5 New AVAs to Watch

Ah, to spend a day in the vineyards! While we may romanticize the grape-to-glass process, making wine is no easy feat (especially when you're dealing with the American government)!

Just ask the winemakers who recently applied for AVA status...it can take almost a decade to achieve! What exactly is an AVA, you ask?

We profiled the 5 latest viticultural areas in the United States to be awarded coveted AVA status  for Wine Enthusiast Magazine. Read everything you ever wanted to know about the process here, preferably with a glass of vino in hand: We hear it helps when contemplating all bureaucratic endeavors.

http://www.winemag.com/Wine-Enthusiast-Magazine/February-2013/Americas-Newest-AVAs/

Most Haunted Bars and Wineries in the US

This Halloween, it's natural to wonder about ghosts, goblins and...haunted places to grab drinks. Ever wondered where the most haunted bars and wineries in the US are located?

I searched high and low and found the spookiest places to score a sip this Halloween.

Read my story on the most haunted bars and wineries in the US for Wine Enthusiast Magazine here, including that of Hattie, who salts wine glasses at Restaurant 1833.

http://www.winemag.com/Wine-Enthusiast-Magazine/Web-2012/Old-Haunts/