It is pretty typical to say that what grows together tends to be together. The phrase seems not to be confined to just food, but it also seems to extend to food-and-wine pairings. One step further, in the world of making wine, what grows together tends to get blended together. Old World traditions have been formulated to produce the same style of wine with very little interpretation year-to-year, other than how the microclimate had differed.

With the holidays just around the corner, literally, are you ready with dinner party wines? Do you still need a unique gift for that wine lover, and want something with some character? Do you struggle with the imminent small talk that accompanies holiday gatherings? To help, here are some wines to consider, and a little conversation to go with them. There are wines that not only inspire sonnets on what is going on in the glass, and then there are those that encourage more in-depth conversations on the history and the story of the how, and who, of that wine.

Once upon a time, in a cozy West Coast home, preparations were underway for a Thanksgiving feast that would capture the essence of the region. The bountiful offerings of the Pacific coast were eagerly anticipated—a unique and delicious celebration. Eventually the family would wander into the house, the son, the daughter, the extended family with aunts, uncles, and cousins. All to be greeted with a myriad of dinner courses, fine conversations, and of course, local wines from California to Washington State to complement the diverse flavors of the meal.

October is Virginia Wine month, and in honor of that, we revisit a winery that was highlighted last year—one that seems to have found just the right spot to not only grow grapes and make award-winning wines, but the right venue to focus on a passion. Virginia is a challenging area for growing vinifera grapes. This state brings bi-polar weather, with constant changes, pests, mold and mildew, and ever-changing terroir across the state. Some wineries have had to resort to adding events to recoup costs. It not only takes the right spot, but the right people, with the passion and determination to be successful in this industry.