Can you smell that? That's not just the crisp autumn air rolling through DC & Virginia Countryside — that's crush season happening right in our backyard! Right now, Virginia's vineyards are buzzing with pickers, sorting tables, and the sweet, slightly chaotic energy of grapes coming off the vine. It's my favorite time of year to be a sommelier, and honestly, it's the perfect excuse to start thinking about what's landing in your glass alongside what's landing on your plate th

Ever wonder what actually happens when you book a private sommelier? Is it just a guy showing up with a fancy corkscrew and some opinions? (Okay, sometimes it is a little bit that.) But September always gets me thinking about the behind-the-scenes side of this job, because as soon as the kids are back in school and the pool floats get put away, my phone starts buzzing again with people ready to host! So let's pull back the curtain a little, shall we? It always starts with a c