Totally Tasting Wine

So if you couldn’t deduce form the blog name I enjoy a nice glass of wine! One of my favorite activities to do when the weather is nice is go soak up some sun at a winery and try some different varietals! Last summer I went to my favorite winery a few times. I also visited a few new wineries in Virginia, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. One of my goals this year is to travel more and while traveling I’m planning on checking out some new wineries for sure!

When the weather is not so hot I like doing indoor tastings at local wineries. I’d been receiving emails for months about tastings and classes at total wine and had just never been able to make it with my work and coaching schedule. Well a few weeks ago I was finally able to make it to a class and i was not disappointed!

I went about a week before Valentine’s Day and they we’re doing a wine and chocolate tasting easily two of my favorite indulgences! They offer classes every week at different days and times which is nice!! It was super reasonably priced. $20 for a two hour class. I’m also a total wine member ( don’t judge me) which is a free membership, so I get 50 percent off 2 tickets to all classes and tastings each month so at $10 its a steal! Each month there is a different theme, a few of the upcoming classes including like California wines, Napa valley as well as wines from the old world. It was a two hour class which is a bit longer than Im used to for a tasting but it was super information and i learned a ton about wine pairings and wine origins! And there were refreshments too which is ways a plus!

This week’s recommendation!

My favorite wine of the tasting was the Mailly Brut Rose Grand Cru champagne it was amazing. So I’m usually a frugal Francine and don’t spend more than $20 for a bottle of bubbly to be honest with you especially at Total Wine where the prices are so cheap! I will splurge if I’m at a winery and there’s a wine i’m in love with or if I’m buying a nice present for someone.

But it sometimes you gotta treat yourself and this is definitely a splurge I’d make for a special occasion like a birthday or bridal shower or a Tuesday lol. It’s smooth crispy and not overly sweet and paired great with the dark chocolate vanilla Godiva chocolate

Overall I had such a fun time and gained so much insight into different pairings and stepped outside my “wine box” and tried some varieties that I don’t normally drink. That’s one of the things I like about doing wine tastings. It literally forces you to taste and try some things you might not have normally considered! Life is kind of like a glass of wine, we some times we get in a routine that might be just fine but its nice to try other options every once in a while you might discover something cool you like! Just my thoughts!

I’d like to know some of your favorite wine and chocolate or wine and whatever pairings in the comments below!