“Please join guest pourer Julie from distributor Plant Wines for a tasting of wines from both the South and Southwest of France … this Friday, it’ll be good when things go south.

“For this Thursday’s beer tasting, we go over to the dark side. Have you been there? It’s such a good place to go …”

“Low yielding, thin-skinned with low tannins, sensitive to sun, pests, and moisture, Pinot Noir is difficult to grow. Still, it’s a coveted grape that shows a surprising amount of variability depending on where it’s grown and how it’s treated …”

“Please come to see us on Friday, when Rausse Wine rep Katherine will be pouring some Gabriele Rausse wines. (Katherine thinks she might even be able to bring Gabriele with her!) What better way could there be to celebrate Virginia Wine Month?”

“This Thursday, we look at some Belgian ales …”

“In celebration of Virginia Wine Month, this Wednesday’s tasting features two Virginia wineries that are just a morning’s foggy ride over the mountain away — Lightwell Survey and Common Wealth Crush …”

“October is Virginia Wine Month … This Friday, we’re going to focus on King Family Vineyards.”

“This week we taste some things that are a little bit amber and some that are a little bit pale …”

“The Chianti wine region may be Italy’s most famous.”

“This Friday, guest pourer Michael Smith from distributors Native Selections presents a selection of French wine …”

“Oktoberfest started last weekend in Munich and is now in full swing. That means it’s time for our annual Oktoberfest tasting!”

“Italy’s Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol wine region is actually a duo of regions. Bumping up against the Italian peninsula’s northern border with Austria (with the Adige river running north and south through it) the southern half is Trentino, while the northern half is the Südtirol — the culture that one emperor and two fascist dictators failed to wipe out …”

“In 1990, Jean Bousquet went on vacation to Argentina. With three generations of southern French winemakers behind him, he took one look at the Gualtallary region in Mendoza’s Uco Valley and stopped in his winemaker tracks …”

“With no particular theme this week, we’ll be pouring a range of fun beers …”

“This week's Wine Wednesday welcomes back the wonderful wines of Cascina Bongiovanni into our shop …”

“This Friday please join guest pourer Marilee from distributor Banville Wine Merchants for a tasting of U.S. wines including some from one of our favorite Willamette Valley wineries, Maison Noir …”

“History aside, we love a Porter. We always have …”

“As everyone knows, the wine world is full of traditions. One such tradition … is that even if you make your sparkling wine exactly the way they make it in Champagne … then you don’t call your Champagne-style wine “Champagne.” In the same way, in the 1980s, a group of American winemakers set out to find a term that they could use for their Bordeaux-style wines …

“Before the Traditional Method, there was what is now called the Méthode Ancestrale. In the Ancestral Method, winemakers would bottle their wine while their primary (and only) fermentation was still going on. They would then cork the bottles while slowing and halting the fermentation by chilling the bottles down …”

“This Thursday, coming off of last month’s VA beer journey, we break off and taste some British beers …”

“This Wednesday, join guest pourer Jose Perea from distributor Le Storie for a selection of Italian wines from the Piedmont to Puglia …”

“To this day, the grapes grown in Chile reflect this European heritage from Chardonnay to Sauvignon Blanc to Semillon to Moscatel to Carignan to Carmenère …”

“This week, we end our month-long celebration of Virginia Craft Beer Month …”

“This Wine Wednesday, guest pourer Geoff Bell from distributors The Robins Cellars presents a selection of French wine …”

“In the early 1840s, the Oregon Trail released a flood of European descended immigrants into the territory … In 1847, Henderson Luelling trudged up the Trail, bringing fruit cuttings with him from Iowa … including grapes.”

“Like in most of the craft beer world, you can’t swing a Bud without hitting an IPA. Here in Virginia, we have a number of breweries who take a lot of pride in their hoppy and hazy ales …”

“The truth is that the right wines can work with dishes from paleks to masalas to vindaloos. As always, we’re here to steer you in the right direction …”

“Just recently The Wall Street Journal had an article advising people to explore the wineries of Northern Virginia! That’s great, but we also love the wines from right here in Central Virginia and of the Shenandoah Valley. So, for this Friday’s tasting, we’re going to stay a little closer to home …”

“Today, Virginia has no signature beer style (though we had hopes from the Virginia Golden Ale and for Virginia Porters). We tend to follow national beer trends … Thus, a few years ago, Lagers blossomed in popularity, and we are still in their bloom today …”

“Many biodynamic wines stand out, and many people swear by them. (They are one of the foci of our store.) Whether their quality is due to their biodynamically grown grapes or to the fact that any grower/vintner who takes the time and care to biodynamically farm is likely to also take extra time and care in their winemaking is unclear. What is clear is good wine when we find it, and we are pleased to offer those wines to you …”