Hello my friends. As I write this, Sonoma has announced we are going into another lockdown—something, in my opinion, we should have taken on board sooner. But despite personal opinion, whether you agree or disagree, I urge you all to be safe and follow the local ordinances of your state and county.

With that out of the way, I’ve got my weekly list of wine-centric news and blogs. So please, scroll away, catch up, have fun, leave a comment if you feel so inclined.

For those of you following along on my WSET Diploma journey, apologies for the lack of posts. I’m hoping to get them going again soon but I’ve been spending a lot of time balancing work and study. Connect with me if you’re in the middle of your Diploma as well—would love to learn how others are tackling this D3 process and what kinds of tips/tricks/info you’d like to see covered here. Always happy to engage.

Signing off—have a fun, safe, and healthy weekend.

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Here’s my weekly roundup of wine and food—and this week travel—news. Though not all articles included are about the pandemic, I have to admit that, regardless of what’s on this list, the biggest news going into this weekend is certainly how the COVID pandemic continues to affect our lives.

This week is Thanksgiving in the US. I implore you, whatever you decide to do—be safe, take care of yourself, take care of your families and friends, take care of your fellow humans.

Thank you.

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It’s been another week filled with crazy current events, and I don’t blame you if you feel like you can’t focus on any one thing. That’s certainly how I feel most days. Don’t forget to take time to relax, breathe, and drink a glass of wine.

This week, the Somm-Scandal continues, as the organization attempts to restructure from the inside out. Meanwhile, the once closely associated GuildSomm is doing just the same, hiring a completely new board of directors in an effort to promote inclusion and diversity. But is it too late for the name—and maybe even the concept of—sommelier to be completely smeared in the eyes and ears of the wine industry and the consumer base? Curious what you all think…

Meanwhile, the ever increasing COVID cases throughout the US is significantly affecting the future of wineries, breweries, and bars and restaurants.

But it’s not all doom and gloom. Wine Enthusiast has just this week released their full list of Wine Star Awards (of which I’m honored to say I was able to help write-up a few profiles); the Masters of Wine, in lieu of an in-person celebration, has created a video honoring the newest 23 individuals who’ve earned the coveted title—so now we can all join in the fun; and, this is totally random, but I found this breakfast-for-dinner recipe that I just had to share.

Down in the Blogs, we’ve got some independent insight as well as some great educational posts. So scroll through, have some fun, and don’t be shy to share your thoughts. Cheers and happy weekend-ing.

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