cellars are jewelry designers? YUPPER, DIAMONDS! Louizos E.L.P. Goldsmiths, Inc. is a family own business for four generations. For the past twenty-three years, they sell diamonds at wholesale prices. The jewelry store is operated by their son and located in Oakton, VA, (www.louizoselp.com).

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The Wines

The 2013 Chardonnay, which is the first wine in the tasting have Vidal Blanc flavors. The 2011 Moscato does not possess true Moscato characteristics. The 2013 Viognier, the last wine in the tasting is aged in oak and produces hints of butter and creaminess and taste like a Chardonnay. ???? Perplexed, my mind is flooded with questions; what is the winemaker’s thought process? What is his reasoning behind restructuring the composition, creating flavors that we are not accustom to tasting? I check the wine bottles wondering if they are mislabeled; the Tasting Room Clerk smiles. My senses are like a circuit board that is misfiring. Feeling confusion and delight, I find myself wondering if we are merely part of the winemaker’s experimentation and there’s some hidden camera evaluating each guest reaction to the wine :).

Foot stopping, head swaying from side to side, tongue gracing my lips with every sip. I’m trying to find logic of what I’m experiencing, searching for some form of “traditional” characteristics of each varietal, which only produces more questions. The Tasting Room clerk explains in maintaining the true winemaking tradition, there’s less filtering, which allows the grapes true characteristics to emerge. Hmmm…. interesting. 

2008 Calypso – a rose’ aged in stainless steel and french oak. fruit aromas and citrusy flavors. STAR 

Time for Some Reds:

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2013 Chambourcin – 100% full-bodied red wine with spicy flavors – STAR

2008 Cabernet Franc – aged french oak with plum and spice flavors. Yes, I gave it a STAR.

2007 Cabernet Sauvignon – rich garnet color, full-bodied; yes, I’m picking up blueberries flavors. FANTASTIC – STAR

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Then there’s Rechina, known as “Retsina” in Greek. Retsina is only produced in Greece and the U.S. exclusively by Mediterranean Cellars. Mediterranean’s Rechina is refreshing, “mentholing”. Retsina has an unique taste because pine resin is added to the white wine. Folks, this is indeed an unique wine. – STAR

Being red wine lovers, we are very impressed with Mediterranean Cellars red wines!

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Perfect Summation – With traditional European and American winemaking techniques, “the end product is a unique combination of tradition and new ideas, as the winemaker’s spirit and inspiration is experienced in each sip of every wine.”

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If you’re looking for warm hospitality and unique wines, I encourage you to visit Mediterranean Cellars and maintain an open mind. In addition, if they’re not crowded, you can even enjoy a cigar :).

Salute!

 

Mediterranean Cellars
8295 Falcon Glen Road
Warrenton, VA 20186
540-42-1984
website: http://www.mediterraneancellars.com
email: info@mediterraneancellars.com

Effingham Manor Winery – “A Taste of American History and Virginia Wine”

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courtesy of bristowbeat.com

 

Excited, Ecstatic, Enthusiastic (okay, that all the “e” adjectives I know) about Effingham Manor Winery! A vineyard that is less than 15 minutes from my house, “H-YES!” Plus, it is another Chris Pearmund production, which means delicious-promising wines.

Effingham Manor Winery is a 250 year old house located on a 42 square mile estate. The Manor dates back to 1767 and was built by William Alexander, the great grandson of John Alexander. In case you didn’t know, Alexandria, Virginia was named after John Alexander. The property has English gardens, old slave quarters, a colonial blacksmith shop, smokehouse, the oldest swimming pool in Virginia and a koi pond. To add to the historic scenic grounds, a winery, barrel room and event barn was built for our enjoyment.

(Okay, I just had a thought, which I haven’t had in years, maybe I should apply for a tasting room clerk position. The last time I worked in a tasting room was in 2015. Hmm… something to think about. The history of the property has captured my interest. Plus, it is close to home. Again, something to think about.)

 

Effingham Manor Winery is not open to the public, yet. But, I had the pleasure of tasting some of their wines at a Pearmund Cellars event.

2015 Chardonnay – aged 8 months in oak. Toasty aromas with a smooth creamy finish. NICE, CHECK MARK!

2015 Rose – a blend of Chambourcin and Riesling. Cherry aromas with strawberries and orange flavors. Too sweet for my palate. I predict this will be a big winner among the wine novices.

2015 Traminette – a hybrid of Gewürztraminer posses floral aromas and BIG citrus flavors with a slight minerality on the finish; residual sugar is only half percent. GOOD, CHECK MARK!

2015 Merlot – Typical black-fruit flavors; a young wine with potential.

2014 Tannat – blackberries aromas, BOLD black-fruit flavors with soft tannins. VERY NICE! Per the website, only the 2015 Tannat is available.

Effingham Manor Winery also offers the following wines:

  • 2015 Viognier
  • 2015 Norton
  • 2014 Meritage (a blend of Cab Franc, Petit Verdot and Merlot)
  • 2014 Kings Ransom (a Bordeaux blend and their signature wine)
  • 2015 Tannat
  • Sparkling Wine (100% Pinot Noir)

 

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courtesy of effinghammanor.com

It is a given that there will be a part two to this review; hopefully before the posting of this blog, which is schedule for August 16, 2017. 

The winery may not be open to the public, but you too can get a sneak of the wines at local events. Follow Effingham Manor Winery on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/EffinghamManorWinery/  

For more information visit effinghammanor.com.

Salute!

Stone Tower Winery – Wine with a Taste of Interior Design

 

Even though, it has been awhile since our last visit, Stone Tower Winery is still worth writing about. From the decor that makes you wonder if you walked into a home decor shop to wines that may you question if you are in Virginia.

THE ARRIVAL

Upon arriving to tasting counter, I had to browse every corner of the tasting room and admire the furnishing. I am in decorating heaven. For a moment, I forgot I was at a vineyard because I found myself checking for price tags. My favorite place is the back room with the beautiful iron doors. (exhaling)

I shared my excitement with the tasting clerk on how much I love the tasting room furnishing, they should have a sign on where customers can purchase the furnishing. Smiling widely, I could tell this was not her first time a customer expressed their love of the furniture. She informed us that the owner of the vineyard also own Belfort furniture DING! DING! That is why the tasting room is decorated so nicely. I love Belfort furniture, which is in Sterling,VA (belfortfurniture.com).

 

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courtesy of stonetowerwinery.com

 

courtesy of stonetowerwinery.com
Stone Tower Winery
courtesy of stonetowerwinery.com

 

THE TASTING

2015 Wild Boar Sauvignon Blanc – I will admit I was skeptical. A Sauvignon Blanc produced in Virginia. Hmm…. to my surprise this wine posses true Sauvignon Blanc characteristics. Crisp white wine with red grapefruit and lemon flavors and minerality on the finish. VERY TASTING!

2015 Wild Boar Viognier – BOLD floral aromas; crisp white wine with soft sweet tart flavors; leaves you wanting more. If I heard correctly the grapes are from Orange County; I’m assuming Virginia and not California. Either way the Viognier is REFRESHING!

2015 Wild Boar Rosé – An unique rose with soft tangerine flavors, mild tannins and a long oaky finish. Reminds me of an orange wine. I would sip on this wine. Varieties: 54% Malbec, Norton, Cab Franc and Petit Verdot. Believe it or not, this is my favorite, thus far, in the tasting. THUMBS UP!

2014 Wild Boar Pinot Noir – BOLD fruity and hint of licorice aromas; earthy and cranberries flavors. Young but has good structure. The grapes are from Willamette, Oregon. GOOD!

2014 Wild Boar Malbec – 75% of the grapes from Napa Valley, CA. Medium bodied with earthy and prunes flavors and firm tannins. My husband picked up blueberry jam aromas and flavors. The smoky flavors in the wine should pair well with a cigar. I recommend laying down, definitely has potential. GOOD!

2014 Wild Boar Sanglier Noble – WOW! My palate is in heaven. THIS IS DELICIOUS! Rich with dark cocoa flavors. A blend of Bordeaux varietals. I agree the Cabernet Sauvignon definitely dominates the other varietals. WINNER! Of course, this was our wine purchase for the day.

Since we practically had the vineyard to ourselves (as you can see from the pictures 🙂 ), we were able to enjoy a cigar with the Sanglier Noble, which paired nicely. 

 

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Stone Tower Winery is a must visit, especially if you need decorating ideas. 🙂 For updated wine vintages visit their website:

Stone Tower Winery
19925 Hogback Mountain Rd.
Leesburg, VA 20175
stonetowerwinery.com

 

SALUTE!

Distasteful Wine = Wine Slushies

 

I do not like talking bad about a wine, so I decided to use the term “I’m not able to appreciate the wine at this moment”. However, there comes a time when a wine is not good. It is not about not being able to appreciate a wine or your pallet is not mature enough. Do not make excuses for wines that are not good for consumption. Yes, you can call me a wine snob and I will nod in agreement. However, I try very hard to appreciate all wines.

Unfortunately, I am having one of those wines this evening. After a very stressful day and working 11 hours on a Friday, I am too tired to go to the store or the Vineyard to pick up some wine. My palate is rejecting every sip, body is physically cringing, trying to shake off the distasteful flavors.

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Crazy enough, I was told the wine won many awards, a Governor’s cup, with that being said you know that I am referring to a Virginia wine. GOODNESS! What other wines were in the competition?! The wine does have a beautiful color and the label is nice. This is the second bottle I have tasted (not this evening 🙂 ) and the experience is the same, UGH! I should have selected another wine. But, I thought it was just a bad bottle; maybe it’s two bad bottles?  I will not reveal the winery because Mama always said (in her southern accent), “If you don’t have nothing nice to say, then don’t say nothing at all.”  Time to head downstairs and select another wine. 

Folks, life is too precious and  time is too valuable to waste on drinking BAD wine. I need to remember my mantra: “Amore Vita (love life)”. Loving life does not mean wasting your time drinking nasty wine.  Better yet, turn a bad situation into something good and make wine slushies or wine popiscles.  Here are a couple recipes:

Blackberry Wine Popsicles from Real Simple 

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courtesy of Pastryaffair.com

 

Wine Slushies by Woman’s Day 

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courtesy of purewow.com

SALUTE!

An Evening with Erich Sattler & Alec Bradley

 

The thunderstorms have passed and we are taking advantage of the mild warm temperature of 88 degrees fahrenheit.  For the past few days, temperatures reached 100 – 114 degrees fahrenheit with the heat index. The tiki torches are lit and the cicadas and frogs are keeping us company. 

The wine and cigar selections for the evening are Erich Sattler, St. Laurent 2015 and Alec Bradley Sanctum and Maxx.

We were introduced to Erich Sattler, St. Laurent 2015 doing a wine flight at Trummer’s Coffee and Wine bar in Gainesville, VA. Check out my first blog on Trummer’s . 

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Erich Sattler, St, Laurent 2015 is an Australian red wine; an offspring of the Pinot Noir grape. The color is so deep and rich, it looks like I’m pouring a glass of Welch’s grape juice.  Fruit-forward, plummy and cherry flavors with firm tannins coat my palate.  Mmmm… it was a great idea to purchase 3 bottles. 

Erich pairs very well this big bazooka Alec Bradley Sanctum that is producing rich earthy and chocolate notes with a slight spice on the finish.

My husband is having the Alec Bradley Maxx with Erich, which has rich earthy flavors with little hoppy on the finish. Paired with Erich, the wine and cigar does not compete with each other. Eric brings out Maxx’s nutty flavors.

When we purchased the cigars, we thought it was for novelty purposes only. Due to my passion for Alec Bradley cigars, I could not pass plus the cost was under $10.00.

We both are please with our selections. The aromas in the night-humid air are intoxicating. By the way, we are more than half-way through with the cigars and the flavors are evolving very nicely. If you are wondering, it took us approximately 3.5 hours to finish the cigars. 

(background; Fear of the Walking Dead and the sound of cicadas) 

SALUTE!

 

Bamboozled and Blissed -14 Hands Hot to Trot


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You know what’s hilarious? When you are at a restaurant and discover a wine that blows you away. The excitement is not due to the food, which is delicious or the ambience that places you in a state of relaxation. This restaurant is far from any of these descriptions. Your excitement, well my enthusiasm is based on the wine that was surprisingly delicious and only cost $9.00 a glass. This establishment folks is “The Cheesecake Factory”. YUPPER!

Far from a relaxed ambience or a cuisine making you feel you’re in another country. THE TOTAL OPPOSITE! The Cheesecake Factory has become very popular with my daughter and her friends. I guess it is due to no reservations, one-hour plus wait to be seated and the joy of browsing through a menu that consists of over 30 pages. Don’t get me wrong, this is not a Cheesecake Factory bashing. But, I have to share my observations and how I would run a more efficient operation that I predict would cut down on half of cancellations and walk-outs. Real quick, here is my plan; ACCEPT RESERVATIONS, that’s it! Number one and two, customer satisfaction and revenue will increase. I observed half of the customers walking out after they received the “buzzer” (you know the device that buzzes and flashes red when your table is ready); shaking my head. I digressed, greatly; back to the review.

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I was bragging about this Cheesecake Factory wine, 14 Hands Hot to Trot on how it is so delicious and I have to add it to my wine collection. So, I searched online and found myself ROLLING ON THE FLOOR LAUGHING (ROFL)! 14 Hands Hot to Trot is available at CVS, Walmart, Giant and Total Wines, to name a few.

What is hysterical is the wine is under $10.00. ROFL!! My thoughts scream, “Whaaat! It can not be the same wine”?! From Bonquisha (my alter ego): ”Hahaha, you “buchee” wine snob likes a wine sold at CVS for only $8.99”. I can not stop laughing. I will admit, I am feeling a little bamboozled. Cheesecake Factory is serving 14 Hands Hot to Trot for $9.00 a glass, four times the cost. THIS IS ABSURD! I have seen double but friggin tripled, quadrupled!

Trying to rationalize and regain my composure, I am in complete denial; maybe it is a different wine, 14 Hands Winery does produce other reds. So, maybe I drank one of their reserve wines, NOPE!

Bamboozled, perplexed, whatever you what to call it, I have come to terms with the deceitfulness and accept the fact that I am ecstatic for 14 Hands Hot to Trot. I am sure this is not a first nor will it be the last that I will over charged for what a wine is worth … c’est la vie.  I purchased a bottle of 14 Hands Hot to Trot for under $10.00 at Giant and it was blissful! 

Attached is the winemaker’s notes: 14 Hands Hot to Trot Winemaker Notes. Try not to be a wine snob, check out 14 Hands Hot to Trot at visit: https://www.14hands.com/shop or grab a bottle at your local CVS or grocery store. 😛

SALUTE!