Wine scene wrap-up: Reno’s wine producers, shops and bars were warm and welcoming in 2025; the 2026 forecast is for more of the same 

Reno’s wine scene in 2025 has been full of energy, warmth and opportunities, whether you’re a wine lover or just curious to try something new. Our retail wine shops, wine bars and wineries are all inviting.  Reno’s retail shops are treasure troves of discovery. Friendly staff members recommend new arrivals, help you find the best […]

Sober October: The positives of a monthlong pause from the pour

By the time the warm nights of late summer roll into crisp fall evenings, Nevada’s wine culture is hitting its stride. From weekly wine tastings to the first pours of harvest-time vintages from the Sierra Foothills, October in Reno is a time when glasses are rarely empty.   Yet in recent years, a quieter movement has […]

Exceptional white wines: A primer on the hidden styles from Lugana, Italy

Nestled along the southern shores of Lake Garda in northern Italy lies a small but increasingly significant wine region that produces some of the country’s most distinctive white wines.   Lugana, straddling the border between the Lombardy and Veneto regions, has quietly been producing exceptional white wines for centuries, yet remains relatively unknown to many wine […]

Valentine’s Day delights: Expert tips for pairing wine and chocolate 

As Valentine’s Day approaches, I have a confession: I’ve avoided writing about wine and chocolate pairings in the past, because, frankly, the ones typically presented by wineries, wine bars and restaurants have been boring.   The art of pairing wine with chocolate has become more popular in recent years, with connoisseurs and casual drinkers alike seeking […]

Rack ’em and stack ’em: To keep your wine from spoiling, proper storage is key

As the holiday season winds down, many of us find ourselves with an abundance of gifted wine. While this is a delightful problem to have, it raises two important questions: How should we store our wine at home, and why does proper storage matter?  Light and heat can damage wine, rendering it undrinkable in as […]

A new tradition for Christmas: Move over, milk and cookies. I’m leaving Santa some wine.

Christmas traditions are among the things I love about the holiday season. Watching the same movies, making the same foods, sharing the same stories—these are all things that strengthen the family and friendships around us.   It seems the tradition of leaving milk and cookies for Santa started in the United States during the Great Depression. […]

Wine train: A historic V&T Railroad passenger car doubles as a tasting room in motion

All aboard—and cheers!   I know that isn’t the traditional call made by a train conductor, but I hope to hear it one day soon on the Virginia and Truckee Railway’s wine train, called the Toast of the Canyon.  The V&T, as it called colloquially, is one of the most famous short-line railroads in American history, […]