The OpMom Blog

Cheers to a great wine book!

Gary Vaynerchuk is the author of 101 Wines and the star of the popular Wine Library TV. He was recently here in Houston and we had the opportunity to meet him. Gary Vee was extremely easy to talk to and he definitely knows his wines. As I found out in his book, Gary is also fan of Champagne and Sparkling Wines just like the OpMom Gals, so of course we had a ton to talk about! We learned about his upcoming trip to India and exploring uncharted wine country. So we have basically nick named him THE Indiana Jones of Wine!

The book is such a great read and I enjoyed every page. It was funny and entertaining all wrapped in education. I mean really, finally there is someone who takes the nonsense out of wine. Growing up drinking and exploring wine is something that has been a part of my adult life. Wine is something to enjoy and get to know. We all have different palettes and experiences with wine. I felt that Gary did a great job at reminding us about that. Wine is an experience that you share with family and friends.

In the book 2 things that stood out to me that he listed are:

1. Drink wine with people you care about
2. Expand that circle of people at every opportunity

Those 2 items are the keys to a happy life and should be something you have engraved on the mantel in your bar!

So who is this book for? Well, its’ for EVERYONE for different reasons. If you are a wine snob and think you know everything read it and get a reality check. If you don’t know a thing about wine, but find it interesting, then read it and have fun exploring. We have already tried a few of the 101 wines, and are having a great time sharing with friends!

Click here to buy and read more about the book.

And relearn the possibilities with wine.

Mama Likes Brut

Motherhood, business ownership, and wifely-hood.
All great parts of my life, but occasionally mama needs a glass of wine. One of my favorite sites is Women & Wine – our friend Julie Brosterman has created a great community at Women & Wine that brings women together in the appreciation of all things wine – great finds, cool products, and the best in wine travel and “experiences” (vinotherapy spa treatments, anyone?).

Yoga in a wine glass!
Julie has a presentation she gives called “Yoga in a Glass.” I haven’t seen it presented yet, but I adore the title alone. I can picture it… my morning Yoga on the mat… and evening Yoga on the placemat. I love it. And I’ll definitely have more on Julie and her site in a later post.

But today, we’re all about Champagne, folks.
As a part of my OpMom webcast series, I recently visited with Tim Smith of French Country Wines about the differences between Champagne and “sparkling wines.” What I wanted to better understand was the quintessential question with Champagne and (decent) sparkling wine, which is how to find good quality at a good price. This involves much more than just reading the latest Wine Spectator review and proving that we know 91 is a higher and presumably better number than 88. Over at www.opmom.com, the moms in our “Matter of Taste” MomCircle group often discuss this issue, so we decided to consult an expert.

Since I love the bubbly but I’m also budget conscious when buying wine, it’s great to get some tips on how to shop and what types of bargains I can look for. And then there’s the issue of what to choose. Most people get very un-adventurous with wine over time and stick to wines they know, because nothing is worse than spending your hard-earned money on a total guess or grocery store employee recommendation. If you find yourself looking at an overpriced wine menu at a restaurant, the situation only gets more frustrating. So, it helps to know what the labels signify, and how to get the most for your dollar when choosing these great but often pricey wines.

Bubbly isn’t just for big celebrations.
So check out the video below, and remember: You can celebrate a quiet Tuesday evening. Every now and then, I’ll have a glass while hanging out with my husband as we watch the kids run around outside. Another great day completed, healthy & happy kids… you know, that’s enough for me to celebrate!

Watch the show below, and be sure to leave comments! PS - any complaints about the annoying “Pop-Up” style text overlay should be addressed to John!