By Adrienne Davis As a sommelier in training, my nose is constantly being put to use.  One in my position has to smell the fruit in the grocery store, spices from the spice rack, wood in trees and furniture (and maybe even sometimes the wooden floor), flowers, dirt, vegetables, and sometimes even moldy boxes.  That [...]

Grocery store circulars everywhere are touting the release today of this year’s Beaujolais Nouveau. Granted, most people don’t expect to find fine wine in the same store stocking Twinkies and Chef Boyardee, but Beaujolais Nouveau has garnered a disrespect in some corners perhaps beyond proportion, considering it doesn’t aspire to much. What is it about [...]

How’s your palate when it comes to GSMs? Don’t know what a GSM is? Here at Just Grapes, we can help! On June 17, we’re hosting a Wines of Australia class, where you’ll taste the distinctive Australian blend of Grenache, Shriaz, and Mourvèdre (GSM), plus amazing Australian Chardonnays, Sauvignon Blancs, Cabernets, and much more (including [...]

Wild weather here in Chicago: rain, tornadoes (in the good ol’ burbs), more rain. It makes one want to bundle up with a good book and some popcorn. A good wine to pair with a predictably tempestuous night? Tempranillo, of course (word play!). Here at Just Grapes, we’re spending our Wednesday conducting a special seminar [...]

We like picnics by the lake, on the beach, in a park; frankly, anywhere besides the Office Space-esque cubicle our lives have become (against our better sense, no less). There’s just something so retro about picnics (gingham blanket, wicker basket, the great outdoors) it begs the question: what’s not to love? Excluding enjoyable company, the [...]

The 2007 Skulls, the cheeky 2007 Chateau Chateau Chateau, and the epic Anamorphosis all have one thing in common (besides being Australian and having Parker ratings): the art of Hungarian István Orosz graces each of their labels (and in Anamorphosis’ case, the incredible poster that is meant to be reflected in its mirrored bottle).

Yesterday, we began receiving stock for our Spring Blowout Sale: 50% on 50 Wines. As we opened box after box of incredible wine after incredible wine, I couldn’t believe my eyes. Three different 1.5 liter-bottles of Herman Donnhoff Riesling , each rated between 93 and 97 points by Robert Parker, marked down from $90, $79, [...]

At a wine bar on the North Side a while ago, I decided to try something different. I reviewed the specials, marveled at the value of a particular $6-a-glass New World red (everything else was priced at around $12 a glass), and placed my order with the bartender. “South Africa?” My friend raised an eyebrow [...]

Tomorrow at Just Grapes’ weekly free Saturday wine tasting, we’ll be offering four delicious kosher wines from the Galilee region of Israel. What exactly makes wines (or food) kosher, you ask? According to About.com, “Jewish Dietary Laws are rules and regulations concerning food that are derived from Biblical laws and rabbinical extensions. A person who [...]

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 [...]