A delightful Portuguese wine arrived in the United States for the first time this year. In the Montez family vineyard high on the Penada hill that rises above the village of Loivos, winemaker Marco Montez has labored to produce three wines from distinctly local grape varieties that thrive in the hot weather and drink well in the scorching summer.
Read moreHow to be a Wine Snob: Learning to sip through any wine tasting like a sophisticated pro
Today, my goal is to help demystify wine tasting. Because honestly, tasting wine is the easiest and most enjoyable part of wine appreciation! So grab a glass of your favorite (or soon to be favorite wine) and give this method a try.
Read moreNomad's Leather Charging Wallet is my new traveler's essential for keeping charged on the go
I've been carrying around the new Nomad Leather Charging Wallet, and have been really surprised at how great this portable battery wrapped in a high-quality leather wallet is for travelers and every day active people on the move. It's really a great answer to challenge of never having enough juice for your phone when you need it.
Read moreHow to get a Second Date with Kathleen: You must be able to pair wine with food
Sometimes we crave our favorite wines or maybe you don’t care for particular types of wine. But when you’re on a date, you’re trying to impress. I’d rather you tell me you don’t like red wine than order a white wine with a steak. At least then you’re being honest. Now, I don’t expect my dates to be able to tell me why certain wines pair with certain foods, but I do expect reasonable pairings. For that reason, we’re going to focus on basic pairings. I’m also not going to focus on pairing wines with cheese here, that’s a lesson in and of itself.
Read moreRight now, August 2016, is the time to hold off opening a new travel-oriented credit card
Anyone who had been thinking of applying for a high end premium credit card in pursuit of free and perk-laden travel (which we fully support) should consider waiting it out through August to see how the dust settles on these two competing stories that have been unfolding the last week or so.
Read moreUnderstanding retail and restaurant wine pricing leads you to better wine for the money
Knowing what kind of value your getting is tough when you don't know how what you're buying is priced, wine or otherwise. Naturally, no two bottle shops or bistros are the same, so we can't make absolute statements about any of them, but a little knowledge about wine pricing will go a long way helping you navigate the list.
Read moreTop five wines for August: Unique whites, Rosé summer sipper, and red fine dining champions
Each month your Wine:Thirty Flight writers bring you a lineup of different wines meant to educate and diversify your palate, and that are of course in some way appropriate for the season. Everywhere we've been, the last month has been predictably hot. If you live and travel where summer is going strong, you've undoubtedly been on the search for refreshing wines that cool you off, "porch sippers" or garden party whites.
Read moreUsing status challenges to get elite airline status (ahem, free wine in nice seats) faster
There is a tremendous difference in overall experience quality from the standard non-elite and the various frequent flier status tiers. Status challenges are truly the way to earn these promotions if you are brand new to frequent travel (perhaps you've changed jobs or have moved far from family), or if your circumstances have only just now put elite airline status on a particular airline within reach.
Read moreRed Hook Winery showcases New York State viticulture in an urban on-water setting
Red Hook offers a unique perspective on wine making. Owner Mark Snyder started the winery in 2008 to bridge the gap between New York City and the local growing community. Today, the winery has three winemakers who each bring their own perspective to the same grapes. Understanding the style of the winemakers is the key to understanding the wines at Red Hook.
Read moreRoss' Grill in Provincetown, MA at the end of Cape Cod is "The Good Life in Summertime"
Were I to show you one picture that sums up "the good life in summertime", I'd be hard pressed to find something more compelling than the site of a sangria on your table and the harbor view from the Ross' Grill balcony beyond. Today we're going to our favorite place for lunch in our favorite town: Ross' Grill in Provincetown, MA, the last town on the end of Cape Cod.
Read moreTravel from casual to business suit to athletic shoes and back again... in one carry-on bag
The Briggs & Riley Domestic Carry-On Upright Garment Bag is the perfect bag for busy travelers that must transition seamlessly from casual to business suit to athletic shoes and back again. I wouldn't travel with any other full-size carry-on.
Read moreRefresh yourself with our Sparkling Sangria recipe, 5-minutes to the perfect summer evening!
We're big fans of sprucing up a bottle of bubbles to make a super-refreshing Sparkling Sangria. Don't go out of your way here, because the recipe is too easy... you're looking at about $12.50 per bottle all-in!
Read moreHow to be a Wine Snob: These top 10 wine terms will help you understand and describe your vino!
So, you want to feel fancy and enjoy a glass of wine AND know how to talk about it. No problem! How to be a Wine Snob will walk you through all the various aspects and fundamentals of tasting and evaluating wine. The main goal is to demystify wine and make it enjoyable and fun for everyone while helping you figure out how to talk about and understand what YOU like. There are five major terms that you will hear any wine snob discussing when considering a glass of wine.
Read moreSouthwest's and jetBlue's reward programs offer simple ways to quickly earn free travel
Frequent-flier rewards programs generally fall into one of two categories, each suited to a different type of traveler. Knowing which to favor based on the type of traveler you are will help you get the most from your airline rewards, and actually use them faster! Today we're going to tackle what I call the "Points for Dollars" frequent flier reward programs that make Southwest and jetBlue particularly attractive for travelers who like to keep things simple and who want to earn free tickets quickly.
Read moreOur quick and easy red Sangria recipe will make you a summertime wine-drinking champion!
We've made no secret of our love for sangria, the (usually) red wine cocktail that hails from Spain but has become incredibly popular in the United States. It's our favorite summer drink, one that we look for everywhere we go. Today we're sharing our rather easy recipe.
Read moreHow to get a second date with Kathleen: You must be able to order the wine you've chosen
Pronouncing wine names correctly is the first step in impressing your date, but that will only get you so far. No one will care if you can say the wine’s name correctly if you can’t order it properly.
Read moreApple CarPlay changes car rental for travelers seeking navigation and their own music
Rental cars are great because they give you flexibility to get anywhere you need at any time, and the chance to try out different cars over time. Some car brands on the lot now have Apple CarPlay built in. This is a game changer for those of us who love the ability to easily navigate music on our iPhone while driving, seize long drives to make phone calls, or who are relying on in-car GPS navigation to get where we're going.
Read moreBest wine of June: Three whites to celebrate summer, two reds for your favorite steak!
June was a great month for wine and food! We're also now decidedly in white wine season, so while it would be very difficult for us to get through an entire month without one or two red wines on the Best of list, we're definitely recommending you cast an eye to light and chilled as we enter the long hot summer.
Read moreHappy Fourth of July, the holiday for all Americans. Now go thank a TSA employee!
The Fourth of July is the only major holiday that isn’t somehow underpinned by religion, race, occupation, or memorial. Simply put, it’s a holiday for all. Your Wine:Thirty Flight friends have two wishes. The first is that you celebrate the holiday for all. The second is that you wish a sincere thanks to the next Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employee you come across at the airport. Wait, what?
Read moreTop five travel gear for people who don't have time to prep for the places they're going
You're going places, but you're busy. You probably live in a city, have a job that just won't quit, have to stay at least somewhat connected, and probably don't have all the leisure time in the world to get your life together before you travel. When I travel, I'm not worrying about liquids in plastic bags, toothbrushes, throwing my stuff together, hauling my tech gear, and figuring out where to get my next hit of battery power.
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