Name La Marca Varietal Prosecco (a.k.a. Glera) Region Veneto Country Italy Price $13.50 And just like that, January is over. It has been a crazy month, but we survived. I think we deserve some bubbles to celebrate! I love popping open sparkling wine. Just the sound of the cork leaving the bottle puts me in a good mood! Surely I am not the only one ;-) Since I have already talked about the difference between Champagne and sparkling wine (here), I want to talk about my FAVE sparkling wine, Prosecco. Why? Two reasons: 1. Affordable: Champagne isn't cheap. It is made using the "Traditional Method," which is rather costly compared to Prosecco, which uses the more affordable "Tank Method." With th
I love hearing y'alls' questions and one I get SO often is about the process of becoming a certified sommelier. I wrote a post that gives an overview of process and a bit about my personal journey. For those who have already decided to go after your certification, I wanted to share some of the things I did to prepare for the exam. For the certified exam (level 2), there are three parts: deductive tasting, theory, and service practical. Preparing for deductive tasting: Download the examination tasting grid from the Court of Master Sommeliers' website These are great for practicing! I printed multiple copies off and used them each time I blind tasted while preparing for my exam. Here is the li
Y'all, I must have totally missed the whole "new year, new you" thing because I went with more of a " new year, let's eat everything in site and binge watch RomComs and Law and Order all day, everyday." I may or may not be watching Law and Order as I write this...and there might be some ice cream involved, too. So I am thinking it is time to get it together. Better late than never, right? With boards coming up in June, I really need to put my health (body and mind) higher on my priority list. I spend countless hours sitting in class or at my desk each day, and by the time I call in quits on the studying, all I want to do is go home and chill, and probably pick up some T Bell on the way home.
Name Buehler Vineyards Varietal Cabernet Sauvignon Region Napa Valley, CA Country USA Year 2013 Price $23.99 When most people think of good Cabernet Sauvignon in the U.S., Napa Valley is typically the first to come to mind. And there is good reason for that! The Cab Sauvs from this area are just plain incredible. The grapes that grow on the hills and mountains produce peppery, smokey, and savory Cabernet Sauvignons, while the grapes in the valley make beautiful fruit-forward wines. The Buehler Cab Sauv is made from 30% hillside grapes and 70% valley floor grapes. This combination makes for a wine with a broad spectrum of textures, aromas, and flavors. The smooth tannins and hint of pepper hi
We recently took a little trip down to Murfreesboro, Arkansas with Baxter's family and had a blast! We rented this adorable cabin that was in the middle of nowhere. No wi-fi, no cell service, no nothing. I know, the horror!! Somehow we survived ;-) All joking aside, it was just what I needed. One of my goals this year is to allow myself to be more than 5 feet away from my phone or computer for a little bit everyday. What did we do before we had cell phones and internet?! Luckily, the area we were staying had so many things for us to do and the weather was just warm enough to stay outside the whole time! Baxter brought his kayaks, four-wheeler, fishing poles, and pretty much anything and ever
Name Santa Barbara Varietal Verdicchio Region Marche Country Italy Year 2015 Price $13.25 Long before I knew anything about wine (like, my 2 for $10 Yellowtail from CVS was about as fancy as it got), I spent 6 months in the Marche region of Italy. It is a stunning region of rolling hills, agriculture, and incredible limestone coastlines. I lived in Urbino, which is the most quintessential Italian town up in the hills. If you travel to Italy and want to go off the beaten path, Urbino is a must! While living here, I fell in love with the region's history, food, and, of course, wine. Once a week, I would walk into town and stop by my favorite wine shop and have them refill my 5L glass jug for a
Suit: Target (similar here, here, and here) // Sunglasses: Karen Walker dupes from Urban Outfitters // Cover-up: Old, but similar here // Nail Color: OPI (Big Apple Red) // Lip Color: MAC (Brave) Hello 2017! During my holiday break, I also took a little break from the internet. Little, is the key word ;-) I hate how hard it was for me to keep away from my computer and phone, but by the end of break, it was much easier (and much needed). Today, I begin studying for boards. I have the USMLE scheduled for June 5th and the COMLEX scheduled for June 10th. YIKES! While those dates seem forever away, I can't help but get anxious just thinking about them! I plan on doing a post soon with a breakdown
