I feel the need to preface this by saying that I am by no means a wine connoisseur. In fact, for the longest time I actively avoided it because it just wasn’t my thing. Recently, I’ve started to stretch my legs in the wine world and try some new things. Armed with my new found wine wisdom, I’m ready to share it with you just in time to get prepped before your date with your couch and Miss Olivia Pope.

​​ The world of wine is vast. Like, very very expansive. I imagine that when Christopher Columbus stepped foot on what would later be American soil he experienced the same overwhelmed feeling that I get when I step into the liquor store. Where do I start? How do I know if it’s good? Do I need to spend more than $10 on a bottle for it to not taste like fermented juicy juice? Some of this might sound familiar. When I first started drinking wine, I stuck to the whites. They have a more crisp taste and they didn’t stain my teeth. This was a HUGE factor for me. I loved white zinfandel and of course champagne and prosecco. There is really nothing better than a chilled prosecco with a fresh raspberry. Anyways, of course girls night also usually meant some sort of moscato was present, but at a certain point all of the sweet stuff that I had initially loved started to be too much. There is nothing worse than a wine headache! To be honest, I don’t know how Olivia Pope doesn’t go through millions of dollars worth of Advil. She is the true definition of a girl boss. Anyways, if you’re looking for a crisp, sweet wine then some good picks are Beringer White Zinfandel and Cupcake Vineyards Riesling. Both of these bottles are under $20 but have a really enjoyable taste. 

​​ Moving on to some wines with a bit more color, I’ve started to buy semi-sweet reds. These have a flavor that isn’t quite as sweet as the whites I mentioned, but they do have a juicy, luscious taste to them that I like to enjoy with a strong cheese or chocolate. My favorite semi-sweet red that I’ve recently discovered is by Middle Sister. Finally, I’ve found a wine that isn’t too sweet to share with my boyfriend but doesn’t have that sharp bite that I don’t enjoy. The Middle Sister brand is fab and priced well too, so you can grab a couple bottles for girl’s night without breaking the bank.

Of course, wine Wednesday wouldn’t be complete without the perfect accouterment. My favorite bar cart essentials include some witty cocktail napkins, a quality coaster and some perfect glasses. Check out my favorites linked below!