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Wine Guides & Travel · Vine Blog

Tips, Trends & Wine News

What’s happening in wine right now — market moves, trends worth knowing, myths worth busting.

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Looking for something specific? Try a region (“Willamette”), a vintage (“2022 Bordeaux”), or a question (“how long should I decant?”).

Wine Tips & Trends

Occasions
Orange wine cocktail served poolside with fresh citrus and summer fruit on a sunny afternoon
  • by Greg Martellotto

Summer Wine Cocktails: The Spritz Alternatives Worth Pouring This Year

Looking for refreshing summer wine cocktails? Learn how to make Aperol Spritzes, Hugo Spritzes, frosé,...

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Graduation
Graduation party wine selection featuring sparkling wine, white wine, rosé, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Pinot Noir for a summer celebration
  • by Greg Martellotto

How to Pick Wine for a Graduation Party: A June Celebration Buying Guide

Planning a graduation party this June? Learn how much wine to buy, the best wines...

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Wine Tips & Trends
Wine fraud concept with red wine bottle and glass on newspapers highlighting scams and counterfeit wine issues
  • by Greg Martellotto

Wine, Fraud, and the Joy of Being a Wine Lover

Wine fraud exists—but it’s only half the story. Behind the headlines is a better truth:...

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Wine 101: The Basics
Laptop with spreadsheet on desk next to red wine glass, map, and corkscrew overlooking vineyard landscape
  • by Greg Martellotto

Wine Trends 2026: What We’re Actually Seeing From the Buying Desk

Wine in 2026 isn’t about predictions — it’s about price reality. Tariffs are reshaping what’s...

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Red Wine
Chilled red wine bottle in marble cooler with glass of light red wine on table by window
  • by Greg Martellotto

Chillable Red Wines: The Complete Guide to Reds You Should Be Refrigerating

Chilled red wine isn’t a gimmick—it’s a smarter way to drink in warm weather. From...

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Wine Tips & Trends
Hand holding vineyard soil in a family-owned vineyard illustrating terroir and why wine changes every vintage.
  • by Greg Martellotto

The Fake on Your Plate — and in Your Glass

Most truffle oil isn’t made from truffles at all. Instead, it relies on a synthetic...

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Recipes
añejo tequila amaro cocktail with vermouth and Averna served in a Nick & Nora glass
  • by Greg Martellotto

The Best Cocktail I've Ever Created (And Why It Works)

This spirit-forward cocktail combines añejo tequila, Pio Cesare vermouth, and Averna amaro in equal parts...

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Wine Tips & Trends
A group of three women celebrating with wine.
  • by Greg Martellotto

Celebrating International Women’s Day: Women in Business and Their Impact

Women winemakers are reshaping the global wine industry through organic farming, terroir-driven philosophy, and family-led...

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Wine Buying Tips
Friends enjoying wine together during a wine tasting conversation about grape varieties and wine regions.
  • by Greg Martellotto

Stop Asking Me What My Favorite Wine Is

Wine is too vast and too tied to moment and place to have a single...

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Wine Buying Tips
Person decanting red wine into a glass decanter in a wine cellar.
  • by Greg Martellotto

Wine Market Trends: There’s Never Been a Better Time to Be a Wine Lover

U.S. wine consumption has declined 1–2% annually since 2021 — but the headlines don’t tell...

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Italy
Assorted fresh tortelloni at an Italian pasta counter, including ricotta, artichoke, and truffle varieties.
  • by Greg Martellotto

Authentic Bolognese, the BHW Way — Why It's Nothing Like What You've Been Making

Learn how to make authentic Ragù alla Bolognese the traditional Italian way—slow-cooked with milk, white...

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Bhw News
Summer 2025 Wine Market Update: The View from Inside the Biz of Buying Volume Deals
  • by Greg Martellotto

Summer 2025 Wine Market Update: The View from Inside the Biz of Buying Volume Deals

Why Being a Wine Consumer Has Never Been Better: Grab the Deals Before They’re Gone!...

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Wine 101: The Basics
Master Wine Tasting with BLIC Method - Balance, Length, Intensity, and Complexity Explained
  • by Greg Martellotto

Master Wine Tasting with BLIC Method - Balance, Length, Intensity, and Complexity Explained

Discover BLIC—the secret wine evaluation method used by professionals for over 20 years. Learn how...

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Wine 101: The Basics
The Breakfast Price Index: Where Morning Sustenance Costs More Than a Decent Bottle of Wine
  • by Greg Martellotto

The Breakfast Price Index: Where Morning Sustenance Costs More Than a Decent Bottle of Wine

From bitter Portuguese coffee to buttery Parisian croissants, this witty globetrotting breakfast tale unpacks global...

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Top Picks
Wine Trends 2025: The Wines You Need to Try This Year
  • by Greg Martellotto

Wine Trends 2025: The Wines You Need to Try This Year

The wine world is always evolving, and 2026 is shaping up to be a year...

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Podcast
how alcohol is measured in wine
  • by Greg Martellotto

The Real Story About How Alcohol is Measured in Wine and Why it Matters

Alcohol levels in wine have been creeping up for years. The sweet spot for alcohol...

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Podcast
shipping online in extreme weather
  • by Greg Martellotto

Authoritative Guide for Shipping Wine Online in Extreme Weather

Polar vortexes, 100-year floods, Cat 5 hurricanes, wild brushfires, high-intensity tornadoes, extended heat spikes. As...

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Sustainable Wine
Organic, Biodynamic, and Natural Wine, A Guide by Big Hammer Wines, Wine Experts
  • by Greg Martellotto

Organic, Biodynamic, and Natural Wine, A Guide by Big Hammer Wines, Wine Experts

Organic is one of those terms that may seem like a buzzword, but true organic...

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Wine Tips & Trends
"Crisp and Very Pretty" ~James Suckling: 2013 Trimbach Pinot Noir Reserve Alsace
  • by Greg Martellotto

"Crisp and Very Pretty" ~James Suckling: 2013 Trimbach Pinot Noir Reserve Alsace

“If Pinot Noir gets its hooks in you, there’s no tearing away.” Whoever said that...

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Wine Tips & Trends
97 Point Vintage ~Wine Advocate: 2015 Nicholson Jones White Label Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
  • by Jesu Alonso

97 Point Vintage ~Wine Advocate: 2015 Nicholson Jones White Label Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

We’ve tasted our fair share of exceptional Napa Valley wines, but the 2015 Nicholson Jones...

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Wine Tips & Trends
A Tribute to Motherhood: Elevating Mother's Day with Exquisite Wines
  • by Greg Martellotto

A Tribute to Motherhood: Elevating Mother's Day with Exquisite Wines

As Mother's Day draws near, we're filled with deep admiration and joy for the amazing...

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Wine Tips & Trends
Wine and Italy, Perfetto: The Ultimate Wine Club, Handpicked by Italian Wine Ambassador!
  • by Greg Martellotto

Wine and Italy, Perfetto: The Ultimate Wine Club, Handpicked by Italian Wine Ambassador!

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Wine 101: The Basics
Harvest at Colle Nero by Terre Nere in Montalcino Tuscany
  • by Greg Martellotto

Harvest at Colle Nero by Terre Nere in Montalcino Tuscany

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Wine 101: The Basics
Stop Buying Wines at Grocery Stores!
  • by Greg Martellotto

Stop Buying Wines at Grocery Stores!

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