Wine & Beer

Saint Helena, Calif. – October 06, 2026 -- Somerston Estate has released its new flagship wine collection, launching the 2023 Somerston Red today at $245 per bottle, with only 190 cases produced.

A second limited wine arrives later this year

The 2025 Somerston White, priced at $75 with 200 cases produced, will follow in late fall 2026. Both wines are available directly through Somerston Estate, with the red going on sale starting October 6, 2026.

The bottles feature a 1,682-acre mountain estate's new identity

Somerston Estate sits in Napa Valley's eastern Vaca Mountains and farms 230 acres of sustainable vineyards at elevations between 850 and 1,615 feet. The new bottles carry a gold-embossed Astrolabe, an early navigational instrument, as the collection's central symbol.

New York – September 24, 2026 -- Bom Dia Brazilian Bubbles has become the first Brazilian wine ever named to Wine Enthusiast's Top 100 Best Buys list, a milestone reached in only its second year on the market.

A young brand notches a historic first

The achievement builds on an earlier distinction: Bom Dia was the first Brazilian canned wine of any varietal ever exported outside Brazil. "To become the first Brazilian wine on this list, in only our second year, is an incredible moment for our team," said Antonio Motta, co-founder and COO of Bom Dia Brazilian Bubbles.

Quality scores back up the branding buzz

Bom Dia was previously nominated for Innovator of the Year at Wine Enthusiast's Wine Star Awards in 2025. The wine also earned 90 points in the 2026 Brazil Special Report by Gabi Zimmer, published by Tim Atkin MW.

Fly Creek, N.Y. – September 23, 2026 -- Fly Creek Cider Mill & Orchard has been voted the Best Cidery in the United States in the 2026 USA TODAY 10Best Readers' Choice Awards, marking the second national #1 ranking for the Upstate New York destination in three years.

The historic mill, located three miles from Cooperstown, previously topped the same list in 2024 and placed third in 2025. The USA TODAY 10Best competition nominated leading cideries nationwide, with rankings decided entirely by public vote.

The mill still runs on 19th-century water power

Built in 1856, Fly Creek presses cider using an 1889 Boomer & Boschert rack-and-cloth press. The equipment is powered by an 1872 water turbine that harnesses a 10-foot head of water from the on-site Millpond, letting visitors watch cider being made the same way it was generations ago.

Columbus, Ohio – September 19, 2026 -- Garage Beer has launched "Terrors of the Tailgate," a Halloween-themed trading card campaign with Kingsford that turns football fan rituals into collectible monster characters, with packs selling for $5.99 at drinkgaragebeer.com.

The limited-time-offer cards draw on '90s-style sports marketing and monster collectibles, casting everyday tailgate behavior as legendary creatures. Jason Kelce, billed as the "King of the Tailgate," leads the lineup as the campaign's central figure.

Five monster characters represent classic tailgate archetypes

The set includes The Table Smasher, The Face Paint Fanatic, The Cooler Raider, The Parking Lot Prophet, and Kingsford's The Flamekeeper, described as the fan who "controls the meat, controls the fire and controls the vibe."

Montepulciano – September 19, 2026 -- Avignonesi, an organic and biodynamic producer of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, is launching a three-wine project called 300% Sangiovese in the U.S. this September, built on more than 15 years of parcel-by-parcel vineyard research.

The collection brings back two wines that had been absent from the market for several years -- In Grandi Annate Toscana IGT 2021 and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Late Release 2016 -- alongside a newer release, Poggetto di Sopra Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2022.

Each wine represents a distinct lens on the same grape

Since 2010, Avignonesi has harvested and vinified more than 100 hectares of Sangiovese separately every year, producing over 60 individual micro-lots to study how the grape reacts to different soils, sites, and vintages around Montepulciano.

Miami – September 19, 2026 -- Early-bird tickets are now on sale for Vinous Icons: Miami, presented by Capital One, returning for its third edition on November 12–14, 2026.

The three-day program brings together more than 100 leading estates from Argentina, Chile, France, Italy, South Africa, Spain and the United States for two walk-around tastings, five masterclasses and two collector's events.

Two tastings anchor the weekend at Bloom at Jungle Island.

The Icons Tastings take place November 13 and 14, beginning at 4:30 pm, where guests can sample hundreds of highly acclaimed wines and meet the winemakers behind them.

Bran, Romania – September 18, 2026 -- Flying Fish, the flavored beer brand owned by AB InBev, is inviting drinkers in six countries to compete for a trip to Bran Castle in Romania for a Halloween party on November 7, 2026.

The promotion, called "Do You Dare to Party at Dracula's Castle?", runs across South Africa, Brazil, Mexico, Belgium, Peru and Canada. Entries open through October 20, 2026, with four winners selected from each of the six markets.

Winners get an all-inclusive trip and access to a DJ lineup

Winning entrants receive an all-inclusive trip to Romania and entry to the November 7 event at Bran Castle. International DJs Sickick, Dubdogz and Miro will headline the celebration, with additional special guest appearances still to be announced.

McKinney, Texas – September 16, 2026 -- A new HelloNation feature breaks down how barrel aging shapes the flavor, aroma, and longevity of red and white wines, drawing on insights from Bob Landon, winery expert at Landon Winery in McKinney, Texas.

Oak interacts with wine in ways stainless steel cannot

Barrel aging introduces flavors, tannins, and micro-oxygenation that guide how a wine develops over time. According to the article, choices about oak type and barrel age become part of a winemaker's signature, affecting everything from aroma to long-term stability.

French and American oak deliver different results

French oak has a fine grain that adds subtle spice and delicate tannins without overpowering the fruit, making it suited to preserving a wine's natural character. American oak, with its looser grain, delivers stronger flavor notes of vanilla, coconut, and baking spice, pairing well with bolder wines.

Grapevine, Texas – September 16, 2026 -- A musty, sharp, or oddly muted glass of wine may not be a matter of taste but a sign of an actual flaw in the bottle. Bob Landon, known as "Mr. Wine of Texas" and affiliated with Landon Winery and Red Dirt Cellars, breaks down the most common wine faults so drinkers can tell a flawed bottle from simple personal preference.

Cork taint leaves a musty, wet-cardboard smell that never improves

The compound TCA, which affects natural cork, is the most familiar wine fault. It produces an aroma similar to a damp basement, suppressing fruit and leaving the wine feeling flat. Landon notes that once this scent appears, it typically does not fade with time in the glass, even though the wine remains safe to drink.

Gainesville, Texas – September 16, 2026 -- A new HelloNation feature breaks down why acidity, not sweetness or alcohol, is the trait most likely to determine whether a wine feels crisp or heavy on the palate. The article draws on insights from Bob Landon of Landon Winery, known as "Mr. Wine of Texas," who explains how acid levels shape brightness, mouthfeel, and food compatibility for everyday drinkers.

Acidity gives wine its lift and keeps aromas vibrant

According to Landon, healthy acidity creates the mouthwatering sensation that keeps flavors feeling crisp and focused from first sip to finish. This trait shows up in both reds and whites but plays a bigger structural role in white wines, where freshness is central to their character.