City Vino’s weekly tasting on Friday, November 19, and Saturday, November 20, features two wines labeled as “old vine” wines; one wine that is not labeled as such, but is; and one, just for fun. Let us delve into the meaning of “old vine” winemaking.

While Thanksgiving’s roots are in early America, the celebration of hard work, giving thanks, and family has branched out beyond America, into many places around the world. There are festivities in Canada, Germany, Japan, and even Italy, where it is known as La Festa Del Ringrazziamento.

Since we are in the middle of what is known as the dog days of summer, let’s open up—or even conjure up—some delightful, refreshing, and chilled party wines and cocktails to get us through the heat. Invite friends and family over, throw the inflatable swan into the pool, break out the citronella tiki torches, and get the little drink umbrellas and flamingo stirrers ready, because it’s party time!

The informal meaning of the word peachy is “unusually fine or dandy” and that is our wish for you, this Memorial Day weekend, and all summer long. With temperatures bound to rise as we have already experienced a few days this month, nothing is more refreshing in your glass than something bright, cold, and possibly frosty.