Happy August, beloved.
It’s the first day of the eighth month of the year, and I want to express extreme gratitude for making it to this point.
2024 has been a wild ride thus far, and yet I’m still anticipating and expecting even more goodness and abundance to overflow in the next four months.
But before I start making a list of my 2025 goals and wine predictions, I want to focus on you, the reader, for just a bit.
Week after week, each of you opens this email, reads (or skims) it, and (I hope) feels more confident about your approach to wine.
I don’t take it lightly that I’ve become a trusted source for you when it comes to fermented grape juice, and I hope you continue to feel encouraged to ask all of the questions, share what you find, and expand your palate.
For me, this month will be about taking bold and courageous steps forward.
That will include holding myself accountable and shifting how I think about myself, my work, and the world around me.
That also means creating space for time to dream, to wander, and just be.
This morning, I read in my devotional journal, “100 Days of Believing Bigger” by Marshawn Evans, a statement that left my mouth agape yet inspired to get back to standing on business:
“I have an intentional purpose and a specific assignment that grows and expands over time.”
If that doesn’t straighten your backbone and fix your gaze forward, I don’t know what will! So often, I get so hung up on the discomfort of daily annoyances that I’m missing out on enjoying the process. Everything that happens to me is for my good, and I don’t want to miss my blessing because I’m complaining about the small and insignificant.
With that in an eggshell, here’s where you come in:
For those who are free subscribers to Bright + Balanced, here’s what you can look forward to:
Weekly newsletters with a new segment titled, “Wine of the Week”
Wine-ish news
Upcoming wine events
For PAID subscribers, you’ll get everything above PLUS these subscriber-only perks:
A weekly voice note series called “Tip Jar” (I’m so hype about this!)
A monthly Chicago restaurant or wine bar review
A quarterly wine travel reflection
A shout-out in the weekly newsletter
Sounds good, right? I hope you’re as excited as I am to dig deeper into my journey as a writer, author, and wine culture expert. So gon’ head and hit that subscribe button to get the good stuff, yeah?!
Keep scrolling for more juice, and I’ll holla at y’all next week!
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WINE OF THE WEEK: 2023 Domaine Curry Sauvignon Blanc
I’m not one to keep celebrity wines on deck, but I’ve long been curious about the sisters Curry and their Napa Valley wines.
A little backstory: Ayesha and her sister-in-law Sydel Curry started their wine company in 2018, focusing on Cabernet Sauvignon and titling it ‘Femme 31’. The Napa Cab was produced in partnership with Coup de Foudre and described as “beautifully balanced and designed to drink now or age gracefully to enjoy in 5+ years.”
In 2023, however, the brand was acquired by The Prisoner Wine Company, one of the largest wine companies in the United States. This proved to be a big move for the ladies, and an opportunity for them to relaunch the brand to a younger demographic.
For the Sauvignon Blanc lovers, this isn’t your run-on-the-mill Sauvvy B from New Zealand. Light lemon in color, the aromas are very tropical with notes of candied pineapple, white peach, honeydew melon, and lemon zest. I also picked up a light herbaceousness (fresh-cut grass) and white flowers on the nose.
On the palate, there was a slight astringency (I charge that to the alcohol) that was mild with crispy acidity. Getting a little more into the texture, it’s medium-bodied, with crunchy minimality, and lots of cooked and candied tropical notes on the palate. There’s lightness in the finish, but this Sauvvy B has got some bawdy and lingers with you for a while.
At $45, it’s an investment bottle – but a unique expression of California Sauvignon Blanc that is more savory than refreshing – which isn’t a bad thing. It is on the high end of alcohol volume (that 13.8% ALC is no joke!), so remember to sip and savor this one!
Overall, I did enjoy this wine. When it comes to food pairings, I could see this with grilled chicken, fish, or pork and a summer salad of corn, cherry tomatoes, and feta cheese.
Cheers!
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WINE-ish NEWS
ICYMI: my latest for The TRiiBE provides The Bear’s new sommelier with advice from three Black sommeliers from Chicago.
If I were choosing wine for a friend’s wedding, I’d follow these rules too.
At first, I thought having a few drinks while flying was so cool. Now, I keep it cute with H20.
UPCOMING EVENTS
August 10 (CHI) – Next Saturday the Veraision Project presents “Beyond The Glass: Fete Gala” here in Chicago! The inaugural gala will benefit The Veraison Project, a non-profit of a passionate and diverse team of beverage professionals to make our industry more inclusive and equitable. Tickets are on sale now.
September 12 - 14 (DET) – The Black Wine & Food Experience is heading to the Motor City! With three days full of Black-owned food, beverage, and hospitality experiences, this is a festival you won’t want to miss!
Get your tickets here.
September 22 (Chicago) – CLINK Festival, a unique wine and spirits experience, returns for its third year! Grab your tickets here.
Thank you!
A big shout-out to Ari, Elaine, Emily, Jessika, Sara, Teresa, and Tim for being paid supporters of Bright + Balanced! Your contribution to my work means the world to me, and I’m so grateful!
I'm not typically a sauvignon blanc girlie but your review piqued my interest, 10/10! It will go on my ever-growing list of wins to try lol. Also, thanks for sharing about your devotional journal. Will check that out!