Ethan Fixell

My financial advisor told me to diversify my assets, so I'm heavily investing in French caviar and bone-dry Oregon bubbles. 📈 🍾 This is the ultimate high-high pairing: World-class, luxurious ingredients that demand your full attention, served without the stuffy white tablecloths. In the glass is @SoterWines Brut X. If you still think great traditional method sparkling wine only comes from Champagne, Oregon’s Willamette Valley would like a word. Sourced from Soter's biodynamic Mineral Springs Ranch, this is a laser-focused, zero-dosage sparkler. It hits with racy, electric acidity, showing notes of crisp green apple, toasted brioche, and a distinct, chalky minerality. That razor-sharp tension is exactly why it’s the perfect match for this @CaviarSturia French caviar (thanks for the birthday gift, @muttnutt !). The bright acidity and fine mousse act as an instant palate cleanser, slicing right through the rich, buttery brine of the sturgeon roe. Just grab a mother-of-pearl spoon, a neutral cracker, and let the wine do the heavy lifting. #WillametteValley #SparklingWine #CaviarPairing #SturiaCaviar

A concrete egg, a neutral oak barrel, and a clay amphora walk into a winery... No, not for a Sip and Sculpt class in Brooklyn—but to make this magical wine. Blending four highly opinionated white grapes into one bottle can be tricky. But sipping the 2024 Alsatian Blend from @Bouchaine_Winery while prepping dinner, I'm realizing this is that rare blend where everyone actually pulls their weight. To make it work, Winemaker @CKajani fermented each grape in its own specific vessel to build distinct textures before introducing each to one another: 🥚 50% Pinot Gris (Concrete Egg) -> Mineral Driven 🪵 30% Pinot Blanc (Neutral Oak) -> Succulent 🏺 10% Riesling & 10% Gewürztraminer (Clay Amphora) -> Perfumed & Layered The result is an energetic, bone-dry white from Carneros, born from cool morning fog and coastal breezes. It's a crisp, complex wine, and with its many layers, the perfect culinary companion for whatever you're cooking tonight.

They say you can't buy knowledge...but you can buy a bottle of Hungarian wine and call it "studying." Regionally, Hungary has always been a bit of a blind spot for me. But as I enter the final stretch of prep for my @WSETGlobal Level 3 exam at @InternationalWineCenter on April 30, I’m filling in the final gaps—and the homework tastes incredible. To that end, I'm tackling Tokaj with a glass of @Mad_Moser_Tokaj MM5 Furmint, which is helping the geography lesson sink in. When most people hear "Tokaj" and "Furmint," they immediately think of the legendary, sweet, botrytis-affected dessert wines (i.e. Tokaji Aszú). But dry Furmint is having a moment right now, and this bottle is a perfect example of why you need to be paying attention. In the glass, it gives off a brilliant bouquet of fresh lemon, white peach, and linden flower. On the palate, it has a zippy, Riesling-esque acidity, but with a unique textural weight that sits somewhere right between a crisp German Riesling and an Austrian Grüner Veltliner. It's electric. Best of all, because the Mád appellation is famous for its volcanic soils, you get this incredibly racy, salty minerality on the finish that just begs for another sip. It completely rewrites what you expect from the grape. Tasting the theory in real-time really is the only way to learn it.... Disclosure: My WSET Level 3 course has been provided as part of a collaboration with @WSETGlobal . #sponsored

POP QUIZ: Name an obscure Spanish grape that is making one of the most exciting wines in California right now?? I’ve been drinking with Andrew Harwood for over a decade, and I couldn't have been more excited for him when he launched @WorkshopCellars in Sonoma five years ago. Watching the winery grow year after year has been a privilege. He’s always put out incredible bottles—leading with the flagship "Brothers" cuvée, a killer Syrah and Zinfandel blend—but his latest #Mencía release is my all-time favorite. You don't often see Mencía grown in California, but Andrew sourced the organic grapes from the Mokelumne River AVA, and the result is stunning. Though Mencía can be dark and brooding, this is incredibly elegant and floral. Clocking in at a highly crushable 12.4% ABV, it’s exactly what I want to drink right now. In the glass, you get vibrant red and black fruit, layered with pomegranate, black tea, and coffee, all carried by a fresh acidity and a finish that goes on and on. He fermented this with native yeast (including a little whole-cluster, foot-stomped action!) and let it rest for 21 months in neutral French oak, finishing it off with a splash of Prieto Picudo for the perfect amount of bounce. Order now at WorkshopCellars.com! (Pro-tip: Put a slight chill on this [~60 degrees] before you pop the cork. The cooler temp perfectly highlights those elegant floral notes.)

The calendar says March, but the snow on our lawn is telling a very different story.... 🥶🍷 If I can’t be in the Dolomites right now, I’m at least going to drink like I am. Meet the 2021 Villa Gresti from @SanLeonardo_ . Straight out of the IGT Vigneti delle Dolomiti in northern Italy, this is a masterful blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and a surprise guest: Carmenère. It's the ultimate cool-climate comfort wine: The Merlot brings this incredible velvety texture, the Cab lays down the structural backbone, and that Carmenère adds a spicy kick. On the nose, it’s all raspberries, cassis, and sweet spices, but there are these really intriguing balsamic hints that take it to the next level. After spending 18 months in French oak tonneaux and another 18 months resting in the bottle, it is already drinking beautifully — taut, perfectly balanced, and with a looong finish -- but I'd like to put a few of these away for 5+ years... It almost makes me glad spring was delayed. Almost.

@DeborahFixell said I could have two Valentines this year. She's very understanding.  I first met winemaker Matt Dees at a press dinner a few years back, and ever since, I’ve been a massive fan of the distinct energy he creates at @TheHiltEstate . There are very few winemakers in Santa Barbara capable of producing this kind of tension. I got my hands on the new vintages of the Estate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, and they are stunning... but playing hard to get. In the glass, the Chardonnay is electric—super flinty with vibrating acidity—while the Pinot is brooding, structured, and packed with dark, savory fruit. But honestly? They are babies. They are tightly coiled right now and holding back their full potential. As with any meaningful relationship, they just need a little time and patience to truly open up. So do yourself a favor and bury them in your cellar for a few years. (The wine, guys. Bury the wine.)

Homework looks a little different these days...🍷📚 I’m deep in the weeds, studying for my Level 3 Award in Wines with @WSETGlobal at the @InternationalWineCenter . The "California" chapter of the course covers everything from Napa heat to coastal fog. But the golden rule of WSET is that you can’t just read about a region; you have to taste it to truly understand it. So to really grasp the concept of "cool climate" California, I’m diving into Santa Barbara County with two bottles from @AlmaRosaWinery . I’ve got their 2023 Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir in the glass right now -- perhaps a textbook example of the region. It’s got that vibrant acidity with notes of tart cherry, sassafras, and black tea, plus a little cracked pepper on the finish. I’m also tasting their 2023 Chardonnay, which is loaded with yellow apple and citrus blossom, but finishes with a distinct "stony minerality" and salinity that speaks right to the geography. Because the valleys here run east-to-west (transverse), they funnel cool Pacific ocean breezes directly into the vineyards. When you taste that fresh, vibrant tension in the glass, the geography lesson immediately clicks. Perhaps the only time in my life I’ve actually hoped for a pop quiz? #WSET #WSETLevel3 #InternationalWineCenter #AlmaRosa #StaRitaHills #WineEducation #SantaBarbaraWine #StudyMode #PinotNoir #Chardonnay

Pairing a massive Super Tuscan with Chinese takeout sounds like a sommelier’s nightmare. The general rule for Chinese is to reach for off-dry Riesling or bubbles, and call it a day. But rules are meant to be broken, and sometimes cold weather calls for a big red. This is the 2022 Sor Ugo from @AiaVecchiaWines , a Bolgheri Superiore -- which is essentially code for "Italian wine made with French grapes for serious muscle." This Super Tuscan Bordeaux-blend (i.e. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot) is loaded with notes of black currant, wild cherries, Mediterranean herbs, and firm tannins. Having spent at least 18 months in French oak barrels, its spicy, velvety backbone delivers that iconic, high-end Bolgheri profile for a fraction of the usual price (~$60, as compared to, say, Sassicaia, which fetches $250-$300). But when pairing this with Chinese food, one must be surgical with one's order. General Tso's Chicken, for example, will ruin the experience -- its high sugar content will make the wine taste thin and bitter, and the chili heat will make the high alcohol burn like gasoline. To make a bold red work, you need a more neutral base, with plenty of fat and savory flavors to absorb those tannins. For a more harmonious meal, try Peking Duck (the rich, fatty skin will soften the wine), Mongolian Beef (savory, salty, and meaty enough to stand up to the structure), or Spare Ribs (the gelatinous fat and protein coats the palate and protects it from the astringency). Give it a try and see for yourself: you don't need a white tablecloth to enjoy an excellent Super Tuscan—you just need the right delivery order!

The Great Fixellini is back to predict the inevitable wine truths of 2026 for @FineDiningLovers ! Find out what's in store for Gen Z drinking habits, chilled wine, paper bottles, the non-alcoholic sector, and much more... at "bit.ly/winetrends2026" -- or by clicking the LINK IN MY BIO. #WineTrends #Wine #WineIndustry #2026

It kills me when folks dismiss mezcal as "too smoky" -- they're entirely neglecting the spirit's most poetic category: the Ancestral expressions. The Cempasúchil Reserva from @BozalMezcal is a masterclass in that ancient methodology, the rarest and most rustic classification of mezcal. "Cempasúchil" refers to the iconic orange flower -- the Aztec marigold -- that's used to guide spirits home during Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). Traditionally, for "Mezcal Ancestral," the Espadín agave is cooked in earthen pit ovens and crushed by hand with wooden mallets in a canoe. These ceremonial mezcals (often called Pechuga) involve hanging a raw turkey breast inside the still to cook in the vapors and add savory weight. But Bozal takes a different route: instead, they drop marigolds and mandarin peels directly into the bottom of the clay pot stills. While it's entirely vegan, Cempasúchil Reserva still has a density and complexity that feels heavy on the palate. Meanwhile, the flowers and fruit add a bright, vegetal layer that sits on top of the smoke. You get notes of orange zest, anise, baking spices (like nutmeg and allspice), and late-season florals, too. It’s complex, reverent, and deeply traditional. Don't you dare mix this. Sip it neat, and respect the process.

There's a huge difference between "hard cider" and real CIDER. One is often a sugar bomb made from concentrate; the other is, quite literally, wine made from apples. This is the 2023 Delaware Dry from @SeminaryHillCider . While I've posted about the cidery before, this bottle deserves its own spotlight not only because it's their flagship Dry -- but because it is the specific antidote to the cloying, sticky stuff you might remember from college. True to its name, it is bracingly dry and acid-driven. It drinks less like apple juice and more like a crisp, mineral-forward white wine—think along the lines of a dry Riesling or a Spanish Sidra, with notes of tart apple skin, lemon pith, and wet stone. With its high acidity and clean finish, this is my clear and absolute MVP for Thanksgiving leftovers. It creates a perfect palate cleanser that cuts right through the richness of gravy-slathered turkey, mashed potatoes, and stuffing. Sometimes the best wine for the holiday dinner...isn't even wine.

For the longest time, the non-alcoholic category was defined by what it lacked. Most options have skewed way too sweet, tasting more like "juice for grown-ups" by lacking the structural backbone — the bitterness — that makes a classic apéritif so satisfying. What’s compelling about @DrinkGhia is how it tackles this problem directly: It’s not a de-alcoholized wine or a high-end soda, but a complex, savory beverage built from scratch specifically to be bracingly adult. The profile is built on a foundation of gentian root—the classic European bittering agent you find in spirits like Campari and Suze. That powerful, herbal bite is then layered with notes of yuzu, fig, elderflower, and a hint of rosemary. When poured over a big ol' rock and topped with soda water — a three-to-one ratio is perfect — it proves it's no "substitute" for anything. It’s its own distinct experience: a drink that demands you slow down and sip -- and acknowledge that a "non-alcoholic" beverage can be deeply satisfying.