Wine consumption is on the rise in America, and trends in wine are emerging left and right. According to WineMarketCouncil.com, last year Americans consumed over 3 billion bottles of wine, a record setting number. Chicago's very own Corporate Sommelier Don Sritong and owner of West Loop wine retailer Just Grapes, is available to discuss some new trends in wine, including:

• Organic Wines - Wineries have been practicing organic/biodynamic farming for a long time, and winemakers strongly believe that wine lovers should be able to taste the elements surrounding a grape's origin, such as soil, climate, aspect and wind.

• Unique Wine Names - With the success of Yellowtail in 2001, there have been several "me too" brands jumping on the bandwagon. Yellowtail created a category of wines that is often referred to as "critter brands" (kangaroos, penguins, crocodiles). These brands include Little Penguin, Three Blind Mooses and Twin Fin. According to AC Nielsen, "Over the past three years, sales of critter-branded wine have reached more than $600 million."

• At Home Blending Parties - Since martini parties have become a thing of the past, at home wine blending parties are quickly becoming the latest trend amongst wine connoisseurs and novices alike. Wine blending allows for unique flavor profiles and combined tastes, while allowing for experimentation and fun. Just Grapes' Don Sritong can provide tips for impromptu, at home wine blending and how to choose the right wines and different ways to blend.

• Wine & Chocolate - When choosing which wines to pair with chocolate, Sritong recommends dessert wines because of their sweet taste. The outcome of a perfect wine and chocolate pairing affinity is to make both the wine & chocolate taste better and to discover additional layers in the wine not revealed when consumed independently.

DON SRITONG - CORPORATE SOMMELIER AND OWNER OF JUST GRAPES

Don Sritong has always had an extreme passion for wine, growing up in Northern California and attending the University of California-Davis, making his dedication to a career as a sommelier a reality in 1992. With over 15 years experience as a corporate sommelier at wineries like Kendall-Jackson, Kobrand Corporation, Constellation Brands, Don has represented wineries from all over the world including the United States, Australia, Chile, New Zealand, Italy, France, South America and Portugal.

Don worked diligently facilitating wine education programs at restaurants and hotels, ultimately achieving the coveted certification level of Court of Master Sommelier in 2003. Don feels that wine education should be simple, fun and functional. In his role as Corporate Sommelier at Just Grapes, Don provides succinct, relevant information that can be utilized in the real world.

Don's idea to become a corporate sommelier started after he realized how many business deals are conducted in restaurants and how many corporate employees could effectively use education on wine. Therefore, in 2004, Don started Just Grapes as a means for teaching people basic, useful information about how to select the right wine for every event; whether it is a food pairing, a business dinner or home entertaining.

With his corporate wine seminars offering unparalleled wine expertise and consultation in a lively and fun atmosphere, Don lives by the idea that "the best wine for you is the one you like best." Satisfied clients include Harris Bank/BMO, AOL, Accenture, Cosmopolitan, GE, Google, Jones Lang LaSalle, Kraft, Mayer, Brown, Rowe & Maw LLP, PepsiCo, Price Waterhouse Coopers, Sara Lee, Starbucks, Symantec and Zurich.