Hi Wine Friends,

How are we feeling? Still in a turkey coma? Survived Black Friday? I spent the day at my parents’ house in the Willamette Valley, where I grew up (back then, just farmland—now vineyard heaven). My brother brined and smoked a turkey, and we skipped the traditional sides in favor of a selection of seasonal veggies, courtesy of the New York Times cooking app: charred cabbage with walnuts and feta, roasted carrots with ginger, crispy garlic mushrooms, and Granny Smith-brussels sprout salad.

I opened a few fun bottles from my Top 10 Thanksgiving Wines list, including a dry Lambrusco that complemented the rich charcuterie and cheese we nibbled while we cooked (and played Scrabble); a local Chardonnay from Morgen Long (Seth is the only Chardonnay-only producer in Oregon, and while his bottles aren’t cheap, they are exquisite!) that paired perfectly with the umami-rich sautéed mushrooms; a Beaujolais from Kéké Descombes that acted as a perfect stand-in for cranberry sauce alongside the turkey; and a dry Oloroso sherry that was heavenly with the pumpkin pie and my new favorite Thanksgiving dessert—a tahini apple tart.

All in all, we ate like royalty, watched Little Women, and had a generally lovely day. I hope yours was just as wonderful!

 Would you be honest with me?

This week, we released the 6th episode of Her Way—which honestly blows my mind. If you haven’t checked it out yet, Her Way is a podcast all about women and wine. I bring on incredible women winemakers, wine writers, sommeliers, farmers, chefs, and more, and we dive into their stories and experiences as women in the industry.

As we move into the next six episodes, I would be so grateful if you’d share your feedback with me. I want this podcast to resonate and inspire, and the only way I can know how it’s landing with you is by hearing your thoughts. I’ve created a quick survey that takes less than 3 minutes to complete. Even if you’ve only listened to one or two episodes, your honest feedback would mean so much.

It helps me shape future episodes to better fit your interests and keeps the podcast’s production funded, so I can continue bringing on guests who are as amazing as Samantha Cole Johnson—this week’s guest.

Sam is the U.S. editor of Jancis Robinson and soon-to-be one of the youngest female Masters of Wine in history. She’s a Portland local, and we had a blast talking about her work on Jancis' small but mighty female team, her experience working harvest at Harlan, her dream of writing a native foods cookbook, and so much more. She’s a total brainiac, so if you’re into getting geeky with someone who truly understands wine at a deep level, this episode is for you!

You can listen on Spotify and Apple.

Last Chance to Join December’s Wine Club!

December marks the final leg of our Italian wine journey. Over the past three months, we've moved up the peninsula from south to north, and now we're wrapping up the adventure in the northwest—covering Liguria, Lombardy, and everyone's favorite: Piedmont.

Sign up by midnight tonight to receive two (or more) bottles that we'll taste together live on Zoom on December __ at 2pm. If you can't make the tasting live, don't worry! I always send out a replay afterward. Plus, we now have a Facebook community where you can share favorite bottles, tasting notes, and resources from class.