Let’s be honest: we college girls do most of our drinking out of red plastic cups. It might get the job done (and it’s usually free), but it’s far from classy. And sometimes we all need to be a little classy.

If you’re looking to add some class to your weekly routine, consider having the girls over for some wine and cheese. And add a little something special with these adorable, unique and classy wine glass rings!

While they aren’t a necessary addition to a wine glass (because wine is the only necessary addition, am I right?), I really love the extra fun these rings bring to the table. They are super classy and elegant, and they definitely look as if you bought them at Pier 1.

Plus, you can put them on anything. Since I don’t drink, I hang mine on the handles of my coffee mugs, but you can also clip them to kitchen-cabinet handles, keychains . . . the list goes on.

Each ring takes about five minutes to make, and it will only cost you about $5 in supplies to make a bundle of ‘em. Read More »

After one too many plastic cups of Pabst Blue Ribbon, I’ve moved on to wine as my new drink of choice. But, like beer, there are many kinds of bad wine that are too easy to accidentally drink. So what makes a good wine? And what’s the difference between a chardonnay and a Cabernet?

Here’s the rundown on the mot popular kinds of wine and what to drink them with.

Reds

Cabernet Sauvignon is produced mainly in France and California. This red is what’s called “full bodied,” meaning it’s got a rich, strong flavor of dark fruits like black current. The best Cabernets taste a bit earthy and dry and they tend to get better with age, so pick-up a bottle with the earliest date (as in, 2003 rather than 2008).

Pair with red meat, grilled vegetables, or pasta with red sauce.

Merlot is arguably the most popular red wine. Merlot can range from medium to full-bodied and is high in alcohol and low in acidity. Flavors include plum and chocolate (yum!). Grown all over the world, this wine is easy to enjoy.

Pair with pasta with red sauce, beef, or grilled or smoky meats.

Pinot Noir is made from a velvety grape that is one of the hardest to grow, which makes a good pinot great and a bad pinot terrible. A good pinot will be complex, with flavors ranging from black cherries to earthy spices. Pinot Noir grapes traditionally come from Burgundy, France, but are now being perfected in Oregon and California.

Pair with salmon, pasta, or pork. Read More »

I remember my life before I discovered Franzia and its wine-in-a-box counterparts. I was developing a hunchback from lugging a backpack full of Keystone cans around campus, hopping from dorm party to dorm party. Or, I would spend an arm and a leg on bottles of Bacardi (and the mixers to go with it), only to go through a whole bottle in one night after my friends had passed shots around the room.

At some point during my college career, I discovered that wine is stronger than beer and more consistent than mixed drinks, which are super weak at many stingy bars.

Wine became my go-to drink.

When I moved into an apartment with a fellow wino, we quickly realized that even 1.5 liter bottles of wine went too quickly, so to save gas on packy runs, we became avid boxers.

Boxed wine is completely underrated by many collegiates across the country. In the wine world, Franzia may have a bad rap, but come on; we’re college students. We have no money. We drink a lot. And we aren’t opposed to drinking Dubra when times are tight, so why exclude boxed wine from our list of libations?

In many states, wine comes in 5-liter boxes. That’s FIVE LITERS of booze for about $15. Depending on how much (or how little) you drink, that can easily be split throughout the night between you and your five closest friends, or you can suck it down yourself and not worry about another liquor run for a week or two. If you can’t find a 5-liter box, you’ll still be set with the “smaller” size box, which contains three liters of fermented grapes.

Heaven. Read More »

Wine can be intimidating. No doubt. With fancy names that are hard to pronounce, you’re often left to order the “house” wine out of fear of butchering some French name and sounding like a total beginner. Asking the waitress/waiter what their recommendation is will certainly give you a larger bill than expected, and the wine won’t taste like a glass of perfection but instead a glass of regret.

The key is learning how to figure out what you like on your own, knowing you prefer Sauvignon Blanc over Pinot Grigio, White over Red, “full-bodied” or “Crisp”….the list goes on an on, so if you can narrow it down to a few basic preferences, the next time you’re out ordering wine it’ll be a breeze rather than brain surgery.

Basic Whites:

Pinot Grigio: Typically more of a dry wine with medium body, not as sweet and lighter in color. Pairs well with lighter dishes i.e. Chicken, Rice, Salmon, etc. Aromas tend to be more flowery, citrus and light spice.

FACT: These aromas and flavors can often be smelled rather than tasted. That’s why so many fancy wine drinkers stick their face into their glass before taking a sip! Read More »

We all know that a box of wine is a box of fun. But sometimes, you have just got to 86 the cardboard and bladder bag for a classier combo. Welcome to the world of real wine, where screw tops and pour spouts do not exist. Get ready to impress your friends with your vino knowledge, techniques and hip lingo. No courses required.

My mom always told me to fake it till you make it, which has proved useful when I’m trying to flaunt my wine “skills”. Granted, I know a little bit after being around my sister (who legitimately knows about wine), but with my friends who know nothing, it’s easy to act like I am the all-knowing expert. Being an awesome sommelier bullshitter totally ups your awesome factor with the crowd. Also, your total wine-o habits have just been swept under the rug because wine is your “favorite pastime” or “new passion.” Trust me, drinking hasn’t been so fun since you first discovered the beer bong.

So here, with a little bit of help from the big sis (aka real wine expert), we show you how to fake it with wine until you make it to drunk!

Choosing a wine: I like to follow my ABC’s (Anything But Chardonnay) when I’m trying to show off my smarts. Here’s a good chance for you to say “I don’t drink Chardonnay, (insert choice wine) is much more (insert key word). You know so much you have an opinion! Or choose a wine from somewhere other than Italy. I like Spain. This gives you the perfect chance to insert the phrase “Spain is the new Italy.” See? You already sound awesome. Read More »