Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

My recommendation is to serve Rieslings, rosés or Pinot Noir.

Cheers,
Angela
wineunleashed.com

An easy thing to bring is a Spanish Tortilla. If you have more time, try making Empanadas. One other dish that is VERY easy to bring... find a really good Spanish Chorizo (cured), pre slice it. At the party over stove top... simmer the chorizo in red wine and a bay leaf for about 10 minutes. Serve with some toasty bread.

Cheers,
Angela
Wineunleashed.com

If any of you have read "My Life in France" by Julia Child, she talks about visiting the cheese lady and her vegetable lady. She built a relationship with these two purveyors. They knew their products and looked out for her best interest. This is possible today. You just have to find the right supplier for YOU. Don't go the way of points only.... it will only lead you to frustration.
Cheers,
Angela
wineunleashed.com

Is Tiny's still open? They were on Fulton.

Those were monster and delicious!

If you are trying to learn about what goes best together I have a recommendation for you. Every time you open a bottle of wine... open TWO bottles. Taste each wine first then taste the food with it. It is the best way to learn about wine and about pairings. If you are concerned about "wasting" the wine look into a simple soda pop lug and a can of air such as Private Preserve. You then can extend your open bottle life a couple of days.

I think it is time you move beyond Pinot Grigio. There is a world of wine waiting to be explored. You have some great adventures ahead of you. Have fun.

Cheers,

Angela
author of The Wine Wheel® and owner of Wine Unleashed

ok... now I know where I spending my next Bday. I am leaving SF and heading to NY for dinner! OMG!!!

When I was pregnant... a whiff of cilantro would make me ill. Other than that, I like cilantro just fine.

Speaking as an owner of a wine club... they aren't for everyone and each one is very different. You have to think about how adventurous you are and how flexible their program is. If you prefer an over-oaked Chardonnay then you would not be happy in my club. I would try to steer you to a specific winery club that features this style of wine. These are great if you really like tasting the same wine style again and again. There is nothing wrong with this for some people just like certain styles.

The wine clubs that are seemingly operated by a specific magazine are actually all run by one big company. For example, The Chronicle here in San Francisco, Cooking Light and even KQED (PBS station) are all fulfilled by the same company.

I try to run mine more like a boutique wine shop and personally respond to my members’ inquiries. My members tend to be foodies and also want to explore the world of wine. My wines also tend to be small production wines so you tend not to find them at most stores. A lot of my selections are sold to restaurants. I have been around for 4 years now and am finally working out a few kinks here and there but am still having fun.

As for you question of gas/ free shipping…. We ship once a month. So many members have me ship their reorders with their next scheduled delivery. A few members even share shipping costs with their office mates. In many cases it cuts it half and is much more affordable.

Let me know if I can answer any questions with regard to any of this. I would rather steer you in the right direction for what is good for you, for only then will you find a happy palate.

Cheers,

Angela Camacho, Sommelier
wineunleashed.com