My Top 9 Wines

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I thought it would be a good time to finally post my favorite wines list while we’re all sheltering in place! I’m no wine expert (although this glass a day method has me feeling like one 🤷🏼‍♀️🍷)…just wanted to share my tried and true favorites that are both tasty and affordable.

One of our favorite things to do is pop open a bottle of wine while we’re cooking a meal at home. Whether it’s leftover pizza (when I’m on cooking duty) or a candlelit steak dinner, the night is always better when you add a little wine. Here’s the list of what we’ve been loving lately & after you read, I’d love any suggestions in the comments of my IG post tonight!

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The Pinot Noirs

I’m definitely more of a red girl, which is typically my drink of choice (other than the occasional spicy marg or dirty martini). When I’m in the mood for red, Pinot Noir is always a great option. It’s a light bodied, easy to drink, go-to wine for almost any occasion. We love drinking Pinot at room temperature the majority of the time, but sometimes we’ll chill it in the fridge for 15 minutes.  

A to Z ($17): A Classic Oregon Pinot ~ light, dry, fruity, affordable.

La Crema Willamette Valley 2018 ($24): We clearly like our Oregon Pinots. I’d say this is one step up from A to Z if you’re feeling fancy. We had this with our families the night we celebrated out engagement! 

Cherry Pie ‘Tri County’ 2017 ($17): As the name suggests ~ it has sweet notes of cherry, plum, and blueberry. A California Pinot that’s one of Conner’s parents favorites ~ they always send us bottles of this! 

The Cabernets

Cabernet is a classic wine for all seasons that’s rich in flavor. As a more full-bodied wine, we like drinking this with heartier meals (like steak or pork chops). My top three:

Decoy ($19): A full, dry, and bold staple in our apartment.

Justin Cabernet Sauvignon ($24): Try it with a pizza!

Hayes Valley California Cab ($12): Pairs well with blue cheese 🙂

The Chardonnays

Creamy and buttery to steely and crisp,  there is a Chardonnay for everyone! I rarely drink white other than Chardonnay ~ which I actually just started liking a couple summers ago when Conner and I decided to re-do the pack patio of my Chicago apartment. We did it so we could start grilling out and eating dinner out there ~ which was when Con introduced me to Chardonnay. I ended up loving it after years of saying I hated white wine. Sometimes there’s just nothing better than a chilled glass of chard!

Butter ($16): One of the first whites I ever liked!

Sonoma-Cutrer Russian River Valley ($24): Rich, velvety with notes of peach and caramel. 

Rombauer ($36): A splurge! Pairs well with fish and cheeses. 

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Kentucky friends…

Whenever we’re in town, we always get our wine and spirits from DEP’s Fine Wine. They just launched online ordering on their website and reached out to offer my KY readers $5 off your next online order with code: WINENIGHT. Great wine prices and a great bourbon selection 🙂

NYC/FiDi Friends:

We live right by Seaport Wines and it’s our go to spot in the city. Great hand picked wine selection and we love the owner! They’re currently offering free delivery.

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[Our Wine Glasses]

Hands down our favorite item in our kitchen. Our Zalto Wine Glasses are considered the gold standard of glassware by wine connoisseurs, so this was something we splurged on a while ago. The glasses are made of hand-blown, incredibly delicate crystal. Experts say they make wine taste better than all the other glasses…I believe it!

CHEERS!