Skip to main content

Music and Great Wine Go Hand in Hand

As you are gearing up for holiday parties, we’ve found some wines that are sure to be a hit with your crowd. Even better, these selections are a natural conversation starter because they combine the worlds of wine and music.

You can tell your friends how musician Dave Matthews is now in the wine business. He teamed up with award-winning winemaker Steve Reeder to create The Dreaming Tree wine collection, named after his song ‘The Dreaming Tree” from the 1998 album “Before These Crowded Streets.” “These are wines you’re going to want to share with your favorite people,” says Reeder.

Recommended Videos

The newest addition to their offerings is one we especially like. It’s the newly-released 2012 Central Coast Everyday white blend. It joins new vintages of 2011 Central Coast Chardonnay, 2011 North Coast Cabernet Sauvignon, 2011 North Coast Crush, and 2009 Alexander Valley Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. The pricing ranges from $15 to $35.

Matthews and Reeder concentrated on producing wines that have serious soul along with being affordable enough to appeal to a wide range of wine drinkers.

“There’s this kind of funny snobbery around wine that makes it seem exclusive, but it’s not true. Wine is for everyone and it’s fantastic stuff,” says Matthews.

Along with attention to wine quality, they are motivated to be equally environmentally conscious. The natural cork is sustainably grown and recyclable. The label is made with 100% recycled Kraft brown paper and the bottles, which are a quarter pound lighter than the average, are sealed with an eco-friendly sealant.

Marla Milling
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Marla Hardee Milling is a full-time freelance writer living in a place often called the Paris of the South, Sante Fe of the…
Show your Wicked side with these mezcal cocktails for Oscars night
Whether you're Team Galinda or Team Elphaba
Mezcal Union-4

If you're getting ready for the biggest movie awards night of the year tomorrow, we've already given you some Oscars-themed cocktails to try. But for those of you who are cheering on Wicked in particular, we've got some fun color coordinated drinks to celebrate the surprising musical smash of the year.

These drinks from Mezcal Unión come in the signature green or pink shades of Elphaba and Galinda, making use of matcha powder and Peychaud Bitters to give a colorful twist to these tasty concoctions. There's a twist on a traditional Margarita using mezcal in place of tequila, and a take on the Clover Club which uses mezcal rather than gin. Cheers to Wicked's 10 Oscar nominations!
The Bad Witch

Read more
A rich and moody cocktail to celebrate Conclave’s Oscars nominations
If you're cheering on Ralph Fiennes for Best Actor, raise a toast
Ralph Fiennes in Conclave.

It's Oscars weekend, which is a great excuse for catching up on some widely acclaimed movies, having some friends round, and enjoying the glitz and glamor of this year's event. We've shared Oscars themed cocktails and some Wicked cocktails too, but if you're stanning hard for Ralph Fiennes and his best actor nomination, then we have a drink just for you.

Fiennes impressed everyone, it seems, with his turn in Papal drama Conclave, and he's up for an award along with his co-star Isabella Rossellini, nominated for best supporting actress, as well as the film scoring nominations for costume, editing, music, production, and of course the all-important Best Picture.

Read more
This frozen espresso martini recipe proves everything tastes better frozen
An elevated form of your favorite coffee cocktail
frozen espresso martini

Frozen drinks are usually associated with summer, and I understand why. There's nothing like sipping on a pina colada or even a wine frosé poolside while you soak up the sun. But just like I still drink hot coffee in the summer or iced coffee in the winter, there's still a place for frozen cocktails in your life year-round. I recently tried a frozen espresso martini, proving that everything tastes better. Perfect for a post-dinner snack or a refreshing game night drink to serve amongst friends, there's never a bad time a frozen espresso martini. This recipe is worth drinking in any weather, whether hot or cold.
How to make a frozen espresso martini

The espresso martini is one of those cocktails with dozens of variations. Some recipes are creamier, whereas others have a heavier espresso taste. Some variations use other types of liquor instead of vodka or recipes with specialty flavors, such as pumpkin spice espresso martini.

Read more