Cultivar Archives - A Side of Sweet

A New Way to Drink Wine

The first time I heard of the Coravin was at a high-end wine tasting in Napa, at a winery that was doing a tasting of its archives. Instead of opening the precious bottles, some of which were valued at thousands of dollars, they used the Coravin to take wine out of the bottle without exposing it to air.

I was amazed at this revolutionary way to enjoy a wine collection slowly over time, and the ability to try each bottle again and again to see how it changes with age. Even though our own wine collection is in its infancy, it’s still nice to try some of those nicer bottles of wine that we plan to put away…. Read More »

How to Taste Wine Like a Pro + Video Tutorial!

Even though it shouldn’t be, learning how to taste wine can be pretty intimidating. It seems like there are so many steps and so many things to think about! I remember when I was first learning how to taste wine I would try to do the wine tasting steps like the people I was with, but I didn’t really know why I was doing them.

I thought it would be fun to break down wine tasting into just a few easy steps, and also talk through why each step is important. I also made a video on how to taste wine like a pro to go with the post so you can see just how to do each step!

Click through for more details about each wine tasting step…

San Francisco Secret Spots :: Bernal Heights Hill

I have a secret.

Twin Peaks isn’t the best place in San Francisco to see a great view of the city. Not even close. The real best place to catch the view is away from the tourists with their fancy cameras. Tucked away in the Southeast corner of the city. Off the beaten path.

The views! I’m talking 360 panoramic views of the entire city. And both bridges! The streetlights dot the city like a parade of little fireflies. And it’s so quiet, away from the hustle and bustle of the city. The perfect place for a cheap date night, which is right up our alley…. Read More »