Many people will use the upcoming Labor Day weekend to reflect on their own employment—bosses, co-workers, long-hours, deadlines, salaries, stress, and more. Others will simply be thankful to have a job. Others will only remember that they have three days off, and shouldn’t wear white anymore. Whatever the situation, here at Just Grapes we’re working [...]

It took approximately one month, but the Spanish fútbol… er… football… er… soccer team is now the envy of the sporting world. And unlike, say, the Super Bowl, the Spanish can gloat about their victory for four years instead of one. When it comes to wine though, the Spanish have always had a reason to [...]

There are few wines more satisfying after a record-breaking string of 90-degree days than rosé. Its high acidity makes it crisp like a white, but it boasts a unique flavor profile—light hints of strawberry, citrus, flowers, spice, and more—along with an instantly identifiable pink(ish) hue, which comes from the limited contact the grape skins have [...]

Who says wine and BBQ don’t go together? Actually, nobody does… and we’re going to prove that consensus correct with our First Wednesday Tasting/6th Annual Grill Out at Just Grapes!  Join us from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, July 7th, and discover that the 4th of July cookouts you just finished were merely [...]

The World Cup kicked off just a week ago, and already we’ve seen winemaking giants Germany, France, Spain, Australia, and South Africa taste defeat. Unlike many other countries in the tournament though, the teams and their millions of fans can replace the taste of defeat with the taste of their native land’s stellar wines. Here [...]

A few days ago, we highlighted some of our favorite reds to pair with heartier grilled meats, fish, and fruit. But if you’re flaming lighter fare, like shrimp, chicken, whitefish, or vegetables, they’ll scream for a chilled white to balance, not bulldoze the flavor. Here at Just Grapes, we think these pairings can help you [...]

In Thursday night’s “Clash of the Titans: Champagne vs. the World,” Just Grapes customers were put to the test in a blind tasting of seven sparkling wines, including one true champagne.  Asked to rank the seven bubblys from one to seven (seven being the highest quality sparkling and one being the lowest), the tasters chose [...]

By Brett Ashley McKenzie Everyone knows someone who refuses to drink any sparkling wine other than authentic Champagne. They wrinkle their nose at the suggestion of Prosecco, raise an eyebrow at the mention of Cava, and wouldn’t be caught dead with a sparkling Californian Chard in their Mimosa. You’ve always wondered, “If I slid him [...]

On Monday, I attended the Olé Imports Portfolio Tasting at Cream Wine Company, where more than 50 Spanish reds, whites, and rosés from a dozen regions were poured. Region by region, here are the highlights. Cataluna: The Cataluna (also known as Catalonia) region of Spain is home to D.O. Cava, where 95 percent of Spain’s [...]

As a recent Chicago transplant and non-stop lover of wine and food, I was ecstatic to discover the large number of great BYOB restaurants scattered around this city. I lived in New York City for several years before relocating to the Midwest and, while the restaurant scene in Manhattan is undeniably a food lover’s dream, [...]