Lubrication Blog
Behind our Latest Tank Cares Project: The Roots Fund
When we finally solidified our collaboration with the Blundstone Team (a partner we’d been dreamin’ of coordinating with for a very long time), we were determined to conjure up a Tank Cares project that was going to give back in a big way. With Blundstones being the prominent footwear choice for winemakers, we were both entrenched in the wine industry in big ways and thought that a great way to pay it forward was giving to an organization that can enrich and diversify the industry that we love. That’s why we want you to know more about our most recent partner on It Was All a Dream, The Roots Fund. $2 from every sale of It Was All a Dream goes directly to this organization! Read all about them below.
The world of wine is steeped in culture and tradition, but there’s no doubt that it is nowhere near as inclusive and diverse as it should be. Tank exists to shake things up in the wine world; break the mould of the same old stories that have been told for centuries, and everyone deserves a seat at the table for the ride. We are inspired and proud to support The Roots Fund: an organization that has emerged to bring about positive change. The Roots Fund is not just about wine; it's about nurturing the growth of diversity, equity, and inclusivity within the industry.
Established in 2020, the organization is the brainchild of passionate wine professionals, Ikimi Dubose-Woodson, Carlton McCoy Jr. and Tahiira Habibi, who recognized the need for change within the industry. Their mission is to provide opportunities, resources, and support to underrepresented individuals in wine, from vineyard to cellar, and from tasting room to boardroom.
Their Key Initiatives and objectives of The Roots Fund, provide incredible support for the BIPOC community. Providing scholarships and education allows aspiring wine professionals from marginalized communities to receive funding for wine courses, certifications, and programs that lead to careers in viticulture, winemaking and wine business careers. They open the door to mentorship and networking opportunities, facilitating mentorship programs, and connecting industry leaders with their scholars: bridging the gap for individuals who may otherwise not have access to these openings. The Organization does excellent work breaking down financial barriers that can often hinder diversity in the industry by offering financial assistance where needed.
Advocacy is so important, and The Roots Fund is a pioneering changemaker in advocating for marginalized communities in the world of wine, working to change the narrative around who belongs in the industry. Since its inception, The Roots Fund has made significant strides in promoting diversity and inclusivity. Their scholarship recipients have gone on to become winemakers, viticulturists, sommeliers, and educators, enriching the industry with their unique perspectives and talents.
We are super proud to collaborate with a change-making organization like them, and we need you to spread the word! Anyone passionate about fostering an environment in wine that is inclusive of all races, and cultures can get involved. You can donate directly here. And, of course, you can buy this incredible wine, which is not only an incredibly juicy, bold and delicious Shiraz, but has a collector’s item bottle with stunning artwork from our long-time collaborator Dwight White II.
Be a changemaker, and remember: never dream alone.
BUY IT WAS ALL A DREAM
DONATE TO THE ROOTS FUND
Sep 14, 2023 at 3:38 PM
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Summer Squash Bowl with Mothersky Pét-Nat
Summer squash is in season, and that means it's time to get creative in the kitchen. This versatile vegetable can be used in a variety of dishes, from light and refreshing salads to hearty stews.
One of our favorite ways to enjoy summer squash is a creamy, garlicy White Bean & Squash Bowl served with toast points. It's everything we want in a late-summer dinner: easy to make, delicious and it feeds a crowd. Paired with a glass of our newly-released Mothersky Pét-Nat, you have a match made for the cosmos.
Ingredients:
4 medium sized Zuchinni and Summer Squash, large dice (roughly 4-5 cups)
1 head of garlic, peeled
3-4 sprigs of fresh Thyme, minced (can sub 2 tsp dried thyme)
1/2 c Olive Oil
2 cans Cannelini Beans
1/2 c Cream
1 lemon, zested and juiced
Fresh basil, roughly torn for garnish
Salt & Pepper, to taste
Parmesan Cheese, optional
Sourdough Bread, for dipping
Step 1
Heat oven to 325 degrees and add zuchini, squash, garlic, thyme and olive oil to a dutch oven and generously season with salt and pepper. Once oven has heated, cook vegetables in a dutch oven, covered, for approximately 45 minutes or until the squash has softened completely.
Step 2
Using a fork, gently smash the zucchini and garlic and add cannelini beans, cream and lemon juice. Bring to a simmer and stir, reducing slightly until the pot has a stew-like consistencey.
Step 3
Meanwhile, brush sourdough bread with a generous amount of olive oil and toast on both sides. Optional: rub taost points with the cut side of raw garlic for even more flavor!
Step 4
To serve, top bowl with freshly grated parmesan (optional) and serve with toast points. Pour yourself a glass of Mothersky and DIG IN!
Order Mothersky
Sep 13, 2023 at 2:32 PM
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The Perfect Temperature for Each Wine
White wine = freezing cold, Red wine = Room temperature, right? Well, not necessarily. While that’s a pretty basic rule to live by, and probably what you learned at the start of your wine journey, serving temperature in wine can be a lot more nuanced than you might think, especially when you start to get into the tannic structure, varietal…and all kind of nerdy wine stuff like that. At Tank, we’re obsessed with staying on our toes and making new cool shit all the time, that means a LOT of different styles of wine, and to get the most out of it, the right serving temperature can be everything. So, let’s break it down, shall we?
Which wines are best served freezing cold?
Generally speaking, sparkling wines and very light-bodied white wines are best served at an freezing temperature: generally 38-45 degrees F. There is slightly more variation with Rosés! A very light, crisp Provençal-Style rosé is often best served around this temperature too.
Tank Current Release Examples: Alright Fight Club, Skateland, Hippy Sippy, Wild Child, Flowershop
Wines best served "fridge cold," but not freezing?
If a lighter wine tends to have more aromatic flavors, or more of a full body, it will generally be at its full potential if it is a little bit warmer. This is best observed for something like, a fuller-bodied Chenin or Chardonnay, most skin-contact wines, and tannic rosés. At Tank, we love working with interesting varietals, making carbonic and skin-contact wines, so we have lots that fall into this category! Serve these around 45-55 degrees F to have the best drinking experience!
Tank Current Release Examples: Acapulco Swim Club, Love Saves the Day, Occhiali da Sole, Trailer Park Pretty, Mirror Play, Crushed Hearts, La Loba
Wines best served “cool”?
While it’s a long-time myth that all red wines are best served “room temperature”, there’s a plethora of lighter-bodied reds that are best served with a very slight chill, around 55-60 degrees F. We love this for a lot of carbonic reds, and ones with a much lighter tannic structure.
Tank Current Release Examples: Bye-Bye Baby, Checkered Past, Lonely Hearts Club, Softcore
Wines best served closer to room temperature?
Bigger, bolder reds are best served a little closer to “room temperature”. But even this means a serving temperature of around 60-68 degrees F. If you reside in a much warmer climate, it’s not recommended to leave your red wines out. Serving around 60-68 degrees will give you the fullest expression of subtleties, structure and aromas.
Tank Current Release Examples: Fuck Yeah, Stunt, Don’t Forget Me, Dynamic Karate Theory, I Love You but I’ve Chosen Disco, Honky Tonk Girl, Lost Dreams, Heavy Metal Life
Aug 16, 2023 at 11:00 AM
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What even is Orange Wine anyway?
Orange wine? What the heck is this? Is it made from oranges? Why does it look like that? WHAT? It’s not made from oranges. Don’t worry. We’re going to get to the bottom of this. Then you’ll have a little awesome context next time you crack the top of your next Acapulco Swim Club bottle.
Wondering where this trend came from? Why are all the hipsters and wine nerds flocking to this mysteriously colored juice? Who came up with this new, kooky idea? Well, it turns out making orange wine is nothing new, in fact, it’s a technique that’s even older than the making of some other old-world varietals such as Syrah or Riesling. Orange wine has been made in The Caucasus Mountains of Georgia for over 6,000 years.
First, let’s get to the bottom of what actually makes something an orange, or skin-contact wine. The color of all wines depends on the time the wine's juice is left to macerate with its skins. Generally, in the white wine-making process, the grapes are pressed directly after being picked, and the skins, seeds, and stems are discarded. When we make an orange wine, we take the white grapes, and subject them to something like the red wine making process: once the fruit is crushed, it is then fermented with the seeds, skins and stems (also known as the ‘must) and left with them for the desired number of days. The longer the contact with the must, the more intense the color will be.
Assyrian Monks in Georgia began packing crushed grapes into qvervi, large egg-shaped Terracotta clay pots, with their stems and all, and then burying them underground for natural refrigeration. This provided a longer maceration period for the juice and skins, that would have spoiled the wine if left above ground. The extended maceration also helps develop an increase in aroma and flavor profiles in qvervi wines. Farming families and communities all over the area began to carry out these practices and pass on through generations. Super cool, right? So, where’d they go for so long?
With their lack of electric refrigeration years and years ago, this skin-contact technique was a way of extracting color, tannin and other oxygen-scavenging elements in order to preserve the wine the best they could. Once refrigeration was on the scene, people were able to start making more “polished” and technically “correct” white wines, and sometime around the start of the 20th Century, they were being produced on a much larger scale. This largely erased the culture of this ancient tradition for economic favor (you know…capitalism).
In the last 20 or so years, orange wine has come back into popularity, and the heritage of its tradition is being honored. Winemakers in Slovenia, Friuli and Croatia were inspired by the culture of the Georgians, and have now been making orange wine for hundreds of years, and are now returning to their roots and gaining recognition. In 2013 Qvervi wine-making tradition was also inscribed onto the UNESCO World Heritage List to mark its intangible connection to Georgian culture and humanity.
And now here we are in good ‘ole California! At Tank, we’ve been making orange wine since 2015 with the 2016 release of van Zyl (named after our awesome wine maker), and we’ve never looked back. They are so fun to make and to taste, with the range of grape skins giving off such a kaleidoscope of different textures, aromas, and flavors. Skin-contact wines can really range in color from very light, pale amber like our 2021 Trousseau Gris, Occhiali da Sole to a much deeper and more vibrant hue, like our most recent orange exploration with Acapulco Swim Club. We recommend serving most skin-contact wines in a cool but not cold temperature range: around 55 degrees Fahrenheit, so that you’re able to experience the whole expression of its aromatics and awesome-ness.
Oh, and orange wines LOVE food. Once they are paired with a cheese plate, all is right in the world. These wines can often hold up to more robust and bold flavors, so don’t be shy, buy those funky cheeses and get weird. It also provides an ideal middle ground when deciding between red and white: still offering that refreshing light quality but providing more texture and tannin.
New to the world of orange wine? We suggest starting with something easy and approachable like the aforementioned Occhiali da Sole, which received 2 days of skin maceration, as opposed to the 9 days that was executed for Acapulco Swim Club. Both are absolutely killer, and perfect for summer. Also check out our other orange blend, Love Saves the Day, if you want something right in the middle! Crack ‘em open with your friends and give them the history lesson they didn’t know they needed!
Shop Acapulco Swim Club
Shop Occhiali Da Sole
Shop Love Saves the Day
Jul 24, 2023 at 3:37 PM
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The Perfect Wine for the Perfect Summer Destinations
We're here to give you the inside scoop on all the best California places to hang out this summer, and we've got the perfect wine to match each vibe.
Palm Springs/Acapulco Swim Club
This killer skin-contact blend is best enjoyed poolside in late afternoon heading into a perfect golden evening. We think Palm Springs is the ideal setting for sipping on some Acapulco Swim Club. With the strong summer heat and a desert setting, head here to lounge at a luxury resort or boutique hotel, take in the mid-century modern architecture, or unwind at a stylish cocktail lounge. Stay at Casa Cody or The Thompson, and check out The Penney for delicious food and drinks.
Big Sur/Hippy Sippy
Pack up your cooler and pop open some Hippy Sippy an epic cliffside. After a perfect hike through Julia Pfeiffer or Andrew Molera State Park, this is the perfect light and bubbly refreshment for your picnic lunch as you bask in the salty breeze and look out for whales on the horizon. After your afternoon of exploration, head to the Henry Miller Library to browse books, or see some live music, and then to the Big Sur Bakery and Restaurant for dinner.
Venice Beach/Fuck Yeah
The gritty energy of Los Angeles’ Venice Beach will have you quoting “Fuck Yeah,” all day. Watch the skaters make strut their stuff at the legendary Venice Skate Park, head to Gjusta Bakery for breakfast or lunch, stroll the canals, eat tacos from Teddy’s Red Tacos, and finish the day off with our perfect take on a Super-Tuscan, while you chill on the beach and watch the surfers catch waves.
Sequoia National Park/Don't Forget Me
Marvel at these amazing trees (basically modern-day dinosaurs) as you wander through the magical trails of Sequoia National Park. After a full day of exploring amazing wonders like the biggest tree in the world, Muir Grove and Crystal Cave, settle down at your campsite for some perfect stargazing and pop open this bottle of this Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon and take in beautiful woodland odors of cedar and oak while you start up the fire.
San Luis Obispo/The Alright Fight Club
San Luis Obispo is the coolest place to visit in the Central Coast of California, and with grapes sourced from The Edna Valley, just outside of town, our Grüner-forward, Alright Fight Club, is the ideal partner to a day of adventure in the Pacific breeze. Visit some cool wineries like Biddle Ranch Vineyard while you’re there, check out the cute restaurants and boutique shops downtown and stay, or at least go and ogle the unmatchable kitschy-ness of The Madonna Inn. Bring your wine to the Sea Chest Oyster Bar for the perfect pairing!
Lake Tahoe/Trailer Park Pretty
Boating, biking, water sports, climbing, swimming…the list goes on. It’s really easy to have an action-packed time, really anywhere you travel in Lake Tahoe. We picture that a bottle of our Trailer Park Pretty White Zin is the perfect accompaniment to a daytime boat ride or afternoon post-swim. No matter what your plans are, this rosé is guaranteed to quench your thirst after a day of adventure on the water. If you're staying in South Lake Tahoe make sure to check out Burger Lounge for legendary nosh, and The Hangar for a great beer, and an even greater hang.
Jul 17, 2023 at 2:24 PM
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San Francisco Hippy Tour ✌️
During the 1960s, San Francisco became a hub for the hippy movement, attracting free-spirited individuals seeking peace, love, and artistic expression. Today, many landmarks in San Francisco serve as reminders of that vibrant time, and in the spirit of our new Pét-nat, Hippy Sippy, we thought it was the perfect time to celebrate and explore some of these iconic hippie landmarks in the city!
Golden Gate Park itself deserves recognition as a prominent hippy landmark. This sprawling urban oasis provided a haven for the counterculture movement. The park's vast meadows and serene lakes offered spaces for outdoor concerts, meditation sessions, and artistic performances. Hippies would gather in groups, forming vibrant communities rooted in shared values of peace, love, and environmentalism. The park's enduring legacy as a cultural and recreational center makes it an essential stop for anyone interested in exploring San Francisco's hippy heritage.
Nestled within Golden Gate Park, Hippy Hill became a gathering place for hippies to celebrate and commune with nature. With its lush greenery and breathtaking views, it provided an ideal setting for music, poetry, and free-spirited gatherings. Today, this spot is also the location of one of the biggest 4/20 events! People from all over gather here to celebrate the right to freely use Cannabis.
A mere stone’s throw away from Hippy Hill is the Janis Joplin tree! This majestic tree stands as a tribute to Joplin's influential role in the hippy movement, calling back to when she used to play her songs right underneath it’s shady canopy. Joplin, known for her raw and powerful vocals, embodied the spirit of rebellion and individuality that defined the era. The tree serves as a symbolic gathering place, where fans and admirers pay homage to her legacy.
While in Golden Gate Park, we also stopped at the AIDS Memorial Grove with our newest Tank Cares wine, Out of the Closet! The idea for the National AIDS Memorial was first conceived in 1988 by a small group of San Francisco residents representing a community devastated by the AIDS epidemic. This beautiful area is a dedicated space in the national landscape where millions of Americans touched directly or indirectly by AIDS can gather to heal, hope, and remember. You can still donate to AIDS Healthcare and research by making a Tank Cares donation here.
The Haight-Ashbury district is another cornerstone that became synonymous with the hippy movement, drawing countless young people seeking an alternative lifestyle. The neighborhood's colorful Victorian houses, vibrant murals, and eclectic shops created an inviting environment for artists, musicians, and free thinkers. This area has the former homes of Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, and The Grateful Dead.
Baker Beach was our last spot, where we decided to pop open our bottle of Hippy Sippy and chill till sunset. Located near the iconic Golden Gate Bridge, Baker Beach offers a scenic escape from the bustling city. During the 1960s, it became a popular spot for clothing-optional sunbathing and communal gatherings. People would come together, shedding societal norms and embracing freedom and self-expression. Although the clothing-optional scene has diminished over the years, Baker Beach is still a pillar of the Hippy movement, where communities gather and take in the beauty of San Francisco.
Jun 15, 2023 at 1:20 PM
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Dried Stems Workshop Event with Field Trip
Talk about branching out. This past Sunday we teamed up with our Calistoga homies from Field Trip to put on a dried stems workshop for Mother's Day...and it was a stemsational!
Owned by Dyana and Andrew Lovold, Field Trip is a Calistoga purveyor of plants, dried stems, and other oddities. That's right, it's not your step-mom's kind of flower shop. Drawing inspiration from everything from the desert to The Addams Family, this is the spot to get the dope stuff you need to mood up your home. Make sure to check them out next time you're in Calistoga.
For this special event, we poured exclusive wines, listened to cool tunes and put together these vibey dried stems arrangements with our members and guests. Under the guidance of our on-crew experts Baelei and Devon, we helped members craft the perfect arrangements for Mom. What's our secret to arranging the different materials in a natural way? "Always work in odd numbers," says Baelei.
Some fan-favorite wines for the day were (naturally) Flowershop White Wine and Bloom! Bloom! Grenache...and of course Mirror Play Rosé.
A special shout out to Dyana, Andrew, and Casey from Field Trip, and a big thanks to everybody who came for making the event so much damn fun.
If you came here to score an additional 10% off your next online order, just put in the code FIELDTRIP at checkout through 5/21/23. Applicable to new orders only. Shop wines now
If you're interested in attending exclusive events, accessing rare wines, and getting special prices on all of them, you should join our MADE Club! This customizable, flexible club is the best way to keep your cellar stocked with cool, delicious wines all year round.
May 19, 2023 at 11:59 PM
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Gioventù Bruciata & Baked Rigatoni
Is there anything better than baked pasta? We're obsessed with those crispy corner pieces where the cheese gets golden and right on top of those noodles that get a little crunchy! This dish has everything you could ever want for your perfect night in. You might be chilling but your tastebuds will be on the adventure of a lifetime.
This dish is PERFECT with our new take on delicious Cal-Ital table wine, Gioventù Bruciata. Break out your Italo records and dig in.
Ingredients:
1 box large rigatoni shells
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
2-3 cups ricotta cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
½ cup grated parmigiano-reggiano (or more if you’re wild like us)
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
3 garlic cloves
1 large egg
3 cups store bought or homemade marinara sauce
Optional:
5-8 tomatoes on the vine (for roasting)
Step 1
Heat oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a 9 by 13 inch baking dish.
Step 2
(Optional) Slice tomatoes on vine into quarters, drizzle with olive oil and 2 sliced garlic cloves and place them on baking sheet in oven. Leave in for 10-15 mins, or until soft and roasted throughout.
Step 3
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and add Rigatoni noodles, cooking them till they are al dente. Once cooked, drain and rinse under cold water so that they are easier to handle.
Step 4
In a large bowl, combine ricotta, 1 cup on mozzarella, Parmigiana-Reggiano, parsley and 1 clove of garlic. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Crack egg into the mixture, and mix together until smooth. Put whole mixture into a pastry bag or re-sealable plastic bag and cut a hole into the corner.
Step 5
Spread one layer of marinara sauce on the bottom of the baking dish. Arrange a layer of Rigatoni on top of marinara sauce. Place dollops of cheese mixture all over the rigatoni (there’s no too much or too little! Eyeball how much you want). Sprinkle a little bit of the mozzarella if you’d like, and then cover with most of the remaining marinara sauce. Disperse a few more rigatoni on top, as well as the roasted tomatoes, then cover with remaining marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Take out of oven and remove foil, then place back inside and bake for another 15 mins, or until cheese and pasta are the perfect golden color that you desire!
Step 6
Pour your Gioventù Bruciata and DIG IN.
Grab some Gioventù Bruciata today!
May 13, 2023 at 9:00 AM
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Tank ❤️s Goatlandia
At Tank we (obviously) love all things wine…and sex, drugs and rock n’ roll of course. But recently we’ve discovered our newest obsession.
Goats.
That’s right. We recently did a field trip to Goatlandia Farm Animal Sanctuary in Sebastopol. We cuddled baby goats, the serotonin was flowing, and now we are hooked. With Earth Day on the very near horizon, we thought it was the perfect time to highlight this amazing non-profit, whose mission is to “have fun, while helping animals, people and the planet.”
Deborah Blum, aka the “Goddess of Goats”, started Goatlandia after moving to Santa Rosa from San Francisco 22 years ago, and beginning to acquire some farm animals for her newly acquired acreage. After learning more about the agriculture and dairy industries and feeling shocked and saddened, she became a vegan overnight and began rescuing farm animals. On the gorgeous sunny day that we visited, surrounded by beautiful farmland and good vibes, we were told by Deb and Goatlandia’s Volunteer Coordinator, Lauren Kelly, about the dark side of the dairy industry. They explained that life on dairy farms is cruel and unforgiving, and on top of that, when a male baby goat is born, they are often killed shortly after, as they are not able to milk or give birth. For this reason, they focus on rescuing a large number of male babies from these farms. They also save animals that have been abused, abandoned, injured, or those that have special needs.
One of the coolest parts of Goatlandia is the vegan kitchen they operate. The food we eat is one of the most powerful tools we have in fighting climate change and focusing on vegan and plant-based options is one of the main ways we can make a change. Goatlandia Kitchen offers catering for private events and public affairs. They also do pop-up events with other vegan chefs and bakers, cooking classes, work parties, and lunchtime takeovers, where they provide free, plant-based lunches to local businesses! We were lucky enough to get a magically curated vegan snack plate put together by Deb, which we paired with our newest Tank releases. It was amazing, and literally the perfect way to end a couple of hours playing with adorable goats.
On our visit, we learned so much, had an incredible time, and felt like we were a part of a progressive and environmentally focused community aiming for positive long-term change. Want to give back and be a part of this beautiful community? Check out their volunteer opportunities, which involve being a regular team volunteer (once a week for at least 6 months), or on a lower commitment basis by dropping in on their group volunteer days. Goatlandia also provides group tours to the public! We guarantee you'll leave feeling ovejoyed.
Not near Sonoma County? DONATE HERE! Spread the word about Goatlandia, check out any local non-profits rescuing farm animals, promote environmental advocacy, and consider eating plant-based and vegan alternatives.
Apr 18, 2023 at 10:21 AM
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The Tank Guide to Pairing Wine & Chips
It’s a tale as old as time: it’s Friday (or whatever your Friday is), you’re exhausted, but you’re still feeling the weekend vibes. Let’s get real, you don’t wanna cook yet, and you deserve to sit back, relax and unwind from the world’s follies that have been plaguing your work week. This is your time: you deserve a treat (you deserve all the treats). That delicious bottle of wine is calling, but it feels incomplete without that indulgent and salty snack. In come; the chips. Wine and chips are a match made in Heaven, and a perfect simplicity that’s right up our alley. The right combination can really blow those flavor profiles outta this world, and that’s why we’re here to give you our favorite, tried and true pairings. So stock up your snack cupboard, order these Tank wines, and get ready to try ‘em all.
Classic Lays and Wild Child Rosé
Salty, satiating, delicious. You can’t go wrong with the ole classic potato chip. The perfect Yin to that salty Yang? A crisp, bright rosé that’s quite frankly, refreshing AF. Pick up a bottle of our Provençal-style Wild Child blend of Grenache, Mourvèdre, Cinsault & Counoise. You truly can’t go wrong as flavors of wild strawberries, bing cherry and herbaceous tea provide the perfect “aaaaah!” to that crispy potato that we all love.
Alternatively: A classic potato chip is also awesome accompanied by bubbles. Think sparkling Chenin, Chardonnay, Blanc de Blancs or Rosé champagne.
Shop Wild Child
Sour Cream & Onion with Lonely Hearts Club
This one really threw us for a loop. Strawberry pop-tart and rosewater notes with sour cream…and onion? Trust us. It works. The earthiness of Grenache, and the bright fruitiness coming from Mourvèdre get down and dirty with those umami flavors and take us to an underground disco where we’re busting moves we didn’t even know we had in our wheelhouse. An unlikely combo that truly brings out the best in one another.
Alternatively: A tangy and citrus forward white wine : think, La Loba.
Shop Lonely Hearts Club
Shop La Loba
Salt & Vinegar & Occhiali da Sole
Picture yourself here: the rain’s finally stopped, the sun is out, you’re lounging poolside late afternoon with a delectable bottle of our Trousseau Gris: Occhiali da Sole. Who knew that the only thing missing was the tangy crunch of Salt n’ Vinegar chips. For real. The subtle zesty citrus and slightly textural tannin structure of this skin-contact white stands up perfectly to that delightful zing you get with salt n’ vinegar chips. Warning on this one: keeping quantities to a minimum may be quite challenging. Not that we’re speaking from experience…
Alternatively: Riesling or Gewurtzaminer. These aromatic wines are excellent to balance out the acidity of those intense flavors.
Shop Occhiali da Sole
Cheetos & Heavy Metal Life
We have first-hand experience and can officially deliver this information: Cheetos are the perfect pairing chip for red wines! Because, wine and cheese right? …not quite the same thing. But hey, fancy cheese is expensive, sometimes you don’t want to slice it all and make it look nice on the cheeseboard, and heck, Cheetos are effing delicious. We paired this with our Heavy Metal Life red wine: a blend of 71% Valdiguié, 17% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Zinfandel, 5% Sagrantino, and it turns out it’s silky smooth bright cherry notes are the perfect accompaniment to that fake (but incredible) cheesy goodness.
Alternatively: Ok, so this was pretty much a tie because our Italian blend, Checkered Past (Barbera, Nero d’Avola, Bianchetta Trevigiana and Montepuliano) was also *chef’s kiss*. When the Cheetos are out, and you’re in doubt: go Italian.
Shop Heavy Metal Life
Shop Checkered Past
Spicy Nacho Doritos & Honky Tonk Girl
Proclaimed by our tasting room staff, “An explosion of flavor” (shout out Max Bidasha) and a “flavor bomb” *hands intertwined alongside self-made explosion sounds* (shout out Kate Kalinowski), this is thee shit. The dark berry and back palette spice that you get from this blend of Malbec, Syrah, Petite Sirah, Valdiguié and Alicante Bouschet brings out equal parts cheesy goodness and peppercorn spice that you get from Spicy Nacho Doritos. Who said wine and chips can’t be a Michelin Star tasting experience?
Alternatively: Syrah. With similar qualities, the subtle heat and deep black raspberry notes would hold up nicely to the weighted, big flavors that come with Doritos. Try Love is Louder than Bombs.
Shop Honky Tonk Girl
Shop Love is Louder than Bombs
Mar 20, 2023 at 12:00 PM
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