The enchanting world of wine is not only about nuanced flavors and refined pairings; it’s a realm filled with surprising traditions, historical practices, and innovative techniques. From the school canteens of France to the depths of the ocean, the journey of wine is as rich and complex as its taste. Here are four fascinating facts … Continue reading 4 Wine Facts: From Ancient Rome to Modern Fast Food
Two Buck Chuck’s Creator on Wine vs. Water Pricing
Fred Franzia, the creator of the affordable wine brand “Two Buck Chuck,” purchased the Charles Shaw name from a defunct winery for $27,000. When inquired about his wine’s lower price compared to water, Franzia humorously responded, “They’re overcharging for the water. Don’t you get it?”
France banned serving alcohol…
France banned serving alcohol with school lunches in 1956, but only for kids under 14. Before the 1950s, French children were not only allowed to drink wine, beer or cider in the canteen, but they were encouraged to do so.
A drink called Kalimotxo or Calimocho which…
A drink called Kalimotxo or Calimocho which consists of equal parts red wine and cola, dates back to the 1920s, originating in Spain. However, the drink didn’t become popular until around 1953 when Coca-Cola became readily available in Spain.
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Workers in wine cellars used to wear…
Workers in wine cellars used to wear iron face masks because 20-90 percent of sparkling wine bottles would explode due to instability, often causing a chain reaction.
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Italians Are Bringing Back Plague-Era “Wine Windows” During These Times
Florence, Italy, is a gorgeous city. The architecture is stunning, and there are so many great details in the design.
One of these details is the buchetta del vino, or wine window. Historically, wealthy Italians who owned vineyards would sell their wine to customers right through the window.
The wine windows were especially useful during the plague. They allowed proprietors to continue to sell their wine while minimizing their chances of getting the plague while doing so.
#winewindow #firenzeFlorence and Tuscany are filled with hundreds of these windows… and they’re definitely having a bit of a moment right now during the coronavirus pandemic.
Seriously, people are thrilled to have this option, and the windows are pretty cute.
In addition to ordering and receiving wine, customers are able to request cocktails and other drinks.
People are even able to get their to-go coffee and tea this way!
Dalla nostra Buchetta escono anche caffè, vino, bibite e cocktail 
#babaefirenze 
If you’re looking for to-go gelato, don’t worry: the wine window will provide.
If you find yourself in Florence, there’s even a map of every buchetta del vino so you can see them all.
While travel isn’t really in the cards for most of us right now, especially international travel at that, it’s nice knowing that the windows exist (and that Italians are able to enjoy them).
Hopefully, one day soon the rest of us will be able to visit Florence and delight in the windows as well.
What do you think of these wine windows? Would you like to see something similar in your own city?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
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A Handyman Made the Secret Boozy Staircase of Our Drunken Dreams
What would you include in your dream home? A pool? A library? Maybe something entirely novel?
Consider this idea. Murray Berrill of Murray Berril Constructions in Victoria, Australia has made quite a splash on social media with an unusual staircase that holds a delightful hidden secret.
Posted by Murray Berrill Constructions on Wednesday, April 1, 2020
The handyman custom-made the stairs for his sister’s home, and included a wonderfully creative surprise. You can see what appear to be drawers built into the stairs throughout. A clever storage solution, maybe?
Posted by Murray Berrill Constructions on Wednesday, April 1, 2020
But these drawers aren’t for just any purpose. Each one is designed as a sort of segmented wine-rack; the stairs double as a wine cellar. (Insert bad joke about a 12 step program here.)
Posted by Murray Berrill Constructions on Wednesday, April 1, 2020
With all 12 drawers combined, the staircase can hold more than 150 wine bottles, which would be impressive for any storage area, much less one so cleverly hidden away.
Ah, that's looking better Shaun and Trilby langdon
Posted by Murray Berrill Constructions on Saturday, April 18, 2020
Lovers of both booze and interior design spread the post like wildfire, and soon Berrill was doing segments with local news stations like WIN in Victoria.
He told WIN,
“It’s a matter of being smart, and utilizing your space, so that you’ve actually got a lot of good storage, but you don’t have to have a huge house.”
And Berrill joked about the capacity of these steps…
“If you start at the bottom and work your way up, I doubt you’ll get to the top.”
What do you think? Would you put one of these in your home if you could? Would you modify it in some way?
Tell us in the comments!
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Wine Floats Are Here and They’re a Great Idea for Girls Night
We’re all eager to thaw out – but the warm weather’s not quite here yet. How can we cool down and warm up simultaneously? Boozy ice cream floats? Boozy ice cream floats.
There are over 700 images under #winefloat on Instagram right now, and every one of them is making me jealous. The idea is simple; combine wine and ice cream, maybe throw some fruit in for good measure. But the combination possibilities are endless.
Check out these delicious examples:
10. Lookin’ peachy
wine… and a few scoops of vanilla ice cream 
#yourewelcome #peachesncream #winefloat #stonehillwinery @visithermann @visitmo9. Apparently there’s a National Ice Cream Day?
8. Both look amazing
7. This one scares my wallet, though
A consentirte un rato! 
#winefloat #wine #wineicecream #icecream #helado #barackhelados6. I need this, please
Join us today for our Friday Fish Fry featuring our beer battered haddock and blackened catfish. For dessert we have a Black Raspberry Dark Choc. Wine Float! Try one for dessert today! 
5. These would be great for a date night at home
4. Is it summer yet?
FRI-YAY
sᴘɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡʜᴇᴇʟ Fᴏʀ ᴀ ᴄʜᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴛᴏ 
ᗯIᑎ ᗩ ᖴᖇᗴᗴ ᗪᖇIᑎK! . Everyone gets atleast 10% off a drink or scoop EVERY FRIDAY!! . Come ᑕᒪIᑎK with us! 
Pictured::: Strawberry Rosè ice cream made with @barefootwine_ca Rosè, @lindemansbeers Framboise, fresh Strawberries, Whipped Cream, @fancysprinkles And @airheadscandy Airhead Strips3. Keepin’ it simple
I want to tell you a secret. FLEUR BLEU PINOT GRIGIO FLOAT2. A little goes a long way
1. Looks like I’m going wherever this company lives
This red wine float makes me happy! I would use a Pinot noir personally for this float with fruit notes. And a really good chocolate@and raspberry ice cream! 
check out the comments below for the recipeWhat flavors do you think would be the perfect grown-up float? I’m thinking Pinto Grigio and vanilla… because I want to get white girl wasted. 
You let us know your preferred combo in the comments! Thanks fam!
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Wine mixed with coke is an actual…
Wine mixed with coke is an actual thing and it’s called Kalimotxo, it’s one part red wine and 1 part coke and it’s been around since the 1970s. It has become an icon of Basque culture and one of Spain’s most international drinks.
Centuries of French Wine Harvests Show the Hard Truth of Climate Change
This is very interesting…
Climate scientists often warn that citing events from a single location as evidence of changes (or not) across the entire globe isn’t helpful (or accurate). That said, when data from single locations begin to add small tales to a much larger story, it might be (past) time to take note.
In this case, it’s six and a half centuries worth of grape harvest records that are telling a chilling (but not-so-chilly) tale about how temperatures, weather events, and harvests have rarely varied from a path that all but confirms climate change is happening.
And since those records tell a story about late spring through summer that coincide with what the cherry blossoms in Japan are telling us about spring – and what a Scandinavian river is screaming about winter – the “oh it’s just one place” argument gets pretty darn thin.
Back to France, though, where the good people take their Burgundy seriously.
Dr. Thomas Labbe is the academic who spent years digging through centuries of harvest records that date back to 1354. To understand the significance of the findings, you’ll need to be aware that grape harvests take place earlier after hot, dry summers and later after cool, wet ones (a fact he confirmed after comparing harvest dates with temperature records).
“The record is clearly divided into two parts,” he said in a statement. “For more than 600 years average harvest date was September 28 – early ones were the exception. Since 1988 the average date has shifted to September 15, indicating much hotter conditions.”
So, the summers prior to the harvest have been steadily hotter and drier since 1988.
“We did not anticipate that the accelerated warming trend since the mid-1980s would stand out so clearly in the series,” added Professor Christian Pfister, who co-authored the analysis of Labbe’s data. “The transition to a rapid global warming period after 1988 stands out very clearly. The exceptional character of the last 30 years becomes apparent to everybody.”
(Still easier than communication in many U.S. establishments!) Back in time for a tour of the De Lassalle winery where we are staying, our guide is so gorgeous and we thoroughly enjoyed the tasting, all so delicious! The rain introduced such an impressive rainbow with a view! Finished up having such a fun evening, Jemma busied herself putting together a dinner of mixed goodies to plate, the girls then enjoyed the jacuzzi whilst Matt & I enjoyed the wine but all 4 of us playing a game. (Was a version of guess that song, brought us all a few giggles!) We are thoroughly loving it here! #fidwalds #europeanvacation #holidayroad #familyroadtrip #roadtripwithteens #griswaldsgotnothingonus #frenchwinery #bordeauxfrance #delassallewineAt least, it should become apparent to everybody.
There are, of course, longer-term climatic records that range across the globe, offered by tree rings, ice cores, and stalagmites (among other sources), but none of those are as precise as Labbe’s data.
The evidence is stacked up so high it’s practically a mountain, and I think that, for the younger generations at least, more and more people are listening.
If wine can’t get people’s attention, maybe it really is too late.
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