The Manzanos Wines Journal
Stories of wine, passion, and craftsmanship from around the world, by the team behind a Spanish wine importer serving all 50 states.
7 Holiday Wine Gifts With a Story Worth Telling in 2026
A 1940 Graciano vineyard, a six-grape South African blend, a 95-point Gran Reserva: seven holiday wine gifts matched to the people on your list, story included.
7 Friendsgiving Potluck Pairings for a Chilean Red Blend (2026)
A Friendsgiving potluck needs one wine that works with everything. Meet the Chilean red blend built for it, plus 7 dishes to pour it with this November.
7 Iconic New York Foods and the Imported Wines That Match Them
Pastrami on rye, a New York strip, chicken parm, dumplings, cheesecake: seven NYC classics and the Rioja, Barolo, Pinotage and Moscato that make each one better.
How to Serve Barolo: Decanting, Temperature and the Right Glass in 3 Steps
Most disappointing Barolo was opened too late, poured too warm and served in the wrong glass. Three small fixes turn the same bottle into a different wine.
How to Read a Spanish Wine Label: 4 Colors and 12 Words
Green, red, garnet or blue: the seal on the back of a Rioja tells you how long it aged. Decode any Spanish wine label in under a minute.
Thanksgiving 2026: 4 Bruce Jack Wines for Every Course, From Turkey to Prime Rib
Pinotage with smoked turkey, Sauvignon Blanc with sage stuffing, a 93-point Napa red for prime rib: the Thanksgiving wine plan most guides skip.
7 Seafood Pairings for Chilean Sauvignon Blanc This National Seafood Month
October is National Seafood Month. Here are 7 dishes, from grilled shrimp to ceviche and oysters, that a 90-point Chilean Sauvignon Blanc pours right alongside.
7 Wine Pairings for Florida Stone Crab Season 2026
Stone crab season opens October 15. Mustard sauce, drawn butter, key lime: here are 7 wines that make Florida's favorite claws taste even better.
7 Italian Wine and Pizza Pairings for National Pizza Month 2026
Americans eat 3 billion pizzas a year and most grab the wrong wine. Seven pies, seven Piedmont bottles, from Margherita with Barbera to hot honey with Gala Rosé.
7 Spanish Wine and Cheese Pairings for Your Fall Board (2026)
Americans eat 41.9 lbs of cheese a year, and fall is board season. Seven Spanish matches, from aged Manchego with 93-pt Rioja to smoky Idiazábal with Garnacha.
Halloween and Día de Muertos 2026: 7 Wine Pairings for a Record $13.5B Season
Halloween falls on a Saturday and Día de Muertos follows: three party nights in a row. Seven wines for candy, mole, pan de muerto and pumpkin, plus a retail playbook.
7 Holiday Roasts and the Chilean Red That Matches Each (2026)
Prime rib, leg of lamb, glazed ham, Hanukkah brisket: seven holiday roasts, four Chilean reds from the Maule Valley, and the serving trick most hosts miss.
Virginia Oyster Month 2026: 7 Oyster Dishes and the Wine for Each
Virginia leads the East Coast in oysters, and November is Oyster Month. Here is the wine for every way Virginians eat them: raw, roasted, fried, stewed and stuffed.
Italian American Heritage Month 2026: 7 Classic Dishes and the Piedmont Wine for Each
Sunday gravy, chicken parm, cannoli. This October, match 7 Italian American classics with the Piedmont wine that makes each one shine, from Barbera to Barolo.
Spanish Wine for Thanksgiving 2026: 7 Pairings for Every Course
Pinot Noir isn't the only Thanksgiving answer. Seven Spanish wines, from Cava to a 95-point Rioja Gran Reserva, matched course by course for November 26.
Hispanic Heritage Month 2026: 6 Wine Moves for America's Next Wine Drinkers
One in five Americans is Hispanic and wine is short of new drinkers. Six Spanish and Chilean wine moves for Hispanic Heritage Month, Sept 15 to Oct 15.
7 Fall Dishes That Call for an Oaked Chilean Chardonnay (2026)
Americans still love a rounder, oak-touched Chardonnay, and fall food is where it shines. Seven dishes, serving temps and what to skip.
Georgia Game Day Wines: 7 Tailgate Pairings for Fall 2026
Pulled pork, pimento cheese and peach cobbler deserve better than warm beer. 7 Georgia tailgate pairings, from 92-point Garnacha to a 95-point Rioja.
White Truffle Season 2026: 6 Piedmont Wines for Your Fall Truffle Menu
Alba's white truffle fair opens October 10. Here are the six Piedmont wines, from Barolo to a 95-point Moscato d'Asti, that make every truffle dish shine.
Spain's 2026 Harvest Came Early: 6 Things US Wine Buyers Should Know
Rioja started picking on August 6, one of its earliest harvests ever, and 2026 is its first vintage with lower-alcohol rules. Here is what it means for your glass.
Wine Tariffs in 2026: 6 Numbers Every U.S. Wine Buyer Should Know
US wine imports fell 25.2% in value in H1 2026, yet the average price per liter dropped. Here is what the tariff headlines get wrong, and what buyers pay.
Chile's 2026 Harvest Came Two Weeks Early: 5 Things US Wine Buyers Should Know
Half of Chile's growers picked two weeks early in 2026, and 80% of the crop graded good to excellent. Meanwhile US-bound shipments fell 33%.
8 Wines for Pennsylvania's Fall 2026 Restaurant Table
Fifty-nine restaurants open in Philadelphia this fall, inside America's biggest control state. These are the 8 wines that earn a slot on the list.
Nebbiolo d'Alba vs Barolo: 5 Reasons It Wins the By-the-Glass Slot in 2026
Italy still leads U.S. wine imports by volume, but its price per liter fell 16.9% in 2026. Barolo's younger sibling is how Piedmont keeps a glass pour.
Beyond Tempranillo: Rioja's 4 Other Red Grapes, Decoded for 2026
Rioja is legally allowed five red grapes. Almost every American wine list pours exactly one. Meet the other four, and the one that handles hot vintages best.
Your Q4 Wine List: 7 Moves to Make Before Thanksgiving 2026
US wine imports fell 16.8% by volume in the first half of 2026. The buyers who win Q4 aren't importing less, they're buying smarter. Seven moves to make now.
Fiestas Patrias 2026: 7 Chilean Wine Pairings for the Dieciocho Table
Chile's national day lands inside Hispanic Heritage Month. Here are 7 pairings, with serving temperatures, that turn asado and empanadas into a Chilean wine sale.
Massachusetts Pours More Wine Than Any State. 6 Bottles Built for Its 2026 Lists
Massachusetts diners order 72% more restaurant wine than the US average, yet guests have capped the glass at $16. Six bottles that solve both at once.
The 5.5% Bottle: Why a 95-Point Moscato d'Asti Is the Smartest Low-ABV Play of 2026
It won Decanter Gold and 95 points at 5.5% alcohol. Moscato d'Asti is the low-ABV answer US wine lists have been missing, and it belongs nowhere near the dessert page.
Tempranillo 101: What Spain's Signature Red Actually Tastes Like
Spain picks it early, and that one habit explains the whole wine. What Tempranillo tastes like, what to eat with it, and the serving temperature most people get wrong.