Through the Wine Glass - The My Wines Direct Blog

Last Minute Wine Gift Delivery

Things are buzzing here at My Wines Direct as we are selling A TON of wine and wine gift baskets this holiday season!

We want to give you a quick heads up that there is still time to order in time for the holidays. If you place your order before midnight tonight (Wed 12/17) you will get your wine or basket by 12/25 (except Arizona) and you'll get $0 shipping!

If you are shipping to CA, CO, DC, FL, ID, IA, LA, MI, MN, MO, NC, ND, NE, NH, NM, NV, NY, OH, OR, SC, TX, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV, WY you can order 2 day shipping by Sunday night for $12 and get your wine there in time.

Check out our wine shipping map for all the details of Last Minute Wine Gift Delivery.

Cheers & Happy Holidays!

Holiday Excitement at My Wines Direct!

The holidays are here and so are some really exciting offerings from My Wines Direct...

Wine Clubs from My Wines Direct - A lot of people have been asking us for a wine club for a long time, and now we have 4 of them to choose from. We have 3 month and 6 month clubs, in both all reds and mixed (red and white) - and like with all wine packs from My Wines Direct - No Shipping Charges!

Buy Now Ship Later - Want to do your shopping now but have the gift arrive closer to the Holidays? Try one of our new "Buy Now / Ship Later" packs and we'll send your gift out about the 15th of December.

Aged Cabernet Selections - These two packs each feature 2 bottles of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon that have been aged for over 10 years. A truly impressive gift, perfect as Corporate Wine Gifts and more!

Wine Gift Baskets $0 Shipping - What we normally offer on all of our wine selections, we are offering on baskets through the holidays - $0 Shipping on all baskets!

Wine Shipping & Delivery - My Wines Direct delivers wine and gift baskets to 32 states, including a number of states we've added since last holiday season- check out our list of state here!

Happy Holidays from My Wines Direct!

It's that time of year again...

Halloween has passed and holiday decorations are going up every where.  Well, actually in a lot of places, the decorations were up before Halloween but that's neither here nor there.  Now is the time to get ready for the holidays, which are fast approaching.

I've been asked a number of times lately what wines would I recommend for a Thanksgiving dinner.  The wines tend to change over time, with new, popular fads in varietals as well as changing trends in cuisine.  Traditionally, with the requisite turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and various side dishes, I have a few go-to varietals I seasonally focus on.  And let's not forget the Thanksgiving table which includes a baked/smoked/honeyed/bone-in/bone-out/canned/etc ham as well as the perennial favorite pumpkin pie.

I'd normally suggest a Pinot Noir, which will provide a nice accent to both the roast turkey AND the baked ham.  A Sauvignon Blanc pairs well with this varied meal, with the light, clean finish cutting through the richness of the medley of dishes.  Or my personal favorite, as most who know me well would attest, a sparkling wine with its effervescent nature is perfect for this festive holiday.  It goes with just about anything you'd serve and you can either start with it or finish with it.  Heck, I might be tempted to have it throughout the entire feast!

This year, the one new ringer I'm recommending, and I've mentioned it a few times before, is Subio Dry Rose, from Mendocino, Ca .  Because this wine is not sweet but has wonderful fruit, it goes equally well with most of the dishes you'd normally find on a Thanksgiving table.

Whatever wines you choose, your holiday table will be sure to please friends and family, so enjoy this most special of family times!

A harvest to die for...

 

(courtesy of Dan Mills Photography)

The scary title of the news story says it all, "Amateur winemakers die treading grapes," by Jane Anson for www.decanter.com.  Daniel Moulin, 48 and Gerard Dachis, 50, of Roiffieux, France, died earlier this month from carbon dioxide poisoning received while stomping grapes.  The grapes being crushed belonged to a winemaker who was making wine for his own personal consumption and he had recruited three friends to help, including the two men who died.

Authorities conclude that ventilation was inadequate and carbon dioxide fumes collected during the fermentation process, thereby causing the men to lose consciousness.  The winemaker and his other friend survived, with the third friend and an assisting fireman requiring treatment for inhalation of carbonic gas.

Since Karin, one of our NY employees, just engaged in a grape stomping event (see above photo), the cautionary tale caught my eye.  The take-away is to make sure all grape stomping activity takes place in a well-ventilated location, preferably even outdoors.

It's been years since I've stomped grapes but I remember it being enormously fun, with the correct safety measures in place.  Maybe next year I'll get to try it again.

Le Vin de What?

(photo from www.whytraveltofrance.com)

French winemaker Jean-Marc Speziale, from the Languedoc region of France, was frustrated with the negative reputation unfairly held by wines in his region.  Wines from Languedoc have been compared unfavorably for decades with wine from Bordeaux and the Rhone Valley.  Even though the quality of Languedoc wines has improved, the poor reputation has continued on.

In an unusual publicity stunt, Speziale named his latest vintage "Le Vin de Merde" or "S--t Wine."  The label, pictured above, features a big, blue fly and is underlined by the tag line which translates to "The worst hides the best."

Ironically, his first bottling of 5,000 bottles sold out within days.  He's producing 7,500 more to satisfy eager buyers.  In the past, his annual wine revenue had fallen from 200,000 euros to 75,000 within the last eight years, so the popularity of this new vintage must be a shot in the arm for his business.

I think the creative angle is interesting, a little odd but then this is France we're talking about.  I'd like to try the wine, it's supposed to pretty good.

Wine retailers as educators

One of the goals we strive for here at My Wines Direct is to provide well-rounded, informative wine data, thereby aiding in the education of our members.  With that in mind, I enjoyed reading a piece today written by Jancis Robinson for The Chronicle.  The most common question she gets asked is "There are so many wines to choose from.  How can I learn more about them?"

Robinson points out that with the growth of popularity of wine around the globe and the increasing number of brands produced, it's difficult for the wine consumer to determine which wines to purchase.  Wine knowledge used to be passed down from parents or mentors to the next generation of wine connoisseurs, but today, with the explosion of wine cultivation and popularity in countries everywhere, the isolated wine lover may have trouble increasing their wine knowledge or even knowing where to turn for more education.

This is where the savvy wine retailer comes in.  Robinson recommends developing a relationship with your retailer, by discussing wines and regions that you like and asking for recommendations on wines similar to your favorites but maybe offered as a better value or even a more interesting choice.

At My Wines Direct, our wine consultants are here to help you.  Call us toll free 866-330-9463, we can assist you in determining your particular wine profile.  Our consultants have loads of experience working with wine and would love to help you pick out the perfect wine or assortment.  When thinking about a special gift for that wine-loving friend, we're a great resource as well.

Please let us know how we can help you in the coming Holiday Season.