2016 Les Bobos Gamay

This wine is a 2016 French Gamay from the Beaujolais region of Southern Burgundy that I got in my order from Winc this month. Gamay is a similar grape varietal to Pinot Noir, but quality Gamay generally comes at a lower price point than an equal quality Pinot Noir. Gamays tend to be fruit forward, with floral and earthy notes, and minimal oakiness.

Gamay can also come from Switzerland, Canada, New Zealand, Italy, and a few other countries, but the vast majority of it comes from the Beaujolais region of France. Beaujolais wines are generally better when they are younger, they aren't meant to be aged, and it's one of the most unpretentious wine regions of France. The highest quality Beaujolais wine is Cru Beaujolais, but it is still incredibly affordable at $20-$25 per bottle; and Beaujolais Villages can be found for $10-$12 per bottle. It truly is one of the most affordable French wine regions.

True to the Gamay varietal, this wine had strong scents of florals and red fruits. When I sniffed it I picked up violet, cherry, raspberry, fig and just a hint of pepper. Even though they were relatively light scents, they also had a deep complexity about them that I wasn't expecting. When I tasted the wine it matched up well to the scents. I got the same fruit notes at first, with a hint of violet and lavender floral notes to mellow out the fruit. On the back end, I tasted notes of vanilla and leather along with the pepper, which was somewhat unexpected. This was a relatively dry wine, it left my mouth with that puckered feeling that you get from dry wines.

Gamay, like Pinot Noir, tends to pair well with a large variety of food. I drank this bottle with a simple margherita pizza and it was delicious. It would also go great with chicken parmesan, salmon, or a cheese and charcuterie plate. There's no wrong food to pair a Gamay with.

Rooftop Views

The weather in Durham over the past two weeks has been all over the place. We've had days where it's been sunny and in the high 70's/low 80's, and the next day it's in the 40's and raining.  On one of the warm days, I took advantage of the weather and went to one of the few rooftop bars in Durham. Durham does not have as incredible of a skyline as New York or Chicago, or in big city, but it's still a great view, and I got to the rooftop as the sun started to set, so I got some beautiful sunset views. This rooftop is in downtown Durham, and it's popular with the young professionals that work in the area, so I decided to go with a look that could easily transition from the office to happy hour. If I was wearing this outfit to work I would probably swap out my jacket for a blazer, and maybe put on a pair of black pumps instead of my nude flats. It's a very versatile outfit.

I got my jacket from Madewell and it's a perfect light jacket for fall and spring. It's not too heavy, so it's great for a nice day with a breeze, or to wear in the evening on a spring day. It has tons of pockets that well positioned, so I can stash my keys and my phone in my pockets without looking bulky. I got my top from Anthropologie a few years ago, and it's such a versatile top. It's work appropriate when paired with nice pants or a black pencil skirt and a cardigan or blazer, but it can also be worn casually or for a date night with jeans and black booties or black sandals. It's an incredibly soft knit material, and I'm sure it will be in my frequent work wear rotation once I start working after graduation.

I've written about my pants many times on the blog. They're from J. Crew and I have them in black, navy, and burgundy. They are the most comfortable pants I own (aside from leggings), and the pocket placement is incredibly useful and flattering. There's no additional hip weight added by keeping stuff in your pockets with these pants. They're also incredibly versatile pants; I wear them out, to school, and I wore them to work over the summer. I'm hoping that J. Crew makes them in a light gray sometime soon, I would immediately buy them.

Since this outfit is a lot of neutral colors, I decided to have fun with my jewelry and add some sparkle. My necklace is from Kendra Scott, and it goes with everything. It's a great necklace for when I want something dainty and fun. However, the chain is a little bit short, if you like longer necklaces I would recommend getting a chain extender for this one. My bow bangle is from Kate Spade, and I love stacking it with a watch or another bracelet. I love bow details, and this is the perfect subtle but fun detail that plays well off a somewhat professional outfit. My pave chain link bracelet is my go to bracelet for when I want simple but glamorous jewelry. It works with almost every outfit, and it's such a timeless piece. I really liked how all my jewelry is different, but the gold base with rhinestones and sparkles tied all three pieces together.

My shoes are nude Tory Burch flats that I got for my birthday two years ago. I'm so loyal to Tory Burch when it comes to shoes. These flats are very comfortable, and they don't really show any wear. They look like they could be a month old, instead of two years old. I wear these shoes frequently because they're such a great neutral color, and Tory Burch currently has a very similar pair on sale.




Jacket: Madewell, also available at Nordstrom.

Top: Anthropologie two years ago, similar available this season.

Pants: J. Crew.

Shoes: Tory Burch two years ago, similar available this season.

Necklace: Kendra Scott.

Chain Link Bracelet: J. Crew Factory.

Bow Bangle: Kate Spade two years ago, similar available this season.

Weekly Window Shopping

J. Crew Liberty Ruffle Jackie Cardigan

The Jackie cardigan is a J. Crew classic. I own it in three different colors, it's such a good quality basic cardigan, and the Liberty ruffle adds some fun flair to it for spring. This cardigan would be perfect for a brisk spring day. The floral pattern isn't just down the buttons, it also peeks out if you roll up the sleeves. A fun update on a timeless classic.

Kate Spade Olive Drive Straw Lottie

When I first saw this bag my jaw seriously dropped a little bit. I'm all in on straw and wicker bags for spring and summer, and the addition of the signature Kate Spade bow is just darling. Since the bow and handle are black, I think this bag would transition well from day to night, even though it's straw. This bag would quickly become a go to bag for the warmer months.

Kate Spade On Purpose Canvas Tote in Fairmont Stripe

Ok, I just might be obsessed with Kate Spade's entire spring line of bags that dropped recently. I love the stripes on this canvas tote, and again, the bow detail is absolutely darling. This would be a great bag to take to the farmer's market or to the beach. Bonus points: this bag is made by women in Rwanda and supports their self-run business.

J. McLaughlin Newport Capri in Picnic Gingham

It's starting to become gingham pants season, and unsurprisingly navy is my preferred color of gingham. I love that these gingham pants are actually capris, in the spring and summer I tend to cuff my jeans to make them capris more often than just wearing them as long pants. The navy and white color of these pants will go with almost any colored top; white, light blue, mint, coral, yellow etc. I would just try to keep the top somewhat simple, so that the outfit isn't too busy.

Anthropologie Cloth & Stone Polka Dot Seamed Dress

White dresses are perfect for spring and summer, and this simple white dress has a delicately glamorous touch in the rose gold polka dots. I love the simple femininity of this dress. It has a classic silhouette, but the polka dots give it a little bit of pizzazz.