Create the cutest Pumpkin Wine Cooler

Elevate your fall entertaining this year with a pumpkin wine cooler. Use this for your next Halloween party, fall festival, tailgater party, or Friendsgiving. 

Items you will need:

Directions:

  1. Carve the pumpkin – Cut off the top of the pumpkin. You could use a marker or pencil to draw a line around the pumpkin for accuracy, but I just let the knife guide me. 
  2. Fill with ice and wine – Add a bottom layer of ice to the pumpkin. Add your bottles of wine and top with ice. 
  3. Let your wine chill  – Let your wine chill on the ice for 20-30 minutes before serving and refill as you need. 

Pro-tips: 

  • Craft pumpkin takes little and no mess vs using a real pumpkin.
  • Ice stays cold for 2hrs and doesn’t drip. 
  • Clean up, pour ice water in the sink and wipe out with a towel.

How will you be celebrating this fall ?

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Atlanta Wine Walk 2021

Festival season has officially kicked off and the wine is overflowing. 

Atlanta Wine Walk gives you all the things the city has to offer: good wine, delicious food, great music, and more importantly a fun time. 

This year’s festival was presented by Chateau Ste. Michelle, a Washington winery that started its roots in 1912 and had the #1 selling Riesling last year. 

Quick Festival Facts:

  • Location – The Battery Atlanta, which is a mixed entertainment/living/retail district that is also home to the Atlanta Braves. You can catch a baseball game, a movie, and watch your favorite performer live. 
  • Details – A 4hr wine festival featuring wines, performances, and food. 
  • When – Mid-August
  • Cost – $60 – $80, VIP available for 1hr early access, souvenir glass, and food tickets included.
  • Parking – Free parking available at the Red Deck (up to 4 hrs)
  • Stay – Omni Hotel 

This was the first festival I’ve attended since the pandemic and the setup for this one was different from others I’ve attended.

Once you checked in at the gate you get a Wine Walk badge that has a map of the tasting tents with 10 markers. The markers were numbered 1- 10 (the amount of tasting tents) with R (red wine) and W (white wine). Unlike other festivals where the wines are unlimited, you only had 1 option to try at each tent. 

To choose wisely they had wine cards at each table giving the description of wine. 

Although the wine wasn’t unlimited, your ticket came with full pour drink vouchers. 

General admission got 1 voucher and VIP got 2.

My favorite sips of the day were:

If you attend this event in the future I highly recommend purchasing the VIP ticket. 

VIP included:

  • 2 full pour vouchers
  • A separate VIP area 
  • 5 more additional wines to taste (unlimited)
  • Separate bathrooms 
  • A charcuterie board buffet
  • 6 food vouchers

Have you attended a wine festival before? Let me know your favorites in the comments and I’ll add them to my list. 

The best Champagne to pair with Fried Chicken

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Can you name a better duo than Champagne and Fried Chicken? … Didn’t think so.

There is nothing like biting down into a crispy, juicy and salty piece of fried chicken and washing it down with a glass of sparkling wine.

This pairing works so well because the acidity in the wine cuts the grease, refreshes your palate, and brings the fruit-forward in your champagne.

Take a look at a few options:

Grongnet, Blanc de Blancs Brut NV —
bright and citrusy.
Chartogne-Taillet, ‘Cuvée Ste. Anne’ NV —
fresh, crisp, citrusy.
Laherte Fréres, ‘Ultradition’ NV  —
citrusy and fresh
Marguet, ‘Shaman’ Grand Cru Extra Brut Champagne 2017 —
crisp and savory.

Valentine’s Day Gift Guide for Wine Lovers

Wine is my Valentine, obviously!

Here are some great gift ideas for your wine lover. All of these items can be found on Amazon.

Wine Folly Master Guide // Coasters // 5 Piece Wine Accessory Gift Set //
Valentine’s Day Wine Label Stickers // SipCaddy Portable Cupholder // Personalized Mini Wood Cutting Boards // Personalized Etched Monogram 17oz Stemless Wine Glass //Sommify: A Blind Wine Tasting Game

My favorite red wines under $25

I am a big red wine drinker and it is my go-to for winding down after work or enjoying with friends over dinner.

My favorite type of red wine is Cabernet Sauvignon, which is one of the most recognizable red wine grape varieties. A few characteristics of this wine:

  • Medium to full body, which describes the way the wine feels in your mouth
  • Dry, very low to no sugar
  • High acidic, refreshing feeling

When anyone asks for a wine recommendation, I’m always pointing to a red. Check out my favorite red wines under $25.

  1. Porta Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva, 2019- $9.99
  2. Duncan Creek Red (Local GA Muscadine Wine) – $10
  3. Bellini Chianti Classico, 2017 – $14.99
  4. McBride Sisters Collection, 2018 Central Coast California Red Blend – $18.99
  5. Vennstone Pinot Noir Tri Appleton, 2018 – $19.99

What is your go-to red wine?

7 Last Minute Gift Ideas For Wine Lovers

Still need to check items off your list? Looking for last minute stocking stuffers? I’ve got you covered. Here are some last minute gift ideas for the wine lover in your life that will make it in time for Christmas. All of these items can be found on Amazon. That Prime membership is definitely worth it this time of year.

The Wine Bible // 12 oz Stainless Steel Tumbler with Lid //
Oster Cordless Electric Wine Bottle Opener // Mama Juice 15oz Wine Glass //
6 Bottle Wine Carrier // Wine Letter Cork Holder Art // Wine Socks

How to set up a mimosa bar

Mimosa bars are perfect for any holiday, brunch, or celebration. Their quick to set up, you can make it your own, and as a host it allows your guest to mix and mingle.

This year I hosted a Ugly Sweater Brunchmas and I knew the first thing I was going to serve were mimosas.

To set up your mimosa bar you will need:

  1. Sparkling Wine – I always go for something on the cheaper side since it will be mixed with juice. For 7 people I picked up 6 bottles. I definitely recommend getting 6 – 8 bottles. My sparkling wine of choice was Burlwood Sparkling Wine from Aldi.
  2. Juice – My juice of choice was Raspberry Lemonade, Blackberry Lemonade, and Orange Juice with Mango.
  3. Berries (as a garnish) – My choice of fruit were blackberries and blueberries
  4. Carafes
  5. Ice Bucket
  6. Glasses
I used Canva to make the personalized sign and tags. I bought the balloons from etsy.

As well as these necessities I always think it is fun to personalize your party with a few details:

  • You can add a personalize sign.
  • Add tags to your juice. This allows your guests to know what they are drinking and prevent constant questioning, “What is this?”

If you are a fan mimosas, try this for your next gathering. Have fun and pour up the bubbles. Check out some of my favorite fall mimosas for inspiration.

How to host a wine exchange party

‘Tis the season for sipping!

A wine exchange party is perfect for friends and family to share their favorite wines as well as trying something new. I’ll be sharing the steps that will make your holiday wine exchange a success.

  1. Create a guest list. I invited 3 of my friends over (my happy hour crew) to partake in the wine exchange.
  2. Send invitations. I sent invitations out 2 weeks in advance so everyone can plan accordingly. Be sure to include the date, that everyone should bring 2 bottles of wine – one to be sipped on at the party and one to be wrapped to be gifted, and the price cap on the wine. Our price cap was $25. I suggest putting a price tag on the wine so everyone can get a similar quality wine. Evite is a great option for cute and free invites.
  3. Plan out the menu. With wine flowing you want to make sure your guests have something to eat. My menu included: charcuterie board, crab cake minis (Costco only has these during the holidays) and baked chicken wings.

4. Taste wine, have fun and exchange. I set up the bottles from sparkling to dry whites, fuller whites, roses, light reds and to fuller reds. We had so much fun that night, everyone grabbed a bottle of wine out the door. You could play a game like White Elephant or draw names to decide the order of picking wine.

The wines we had were: McBride Sisters Sparkling Rosé, Justin Cabernet Sauvignon, Chloe Red Blend and LaMarca Prosecco.

I had to get favors, so I picked up these cute wine glasses from the dollar tree that say “Tis’ the Season”.

Grab your crew and make a new tradition of trying new wines together.

Easy Red Sangria

Looking for a simple drink to serve for the holidays?

Here is the perfect recipe if you are serving for a crowd or for two.

This sangria recipe is from my good friend and bartender Brittany Banks of Bubbles and Booze.

Grab a bottle of your favorite red wine to get started.

*I recommend using a inexpensive wine since it mixes with other juices. The notes of the wine won’t be as present as sipping a glass.

For this recipe I used a Cabernet Sauvignon, which is a dry red wine that pairs well with the juice since it is not sweet. It makes a balanced drink.

Ingredients:

  • 1 bottle of Cabernet or your favorite dry red wine ( I used Flip Flop Cabernet)
  • 1/2 Pear, chopped into cubes
  • 1/2 Orange, sliced into halves
  • 1 Cup of Orange Juice
  • 3/4 Cup of Apple Cider
  • 2 1/2 Tablespoons of Brown Sugar
  • 2/3 Cup of Brandy ( I used E & J)

Directions:

  1. Add your chopped pears, sliced oranges, and sugar into a pitcher
  2. Muddle your fruit until it is crushed and mixed together
  3. Add your orange juice, apple cider, brandy, and wine
  4. Stir and enjoy

A few tips:

  • Add more sugar if you want it to be more sweet
  • Serve in a chilled glass
  • Sangria can be made the day before so the fruit can infuse the wine

This sangria is perfect for fall, thanksgiving, and the holiday season. Be sure to tag me if you make this drink. I want to see your creations.

3 of the best fall mimosas

Mimosas L to R: Caramel Apple Cider , Cinnamon Pear , Pomegranate

Impress your friends with these festive mimosas.

Thanksgiving and the holiday season is right around the corner.
These drinks are sure to be the star of your party.

All you need is your favorite sparkling wine or champagne to get it started.

My choice of bubbles is Korbel Brut, a California Champagne, which you can pick up at your local grocery store. It’s tasting notes include:

  • Medium-dry finish, perfect for those who want something semi-sweet
  • Aromas of citrus and cinnamon, which makes it perfect for these fall mimosas
  • Flavors of orange, lime, vanilla, and strawberry
Caramel Apple Cider Mimosa

Ingredients:

  • Caramel
  • Brown Sugar
  • Apple Cider
  • Champagne or Sparkling Wine
  • Apple

Instructions:

  1. Dip your glass in caramel
  2. Coat the rim with brown sugar, rotating the glass as you go to make sure it is completely covered
  3. Holding your glass at angle pour your bubbles of choice, filling it up halfway
  4. Pour your apple cider to top it off
  5. Slice an apple and garnish
Cinnamon Pear Mimosa

Ingredients:

  • Cinnamon
  • Sugar
  • Pear Juice
  • Champagne or Sparkling Wine
  • Pear

Instructions:

  1. Dip your glass in the pear juice
  2. Combine your cinnamon and sugar to make a mix
  3. Coat the rim of your glass in your cinnamon and sugar mix
  4. Holding your glass at angle pour your bubbles of choice, filling it up halfway
  5. Pour your pear juice to top it off
  6. Slice a pear and garnish
Pomegranate Mimosa

Ingredients:

  • Sugar
  • Pomegranate Arils (seeds)
  • Pomegranate Juice
  • Champagne or Sparkling Wine
  • Mint

Instructions:

  1. Dip your glass in pomegranate juice
  2. Coat the rim of your glass in sugar
  3. Holding your glass at angle pour your bubbles of choice, filling it up halfway
  4. Pour your pomegranate juice to top it off
  5. Take 1/2 Tablespoon of Pomegranate Arils and add to drink
  6. Take a few pieces of mint (2 to 3) – smack your mint leaves with your hands to release aromas then place it in your glass
Pro Tips:
  • Chill glass in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes up to 3 hours before serving to keep your mimosa cool longer
  • If you want a sweeter drink, buy a extra dry champagne

Sip and Enjoy!