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Hi friends!
August is Washington’s Wine Month and in my opinion, it’s one of the best months for celebrating wine! I love soaking up the last bit of summer with a sunset and a great glass of wine. It’s a relaxing end to the dog days of summer. Washington state has more than 900 wineries and 350 vineyards, but you don’t have to be a local to experience a taste of the celebration. You can enjoy a glass of summer right at home! 
I’m currently loving the taste of Charles Smith wine varietals! I’ve found these to be amazing to have at summertime gatherings. They also have a great variety. There’s a flavorful choice for each unique palate among your family and friends. If you’re new to the name, definitely check all of them out at CharlesSmithWines.com 
My two go-tos are Kung Fu Girl Riesling and Chateau Smith Cabernet Sauvignon! 
I’m a big fan of white wines. I like them light with a hint of fruit. Kung Fu Girl Riesling is my pick! It’s a medium-bodied, mouthwatering semi-dry white wine. It’s 100% Riesling and it has focused flavors of citrus blossom, lime leaf, and white peach that mingle with mineral notes. It’s their best known wine and I can see why! It’s not too bitter, not too sweet, just how I like it. Not to mention, it has consistent 90+ point scores and it was named Top 100 Wines by Wine Spectator! Kung Fu Girl Riesling was inspired by Charles’ personal love of Riesling. It pairs well with sushi and Asian food and the Ghost Fighter on their label hints of that. He thought that German Rieslings were intimidating because their labels could be difficult to understand, so he wanted to eliminate the confusion in his own labeling!
Fred’s a red wine man. He loves a dry red with deep flavor. His pick is the Chateau Smith Cabernet Sauvignon. It’s a full-bodied, aromatic, dry red wine with classic flavors of blackberry and cassis with mineral notes of graphite. It’s 96% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Merlot. It has four years of 89+ scores! Fred loved how dry it was. Charles created this wine as a way of hitting back at all of the “faux” chateaus in the market. Chateaus are in Bordeaux, and since Cabernet Sauvignon is a Bordeaux varietal he thought, why not?! 
With summer coming to an end, I want to share some of my favorite ways to wind down and enjoy the last of the summer evenings! I want to encourage you to get out there and enjoy the long days and warm temps while they’re still here. Every now and then, Fred and I try to do something out of the ordinary. We’ve found that those special moments end up being the most memorable. It’s too easy to stick to a routine, but if you don’t break it every now and then, you don’t know what you’re missing out on! 
5 End Of Summer Ideas
1. Have an outdoor picnic in your backyard!
Instead of doing the same old, same old with indoor dinners, get outside and enjoy the last of summer’s beauty. It feels so good to chill out in the grass with a glass of wine.
2. Go stargazing.
Instead of watching Netflix before bed, grab a blanket and slip outside to stargaze.
3. Have a night of grilling.
I love grilling out. We definitely take advantage of it because we don’t have warm enough temperatures to do it year-round!
4. Throw a mini wine-tasting with friends.
Invite some friends over to taste some new wines and snack on cheese and crackers.
5. Make ice pops!
Get your ice pop molds out and create/try some yummy new popsicle recipes! Try adding some gummy candy or fruit in the mix. 
Now, for a little background history! Charles Smith debuted his first wine in 2001. He’s a former rock band manager, so that might explain the uber chic packaging! He’s a two time winemaker of the year, winning both Wine Enthusiast 2014 and Food & Wine 2009. He’s currently the only person to have won Winemaker of the Year by both Food & Wine and Wine Enthusiast. Charles Smith wines are perfect for everyday gatherings. Staying true to the motto “It’s just wine... drink it.”, they’re wines to be enjoyed now. However, they still have true typicity of both varietal and vineyard. 
You don’t have to be from Washington to celebrate the wine month! I’m a buckeye, but I’m on board for any celebration of yummy wine. If you’re a wine lover, explore and support the local award-winning brands that put Washington winemaking on the map. You can search the hashtag #WAWineMonth and learn more here! You can also check out all Charles Smith Wines at CharlesSmithWines.com 
How are you going to celebrate Washington Wine Month?! Also, are you more of a white or red fan?
Love,
Christina xx
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