Ray Fister

Wine contributor Ray Fister has been chatting with Lake Effect about the fruits of the vine for almost a decade. He has always insisted you don’t need a special occasion to open a nice bottle of wine. But if you're looking for something, why not choose wine made in Wisconsin?

“There’s frontenac, there’s st. pepin, there’s st. croix. There are all these different grapes that survive nicely in this weather, making very good reds, very good whites, and in the end a lot of these winemakers blending them to make something they think is very special,” Fister says.

The holidays and all of its glory create the perfect opportunity to try new things — like wine for example. Wine expert Ray Fister sat down with Lake Effect's Bonnie North to discuss the best wines to try over the holidays and the impact that the California wildfires has on the wine industry.

Fister recommends you try something a bit sweeter, unique and Italian this holiday rather than choosing the old reliable you know and love. Next time you're out shopping for your holiday gatherings, grab a bottle of moscato d'Asti.

The news has been full of stories on tariffs and immigration, and how both are affecting the economy. These aren’t topics our wine contributor, Ray Fister, typically talks to Lake Effect about. But he says these national and international policies will show up as higher per bottle prices for the consumer.

One of the biggest changes coming down the pike are with California labor laws that take effect next year.

While we can't say it with certainty, the likelihood of another snowstorm diminishes with each passing day, as we transition into the warmer months. With the temperature transition also comes a transition for our palates.

This time of year, we move away from heavier soups and stews to lighter fare. It’s also the perfect time to talk about spring wines with our wine contributor, Ray Fister. He says the kinds of wines we drink reflect on the trends we see in food:

For many of us, Thanksgiving Day starts in the early morning and can go until late at night. It’s a holiday often marked by excess: lots of family, lots of food, and for some, lots of booze.

Ray Fister knows a thing or two about that last part. He's the driving force behind Life Between the Vines and one of the hosts of its podcast. He offers us some recommendations for wines to pair with, what else, turkey.

The full heat of summer is upon us. Most of us reach for a cold beer or cider if we want something alcoholic to help cool down.

But Lake Effect’s regular wine contributor Ray Fister says don’t ignore the fruits of the grape, and don't be afraid to try something new: 

Ray Fister is the co-creator and voice of the wine blog and podcast Life Between the Vines and the owner and engineer of 5th Floor Recording Company.

The last time wine contributor Ray Fister joined Lake Effect's Bonnie North, he talked about the impact that a historically bad wildfire season in California was having on the wine grape industry.

It’s been several months since those fires, and Fister says, "It's amazing how things have come back" in the Napa and Sonoma regions.

Every so often, when he isn’t off in California trying out this year’s vintage, Ray Fister stops in to chat about wine. Lake Effect's wine contributor is the co-creator and voice of the wine blog and podcast Life Between the Vines.

It’s November, and the holiday juggernaut is almost upon us.  And if you drink, it’s a time you might be buying more wine than you normally would.  But if you don’t know a lot about wine, this can be a daunting task.

Wine contributor Ray Fister has the answers, and one of his recommendations includes trying out different dessert wines during the holidays.

Ray Fister joins us from time to time to talk about all-things wine. Among the popular bottles this time of year are those that hold Rosé – a variety that he says is gaining  in popularity.

"Rosé is one of the things that can appeal to everybody," says Fister. "It tends to be a more of a warm weather wine, but even better than that - it's a little lighter in alcohol. And it can go into almost any pairing situation with food."

What kind of wine did you drink on New Year’s?  Or more generally, when you think of a good bottle of wine, where do you imagine it comes from?

Many would say France or Italy, while others might include Spain and South Africa. But wine contributor Ray Fister believes you can find good wines originating from every state of the union beyond the Napa Valley.

As harvesting of grapes gets into full gear, it’s an exciting time of year for wine lovers, and a busy time of year for wine makers. However, some states have been dealing with great challenges this growing and harvesting season.

The state of California faces one of the most severe droughts on record, while crews struggle to keep numerous wildfires under control. The high heat index, hazy atmosphere and lack of water present huge challenges for the state's wine makers.

It is picnic season in Wisconsin, and if your picnic plans include a bottle or two of wine, contributor Ray Fister might have some wines that could strike your fancy.

After visiting several Wisconsin wineries, Fister shares his experience as well as wine recommendations to try this summer:

Lake Effect’s wine contributor Ray Fister has been racking up the frequent flyer miles in the past few weeks.

Between trips to California and wine events closer to home, he made time to speak with Lake Effect's Bonnie North while in Milwaukee. 

"’13 was another great one, followed by ’14 – everybody’s sitting on the edge of their chair to see what’s gonna happen in ’15," he says. "Three in a row is pretty unusual – certainly for Napa and Sonoma, they’re very happy."

Hanukkah has begun and Christmas is next week. If you’re like most of us at this time of year, you’re awash in holiday parties of all kinds.