Wine Club Blog
Welcome to the Gold Medal Wine Club Blog. Below you can peruse our most recent wine blog posts with engaging topics ranging from frequently asked Wine Wizard questions published in our Gold Wine Club newsletter, to even some fun wine tips and tricks! Discover wine tasting guides, recipes and more to grow your wine knowledge that will impress even the snobbiest of wine snobs.
Interested in a topic we haven’t covered yet? Email us with an idea or question about wine and you may see it appear in our next blog post!
The What and How of Vineyard Cover Crops
Erin O'Reilly - Certified Specialist of Wine
Perhaps you’ve seen glossy pictures of vineyards with dancing wildflowers or silky grasses growing between the vines. While lovely to look at, their purpose is more than decorative. The vineyard manager is cultivating these versatile plants, called cover crops, to help improve and manage overall vineyard quality.
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The Odd, the Obscure, and the Unique Jobs of the Wine Industry
Meghan Fitzgerald
“Don’t you know what I do for a living?” If asked this question by a member of the wine industry, don’t be surprised if the answer is something other than ‘sommelier’. Similar to the product, the selection of jobs, professions, and gigs which revolve around the wine trade are suited to taste, offering a variety of roles for a variety of qualified people.
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Cabernet Franc - No longer the Blending Grape?
Brian Branco - Certified Specialist of Wine
Many times when you hear the word Cabernet Franc in a wine shop or a tasting room, it will be described primarily as a blending grape. Is it about time though, that we give Cabernet Franc the recognition it deserves?
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Spring and Summer Means Rosé Wines!
Erin O'Reilly - Certified Specialist of Wine
Rosé is having something of a moment. Less than a decade ago, serious wine lovers dismissed our jeweled pink friends. Today, with so many of us spending extended hours at home, we find that a bottle of Rosé pairs seamlessly with cocktail hour, an afternoon on the sofa, weekend brunches, and everything in between.
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Uncorking Unfined and Unfiltered Wines
Erin O'Reilly - Certified Specialist of Wine
For those who follow the natural wine movement, or who may be interested in natural wines, two terms crop up regularly: unfined and unfiltered. At first glance, the terms allude to a healthier, natural product. Understanding the role of finning and filtering in winemaking, along with current labeling regulations, can help you decide if seeking out unfined and unfiltered wines is right for you.
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Shedding Light On Sustainability In Winemaking
Samantha Sanchez
In popular winemaking, it has become more of a necessity than a desire to implement conservation winemaking techniques rather than those of tradition. However, there is a plethora of terms to describe this shift in winemaking and just as many certifications to go with them.
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How To Open A Wine Bottle Without A Corkscrew
Meghan Fitzgerald
We’ve all been there. You’re at a friend’s house or on a Sunday picnic and you go to open your favorite bottle of wine - perhaps one of the bottles from your most recent Gold Medal Wine Club shipment - and you suddenly realize you forgot the wine key, otherwise known as a corkscrew or a bottle opener, or maybe the bottle is unconventionally capped with a crown or wax seal.
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How Winemakers Select Wine Yeast
Erin O'Reilly - Certified Specialist of Wine
All lovers of fermented foods - from yogurt to sourdough - enjoy the handiwork of yeast. Apart from deciding what grapes to use in a wine, decisions around yeast are arguably some of the most important a producer will make.
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Happy National Chardonnay Day!
Sienna Serrao
Thursday, May 27, 2021 marks the tenth year celebrating this special wine day dedicated to lovely Chardonnay. Let’s have a quick break down of what exactly Chardonnay is and why it deserves its own special day!
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How To Make A Charcuterie Board
Erin O'Reilly - Certified Specialist of Wine
Wine and small bites have an affinity for each other. Add in good company, and you have all of the right ingredients for a relaxed gathering and easy conversation. Charcuterie boards are an effortless way to bring everything and everyone together. (Recommended grocery list and video below!)
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What Makes A Wine Age-Worthy?
Brian Branco - Certified Specialist of Wine
Most wine is typically consumed the same day it's purchased. Only a small fraction of wine produced has the components to help it age gracefully.
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What Is A Vegan Wine?
Erin O'Reilly - Certified Specialist of Wine
At first glance, dietary notices on wine labels may seem a bit over the top, but for wine lovers who follow a vegan lifestyle and for everyone else who is naturally curious about wine, a vegan label offers clues about how the wine was made.
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