Being Full of Sips, I am always in search of new wines to try so when Rainstorm Wines reached out to me to review their ever-so-popular Pinot Noir, of course I jumped at the chance. When it comes to buying wine, I am definitely one of those people that have their “go-to’s” and for the past few years now Matua and Kim Crawford have been my favorites. Although it’s been extremely cold in California recently with record breaking low temperatures, white wine still is my favorite. However, after trying the Rainstorm Wines Pinot Noir, it got me in a “red” sort of mood and I’ve now been mixing red wine into my weekly wine rotation. The issue with red wine is that you genuinely need to drink a good bottle. We’ve all been there when we’re broke and make the mistake of buying a too cheap wine. Take for example the “Two Buck Chuck” from Traders Joe’s that everyone loves. I personally can’t stand it…it gives me a headache and it tastes grainy. Red wines like these are what ruins your taste buds for exceptional wine. Luckily, I had Rainstorm Pinot Noir to bring me back!
At only $18 a bottle, this elegant red blends a 50/50 varietal of grapes stemming from the Willamette and Umpqua Valleys of Oregon, right outside of the funky and well loved town of Portland. As Rainstorm strives for character, relevance, attitude, style, elegance, and that funky Portland vibe, it was no surprise to me that I received a bit of everything when I tasted the Pinot Noir for the first time. Not as bold as a lot of reds, this Pinot was easy to put down and left a fruit forward flavor in my mouth afterwards. This particular blend is grown on a ridge which is something Oregon is insanely proud of as the ridge gives the water a place to drain which moderates the vine’s healthiness and produces smaller amounts of crop that yields quality over quantity.
In addition to the Pinot Noir, Rainstorm also carries a brand new Pinot Rose along with a Pinot Gris. I highly encourage you to check out their wines on their website (linked here) as their opening video quickly catches your attention! It’s clear that this company not only believes in great taste, but attractive labeling, bottling, and marketing – which makes it all that more fun to drink! I was immediately excited to try their wines after watching the video which gives a sensual edge to wine tasting and encompasses their 6 wine characteristics they strive for, which I mentioned previously. I was sad to hear that they do not have a tasting room in the Portland area as of yet, but it is in the horizon as well as more labels to come!
Keep Sipping!
Whether in a relationship or not, the big V Day always comes with pressure to either find the perfect place to spend the most romantic night out, or a fun atmosphere to mingle while you’re single! Although Valentine’s Day has always been an American staple, I love that many events, bars, and restaurants are also embracing Single Awareness Day. And why not?! I feel that people who are single have just as much right to celebrate as couples do being in a relationship. It’s been fun the past few years watching what different venues come up with to attract single patrons over couples looking for a romantic dinner. If you think about it, this really needed to happen as some restaurants are getting ridiculously expensive the night of the 14th and surrounding weekends. Most high end restaurants in the Socal area typically offer a set menu at raised “all inclusive” prices that could be as high as $150+tax and tip per person! Ok so wait, not only are you inflating your prices over the holiday, but now I can’t even eat what I want?! No, thanks.
Have you ever been to a Tapas bar? Although becoming more and trendy, Tapas bars are still not as popular as I wish they would be in the states, however, I do see a growing trend which I’m excited about! The reason I feel they haven’t flourished as much as they could is because of the trained american appetite of always eating more than the stomach can handle. Tapas are considered to be “small bites”, so I feel that people associate these with being hungry after the experience. First of all, lets clarify the word “Tapas”. Tapas are considered to be Spanish appetizers that are specifically served with cocktails and before a meal, although many of us consider an array of tapas just enough! In the US, this has become a sophisticated way of getting together for appetizers and not over stuffing yourself and I love it!
We tried many of the tapas on the menu, however I’d have to say my absolute favorite was the Montadito de Costillo which is short rib cooked two ways: braised and crudo (raw). It’s one of those bites you have to eat all at once to get in all of the flavors and it’s honestly one of the most delicious combinations of flavors I’ve ever tasted! I also highly recommend getting a charcuterie board as their cheese and meat selections are suburb and in compliments of one another no matter the selection. If you know me, you know I hate goat cheese (and blue cheese, but irrelevant at the moment). Although not pictured, one of my other favorite items on the menu was the Queso Fundido which actually had a goat cheese base but was mixed with so many delicious flavors it was unnoticeable!
To start off, I want to be completely honest by saying I’ve never been a person to follow a strict skincare regime. I’m of Italian descent so my olive skin has always treated me well and I’m not going to lie, I’ve taken full advantage of this. Even in my 30’s I will still go to sleep with makeup on and I frequently forget to cleanse my face. I’ve never had an acne issue nor did I have pimples as a teen so I continued into my 20’s and now 30’s having this awful skincare routine, or the lack there-of. I typically rely on my bi-monthly facials to fully cleanse my skin and I’ve even done a couple of peels as well. Of course now getting older, all of my girlfriends have a specific brand they use and my mother is a beauty guru with 100 steps she takes each night so I naturally want to follow in her footsteps. As a woman in her 60’s with hardly any wrinkles, mom definitely knows best! Because of this, I decided it’s finally time I started to take care of my skin! I realize I’m getting older and after just celebrating my 34th birthday, I want to make sure I look no older than 28 for the next decade…wishful thinking, but with 
Sips Productions 