Spec’sology Blog

Choosing an Italian wine can be a bit overwhelming, but that’s what happens when a country has been making wine for several thousand years. In fact, Italy is the leading wine producing country in the world both in terms of volume and exports. Italian wine is produced in every region of Italy and is home to some of the oldest wine-​producing regions on Earth. But don’t let the sheer number of options keep you from exploring all Italian wines have to offer! With such a large array of Italian wines to choose from, you can spend as little or as

The 2021 Summer Games, previously known as the 2020 Summer Games, kickoff on July 23rd with the first sporting event starting the following day. New to the games this year are 4 sports making their Olympic debut: surfing, skateboarding, sport climbing, and karate. Rumor has it that breakdancing will make its first appearance at the winter Pairs games. With 205 countries participating, we thought it was a good opportunity to explore some unique cocktails from various countries. So, in the spirit of the Summer Olympics, let’s get into spirits from around the world! Thailand The Siam Sunray combines vodka, coconut

After being cooped up for a year it’s time to do some of your favorite couchbound activities outside! And by “favorites couchbound activities” we obviously mean eating and drinking. Read below for a how-to guide to the perfect summer picnic and cut the couch cord for a day of sunshine! Unless you’ve got the means to transport a full-blown meal, most of us are going to shoot for something more approachable (and a little classy) like a charcuterie plate. Thankfully, you can pick up all the ingredients and pair it with a bottle of wine at Spec’s. When creating your

Nothing beats a glass of chilled white wine for breaking up a summer’s day! If Chardonnay doesn’t come to mind as your go-to summer white, we’re about to change that. The Chardonnay is one of the six noble grapes, and one of the most popular wines in the world. There are two kinds of Chardonnay, oaked and steel-aged. True to the style of a steel-aged wine, the taste is more minerally with tart fruits like citrus and apple. Unlike rich and heavy oaked Chardonnays, a steel-aged Chardonnay is going to have very distinct characteristics: bright, tangy, and acidic, with fruit

With the Texas summer in full swing, you need lasting refreshment to make a full day of fun in the sun. While nothing beats the delicious flavor combinations you can create with a cocktail, some spirits just aren’t made for summer weather. Rum cocktails can end up too sweet, tequila too strong, and whiskey a bit too warming – but vodka, with its neutral flavor profile, lends itself perfectly to whatever refreshing taste you’re looking to capture. Check out some of our favorite vodka cocktails for summer and you’ll be sipping pretty no matter how hot it gets! The Poolside

There’s one summer staple that often gets overlooked – the blender. Without this magnificent machine how would we whip up the perfect frozen poolside sippers to help get us through another Texas summer?! We’ve put together a list of some of our favorite frozen cocktails to give your blender a much needed workout. As delicious as these are, you might be tempted to suck one down with gusto, but be careful of their chilling side effect, the dreaded brain freeze! That being said, let’s kick this off with some Jimmy Buffet wisdom: But there’s booze in the blender And soon

Whether it’s a pool, river, lake, or the beach, water and a Texas summer just go hand in hand. But no matter how hot you get; glass bottles are a big no-no when it comes to keeping you cool in the water. With that in mind, we’ve put together a list of delicious refreshments that’ll keep your summer wet and wild without the hazards of glass. Not only are these all glass-free, but all the beers are lower in alcohol so you can get the most out of your time in the water! We even threw in some snackage so

When the sun is shining and the temperature is rising, there's nothing quite like cracking open a cold, refreshing seltzer to quench your thirst. This summer, a variety of exciting seltzers have hit the market, each offering a unique twist on the classic beverage. Whether you're lounging by the pool, hosting a barbecue, or just looking for a tasty way to stay cool, these seltzers are sure to make your summer memorable. Here are some of the best hard seltzers you need to try: Modelo Aguas Frescas A Taste of Tradition Modelo, a brand renowned for its quality beers, has

The martini is a timeless classic. It never falls out of fashion and there’s no shortage of Bond films to remind us of its cool factor. Numerous theories on the cocktail’s origins exist, as do numerous versions and recipes. From gin or vodka to fruity or savory, the martini is a jack of all trades. Martini Terms Dry: a martini with more gin and less vermouth Dirty: a martini with dashes of olive brine Up: chilled in a cocktail shaker and strained into a martini glass On The Rocks: served over ice as opposed to being strained into a cocktail

Narrowing your wine preference down to red or white can be relatively easy, but trying to sip your way through every type of white wine is not something we’d suggest. That’s why we’ve broken white wines down into the three most requested types. We’ll be diving deep into dry, sweet, and aromatic (or floral) white wines to give you a good sense of each and help you find a type that’s perfect for you. Dry White Wines When we think of the word dry, we think of an unpleasant mouth feeling. But when white wines are described as dry, what

Spring is officially here and with it comes warmer weather, abundant greenery, wildflowers, and ample time outdoors. So, to help you enjoy nature’s awakening, we’ve put together a collection of wonderful spring wines under $20 to keep that financial spring in your step throughout our favorite sipping season! Yalumba Viognier – $13.99 Viognier is an excellent alternative to Chardonnay wines, and Wine Spectator hailed this one as number 56 on its list of the Top 100 Wines of 2018. The Yalumba Viognier greets you with a blast of the outdoors like stepping into a flower garden on a warm sunny

Nothing defines brunch quite like the mimosa. It’s the only beverage occupying a specific timeslot in our lives. Plus, it’s delicious, easy to make, and looks like a glass of sunshine. The only difficult part about making mimosas is choosing the right sparkling accompaniment, which can be tricky if you aren’t a connoisseur. That’s why we’ve put together this list of affordable champagnes and sparkling wines. It’s 100% ok to use less expensive sparkling wine for mimosas since you won’t be able to taste the subtle flavors of really good sparkling wine due to the orange juice. As for sparkling