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Take a look through our past articles pertaining to wine, tastings, and events. These will help you become a well-rounded wine-o!If you like what you see here, sign-up for our newsletter!
September 13, 2019
These last few days of Summer have been HOT, making us anticipate the combination of cooler nights and comforting reds. While we’ve loved the light and playful Summer reds enjoyed poolside (we've included one here!), Summer is coming to a close. Here's to a chill in the air and a heap of new wines on the shelves here at Monarch!
August 22, 2019
Why feature Tuscany's signature red wine in the dog days of Summer? The simple reason: tomatoes. Late August is peak tomato season, and there's simply no greater match than Sangiovese and this deceptively humble veg. The grape's signature acidity and dusty, earthy tannins can take a simple pasta pomodoro, caprese salad or classic BLT to soaring culinary heights.
August 15, 2019
Drake Whitcraft isn't usually at his winery on Saturdays in the Spring. But there I found myself, on a rainy afternoon, tasting through an incredible line-up of his namesake wines in a freezing barrel room at the Santa Barbara winery. That's the kind of guy Drake is: quiet, modest, giving. Much like the wines he crafts from surrounding vineyards on the Central Coast.
August 13, 2019
I don't like rosé. Let me re-phrase that: I don't like most rosé. What used to be a fun, summer-scented wine has gone the way of Pinot Grigio (through no fault of its own). Mass-produced, watered-down, devoid of character and a sense of place. Don't get me wrong, I love crisp, chug-able rosés, but it is rare that I taste a truly transcendent rosé...until now.
August 1, 2019
Ever finish a bottle of wine and think to yourself, "Well that went too fast!"? If so, this newsletter's for you!
July 25, 2019
These three new arrivals caught us off guard. Not only are they delicious–eye-widening, "WOW" delicious–but each one deviates from their stylistic norm. In short, these are wines you would't expect. But we're VERY pleasantly surprised, and you will be too!
July 17, 2019
Summer begs for light, refreshing, easy drinking wines. They can be thrown down our gullet to quench our thirsts. They are delicious, and certainly satisfy us with their bright, crisp flavors. But even in the heat and humidity, every once in a while, we crave a wine that will stop us in our tracks, slow us down, and command our attention.
July 11, 2019
July 10, 2019
Admittedly, I usually don't gravitate to Southern French whites. The heat and relentless sunshine combine to produce fat, oily-textured wines, devoid of freshness and acidity. But this wine couldn’t be more unlike anything else from the South...
July 6, 2019
A strong case can be made that, of all the places where Chardonnay is grown, Chablis produces the most distinctive and unique wines. Even “village” wines from solid producers have a unique charm and minerality. But in the hands of a true master, working with old vines and elite vineyards, Chablis can scale heights unknown to other Chardonnay makers...
June 27, 2019
One week from today, we’ll all be on a boat, beach, porch or dock celebrating our nation’s independence. We’ve curated the perfect, soulful six-pack to accompany the festivities...
June 26, 2019
It's an age-old story, or is it? Boy meets girl while working harvest for legendary winemakers in Beaujolais. Girl marries boy. The young couple start their own winery and take the wine world by storm with their thrilling and incredibly soulful wines!
June 21, 2019
One of our favorite things about summer are the evenings that seem to last a lifetime. Nights become more exciting as we bask in those few extra hours of sunlight. We've selected five shiny, new arrivals in celebration of the Summer Solstice...
June 21, 2019
This Friday, our friends at Baba's on Cannon will be whipping up burgers, and we'll be right alongside them pouring up an awesome selection of Burgundy! Because a juicy burger and a glass of silky Pinot Noir go hand in hand, and we can't think of a combo more delectable than this one...
May 31, 2019
All of a sudden it's HOT(!), which means we're heading straight to the chilled wine section to grab...what exactly!? These days, white wine is just a fraction of the options available in terms of chill-able bottles...
May 23, 2019
Memorial Day Weekend is here! Leave the beverage planning up to us, while YOU focus on soaking up the sun and sipping on some of our awesome new arrivals. Whether you plan on hitting the beach, boat, porch or a backyard BBQ, we've got all of your weekend essentials covered...
May 22, 2019
Go to the ends of the earth, find ancient and mostly forgotten vines that grow in a windswept moonscape atop dormant volcanoes, and make great wine...
May 16, 2019
They say too much of anything is bad, but when it comes to Chenin Blanc, we'll have to politely decline that statement. You could explore a different Chenin for a week straight (or month, or year!), experiencing something new with each pop of the bottle...
May 9, 2019
It's a painfully difficult experience: narrowing down your selection of hundreds of bottles to just a few weekend guzzlers. So we've done something to remedy the situation with our new arrivals!
April 3, 2019
Time to trade your warm and fuzzy reds for some clean, crisp, cleansing wines. At the risk of jumping into rosé season just a little too quickly, we're featuring three white wines that are fitting (and delicious) this time of year.
