Cocktail Hour: Wine List

It’s time for another cocktail hour and this time I’m sharing my wine list. Whenever I go out to eat, I’m always looking at the drink menu and the wine list. I love seeing the types of wines they have available to serve. I’m usually very interested if any of the wines are local. Living on the Central Coast (wine country), we have several local wineries. I wanted to share a few of my favorite local wines as well as my thoughts on wine tasting and shopping for wine.

I’m not an expert on wine, only drinking it (aren’t we all). When I started drinking wine, I could only stand the rosés and white wines. Then, when my palate became more refined, I moved onto red wines. I’m not a fan of overly sweet wines, so I tend to stay away from the white varieties these days. There are a few white wines, such as Pinot Grigio, that I enjoy as they tend to be less sweet and crisper. I usually stick to rosé and reds.

Wine Tasting

Now since I live in wine country, wine tasting is only a quick Lyft ride away. When wine tasting, you usually pay an upfront fee which will give you a few tastings (usually around 4-5). Tastings are not full glasses, so don’t worry about drinking too much. If you are unsure of what to pick there are a few options; the wine attendant can assist you with your choices, you can randomly select your wine, or stick to the grape varieties that you usually drink. On the wine list, there will also be a guide that describes the wine.

While you are tasting the wine server/attendant will help describe the wine as you drink which will give you an idea of what you are tasting. There are a couple of things to note; there’s a dump bucket for the wine if you don’t like it and there is usually crackers and water for between the tastings. There’s no need to feel insecure while wine tasting because you are unsure of the etiquette or you’re not familiar with the wines. It’s ok; you’re just there to have a good experience.

Shopping for Wine

Now shopping for wine can be daunting, but only if you let it. There are so many ways to shop for wine, and none of them are wrong. It just depends on your preference. There are several different types of wine clubs that you could belong to if you need assistance when shopping. The first is belonging to a wine club at a winery. This membership usually has a fee associated and requires that you buy bottles. The winery will then have a shipment for you that you will pick up at the winery. On these days the winery will usually have tasting parties with all of the members by providing food and drinks.

Another way to buy wine is through online services. I’ve not tried any online stores, but it’s an option is you don’t want to go through the task of picking out wines for yourself. You will give the service a brief description about the wines you drink. They will choose the wine for you and send you shipments.

The other way to shop for wines is to either stick to the wines/brands that you know or to choose by the label. Going by the label is more fun. However, both have their ups and down sides. When you go by the label, you are judging the wine by its cover. You can find some great wines this way, but now and then you find a bad bottle. If I’m going to a dinner or giving wine as a gift, I stick to the wines that I know are good.

My Wine List

The wines that I have chosen on this list are local wines. So if you are ever in the Central Coast, be sure to check them out. They all have wineries in this area and are also available in grocery stores.

I hope you enjoyed this cocktail hour. Even though we weren’t whipping up a delicious concoction, wine is always on my cocktail hour list. Let me know which wines you enjoy! Feel free to leave a comment below.

This article is not sponsored by any of the brands mentioned above. The information in this post is my thoughts and preferences.

Photos by @cristaltapp