A glimpse into the wine world speaks volumes about a country’s history, culture, and tradition. For me, there is no better way to record those moments than with my own narrative.
For the past two and a half years, I had the privilege to live in Brno, Czechia, where the wine world was at my fingertips. Read up on my adventurous journey as an American expat living in South Moravia, Czechia.
I’ve also linked my ‘100 wine reviews’ on the Search Bar-these will redirect you to my Facebook page.
Recently, I have relocated to Tucson, Arizona, so stay tuned! I’ll be updating the site with more of my desert wine escapades and stories. Cheers!
Blog
The Vinotéka
The Czech vinotéka seems to be undergoing a 21st century identity crisis, thus revealing a major split between tradition and modernity. From what I have experienced so far in Brno, there are two versions of the Czech vinotéka, often referred to as a Vinný Sklep, or wine cellar…
No Country for Red Wine
My husband and I met in the Italian wine aisle of my former job at Seaboard Wine. At that time, he drank exclusively red wines from this region, setting the bar rather high for himself as Brunellos and Aglianicos were his everyday swill…
Tonight We’re Gonna Party Like It’s 1881
Once upon a time, in a vineyard in Oporto, a Portuguese winemaker and their workers harvested their grape vines of Touriga Nacional, gathered field hands to stomp the grapes in their lugares, and eventually, after some time letting the juice age in oak barrels, bottled their tawny port wine…
Alentejo, Portugal
In 2008, the Esporão Reserva red was the first bottle of wine I ever sold in Virginia. I had tasted it during my first week at Grand Cru Wine and was intrigued by the enormous range of flavors and aromas radiating from this bottle…
Setubal, Portugal
Rarely, if ever, does one see Portuguese wine on the racks at their local US wine shop. The grapes are difficult to pronounce and hail from regions unknown to the average wine consumer…
Vinařství Bukovský
Located just around the corner from our apartment, the Bukovský wine shop is one of those incredibly fortuitous finds for two wine lovers like my husband and me…
It’s Wine Time, All the Time
Whether it’s 10H00 or 19H00, a Wednesday or a Sunday, to a Czech person, it never seems like a bad time for a glass of wine. No, it’s not paradise. It’s Brno…
Pálava – The City and the Grape
During our pre-move July visit to Brno, my husband and I took an afternoon and wandered around to the local wine bars. Craving a heavier white wine, I asked the bartender at Just Wine, a local Brno wine shop, for their recommendation…
First Day, First Bottle
We landed in Brno on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving 2018, following a flurry of stress, pressure, uncertainty of our VISA status and 20 hours of overseas travel with two cats…