Best of 2013

So earlier this year, I recapped my amazing year of 2012 and at the end asked, "ok 2013, what do ya got?!"

So here's how 2013 went:

• Continuing my experience at Boxwood, I learned about the bottling process. With their own state-of-the-art bottling line, I watched and assisted in bottling the popular 2012 Rosé! Working for a winery really taught me the behind the scenes of how the juice gets into the bottle and on the shelf.

• We took our first trip to Chicago over Memorial Day weekend and had a great time drinking and dining all over the city, complete with Veuve!

• At the end of the summer, I took another career jump into the sales side. I took a full-time job as a wine sales rep in the DC/Arlington region and am loving this side of the business.

• We had a fantastic staycation at the Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner where we had a great experience at their Entyse Wine Bar, the Bistro and of course a plush, cozy room.

Overall, 2013 has been a great year! However, not as eventful as 2012 but I planned that! Life has been too crazy the past couple of years so 2013 was just what I wanted. Who knows what 2014 will bring!

Carménere, the Forgotten Grape

Carménere has recently been rediscovered in Chilé and now you can find it on just about any retail shelf. But what is it and how did it gain it's comeback?

Carménere originated in the Medoc region of Bordeaux and is thought to be one of the original six red grapes. However, it's not rarely found in Bordeaux but rather in Chilé. When the vines were transferred to Chilé, they were planted with the Merlot grapes and was thought to be Merlot for decades. Since it was really another varietal mixed in with the Merlot, Chilean Merlot was unlike any other. It wasn't until 1994, when a researcher found that some of those grapes were actually Carménere. Since then it's be labeled as such and gaining popularity.

I opened a bottle of Casa Rivas Gran Reserva Carménere recently and truly enjoyed it. Very easy to drink on its own but easily paired with many foods. Big, bright fruit with a medium finish, this wine was a perfect sipper to enjoy in front of the tv. This wine comes from the Chilean region of Maipo, closest region to Santiago.

Curious? Pick up a bottle of Carménere and taste for yourself!