Welcome to the new Grape Grind website!
Celebrate with 10% OFF Guides! Code: GUIDES10
Olivia is a Washington-based freelance writer with a Level 2 Award in wines from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust. She has a passion for all things food, wine, and travel, though her heart belongs to the Pacific Northwest. When she’s not sipping on a glass of Washington Cab., she’s usually bikepacking, crocheting, or chillin’ in the sun with her dog Tater.
When you hear the term “bulk wine,” you probably picture a cardboard box with a glossy picture of a glass of splashing red wine. Or maybe you imagine a large glass jug gathering dust on the bottom wine rack at your liquor store. This term does not command much respect in the wine world, though, […]
Picture this: You’ve just poured yourself two glasses of Cabernet (what a treat!), one from the Margaret River in Australia and the other from Napa Valley in California. You swirl both glasses and really get your nose in there. You sip each and note their differences. The first smells more like cedar and black fruit, […]
Anyone paying attention to the alcohol industry is aware of the growing rise in non-alcoholic and low-alcohol beverages. First, there was Dry January, then Sober October, and many are making the change to a permanent fixture in their routine. So, what does that mean for the wine industry? After all, fewer young people are buying wine […]
For most of us, vermouth is that dusty bottle in the back of our liquor cabinets, reserved for that one time a year when we decide to try our hands (yet again) at being martini people. Little do we know of the history and artistry that has culminated over centuries to bring this unique fortified […]
The history of the wine bottle is rooted in innovation, yet today, the growing trend in sustainable packaging leaves many wineries to rethink their strategy. Personally, I’ll always have a personal preference for glass bottles. I love the weight of the bottle in my hand, the unique shapes and designs, and the sense of quality. […]
“Contains Sulfites,” two simple words found on the label of almost every wine bottle sold in the United States (and Australia), but why is that? Sulfites have naturally occurred in wine since the beginning, but the campaign against them is only getting stronger. Sulfites have been blamed for everything from allergic reactions to body aches […]
The making of Oregon’s wine country is a patient man’s game, to say the least. With erratic weather, a propensity for frost, and a Burgundian-like rigidity for rules, it’s a miracle this region is synonymous with some of the best New World Pinot Noir. Much like Washington, I have a special place in my heart […]
When you picture Washington State, do you imagine rolling desert hilltops lined with vineyards and bountiful sunlight? Probably not. Most of us picture Washington as the gloomy, grey-skied Seattle. But just three hours east of those grey skies is an entirely different place: Washington Wine Country, baby! In case you can’t tell, I’m a little […]
Let’s be real. On the surface, biodynamic wine is a bit of a woo science, where moon cycles determine watering days and cow horns are planted between vineyards to improve the soil. There’s no doubt biodynamic farming is deeply spiritual, but it’s also rooted in ancient knowledge of how ecosystems behave. Biodynamic farming has been around […]
