Two things have changed from my 20s to my 30s. My taste in wine and my evening routine/bedtime and for that I couldn’t be happier. Being a Taurus girly, I love the comforts of my own home << I also want people to feel safe, calm, and comfortable in my house>> and I love to stick to a routine and, don’t do well with change, but change is important sometimes even if its subtle. I have been loving setting my evening boundaries by having a glass or two of wine around 6pm and then some with dinner and make myself be in bed and unwinding at least by 11pm, sometimes 10:30pm. God forbid a girl enjoy a girl dinner and a glass or Rosé or Orange wine to unwind with her own thoughts, a Throne of Glass audiobook, or this months Thriller Book Club book on her kindle. An evening ritual lets us get into the right head space to unpack the day or think about what needs to be done the following day. An evening ritual will look different to everyone, but I do think they are healthy and helpful and shouldn’t be shamed. Now let’s talk wine.

Summertime calls for refreshing, perfectly chilled, crips wines. Rosé and Orange wines are two that are sought after during the warmer months. I drink rosé year round, but there is definitely something magical about its juicy red fruit and acidity that makes you wanna drink it by the pool. Rosé will always be my go-to girl dinner/snack plate pleasant pairing and I’ll fight you on it. Champagne and Orange Wine are acceptable alternatives 🙂 These two styles of wine have been fighting for the spotlight and I do think that Orange wine has taken the lead just by a little in 2025. Let’s break it down. Both wines see skin contact giving them their gorgeous various hues. Rosé takes red grapes and those grapes sit on skin contact during the maceration process giving them a light pink hue. Some can even be darker in color from longer skin contact and still be juicy and dry wines. The lighter rosés are crisp clean, bright berries, strawberries, watermelon, some citrus, and crisp mouthwatering acidity. Darker rosés like Atilia Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo or Tavel are beautiful wines good for pizza night, a good barbecue party, or holiday season with turkey if you don’t want a chilled red wine because they do offer more of a backbone than the lighter rosés. They all have a time to shine it really just depends on what you’re doing.

Does orange wine have anything to do with oranges? The answer is no. Sorry, it doesn’t takes like SunnyD. Orange wine is made like Rosé, but instead of red grapes it comes form white grapes and gives a gorgeous orange hue to the wine. Like there are spectrum of Rosé hues Orange wine has a spectrum of flavors and funk where the color mostly stays the same. Timing is everything with Orange wines. They are are fuller bodied than most white wines, but don’t lack aromatics or structure, there’s just not the astringency that comes from tannins so they are definitely still crushable. Orange wine is having its moment and its unbelievably good with Asian dishes, sushi, a chicken Caesar pasta salad, curry and roasted veggies, or spicy Thai dishes. You’ll find flavors of tropical fruits, honey, apricot, tangerine, strawberries, some floral notes, as well as some nutty flavors. Orange wine has been a wine making process for a long time so we know it’s not going anywhere but if you haven’t had the chance to try one I highly recommend branching out and giving one a try next time you want some Chinese take out and a scary movie with your friends.

Let me know in the comments if you’ve tried Orange wine! I also wanna know if you’re Team Rosé or Team Orange. What are some of your evening rituals? Remember a glass of wine always helps make the vibe right and you’re not alone.

Love You To The Moon & Back,

Ridgely