Meet Christiana…
Christiana Porter, enthusiast of wine, culture, food and overall wellness. After 24 years of a combined U.S. military and government civilian career Christiana decided to follow her love and passion for wine and create a business centered on providing overall balance and wholeness in everyday life through wine and wellness.
Christiana has traveled the world with her career which gave her opportunity to experience the different cultures of wine and build relationships with the people behind what makes a wine amazing. She has several years of wine education and experience and has worked part-time at Unwined in Alexandria, VA for the past four years.
Christiana doesn’t just have a passion for wine but for pairing wine with wellness. Christiana is a fitness coach and loves the outdoors. You can often find her biking, hiking or running trails or even in the gym picking up and putting down heavy objects. Christiana pairs wine and wellness together to promote the best balance in life.
Let’s go on a journey together.
Wine Of The Week.
Merkin Vineyards
Shinola Orancia
100% Malvasia Bianca
Malvasia Bianca (White Malvasia) is a dominant member of the Malvasia family of grapes. It has been likened to Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains.
Malvasia Bianca vines are of medium to high productivity and produce yellow-brown grapes with low to medium acidity. When vinified dry, the resulting wine can be very clean and crisp. Made in sweeter, or off dry styles, Malvasia Bianca shows ripe pear flavors backed by honey notes and a touch of spice.
In Arizona
More than 100 Arizona wineries rely on fruit from the three designated American Viticultural Areas of the Verde Valley, Sonoita and Willcox. Serving as the state’s three main wine regions, the vast majority of grapes are grown in the Sonoita and Willcox areas, which are in the southern part of Arizona.
The climate and terroir in this comparatively young region of New World wine share similarities with Old World regions of Italy, Spain and southern France. That's why many of those varieties thrive in Arizona’s wine country.
Malvasia Bianca variety has become the flagship of the Arizona wine industry. With its off-dry profile that flaunts delicate floral and peachy notes, many may assume it wouldn’t have the aptitude to survive, let alone thrive, in the desert southwest. However, that couldn’t be further from fact. It hails from Italy but holds prominence in Mediterranean regions. Its aromatic and creamy qualities make it a go-to for Asian cuisines or most dishes that carry some heat.