Sommelier

It's no secret that I have a passion for wine and fine dining. As a wine enthusiast turned Certified Sommelier, I love sharing my knowledge and passion for wine with others. Part of the adventure for me begins with understanding the types of wines, their composition, and what they pair best with to provide a complete experience with any meal.

The general rule of thumb for pairing the actual flavor of wine with food is based on the “like-with-like” philosophy, which teaches us to pair butter sauces with an oaky, buttery type of wine. Or, to pair salty, briny wines with seafood and red meat with red wine, etc.

That being said, I am a firm believer in making your own rules — drink what you like with what you like! For example, on Thanksgiving, a standard go-to is to choose a buttery Chardonnay to match the buttery turkey. However, I will often select a Pinot Noir or a Rhone blend to bring out the cranberry side of the dinner.

I write about wine on my blog frequently; below, you'll find a selection of my recent articles.

My Favorite Red Wines

Pinot Noirs are my go-to red wine. They are actually the most expensive wines in the world but also some of the best value.

I prefer big, full-bodied Pinots.

My Favorite White Wines

My tastes have changed through the years when it comes to white wine. I lean more towards well balanced, less oak (less buttery), crisp chardonnays.  With that, I really enjoy Chablis.  It is a 100% Chardonnay grape and made in the Chablis region of France where the soil is Kimmeridgian soil, which is composed of limestone, clay, and fossilized oyster shells.

My Favorite Bubbles

Only sparkling wine from the Champagne region of France can be called champagne.  Else, it is called “sparkling wine,” or to some of us, bubbles! It is my favorite wine to drink with any meal because it pairs well with all types of food and is fun and celebratory.

My go-to champagne for taste and good value is Veuve Clicquot.  I generally find it at Costco for around $45!  Argyle, from Willamette Valley Oregon, makes a delicious sparkling wine that is rated one of the BEST sparkling wines in the world and is a great value.

My Wine Articles