Zero Snobbery Wine Education | Barrel Dork
Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned enthusiast, my weekly newsletter makes wine fun, approachable, and exciting. Join now to boost your wine confidence, discover incredible bottles, master food and wine pairings, and create the home wine collection of your dreams. Each week, you’ll get wine lessons, bottle recommendations, and everything you need to elevate your wine journey. Plus, you’ll receive my free Food & Wine Pairing Cheatsheet — your go-to guide for effortless pairings. Ready to dive into the world of wine? Join now!
How the Vessel Shapes the Wine — Barrel, Stainless, and Concrete Explained [The Barrel Dork Digest]
Hi Wine Friends — Last weekend, I spent a relaxing Saturday out in the Willamette Valley visiting two of my favorite spots: Ambar Estate and Sequitur. Both are on my standing list of places I always recommend to folks, and for different reasons — which I'll get to in a second. It was a low-key, no-agenda kind of day that I really needed. No work brain. Just delicious wine, good food, and a little fresh air. And I didn't leave empty-handed. I came home with five bottles — two Chardonnays and...
Same Grape, Totally Different Story: My New Columbia Gorge Syrah [The Barrel Dork Digest]
Follow daily wine tidbits over on the Barrel Dork Instagram: Hey Reader— Before we get into this week's newsletter, I have fun news: the 2024 Columbia Gorge Syrah from Flipturn Cellars is officially here, and I cannot wait for you to try this one. Syrah was the first wine I ever made. In 2020, fresh off earning my WSET Level 3 Certification and with zero professional cellar experience, I bought one ton of Syrah from Washington's Yakima Valley to find out whether winemaking was really...
Sangiovese With Pineapple Fried Rice? Trust Me On This One [The Barrel Dork Digest]
Follow daily wine tidbits over on the Barrel Dork Instagram: Hey Reader— It's been a full couple of weeks over here. Summer events for Flipturn Cellars have kept me on the road and behind the bar more than usual, and in the background, I've already started planning for the 2026 harvest — which always sneaks up faster than I expect. But tomorrow, I'm giving myself the day off. I'm heading out to the Willamette Valley for the Drink Pink festival at Furioso, co-hosted with my good friend Emily...
The Grape Everyone Guesses Wrong [The Barrel Dork Digest]
Hey Reader— Quick reminder before we get into this week's Digest: my free Wine Confidence Workshop is happening this coming Tuesday, July 14 at 5pm PT | 8pm ET. In the workshop, we'll break down the four pillars of wine structure and how to actually identify them on your own palate. From there, you'll build your personal "structural ask" — a simple way to describe the style of wine you enjoy, so you can use it the next time you're shopping at a bottle shop or scanning a wine list and chatting...
The Aligoté Issue: A White Wine More People Should Know [The Barrel Dork Digest]
Hey Reader— Happy almost-July 4th! I hope your holiday weekend is filled with all the good stuff — cold drinks, warm weather, delicious food, and plenty of time spent with the people you love. I'm keeping it local this year, hanging around Portland, hitting up a few backyard BBQs and casual hangs with friends. And speaking of good food and wine — if you're firing up the grill this weekend, I've got a few quick pairing ideas for classic July 4th fare that might come in handy: (I also just...
How to Taste 180 Wines in 1.5 Days [The Barrel Dork Digest]
Hey Reader— This past week was a blur. On Friday, Tony, the dogs, and I packed up the car and drove down to Applegate Valley in Southern Oregon for a friend's wedding at a winery & vineyard. The views were stunning, and it was a great time with friends. While we were in the area, I also got to visit a vineyard where I'll be sourcing fruit for Flipturn Cellars this upcoming harvest season. Meeting the grower, walking the rows, seeing the vines in person — it's one of my favorite parts of...
The Insider's Secret for Wine Deals [The Barrel Dork Digest]
Hey Reader— It's been a slower week of wine events for both Flipturn Cellars and Barrel Dork, and it's been a nice change of pace from the usual busy summer wine schedule. But this weekend, things pick back up. I'm visiting two vineyard sites that I'm hoping to source grapes from for the upcoming harvest season. Meeting with vineyard owners on the ground is always one of the most rewarding parts of winemaking for me — it's what keeps me connected to the entire process from vine to glass....
The Rosé Issue [The Barrel Dork Digest]
Hey Reader— I've had a packed social calendar lately and a weekend full of events ahead, so last night I decided to take myself on a solo date in Portland. I popped into to the Spin The Bottle wine shop for an importer tasting hosted by my friend Kathleen. They brought in Black Lamb, an Eastern and Central European wine importer. I got to taste a few Slovenian, Georgian, and Slovakian wines. They were all wildly unique and delicious. If you ever get a chance to try wines from any of those...
The World's Best Wine Festivals + My Favorite $19 Summer Red [The Barrel Dork Digest]
Hi Wine Friends — This week could not go by fast enough. Tomorrow morning, a couple girlfriends and I are heading out to Willamette Valley wine country for a slow, leisurely day at two of my favorite wineries. I spend a lot of time out in the Valley for work — harvesting grapes, bottling for Flipturn Cellars, securing winery equipment, pouring at events, the list goes on. But this weekend I get to go as a regular wine-loving citizen. No work brain. Just me, my friends, some incredible views,...
Scrapping the live Q&A — doing this instead
Hey Reader, Small change of plans, and I think you’re going to like this one better. I’d originally planned a live Q&A once all the founding members finished the Wine Cellar Blueprint course. But a bunch of you are (wisely) taking the course at your own pace — some of you are on Week 2, some are almost done, and a group Zoom doesn’t really work when everyone’s in a different spot. So here’s what I want to do instead: I want to give you a personalized wine recommendation list based on your...
Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned enthusiast, my weekly newsletter makes wine fun, approachable, and exciting. Join now to boost your wine confidence, discover incredible bottles, master food and wine pairings, and create the home wine collection of your dreams. Each week, you’ll get wine lessons, bottle recommendations, and everything you need to elevate your wine journey. Plus, you’ll receive my free Food & Wine Pairing Cheatsheet — your go-to guide for effortless pairings. Ready to dive into the world of wine? Join now!