When You Just Want A Glass Of Wine

Exciting times at Beauty Champagne and Sugar Boutique. We're launching Season 2 with champagne and a live podcast from the Westin, a VIP Road Trip to Slater Run Vineywards, Sip & Cinema back for another show, Halloween parties and the annual Ugly Sweater Christmas Tasting!

What's coming up in Season 2?? Magic in a glass!

How do you find a good glass of wine when you’re dining at a corporate restaurant like Hard Rock Cafe ? We’ll decode the wine list, help you spot hidden gems and suggest the perfect pairing for a burger, a glass of wine and a blast of rock and roll. You'll learn the biggest difference between a corporate wine list and a curated wine list, how price points can influence perceptions on quality, whet...

Our friend Klaus Wittauer returns with an Austrian red blend. Cherries and wildness and acid oh my! The three biggies of Austrian reds: a blend of 40% Blaufrankisch, 30% Sankt Laurent (St. Laurent), and 30% Zweigelt from Burgenland. A 2022 Steindorfer Blend. Cheers to Klaus Wittauer again!

This week, everything's coming up Rosés! Zena and Renée welcome Renée's long-time friend Marquette Rogers to discuss his favorite style of wine. We're "pretty in pink" in this week's episode. Join us and discover why rosé is a perfect year round versatile wine. Pair it with food, friends or any given Tuesday. #roséallday #pinkiesdown Cheers to Marquette Rogers, Hillinger Secco , Old Westminster Ro...

Special Guest Klaus Wittauer - expert in Austrian Wine - brings a beautiful example Austria's leading varietal, the Queen of Austrian wine, Grüner Veltliner. High acid, stone fruit, floral and white pepper. What's in Renée's Glass? A new style Paul D Grüner Veltliner. Cheers to Klaus Wittauer and Austrian wines!

Join Zena and Renée on a hot day at the beautiful Loew Vineyards. 5th generation winemaker, Rachel Lipman, talks about her remarkable family history in winemaking from Mead in the Hapsburg Empire to a dry sparkling red in Mount Airy, MD. Discover how the diverse climates in Maryland express a sense of place and legacy at Loew Vineyards. Cheers to Rachel Lipman at Loew Vineyards ,

Did you know there are 300 molecules that make up cherry aroma and taste? Cherry cola? Bing cherry? Red cherry? Black cherry? Fresh cherry? Cooked cherry? Maraschino cherry? Actually, it's a beautiful aromatic, 2023 Barboursville Merlot. Cheers to: The Amazing Holly Feraci at Barboursville Vineyard and John Peters of Winebow .

Zena and Renée welcome the man, the myth, the Austrian Wine Legend, Klaus Wittauer for a full on deep dive on Austrian wines! Accounting for about 1% of the world's wine production, but responsible for some of most magical wines on earth, where else can you stay in the historic city where Beethoven wrote his 9th Symphony, which is also its own designated wine region, and within one hour you can re...

Light pale lemony, and Italian or is it? Ah, a 2023 Barboursville Pinot Grigio - a beautiful example of Virginia winemakers bridging the gap between Old World and New World. Wanna score cool points with Luca Paschina? Ask for a Pinot "Gree Joe". PRO TIP: Lessons learned - Heavy dishwashing soap can impact the aroma of your wine. Check before you pour - does your glass have a "nose" of its own? Che...

For our first in a series on Virginia wines, Zena and Renée take a road trip to the astonishingly beautiful Glen Manor Winery in Front Royal, VA. Nestled beneath the epic views of Skyline Drive, and family owned for 4 generations, making it a Virginia certified "Century Farm", Glen Manor Winery is a true "glen". Surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains (elevation ranging from 1400 and 3400 feet abov...

Zena finally gets into the hot seat! The best part of wine is bringing people together. Zena, Renée and their friends take on a blind vertical tasting of the 2018, 2019 and 2020 Hawkes Wine Alexander Valley Estate Cabernet Sauvignon. Renée has been a wine club member of Hawkes Wine for over a decade, which, as it turns out, does not guarantee success! The group has the tasting notes courtesy of Ha...

"A Deep Dive into Flavors and Aromas aka is there bacon in my wine?" In this episode, we chat about the fascinating world of wine flavors and aromas — demystifying why your glass might smell like cherries, freshly cut grass, butter or cat’s pee. Where Do These Aromas Come From? We break down how wine’s scents aren't added , but come from a mix of grape variety, fermentation, aging methods and terr...

Cherry, tannins and a hint of balsamic. Oregano and thyme, and tomato leaf. A pink label with a black rooster. Special Guests Geoff and Jimi. Put them all together and you have a lovely 2023 Gellina Chianti Classico Reserva. Aged a minimum 24 months. Pair it with a Sunday Sauce, a pizza or just a smile. SPOILER ALERT: No fava beans were hurt in the making of this podcast. This week's What's in Ren...

In this episode of Guy Talk , we’re sipping bold Amarone and getting real about wine. What do guys love about it? What do guys hate? We break down the stereotypes around men and wine drinking—because wine isn’t just for swirling and sniffing, it’s for enjoying. From boxed wine to pricy favorites, we talk about how wine culture is shifting and share tips on making it less intimidating for guys who...

We talk old and new. Fruit and forest floor. Volcanic and limestone. What's in Renée's Glass? The wonderful world of pinot noir! Spoiler Alert: Renée still hasn't found a wine from Mâconnais that she likes. Cheers to: Andrew, Holly, Côte de Nuits, (Côte-d’Or), Gevrey-Chambertin 2021 Vieilles Vignes , Belle Glos 2023 Balade , Domaine Drouhin 2023 Rose Rock , Mâconnais, Côte de Beaune, Sideways .

Pinot Noir is a diva in the vineyard but a rockstar in the glass. In this episode, we take a "deepish" dive into the history, mystery and sheer drama of this beloved grape. From its Burgundian roots to surprising New World hotspots, we explore why Pinot is both a winemaker’s heartbreak and a wine drinker’s joy. What are you looking for tonight? Old world? New world? Mushrooms and forest floor or s...

Old world elegance....a classic Left Bank Bordeaux from Château Verdignan . Ever wondered how those wine experts know if it's a left bank or right bank Bordeaux? Do you taste more Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot? Left Bank Bordeauxes are Cab Sauvignon dominant and Right Banks feature Merlot more. Here's a tasting tip - when your red wine starts to get a slightly brown tinge on the edge or has some se...

Dry champagne or DRY champagne? Do you want a "brut" wine or a feminine wine? When does half sweet actually mean more sweet? Why are the French so brilliant and challenging! Join Zena and Renée along with the amazing Andrew Stover of Siema Wines for this light flight as we decode the language of wine, starting with wine labels and ending with winemaking techniques. Cheers to Siema Wines , Brimonco...

What do you get when you blend Chenin blanc with Roussanne, Viognier, Semillon and ducks??? Well, you get the 2022 Avondale Jontys Ducks Pekin White from Paarl, South Africa.

Round 2 of Guy talk with Jimi features a "Taylor-Made" conversation with a raconteur with the AM radio voice, DC Brau's own, Steve Taylor! Join the guys (and Zena and Renée!) for a discussion of rosés for brunch, beer for breakfast and who's bringing Snoop's 19 Crimes to the BBQ. Cheers to our special guest Steve Taylor (and DC Brau's Dueling Grounds Lager, and The Citizen Belgian Pale Ale), 19 Cr...

When you're dancing with a beautiful red wine, sometimes it's best to start with what it's not...This glass ended up being a fantastic Grenache from Yountville, CA. The 2020 T-Vine Winery Santa Rita Hills Hills Grenache. A big gorgeous wine at 14.9% abv.

Cheers to: Nick Materese - Liquid Storyteller , Siema Wines , Lodali Dolcetto D'alba , Hillinger Secco , Cuvée Klaus , Lakewood Vineyards , Slater Run Vineyards , Glen Manor Vineyard , Loew Vineyards , Little Bosco , Lodali Moscato , SER , Lopez de Heredia , Two Wolves Wines , Clos Rougeard , Raptor Ridge , Domaine Drouhin Rose Rock , Elk Cove , Carlton Winemaker Studio , Castello di Bolgheri Supe...

What do you get when your vineyard used to be covered in a glacier? You get an amazing high acid, beautiful pinot blanc from Michigan. Michigan? That's right, Michigan. A single acre punching above its weight class. The Left Foot Charley 2018 Island View Pinot Blanc.

Stem or stemless? Can I have white wine with a steak? What if I use the wrong glass???? IS there a wine jail? Join us as we decode the customs of wine with our episode, "Is It a Rule or Recommendation?" Cheers to Two Wolves Wines , Bedell Cellars , Clos Rougeard , Cathy Corison , Glen Manor Vineyards , Julia Coney and Michelle Williams , Just Getting Better , Hawkes Wine , Jo Jo Valenzuela , and J...