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As seen at Lavish Lounge Bar and Restaurant and events/parties by Raise Your Spirits, Inc., below is the cocktail menu used along with step-by-step instructions. Numbers next to ingredient are in ounces. Any questions, please let me know. Enjoy!

Irish Rum Swizzle

1.5 Irish Whiskey, ¾ Dry Vermouth, ¾ Lemon

½ Grenadine, mint sprig & cherry

Add ingredients, crushed ice, swizzle to froth, beer glass

The moment all of you have been anxiously waiting for - a practical guide to wine tasting with a little bit of humor, sarcasm, psychology, and cynicism. Yes, I've earned a psych degree and have practiced using it most of my life. More recently, struggling through wine education certification.

Since we are approaching the romantic season of Valentine's, why not celebrate with some classic cocktails for "her" and "him". Both cocktails featured in this post are appropriate all-year long, but hold a special significance for this day and weekend because they are celebratory in nature and yummy. But first, let's talk a little history of these cocktails, then we will get to the recipes. They are easy to make at home, relatively inexpensive, and just require some shopping and prep work in the kitchen.

Part 2 of this blog post on "Decoding Wine Labels" will be very technical. Many illustrations will be provided to help support the confusing and unique language given to European wine bottles. To begin, let's look at 'indications of origin' in the European Union (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and so on). The E.U. has a system to recognize and protect agricultural products, such as wine, cheese, meats,etc..., that come from specific places so that companies outside these locations can't make products with the same name and thereby confusing consumers. For example -

We browse the shelves of wine stores all the time, not only to find that perfect bottle for dinner or dinner party, but also to see what's new and on sale. More than ever, we are overwhelmed and stymied by the proliferation of wine labels, varietals, countries, blends, regions, etc...Having this much choice is awesome - or paralyzing - depending on your knowledge of varietals, regions, and foreign languages. This is where feeling comfortable interpreting or decoding the info on wine labels comes in.

On November 14, the world celebrates International Tempranillo Day. Here are some fun facts wine lovers should know about this lusty Spanish grape.

You’re getting into red wine. You’re craving something different. Something savory. Enter Tempranillo, Spain’s #1 wine grape. With the structure of Cabernet Sauvignon and meaty nature of Carignan, Tempranillo is an experience to behold. When young, it can be surprisingly fresh and fruity. However, with oak and age, you’ll find more of the dust, tobacco, and leather flavors.

November 7 is “International Merlot Day”. Not that Merlot lovers need a reason to open a bottle wine. But as International Merlot Day approaches, it is time to celebrate and take a look at all things Merlot.

If you’re a penny pincher and don’t want to spend a lot of money on wine, but want good, quality wines, then these wines will satisfy your palate and budget. All bottles listed are under $30/bottle, which constitutes a “best buy” in my opinion. I tried to include all different wine types, but a little partial to the wines of Oregon and Washington State these days. Official ratings from “Wine Enthusiast”, but I also offer my notes. Many of these wines listed are hard to find, but available through ordering. ABV (Alcohol By Volume) is the measurement of alcohol.