From graduations to weddings, pool parties or simple family get-togethers, summer is a time to enjoy and celebrate outdoors and in! Look no further than Whole Foods Market for the freshest ideas to make the most of the season.

Simple Appetizers Anywhere

Poolside – Go light and casual with mini wrap sandwiches, shrimp cocktail, guacamole, fruit salsas or fresh fruit and veggie trays.

Garden Party – Go fresh and elegant with crab cakes, empanadas, mini quiches or tarts, cheese straws, goat cheese spreads, tomato crostini or antipasto platters.

BBQ Bash – Go for hot appetizers right off the grill like bacon-wrapped shrimp, chicken wings, tofu satay, quesadillas or stuffed jalapenos.

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Ready to get summer started? So are we! Join us for our next Twitter Tasting featuring the Top 10 Summer Wines. We’re so excited to introduce you to these top-notch wines at easy-to-swallow prices that we’re once again going viral. So let’s get the party started!

You and six of our Top Ten Summer Wines are invited to Whole Foods Market’s summer Twitter Tasting tomorrow, Thursday, June 9. Join us from 7 to 8 pm Central (8 pm Eastern, 6 pm Mountain or 5 pm Pacific) to taste and tweet! We’ll be there to lead these virtual tasting and share stories about these summer-perfect wines. And the best part is we get to see what you think!

Our Twitter Tastings have become hugely popular as we bring together wine lovers from around the country to taste and tweet. Simply pick up one or more of the featured wines and join the fun online or check with local stores for Twitter Tasting events. Follow along with us @WFMWineGuys and #WFMWine. We’ve got a handy tasting notes sheet for you to download and print that includes suggested cheese and food pairings and our own notes on each wine’s characteristics.

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Daydreaming about an exotic vacation this summer? Whether it’s lounging on the sun-drenched coast of southern France, hiking Argentina’s foothills, bungee jumping in New Zealand or diving into the clear, blue waters of Greece, this summer’s Top Ten Wines will take you places.

In fact, no passports are needed as you can enjoy a taste of exotic locales without leaving your own backyard or spending a pretty penny with these top-notch summer wines at easy-to-swallow prices are under $20.

These specially selected and priced wines include something for everyone’s summer enjoyment. “New World” meets “Old World” in this new lineup of summer sippers. From alternative whites and recently popular off-dry reds to classic Bordeaux and Côtes du Rhône wines, the Top Ten Summer Wines are well suited for sipping at the beach or poolside, pairing with grilled foods and other summer favorites, and sparking conversation with friends.

And speaking of tasty conversation, please join us for the Top Ten Summer Wine Twitter Tasting on Thursday, June 9 from 7 – 8 pm CT when we will lead a virtual tasting of six* of the summer wines. Our Twitter Tastings have become hugely popular as we bring together wine lovers from around the country to taste and tweet. Simply pick up one or more of the featured wines and join the fun online or check with local stores for Twitter Tasting events. Follow along with us @WFMWineGuys and #WFMWine.

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Our spring romance with Bordeaux ends within the next two weeks but there’s still time to stock up on these magnificent Old World wines. If you’re tuning in to this French wine affair for the first time, Whole Foods Market is offering a limited supply of select Bordeaux wines from the 2009 vintage, one that wine experts are advocating will be the best in more than 30 years. Each one of our nine featured Bordeaux wines is eminently drinkable now, tastes like a much more expensive wine and can be obtained, while supplies last, at bargain prices.

Bordeaux wines are some of the most refined and sought after wines in the world. This geographic region in southern France has a centuries-old wine producing heritage, and the wines coming out of the area typically exhibit flavors that provide a real sense of place, exuding tastes of the specific vineyards or Chateaux where the grapes are grown. Curious about where Bordeaux is and the mystery of “terroir”? Check out our map of this amazing wine-growing region.

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With spring in the air, romantics and food lovers alike are inspired to look for the perfect match. Since our expertise centers on food and wine, we’ll stick to that kind of matchmaking but be warned, a good wine and food pairing can certainly bring out the passion!

To guide you in this springtime matchmaking, we have secured a limited supply of Bordeaux wines from the sought-after 2009 vintage. Bordeaux wines are some of the finest and most desirable wines in the world and their flavors provide a real sense of place. We’re excited to bring you a selection of these astonishing wines at true bargain prices – under $20, during March and April while supplies last. Discover more about these special wines on our Discover Bordeaux site.

Hand-selected from small, family-owned properties, these Bordeaux wines are not only amazing to drink by themselves but they pair so well with food, especially springtime favorites. We’ve pulled together what we think are the perfect pairing so that you have just what you need to cook up something special with a French flair!

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I don’t know about where you are, but here in Austin, Texas it’s decidedly beer-drinking weather. In my opinion, it’s hard to beat sitting somewhere outside in the warm sun, with a crisp breeze and a cold beer. Lucky for me, my husband and many of our friends are beer aficionados, so I can enjoy my beer in good company.

What I’ve discovered is that taste in beer, much like wine, develops with exposure to new and interesting flavors. A beer that was too hoppy to me a year ago is now a go-to favorite. Also like wine, the more you learn about a brewery, their history and techniques, the more you appreciate the craft of beer making. So, it pays to be adventurous and try something new in brews!

If you have a hard time stepping away from your tried and true brew or if you’re overwhelmed by the options facing you at the beer cooler, here are some picks of the month from Geof and Doug, our Wine and Beer Guys: Read the rest of this entry »

Don’t forget to join our Twitter Tasting tomorrow, March 11, 7 – 8 pm ET, 6 – 7 pm CT or 4 – 5 pm PT. This promises to be a fun soirée with French flair as we taste the highly anticipated 2009 Bordeaux vintage.

Grab your beret, pick up a bottle (or four) of the limited-time-only 2009 Bordeaux vintage and get ready to taste and tweet. We’ll lead a virtual tasting of four of the featured Bordeaux wines that represent what some experts call the best Bordeaux vintages in the last 30 years! We are excited to share these exceptional French wines at bargain prices – all under $20.

We’ll also be joined by Cathy Strange, Whole Foods Market’s global cheese buyer, who will talk and tweet about an amazing selection of French cheeses that are perfect soul mates to these exquisite Bourdeaux wines. Check out details for the Twitter Tasting and get ready to taste and tweet. It’s easy and ever so tasty! You can follow us on Twitter @WFMWineGuys and #WFMWine and check with local stores for Twitter Tasting events.

To guide you in the tasting, we’ve designed a Bordeaux Twitter Tasting sheet so before the tasting begins, print out the tasting sheet so you can make notes about your favorites. As you sip and swirl, we want to hear from you! Share your thoughts on TweetChat or use the hashtag #WFMWine with your tweets if you use TweetDeck or another tool. Follow @WFMWineGuys and #WFMWine to see what others have to say about the wines.

What should you tweet? Whatever comes to mind as you taste the wines and cheeses! Feel free to comment on the smell (nose), taste profile, color, price and cheese pairings. Any thoughts are welcome – tasting and enjoying wine is all about your personal preferences.

We’re so excited to share these limited-time-only deals from this sought-after 2009 Bordeaux vintage. These wines will be featured for only two months at Whole Foods Market stores and are true bargains but they drink like they cost a fortune.

We look forward to tasting and tweeting with you tomorrow! Cheers!

There’s just nothing like sharing a glass of wine with friends so grab your beret, pick up a bottle (or four) of the limited-time-only 2009 Bordeaux vintage and let’s talk French – French wines, that is. Join us for our second Twitter Tasting on March 11, 7 – 8 pm ET, 6 – 7 pm CT or 4 – 5 pm PT, when we’ll lead a virtual tasting of four of the featured Bordeaux wines that represent what some experts call the best Bordeaux vintages in the last 30 years!

We’ve got a lot to say about these fabulous Bordeaux wines but even more importantly, we want to hear what you have to say. Our first Twitter Tasting for our holiday wines was so successful that we couldn’t wait to throw another party after we tasted these exceptional French wines at bargain prices! Better yet, we’ll be joined by Cathy Strange, Whole Foods Market’s global cheese buyer, who will talk and tweet about an amazing selection of French cheeses that are perfect soul mates to these exquisite Bordeaux wines.

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Get ready, wine lovers – you’re about to experience some of the best-priced and finest French wines uncorked in more than 30 years. We’re excited to let you know that we’ve secured limited-time-only steals from the sought-after 2009 Bordeaux vintage.

We have a limited supply of these highly regarded wines so pick them up now and enjoy some of the best Bordeaux wines made in the last three decades. You’ll love these bargains that drink like they cost a fortune.

What’s so special about Bordeaux? We’re glad you asked! Located on the bank of the Gironde in close proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, Bordeaux is more than just a region – it’s a prestigious family of wines that has just released its outstanding 2009 vintage. Abundant rainfall, warm summers and mild winters set the stage for plentiful and high-quality grape growth, yielding wines that are subtle and reserved.

The ‘grandmère’ of the wine world, Bordeaux wines are some of the finest and most desirable wines in the world. They are rich in heritage and steeped in flavors that provide a real sense of place exuding tastes of where they come from. Priced under $20, these wines are hand-selected from small, family-owned properties – or “petits châteaux” – in lesser-known appellations of the Bordeaux region, the world’s best-known and largest wine region. We’ve bought the entire production of all but one of these wines.

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‘Tis the season for bubbly! For many of us, though, this is one of the most daunting areas of the wine section. To help make your choice easier, we’ve assembled some basic information and ideas. Additionally, our store team members will gladly help you make a selection perfectly suited to your tastes.

Champagne or Sparkling Wine?

Just as some wines and cheeses are only produced in a specific geographic area, only sparkling wine made in the Champagne region of France can be officially labeled “Champagne.” Other European countries use other names for the sparkling wine they produce: Cava in Spain, Prosecco, Asti or Spumante in Italy and Sekt in Germany. Bubblies from California, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and the several wine-producing countries of South America are generally referred to as sparkling wine or sparklers.

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