Our global holiday wine adventure begins with a remarkable English bubbly followed by a pair of unexpected whites. We move into reds with classics from Italy, France, and Napa Valley. As always, the wines I’ve selected are sustainably produced by real people with real stories.

Delicious Port and Madeira dessert wines from Portugal are best enjoyed around a table of friends all savoring the decadence of these special bottles. Let them accentuate a tasty dessert or cheese course, or keep things light by serving them in delicate glassware on their own at the end of the meal this holiday season!

Slow-cooked, tender duck meat with caramelized red onion, balsamic, and orange zest in a crispy tartlet paired with hand-crafted California red wine. It sounds like something you’d see on a gourmet dinner menu but this show stopping appetizer is not only doable, it’s easy! Best of all, you can prep all the ingredients ahead of time and assemble them in minutes when it’s time to serve. A few time-saving hacks and simple ingredients create a new holiday classic your friends and family will love.

I’ve combined the decadent flavors of Raeburn’s Russian River Valley Chardonnay with a summer pairing that will blow your mind in the best way possible. This appetizer comes together in less than 15 minutes and you won’t believe how delicious these flavor combinations are on a summer night.

When I tasted the 2020 Chardonnay I knew I wanted to pair it with a creamy cheese like burrata. The beautiful balance of fruit and just a touch of vanilla toast over the rich texture of the wine is both complex and versatile. Pairing opportunities are limitless and I wanted to design a combination of both complementary and contrasting flavors. To achieve this, I brought together the prosciutto's saltiness, the juicy peaches' sweetness, the tang of the balsamic reduction, and the delicate herbal notes of fresh mint. A spray of freshly cracked pepper and coarse sea salt and a color pop from fresh edible flowers tied it all together. It’s rare for me to say it, but this is one of the best pairings I’ve ever put together. I hope you agree!

On their own, food and wine each have their own distinct flavor profiles. When we combine them, they create a third flavor! One that doesn’t exist without both. Perfect pairings happen when two components come together in harmony on the palate. When we understand the building blocks of flavor, we can graduate to combining them!

The wines of Beaujolais are a foodie’s dream. The inherently low tannin, bright acidity, and fresh fruity/floral aromas and flavors of Beaujolais are enjoyed in bistros the world over, and these wines provide a reliable and inexpensive no-fuss option to pair with nearly anything you decide to create at home.

The “Alpine Republic” of Austria is a true gem of the wine world, and wine has been produced in its environs since the Bronze Age. It was the Cistercian monks in the 10th century who transported Burgundian know-how to the wine growing areas northeast of Vienna, setting the stage for Austrian wine culture. Austria’s inimitable combination of a relatively cool continental climate, a bevy of small-scale, family-run wineries, a strong sense of stewardship for the land, and an impossibly unique array of indigenous grape varieties that are the very definition of food-friendly, make Austria a special haven within the world of wine.

Syrah is one of the world’s greatest noble grape varieties. Its versatility is unmatched in the world of red wines and it provides beautifully unique styles the world over; from the Northern Rhone Valley to Paso Robles, Washington State to Chile, and Sonoma County to Australia.

Malbec comes from humble beginnings. In the Middle Ages, it was associated almost entirely with southwestern France and the ‘black wines’ of the Cahors region. The grape expanded its footprint in Bordeaux in the 1780s, but after Bordeaux’s destructive hard frost of 1956 Malbec was widely replaced with Merlot. After that, the grape went on to languish as something of an afterthought in France and greater Europe.

Carménère was one of the original red grapes of Bordeaux. After most of Europe’s vineyards were decimated in the late 1800s, Carménère was largely omitted during vineyard replanting and was eventually presumed extinct.

Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the world’s great noble grape varieties. It is the most-planted black-skinner wine grape in the world. It is the driving force behind many of the world’s most important wine regions, the main component in countless numbers of prestigious blends, and the most recognized and favored red wine on the worldwide market. As the saying goes: Cab is King!

Riesling [reese-ling] is the Queen of Grapes and the world’s most versatile white grape variety! Germany is the most important producer of Riesling, but excellent versions are made around the world. The wines made from this aromatic grape come in a range of styles from refreshingly bone-dry to lusciously sweet. High in fruity natural acidity, typically low in alcohol, and able to age for decades in bottle - Riesling has it all.

​Chardonnay is an early budding variety that makes it susceptible to frost damage, but it also ripens early which allows it to work well in areas that are cooler or have shorter growing seasons. Chardonnay performs well in a wide range of soils and climates; this is a factor that helped it to become one of the world’s most ubiquitous grape varieties.

Today, I’m sharing 5 amazing white wines under $20 a bottle to pair with homemade ceviche. The recipe is super easy and healthy and the wines are all made using organic or sustainable growing practices! Add this to your summer meal prep program without breaking the bank.

When humans connect deeply with the earth, they find themselves growing and evolving right along with it. It happens to all of us. Some people are more in sync and aware of it than others. Awareness is at the heart of how that Antiquum Farm owner, Stephen Hagen, treats his land in Willamette Valley.

Our celebration of Sustainability in Wine continues. Join me for a virtual visit to the beautiful land of Kiwis, a place synonymous with Sauvignon Blanc and beautiful landscapes: Marlborough, New Zealand. I'm joined by Spy Valley's Amanda Johnson for a close look at a leader in sustainable wine.

A simple, delicious pairing of fresh branzino, or European bass, with brightly colored veggies and a crisp, classic New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. This dish is dramatic and delicious and comes together in just a few minutes.

Join Lauren Cain for a weekend of wine tasting and exploration in the gorgeous wine region of Santa Barbara County! She's sharing her favorite wineries, tasting rooms, and restaurants, plus key travel tips to help you make the most of your visit!

Like cooking, mixology is more than just following a recipe. It’s about having the right tools and techniques. It’s about making “magic in a glass” for the person who is going to enjoy what you’ve made, even if that person is you. Discover Mixology Mastery online course from our friends at Barprints

Join me as I explore the world of Cava, Spain's sparkling wine, with winemaker Arthur O'Connor. We're discussing winemaking and other factors of production. Learn about Arthur's journey as director of winemaking in one of Spain's oldest wineries where he learned all there is to know about Cava.