I love trying new wines. To me wine is like food, if you don’t try it how will you ever know if you like it. My wine taste has evolved quite a bit over the years. Lets just say in college I thought Yellowtail and Barefoot wines were the best thing ever, now they are way too sweet for my taste. I don’t think you have to spend a lot on wine to get a good bottle. You can find some really great under $20 options. Below are 6 wines I am currently loving: 3 Pinot Noirs and 3 Chardonnays. I go through phases with wines and currently those are the two varietals I am most into. If you can’t find them locally you can always ask your wine store to try and order them for you, most wine stores will do that!

C H A R D O N N A Y | I am not a typical Chardonnay lover. I tend to prefer French Chardonnays and ones that are not as buttery or oaky. These 3 are fantastic. The later 2 are direct order from the vineyard but soooo good.

P I N O T N O I R | I love a Pinot Noir, I think it is the perfect light red. It pairs well with most foods and is just an easy drinking wine. I tend to prefer Pinots from Oregon and the Willamette Valley, they always seem to be my favorite. These three all came from local wine stores and I know Whole Foods carries Sass and Valraven.

I also want to mention one tool we love for our red wine which is a wine aerator. I love this for red wine as it helps to open up the wine and let it breathe quicker. I grew up with my parents always using one and now I do too!

I am so excited because my old neighbor, Rick Dean- I am sure most of you guys remember him (he is the BEST) is starting a wine concierge service. He has introduced me to so many fabulous wines!! Before Covid hit he was hosting lots of wine tastings that were so fun and informative but then Covid changed that! He still does virtual wine tastings that are fun too.

From the get go Rick has always picked up wine for me. As a busy mom he made my life so much easier by saying “Hey, I am headed to the wine store today, can I get you anything?” and my response was always YES! I loved that he would hand pick wines he thought I would like based on my pallete. He knows me pretty well and what wines I do and don’t like. Now he is offering that service for local Charleston people!

Since Rick works with lots of local stores he is able to get discounted wine prices, so you actually save money even though you are paying a fee for his services. He also can source and order wines directly from vineyards for you, which I typically have him do. He makes it so easy!! Two vineyards I learned about from his tastings Methvan and Lenne I still continually order from with his help.

Below is a brief description of the different levels of his service plan. You can always email him rick@strongcoffeetoredwine.com for more info. Once you sign up you will have access to a zoom call with him to discuss your wine likes and dislikes.

SC2RW Concierge and Consultancy is a membership-based service. If you typically consume 8 bottles per month, then the Gold Level will align with your needs. Membership is $100.00 per quarter and includes 2 consults each quarter.

If you typically consume 12 bottles per month, then the Platinum Level will align best with your needs. Membership is $140 per quarter and includes 3 consults each quarter. This also includes one complimentary tasting fee for an in-person tasting per quarter (when offered).

If you typically consume approximately 16 bottles per month or if you desire unlimited access to our expertise, then the Diamond Level will align best with your needs. Membership is $225 per quarter with unlimited consults. This also includes two complimentary tasting fees for in-person tastings per quarter (when offered).

Shoot Rick an email if you are interested! You can also get on the list for his virtual wine tastings this way as well!

rick@strongcoffeetoredwine.com