How does a wine’s aging process influence the way it tastes?

If this is a question that’s ever popped into your mind, this is the blog post for you to read! Thurstqueen spills the tea on the major vessels used for aging wines and what they do — including oak, steel, amphorae and concrete. Oh my!

Fall is here. It’s a time of transitions and a time for fashion. The 2021 Met Gala was literally four days ago, after all. As the leaves change color and we switch from swimwear to sweaters, it’s important to switch things up wine-wise.

Red wine lovers - Thurstqueen has you covered with 3 easy-drinking red wines for Fall under $30.00 that you can enjoy when you’re sick of drinking all that Pumpkin Spice shit.

This is definitely a blog post worth the read. The Valle de Guadalupe is one of the coolest, trendiest wine regions to date. Despite the recent hype, it’s actually the oldest region in North America.

The VDG has a special place in my heart, as my first job in the wine biz at the tender age of 23 was selling wine from this magical place. If you love your red blends, Italian wines, and white blends as well - this is the region for you. You can get awesome, small production, boutique wines here that are about as nerdy and as geeky as they come!

Charming, beautiful, friendly, and as regal as Mindy Kailing in a tiara, Southern Rhône wines are truly something to behold. Not only is this place the magical land of Châteauneuf de Pape, but the Southern Rhône truly has a wine for every drinker.

Be sure to check out the latest post to learn all about the appellations in this incredible region.

Wines from the Northern Rhône are friggin’ great… Mmmkay? They’re wild and luxurious, with loads of sophistication and finesse. Yet with all that in mind, they can be on the pricier side.

On this week’s blog, Thurstqueen dissects the Northern Rhône for the budget conscious buyer so you can drink classy and not break the bank.

Provençal Rosé. Everybody talks about it. Everybody drinks it. And there are some people where it’s the only stuff of the pink persuasion that they’ll drink.

To me, this is very much the pink version of the person who says, “I only drink Cab.” I have another word for this, it rhymes with smasic smitch and starts with a b.

Salt and sass aside, there is a very real reason why you should put away your pink Provençal potions and branch out of your comfort zone. There are SO MANY interesting rosés out there, and you would be doing yourself a disservice if you only drank rosé from one region.

If you’ve read my blog on Sauvignon Blanc, you will know right away how I feel about the fabulous, tropical, fruity, creamy and elegant SBs that come out of this amazing country.

I often describe them as very, “Kate Hudson-y” partially because I am super weird but partially because these Sauvignon Blancs are fun, happy, delightful, golden girl wines that are about as cheery as a sunny day at the beach.

Interestingly enough, New Zealand’s history as a wine producing country was quite turbulent, and riddled with plenty of challenging times. Check out the latest blog post to learn more!

Syrah is the bad boy - or girl - of grapes. This dark, brooding, angsty af grape will appeal to your inner goth or tortured soul. Take a second to learn about this intense varietal and find a cool-climate Syrah under $30.00.

Thurstqueen explores France’s largest - and one of its more bargain friendly - regions. Introducing the Languedoc Roussillon! I like to call it the LDR for short - different from Lana del Rey, of course.

This is one article that all you bargain hunters will not want to miss!

Introducing the femme fatale of all red grapes - Negrette.

Negrette is one of those geeky, esoteric varietals red wine lovers tend to go crazy for. With perfumed floral characteristics to make Tom Ford jealous, plus inky black fruit and darkly hedonistic leather qualities- this is a super sexy little varietal guaranteed to turn heads.

Learn more about it and where you can find an amazing bottle in this latest post.

The Mount Etna DOC is one of my favorite appellations in all of Italy.

Not only does its rich volcanic soil host amazing pre-phylloxera vines - a very rare find indeed, but these delectable and complicated wines are also a great value for your dollar.

Over the last few years, the Etna DOC has been considered the “cool kid,” in terms of hot new wine regions, and it’s one you should definitely know about.

The photo above pretty much sums up how I feel about the Alsace region. It’s a region that has one of my favorite and most misunderstood varietals - Gewürtztraminer. Take a second to learn about this awesome region and why you should be adding these amazing wines to your rotation.

Happy 4th of July, Thurstqueens! Anybody planning on grilling this weekend?

Check out these weird, wacky red wines under $30.00 you can probably find at a grocery store before the celebrating begins!

Dry white wine lovers - listen up!

Greece has some of the most incredible, complex, and fascinating wines. This week, Thurstqueen takes a deep dive on this wonderful, complicated region.

There’s a new type of Rosé in town - well, it’s not that new. This rhubarb, sun kissed raspberry flavored dry rosé the shade of pink rubies is actually one of the oldest rosés from France.

If you’re only drinking rosés from Provence - stop, find a Tavel, and snag it!

Be sure to read this week’s Thurstqueen post and discover the ultra inexpensive pick of the week. Consider your rosé game leveled up.

Do you like feeling fancy? Are you on a budget? Then you should 100% be drinking wine from the Loire Valley.

This Thurstqueen post is dedicated to the region and the gorgeous, restrained wines that come out of it.

Loire Valley wines are my perfect go-to option whenever I’m in a Trader Joe’s, a Ralphs, or a Total Wine because I know they will stretch my dollar the furthest.

Take a gander at this article to level up your Loire Valley knowledge.

Riesling is the Queen Bey of grapes. Like Beyoncé, it is simply the greatest of all time.

In this Thurstqueen post, we will take a deep dive into the origins of Riesling, plus tackle 4 reasons why Riesling should be your next go-to white wine.

It’s heating up over here in Thurstqueen land. Be sure to check out the latest post on 5 Summer obsession-worthy wines to bring the next time you decide to get your tan on.

Bikini not included.

Thurstqueen spills all the tea on Malbec and tells you where you can find the best Malbec for your money.

Okay, first of all — get your mind out of the gutter. Sekt is a fabulously racy bubbly wine from Germany and Austria that is very much worth knowing about. Are you intrigued yet?